Patent ID: 8668376

Claim:
A milk or milk-based liquid conditioning appliance for preparation of a beverage, which comprises: a tank for receiving the milk or milk-based liquid that is to be conditioned; a closed compartment secured to the tank, wherein the compartment is water impervious and washable under running water without infiltration thereof into the compartment; and an electric device for imparting a conditioning effect to the liquid, with the device located in the compartment and below the tank, wherein the compartment includes a sidewall and is assembled to be water impervious so that the appliance can be washed without allowing water to contact the electrical device in the compartment; wherein the electric device has at least one connection means extending through a first through-opening in an outer wall of the compartment, wherein each through-opening is water impervious by association with a sealing element located between a peripheral part of the connection means and the sidewall; and wherein the first through-opening is delimited by a surface of the sidewall that has a first portion that extends into the compartment and a second portion extending away at an angle from the first portion and having inward and outward facing surfaces to form a recessed shoulder, with the sealing element engaging at least the outward facing surface of the second portion at least part of the first portion to prevent contact of liquid with the second portion of the recessed shoulder and with the sealing element extending around the entire peripheral part of the connection means.