Milk frothing apparatus having improved frothing effect
AssigneePi-Sesign AG
InventorJorgen Bodum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for frothing a liquid food product is disclosed. It comprises a drive unit (1) and a frothing unit (3). The frothing unit (3) comprises a guide rod (30), which is configured along at least one section as a threaded rod (31). A frothing element (40) is in threaded engagement with the guide rod (30) and can thus be moved along a helical path on the guide rod (30). At least one dog (36, 36′) is driven by the drive unit (1) in a circular motion about the longitudinal axis of the guide rod (30) and in the process entrains the frothing element (40) such that said element is driven to perform a helical motion on the guide rod (30). In this way, the frothing element can perform an up and down motion superimposed on the rotational motion thereof along the longitudinal direction.
Claims15
An apparatus for frothing a liquid food product, comprising a drive unit and a frothing unit which interacts with said drive unit, the frothing unit comprising:
- a guide rod having a longitudinal axis extending along a longitudinal direction, the guide rod having at least one threaded portion;
- a frothing element which is in threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the guide rod, so as to be movable along a helical path relative to the guide rod;
- and
- at least one driver adapted to be driven by the drive unit to carry out a circular movement about the longitudinal axis of the guide rod and arranged to drive the frothing element to carry out a helical movement relative to the guide rod,
- wherein the driver is in the form of a driver rod which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide rod and which is connected to the frothing element to allow relative displacement of the frothing element and the driver along the longitudinal direction.
An apparatus for frothing a liquid food product, comprising a drive unit and a frothing unit which interacts with said drive unit, the frothing unit comprising:
- a guide rod having a longitudinal axis extending along a longitudinal direction, the guide rod having at least one threaded portion;
- a frothing element which is in threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the guide rod, so as to be movable along a helical path relative to the guide rod;
- and
- at least one driver adapted to be driven by the drive unit to carry out a circular movement about the longitudinal axis of the guide rod and arranged to drive the frothing element to carry out a helical movement relative to the guide rod,
- wherein the frothing element comprises a toroidally bent helical spring which is arranged so as to surround the longitudinal axis of the guide rod and is connected to a support element which is in threaded engagement with the guide rod.
An apparatus for frothing a liquid food product, comprising a drive unit and a frothing unit which interacts with said drive unit, the frothing unit comprising:
- a guide rod having a longitudinal axis extending along a longitudinal direction, the guide rod having at least one threaded portion;
- a frothing element which is in threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the guide rod, so as to be movable along a helical path relative to the guide rod;
- and
- at least one driver adapted to be driven by the drive unit to carry out a circular movement about the longitudinal axis of the guide rod and arranged to drive the frothing element to carry out a helical movement relative to the guide rod,
- wherein the guide rod has a recess in at least one region which adjoins said at least one threaded portion, said recess allowing the frothing element to rotate freely in the region of the recess without executing a helical movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.