Device and method for producing a frothed liquid from soluble ingredients and diluent
View Patent ↗Device for producing a frothed liquid comprising a chamber opened to atmosphere with a transverse bottom wall and a longitudinal upward wall, at least one diluent inlet, at least one liquid delivery outlet. The at least one diluent inlet comprises a first diluent inlet provided through the upward wall and dimensioned and oriented for directing a thin jet of diluent in the chamber. The at least one liquid delivery outlet is configured in the bottom wall for liquid to rise up along the side of the upward wall by the jet of diluent entering the chamber as a result of the direction and dimension of the diluent inlet in the chamber.
1. A device for producing a frothed liquid comprising:
a cylindrically shaped chamber opened to the atmosphere and comprising a transverse bottom wall, a longitudinal upward wall, a first diluent inlet, and at least one liquid delivery outlet, the first diluent inlet extends through a lower portion of the upward wall and is inclined downwardly in direction toward the bottom wall at an angle (b) relative to a transversal plane of the chamber to direct a jet of diluent into the chamber, and the liquid delivery outlet is located in the bottom wall for enabling liquid to rise up along the side of the upward wall by the jet of diluent entering the chamber,
wherein the first diluent inlet is oriented in a direction so that a ratio of a distance “d” to the radius “r” of the chamber is between 0.2 and 0.9, and wherein “d” is a distance measured orthogonally from a direction of orientation of the first diluent inlet to a central axis of the chamber.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the total surface area of the liquid delivery outlet is configured so that the evacuation flow rate by gravity of the liquid through the outlet is lower than the filling flow rate of the chamber in diluent through the first diluent inlet.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein a single liquid delivery outlet is provided in the bottom wall, the single liquid delivery outlet having a cross section smaller than 12.6 mm 2 .
4. The device of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of liquid delivery outlets provided in the bottom wall wherein each individual outlet has a cross section smaller than 1.52 mm 2 .
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the liquid delivery outlet is provided in the center of the bottom wall.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall comprises at least one liquid delivery outlet closed by an openable valve using external control means for delaying the liquid delivery from the outlet.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first diluent inlet has a diameter between 0.2 and 1 mm.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a conduit placed at the top of the chamber, the conduit providing a liquid outlet allowing liquid to exit the chamber after the liquid has exceeded the chamber capacity.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device forms a disposable or recyclable cartridge which contains an amount of soluble ingredient.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first diluent inlet is hermetically closed by at least one airtight removable membrane.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the angle (b) relative to the transversal plane of the chamber is between 5 and 30 degrees.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a second diluent inlet positioned at a different height of the upward wall relative to the first diluent inlet, the second diluent inlet having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of an orientation different from that of the first diluent inlet, a dimension different than that of the first diluent inlet, and combinations thereof.
13. A beverage production apparatus comprising:
a device for producing a frothed liquid comprising an opened, cylindrically shaped chamber comprising a transverse bottom wall, a longitudinal upward wall, a first diluent inlet, at least one liquid delivery outlet, and a diluent feed means connectable to the first diluent inlet, the first diluent inlet extends through the upward wall and is inclined downwardly in a direction toward the bottom wall at an angle (b) relative to a transversal plane of the chamber to direct a jet of diluent into the chamber, and the liquid delivery outlet is located in the bottom wall for enabling liquid to rise up along the side of the upward wall by the jet of diluent entering the chamber,
wherein the first diluent inlet is oriented in a direction so that a ratio of a distance “d” to the radius “r” of the chamber is between 0.2 and 0.9, and wherein “d” is a distance measured orthogonally from a direction of orientation of the first diluent inlet to a central axis of the chamber.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the chamber comprises a second diluent inlet positioned at a different height of the upward wall relative to the first diluent inlet, the second diluent inlet having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of an orientation different from that of the first diluent inlet, a dimension different than that of the first diluent inlet, and combinations thereof.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising a liquid reservoir that supplies the diluent.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , comprising a water pump configured to transport the diluent from the liquid reservoir to a water heating system.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the diluent feed means comprises a tube that feeds the diluent from the water heating system to the device.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising a soluble ingredient reservoir positioned above the device.
19. The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising a dosing system coupled to the soluble ingredient reservoir and configured to meter doses of the soluble ingredient from the soluble ingredient reservoir into the device.