Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Foam or foamable type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-29
2001-02-06
Nessler, Cynthia L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Foam or foamable type
C426S587000, C426S590000, C426S594000, C426S506000, C426S432000, C426S433000, C099S300000, C099S30200C, C099S323300, C099S452000, C137S889000, C137S896000, C336S160000, C336S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183800
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a method for preparing frothed milk or café crème, respectively.
The frothed milk is typically used for preparing cappuccino and similar beverages. The frothed milk then includes many small air bubbles.
café crème is understood to mean black coffee provided with a small-bubble, slightly light-brown colored froth layer when contained in a container such as a cup.
It is known to prepare frothed milk by mixing milk with steam. The mixing of the concentrated milk and steam can be carried out, for instance, manually. The milk is provided in a container, whereafter, using a steam pipe, steam is blown into the milk. While moving the container up and down by hand relative to the steam pipe, the steam and air are beaten into the milk. Thus, after some time, frothed milk will arise.
Further, it is known, for instance from European patent application 0,243,326, to prepare frothed milk using an emulsifying device. Using the emulsifying device, steam, air and milk are mixed with each other, such that frothed milk is obtained. To that end, the emulsifying device comprises a first steam inlet, an air inlet, a first milk inlet, a suction chamber and a whirl chamber. The first steam inlet, the air inlet and the first milk inlet open into the first suction chamber. Further, the first suction chamber is in fluid communication with the whirl chamber. The milk is contained in a storage container which is in fluid communication with the milk inlet via a duct. In use, steam is supplied via the steam inlet to the suction chamber. The result is that via the milk inlet, milk is sucked from the container to the suction chamber. Also, air is drawn in via the air inlet. The mixture of steam, air and milk flows to the whirl chamber at such a speed that in the whirl chamber, as a result of turbulence, frothed milk is formed. The frothed milk can then leave the device via an opening in the whirl chamber. To prevent the milk going bad, it is also known to cool the container in which the milk is contained. Often, the container of this milk consists of a small refrigerator in which a carton of milk with a contents of, for instance, 1 liter is stored.
A disadvantage of the first method described for preparing frothed milk is that it is rather laborious and takes up relatively much time. In the catering industry, especially the time required for preparing the frothed milk is unacceptable.
A disadvantage of the second method described for preparing frothed milk, which utilizes the emulsifier, is that when it is used in the catering industry, the carton of milk is often empty soon. The carton will then have to be replaced with another carton of milk, which again takes up an undesirable amount of time.
The object of the invention is to provide a method for preparing frothed milk, which provides a solution to each of the above-indicated disadvantages.
It is known per se to make café crème by spouting coffee at a high speed into a chamber surrounded by walls, which chamber is provided with an outflow opening at its underside. The chamber with the outflow opening is often designed as a piston which may further comprise a filter holder filled with ground coffee. A disadvantage of the known system is that it dispenses a café crème with an inhomogeneous froth layer. The object of the invention is also to provide a solution to the last-mentioned disadvantage.
The method for preparing a frothed milk or café crème, respectively, is characterized, according to the invention, in that milk concentrate or coffee concentrate, respectively, is mixed with water using a venturi chamber which comprises at least a water inlet, a concentrate inlet and an outlet, and a whirl chamber, located downstream of the venturi chamber, which is in fluid communication with the outlet, and the water is supplied under pressure via the water inlet to the venturi chamber, so that in the venturi chamber a reduced pressure is created, the concentrate inlet is brought into fluid communication with a stock of milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, so that, as a result of the reduced pressure in the venturi chamber, via the concentrate inlet, milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, is sucked into the venturi chamber, the milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, and the water flow together via the outlet to the whirl chamber, and the milk or coffee concentrate,
10
respectively, and the water are beaten, in the whirl chamber, to form frothed milk or café crème, respectively.
Surprisingly, it has been found possible to prepare frothed milk of very high quality with the aid of a venturi chamber which is in fluid communication with a downstream whirl chamber. The preparation of an amount of frothed milk takes up relatively little time. Also, owing to the use of a stock of concentrated milk as starting product, it takes relatively long for this entire stock to be used up. Especially when used in the catering industry, the advantage is that a carton of concentrated milk will be empty much less fast than a carton of ordinary milk.
It is noted that, as stated, European patent application 0,243,326 also discloses using a venturi chamber for preparing frothed milk. In that application, however, the starting products are milk and steam, instead of concentrated milk and water.
Further, it has been found, surprisingly, that according to the invention, using a venturi chamber and a whirl chamber, a perfect café crème can be prepared from concentrated coffee and water. The café crème is found to have a very homogeneous fine-bubble froth layer.
Preferably, also air is drawn in by the venturi chamber. This further enhances the fine-bubble character of the beverage to be prepared for consumption. In other words, more froth of a homogeneous quality is formed.
In particular, the stock of milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, is cooled. As a consequence, a very large amount of frothed milk or café crème, respectively, can be prepared, without the amount of milk or coffee concentrate needing to be replaced.
In particular, heated water is supplied to the first inlet for obtaining heated or hot frothed milk, or hot café crème.
Further, in particular the ratio between the amount of milk or coffee concentrate and the water supplied to the venturi chamber, as well as the temperature of the concentrated milk or coffee concentrate and the water, are tuned to each other, such that the frothed milk or the café crème, respectively, leaving the whirl chamber is hot. Here, preferably, the stock of milk or coffee concentrate is cooled, so that the temperature of the milk or coffee concentrate supplied to the venturi chamber is relatively low. In this connection, for instance, a temperature lower than 10° C. can be considered. It is also possible that the ratio between the amount of milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, and the water supplied to the venturi chamber, as well as the temperature of the milk or coffee concentrate, respectively, and the water are tuned to each other for predetermining the temperature of, respectively, the frothed milk or café crème leaving the whirl chamber.
European patent application 0,241,687 discloses mixing concentrates with water, using a venturi chamber. In particular, this involves fruit concentrates. A mixing chamber is used for mixing the water and the fruit concentrate. However, this does not involve the formation of froth in the finished product. Accordingly, European patent application 0,241,687 does not disclose supplying concentrated milk or concentrated coffee, respectively, and heated water to a whirl chamber for obtaining frothed milk or café crème, respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3586214 (1971-06-01), Diebel et al.
patent: 4263498 (1981-04-01), Meyers
patent: 4595131 (1986-06-01), Ruskin et al.
patent: 4757752 (1988-07-01), Robins et al.
patent: 4852473 (1989-08-01), Azpitarte Bolivar
patent: 5052289 (1991-10-01), Di Girolamo
patent: 5154111 (1992-10-01), Luciano
patent: 5207148 (1993-05-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5265520 (1993-11-01), Giuliano
patent: 5335588 (1994-08-01), Mahlich
patent: 5465649
Mels Willem Nanko
Muis Jan Anne
Rusche E. H.
van Straten Adrianus Petrus Matthijs
Wahsink A. J. Oude
Nessler Cynthia L.
Sara Lee / DE N.V.
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
LandOfFree
Method for preparing frothed milk or café crème does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for preparing frothed milk or café crème, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for preparing frothed milk or café crème will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2557979