AN IMPROVED FROTH-MAKING CARAFE FOR MAKING CAPPUCCINO AND THE LIKE

CARAFE A MOUSSER AMELIOREE POUR CAPPUCCINO ET AUTRES CAFES

English Abstract

An improved froth-making carafe of the type having a container, a plunger
member
with a plate with through holes, a lid with a guiding bore and a rod. The
improvement
lies in that the plunger member further has a froth improving device located
above
the plate of the plunger member. The froth improving device includes a screw
thread-
like element coaxially mounted onto the rod and a disk mounted onto the screw
thread-like element. The disk has an outer ring, a central hub and a plain
surface
there between with a plurality of apertures. The ring and hub are connected by
a
plurality of spokes and the plain surface is supported by the spokes. The
central hub
has an inner surface shaped to fit to the screw thread-like element in order
to spin
back and forth the froth improving device along the height of the screw thread-
like
element when the plunger member is moved rapidly through the container to
froth
the liquid.

Claims

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WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. An improved froth-making carafe of the type comprising:
a container for a liquid, said container having a handle;
a plunger member for frothing the liquid within the container, said plunger
member having a plate with a plurality of through holes;
a lid having a guiding bore; and
a rod with top and bottom ends, said rod being axially movable through the
guiding bore of the lid, and having its top end connected to a knob and its
bottom end connected to a central portion of the plate of the plunger member,
the improvement wherein the plunger member further comprises a froth
improving device located above the plate of the plunger member, said froth
improving device including:
a screw thread-like element coaxially mounted onto the rod, and
a disk mounted onto the screw thread-like element, said disk having an outer
ring, a central hub and a plain surface there between with a plurality of
apertures, said ring and hub being connected by a plurality of spokes and said
plain surface being supported by the spokes, said central hub having an inner
surface shaped to fit to the screw thread-like element in order to spin back
and forth the froth improving device along a given height of the screw thread-
like element when the plunger member is moved rapidly through the container
to froth the liquid.
2. A carafe according to claim 1, wherein the plain surface of the disk is
positioned
between the ring and the hub so as to provide a first and a second gap, the
first
gap being located between an outer edge of the plain surface and the ring, and
the second gap being located between an inner edge of the plain surface and
the hub.

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3. A carafe according to claim 2, wherein the apertures of the disk are
axially
located along on one side of each of the spokes.
4. A carafe according to claim 3, wherein the apertures of the disk are
axially
located along both sides of each of the spokes.
5. A carafe according to claim 4, wherein the apertures of the disk decrease
in
width from the ring towards the central hub.
6. A carafe according to claim 5, wherein the given height of the screw thread-
like
element extends between a stopping ring mounted onto the rod and the central
portion of the plate of the plunger member.
7. A carafe according to claim 6, wherein the plate of the plunger member
includes
a mesh and a rim, the rim being connected to the central portion by a
plurality
of radial stems, and the mesh being supported by said rim and said stems.
8. A carafe according to claim 7, wherein the container is of cylindrical
shape.

Description

CA 02310180 2000-OS-29
1
AN IMPROVED FROTH-MAKING CARAFE
FOR MAKING CAPPUCCINO AND THE LIKE
s FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for frothing a liquid such as milk.
More
particularly, the present invention relates to a improved froth-making device
that
quickly froth milk for a beverage such as cappuccino or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A variety of frothing devices are known, for use to froth milk. Most of these
frothing
devices are complex machines having a number of tubes through which a
i5 pressurized steam is injected into the milk. These frothing devices are
often big in
size and thus difficult to carry, clean and maintain. These large devices are
also
expensive to make and purchase, and take up a significant amount of storage
space.
The prior art devices also require to be positioned near an energy source such
as a
wall outlet to create the pressurized steam.
Beverages requiring frothed milk, such as cappuccino, have become much more
popular in recent years, thereby increasing the need for easy-to-use milk
frothing
devices so as to make them more accessible to the general public.
2 s Therefore, there is a need for a frothing device to froth liquids, such as
milk, which
is simple in structure and use, needs no electricity, and is relatively easy
to clean and
store.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is provided an improved froth-making
carafe
of the type which comprises a container for a liquid, a plunger member for
frothing

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the liquid within the container. The plunger member has a plate with a
plurality of
through holes. The carafe further comprises a lid with a guiding bore and a
rod with
top and bottom ends. The rod is axially movable through the guiding bore of
the lid.
The rod has its top end connected to a knob and its bottom end connected to a
s central portion of the plate of the plunger member.
The improvement lies in that the plunger member further comprises a froth
improving
device located above the plate of the plunger member. The froth improving
device
includes a screw thread-like element coaxially mounted onto the rod and a disk
to mounted onto the screw thread-like element. The disk has an outer ring, a
central
hub and a plain surface there between with a plurality of apertures. The ring
and hub
are connected by a plurality of spokes and the plain surface is supported by
the
spokes. The central hub has an inner surface shaped to fit to the screw thread-
like
element in order to spin back and forth the froth improving device in a given
height
i5 along the screw thread-like element when the plunger member is moved
rapidly
through the container to froth the liquid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2 o The present invention and its advantages will be more easily understood
after
reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment
thereof,
made with reference to the following drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved froth-making carafe according to
a
2 s preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the improved froth-making carafe shown
in fig.1.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the plunger member of the carafe
shown
3 o in figs. 1 and 2.

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Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the froth-making carafe shown in the
previous
figures, which illustrates the action of the plunger member during a downward
pumping movement.
s Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the same froth-making carafe,
illustrating the
action of the plunger member during an upward pumping movement.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
1 o The carafe (10) according to the preferred embodiment of the invention as
shown in
the accompanying drawings comprises a container (12) with a handle (14). The
container (12) is preferably cylindrical in shape but it could be of a
different shape
provided of course that the shape of its components be "adjusted" accordingly.
The
carafe (10) also comprises a plunger member (18) including a plate (34) with
through
i5 holes (36), a lid (20) with a guiding bore (22), and a rod (24).
The rod (24) has a top end (26) and a bottom end (28) and is axially movable
through the guiding bore (22) of the lid (20). The top end (26) is connected
to a knob
(30) whereas the bottom end (28) is connected to a central portion (32) of the
plate
20 (34) of the plunger member (18) by a fastening means (64), such as a screw.
As is better shown in fig 3, the plunger member (18) has a froth improving
device
(40) located above its plate (34). In the illustrated embodiment, the plate
(34)
includes a mesh (80) and a rim (82). The rim (82) is connected to the central
portion
25 (32) by a plurality of radial stems (84), and the mesh (80) is supported by
the rim (82)
and the stems (84). The froth improving device (40) includes a screw thread-
like
element (44) mounted onto the rod (24) and a disk (42) mounted onto the screw
thread-like element (44). The disk (42) has a outer ring (46) and a central
hub (48)
which are connected to each other by a plurality of spokes (52). The central
hub (48)
3 0 of the disk (42) has an inner surface (58) shaped to fit to the screw
thread-like
element (44).

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The disk (42) further has a plain surface (68) with a plurality of apertures
(50) which
are preferably axially located along one and preferably both sides (54, 56) of
each
of the spokes (52). The width of the apertures (50) preferably decreases from
the
ring (46) towards the central hub (48) of the disk (42). The plain surface
(68) of the
disk (42) is positioned between the outer ring (46) and the hub (48) so as to
provide
a first gap (70) and a second gap (72). The first gap (70) is located between
an outer
edge (74) of the plain surface (68) and the ring (46), whereas the second gap
(72)
is located between an inner edge (76) of the plain surface (68) and the hub
(48).
to In use (see figures 4 and 5), the plunger member (18) is moved rapidly
within the
container (12) to froth the liquid (66). By doing so, the disk (42) of the
froth improving
device (40) is actuated and spun back and forth along the height (60) of the
screw
thread-like element (44). The height (60) is preferably defined between the
central
portion (32) of the plate (34) of the plunger member (18) and a stopping ring
(62)
i5 mounted onto the rod (24).
As is better shown in fig. 4, the plunger member (18) forces the liquid (66)
to first
pass through the through holes (36) of the plate (34) during the downward
pumping
movement. This provides a first froth, which is then rapidly whipped by the
spinning
2 o action of the disk (42) of the froth improving device (40). Fig. 5 shows
the action of
the plunger member (18) during the upward pumping movement whereby the
frothing
steps are reversed. This back and forth dual frothing action provided by the
plate and
the froth improving device of the carafe allow the user to quickly froth
liquid for a
cappuccino or the like.
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in
detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be
understood that
the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that various
changes
and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or
spirit
3 0 of the present invention.

Representative Drawing