Apparatus and Method for Frothing Milk

Abstract

A jug for use with a frothing apparatus. The jug comprising: a vessel body for holding a liquid to be heated; a handle attached to the vessel body, the handle for holding the jug; a user interface for receiving an operation-related user input; a communication means adapted to communicate data associated with the jug to the frothing apparatus; and a controller for controlling the user interface and the communication means. In an embodiment, The frothing apparatus comprises: a steam heater, a steam nozzle, and a steam path providing fluid communication from the steam heater to the steam nozzle for delivering heating steam to the jug; communication means adapted to receive operating data from a cooperating communication means associated with the jug, the data comprising an operation-related user input; and a controller for controlling operation of the steam heater and the steam path based on the operation-related user input.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A steaming jug for use with a frothing apparatus, the jug including:
 a vessel body for holding a liquid to be heated;   a inlet port for releasably coupling to a steamer spigot of the frothing apparatus that is in fluid flow communication with a steam source to provide a steam mixture to the liquid in the jug; the inlet port having a valve.   
     
     
         22 . The jug according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 a latch assembly releasably couples the jug to the frothing apparatus;   the latch assembly having a latch element and a tension spring that biases a head portion of the latch element into latching engagement with a radially extending flange formed on the steamer spigot.   
     
     
         23 . The jug according to  claim 22 , wherein a solenoid is activated to disengage the head portion from the flange. 
     
     
         24 . The jug according to  claim 23 , wherein the tension spring biases the head to an engaged configuration. 
     
     
         25 . The jug according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the steamer spigot is partially contained within an overflow valve body having an overflow valve;   a through opening in a side wall of the overflow valve body allows discharge from either the overflow valve or the steamer spigot when in a released configuration.   
     
     
         26 . The jug according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 with the latch assembly disengaged from flange formed on the steamer spigot a second compression spring axially biases steamer spigot as the jug is moved away from the fixed overflow valve body.   
     
     
         27 . The jug according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 a base is adapted to receive the steaming jug;   an upper surface of the base has a hinged cover portion that is selectively raised and lowered; the cover portion is configured to divert steam discharge from the spigot when in a raised configuration.   
     
     
         28 . The jug according to  claim 27 , wherein the cover portion is hinged about its lower end and is biased to the raised configuration by a spring. 
     
     
         29 . The jug according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 a base is adapted to receive the steaming jug;   the jug having an alignment groove on the underside of a jug that cooperates with a raised alignment feature on the base.   
     
     
         30 . The jug according to  claim 21 , wherein the inlet port a ball valve. 
     
     
         31 . The jug according to  claim 30 , wherein the ball valve is located between a valve seat and the perforated steam nozzle. 
     
     
         32 . The jug according to  claim 30 , wherein the ball valve is associated with an actuating shaft that is rotated from the closed position to the open position by the action of a push pin. 
     
     
         33 . The jug according to  claim 32 , wherein the push pin is actuated by a processor controlled solenoid; the solenoid having an output pin that engages a first end of the push pin. 
     
     
         34 . The jug according to  claim 33 , wherein the second end of the push pin acts on a lever or cam to rotate the actuating shaft. 
     
     
         35 . The jug according to  claim 34 , wherein the lever or cam is biased into a closed position by a bias element.