Fluid mixing apparatus and methods

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for making a beverage or providing a liquid. First and second liquids may be mixed to form a mixed liquid. The mixed liquid may be passed through a frothing head and/or may be combined with a coffee product and optionally dispensed into a cup. Examples of first and second liquids can include, but are not limited to various dairy products, enzymes and flavoring liquids. According to one example implementation, a first liquid is a reduced fat milk, such as skim milk, and a second liquid is whole milk, thereby enabling the creation of dairy product varieties including one percent and two percent milk to be created by the appropriate mixture combination of the skim milk and whole milk.

1 . An apparatus for providing a liquid, comprising: a water input;
 a first liquid input in fluid communication with a first liquid storage;   a second liquid input in fluid communication with a second liquid storage;   a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first liquid input and second liquid input and adapted to provide a mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid; and   a frothing head in fluid communication with the mixing chamber, the frothing head adapted to receive the mixture;   wherein the water input is in fluid communication with a dispenser and the dispenser and the frothing head are configured to output into a liquid container.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an input device to receive an instruction to specify the mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid storage is a refrigerated liquid storage. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising skim milk in the first liquid storage. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising whole milk in the first liquid storage. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an enzyme in the first liquid storage and a dairy product in the second liquid storage. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a flavoring liquid in the first liquid storage 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element proximate to the frothing head to heat the mixture. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a brewing chamber in fluid communication with the water input and the dispenser. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for providing a liquid, comprising: a frothing head;
 a first liquid pump having a first output coupled to the frothing head and having a first input coupled to a first refrigerated liquid container; and   a second liquid pump having a second output coupled to the frothing head and having a second input coupled to a second refrigerated liquid container.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller to activate the first liquid pump and the second liquid pump so as to provide, at the frothing head, a desired mixture of a first liquid contained in the first refrigerated liquid container and a second liquid contained in the second refrigerated liquid container. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first liquid is skim milk and the second liquid is whole milk. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first liquid is a dairy product and the second liquid is an enzyme. 
     
     
         14 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of making a beverage, the method comprising:
 obtaining a first liquid dairy product;   obtaining a second liquid dairy product;   receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of the first liquid dairy product and the second liquid dairy product;   automatically mixing the first liquid dairy product and the second liquid dairy product to form a mixed dairy product;   dispensing the mixed diary product into a cup; and   dispensing a coffee product into the cup.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising heating the mixed diary product prior to the act of dispensing the mixed dairy product. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising injecting steam into the mixed diary product prior to the act of dispensing the mixed dairy product. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein, in the act of obtaining a first liquid dairy product, the first liquid dairy product is skim milk; and in the act of obtaining a second liquid dairy product, the second liquid dairy product is whole milk. 
     
     
         28 . A method of making a beverage, the method comprising:
 receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and an enzyme;   mixing the first liquid dairy product and the enzyme according to the instruction;   dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the enzyme into a cup; and   dispensing a coffee product into the cup.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 mixing a second liquid dairy product with at least one of the group of the first liquid dairy product and the enzyme; and   wherein the act of dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the enzyme into a cup also includes dispensing the mixed second liquid dairy product.   
     
     
         30 . A method of making a beverage, the method comprising:
 receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and a flavoring liquid;   mixing the first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid according to the instruction;   dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the flavoring liquid into a cup; and   dispensing a coffee product into the cup.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 mixing a second liquid dairy product with at least one of the group of the first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid; and   wherein the act of dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the flavoring liquid into a cup also includes dispensing the mixed second liquid dairy product.