Combination unit comprising a beverage preparation machine having a milk dispensing apparatus and a milk chilling device having a monitoring means for the filling level of the milk in the milk container, and method for dispensing milk and/or milk froth by means of a combination unit of this kind

Abstract

A combination unit comprising a beverage preparation machine () and a separate milk chilling device () for storing a volume () of milk in a chilled state. The beverage preparation machine () comprises a control electronics system () and a milk dispensing apparatus () for dispensing milk and/or milk froth. The milk chilling device () comprises a housing (), a milk container (), which is arranged in the housing (), for accommodating the volume () of milk, a chilling unit () for chilling the volume () of milk, and a milk lance for removing milk from the milk container (). A monitoring device for monitoring a filling state of the milk container () comprises a filling state sensor () for detecting a filling level of the milk in the milk container () and a filling state measurement electronics system (), which is connected to the filling state sensor (), for generating a filling state information signal, wherein dispensing of the milk and/or of the milk froth from the milk dispensing apparatus () can be controlled by means of the control electronics system () of the beverage preparation machine () depending on the filling state information signal which is generated by the filling state measurement electronics system (). The filling state measurement electronics system () is arranged in or on the housing of the milk chilling device (). The milk chilling device () comprises a transmitter () for transmitting the filling state information signal to the beverage preparation machine () by means of a radio signal, and the beverage preparation machine () comprises a transceiver () which receives the radio signal which is generated by the transmitter () of the milk chilling device () and provides the transmitted filling state information signal to the control electronics system () of the beverage preparation machine ().