A liquid dispenser is provided. The liquid dispenser includes a housing; a temperature control system; and a pump system. The pump system pumps multiple liquids. A method of dispensing a liquid into a beverage is also provided. A liquid dispenser includes a valve, a pump, and a nozzle. A liquid is selected from multiple liquids and a beverage shade is selected. The valve and the pump are activated to deliver the selected liquid to the nozzle in an amount that achieves the selected beverage shade.

A device (1; 1′) is shown and described for metering and/or preparing a medium to be prepared, in particular baby food, in particular baby milk formula or semi-solid baby food, coffee and/or tea, the device comprising a housing (3) with a first receiving region (5; 5′) and a second receiving region (7; 7′), wherein the first receiving region (5; 5′) is configured for receiving a first container (9; 9′) for a first component of the medium to be prepared, and wherein the second receiving region (7; 7′) is configured for receiving a second container (11) for a fluid, a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of the fluid, a metering device (29; 29′) for metering the first component, wherein the first receiving region (5; 5′) has a metering device receiving region (27; 27′) for receiving the metering device (29; 29′), and wherein an actuating and/or drive device (39) for the metering device (29; 29′) is arranged in the metering device receiving region (27; 27′).

A system for mixing a liquid beverage (e.g., a beer) from multiple liquid ingredients and dispensing the liquid beverage includes: a mixing chamber having an inlet valve and an outlet valve; a pump for drawing liquid into the mixing chamber through the inlet value; a manifold in fluid communication with the inlet valve of the mixing chamber and a source of each of the liquid ingredients (e.g., a keg); a tap associated with the mixing chamber for dispensing the liquid beverage mixed in the mixing chamber; and an electronic control module in communication with the pump, the electronic control module being programmed to cause the pump to sequentially draw a predetermined volume of more than one of the liquid ingredients into the mixing chamber, the predetermined volumes corresponding to a recipe for the liquid beverage.

A brewing machine includes a liquid source, a dispensing outlet, and a motion device for moving the dispensing outlet according to at least one brewing pattern. The motion device includes a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism, the first transmission mechanism moves the second transmission mechanism to allow the second transmission mechanism to have a first motion trajectory, the second transmission mechanism moves the dispensing outlet to allow the dispensing outlet to have a second motion trajectory, and the first motion trajectory and the second motion trajectory have a substantially same shape.

A beverage dispense system for a countertop having a water inlet including a solenoid valve and a beverage concentrate inlet to which a bag-in-box containing a supply of liquid coffee concentrate is attached. A beverage dispense font is mounted on the countertop. A water conduit connects the water inlet with the dispense font. A separate liquid beverage concentrate conduit connects the beverage concentrate inlet with the beverage dispense font. An electric syrup pump pumps liquid coffee concentrate from the bag-in-box to the end of the dispense font. A control unit controls the separate delivery of water from the mains water inlet and/or liquid coffee concentrate to the end of the beverage dispense font. Where water and liquid coffee concentrate are delivered, they will mix in the beverage receptacle.

Ingredient level consumption guidance methods and control systems in beverage mixture dispensing systems are disclosed. A disclosed method for operating a beverage mixture dispensing system includes setting an ingredient consumption threshold for an ingredient. The ingredient consumption threshold is associated with an account. The method also includes mixing a beverage using an amount of the ingredient, dispensing the beverage, updating an ingredient consumption level associated with the account, by adding the amount to the ingredient consumption level, and displaying, on a display, the ingredient consumption level and the ingredient consumption threshold.

A reservoir of a liquid heating appliance includes a first chamber and a second chamber, separated by a partition. A heating arrangement is arranged to heat liquid in the first chamber. A first valve, a second valve and a float valve are disposed in the partition to selectively allow liquid to flow between the first and second chambers. Respective lines joining the first and second valves to a center of the partition have an obtuse angular separation. The first and second valves are selectively closed by a valve closure member. The float valve includes a floating valve member arranged to float and mate with a valve seat to prevent the flow of liquid. A liquid outlet in the first chamber connects with a dispense outlet on the appliance to allow liquid to be dispensed when the first and second valves are closed.

The system may be a device that allows for mixture of an additive to a substance in a line of flow. The system may include a hydration pack with a reservoir that may contain a first substance, such as water. The system may include a cartridge with an additive that is mixed to the line of flow through a Venturi which may include a rolling seal that is manipulated with a dial a user manipulates to adjust the amount of additive added to the line of flow. The mixed liquid may then be accessed through a hose from the system to a mouth piece. The system may be modular to allow a user to replace the cartridge by disengaging a first component and a second component of the system through a buckling mechanism and replacing the cartridge within the second component. The cartridges may be reusable, recyclable or disposable.

The invention relates to a grinding and extraction apparatus for roasted coffee beans comprising a grinding device (60) and an associated extraction device (70); the grinding device (60) comprising one or more housings for receiving one or more beans containers (10, 20) with roasted coffee beans of the same or different types; the grinding device (60) comprising a reader (62) to obtain the information of the product parameters of the roasted coffee beans of the one or more beans containers (10, 20); the grinding device (60) further comprising a control unit configured to adapt the grinding size and the quantity of roasted coffee beans for obtaining a certain coffee blend from each beans container to be grinded according to these product parameters and/or according to a recipes database (64) comprising the beverage information associated to the beverage to be prepared; the grinding device (60) further comprising an encoder (62) to encode the beverage information on programmable identification means (65) on a product holder (61) in the grinding device (60), to where the grinded coffee is sent; the extraction device (70) being configured for receiving the product holder (61) and comprising reading means (72) to identify the beverage information in the said product holder identification means (65), the extraction device (70) further comprising a control unit to extract the beverage according to the beverage information retrieved and/or from the beverage information retrieved from a beverage database in this control unit. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for grinding roasted coffee beans and preparing a beverage from them using a grinding and extraction apparatus as the one described, and also refers to the use of a grinding and extraction apparatus as the one described for delivering a certain beverage from roasted coffee beans.

A method for controlling a beverage maker involves the steps of preparing a first beverage having a first value of a beverage-preparation parameter, preparing a second beverage having a second value of the beverage-preparation parameter different than the first value, receiving a user input that selects the first or the second beverage, and storing the beverage-preparation parameter of the selected beverage as a specification for the preparation of the beverage. A beverage maker includes a beverage-preparation device with at least one variable beverage-preparation parameter, which can assume at least two different values, and a control device configured to carry out the method.