A valve closure for dispensing liquid by means of a pressurised gas has an inner sleeve (12) which includes a socket (16) and an annular inner valve seat (18). The inner sleeve carries a ring seal (14) which is urged against an outer valve seat (9) by an outer spring (15). A valve member (21) has an annular sealing face (23) co-operable with the inner valve seat (18) and a spring (24) urges the valve member (21) against the inner valve seat (18). The valve member (21) incorporates a plurality of projections (26) spaced radially from the annular sealing face (23). The valve closure can be used with a dispensing coupler having a tubular probe inwards with a circumferential ring seal and a locking recess to engage the locking fingers of a detachable closing element.

A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

There is provided a liquid source switch-over device that includes a valve chamber having first and second inlets in communication with first and second sources of liquid and an outlet. A valve member, disposed within the valve chamber, has a first position that enables communication between the first inlet and the outlet and inhibits communication between the second inlet and the outlet. A catch is biased to abut the valve member when the catch is in fluid communication with the first source of liquid and inhibits displacement of the valve member from the first position. When the first source of liquid is depleted, a float member lowers and inhibits communication between the first source of liquid and the valve chamber. The valve member moves to a second position thereby that enables communication between the second inlet and the outlet and inhibits communication between the first inlet and the outlet.

A water discharge device includes a case, a microphone, a voice recognition module, a speaker, a first elevation cover connected to the case, a second elevation cover configured to move upward and insert into an inside of the first elevation cover, an elevation motor connected to the second elevation cover, a water discharge nozzle disposed at a lower end of the second elevation cover, a water discharge valve configured to regulate water flow toward the water discharge nozzle, a flow sensor configured to sense a flow rate of the water flow, a sensor disposed at the second elevation cover and configured to, based on the second elevation cover moving downward, sense whether the sensor contacts a container disposed below the second elevation cover, and a controller configured to control operation of the elevation motor and the water discharge valve.

A refrigerator includes a main body, a dispenser configured to supply water to the outside of the main body, a water supply flow path connecting the dispenser to a water source; and a valve assembly disposed on the water supply flow path, wherein the valve assembly comprises an elastic member having an outlet whose diameter is reduced by an elastic force, when water is no longer supplied to the valve assembly, so that water remaining in the inside of the water supply flow path is kept by the surface tension of the water.

A flow control module is provided. The flow control module includes a housing as well as an on/off solenoid assembly and a proportional solenoid assembly mounted to the housing. A flow body is situated within the housing and is interposed between the on/off solenoid assembly and the proportional solenoid assembly. The flow body provides for flow management of a flow of fluid through the housing.

An effervescent liquid dispenser for a carbonated beverage is disclosed that includes a container containing liquid to be dispensed receiving pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source, becoming a pressurized liquid, the pressurized liquid becoming an effervescent liquid upon being dispensed from the container; and a dispense valve that is positionable in a first position for permitting pressurized gas to be received in a vessel to become the pressurized gas source, the dispense valve selectably movable between the first position and a second position, the dispense valve being secured to the container in the second position in response to the vessel receiving pressurized gas, the vessel becoming the pressurized gas source for the dispenser; wherein the container complies with 27 C.F.R. 5.46 (1999) and conforms with 49 C.F.R. 173.306 (1976).

Provided herein are embodiments of a refrigerator valve and method of routing water through a refrigerator with the valve. The valve includes three valve bodies that route water in a refrigerator to different features. The middle valve body is higher than the two outer valve bodies, allowing the solenoid actuators to be mounted in a space-saving manner. The three valve bodies are linked by a central core pin that can be continuous or discontinuous such that the central core pin can provide fluid communication between all three valve bodies or divide the valve into two separate but linked valves. In a valve with a discontinuous central core pin, one valve body is isolated from the other two valve bodies so as to provide a redundant shutoff and allow a filter of a filtration unit to be replaced without having to shut off the water being supplied to the refrigerator.

A valve assembly and fluid arrangement for continuous delivery of volumetrically proportioned gases or like fluids includes a valve assembly and a volumetric fluid storage bank, which has first and second sets of fluid storage chambers. The valve assembly alternately supplies a consumer with a blend of gases from the first set of fluid storage chambers while charging the second set of fluid storage chambers from pressurized gas sources, and, upon a threshold depletion of gases from the first set of chambers, supply the consumer with a blend of gases from the second set of fluid storage chambers while charging the first set of fluid storage chambers from the gas sources. Upon the threshold depletion of gases from the second set of chambers, the valve assembly again supplies mixed gases from the first set of chambers while charging the second set of chambers, and the process repeats.