A liquid and semi-liquid product dispenser that allows for gravity dispensing of product by using a product bottle that slopes downwards towards the feed valve when the bottle is placed for dispensing. This includes a long-sloped portion that extends downwards from the rear of the bottle to the front of the bottle, and a curved and sloped portion proximate to the valve. These slopes feed product to the valve under the force of gravity when the valve is opened. Installation of product bottles is aided by an interior design of the dispenser case that mirrors the bottles contours and ensures that the bottle is positioned for use when placed.

Systems for dispensing chocolate, in one aspect including a generally fluid-tight exterior housing with first volume; a vertical support member; a base support member; a dispenser guiding member within the first volume; an extruder connection member extending through the housing and having a first end within the housing and a second end outside of the housing, defining a pivot axis; an extruder member connected to the first end; a lever connected to the second end; at least one extruder guide member within the first volume and connected to the extruder member; and at least one extruder guide rail connected to the housing within the first volume and capable of receiving the at least one extruder guide member; and where manual actuation of the lever pivots the extruder member in cooperation with the at least one extruder guide member.

Systems and methods for dispensing consumable liquids are disclosed. An example networked system includes a server and a plurality of beverage dispenser stations. Each of the beverage dispenser stations includes a filler including a filler outlet configured to deliver a beverage into a container, an RFID reader configured to read an RFID tag fixed to a water filter through which water for the beverage is to flow, and a controller. The controller is configured determine a duration-of-use of the water filter and a volume of water that has passed through the water filter. Each of the beverage dispenser stations also includes a network communications interface configured to communicate the duration-of-use and the volume of water to the networked administrative server to track use of the water filter among the plurality of beverage dispenser stations.

Disclosed are systems and methods for automatic infusion of concentrate and distillate material into cigarettes or other containers. In one embodiment, a thermally-controlled infusion system is provided. The system can maintain a selected temperature of the concentrate material throughout the infusion process, using a two-stage approach. In a first stage, the concentrate material is pressure-fed to a dosing chamber. In the second stage, the concentrate material is pumped into an insertion canula and into a cigarette or container. A revolver houses the cigarettes or containers and vertically transitions them to an insertion position, where the insertion canula can infuse the cigarettes or containers.

A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.

A system (10) for providing a stream of water that includes a surfactant, comprising a source (14) of water, means (32) to cause water to flow along a water supply duct (34), and a venturi injector (36) within the water supply duct. The venturi injector (36) communicates with an inlet duct (77) to supply surfactant; and the system comprises a surfactant supply duct (80, 83) that communicates between the inlet duct (77) and a surfactant container (18), the surfactant supply duct comprising a first portion that incorporates an on/off valve (38) and a second portion (83) that incorporates a check valve (84) to control flow. A plurality of surfactant containers (18) may be connected to the inlet duct (77) in this way; and each surfactant container 18 may be mounted within an open-topped chamber (68) to which hot water may be provided to heat the contents of the surfactant container (18).

Apparatus and systems for melting and liquefying chocolate. In one aspect, a system includes a generally fluid-tight exterior housing defining a first volume; a bulkhead positioned within the housing and dividing the first volume into separate second and third volumes; at least one vertical support member operationally connected to the exterior housing; a base support member operationally connected to the vertical support member; a dispenser guiding member disposed within the first volume and operationally connected to the exterior housing; and a heating element in thermal communication with the first volume, wherein energization heats the first volume to 37 to 46 degrees Celsius. Other aspects include where the liquid chocolate contains less than 3% water; where the liquid chocolate is solid at room temperature; a multiple pivot hinge; and a noninterfering interdigitating hinge.

A beverage storage container is described. The beverage storage container includes a removable core containing a viscous temperature sensitive fluid and a containing vessel base configured to hold the temperature sensitive core. The beverage storage container also includes a containing vessel body configured to be in thermal connection with the removable core; and a thermoplastic insulator configured to prevent rapid transfer of temperature between the removable core and the containing vessel body.

A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.

A water dispensing apparatus includes a dispensing hole through which hot water is dispensed, a heating passage unit communicating with the dispensing hole; a heating unit for heating water flowing through the heating passage unit, an input unit for inputting a hot water dispensing command for dispensing the hot water through the dispensing hole, a hot water valve for adjusting a flow of the hot water heated in the heating passage unit, and a controller for controlling the heating unit.