A material output volume detecting device for use in an automated beverage preparation apparatus is disclosed. The material output volume detecting device includes: a damper device arranged to operably buffer liquid material flowing therethrough; and a flowmeter arranged to operably measure the flow of liquid material outputted from the damper device. The damper device includes: a damper base having a material entrance hole, a material exit hole, and a material buffer chamber positioned between the material entrance hole and the material exit hole; a diaphragm covered on the material buffer chamber; and a fastening element positioned on the diaphragm and having a hollow portion. When the volume of liquid material within the material buffer chamber exceeds a predetermined amount, the diaphragm deforms to protrude outward, so that a part of the diaphragm enters the hollow portion of the fastening element.

A valve arrangement establishes passage from a dedicated beverage product flow path to the valve arrangement to a dedicated beverage product flow path from the valve arrangement. The valve arrangement further establishes passage into the valve arrangement of a user selectable one of a plurality of diluent flow paths, while blocking passage into the valve arrangement of each of the plurality of diluent flow paths other than the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths. The valve arrangement still further establishes passage from the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths to the fixed diluent flow path from the valve body. The valve arrangement establishes passage into the valve arrangement of a user selectable one of the plurality of diluent flow paths functionally independent of establishing passage to the fixed diluent flow path of the one of the plurality of diluent flow paths.

Cartridge loaders for fluid mixture dispensing systems are disclosed. One disclosed fluid mixture dispensing system comprises an interface surface, a cartridge receiver carriage, and an actuator configured to depress the cartridge receiver carriage towards the interface surface to load a cartridge. The fluid mixture dispensing system is configured to apply continuous downward pressure on the cartridge towards the interface surface when the cartridge is loaded and is in contact with the interface surface.

Cartridge loaders for fluid mixture dispensing systems are disclosed. One disclosed fluid mixture dispensing system comprises an interface surface, a cartridge receiver carriage, and an actuator configured to depress the cartridge receiver carriage towards the interface surface to load a cartridge. The fluid mixture dispensing system is configured to apply continuous downward pressure on the cartridge towards the interface surface when the cartridge is loaded and is in contact with the interface surface.

A damper device for use in an automated beverage preparation apparatus is disclosed. The damper device includes: a damper base having a material entrance hole, a material exit hole, and a material buffer chamber positioned between the material entrance hole and the material exit hole; a diaphragm covered on the material buffer chamber; and a fastening element positioned on the diaphragm and having a hollow portion. When the volume of liquid material within the material buffer chamber exceeds a predetermined amount, the diaphragm deforms to protrude outward, so that a part of the diaphragm enters the hollow portion of the fastening element.

A material output volume detecting device for use in an automated beverage preparation apparatus is disclosed. The material output volume detecting device includes: a damper device arranged to operably buffer liquid material flowing therethrough; and a flowmeter arranged to operably measure the flow of liquid material outputted from the damper device. The damper device includes: a damper base having a material entrance hole, a material exit hole, and a material buffer chamber positioned between the material entrance hole and the material exit hole; a diaphragm covered on the material buffer chamber; and a fastening element positioned on the diaphragm and having a hollow portion. When the volume of liquid material within the material buffer chamber exceeds a predetermined amount, the diaphragm deforms to protrude outward, so that a part of the diaphragm enters the hollow portion of the fastening element.

A material dispensing device for dispensing liquid material whose viscosity is higher than water, and a related material output volume detecting device and a related damper device are disclosed. The material output volume detecting device includes: a damper device arranged to operably buffer liquid material flowing therethrough; and a flowmeter arranged to operably measure the flow of liquid material outputted from the damper device. The damper device includes: a damper base having a material buffer chamber; a diaphragm covered on the material buffer chamber; a fastening element positioned on the diaphragm and having a hollow portion; and a restriction element, positioned on the fastening element, and arranged to operably restrain a degree of deformation of the diaphragm.

A material dispensing device for dispensing liquid material whose viscosity is higher than water, and a related material output volume detecting device and a related damper device are disclosed. The material output volume detecting device includes: a damper device arranged to operably buffer liquid material flowing therethrough; and a flowmeter arranged to operably measure the flow of liquid material outputted from the damper device. The damper device includes: a damper base having a material buffer chamber; a diaphragm covered on the material buffer chamber; a fastening element positioned on the diaphragm and having a hollow portion; and a restriction element, positioned on the fastening element, and arranged to operably restrain a degree of deformation of the diaphragm.

The present application provides a beverage dispensing system. The beverage dispensing system may include a cooler and a beverage dispenser positioned within the cooler. The beverage dispenser may include a nozzle, a flow of water, an internal carbonation system in communication with the flow of water and the nozzle, and a number of internal ingredient containers in communication with the nozzle such that the beverage dispenser produces a beverage at the nozzle within the cooler.

A cleaning valve for cleaning a beverage dispensing device is provided. The cleaning valve may include a valve body having a valve opening, a valve lever coupled to the valve body and configured to move the valve body between a product dispense position and a sanitize position, a product port configured to alternatively output a beverage product and a sanitizer based on a position of the valve lever, and a sanitizer port configured to receive the sanitizer from a sanitizer reservoir. The valve opening may be configured to create a first fluid communication path when the valve lever is in the product dispense position to allow the beverage product to output from the product port, and may be configured to create a second fluid communication path when the valve lever is in the sanitize position to allow the sanitizer to output from the product port.