A refrigerator may be provided with a dispenser which includes a nozzle pipe; a light source that radiates ultraviolet light from one end of the nozzle pipe to an inner space of the nozzle pipe, a window that is provided between the one end of the nozzle pipe and the light source, and a liquid supplying hose barb connected to the nozzle pipe via an elbow. Liquid exiting the elbow swirls as ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the liquid.

A removable liquid transport assembly configured to be readily installed in and removed from a liquid dispenser to permit the liquid dispenser to be readily sanitized. The removable liquid transport assembly preferably includes a liquid manifold, a valve assembly and a pump head. The removable liquid transport assembly is configured such that liquid can flow in a first direction through the removable liquid transport assembly to permit a liquid to be dispensed from a liquid dispenser and liquid can flow in a second direction back to a liquid storage container to prevent damage to one or more components of the liquid dispenser.

The present invention provides acidic or basic cleaning compositions for use in cleaning food and beverage industry processing equipment and pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry processing equipment wherein the compositions of the invention comprise a food-equipment-safe acidic or basic cleaning compound and a food-equipment-safe colorimetric indicator of pH to show the desired acid or basic conditions during storage prior to the start of a cleaning cycle and after storage and during a cleaning cycle. The cleaning compositions of the invention are particularly useful in, for example, CIP cleaning processes.

A water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a housing accommodating components for generating cold water and/or hot water; and a water chute which protrudes from a front surface of the housing, in which the water chute includes a water cock through which cold water or hot water flows; and a light emitting element which is mounted on the water cock to emit ultraviolet rays, in which the water cock includes a water inflow part which extends in a transverse direction and has a water inflow passage formed therein; and a water outflow part which extends in a direction intersecting the water inflow part at an end of the water inflow part and has a water outflow passage formed therein, in which the light emitting element is disposed on the upper side of the water outflow part, and in which the water outflow passage includes a sloping part having a shape in which a cross-sectional diameter thereof gradually decreases toward the lower end thereof.

Ingredient dispensing systems and methods are disclosed. A disclosed system includes an ingredient reservoir and an electromechanical valve configured so that, when the electromechanical valve is activated, an ingredient is dispensed from the ingredient reservoir. The disclosed system also includes a current sensor configured to measure a current draw of the electromechanical valve. The disclosed system also includes a controller programmed to sample the current draw from the current sensor and to detect a dispense error of the electromechanical valve based on the sampled current draw.

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.

In some embodiments of a fluid dispensing system: (1) two or more mixing channels are fluidly connected to (a) a mixing chamber fluidly connected to a dispenser, (b) a particular two or more solvent reservoirs, and (c) a respective one or more ingredient reservoirs, wherein each of the ingredient reservoirs is configured to dispense into a respective one of the mixing channels; and (2) a controller is programmed to receive a request for a fluid mixture, and, in response control the system to: mix, in the mixing channels to form an intermediate fluid mixture, a respective predetermined amount of solvent from each of the particular solvent reservoirs and a respective predetermined amount of the ingredients from some of the ingredient reservoirs; flow, to the mixing chamber and then to the dispenser, the intermediate fluid mixture; and dispense the requested fluid mixture (including the intermediate fluid mixture) via the dispenser.

In some embodiments of a fluid dispensing system: (1) two or more mixing channels are fluidly connected to (a) a mixing chamber fluidly connected to a dispenser, (b) a particular two or more solvent reservoirs, and (c) a respective one or more ingredient reservoirs, wherein each of the ingredient reservoirs is configured to dispense into a respective one of the mixing channels; and (2) a controller is programmed to receive a request for a fluid mixture, and, in response control the system to: mix, in the mixing channels to form an intermediate fluid mixture, a respective predetermined amount of solvent from each of the particular solvent reservoirs and a respective predetermined amount of the ingredients from some of the ingredient reservoirs; flow, to the mixing chamber and then to the dispenser, the intermediate fluid mixture; and dispense the requested fluid mixture (including the intermediate fluid mixture) via the dispenser.

A cartridge and an associated beverage mixture dispensing system are disclosed. The cartridge is detachable from the associated beverage mixture dispensing system. The cartridge includes a casing and at least twenty ingredient reservoirs located within the casing and storing at least twenty respective ingredients. The cartridge also includes a dispensing interface for dispensing the at least twenty ingredients into the beverage mixture dispensing system. The at least twenty ingredient reservoirs include a first reservoir of a concentrated salt and a second reservoir of a concentrated food grade acid. The remaining ingredient reservoirs include additional concentrated ingredients. The beverage mixture dispensing system includes a solvent reservoir and a receiving interface for receiving the at least twenty ingredients from the cartridge. The beverage mixture dispensing system also includes a mixing area fluidly connected to the solvent reservoir and the at least twenty ingredient reservoirs.

Ingredient dispensing systems and methods in a fluid mixture system using a monitored chamber pressure are disclosed. One system includes a chamber, an inlet to the chamber, a set of ingredient reservoirs, in the chamber, storing a respective set of ingredients and sealed by a respective set of valve, a pressure source, and a controller. The system is programmed to set a pressure of the chamber using the pressure source and the inlet to the chamber. The system is also programmed to dispense, using the pressure, at least two ingredients from the respective set of ingredients by actuating at least two valves from the respective set of valves.