Container of a bag-in-container type, wherein a neck region of the container is provided with at least one opening extending substantially radially there through, into a space between the outer container and an inner container adjacent thereto, wherein the neck region is provided with coupling elements, preferably at opposite sides of the at least one opening, seen in circumferential direction, for coupling of a connecting device to the container for introducing a pressure fluid through the at least one opening into a space between the inner and outer container.

Among other things, there is shown an embodiment of a dispensing apparatus for use with pressurized containers of fluids, particularly carbonated beverages such as beer. A base that fits onto the container has a piston member slidably fitted to it, along with a compressed gas housing and a pickup tube or assembly. A handle moves the piston member with respect to the base against a spring bias. A gas flow path from the housing to the container passes through a valve, that is opened by the piston member as the handle is moved. Moving the handle opens both a liquid flow path as well as a gas flow path.

A chilled beverage dispenser includes a lower housing, one or more bowls for storing a beverage positioned on the lower housing, and one or more locking members. Each locking member is rotatable between a first (closed) position, in which the locking member engages and prevents a bowl from being removed, and a second (open) position, in which the bowl may be readily removed from the lower housing. The chilled beverage dispenser may also include a bracket at the rear of the lower housing which engages a rear portion of a bowl, also preventing the bowl from being removed from the lower housing. The chilled beverage dispenser may also include a handle for engaging a dispensing valve, which is slidably removable from a cradle at the front of the bowl. The chilled beverage dispenser may also include a removable impeller cover and spray tube inside of the bowl.

The present invention describes methods and devices in which concentrated beverage products, each packaged in a pressurized container, can be combined with liquids and/or other ingredients to produce one or more servings of a beverage. These products provide users with a convenient way to prepare both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (including carbonated beverages) in various serving sizes and quantities by combining the pressurized beverage concentrate with (possibly carbonated) liquids and other ingredients.

A dispenser system includes a support surface for a container, a motion sensor for sensing movement of the container with respect to the support surface, a dispenser for dispensing a product stream into the container, a display for displaying a plurality of product options, and a controller coupled with the dispenser, the display, and the motion sensor. The controller is configured to display the plurality of options via the display, receive an indication of movement of the container with respect to the support surface, associate the indication of movement with at least one selection made from the plurality of options on the display, update the display to indicate the at least one selection made from the plurality of options on the display, and dispense a customized product stream based upon the at least one selection made from the plurality of options on the display.

Disclosed is a smart device housing configured to fixably attach to a beverage vessel having a domed surface at a distal end, the domed surface adjacent a wall terminating at a lip, the smart device housing including an exterior configured as a transformable shape enabling a locking fit between the lip and the domed surface of the beverage vessel. Also disclosed is a system wherein a smart device has at least one proximity, image or distance sensor having a beam of detection with a path, the sensor located and directed such the beam of detection covers a location where a coupler can be attached to the beverage vessel, the smart device configured to determine whether the coupler is attached to the beverage vessel by measuring whether the path is obstructed by the coupler. Also disclosed is a method of determining the fill status of a beverage container.

A smart inventory management system is described for a dispensing and blend-in-cup beverage platform including a container having an information tag that is configured to store unique information specific to a particular product, a reader configured to read the stored information from the information tag, a control board configured to host a software based decision engine which is configured to interpret the information specific to a particular product and to control one or more system components based at least in part on the information, a pump controlled by the control board and configured to pump beverage concentrates out of the containers in order to dispense the beverage concentrate into a beverage holder, and a check valve located between an opening on the container and the pump, the check valve configured to provide backflush prevention of foreign solutions into the container.

Examples herein relate generally to reservoirs for use in water distribution systems within an appliance. The reservoir herein allows for the combination of various components prepared by separate manufacturing processes and for reducing waste of those manufacturing components. Specifically, the reservoir herein provides a daisy-chain structure for forming a ganged reservoir system.

A smart energy-saving device for automatic blending drinks, adopted to inject beverages into at least one beverage cup that comprises a bar code, comprises: beverage barrels; manifolds; at least one ice-storing device including at least one ice outlet, at least one servomotor, a stirring rod, and at least one thruster; beverage stations; collection mechanisms including ring structures, ice inlets, water inlets, and beverage tubes; and a control module including flowmeters, water valve switches, beverage-cup-weight sensors, beverage-barrel-weight sensors, at least one ice-beverage-barrel-weight sensor, pressure sensors, bar code readers, infrared scanners; and a controller.

Containers are provided and include a container body having an opening extending into a hollow interior, and a cap extending across the opening. The cap has an inlet port with an inlet valve configured to couple to a fluid source such that fluid can be delivered through the inlet valve to pressurized the hollow interior of the container body. The cap also has an outlet port with an outlet valve having a cracking pressure at which the outlet valve is configured to move from a closed configuration to an open configuration to dispense fluid from the hollow interior, and a closing pressure at which the outlet valve is configured to move from the open configuration to the closed configuration to prevent fluid from passing therethrough. The cracking pressure is greater than the closing pressure.