A water dispenser includes a filter unit filtering raw water supplied from a raw water supply unit to produce purified water, a cold water tank assembly cooling purified water to produce cold water, a refrigerating cycle device maintaining cooling water filled in a cooling water accommodation unit at a low temperature, a cooling water flow channel supplying water to the cooling water accommodation unit, a flow rate sensor measuring a flow rate of water supplied to the cooling water accommodation unit, a stirrer to stir the cooling water filled in the cooling water accommodation unit, and a controller determining whether cooling water has been filled up to a reference water level on the basis of a rotation speed of the stirrer per unit time.

A dispensing system for a beverage comprises in a tap system a bore for housing a duct. Along the bore, close to or on the duct, at least two electrodes are provided such that at least at some locations along the duct, the two electrodes are provided opposite to one another with the duct in between, thus constituting a capacitor. An oscillating signal is provided to one electrode and a signal is read out from the other electrode. As a beverage is drawn through the duct in a container, capacitance of the capacitor changes. The flowing beverage may have different characteristics, but capacitance may also change as the beverage in the duct is in conducting contact with a container that may be in contact with a ground contact. The change of capacitance results in a change of the amplitude of a detection circuit connected to the second electrode.

A flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

A material dispensing device, a material output volume detecting device, and a related damper device for use in an automated beverage preparation apparatus 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 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 flow sensor includes a fluid chamber configured to receive a fluid. A diaphragm assembly is configured to be displaced whenever the fluid within the fluid chamber is displaced. A transducer assembly is configured to monitor the displacement of the diaphragm assembly and generate a signal based, at least in part, upon the quantity of fluid displaced within the fluid chamber.

A beverage mixing system provides for accurate, convenient, and reliable mixing of liquid ingredients to dispense drinks. The beverage mixing system includes a plurality of containers each including a liquid ingredient, a pumping system in fluid communication with the plurality of containers, and a fluid manifold where liquid ingredients from the plurality of containers are ultimately combined and dispensed. The fluid manifold includes a plurality of inlet ports to which fluid lines are connected fluidically connecting the plurality of containers to the fluid manifold. The beverage mixing system also includes a control system managing operation of the pumping system to ensure proper mixing of the liquid ingredients to produce fresh drinks containing a mix of the liquid ingredients.

The invention relates to an arrangement of a flow measuring device with a testing device. The flow measuring device comprises an inlet section and an outlet section. A rotor is arranged between the inlet section and the outlet section. The rotor is designed for a rotational movement in the event of a fluid flow between the inlet section and the outlet section. At least one indicator element is arranged on the rotor. The flow measuring device further comprises a measuring element, which is adapted to detect a movement of the indicator element. The indicator element comprises a magnetic material. The testing device is designed to set the rotor in rotational motion, preferably without contact. The invention further relates to a method for the functional testing of a flow measuring device.

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 beverage dispensing system provides a product metering system, a dispenser and a control system for operatively controlling dispensing, metering, delivering and reporting of dispensed product. Authentication, authorization and control operation are distributed in a cloud based control through a wide area network. The dispenser includes sensor to identifying objects and filter out movements that are not interpreted as requests for dispensing. A local controller operates the metering and dispensing, combining inputs from the hardware level sensors and applying logic and rules from the remote cloud level. The instant abstract neither defines the invention disclosed in this specification nor limits the invention scope in any way.