A beverage dispenser includes a casing defining a dispensing recess and a plurality of mounting pockets. The plurality of mounting pockets are distributed along a vertical direction at the dispensing recess. A fluid conduit is disposed within the casing. An outlet of the fluid conduit is disposed above the dispensing recess of the casing. A drip tray is mountable to the casing at each of the plurality of mounting pockets. A plurality of sensors is disposed within the casing. Each of the plurality of sensors is positioned at a respective one of the plurality of mounting pockets. Each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect when the drip tray is mounted at the respective one of the plurality of mounting pockets.

Devices, systems, and solutions for cleaning tap lines are described herein. One tap line cleaning system, includes a beverage dispensing tap, a beverage storage container, a tap line allowing fluid communication of a beverage between the beverage storage container connected at a first end of the tap line and the beverage dispensing tap connected at a second end of the tap line, a cleaning solution reservoir, a cleaning solution line allowing fluid communication of a cleaning solution into the first end of the tap line such that the cleaning solution can pass into the first end of the tap line, out of the second end of the tap line and exit the system via the beverage dispensing tap, and a valve to switch a valve position between closed and open to allow fluid communication of the cleaning solution to the tap line.

A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.

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.

A dispenser and methods for dispensing a material into a receptacle comprises a dispenser outlet for dispensing material into the receptacle; a support for receiving a receptacle; at least one lateral sensor positioned to laterally sense a receptacle received on the support; an upper sensor positioned to sense a receptacle received on the support from above; and a controller operatively connected to the lateral and upper sensors. The controller is configured to sense the presence of a receptacle received on the support, calculate the volume of the receptacle and/or the volume of material within the receptacle from data received from the lateral and upper sensors, and control the volume of material dispensed from the dispenser outlet into the receptacle based upon the calculated volume of the receptacle and/or the volume of material within the receptacle.

A system includes a sensor and a computing system. The sensor is coupled to a syrup line of the beverage dispenser and is configured to measure a pressure within the line. The syrup line is coupled at a first end to a syrup bag and at a second end to a pump configured to pump syrup from the syrup bag to an outlet of the beverage dispenser. The pump is operated using pressurized gas and generates a pressure corresponding to the pressure of the gas within the syrup line when both the syrup bag is full and the outlet of the beverage dispenser is closed. The sensor transmits a measured pressure to the computing system. The computing system determines that the measured pressure is less than a threshold pressure. In response, the processor transmits an alert for display on a user device, which identifies the syrup bag for replacement.

An automatic liquid supply device is provided, which includes a chassis, a tray, a conveying mechanism, a driving mechanism, a feeding mechanism and a center console. The tray is provided in the chassis and is provided with a plurality of rows of grooves, and the grooves are used for placing the liquid-containing device. The conveying mechanism includes a conveying box and a plurality of nozzles, each of the nozzles is communicated with the conveying box, provided with a flow switch, and provided with an infrared sensor and a first non-contact liquid level sensor, and a second non-contact liquid level sensor is provided at the grooves. The driving mechanism is configured for drive the conveying box to move. The center console is provided with a controller which is respectively connected with the flow switch, the infrared sensor, the first non-contact liquid level sensor and the second non-contact liquid level sensor.

A plant for dispensing a beverage of one or more fluids ingredients into a container, including one or more dispensing lines to dispense the fluid ingredients, a nozzle, fluid-dynamically connected to the dispensing lines for dispensing the beverage into the container, a control unit to associate values with the flow rate of fluid in the dispensing lines, the plant further including at least one calibration unit connected to the control unit for measuring a value associated with the quantity of fluids dispensed into the container and adjust the values associated with the flow rate of the fluid in each of the dispensing lines, so the difference between the measurement of the values associated with the quantity of fluids delivered in the container and the quantity of fluid associated with the flow rate of fluid in the dispensing lines is less than a threshold or in a confidence interval.

Disclosed is a disbursing system including a dispensing unit and a read area having at least two readers. Each of the at least two readers is configured to generate a signal when detecting a marker disposed on a beverage container. The beverage container includes at least two markers. The system includes a switch in electro-mechanical connection with the dispensing unit. The system includes a control module in operative connection with the switch and in communication with the at least two readers. When the at least two readers generate at least two signals detecting at least two markers, the control module actuates the switch.

A beverage-dispensing appliance may include a carbonation tank, a carbonator jacket, a cold water line, and an ice bin. The carbonation tank may define a tank volume, a water inlet upstream from the tank volume, a carbon dioxide inlet upstream from the tank volume, and a carbonated water outlet downstream from the tank volume. The carbonator jacket may define a jacket volume disposed about the carbonation tank. The cold water line may extend to the carbonator jacket in upstream fluid communication with the tank volume to direct a cold water flow to the tank volume. The ice bin may be spaced apart from the carbonation tank. The ice bin may define a drain aperture upstream from the cold water line to direct melt water thereto.