The invention relates to a dispenser having a cartridge holder.

Disclosed is a system for producing a beverage, in particular a cold beverage, comprising a cartridge that has a reservoir filled with a beverage substance, a beverage preparation unit with a cartridge receptacle into which the cartridge can be reversibly inserted, and a cartridge discharge device which causes at least partial transfer of the beverage substance from the reservoir into a mixing chamber; furthermore, the beverage preparation unit comprises a fluid supply which opens into the mixing chamber, or the system includes a movable plunger which is placed inside the reservoir and can be transferred from a starting position into a final position by means of the cartridge discharge device.

The present disclosure provides a metered dosing assembly configured to dispense a volume of fluid into a container that is selectively sealed by a closure valve having a closure valve member that is movable between sealed and unsealed positions with respect to the container. The metered dosing assembly includes a housing having an interior cavity. A valve is locatable at an end of the housing. The valve includes a valve member, a pin extending from the valve member, and at least one spring leg attachable to the valve member. The pin extends from the valve member and is configured to engage the closure valve member of the closure valve to move the closure valve member to the unsealed position and move the valve member to an open position with respect to the housing. When the valve member is moved to the open position and the closure valve member is moved to the unsealed position, fluid communication is made between the metered dosing assembly and the container.

A dosing engine including a framework, fluid drivers, and a flow control device. The framework has an inlet that receives a fluid and an outlet that dispenses the fluid. The fluid drivers are supported by the framework and pump fluid toward the outlet. The flow control device is coupled to the framework and is in fluid communication with the inlet, the outlet, and the fluid drivers. The fluid drivers are cooperatively driven by a motive force from fluid flow through the inlet to dispense fluid via the outlet, and to drive the flow control device to distribute diluent to the diluent drivers in a coordinated manner.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10, 110) for the conveying of viscous material from a drum-like container (12), which has a container bottom (14) and a circumferential container wall (18) extending from the container bottom (14) to an upper rim (16) of the container, which is open at the upper rim (16) of the container, the apparatus having, for closing of the container (12), a follower plate (26) having a material outlet (28) attached to a conveyor pump (30), wherein the follower plate (26) can be moved up and down in the container (12) while being in sealing contact against an inside face of the container wall (18) turned toward it, and having a lifting device (22) for raising and lowering of the follower plate (26), wherein the lifting device (22) has a drive unit. According to the invention, a protective device (32, 132) having a protective member (34, 134) is provided, which is disposed in such a way with respect to the follower plate (26) and the container (12) that, upon introduction of the follower plate (26) into the container (12), it annularly surrounds on the one hand the follower plate (26) and on the other hand the container (12) in the region of the upper rim (16) of the container. The protective device (32, 132) additionally has at least one switch (52, 152, 154) for switching-off of the drive unit upon an at least partial exposure of the upper rim (16) of the container by the protective member (34, 134) during the introduction of the follower plate (26) into the container (12).

Apparatuses for dispensing household fluids including a handheld device or wand including a pump for dispensing one or more household fluids at a rate and for a time sufficient to dispense a pre-determined or variable amount of the fluids into an appliance, and to methods for making and using same.

An apparatus for conveying viscous material from a drum-like container with a container bottom and a circumferential container wall extending from the container bottom to a container upper side and being open at the container upper side has, for closing the container a follower plate having a material outlet attached to a conveyor pump. The follower plate has an annularly circumferential wiper ring that has a radially outwardly extending contacting part for contact against an inside face, turned toward the follower plate, of the container wall. The contacting part can be pressurized with a variable pressing force for pressing against the inside face (36) of the container wall. The follower plate is mounted by moans of at least one vertically extending retaining rod on a horizontally extending crosspiece mounted on or close to a first end on a lifting device for raising and lowering of the crosspiece. Its second end is free. This task is accomplished by an apparatus having the features according to one aspect of the invention as well as by a method having the features according to another aspect of the invention. Advantageous further developments of the invention are subject matter discussed below.

A table top appliance rapidly fills a pouch through some mechanical actuation or automation by inserting the pouch into the appliance and the machine fills the pouch. One embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be a mechanical version that includes a method to pump or push the contents of the container into the pouch. A second embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be an electric pump version that fills pouches and may have the option of controlling the amount of food dispensed. The food pouch filling station may also include a valve that connects to the pouch to control the flow to the pouch.

Apparatuses for dispensing household fluids including a handheld device or wand including a pump for dispensing one or more household fluids at a rate and for a time sufficient to dispense a pre-determined or variable amount of the fluids into an appliance, and to methods for making and using same.

A fluid dispenser including a body, a chamber coupled to or formed as part of the body and configured to contain a quantity of fluid, and a piston coupled to the body and rotatable within the chamber to different position. The piston is movable relative to the chamber in a first direction along an axis to draw fluid into the chamber, and the piston is movable relative to the chamber in a second direction opposite the first direction to discharge fluid from the chamber. The piston has stroke lengths that are selectable via the different rotational positions of the piston and that are associated with metered quantities of fluid to be drawn into the chamber. An anti-reversal feature is disposed between the piston and the body. The anti-reversal feature inhibits reversal of the piston during movement of the piston in the first direction or the second direction.