A beverage-dispensing appliance may include a cabinet, a liquid line, a liquid level sensor, and a signal shield. The cabinet may define a mutually-orthogonal vertical direction, lateral direction, and transverse direction. The cabinet may define a dispenser recess. The liquid line may be mounted to the cabinet and define a liquid outlet above the dispenser recess. The liquid level sensor may be mounted to the cabinet and directed at the dispenser recess. The signal shield may be movably mounted to the cabinet. The signal shield may be movable between a blocking position and a permissive position. The blocking position may laterally bound at least a portion of the dispenser recess. The permissive position may be transversely spaced apart from the dispenser recess to permit lateral access thereto.

Provided is a water purifier. The water purifier includes a water purifier body provided with a filter, purifying raw water supplied from the outside, and supplying purified water, a water discharge module of which at least a portion is coupled to protrude to the front of the water purifier body so that at least a portion thereof rotates or is elevated with respect to the water purifier body and which is provided with a water discharge nozzle, which supplies the purified water supplied from the water purifier body to a user, in a lower end thereof, a driving unit providing power providing power required for the rotation and elevation of the water discharge module, a detection unit installed in the water purifier body or the water discharge module to recognize a position and size of a container placed around the water purifier body, and a control unit receiving position information and size information of the container from the detection unit to control the driving unit so that the water discharge nozzle moves above the container.

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.

Systems and methods for sanitizing a fluid mixture dispensing system are disclosed. One system comprises at least one reservoir for storing a substance, a mixing area, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the system to execute a mixing cycle and a cleaning cycle. During the mixing cycle the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture. During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to sanitize the mixing area.

A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

Fluid mixture dispensing systems, devices and methods are disclosed. A device includes a set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a mixing area configured to receive at least one ingredient from the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a pressure source, an accumulator chamber, a set of valves, and a controller. The controller is programmed to operate the set of valves to pressurize the accumulator chamber using the pressure source. The controller is further programmed to operate the set of valves to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs using the accumulator chamber.

A food and beverage supply device provided with a main body (10) including a container placing table (10a), a reader (15) that includes an antenna (15a) arranged adjacent to the container placing table (10a), transmits an electromagnetic wave from the antenna (15a) to a container (100) placed on the container placing table (10a), and reads identification information of an identifier (100a) attached to the container (100), and a controller (13) that controls the main body (10) so as to specify a type of food and beverage to be supplied to the container (100) on the basis of the identification information of the identifier (100a), and supply a specified type of food and beverage to the container (100).

Embodiments provide an automated fluid dispenser that comprises a housing, a pump subsystem, a dispenser subsystem, and a receptacle sensor. The housing defines an enclosure that covers one or more subsystems and provides an interface for attachment to a fluid reservoir. The receptacle sensor is configured to detect a fluid receptacle within a detected distance and transmit an activation signal to the pump subsystem to pump a volume of fluid. The volume of fluid is dispensed via the dispenser subsystem to a fluid receptacle. In embodiments, the volume of fluid is proportional to a detection distance or a detection time. In embodiments, the automated fluid dispenser is configured with a display device to provide one or more graphical user interface elements.

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.