A liquid dispensing device includes a liquid extraction system that extracts a liquid from a container. The liquid dispensing device includes an identification system that identifies a type of the liquid. The liquid dispensing device includes a liquid preservation system that prevents degradation of the liquid. The liquid may be wine or other liquids.

A liquid dispensing device includes a needle. The needle is adapted to penetrate a container without tearing out a portion of the container. The portion of the container is near a point of penetration on the container. The liquid dispensing device includes a motion control system. The motion control system is configured to rotate the needle while the needle penetrates the container.

A beverage dispensing device includes a housing, a receptacle, means for opening a beverage dispenser, a thermoelectric cooler, an aeration component, and a discharge nozzle. The housing has a flow path. The receptacle is for receiving a beverage container that houses a beverage and for discharging wine into the flow path. The means for opening the beverage container is for releasing beverage from the beverage container. The thermoelectric cooler is positioned in the housing for one of chilling or warming the beverage along the flow path. The aeration component is for aerating wine in the flow path. The discharge nozzle is coupled to the flow path for dispensing the beverage from the housing.

Described herein is a beverage system that is configured to produce beverages having different characteristics, such as different levels of carbonation including producing substantially non-carbonated beverages and carbonated beverages with a single machine. The beverage system includes a beverage appliance and a beverage container. The beverage container includes a beverage material, which can include a flavoring ingredient for a target beverage. The beverage appliance is used to access the beverage material from the beverage container and produce the target beverage. The beverage appliance and beverage container are adaptable to produce the target beverage having any of a range of carbonation levels or other characteristics.

An adapter having a female coupling configured to receive and establish a friction seal with a male coupling of an external device for inserting or extracting a liquid to or from a container, by applying a load to the male coupling after inserting it into the female coupling, the load being provided by the weight of a portion of the external device, the adapter being configured for insertion in a mouth of the container and secured therein using a stretchable membrane that fits snugly around the mouth of the container for obtaining a tight seal, the stretchable membrane having tabs for a user to grasp.

A dosing pump for dosing metered amounts of liquid product, includes an inlet adapted to be fluidly connected to a storage container, an output adapted to be connected to a beverage dispensing machine for receiving metered amounts of liquid product, and a dosing chamber arranged for transferring a liquid from the inlet to the output. The dosing chamber is at least partly filled with a liquid different from the liquid product. The different liquid can be a cleaning fluid, or be food compliant. The dosing pump can be included in an exchangeable supply pack filled with the liquid product for connecting to a beverage dispensing machine, and the output can be adapted to be brought into fluid connection with a beverage dispensing machine. When associated with a beverage dispensing machine, the dosing pump can be operated to allow the different fluid to be pumped through the beverage dispensing machine prior to a first dosing cycle of liquid product.

A beverage dispensing device includes a housing, a receptacle, means for opening a beverage dispenser, a thermoelectric cooler, an aeration component, and a discharge nozzle. The housing has a flow path. The receptacle is for receiving a beverage container that houses a beverage and for discharging wine into the flow path. The means for opening the beverage container is for releasing beverage from the beverage container. The thermoelectric cooler is positioned in the housing for one of chilling or warming the beverage along the flow path. The aeration component is for aerating wine in the flow path. The discharge nozzle is coupled to the flow path for dispensing the beverage from the housing.

An automated beverage dispensing attachment includes a capacitive sensor located adjacent to a fluid passage, for example, inside of a cork that attaches to an inside of a bottle. The capacitive sensor of the automated beverage dispensing attachment provides an output signal that tracks changes in capacitance due to events such as bottle attachment, liquid presence and user grip. The signal is suitable for complex processing and filtering to precisely identify and characterize a variety of events and actions.

A home beverage dispensing device for dispensing servings of a beverage, having a vessel for holding a volume of liquid. This vessel may be equipped with a refrigeration unit, or may be comprised of a removable pitcher that may be put in an external refrigerator. This invention is equipped with a radio communications controller to provide for the ability to communicate over radio frequencies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. A special disposable beverage cartridge or beverage pouch fits into the holder. This cartridge or pouch may have pressure rupturable seals or diaphragms and contain beverage concentrate. The mixing structure also receives the optionally chilled liquid from vessel for holding a volume of liquid, and ensures that the concentrate mixes with the liquid without contacting the walls of the mixing structure.

The invention relates to a beverage preparation machine (1) for preparing a beverage by means of a cartridge system consisting of a cartridge (7), which has a beverage substance in a reservoir (8), and of a cartridge receptacle (11) which is connected to the cartridge (7) and has a mixing chamber, at least one fluid supply and a beverage outlet, wherein the beverage preparation machine (1) comprises a main unit (2) and a cartridge holder (3) which protrudes from the main unit (2) and is in particular designed like a balcony, wherein the cartridge holder (3) is designed such that the cartridge system can be inserted into it, wherein the cartridge holder (3) comprises an actuator element (14) for operating a cartridge discharging device of the cartridge system, wherein the main unit (2) comprises a liquid reservoir (4), a liquid conditioning system for conditioning a liquid from the liquid reservoir (4), in particular for controlling the temperature of and/or carbonating the liquid, a fluid supply system for introducing the conditioned liquid and/or pressurised air into the cartridge system, and a control device for controlling the liquid conditioning system and/or the fluid supply system, wherein the main unit (2) and/or the cartridge holder (3) comprises a drive for the actuator element (14).