A refrigerator includes a refrigerated compartment and a door to open and close at least a portion of the refrigerated compartment. A dispenser is positioned on the door that is configured to dispense content into a receiver vessel. The dispenser includes a control unit, an actuation system controlled by the control unit, and a dispensing outlet through which the content flows from the dispenser and into the receiver vessel. The dispenser further includes a trough located below the dispensing outlet for collecting overflow content from at least one of the receiver vessel and the dispensing outlet. The dispenser further includes a sensor coupled to the trough and in electrical communication with the control unit. The sensor is configured to detect overflow content contained within the trough. A method for controlling the dispensing of content from a dispenser is also described.

A dispensing system includes one or more digital image capture devices for capturing images in a dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device(s) for analyzing the images for use in regulating a dispensing operation. The digital image analyzer evaluates digital images captured by the digital image capture device(s) to determine various characteristics of a container placed in the dispensing well, such as the height and position of the container.

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.

A device for dispensing individual servings of a cold beverage with Wi-Fi connectivity, either having a refrigeration unit to chill the beverage or a removable pitcher that may be put in a refrigerator. 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. A dispensing mechanism puts pressure on the cartridge or the pouch to break the pressure rupturable seal or diaphragm to discharge the concentrate into a mixing structure. The mixing structure also receives chilled liquid from the refrigeration unit or the pitcher, and ensures that the concentrate mixes with the liquid without contacting the walls of the mixing structure.

A wine dispenser that includes a wine refrigerator unit having at least two independent temperature-controlled compartments, each one of the two compartments having a plurality of supports to support a wine container, and a wine dispenser unit residing atop the wine refrigeration unit, the wine dispenser unit including a plurality of fountain heads, each one of the plurality of fountain heads being connected to a respective fluid-tight wine supply line that extends from the fountain head to an interior of a respective one of the two independent temperature-controlled compartments.

A carbonation tower for containers of household appliances, more specifically for appliances for the automatic preparation of instant drinks, which has been developed to provide more optimized operation and use and efficient than those achieved with the known similar. Said carbonation tower including a substantially elongated body included of at least one pipe provided with at least two holes and said pipe secured to a base including at least a nozzle, said cooperating base further including a lid of a lower compartment; said lid further including at least one toroidal contoured rib cooperating with at least one lower nozzle of the container, and wherein the water and the carbon dioxide are sucked by the upper edge of the pipe and/or the holes and expelled in a path orthogonal to the suction axis through the at least one nozzle.

An apparatus is disclosed including: a housing including a conduit having an inlet port and an outlet port; an insert at least partially disposed within the conduit and including a tapered portion extending from a narrower end proximal the inlet port to a wider end distal the inlet port; and a facility for adjusting the position of the insert within the conduit. In some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to receive a mixed flow of liquid and gas at the inlet port, direct the mixed flow through the conduit around a portion of the insert disposed within the chamber, and outlet the mixed flow at the outlet port.

A device for dispensing individual servings of a cold beverage, either having a refrigeration unit to chill the beverage or a removable pitcher that may be put in a refrigerator. 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. A dispensing mechanism puts pressure on the cartridge or the pouch to break the pressure rupturable seal or diaphragm to discharge the concentrate into a mixing structure. The mixing structure also receives chilled liquid from the refrigeration unit or the pitcher, and ensures that the concentrate mixes with the liquid without contacting the walls of the mixing structure.

A system prepares and dispenses non gas-infused and gas-infused beverages including a gas source, a pressurizable container connected to the gas source to receive a first flow of gas, a gas infusion tank connected to the gas source to receive a second flow of gas, a first dispensing tap that receives a portion of preprocessed beverage stored in the pressurizable container that flows under pressure from a portion of the first flow of gas to dispense a non gas-infused beverage from the first dispensing tap, and a second dispensing tap that receives gas-infused beverage from the gas infusion vessel to dispense the gas-infused beverage by the second dispensing tap, the gas-infused tank receiving a portion of the preprocessed beverage from the pressurizable container to infuse the preprocessed beverage in the gas infusion vessel with at least a portion of the second flow of gas.

A beverage dispensing system including, in some embodiments, a housing including a dispensing platform, one or more valves at least partially below the dispensing platform, one or more valve-controlling modules respectively disposed in one or more cutouts of the housing, and an embedded system including the one or more valve-controlling modules and a central module communicatively coupled to the one or more valve-controlling modules. Each valve may include a beverage-container coupler extending from the valve through a corresponding opening in the dispensing platform configured to couple with bottom-fillable beverage containers for use with the beverage dispensing system. Each valve-controlling module may include a user-facing touchpad with one or more buttons configured to control a corresponding valve of the one or more valves. The embedded system may be configured for beverage dispensation as well as analytics, communications, payment processing, or a combination thereof related to beverage dispensation.