A refrigerating device used to reduce a temperature of drinks is provided and a higher refrigerating efficiency can be obtained through a control method and a control system thereof. The refrigerating device includes a pre-refrigeration unit used to pre-refrigerate a raw material; a main-refrigeration unit in communication with the pre-refrigeration unit and used to accommodate the pre-refrigerated raw material and refrigerate the raw material further; a dispenser in communication with the main-refrigeration unit and used to dispense the frozen drink in the main-refrigeration unit; and a refrigeration system providing a refrigerating capacity to the pre-refrigeration unit and the main-refrigeration unit.

A refrigerator capable of dispensing water adapted to an individual user's body temperature and a control method thereof. The refrigerator includes a selection unit for the user to select form body temperature water, cold water, and hot water. A temperature detecting unit is configured to detect a temperature of an external object through contact, for example a user's finger. The detected object temperature is interpreted as the user's body temperature. A controller is configured to receive a signal from the selection unit and a signal from the temperature detecting unit. Water stored in the refrigerator can be heated to the detected external object temperature before dispensing.

Refrigerator appliances and methods for operating refrigerator appliances are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a user's presence, associating the user's presence with a heated beverage preference, and initiating heating of a liquid stored in the refrigerator appliance. The detecting step, the associating step and the initiating step are performed by a controller of the refrigerator appliance.

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 dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.

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 method is provided for cooling a beverage in a container, the container being provided in contact with a cooling contact body thermally conductively coupled to a cooling element. The method comprises operating the cooling element and obtaining an ambient temperature of the environment outside the container and the cooling contact body. Based on the ambient temperature, a cut on temperature is defined and a temperature value indicative of a temperature of the beverage is obtained. The cooling element is operated if the temperature is larger than the cut on temperature until an end criterion is met. A higher ambient temperature may require more cooling of the beverage to ensure the temperature of the beverage is maintained between acceptable boundaries. A higher environmental temperature, requiring more cooling, means faster switching on or off. By using a switch on temperature based on the ambient temperature, more efficient cooling may be established.

A refrigerator includes a main body, a storage space defined within the main body, a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, a dispenser provided in the door and defining a space in which water is dispensed, a water nozzle extending downward into the space, where the water nozzle is movably mounted at the dispenser and configured to dispense water, a manipulation detection device provided at the dispenser, the manipulation detection device being configured to detect movement of the water nozzle, and a control unit configured to open and close a water supply valve connected to the water nozzle according to a detection signal generated by the manipulation detection device.

A beverage system for providing a cold beverage is disclosed that includes a water supply unit for providing water, cooling means arranged downstream of the water supply unit 100, dispensing means for dispensing a beverage arranged downstream of the cooling means, valve means arranged downstream of the cooling means and upstream of the dispensing means, and a control module adapted to operate the valve means. A beverage machine that includes the beverage system and methods for using the beverage machine are also disclosed.

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.