A beverage-making apparatus includes a fermentation tank assembly including a fermentation tank having an opening formed therein and a fermentation tank cover configured to open and close the opening. The beverage-making apparatus also includes a refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle apparatus is configured to circulate a refrigerant therethrough and to control a temperature of the fermentation tank as the evaporator is disposed at the fermentation tank. The beverage-making apparatus further includes a heat insulating wall surrounding both the fermentation tank and the evaporator.

A method and device are provided for dispensing a beverage. The method comprises cooling a beverage to a first temperature below a melting point of the beverage, receiving a beverage container with a storage volume for receiving the beverage, pressurising the storage volume of the beverage container up to a first pressure, dispensing the beverage into the pressurised storage volume of the beverage container, and decreasing the pressure in the storage volume of the beverage container to ambient pressure, wherein the beverage is cooled to a first temperature below a melting point of the beverage prior to decreasing the pressure in the storage volume of the beverage container to ambient pressure. The device may be arranged to perform parts of the method.

A method and an apparatus for controlling a cooling in a water dispenser are disclosed. The method includes: S1, receiving a cooling instruction and entering a cooling mode according to the cooling instruction; S2, obtaining an operation parameter of the water dispenser; S3, determining whether a suspending condition is satisfied according to the operation parameter; S4, suspending a cooling if the suspending condition is satisfied; and S5, further determining whether a restarting condition is satisfied, performing the cooling and executing steps S2-S5 repeatedly until a cooling terminating condition is satisfied if the restarting condition is satisfied. Therefore, during the process of operating of the water dispenser, performances of the condenser and the evaporator may be restored to the optimal performance state by suspending the cooling, and when operating next, the evaporating temperature may drop very low, so that the performances of the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor may be developed multiple times, thus realizing the ultralow water temperature cooling and improving the cooling capacity.

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 liquid dispenser is provided. The liquid dispenser includes a housing; a temperature control system; and a pump system. The pump system pumps multiple liquids. A method of dispensing a liquid into a beverage is also provided. A liquid dispenser includes a valve, a pump, and a nozzle. A liquid is selected from multiple liquids and a beverage shade is selected. The valve and the pump are activated to deliver the selected liquid to the nozzle in an amount that achieves the selected beverage shade.

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 for controlling a hot water supply apparatus, the method including: a first step of receiving a hot water exhalent signal; a second step of determining whether a cup is a first cup or a recurring cup; and a third step of, when the cup is the first cup, providing hot water to a user by using a first cup providing algorithm, and when the cup is the recurring cup, providing hot water to the user by using a recurring cup providing algorithm, wherein in the third step, the amount of water supplied to a heating module for heating water is adjusted in stages.

A beverage-making apparatus includes a fermentation tank assembly including a fermentation tank having an opening formed therein and a fermentation tank cover configured to open and close the opening. The beverage-making apparatus also includes a refrigeration cycle apparatus including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle apparatus is configured to circulate a refrigerant therethrough and to control a temperature of the fermentation tank as the evaporator is disposed at the fermentation tank. The beverage-making apparatus further includes a heat insulating wall surrounding both the fermentation tank and the evaporator.

A refrigerator appliance includes a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly includes a dispenser recess with a flexible hose that is in fluid communication with a water supply to deliver water to the dispenser recess. The dispensing assembly also includes an actuating mechanism in operative communication with the water supply to cause the water supply to deliver a flow of water to the flexible hose when the actuating mechanism is activated. The dispensing assembly further includes a vibration generator coupled to the flexible hose and in operative communication with the actuating mechanism such that the vibration generator is activated when the actuating mechanism is activated. The vibration generator moves the flexible hose relative to the dispenser recess when the vibration generator is activated, thereby providing a wave pattern flow of water from the flexible hose.

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet with a food storage chamber defined in the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet. The door includes an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, wherein the inner surface faces towards the food storage chamber when the door is in the closed position and the outer surface faces away from the food storage chamber when the door is in the closed position. The refrigerator appliance also includes a dispenser assembly with a plurality of liquid sources fluidly coupled to the dispenser assembly and a multi-fluid tube. Each liquid source of the plurality of liquid sources is fluidly coupled to the dispenser assembly through the multi-fluid tube.