A dispenser includes a body having a an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first chamber, a first opening in fluid communication with the first chamber and extending through the body, a second opening in fluid communication with the first chamber and extending through the body, a first valve and a second valve disposed on the body, the valves having a closed and an open configuration, and an actuator disposed at least partially within the first chamber. The actuator may be configured to increase and decrease pressure in the first chamber such that the first valve and the second valve change from their respective closed configurations to their respective open configurations and from their respective open configurations to their respective closed configurations. When in the closed configuration, flow through the valves is impeded.

A dispensing nozzle assembly is provided including a nozzle member provided with one or more dispensing apertures to allow fluid to be dispensed therefrom in use. Closure means are provided on or associated with the nozzle member and movable relative thereto between a closed position, wherein the closure means closes the dispensing apertures and fluid cannot be dispensed from the dispensing apertures, and an open position, wherein the closure means are moved at least partially clear of the dispensing apertures and fluid can be dispensed through the dispensing apertures in use. Switch means are moveable between an on position for allowing fluid to flow into the nozzle member for dispensing through the dispensing apertures in use, and an off position for preventing fluid flowing into the nozzle member in use. The switch means are arranged such that movement of the closure means relative to the nozzle member moves or actuates the switch means between the on and off positions in use.

A dispensing nozzle assembly is provided including a nozzle member provided with one or more dispensing apertures to allow fluid to be dispensed therefrom in use. Closure means are provided on or associated with the nozzle member and movable relative thereto between a closed position, wherein the closure means closes the dispensing apertures and fluid cannot be dispensed from the dispensing apertures, and an open position, wherein the closure means are moved at least partially clear of the dispensing apertures and fluid can be dispensed through the dispensing apertures in use. Switch means are moveable between an on position for allowing fluid to flow into the nozzle member for dispensing through the dispensing apertures in use, and an off position for preventing fluid flowing into the nozzle member in use. The switch means are arranged such that movement of the closure means relative to the nozzle member moves or actuates the switch means between the on and off positions in use.

A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.

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 connector assembly controllably couples a plurality of containers in a box. Each container has a fitment having a channel. The connector assembly includes a valve assembly and an actuator. The valve assembly is movable between an unengaged position and an engaged position. The valve assembly includes a plurality of fitment receptacles. Each fitment receptacle is associated with a respective fitment. A liquid flow channel of the valve assembly couples the fitment receptacles to the outlet. The actuator is movable between an unlocked position and a locked position. The valve assembly is configured to move from the unengaged position to the engaged movement in response to movement of the actuator from the unlocked to locked positions. The fitments are inserted into the respective fitment receptacles in response to movement of the valve assembly from the unengaged position to the engaged position.

An appliance for the production and dispensing of malt based fermented beverage has a malt based fermented beverage concentrated inlet, liquid lines, a water inlet, a pressurized gas inlet, a carbonation unit having a water inlet and a pressurized gas inlet, a mixing unit in which the carbonated water and malt based fermented beverage concentrate are mixed. The appliance further has a gas pressure regulating means for varying the gas at the inlet of the carbonation unit.

A beverage discharger may include a dispenser case; a channel body at least partially disposed in the dispenser case, the channel body having a first dispenser channel defined therein that communicates with a beverage discharge channel; a discharge body coupled to the channel body and having a second dispenser channel defined therein that communicates with the first dispenser channel, the discharge body extending vertically in an elongated manner; an ascending and descending body connected to the dispenser case in an ascending and descending manner; a shaft connected to the ascending and descending body to ascend and descend with the ascending and descending body, the shaft having, at a bottom portion, a packing that opens and closes the second dispenser channel; and at least one guide rib formed on an inner face of the discharge body to guide the bottom portion of the shaft.

A decompression mechanism may include a decompression case having an inlet that receives a beverage and an outlet that discharges the beverage; a decompression inner member including an inner body positioned inside of the decompression case and a guide formed in a spiral shape on an outer circumference of the inner body and in contact with an inner face of the decompression case; and a decompression channel defined between the decompression case and the decompression inner member. The decompression channel may have an input opening in communication with the inlet and an output opening in communication with the outlet, and a cross-sectional area of the decompression channel may increase as the decompression channel extends from the input opening to the output opening.

A system and method for dispensing beverage from a container, such as wine from a wine bottle. Dispensing may be automatically controlled based on a detected orientation of the container, e.g., dispensing may occur when a bottle is tilted as if to pour from the bottle and stopped when the bottle is oriented upright. Dispensing may be stopped when the container is rotated about its longitudinal axis even while in a pour orientation. A remaining amount of beverage in the container and/or an amount of pressurized gas used to drive dispensing may be detected and beverage dispensing controlled accordingly.