The invention relates to a cartridge receiver (10) for producing a drink (70) using a cartridge (2) that comprises a reservoir (6) filled with a drink substance (7), it being possible to insert the cartridge receiver (10) into a drink preparation machine (3) and connect it to the cartridge (2), wherein the cartridge receiver (10) comprises a mixing chamber (8) that can be brought into fluidic connection with the reservoir (6), and a fluid supply (12) that opens into the mixing chamber (8). The invention is characterised in that the cartridge receiver (10) comprises a mandrel guide (80) and a puncturing mandrel (73) that is displaceably mounted within said mandrel guide (80), wherein the puncturing mandrel (73) can be displaced between a retracted position in which said puncturing mandrel (73) is positioned at a distance from a sealing element (18) of the cartridge (2), and an extended position in which said puncturing mandrel (73) pierces the sealing element (18) and projects into the reservoir (6). The outer wall of the puncturing mandrel (73) comprises at least one lateral channel (71) for conducting the drink substance (7) in the direction of the mixing chamber (8) when the sealing element (18) has been pierced.

The invention relates to a dispenser having a cartridge holder.

A cartridge and an associated beverage mixture dispensing system are disclosed. The cartridge is detachable from the associated beverage mixture dispensing system. The cartridge includes a casing and at least twenty ingredient reservoirs located within the casing and storing at least twenty respective ingredients. The cartridge also includes a dispensing interface for dispensing the at least twenty ingredients into the beverage mixture dispensing system. The at least twenty ingredient reservoirs include a first reservoir of a concentrated salt and a second reservoir of a concentrated food grade acid. The remaining ingredient reservoirs include additional concentrated ingredients. The beverage mixture dispensing system includes a solvent reservoir and a receiving interface for receiving the at least twenty ingredients from the cartridge. The beverage mixture dispensing system also includes a mixing area fluidly connected to the solvent reservoir and the at least twenty ingredient reservoirs.

Systems and methods for sanitizing a fluid mixture dispensing system are disclosed. One system comprises at least one reservoir for storing a substance, a mixing area, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the system to execute a mixing cycle and a cleaning cycle. During the mixing cycle the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture. During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to sanitize the mixing area.

The invention relates to a dispenser having a cartridge holder.

A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

A fluid mixture dispensing system using a membrane to seal multiple reservoirs is disclosed. The multiple reservoirs each contain a respective ingredient. The reservoirs are coupled to respective orifices in a plate. The respective ingredients are dispensable via the respective orifices. The membrane seals the respective orifices. The ingredients are dispensed into one or more channels formed between the membrane and the plate. In specific embodiments, the membrane is an integral part of a cartridge which contains the multiple reservoirs. In specific embodiments, the cartridge includes an inlet and an outlet. A solvent flows from the inlet to the outlet through the one or more channels, and the ingredients are dispensed into the solvent in the one or more channels.

Fluid mixture dispensing systems, devices and methods are disclosed. A device includes a set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a mixing area configured to receive at least one ingredient from the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a pressure source, an accumulator chamber, a set of valves, and a controller. The controller is programmed to operate the set of valves to pressurize the accumulator chamber using the pressure source. The controller is further programmed to operate the set of valves to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs using the accumulator chamber.

The invention relates to a cartridge system (1) for producing a bever-age (70), wherein the cartridge system (1) can be introduced into a beverage preparation machine (3). The invention also relates to a cartridge (2) which comprises a reservoir (6) filled with a beverage substance (7) and to a cartridge receiving region (10) connected to the cartridge (2). The cartridge receiving region (10) has a mixing chamber (8) which can be fluidically connected to the reservoir (6) and a fluid feed line (12) which opens into the mixing chamber (8). The mixing chamber (8) has a beverage discharge (11), through which the beverage (70) made of the mixture of the beverage substance (7) and the fluid supplied by the fluid feed line (12) in the mixing chamber (8) is dispensed, said beverage discharge (11) comprising a tubular line piece (30). The invention is characterized in that the line piece (30) is designed such that the main extension direction (31) of the line piece (30) runs at an angle α (33) to the longitudinal axis (32) of the cartridge (2).

Ingredient dispensing systems and methods are disclosed. A disclosed system includes an ingredient reservoir and an electromechanical valve configured so that, when the electromechanical valve is activated, an ingredient is dispensed from the ingredient reservoir. The disclosed system also includes a current sensor configured to measure a current draw of the electromechanical valve. The disclosed system also includes a controller programmed to sample the current draw from the current sensor and to detect a dispense error of the electromechanical valve based on the sampled current draw.