The disclosure generally relates to an automated modular dispensing platform for creating customized beverages (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The automated dispensing platform may simultaneously aggregate beverage modifiers or ingredients (e.g., sweetener, flavor, and/or color) and facilitate automated, efficient cleaning cycles for modular beverage dispensers.

Intelligent concentrate mixing and delivery devices, systems, and methods are described. An intelligent concentrate mixing and delivery device includes at least one ingredient storage device (e.g., an ingredient cartridge) configured to store one or more ingredients and at least one micro-ingredient pump configured to pump the one or more ingredients into a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber reconstructs at least one finished concentrate from the one or more ingredients. The intelligent concentrate mixing and delivery device further includes at least one pump configured to pump the finished concentrate into a beverage dispensing system.

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.

In some embodiments of a fluid dispensing system: (1) two or more mixing channels are fluidly connected to (a) a mixing chamber fluidly connected to a dispenser, (b) a particular two or more solvent reservoirs, and (c) a respective one or more ingredient reservoirs, wherein each of the ingredient reservoirs is configured to dispense into a respective one of the mixing channels; and (2) a controller is programmed to receive a request for a fluid mixture, and, in response control the system to: mix, in the mixing channels to form an intermediate fluid mixture, a respective predetermined amount of solvent from each of the particular solvent reservoirs and a respective predetermined amount of the ingredients from some of the ingredient reservoirs; flow, to the mixing chamber and then to the dispenser, the intermediate fluid mixture; and dispense the requested fluid mixture (including the intermediate fluid mixture) via the dispenser.

The disclosure generally relates to an automated modular dispensing platform for creating customized beverages (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The automated dispensing platform may simultaneously aggregate beverage modifiers or ingredients (e.g., sweetener, flavor, and/or color) and facilitate automated, efficient cleaning cycles for modular beverage dispensers.

In some embodiments of a fluid dispensing system: (1) two or more mixing channels are fluidly connected to (a) a mixing chamber fluidly connected to a dispenser, (b) a particular two or more solvent reservoirs, and (c) a respective one or more ingredient reservoirs, wherein each of the ingredient reservoirs is configured to dispense into a respective one of the mixing channels; and (2) a controller is programmed to receive a request for a fluid mixture, and, in response control the system to: mix, in the mixing channels to form an intermediate fluid mixture, a respective predetermined amount of solvent from each of the particular solvent reservoirs and a respective predetermined amount of the ingredients from some of the ingredient reservoirs; flow, to the mixing chamber and then to the dispenser, the intermediate fluid mixture; and dispense the requested fluid mixture (including the intermediate fluid mixture) via the dispenser.

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.

Ingredient dispensing systems and methods in a fluid mixture system using a monitored chamber pressure are disclosed. One system includes a chamber, an inlet to the chamber, a set of ingredient reservoirs, in the chamber, storing a respective set of ingredients and sealed by a respective set of valve, a pressure source, and a controller. The system is programmed to set a pressure of the chamber using the pressure source and the inlet to the chamber. The system is also programmed to dispense, using the pressure, at least two ingredients from the respective set of ingredients by actuating at least two valves from the respective set of valves.

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.

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.