A beverage discharge cock to which beverage is supplied from a beverage supply source, comprising: a valve main body including a hole and a valve seat arranged in an end portion of the hole; a valve rod slidably arranged in the hole, and including a valve body that forms a first valve together with the valve seat of the valve main body, and a first seal; and a movable part slidably arranged in the hole, and including a second seal facing the first seal, the second seal forming a second valve together with the first seal of the valve rod, wherein the valve rod includes a first channel extending through the valve body, and one or a plurality of second channels extending from the first seal to the first channel, and the second channel includes a first portion, and a second portion arranged between the first seal and the first portion, and a diameter of the second portion is smaller than a diameter of the first portion.

A beverage supply apparatus includes cooling device 6, milk tank 5 in storage chamber 6a of cooling device 6, and detection device 7 that detects the milk. Detection device 7 has first light guide body 7c to penetrate partition wall 12 having a multilayer box body that partitions storage chamber 6a, second light guide body 7d to penetrate partition wall 12 which faces first light guide body 7c, light projection unit 7a attached to partition-wall outer-surface-side end of first light guide body 7c to project light via the body 7c, and light receiving unit 7b attached to the partition-wall outer-surface-side end of second light guide body 7d to receive light transmitted through milk tank 5 via second light guide body 7d. The detection device detects the presence or absence of or the remaining amount of milk based on a light reception state in the light receiving unit 7b.

The invention comprises an apparatus and method of manufacture thereof for forming a frothing agent, including the steps of: forming a frozen pellet by at least partially immersing a first material in a liquid, the first material including at least one of: (1) a solid particle comprising at least thirty percent nitrous oxide by mass and (2) a liquid drop comprising at least thirty percent nitrous oxide by mass; sealing the frozen pellet in a container comprising an initial pressure exceeding one hundred pounds per square inch; and heating contents of the container, the step of heating resultant in: (1) a phase change of the nitrous oxide; and (2) formation of the frothing agent.

A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (100) has: a beverage directing guide (10) for directing by the directing guide (10) beverage (100) to an area (2) for placing a user-recipient; and a beverage processing unit (5) having a unit outlet (51) via which liquid (100,101) is passed from the beverage guide (50) to the directing guide (10) that is located below the unit outlet (51). The directing guide (10) has a flow cavity (10a), a bottom (10b) and sidewalls (10c) such that the bottom (10b) and the sidewalls (10c) delimit the flow cavity (10a). The directing guide (10) has an inflow penetrator (12) for acting on a flow of beverage (100) delivered by the unit outlet (51) onto the penetrator (12) prior to reaching the bottom (10b) of the flow cavity (10a).

Automatic beverage vending machine that has a milk supply circuit includes a cold milk tank, a variable speed milk pump, a steam generator, a milk heater, and an electronic milk control unit. The electronic milk control unit is electrically connected to the milk pump and to an air solenoid valve. The electronic milk control unit is configured to cause the milk supply circuit to deliver smooth or frothed, hot or cold milk. The electronic milk control unit is also configured to determine milk-related quantities including the type of cold milk contained in the cold milk tank, the temperature of the cold milk contained in the cold milk tank, the amount of foam to dispense, and the type of milk to dispense, and to control operation of the milk pump and of the air solenoid valve based on the determined milk-related quantities.

A beverage supplier includes: an inlet conduit communicated with a beverage container; a pumping and cooling device communicated with the inlet conduit, pumping and cooling a beverage from the beverage container, and outputting a cooled beverage; and an output unit, which is electrically connected to the pumping and cooling device and controls output of the cooled beverage. In a first state, the pumping and cooling device pumps and cools the beverage from the beverage container through the inlet conduit. In a second state, the pumping and cooling device empties the cooled beverage remained in the pumping and cooling device.

A beverage dispensing machine for dispensing a mixed beverage has a first inlet configured to receive a concentrate; a second inlet configured to receive a base fluid; a gas inlet configured to receive a gas; a gas injection device configured to pulsate the gas into the concentrate such that the gas agitates the concentrate and is injected into the concentrate to form a gas-injected concentrate; and a dispensing valve configured to dispense the base fluid and the gas-injected concentrate.

A beverage supply apparatus includes cooling device 6, milk tank 5 in storage chamber 6a of cooling device 6, and detection device 7 that detects the milk. Detection device 7 has first light guide body 7c to penetrate partition wall 12 having a multilayer box body that partitions storage chamber 6a, second light guide body 7d to penetrate partition wall 12 which faces first light guide body 7c, light projection unit 7a attached to partition-wall outer-surface-side end of first light guide body 7c to project light via the body 7c, and light receiving unit 7b attached to the partition-wall outer-surface-side end of second light guide body 7d to receive light transmitted through milk tank 5 via second light guide body 7d. The detection device detects the presence or absence of or the remaining amount of milk based on a light reception state in the light receiving unit 7b.

The present invention relates to a beverage receptacle and a valve for an injection-via-bottom beverage receptacle, and more particularly, to a beverage receptacle and a valve for an injection-via-bottom beverage receptacle, the valve including a cover part configured to open and close an injection port, a blade part disposed at a lower portion of the cover part, and an elastic part disposed between the cover part and the blade part to apply an elastic force to the cover part in a direction of closing the injection port, wherein the elastic part includes a through-hole into which a nozzle is fitted and an injection hole configured to communicate with the through-hole, and the elastic part is formed of a soft elastic material. Because a structure of the valve is extremely simplified and thus washing and drying thereof are facilitated, bacterial propagation can be prevented, maintenance and repair of the structure are facilitated, and assembly of the structure is facilitated because of the reduced number of components. Because the nozzle is fitted to the elastic part, a beverage is prevented from leaking between the nozzle and the valve when the beverage is injected, and because elastic deformation of the cover part is not necessary when a beverage is injected, the cover part may be formed such that watertightness is maximized.

A method prepares and dispenses a beverage with a dispensing device. The device includes a housing with a beverage unit having a liquid line, a pressure controller to control liquid line pressure, and an ingredient container receiving means. The content of the ingredient container is in fluid communication with a liquid line to mix the ingredient container contents with a base liquid in the liquid line. The device further includes an ingredient container identification unit and a processor coupled for controlling the pressure controller. The method includes providing an ingredient container in the device, identifying the ingredient container, providing a base liquid, and mixing the contents of the ingredient container with the base liquid dispensing the prepared beverage. The pressure in the liquid line changes from a first pressure level to a second pressure level by the pressure controller during mixing and dispensing of the beverage.