A system and method are provided and include an infrared emitter that emits a predetermined pattern of pulses of infrared light and an infrared receiver that detects the predetermined pattern of pulses of infrared light after the predetermined pattern of pulses of infrared light reflect off of a container. A proximity detection module is configured to determine a transmission time when the infrared emitter emits the predetermined pattern of pulses of infrared light, a detection time when the infrared receiver detects the predetermined pattern of pulses of infrared light, an elapsed time between the transmission time and the detection time, and a distance to the container based on the elapsed time. A control module for a dispenser is configured to receive the determined distance from the proximity detection module and to activate the dispenser when the determined distance to the container is less than a predetermined threshold.

A water vending apparatus is disclosed. The water vending system includes a water vapor distillation apparatus and a dispensing device. The dispensing device is in fluid communication with the fluid vapor distillation apparatus and the product water from the fluid vapor distillation apparatus is dispensed by the dispensing device.

A dispenser (5) for dispensing of at least one of ice or liquid and for mounting into a household cooling appliance (1), comprising: an output niche (6), at least one of an ice passage (7) or liquid outlet (8), a switch (9), which activates an output of at least one of ice or liquid out of the dispenser (5), wherein the switch (9) comprises a protrusion (10), a separate actuation paddle (11) which is attached to the protrusion (10), wherein the actuation paddle (11) projects into the output niche (6) in order to be pressed by an object held into the output niche (6), and a releasable and self-locking connection (12) wherein the actuation paddle (11) and the protrusion (10) are connected by said releasable and self-locking connection (12), wherein the releasable and self-locking connection (12) is a click-stop connection (13). A household cooling appliance (1) comprising a dispenser (5) for dispensing of at least one of ice or liquid (5).

An embedded system controls an electric fluid valve, and the embedded system is connected to and receives overlooking images from an overlooking camera. It processes the images using a sequence labeling unit to tell if a fluid container is ready to receive and operates the valve accordingly.

A container-filling system includes a product-dispenser system and a control system. The product-dispenser system includes a conveyor defining a predetermined path, a container loader, and a container filler. The predetermined path has a sensing station, a loading station, and a filling station. The control system determines if a container is present at the sensing station. The cup loader provides a container at the loading station. The cup filler dispenses a product into the container at the filling station.

Disclosed are embodiments of a beverage dispensing system that controls the flow of beverage based on information acquisitioned from a marker associated with a vessel for the beverage. The system utilizes a switching apparatus located in the tap of the dispensing unit that can selectively enable mechanical connection between the hand lever of the tap and the stem based on the information acquisitioned. Some embodiments include a hand tilt device for automatically controlling the flow of beverage, and a vessel tilt device to adjusting the tilt of the vessel so as to achieve a preferred pour.

Examples disclosed herein relate to conduits, devices, systems and methods, which may include a hollow element including an inner surface and an outer surface which allows for a passage of one or more of one or more fluid elements and one or more gaseous elements, a constraining element with one or more openings and one or more non-open elements, one or more blocking elements configured to stop the passage of the at least one of the one or more fluid elements and the one or more gaseous elements when the one or more blocking elements are in a first position relative to the one or more openings, and a movement device configured to move the one or more blocking elements to a second position relative to the one or more openings which allows for the passage of the one or more fluid elements and the one gaseous elements through the one or more openings in the constraining element.

A refrigerator appliance having a dispensing system, a dispensing system, and a method for dispensing liquid into a container are provided. The dispensing system can be an autofill dispensing system. In one example aspect, the dispensing system includes a vibration generator and a measurement device. When a container is present in a preselected position, liquid is delivered to the container. As liquid fills into the container, the vibration generator propagates vibrations through the container. The measurement device detects one or more characteristics of the vibration and routes one more signals indicative of the characteristics to a controller of the system. The controller determines a liquid fill level of liquid within the container based at least in part on the signals received from the measurement device.

A drink vending apparatus comprises a housing, one or more ingredient cartridges removably coupled to the housing, a mixing container, a dispensing nozzle, and a control unit. A user provides user commands from a smart device to the control unit that comprises drink requests from the user. In response thereto, ingredients are dispensed from one or more of the ingredient cartridges into the mixing container, and the mixed ingredients are dispensed from the mixing container into a receptacle.

A method of providing a beverage, including obtaining a beverage container, accessing a dispensing system, entering a volume amount into a user interface, placing the beverage container on a nozzle, and filling the beverage container with the beverage. The beverage container may include a bottom surface including an opening, a ring including a first magnetic material, the ring connected to the bottom surface around the opening, and a cap including a second magnetic material, the cap magnetically coupled to the ring in a beverage container closed position. The dispensing system may include the user interface, a platform including one or more ports, and the nozzle provided in each of the one or more ports. The method may further include moving a translating member with respect to a shaft to position a plurality of apertures in an interior of the beverage container.