A beverage dispenser having a beverage-level indicating system. The beverage dispenser includes a housing and a dispensing head arranged on the housing for dispensing a beverage into a beverage container. The beverage dispenser further includes a beverage-level sensor arranged on the housing and which determines a beverage level within the beverage container without contacting the beverage within the beverage container, a beverage-level indicator that provides a visual indication of the beverage level within the beverage container, and a control unit that causes the beverage-level indicator to indicate the beverage level within the beverage container based on the beverage level as determined by the beverage-level sensor.

A beverage dispenser having a beverage-level indicating system. The beverage dispenser includes a housing and a dispensing head arranged on the housing for dispensing a beverage into a beverage container. The beverage dispenser further includes a beverage-level sensor arranged on the housing and which determines a beverage level within the beverage container without contacting the beverage within the beverage container, a beverage-level indicator that provides a visual indication of the beverage level within the beverage container, and a control unit that causes the beverage-level indicator to indicate the beverage level within the beverage container based on the beverage level as determined by the beverage-level sensor.

A self-propelling container having: a top; a bottom; a plurality of vertical walls extending between the bottom and the top; an inner bag for holding contents to be dispensed; a female coupling configured to receive and establish a friction seal with a male coupling of an external device for inserting or extracting the contents to or from the container after the friction seal is established between the female and male couplings; and at least one independent panel positioned inside the container; a compressible element associated with the at least one independent panel wherein during filling of the inner bag the compressible element is compressed, thus causing the at least one independent panel to exercise pressure onto the inner bag, and thus, helping to empty the inner bag.

A contactless beverage dispenser, system, and method of contactlessly dispensing a beverage are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention utilize a sensor that is operatively coupled to a pump for selective activation thereof. The sensor detects, in a sensor zone, the presence of a beverage container proximal a dispensing spout of the beverage dispenser. The sensor may be a proximity sensor, such as a photoelectric sensor. Upon detection of the beverage container, the pump is activated and dispenses a beverage to a user.

A portable hydration system and various components are disclosed. The system utilizes a pump to transfer potable liquid (e.g. water) from a liquid container to a user during challenging activities (e.g. endurance motorcycle riding).

This invention is a refrigeration, dispensing, and management system for beverage and beverage containers that includes a tap attached to an upper door and a supply line; a recess base in a recess of a housing; a slide slidably carried by the recess base having a slot; a pressurized gas cylinder connected to the housing and attached to a gas line in fluid communications with the supply line wherein the gas cylinder contains gas selected from the group consisting of O.sub.2, CO.sub.2, N.sub.2 or other inert gas; and, a cap placed on the beverage container so that when the tap is opened, pressurized gas enters the cap and the snorkel through an inlet defined in the cap, forces gas into the beverage container, and forces the beverage out of the outline defined in the cap, through the supply line and out of the tap.

Unattended beverage dispensers configured to dispense one or more beverages after authenticating a customer and associating the customer with a customer account. An unattended beverage dispenser may include a user interface with a biometric sensor configured to identify a biometric characteristic of a customer. A controller associated with the unattended beverage dispenser may authenticate a customer based on a biometric characteristic and associate the authenticated customer with a customer account. After authenticating a customer, the controller may allow beverage dispensing from the unattended beverage dispenser in accordance with a beverage dispensing rule associated with the customer's account.

Automated dispensing of beverages is provided by unattended software control. Grants are purchased or given from the administrative Portal (we call it Pass Manager, see screen shots in the ppt presentation). The redemption is initiated from the web page opened on a phone or tablet. Redemption can also be initiated by applying QR, bar code, RFID or CC cards to a Reader. dispensing tap may be accessed at the dispensing station interface or via a networked application interface. Authenticating the granting of automated access via a receipt includes acceptance of legal terms and conditions and assess limited by an access code. User may prepay for servings, with the tap remaining locked until the user specific access code is acknowledged. After dispensing, the tap is locked and the purchase or grant total updated.

A system and method for dispensing beverage from a container, such as wine from a wine bottle. An identification element may be secured to a beverage container and include a tag and optically readable code that uniquely identify the container. A dispenser may dispense beverage from a container, and be able to read the tag of the identification element. Information regarding characteristics of beverage in the beverage container may be associated with a corresponding identification element and include a brand, type, vintage or volume of beverage in the container.

Embodiments provide an automated fluid dispenser that comprises a housing, a pump subsystem, a dispenser subsystem, and a receptacle sensor. The housing defines an enclosure that covers one or more subsystems and provides an interface for attachment to a fluid reservoir. The receptacle sensor is configured to detect a fluid receptacle within a detected distance and transmit an activation signal to the pump subsystem to pump a volume of fluid. The volume of fluid is dispensed via the dispenser subsystem to a fluid receptacle. In embodiments, the volume of fluid is proportional to a detection distance or a detection time. In embodiments, the automated fluid dispenser is configured with a display device to provide one or more graphical user interface elements.