A beverage dispensing device has a housing with a beverage unit with a liquid inlet and a beverage outlet. The beverage unit has a receiving means for receiving at least two ingredient containers containing a unit dose of an ingredient of the beverage to be dispensed. The beverage unit also has a liquid line in fluid communication with a base liquid source, with the contents of the ingredient containers, when correctly installed in the device, and with the beverage outlet. The liquid line is split into two side lines at a point A, downstream the liquid inlet. Both side lines join in fluid communication at a point B, downstream point A and upstream the beverage outlet, at least one of the ingredient containers in liquid communication with the liquid line at a point M1 downstream point A and upstream point B.

A dispensing system including: a pressure vessel with an inlet and an outlet; a first CF Valve coupled to the inlet; a second CF Valve coupled to the outlet; a bag with elements in the bag coupled to the outlet and located inside the pressure vessel; a pressure source coupled to the first CF Valve; and a toggle which opens and seals the outlet area based on a position of the toggle where the first CF Valve pressurizes the pressure vessel via the pressure source to transport elements in the bag to the second CF Valve via the outlet and the second CF Valve dispenses the elements to a dispensing area.

Beverage dispensers, systems, and methods are provided for producing a beverage flavored mixture/solution based on instructions from a mobile device (also referred to as an electronic device) and without requiring a user to touch the beverage dispenser (e.g., reducing the spread of germs through touching shared surfaces). The beverage dispensers, systems, and methods described may also be advantageous in allowing for monitoring of use of a beverage dispenser, billing users, and tracking liquid intake. The beverage dispensers, systems, and methods may enable a greater tracking and control compared to conventional beverage dispensers.

An apparatus for autonomously cooking a food product and dispensing said food product into a container, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a plurality of cooling chambers, a plurality of cooking chambers, a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of primary dispensing chambers, and a plurality of secondary dispensing chambers disposed in a column arrangement within the apparatus; at least one food container disposed within at least one of the plurality of cooling chambers; a plurality of mixer augers disposed within the at least one food container; a series of induction plates adapted to be heated by a series of induction energizers, the series of induction plates and induction energizers being associated with each cooking chamber; and roller conveyor tables disposed throughout the pluralities of primary and secondary dispensing chambers, the roller conveyor tables being adapted to traverse the container such that to receive the cooked food product.

An apparatus for autonomously cooking a food product and dispensing said food product into a container, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a plurality of cooling chambers, a plurality of cooking chambers, a plurality of storage chambers, a plurality of primary dispensing chambers, and a plurality of secondary dispensing chambers disposed in a column arrangement within the apparatus; at least one food container disposed within at least one of the plurality of cooling chambers; a plurality of mixer augers disposed within the at least one food container; a series of induction plates adapted to be heated by a series of induction energizers, the series of induction plates and induction energizers being associated with each cooking chamber; and roller conveyor tables disposed throughout the pluralities of primary and secondary dispensing chambers, the roller conveyor tables being adapted to traverse the container such that to receive the cooked food product.

A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.

A beverage dispensing device has a housing with a beverage unit with a liquid inlet and a beverage outlet. The beverage unit has a receiving receptacle for receiving at least two ingredient containers containing a unit dose of an ingredient of the beverage to be dispensed. The beverage unit also has a liquid line in fluid communication with a base liquid source, with the contents of the ingredient containers, when correctly installed in the device, and with the beverage outlet. The liquid line is split into two side lines at a point A, downstream the liquid inlet. Both side lines join in fluid communication at a point B, downstream point A and upstream the beverage outlet, at least one of the ingredient containers in liquid communication with the liquid line at a point M1 downstream point A and upstream point B.

Anti-dripping system for a beverage dispensing device (100), the device comprising a container compartment (20) where a fluid (1) is stored, an air entry (13) through which air can be provided into the device (100) and a processing compartment (10) where fluid optionally together with air is pumped and possibly foamed, the processing compartment (10) comprising a pumping element (11) for pumping fluid and possibly air and a foaming element (12) for foaming fluid and air; the pumping element (11) comprising two moveable parts with respect to each other arranged in such a way that their relative movement in a certain direction pumps fluid by suction from the container compartment (20) and optionally also air from the air entry (13) respectively into the processing compartment (10); the foaming element (12) comprising at least a movable part and a static part movable with respect to each other, said parts driving the fluid optionally together with air through a gap (123) providing a certain level of shear stress which allows mixing and/or foaming, the pumping element (11) being configured to reverse the direction of the relative movement of the moveable parts after each dispensing operation so that any remaining fluid not dispensed is sent back to the container compartment (20) thus avoiding dripping.

A beverage dispense system configured to automatically mix a beverage in response to a user input. The beverage dispense system including a liquid container, a gas container, a regulator, a flavoring container, and a beverage container selectively in fluid communication with the liquid container, the gas container, and the flavoring container that is configured to mix liquid, gas, and flavoring respectively from the liquid container, gas container, and flavoring container into the beverage. The beverage dispense system further including a controller that is configured to automatically control flow of the liquid, the gas, and the flavoring to the beverage container in response to the user input and an outlet configured to selectively dispense the beverage. The regulator is configured to regulate the gas from the gas container to each of the liquid container, the flavoring container, and the beverage container at the pressure.

A dispensing apparatus has: a freezing cylinder; a water flowpath; a first controllable valve along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath; and a second controllable valve along the syrup flowpath. The flowpaths merge as a water/syrup flowpath to the freezing cylinder. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each have: a valve body having a cartridge compartment, an inlet to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge. The valve cartridge has: a cartridge body mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element carried by the cartridge body; and a solenoid carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element. The valve element is shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet.