A carbonation system for a beverage appliance or machine that can include a liquid chamber and a carbonation chamber separated from the liquid chamber by a wall of the carbonation chamber is disclosed herein. In some implementations, the liquid chamber is defined by a liquid tank (e.g., a water tank), and the carbonation chamber is defined by a carbonation tank. The carbonation system can move liquid (e.g., water) from the liquid chamber to the carbonation chamber and introduce carbonating gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) into the carbonation chamber to create a carbonated liquid (e.g., a carbon dioxide water dissolution, such as carbonated water, sparkling water, or seltzer).

A beverage-dispensing appliance may include a carbonation tank, a carbonator jacket, a cold water line, and an ice bin. The carbonation tank may define a tank volume, a water inlet upstream from the tank volume, a carbon dioxide inlet upstream from the tank volume, and a carbonated water outlet downstream from the tank volume. The carbonator jacket may define a jacket volume disposed about the carbonation tank. The cold water line may extend to the carbonator jacket in upstream fluid communication with the tank volume to direct a cold water flow to the tank volume. The ice bin may be spaced apart from the carbonation tank. The ice bin may define a drain aperture upstream from the cold water line to direct melt water thereto.

Methods and devices for dispensing a cooled beverage are provided. One embodiment of methods includes the steps of mixing a diluent and a concentrate to make a diluted solution. The diluted solution is carbonated to yield a carbonated solution. The carbonated solution is cooled to below 0° C. to produce the cooled beverage, and the cooled beverage is dispensed through a nozzle. A device for dispensing a cooled beverage, where the cooled beverage comprises a diluent having a freezing point at STP includes an upstream cooler that pre-cools a supply of diluent to a temperature above the freezing point. A mixer mixes the pre-cooled diluent with a concentrate to make a diluted solution. A downstream cooler further cools the diluted solution to below the freezing point. A dispenser dispenses the downstream-cooled solution to atmosphere. The temperature of the cooled beverage is below the freezing point when dispensed.

A dispenser for dispensing milk from a bulk container. The dispenser is mounted outside of a refrigerator and the bulk container is stored within the refrigerator. The dispenser is provided with means for conveying the milk from the bulk container to a pouring spout. Several bulk containers may be connected together to form a large bulk container of milk that is kept refrigerated in its entirety.

A beverage dispenser includes a gas infusion device configured to infuse a gas into a base liquid to form a gas-infused liquid, a mixing chamber configured to mix the gas-infused liquid and a concentrate to thereby form a reconstituted beverage, a first flow control configured to decrease pressure of the gas-infused liquid prior to mixing with the concentrate, and a second flow control configured to decrease pressure of the concentrate prior to mixing with the gas-infused liquid. A restrictor device downstream from the mixing chamber and configured to apply backpressure on the concentrate and the gas-infused liquid, and a dispensing valve is configured to dispense the reconstituted beverage.

A beverage dispenser uses-high ratio concentrates to mix on-demand beverages. The high-ratio concentrate is pre-mixed with an alkaline water to allow for improved blending performance in the final beverage. The beverage recipe may be customized by the user to suit personal tastes. Aspects of the beverage dispenser also may include the ability to dispense room temperature, chilled, heated, sparkling, or highly alkaline beverages. Operation of a user interface to receive a beverage order includes the ability to display and employ user interfaces present on both a display on the beverage dispenser and an application on a mobile device. In some aspects, both user interfaces may be used simultaneously to receive user input. Methods of dispensing a beverage using the beverage dispensing systems are also discussed.

A cock (10) that receives and discharges the carbonated water from a nozzle (70) includes: a first flow path (4S); and a second flow path (46). A flow path transverse Closs-section has an annular shape. The second flow path has an outer diameter larger than that of the first flow path and having a flow path cross-sectional area smaller than that of the first flow path; and a shaft (50) which forms the inner circumferential surface of the second flow path. the shaft having a ring-shaped groove (52) formed over the outer circumference of the shaft in a part of the second flow path that is connected to the first flow path, wherein a longitudinal center axis line (C1) of the first flow path is nonparallel to and does not intersect with a longitudinal center axis line (C2) of the second flow path.

The present application provides a beverage dispenser capable of dispensing one or more limited time offering beverages. The beverage dispenser may include a dispensing valve, a limited time offering ingredient source, and a limited time offering circuit extending between the dispensing valve and the limited time offering ingredient source. The limited time offering circuit may include a stainless steel line extending between the dispensing valve and the limited time offering ingredient source.

The disclosure concerns a system including a modular dispensing system comprising a first module comprising a cold engine assembly, and a second module comprising a hot engine assembly. The system comprises a carbonator configured to dissolve carbon dioxide in water to form carbonated water. The cold engine assembly comprises a cold bath. A cold liquid mixer is configured to mix a concentrate and the carbonated water to form a cold ready-to-drink liquid. The hot engine assembly comprises a hot tank. A hot liquid mixer is configured to mix the hot water from the hot tank and a powder to form a hot ready-to-drink liquid. In an aspect, the cold engine assembly and the hot engine assembly form a single dispensing unit.

A beverage dispenser includes a gas infusion device configured to infuse a gas into a base liquid to form a gas-infused liquid, a mixing chamber configured to mix the gas-infused liquid and a concentrate to thereby form a reconstituted beverage, a first flow control configured to decrease pressure of the gas-infused liquid prior to mixing with the concentrate, and a second flow control configured to decrease pressure of the concentrate prior to mixing with the gas-infused liquid. A restrictor device downstream from the mixing chamber and configured to apply backpressure on the concentrate and the gas-infused liquid, and a dispensing valve is configured to dispense the reconstituted beverage.