A cooling device comprises a buffer circuit comprising a cooling unit for cooling coolant and a reservoir for buffering cooled coolant and a primary cooling circuit for providing coolant to a first heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger is arranged for exchange of thermal energy between the coolant and beverage in a dispensing line. The primary cooling circuit and the buffer circuit are connected to enable exchange of coolant. The cooling device comprises a coolant distribution module arrange to control exchange of coolant between the primary cooling circuit and the buffer circuit. The coolant distribution module may control at least one of valves as passive components and pumps as active components, in at least one of the primary cooling circuit and the buffer circuit. The coolant distribution module may operate based on coolant temperature in the primary cooling circuit.

A cooling device is provided for cooling a beverage in a dispensing line. The device comprises two heat exchangers for exchanging thermal energy between the beverage and a coolant fluid in a cooling circuit; the coolant fluid having a lower temperature than the beverage. Placing the two heat exchangers in series relative to the dispensing line, provides two-stage cooling, allowing more accurate cooling. This may be improved by placing brute force cooling to a particular temperature window, followed by accurate cooling. This makes the cooling process is less sensitive to whatever the initial temperature of the beverage may be. Relative to the cooling circuit for the coolant, the two heat exchangers may be placed in parallel and, optionally, further in parallel to a buffer circuit. A distribution module may be provided to control distribution of coolant over the heat exchangers, optionally from the buffer, to control temperature of the beverage.

A fluid dispenser for a refrigerator having a dispenser housing; a dispenser frame pivotally mounted within the dispenser housing, the dispenser frame with a front face and two side faces and a first gear disposed on one of the side faces; an actuator with a paddle and a lever, the lever interlocking with the dispenser frame such that when the paddle is pushed, the lever causes the dispenser frame to pivot forward; a flexible tube; a fixed compression jaw mounted onto the dispenser housing behind the flexible and compressible tube; a movable compression jaw having a jaw end and a pivot end, the jaw end mounted in front of the flexible tube, the pivot end having a second gear which interlocks with the first gear, such that when the paddle is pushed the first gear rotates the second gear moving the movable jaw away from the flexible tube is provided.

A refrigerator comprises a body comprising a storage compartment, the storage compartment comprising a first storage compartment, and a second storage compartment, and a partition wall to separate the storage compartment into the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, a first control valve configured to control a flow of water received from an external water supply source, an ice maker configured to generate ice using the water discharged from the first control valve, a second control valve configured control a flow of the water discharged from the first control valve, a dispenser comprising an operating lever configured to supply the water received from the second valve, and an automatic water supply device configured to supply the water received from the second valve to a water container and configured to control the water container to be filled with a predetermined amount of water.

A mobile beverage dispenser comprises a wheelable platform having mounted thereon a chillable chamber connected to a refrigerated cooling coil for removing heat from a beverage in a bulk storage container placed therein for cooling; and a beverage dispensing tap connectable to the container in fluid communication with the beverage, and mounted in thermally conductive relationship with the chillable chamber, whereby the chamber when chilled removes heat from the dispenser in preparation for dispensing of the beverage, by virtue of the conductive relationship.

A stand-alone ice and beverage dispenser is provided. Appliance includes a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a bottom portion and a countertop. Appliance includes an ice maker assembly mounted on the countertop, a liquid dispenser assembly mounted on the countertop, and a sealed refrigeration system. Sealed refrigeration system includes a compressor, condenser, chamber evaporator, and an ice maker assembly evaporator fluidly coupled through a refrigerant conduit. The compressor is operably coupled to the refrigerant conduit for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant conduit. Appliance also includes refrigerant valve assembly including one or more valves. Refrigerant valve assembly is configured to selectively provide refrigerant to chamber evaporator to refrigerate chilled chamber and selectively provide refrigerant to the ice maker assembly evaporator for ice production.

A beverage container cooling unit has: (a) a housing having a slot for receiving a container therein, (b) a cooling element having a cold supply, (c) a heat conductive panel enabling heat transfer between a container provided in the slot and the cold supply; wherein the heat conductive panel has two material layers fixed against one another: (I) a first material layer defining a cooling surface facing the container receiving slot and an opposed surface, said first layer made of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient of X.sub.1; (ii) a second material layer having a contact surface facing positioned against the opposed surface of the first material layer and a second opposed surface, the second material layer having a thermal expansion coefficient of X.sub.2, different from X.sub.1, the difference in thermal expansion causing the conductive panel to bulge at a change in temperature.

A machine intended for cooling and draining contents of a metal beverage can comprising a refrigerated housing intended to receive a can; a tube projecting into the refrigerated housing and defining a bore. The machine further includes a removable subassembly including a stirrer mounted to slide with respect to the tube to pass through the bore between an upper position in which the stirrer projects above the upper edge of the tube and a position in which the stirrer is set back with respect to the upper edge of the tube; a duct having an outlet orifice and an inlet orifice communicating with the bore; a plug blocking or opening selectively the outlet orifice of the duct.

Disclosed is a temperature adjusting method for instant heating or cooling with an energy-saving water dispenser, the method including: installing a water dispenser, which includes a heating device, a control processor, etc.; coupling a water inlet to a tap water pipe and heating the water to 100° C., where the produced boiling water is split into two branches, one flows out from a high-temperature water outlet; the other branch flows through a preheater and performs heat exchange with cold water to achieve a temperature drop thus forming warm boiled water, which enters a refrigeration unit to be cooled to 5° C. When the user sets a single-time output water temperature and amount within an effective range, the control processor automatically matches the corresponding working mode and provides an accurate output according to the user-set single-time output water temperature and amount. There is further disclosed a water dispenser.

Examples herein relate generally to reservoirs for use in water distribution systems within an appliance. The reservoir herein allows for the combination of various components prepared by separate manufacturing processes and for reducing waste of those manufacturing components. Specifically, the reservoir herein provides a stopper separable from and for use with a container and a cap.