A self-service wine tasting system includes automatic wine dispensers, a cloud server and user terminals. The automatic wine dispenser includes wine dispensing stations, a machine identity and a first telecommunication module. The first telecommunication module is connected to a control chip of the automatic wine dispenser. The cloud server includes a storage and a second telecommunication module. The second telecommunication module is in communication connection with the first telecommunication module. The storage stores wine storage information associated with the machine code of each automatic wine dispenser. The user terminal includes an identification device and a third telecommunication module. The third telecommunication module is in communication connection with the second telecommunication module. The self-service wine tasting system facilitates the wine taster to record the tasting behavior.

A dispenser head for in-line mixing and dispensing of beverages, which may be carbonated or nitrogenated. The dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism, and outlet nozzle and optionally a regulation system. In use, the pump can pump concentrate liquid for the liquid product from a concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; the dilution mechanism can receive diluent liquid suitable for the liquid product from a diluent source, operable to mix the diluent liquid and the concentrate liquid and provide diluted concentrate liquid; and the additive mechanism can receive additive fluid for the liquid product from an additive source, to combine the diluted concentrate liquid and the additive fluid. The regulation system comprises a pump regulator means for regulating the quantity of concentrate liquid pumped into the dilution mechanism within the dispense period; a diluent quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of diluent liquid into the dilution mechanism; and an additive quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of additive fluid into the additive mechanism. Preferably, the dispenser head is a unitary device, which may be supplied attached to a vessel containing the concentrate.

Systems and methods for reducing the overall current draw of a fluid mixture dispensing device are disclosed. A disclosed system includes a mixing area, a set of ingredient reservoirs, and a set of electromechanical valves. The set of electromechanical valves are in a one-to-one correspondence with the set of ingredient reservoirs, and fluidly connect the set of ingredient reservoirs and the mixing area during a respective set of dispense times. The system further includes a controller programmed to actuate at least two valves from the set of electromechanical valves to dispense, to the mixing area, at least two ingredients from the ingredient reservoirs associated with the at least two valves. The controller is programmed to actuate the at least two valves in sequence with partially overlapping dispense times and without overlapping opening times.

A touchless beverage dispensing valve assembly includes a nozzle and a valve configured to control a flow of a substance through the valve to the nozzle. A solenoid is configured to operate the valve between open and closed conditions. A trigger sensor includes an optical sensor and a controller. The controller executes a trigger sensor control module to receive an output from the optical sensor and operate the solenoid to control the valve between the open condition and the closed condition. A feedback device is operable to selectively provide a visual indication an operational status of the valve.

An example of a beverage dispenser includes a nozzle and a valve coupled upstream of the nozzle. A sensor is operable to detect an object within a detection zone and provide a signal representative of a distance between the object and the sensor. A controller is configured to receive the signal from the sensor. The controller is configured to determine a sub-zone from a plurality of sub-zones within the detection zone in which the object is located. The valve is controlled between an open condition to dispense the substance through the nozzle and a closed condition based upon the determined sub-zone.

A refrigerator for drinks is provided. The refrigerator may include a cabinet having a storage compartment therein, and a dispenser nozzle disposed to be at least partially exposed outside the cabinet. A pump connection line being able to increase pressure in a drink container by delivering high-pressure air into the drink container and a tank connection line preventing oxidation of the drink in the drink container by delivering an unreactive gas into the drink container may be disposed in the cabinet. Accordingly, two functions of discharging a drink and preventing oxidation may be individually performed, so consumption of an unreactive gas may be reduced.

Methods and systems for accurately and securely dispensing high value beverages are presented herein. A beverage distribution system includes one or more replaceable beverage cartridges mounted to a beverage dispensing device. Each of the beverage cartridges includes a fluid reservoir with an output port, an output control valve, a flowmeter, and a local controller. The local controller receives signals from the flow meter and determines a cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from the beverage cartridge based on the received signals. In one embodiment, the beverage dispensing device includes a fluid pump and a master controller. The master controller also estimates the cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from each beverage cartridge based on control commands communicated to each beverage cartridge. If a difference between the estimated cumulative amounts of fluid dispensed from a beverage cartridge exceeds a predetermined threshold value, an alert is generated.

A dispenser head for in-line mixing and dispensing of beverages, which may be carbonated or nitrogenated. The dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism, and outlet nozzle and optionally a regulation system. In use, the pump can pump concentrate liquid for the liquid product from a concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; the dilution mechanism can receive diluent liquid suitable for the liquid product from a diluent source, operable to mix the diluent liquid and the concentrate liquid and provide diluted concentrate liquid; and the additive mechanism can receive additive fluid for the liquid product from an additive source, to combine the diluted concentrate liquid and the additive fluid. The regulation system comprises a pump regulator means for regulating the quantity of concentrate liquid pumped into the dilution mechanism within the dispense period; a diluent quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of diluent liquid into the dilution mechanism; and an additive quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of additive fluid into the additive mechanism. Preferably, the dispenser head is a unitary device, which may be supplied attached to a vessel containing the concentrate.

A dispenser includes a water supply flow path to guide water supplied from a water supply source toward a filter; an auxiliary flow path to branch off at the first point of the water supply flow path and then to merge into a second point located downstream of the first point; a flow switching valve installed at the first point to control a flow from the water supply flow path to the auxiliary flow path; a water ejection nozzle through which filtered is ejected; a hot water module forming a heating flow path and configured to heat the purified water into hot water; a hot water flow path configured to guide the hot water passing through the hot water module toward the water ejection nozzle; and a controller to control the flow switching valve and the hot water module.

Examples disclosed herein relate to conduits, devices, systems and methods, which may include a dispensing device including a valve configured to interact with an inlet stream, the inlet stream having a first pressure, the valve having an outlet area with an outlet stream, the outlet stream having a second pressure; and a solenoid configured to interact with the outlet stream.