The present invention describes methods and devices in which concentrated beverage products, each packaged in a pressurized container, can be combined with liquids and/or other ingredients to produce one or more servings of a beverage. These products provide users with a convenient way to prepare both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (including carbonated beverages) in various serving sizes and quantities by combining the pressurized beverage concentrate with (possibly carbonated) liquids and other ingredients.

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.

A system includes a sensor and a computing system. The sensor is coupled to a syrup line of the beverage dispenser and is configured to measure a pressure within the line. The syrup line is coupled at a first end to a syrup bag and at a second end to a pump configured to pump syrup from the syrup bag to an outlet of the beverage dispenser. The pump is operated using pressurized gas and generates a pressure corresponding to the pressure of the gas within the syrup line when both the syrup bag is full and the outlet of the beverage dispenser is closed. The sensor transmits a measured pressure to the computing system. The computing system determines that the measured pressure is less than a threshold pressure. In response, the processor transmits an alert for display on a user device, which identifies the syrup bag for replacement.

A cap for engagement with a beverage container allows an extractor needle or other conduit to pass through a portion of the cap such that beverage can be removed from the container without removing the cap. The cap may include a septum that is radially and/or axially compressed and a barrier layer arranged to engage with the container to form a seal.

A compressed gas delivery adapter for use with a conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device is operative to couple the beverage dispensing device to an external source of compressed gas. The compressed gas delivery adapter is structured at one end to attach to a conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device, while mating with and sealing against an annular seal of the beverage dispensing device which typically engages an annular tip of a standard cylindrical 6.5 gram cartridge of compressed gas. At the other end, the compressed gas delivery adapter is configured to receive a hose that is connected to a larger, external compressed gas supply. In this regard, the compressed gas delivery adapter facilitates the delivery of compressed gas from an external gas supply, which may be of any size, to the conventional self contained gas-powered beverage dispensing device.

A beverage supplying device comprising: a touch panel for receiving an operation for selecting a main syrup constituting a main beverage, and a topping syrup added as flavoring to the main beverage; a second syrup solenoid valve for opening and closing a passage for supplying the topping syrup that is stored under pressure in a syrup tank; a second syrup pump for intermittently supplying the topping syrup while the second syrup solenoid valve is open, the second syrup pump being provided to the passage for supplying the topping syrup between the syrup tank and the second syrup solenoid valve; and a nozzle for producing the main beverage by mixing the main syrup with water or carbonated water at a prescribed ratio, and producing a beverage by mixing the topping syrup with the main beverage without diluting the topping syrup.

A liquid dispensing device includes a needle. The needle is adapted to penetrate a container without tearing out a portion of the container. The portion of the container is near a point of penetration on the container. The liquid dispensing device includes a motion control system. The motion control system is configured to rotate the needle while the needle penetrates the container.

A beverage dispensing device prepares and dispenses a beverage. The dispensing device includes a housing which has a beverage unit with a liquid inlet and a beverage outlet. The beverage unit has a receiving means for at least one container containing a unit dose of concentrated beverage ingredient to be dispensed, and an ingredient discharge. The beverage unit has a liquid line. The liquid line first section extends from the base liquid inlet to receiving means liquid inlet to guide base liquid into the unit dose of beverage ingredient through the beverage discharge into the liquid line second section that extends from the ingredient discharge to the beverage outlet. A mixing chamber is defined in the liquid line. Temperature regulating means are provided in the mixing chamber or in that the mixing chamber comprises an inlet for pressurized fluid for expanding said fluid in said mixing chamber.

A beverage dispensing assembly for preparing and dispensing a beverage has a source of pressurized base liquid containing dissolved CO.sub.2, N.sub.2 or N.sub.2O and a gas pressure of at least 0.5 bar overpressure at 2° C. A beverage unit with a liquid flow path has a liquid inlet at one end in fluid communication with the base liquid in the base liquid source and a beverage outlet at an opposite end. An ingredient container receiving means has an ingredient container installed so the contents are in fluid communication with the liquid flow path for mixing the contents with a base liquid in the liquid flow path. A gas pressure regulation unit has a pressure chamber in the liquid flow path downstream of the communication between the liquid flow path and the ingredient container contents. A gas ingredient inlet is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber.

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A GAS-CONTAINING LIQUID, WITH A VALVE FOR INTRODUCING CO2, which has been developed to provide a better use, way of serving and flow control for carbonated beverages, particularly, a flow control device to reduce the gas dissipation on the beverage, whether it is from the quantity remaining in the bottle or the drink to be served.