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LIQUID CONCENTRATE/EXTRACT BEVERAGE DISPENSER WITH REPLACEABLE CONCENTRATE/EXTRACT CARTRIDGE

  • US 20090057341A1
  • Filed: 05/02/2008
  • Published: 03/05/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An appliance including a dispenser for a liquid, the appliance being selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a water cooler, a dish washer, a washing machine, a baby formula dispenser or a medicine dispenser, comprising:

  • a housing including a dispensing area for dispensing a fluid;

    a cartridge receiving area in the housing;

    an electromagnetic dispensing actuator located in the housing;

    a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into the cartridge receiving area in a position to be actuated by the dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid to be dispensed into the dispensing area after placement into the cartridge receiving area, the concentrate/extract container comprising;

    a hollow body;

    a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;

    a piston located in the dispensing tube; and

    a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port; and

    a controller located in the housing to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge.

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