Liquid concentrate/extract beverage dispenser with replaceable concentrate/extract cartridge
First Claim
1. An appliance and concentrate/extract cartridge arrangement comprising:
- an appliance including;
a dispensing area for dispensing a fluid;
a cartridge receiving area; and
an electromagnetic dispensing actuator; and
a concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to be received in the cartridge receiving area and to be actuated by the electromagnetic dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge also adapted to dispense a fluid to be dispensed into the dispensing area after being received in the cartridge receiving area, the concentrate/extract cartridge including;
a hollow body adapted to contain the fluid to be dispensed;
a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;
a piston including ferromagnetic material and located in the dispensing tube;
a valve having a valve stem with a first end connected to the piston, a second end, and a valve body;
a valve seat in the dispensing tube and distal to the hollow body in comparison to the piston; and
a port in the valve seat defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem passes through the port, and the valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port;
wherein the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of the fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat;
the appliance further comprising a controller to control the electromagnetic dispensing actuator to discharge the fluid to be dispensed from the concentrate/extract cartridge.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A concentrate/extract cartridge for dispensing a liquid concentrate/extract is provided. The cartridge includes a hollow body and a dispensing tube that contains a pumping device. The cartridge includes a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube. A piston is located at a first end of the valve stem and a valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat for alternately opening and closing the port. A liquid dispenser suitable for numerous applications and having a removably insertable concentrate/extract cartridge and a method of dispensing a liquid are also provided.
109 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An appliance and concentrate/extract cartridge arrangement comprising:
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an appliance including;
a dispensing area for dispensing a fluid;
a cartridge receiving area; and
an electromagnetic dispensing actuator; anda concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to be received in the cartridge receiving area and to be actuated by the electromagnetic dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge also adapted to dispense a fluid to be dispensed into the dispensing area after being received in the cartridge receiving area, the concentrate/extract cartridge including;
a hollow body adapted to contain the fluid to be dispensed;
a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body;
a piston including ferromagnetic material and located in the dispensing tube;
a valve having a valve stem with a first end connected to the piston, a second end, and a valve body;
a valve seat in the dispensing tube and distal to the hollow body in comparison to the piston; and
a port in the valve seat defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem passes through the port, and the valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port;wherein the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of the fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat; the appliance further comprising a controller to control the electromagnetic dispensing actuator to discharge the fluid to be dispensed from the concentrate/extract cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
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an appliance including a dispenser for a liquid and including a dispensing area for dispensing a fluid, a cartridge receiving area, an electromagnetic dispensing actuator, and a controller to control the electromagnetic dispensing actuator; a hollow body adapted to contain the fluid; and a dispensing tube adapted to connect with the hollow body to form a concentrate/extract cartridge and allow the fluid to flow from the hollow body into the dispensing tube, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to be received in the cartridge receiving area, and to be actuated by the electromagnetic dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge also adapted to dispense the fluid into the dispensing area when received in the cartridge receiving area, the dispensing tube including;
a piston including ferromagnetic material and located in the dispensing tube;
a valve including a valve stem with a first end connected to the piston, a second end, and a valve body;
a valve seat in the dispensing tube and distal to the hollow body in comparison to the piston; and
a port in the valve seat defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem passes through the port, and the valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat for alternately opening and closing the port;wherein the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of the fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A pump device comprising:
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a dispensing tube having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect to a hollow body to form a concentrate/extract cartridge and allow a fluid to flow from the hollow body into the dispensing tube, the dispensing tube including; a piston including ferromagnetic material and located in the dispensing tube, and a valve including a valve stem with a first end connected to the piston, a second end, and a valve body, a valve seat in the dispensing tube and distal to the piston in comparison to the first end, and a port in the valve seat defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem passes through the port, and the valve body is located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat for alternately opening and closing the port, wherein the port is proximal to the second end of the dispensing tube; wherein the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of the fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification