Mixing beverage concentrates in cartridges

Abstract

A cartridge for use in a beverage dispenser for dispensing a mixed beverage is provided. The cartridge includes an expandable housing defining an interior volume for holding a liquid. The expandable housing can be manipulated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, the interior volume being filled with a beverage concentrate, and the expandable housing is arranged to be further filled with a base liquid, whereby a mixed beverage can be formed within the interior volume from the beverage concentrate and the base liquid. The cartridge allows for the avoidance of the use of a separate mixing chamber in the beverage dispenser.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The aspects and embodiments relate to the field of forming and dispensing beverages formed by mixing a beverage concentrate with a base liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages such as soft drinks, beer, and cocktails are consumed in places different from where they are produced. Therefore, the beverages need to be transported. To reduce the mass and volume to be transported, it is recommended to concentrate the beverages, i.e. to reduce the water content, before transportation. The beverage concentrate can be diluted again to obtain the original beverage with the original concentration, consistency, and flavor, or a similar beverage close to the original concentration, consistency, and flavor.

[0003] A cartridge, otherwise referred to as a container, pod, pouch, or capsule, may be used as a container for holding a beverage concentrate. A user may provide the cartridge to a beverage dispenser. The beverage concentrate is transported from the cartridge to a mixing chamber of the beverage dispenser and mixed with a base liquid, such as water. After mixing, the beverage may be dispensed, for example, into a glass.

[0004] Alternatively, the beverage concentrate and the base liquid may both be dispensed into a beverage container, such as a glassware, in which case a mixed beverage is formed within the beverage container. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is an objective to mix the beverage concentrate with one or more base liquids such that a substantially homogenous mixed beverage can be obtained. Furthermore, it may be an objective to dispense the mixed beverage instead of dispensing the beverage concentrate and the base liquid subsequently or simultaneously into the beverage container so that they are mixed in the beverage container itself. This may improve the visual experience of a user to see the flow of the mixed beverage coming from the beverage dispenser, for example, as in a conventional beverage dispenser for dispensing a conventional non-mixed beverage.

[0006] Additionally or alternatively, mixing of the ingredients forming the mixed beverage may be improved if the ingredients are mixed by a beverage dispenser instead of dispensing the ingredients forming the mixed beverage individually into a beverage container so that they are mixed within the beverage container itself. Further, mixing by a beverage dispenser may provide improved control of the mixing process compared to dispensing the ingredients forming the mixed beverage individually into a beverage container so that they are mixed within the beverage container itself. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect provides a cartridge for use in a beverage dispenser for dispensing a mixed beverage, the cartridge comprising an expandable housing defining at least a portion of an internal volume, in particular for holding a liquid. The expandable housing may be manipulated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state. In the non-expanded state, the internal volume of the cartridge may be filled with a beverage concentrate, and the expandable housing is arranged to be further filled with one or more base liquids, whereby a mixed beverage may be formed within the internal volume from the beverage concentrate and the one or more base liquids.

[0008] In general, an expandable housing should be understood as a portion of a cartridge that is arranged to hold or contain a fluid, particularly a liquid such as a beverage concentrate, a base liquid, and / or a combination thereof. The housing may be formed as an integral part or as multiple fluid-tight connected parts. In general, a cartridge housing may be entirely expandable or only partially expandable. The interior volume of the expandable housing is defined as the volume available for liquid in both the expandable portion of the expandable housing and the optional non-expandable portion of the expandable housing.

[0009] Being expandable from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, the expandable housing is preferably arranged to hold different volumes of liquid, essentially without any head space, such as air, present within the interior volume. For example, in the non-expanded state, the expandable housing may contain only a beverage concentrate, i.e., no base liquid. The expandable housing can then be manipulated into the expanded state by filling the interior volume with a volume of base liquid, such that the interior volume is filled with both the beverage concentrate and the base liquid.

[0010] The cartridge may thus be used as a mixing chamber of a beverage dispenser, in particular where no further mixing chamber may be required. The cartridge may be a disposable cartridge, so that the beverage dispenser optionally does not include a separate mixing chamber that would otherwise come into contact with the beverage concentrate and thus require cleaning.

[0011] The ratio between the internal volume in the unexpanded state and the internal volume in the expanded state may depend on the desired dilution ratio between the beverage concentrate and the base liquid. For example, if the desired ratio is one part beverage concentrate over four parts base liquid, the internal volume in the expanded state may be five times the internal volume in the unexpanded state. For example, three or more, four or more, five or more, or even six or more equivalent amounts of base liquid may be added per part beverage concentrate, depending on the concentration factor of the beverage concentrate relative to the original beverage from which the beverage concentrate is made.

[0012] For example, the preferred volume of the mixed beverage to be dispensed may be 200 mL, 250 mL, 300 mL, 500 mL, or 568 mL (i.e., one pint). The preferred volume of the mixed beverage may substantially correspond to the sum of the first volume of the beverage concentrate and the second volume of the base liquid.

[0013] Generally, the cartridge may contain beverage concentrate for a single serving of a mixed beverage. Alternatively, it is envisioned that an embodiment of the cartridge contains a first volume of beverage concentrate sufficient for multiple servings of a mixed beverage, for example, 1 L, 2 L, 5 L, or even 10 L or more of a mixed beverage.

[0014] When the beverage concentrate and the base liquid are present in the same internal volume, the beverage concentrate and the base liquid can be mixed into a mixed beverage. Preferably, the beverage concentrate and the base liquid are mixed into an essentially homogenous mixed beverage, preferably within the internal volume of the cartridge, before being dispensed. The cartridge may be filled with more than one type of base liquid, derived from more than one source of base liquid. For example, water and ethanol may be mixed separately in the cartridge.

[0015] The beverage concentrate may be based on a fermented beverage, such as beer, wine, or cider. The beverage concentrate may itself comprise a liquid, such as water, in which particles are dissolved and / or suspended. Thus, the beverage concentrate may be an aqueous liquid. The particles may be or may comprise one or more proteins (proteinaceous substances), sugars, organic compounds such as polyphenols, hop acids, and / or oxalates. Optionally, the beverage concentrate may be essentially ethanol-free or may comprise a specific concentration of ethanol, such as 25% or less by volume, 10% or less by volume, 5% or less by volume, or even 1% or less by volume. As a further option, the beverage concentrate may comprise any other gas, such as dissolved carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen. The beverage concentrate based on a fermented beverage may be obtained by concentrating the fermented beverage and / or brewing the fermented beverage with a high concentration of flavoring. The high concentration of flavoring may be higher than the typical concentration of flavoring for the fermented beverage. For example, if a beverage concentrate contains four times as much flavor per volume as a conventional beverage, the concentrate must be diluted four times to obtain the desired concentration of flavor. A high concentration of flavor may result in a high dry matter content in the beverage concentrate, which is higher than the typical dry matter content in a conventional beverage.

[0016] A beverage concentrate may generally include one or more flavorings, for example, intended to mimic the flavor of another beverage. In particular, the flavorings may be used to mimic the flavor of a fermented beverage, such as beer, wine, or cider. The flavorings may be, for example, aromatic compounds, esters, or alcohols. By mixing one or more flavorings, particularly in an aqueous solution, a beverage concentrate may thus be obtained. It will be understood that a beverage concentrate may therefore also be formed without a brewing or fermentation process.

[0017] In embodiments, the beverage concentrate may include or consist of solid particles. Thus, the beverage concentrate may be, for example, a powder or tablet. The solid beverage concentrate may be dissolved, suspended, or dispersed in one or more base liquids. Multiple beverage concentrates may be used to form the beverage after mixing, and the multiple beverage concentrates may be in liquid and / or solid form.

[0018] Optionally, the expandable housing comprises a bendable housing portion that can expand, particularly in a direction away from the interior volume, when the expandable housing is manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state.

[0019] Generally, the collapsible housing portion of the expandable housing may be formed as a bellows and arranged to expand to accommodate a larger volume of fluid within the interior volume. The larger volume may be caused, for example, by a base liquid being pumped or drawn into the interior volume and / or a beverage concentrate being pumped or drawn into the interior volume. The bellows may include a plurality of pleats arranged to fold relative to one another.

[0020] As a further option, at least a portion of the expandable housing includes a stretchable material arranged to stretch due to a pressure difference between a pressure within the interior volume and a pressure outside the expandable housing. For example, when the pressure within the interior volume exceeds the pressure outside the expandable housing, the stretchable material stretches, increasing the interior volume. The pressure within the interior volume may be increased, for example, by a pump pumping a base liquid into the interior volume.

[0021] An expandable housing comprising a stretchable material may function similarly to a balloon, which when inflated contains a larger volume of fluid compared to a contracted state. When the pressure within the interior volume is equal to the pressure outside the housing, and no external forces are applied to the housing, the stretchable portion of the housing may be in a rest state (e.g., not elastically deformed).

[0022] In cartridge embodiments, the stretchable portion of the expandable housing may be essentially undeformed in the unexpanded state or essentially undeformed in the empty state, and in the expanded state, the stretchable portion may be elastically deformed, i.e., elastically stretched.

[0023] After the beverage concentrate and base liquid are at least partially mixed together in the internal volume of the cartridge to form the mixed beverage, the mixed beverage is discharged from the internal volume. To this end, for example, the expandable housing may be further manipulated to an empty state, the internal volume in the empty state being smaller than the internal volume in the non-expanded state. In the empty state, the internal volume may be close to zero mL, or at least less than 10 mL, or less than 5 mL, to prevent or reduce waste of the mixed beverage that may be left in the cartridge when the cartridge is discarded after use.

[0024] The gland may be connected to the housing adjacent the internal volume. The gland may be, for example, a filling gland arranged to integrate with a filling machine for filling the cartridge with a beverage concentrate.

[0025] An embodiment of the cartridge may include an outlet spout extending from the expandable housing, the outlet spout including an outlet end in fluid communication with the interior volume. In use, a mixed beverage formed in the interior volume of the cartridge by adding a base liquid to a beverage concentrate may be dispensed into a beverage container via the outlet spout. The beverage container may be, for example, a glassware, a bottle, a grunt, or a cup. Thus, the spout may be used to direct the beverage concentrate into a particular component of a beverage dispenser or into a consumer's glassware. The filter may be located inside the spout, upstream of the spout, or downstream of the spout.

[0026] The outlet spout may be disposable, for example together with the cartridge. Preferably, the mixed beverage is transferred directly from the internal volume of the cartridge to the beverage container without contacting any part of the beverage dispenser. This may prevent or reduce the need to clean the beverage dispenser and / or contaminate the dispensed mixed beverage with a previously dispensed beverage.

[0027] The restricting member may be provided to temporarily retain the expandable housing in a non-expanded state. When the cartridge is in the non-expanded state, the cartridge may be filled with beverage concentrate, in particular only with beverage concentrate. In this state, the cartridge may be transported, for example, from a filling plant to a point of use where a suitable beverage dispenser is provided. During transport and prior to use, it may be preferable to prevent, or at least reduce, the possibility of the expandable housing being manipulated into the expanded state. Thus, the restricting member may be arranged to temporarily retain the expandable housing in a non-expanded state.

[0028] The restricting member may be releasably attached to the cartridge, for example, and may be released, for example, by a user. The restricting member may be arranged to release when exposed to a force and / or pressure above a certain threshold. The force and / or pressure may be provided, for example, by a pump that pumps the base liquid to the interior volume of the expandable housing. The restricting member may be arranged to break or tear when exposed to sufficient force, for example, may comprise one or more weakened sections arranged to break or tear when exposed to sufficient force.

[0029] In an embodiment, the cartridge may include a cartridge connector for connecting the cartridge to a receptacle connector of a beverage dispenser. A temporary connection between the cartridge and the beverage dispenser may be preferred to hold the cartridge in place while the base liquid is pumped into the internal volume and / or when the post-mixed beverage is expelled from the internal volume. The temporary connection may help to maintain a liquid-tight seal between the cartridge and the beverage dispenser.

[0030] As a particular option, cartridge embodiments may include an outer housing, and the expandable housing may be positioned at least partially inside the outer housing. The outer housing may protect the expandable housing from external influences, such as, for example, impacts. The outer housing may define at least a portion of the shape of the expandable housing in a non-expanded state and / or an expanded state. When the cartridge includes an outer housing, the cartridge may be or resemble a bag-in-container (BIC), bag-in-box, or bottle-in-bottle (BIB).

[0031] The outer housing can be substantially rigid, especially in comparison to the expandable housing. At least a portion of the outer shape of the outer housing remains substantially constant when the expandable housing is manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state. In other words, at least a portion, or even the entire outer housing retains its shape and dimensions when the expandable housing is manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state.

[0032] The outer housing may be used to dispense the mixed beverage from the cartridge, for example, by pressurizing the volume between the cartridge housing and the outer housing.

[0033] A second aspect provides a beverage dispenser assembly for dispensing a mixed beverage.The beverage dispenser assembly comprises a beverage dispenser and a cartridge, in particular a cartridge according to the first aspect.

[0034] The beverage dispenser comprises a dispenser housing comprising a receptacle having a receiving volume for receiving at least a portion of the cartridge, The beverage dispenser further comprises a base liquid input for receiving a base liquid and a base liquid conduit fluidly connecting the base liquid input and the receiving volume.

[0035] The receptacle of the beverage dispenser may be embodied as a hollow chamber in the dispenser housing. In general, the receptacle may be arranged to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, or the entire cartridge. The receptacle may be temporarily closed or sealed with an optional lid, hatch, or other closure element. For example, it may be preferable to completely surround the cartridge with the beverage dispenser while the base liquid is being pumped into the cartridge. This may prevent the user from removing the cartridge, for example, during filling of the cartridge or during dispensing of a mixed beverage from the cartridge.

[0036] The base liquid input may be arranged to receive, for example, water as a base liquid. The water may be provided from a separate water container, such as a bottle, or from a dedicated water container constituted by the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, the water may be provided from a drinking water line. Thus, the base liquid may be or include water, optionally having other compounds, such as ethanol, dinitrogen, and / or carbon dioxide, dissolved in the water.

[0037] The beverage dispenser may include a cooling unit for cooling the base liquid to a desired temperature, which may correspond to a desired dispensing temperature for the mixed beverage, or a temperature below the desired dispensing temperature for the mixed beverage.

[0038] In use, a user can position a cartridge containing a first volume of a beverage concentrate at least partially within a receptacle of a beverage dispenser to form a beverage dispenser assembly, at which point the cartridge is in an unexpanded state in which the cartridge can receive a second volume of a base liquid in its interior volume.

[0039] To allow the cartridge to expand to the expanded state, the receptacle volume may have a first sub-volume for accommodating a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate and a second sub-volume adjacent to the first sub-volume. The first sub-volume and the second sub-volume are arranged together for accommodating a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate and a second volume of base liquid. Thus, the first sub-volume of the receptacle volume may be equal to or greater than the first volume of beverage concentrate, and the first sub-volume and the second sub-volume of the receptacle volume may be equal to or greater than the first volume of beverage concentrate plus the second volume of base liquid.

[0040] In an embodiment of the beverage dispenser assembly, the beverage dispenser may include a receptacle connector and the cartridge may include a cartridge connector that may be releasably connected to the receptacle connector to temporarily fix the position of the cartridge connector relative to the receptacle connector. At least one liquid-tight seal may be achieved between the cartridge and the beverage dispenser by the cartridge connector and the receptacle connector. Two or more liquid-tight seals may be achieved, for example, when separate seals are required to supply a base liquid to the cartridge and dispense a mixed beverage from the cartridge.

[0041] The releasable connection between the receptacle connector and the cartridge connector may be, for example, a clamp connection or a screw connection.

[0042] The mixed beverage may preferably be dispensed as a carbonated beverage, for example when the mixed beverage is beer, cider, or other fermented beverage, and therefore the beverage dispenser may comprise a carbonator arranged to dissolve carbon dioxide in the base liquid or the mixed beverage.

[0043] The carbonator may be arranged to carbonate the base liquid passing through the base liquid conduit, for example an in-line carbonator in the base liquid conduit. When the base liquid is carbonated as it passes through the base liquid conduit, it is transferred to the internal volume of the cartridge as a carbonated base liquid. Alternatively, the carbonator may be arranged to carbonate the mixed beverage after it is discharged from the cartridge. It may be preferable to carbonate the base liquid before mixing with the beverage concentrate to prevent excessive foaming, particularly if the beverage concentrate contains protein. As a further alternative, the carbonator may be arranged to carbonate the beverage concentrate inside the cartridge before or during mixing with one or more base liquids.

[0044] To improve and / or accelerate the mixing of the beverage concentrate and the base liquid inside the cartridge, the beverage dispenser may further comprise a stirring unit for stirring the liquid inside the expandable capsule. For example, the stirring unit may be arranged to stir the expandable capsule itself. The stirring may generally include vibration, rotation, swirling, or any other movement to improve the mixing of the beverage concentrate and the base liquid inside the expandable capsule.

[0045] The cartridge may be manipulated from the extended state to the empty state, for example to expel the mixed beverage from the internal volume of the cartridge. The beverage dispenser may comprise an actuator for manipulating the cartridge from the extended state to the empty state, where in the empty state the internal volume within the housing of the cartridge is smaller than a first volume, i.e. the first volume of beverage concentrate with which the cartridge was previously filled.

[0046] The actuator may be, for example, an electric actuator or a pneumatic actuator, hi certain embodiments, the pneumatic actuator may be operated using pressurized carbon dioxide.

[0047] The beverage dispenser may further comprise a pump for transferring the base liquid from a base liquid input of the beverage dispenser to the internal volume of the cartridge. The pump may provide sufficient pressurized base liquid to the internal volume of the cartridge to operate the cartridge from the unexpanded state to the expanded state.

[0048] Optionally, a pump may be used to pump the mixed beverage formed by the mixed beverage concentrate and the base liquid from the internal volume of the cartridge, thus allowing the pump to be used as an actuator for maneuvering the cartridge from an expanded state to an empty state.

[0049] A third aspect provides a method of dispensing a mixed beverage, the method comprising providing a cartridge filled with a first volume of a beverage concentrate to a beverage dispenser or receiving a cartridge filled with the first volume of a beverage concentrate by the beverage dispenser, supplying a second volume of a base liquid to the cartridge using the beverage dispenser such that a fluid volume within the cartridge, in particular an internal volume of the cartridge, is at least equal to a sum of the first volume and the second volume, allowing the beverage concentrate and the base liquid to at least partially mix within the cartridge to form the mixed beverage, and dispensing the mixed beverage from the cartridge.

[0050] The method thus allows the mixed beverage to be mixed inside the cartridge, which may avoid the need for a separate mixing chamber, particularly if the cartridge is discarded after dispensing the mixed beverage from the cartridge, therefore cleaning of a separate mixing chamber may not be necessary.

[0051] The optional features disclosed in conjunction with the cartridge according to the first aspect may be readily applied to the beverage dispenser assembly according to the second aspect and the method according to the third aspect. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0052] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly. [Figure 2A] 2A-2C show schematic diagrams of different embodiments of a cartridge; [Figure 2B] 2A-2C show schematic diagrams of different embodiments of a cartridge; [Figure 2C] 2A-2C show schematic diagrams of different embodiments of a cartridge; [Figure 2D] 2A-2C show schematic diagrams of different embodiments of a cartridge; [Figure 3A] A general embodiment of an expandable cartridge is shown. [Figure 3B]A general embodiment of an expandable cartridge is shown. [Figure 3C] A general embodiment of an expandable cartridge is shown. [Figure 4A] 1A and 1B are schematic cross-sectional views of a beverage dispenser receptacle; [Figure 4B] 1A and 1B are schematic cross-sectional views of a beverage dispenser receptacle; [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates yet another embodiment of a cartridge. [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates yet another embodiment of a cartridge. [Figure 5C] 1 illustrates yet another embodiment of a cartridge. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a beverage dispenser assembly. [Figure 7A] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a cartridge with a filter. [Figure 7B] 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a beverage dispensing assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0053] 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a beverage dispenser assembly 100. The beverage dispenser assembly 100 comprises a beverage dispenser 102, which may be, for example, a countertop dispenser for consumer use.

[0054] The beverage dispenser 102 comprises a receptacle 106 having a receiving volume in which a cartridge 200 is positioned. The cartridge 200 holds a volume of beverage concentrate. The beverage dispenser 102 further comprises a base liquid input 108 for receiving a base liquid. The base liquid input 108 may be connectable to a source of base liquid, such as, for example, a tap supplying tap water or a container constituted by the beverage dispenser.

[0055] The carbonator 118 may be configured with the beverage dispenser 102 to form a carbonated base liquid. The carbonator 118 may be positioned, for example, in line with the base liquid conduit 109. To provide a gas, such as CO2, to the carbonator 118, the beverage dispenser 102 includes a gas inlet 122 and a gas conduit 124 for transporting the gas from the gas inlet 122 to the carbonator 118.

[0056] To expel the beverage concentrate from the cartridge 200, the beverage dispenser 102 comprises an ejection actuator 120. The ejection actuator 120 may for example be arranged to move towards the cartridge 200, in particular to squeeze, fold, bend and / or crush the cartridge 200 to an empty state. Alternatively or additionally, the ejection actuator 120 may be arranged to suck the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200, which may cause the cartridge 200 to fold or bend to an empty state.

[0057] The cartridge 200 that holds the beverage concentrate is an expandable cartridge. The use of an expandable cartridge can eliminate the need for a separate mixing chamber. In Figure 1, the cartridge 200 is shown in a non-expanded state with a solid line and in an expanded state with a dashed line 200'.

[0058] Instead of using a separate mixing chamber or mixing the beverage concentrate and base liquid in a beverage container such as a glassware, in the embodiment of Figure 1, the cartridge 200 is used as a mixing chamber in which the mixed beverage is formed by mixing the beverage concentrate and the base liquid. To this end, the base liquid input 108 is in fluid communication with the receptacle 106, and the cartridge 200 is positioned to supply base liquid to the cartridge 200, e.g., to a fluid passageway of the cartridge 200, as described in conjunction with Figures 2A-2D.

[0059] The mixed beverage conduit 114 is positioned in fluid communication with the receptacle 106 to receive the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200. Through the mixed beverage conduit 114, the mixed beverage can be dispensed through a dispensing outlet 116 at a downstream end of the mixed beverage conduit 114. The mixed beverage conduit 114 can be configured by the beverage dispenser 102 or by the cartridge 200. The mixed beverage conduit 114, particularly when configured by the cartridge 200, can be at least partially a flexible conduit, allowing a user to correctly position the mixed beverage conduit 114 relative to the beverage dispenser 102. Alternatively, the mixed beverage conduit 114 can be a rigid conduit, for example a rigid outlet spout configured by the cartridge 200.

[0060] Optionally, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, the beverage dispenser 102 may comprise an optional stirring unit 121. The stirring unit 121 is generally arranged to stir the liquid inside the cartridge.

[0061] 2A-2D show schematic representations of different embodiments of cartridge 200, which are shown in a non-expanded state with a solid line and in an expanded state with a dashed line 201' that may partially overlap with the solid line. In FIG. 2A-2D, different options are shown for allowing liquid to enter and leave the internal volume 202 of cartridge 200. It will be understood that these different options may be applied to any embodiment of cartridge 200 disclosed herein.

[0062] Generally, for a cartridge, it may be required that the internal volume may first be filled with a volume of beverage concentrate, for example at a filling plant. The internal volume may then be further filled with a volume of base liquid, for example by a beverage dispenser at a consumer's home or at a commercial location such as a bar, increasing the internal volume of the cartridge. In this way, a mixed beverage is formed in the internal volume, the mixed beverage comprising the base liquid and the beverage concentrate. Finally, the internal volume must be at least partially emptied by discharging the mixed beverage from the internal volume. It is therefore understood that the cartridge may comprise one or more fluid inlets and one or more fluid outlets, and in certain embodiments, the fluid inlets may also be used as fluid outlets.

[0063] In the embodiment of Figure 2A, the cartridge 200 comprises a single fluid passageway 204 into the internal volume 202. The single fluid passageway 204 is used as a fluid inlet to allow the internal volume 202 to be filled with a volume of beverage concentrate and a volume of base liquid. The single fluid passageway 204 is also used as a fluid outlet to allow the mixed beverage to exit the internal volume 202. In the figure, the possible directions of fluid passing through the passageway are generally indicated by dashed and dotted arrows.

[0064] In the embodiment of Fig. 2B, the cartridge 200 comprises a fluid inlet 208 that allows the internal volume 202 to be filled with a volume of beverage concentrate and a volume of base liquid. The cartridge 200 further comprises a fluid outlet 206 that allows the mixed beverage to flow out of the internal volume 202. In particular, when a fluid passage is used only as a fluid inlet or only as a fluid outlet, a one-way valve may be present in the fluid passage that restricts the passage of fluid in one direction while allowing the passage of fluid in the opposite direction. In order to open the one-way valve, a certain pressure difference across the one-way valve may be required. The one-way valve may be, for example, an umbrella valve or a duckbill valve.

[0065] In the embodiment of Figure 2C, the cartridge 200 comprises a fluid inlet 208 that allows the internal volume 202 to be filled with a first volume of the volume of beverage concentrate and the volume of base liquid. The cartridge 200 further comprises a fluid passageway 204 that is used to allow the internal volume 202 to be filled with a second volume of the volume of beverage concentrate and the volume of base liquid. The fluid passageway 204 is also used as a fluid outlet to allow the mixed beverage to exit the internal volume 202.

[0066] In this manner, the fluid inlet 208 can be a dedicated fluid inlet 208 for filling the interior volume with a beverage concentrate or with a base liquid. In this manner, the fluid inlet 208 can be designed to be compatible with a filler at a filling plant or with a beverage dispenser for dispensing the mixed beverage. When the fluid inlet 208 is designed to be compatible with a filler at a filling plant, the fluid passageway 204 can be designed to be compatible with a beverage dispenser.

[0067] 2D , the cartridge 200 includes a beverage concentrate inlet 208 for receiving a volume of beverage concentrate into the internal volume 202. The cartridge 200 further includes a base liquid inlet 210 separate from the beverage concentrate inlet 208 for receiving a volume of base liquid within the internal volume 202. The cartridge 200 also includes a separate fluid outlet 206 for allowing the mixed beverage to exit the internal volume 202.

[0068] Generally, when the cartridge 200 comprises a substantially rigid non-expandable housing portion, one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may be provided by or through the non-expandable housing portion. Thus, when the cartridge 200 is manipulated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, the position and / or orientation of the one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may remain unchanged relative to the receptacle of the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, the one or more fluid inlets and / or one or more fluid outlets may be provided by or through an expandable housing portion. For example, a fluid inlet through which the cartridge is filled with a beverage concentrate may be provided by or through an expandable housing portion.

[0069] 3A-3C, a general embodiment of an expandable cartridge 200 is shown in an unexpanded state, an expanded state, and an empty state, respectively. The expandable cartridge 200 includes an expandable housing 201 that defines an interior volume 202 for holding a liquid, such as a beverage or beverage ingredient.

[0070] For example, in the unexpanded state, the internal volume 202 may be between 30 mL and 150 mL, or even greater than 150 mL, or even greater than 500 mL, or even greater than 1000 mL, and is filled with beverage concentrate. In the expanded state, the internal volume 202 may be between 250 mL and 500 mL, or even greater than 500 mL and 2500 mL, or even greater than 2500 mL, or even greater than 5000 mL, and is filled with beverage concentrate and base liquid. In the empty state, the internal volume 202 may be less than 30 mL, less than 10 mL, or even about 0 mL, such that no or essentially no beverage remains in the cartridge 200. The ratio between the internal volume 202 in the unexpanded state and the internal volume 202 in the expanded state may depend on the desired mixing ratio between the beverage concentrate and the base liquid. The volumes disclosed in this paragraph may generally be applied to any other embodiment of the cartridge 200 disclosed herein.

[0071] The base liquid is added to the cartridge 200 using the beverage dispenser 100. The beverage dispenser 100 may include a controller arranged to control the volume of base liquid added to the cartridge 200. The beverage dispenser 100 may include, for example, a pump for pumping the base liquid into the cartridge 200 and a sensor, such as a flow sensor, for determining the volume of base liquid pumped into the cartridge 200.

[0072] Optionally, the beverage dispenser 100 may be arranged to fill different cartridges 200 with different volumes of base liquid, or with different base liquids depending on the beverage concentrate inside the cartridge. For example, for one beverage concentrate, the desired base liquid may be water, while for another beverage concentrate, the desired base liquid may be carbonated water.

[0073] Generally, the cartridge may include a machine-readable medium, such as a bar code, a QR code, an RFID tag, or any other medium from which a sensor in the beverage dispenser can read data related to the cartridge. This data may relate, for example, to a desired volume of base liquid to be added to the cartridge and / or the type of base liquid to be added to the cartridge.

[0074] In the embodiment of Figures 3A-3C, the cartridge 200 comprises a foldable housing portion 230 as at least a portion of an expandable housing formed as a bellows including a plurality of pleats 231. Between an unexpanded state shown in Figure 3A and an expanded state shown in Figure 3B, the foldable housing portion 230 generally expands in a direction away from the interior volume 202. In other words, the foldable housing portion 230 generally expands outward. The expansion is enabled by the opening of the pleats when the cartridge is filled, for example, with a volume of base liquid.

[0075] The bendable housing portion 230 can be elastically and / or plastically deformed when the expandable housing is manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state.

[0076] The bendable housing portion 230 may also at least partially allow the cartridge 200 to be manipulated from an expanded state, as shown in FIG. 3B, to an empty state, as shown in FIG. 3C. For example, at least a portion of the expandable housing 201 may move inwardly, toward the interior volume 202, or in other words, generally toward itself. For example, the pleats 231 may be folded when the expandable housing 201 is manipulated to the empty state.

[0077] The foldable housing portion 230 as shown in Figures 3A-3C may be readily used in conjunction with any embodiment of the cartridge disclosed herein, for example, any embodiment disclosed in conjunction with Figures 2A-2D.

[0078] 4A and 4B show schematic cross-sectional views of a receptacle 106 of a beverage dispenser. The receptacle 106 has a receiving volume 107 for receiving at least a portion of a cartridge 202. Generally, the receptacle 106 may form a closed volume in use. The volume may be accessible through an opening in the receptacle 106, which may be closed in use by a lid. In Figs. 4A and 4B, the lid has been omitted for simplicity of illustration. It will be understood that the receptacle 106 shown in Figs. 4A and 4B may also be used in conjunction with other embodiments of the cartridge 200.

[0079] The opening of the receptacle may be arranged to allow at least a portion of the cartridge 200 to pass into the receiving volume 107 only when the cartridge is in an unexpanded state or only when the cartridge is in an expanded state.

[0080] 4A and 4B, a particular embodiment of a cartridge 200 is shown positioned within a receptacle 106. The cartridge 200 comprises an expandable housing 201 including a stretchable material arranged to stretch due to a pressure differential between a pressure within an interior volume 202 and a pressure outside the expandable housing 201. The expandable housing 201 with a stretchable material may mimic a balloon that is inflatable with a fluid, such as a liquid or gas.

[0081] The pressure outside the expandable housing 201 may correspond to or even be lower than the ambient pressure. The pressure inside the internal volume 202 may be higher than the pressure outside the expandable housing 201 due to liquid entering the internal volume 202, which liquid is exposed to the higher pressure. The higher pressure may be provided, for example, by a pump, e.g., a pump pumping a base liquid into the internal volume 202.

[0082] The cartridge 200 is shown in a non-expanded state in FIG. 4A, with the internal volume 202 filled with a beverage concentrate. In FIG. 4B, the cartridge 200 is shown in an expanded state after the internal volume 202 has been filled and expanded with a volume of base liquid. Thus, in the state of FIG. 4B, the internal volume 202 is filled with both a beverage concentrate and a base liquid, which may mix together inside the cartridge 200 to form a mixed beverage. The receiving volume 107 of the receptacle may be larger than the internal volume 202 of the cartridge 200 in the expanded state. Thus, parts of the cartridge 200 other than the internal volume 202 may be accommodated and / or cartridges 200 having different volumes may be used with a single receptacle. The outer shape of the cartridge 200 may be limited by the shape of the receiving volume 107 of the receptacle.

[0083] A further option shown in Figures 4A and 4B is that the cartridge 200 may comprise a cartridge connector 240 for temporarily connecting the cartridge to a receptacle connector 142 constituted by the beverage dispenser, in particular the receptacle 106. The receptacle connector 142 may be provided by the receptacle or by an optional lid for closing the receiving volume of the receptacle.

[0084] Generally, the connection between the cartridge connector 240 and the receptacle connector 142 may be a clamp connection, a threaded connection, a bayonet connection, a form-close connection, a latch connection, or any other temporary connection. The connection between the cartridge connector 240 and the receptacle connector 142 may keep the cartridge 200 in place, particularly when the base liquid is added to the cartridge 200 and / or when the mixed beverage is dispensed from the cartridge 200.

[0085] Preferably, the cartridge connector 240 is a rigid body. The cartridge connector 240 may be asymmetric to allow the cartridge connector 240 to be oriented in only one orientation with respect to the receptacle, or in a limited number of discrete orientations. This may, for example, ensure proper alignment of one or more fluid passages of the cartridge 200 with one or more fluid passages of the beverage dispenser. The asymmetry may, for example, be obtained by one or more notches defined by the cartridge connector 240 and / or the receptacle.

[0086] The connection between the cartridge connector 240 and the receptacle connector 142 may be made by a user providing the cartridge 200 to the beverage dispenser. Alternatively, the connection between the cartridge connector 240 and the receptacle connector 142 may be made by a connection actuator configured by the beverage dispenser. The connection actuator may be, for example, an electric actuator or a pneumatic actuator. The connection actuator may be operated by a controller of the beverage dispenser, for example, in response to detecting that a cartridge is positioned within the receiving volume of the receptacle, in response to closing of a lid of the receptacle, and / or in response to a user input to a user interface of the beverage dispenser.

[0087] Although a single fluid passageway 204 is shown in Figures 4A and 4B, it will be understood that any of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet arrangements disclosed herein may be readily applied to the embodiment of cartridge 200 shown in Figures 4A and 4B, particularly in conjunction with Figures 2A-2D. One or more fluid inlets and one or more fluid outlets may be located through receptacle connector 142, among others.

[0088] Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C show yet another embodiment of cartridge 200, this particular embodiment comprising an outer housing 250. An expandable housing 201 having an interior volume 202 is positioned within the outer housing 250. In Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C, respectively, cartridge 200 is shown in an unexpanded state, an expanded state, and an empty state. Cartridge 200 is shown to comprise an optional cartridge connector 240.

[0089] For filling the cartridge 200 with a base liquid, a fluid passageway 204 is provided, particularly via the cartridge connector 240. Alternatively, in other embodiments of the cartridge 200 in general, one or more fluid passageways may be provided through the outer housing 250. It will be appreciated that any of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet arrangements disclosed herein may be readily applied to the embodiment of the cartridge 200 shown in Figures 5A, 5B and 5C, particularly in conjunction with Figures 2A-2D.

[0090] The expandable housing 201 and the outer housing 250 function as a bag-in-container, with the expandable housing 201 expanding inside the outer housing 250. The expansion of the expandable housing 201 may be limited by the inner shape of the outer housing 250, as generally shown in Figure 5B, which shows the expandable housing 201 in an expanded state filled with beverage concentrate and base liquid that together form a mixed beverage inside the cartridge 200.

[0091] To expel the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200, a fluid, such as a gas, can be pumped into the space between the exterior of the expandable housing 201 and the interior of the outer housing 250. Figure 5C shows the cartridge in an empty state, with essentially all of the mixed beverage having been expelled from the expandable housing 201. The gas can be, for example, air or CO2. A gas passage 252 to the space between the exterior of the expandable housing 201 and the interior of the outer housing 250 can be provided, for example, through the cartridge connector 240.

[0092] It will be appreciated that the transition from the expanded state to the empty state may be performed in a single dispense action, thus dispensing a single beverage, or alternatively, the transition from the expanded state to the empty state may be performed in multiple separate dispense actions, thus dispensing multiple quantities of beverage.

[0093] In the example shown in Figures 5A-5C, the shape of the outer housing remains substantially the same when the expandable housing is manipulated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state. In alternative embodiments, the outer housing may be expandable as well. This may reduce the volume occupied by the outer housing, for example, during shipping and storage, when the expandable housing is filled only with beverage concentrate. The outer housing may be manipulated to an expandable state when the expandable housing is also manipulated to an expandable state. For example, the outer housing may include an expandable outer housing section and / or may include a resilient outer housing section.

[0094] FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrates a beverage dispenser assembly 100 including an embodiment of a beverage dispenser 102 and an embodiment of a cartridge 200, shown in an unextended state as a solid line and in an extended state as a dashed line 200' partially overlapping the solid line, similar to, for example, FIGS. 2A-2D.

[0095] The beverage dispenser 102 includes a dispenser housing 104 having a receptacle 106. The receptacle 106 provides a receiving volume 107 in which a cartridge 200 is positioned.

[0096] The beverage dispenser 102 further comprises a water reservoir 160 which can be filled with a volume of water as an example of a base liquid. The water reservoir 160 has a fill opening 108 as a base liquid input for receiving water as a base liquid into the water reservoir 160. Via a base liquid conduit 109, the base liquid can be transported to a cartridge 200 in the receptacle 106, for example using a pump (not shown).

[0097] The embodiment of the cartridge 200 shown in Figure 6 includes an optional outlet spout 162 that extends away from the expandable housing 201. After the base liquid has been pumped or drawn into the cartridge 200 and mixed with the beverage concentrate, the mixed beverage may be dispensed from the cartridge 200 via the spout 162. For example, the mixed beverage may be dispensed into a glass 300.

[0098] The spout 162 may be disposable along with the cartridge 200. The spout 162 may prevent, or at least substantially reduce, direct contact between the beverage concentrate or mixed beverage and the beverage dispenser 102. This in turn may reduce the need to clean the beverage dispenser 102 and / or improve sanitation.

[0099] The outlet spout 162 may be a filling gland that is connected to the cartridge 200 and used to fill the cartridge with a beverage concentrate. The spout 162 may be, for example, glued or welded to the expandable housing 201. Alternatively, the spout 162 may be integrally formed with the expandable housing 201.

[0100] In general, the outlet spout 162 may be rigid. Alternatively, at least a portion of the spout 162 may be flexible, resilient, and / or elastic. This allows the spout 162 to be formed to fit a fluid-tight fit with the beverage dispenser to prevent leakage of the beverage concentrate. When at least a portion of the spout 162 is flexible, resilient, and / or elastic, the spout 162 may be used as a valve, in particular a one-way valve. Additionally or alternatively, when at least a portion of the spout 162 is flexible, resilient, and / or elastic, the spout may be clamped or squeezed closed and as such may essentially act as a fluid-tight seal.

[0101] To dispense the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200, the beverage dispenser 102 includes a dispense actuator 120. The dispense actuator is arranged to squeeze the mixed beverage from the cartridge 200, thereby moving the mixed beverage through the spout 162 and into the glass 300.

[0102] Cartridge with filter Generally, any of the cartridges disclosed herein, particularly in conjunction with Figures 2A-5C, may include a filter designed to filter suspended particles from the beverage concentrate or mixed beverage passing through the filter. Filtering suspended particles may result in a mixed beverage having lower turbidity.

[0103] Many different types of filters are envisioned. The filter may be, for example, a semi-permeable filter, such as a paper filter. Generally, a semi-permeable filter may allow the passage of liquid while blocking the passage of solids by trapping the solids within the filter. Depending on the size of the solids, the solids may be trapped in the filter, or may pass through the filter when the solids are small enough. Specifically, if it is preferred that some solids are present in the beverage after mixing, the filter may be adjusted to allow the passage of these preferred solids, for example, based on the typical size of the preferred solids.

[0104] The filter may have an open cell structure. For example, the filter may be a sintered filter formed by sintering a material such as copper, stainless steel, any other metal, or a polymer. The sintering process may provide an open cell structure for the filter. The cell size of the open cell structure may allow solid particles to be trapped while liquid may pass through the filter.

[0105] The filter may be embodied as a sieve having one or more holes, which may have a particular flow area or pore size arranged to capture particles in the beverage concentrate while allowing the liquid portion to flow through the filter.

[0106] In an embodiment, the pore size of the filter may be from 0.2 to 100 μm (micrometers). More specifically, the pore size of the filter may be from 0.3 to 50 μm, or even from 0.4 to 25 μm.

[0107] The filter may be formed as a sandwich structure, with the filter material sandwiched between two sandwich plates. The filter material is arranged to capture suspended particles from the stream of beverage concentrate flowing through the filter. The filter material may have a granular form, such as, for example, diatomaceous earth or kieselguhr, or may be a porous material, such as a porous ceramic or porous metal. The sandwich plates are arranged to hold the filter material in place between the sandwich plates. Fluid flow is permitted through the sandwich plates, for example, through openings or other passages through the sandwich plates. The openings or other passages are typically not arranged to capture particles suspended in the beverage concentrate.

[0108] The filter may be constituted by a cartridge. Figure 7A shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cartridge 200 with a filter 270 (hatching shown) designed to filter suspended particles from a beverage concentrate or mixed beverage passing through the filter 270 from the internal volume.

[0109] Additionally, or as an alternative to a filter configured with the cartridge, a filter 170 may be configured with the beverage dispenser assembly 100. This filter 170 may be positioned downstream of the receiving volume 106 and used downstream of the cartridge 100. For example, the filter 170 may be positioned in the post-mixed beverage conduit 114. Figure 7B shows a schematic diagram of an example of a beverage dispensing assembly 200 having a beverage dispenser 102 with a filter or the like.

[0110] cooling As a further option shown in FIG. 7B, which may be applied with or without the filter 170, the embodiment of the beverage dispenser 102 may comprise a cooling unit 190 for drawing heat energy from the receiving volume 106. Thus, the contents of the cartridge may be cooled. For example, the beverage concentrate inside the cartridge may be cooled before adding one or more base liquids to the cartridge. Additionally or alternatively, after at least a portion of the one or more base liquids have been added to the cartridge, the mixed beverage formed inside the cartridge may be cooled by the cooling unit 190 before the mixed beverage is dispensed.

[0111] By cooling the beverage concentrate using the beverage dispenser's cooling unit, the temperature of the beverage concentrate can be controlled. By being able to control the temperature of the beverage concentrate, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage can be better controlled, especially if the temperature of the base liquid or the base liquid can be controlled by the beverage dispenser as well. In particular, the temperature of the dispensed mixed beverage may be less or even less dependent on the temperature of the cartridge when received by the beverage dispenser.

[0112] By cooling the mixed beverage formed inside the cartridge, the shelf life of the mixed beverage may be extended and the mixed beverage may be dispensed over a longer period of time with no loss in quality. Furthermore, by cooling the cartridge by the beverage dispenser, the mixed beverage may be dispensed on demand at a preferred temperature, for example, below 10°C, below 6°C, or even below 2°C.

[0113] The cooling unit of a beverage dispenser generally refers to any component of the beverage dispenser that contributes to the process of cooling the beverage concentrate. For example, the cooling unit may include a thermoelectric cooler for cooling based on the Peltier effect. As another example, the cooling unit is arranged to cool based on vapor compression refrigeration. Thus, the cooling unit may include one or more of a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion valve. A cooling fluid, such as a cooling liquid such as water or glycol, or a cooling gas such as CO2, may be used in the vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

[0114] Alternatively, the cooling unit is arranged to receive a chilled medium, such as a chilled fluid, liquid and / or gas, that has been chilled by an external cooling unit not constituted by the beverage dispenser, which may be used by the cooling unit to extract thermal energy from the beverage concentrate.

[0115] The cooling unit may include one or more heat exchangers for drawing thermal energy from the cartridge. A cooling fluid may be circulated through the cooling unit and through the one or more heat exchangers. The heat exchangers may be, for example, tube-in-tube heat exchangers.

[0116] In the above description, when an element is referred to as being connected to another element, it will be understood that the element may be directly connected to the other element or that intervening elements may also be present. It will also be understood that the values ​​given in the above description are given as examples and that other values ​​may be possible and / or aimed for.

[0117] It should be noted that these figures are merely schematic representations of embodiments shown as non-limiting examples. For purposes of clarity and concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, but it will be understood that the scope of the disclosure may include embodiments having all or any combination of the described features.

[0118] The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of other features or steps. Moreover, the words "a" and "an" are not to be interpreted as being exclusive to "only one", but are used in the sense of "at least one" and do not exclude a plurality.

[0119] (Additional Note) (Appendix 1) A cartridge (200) for use in a beverage dispenser for dispensing a mixed beverage, said cartridge comprising an expandable housing (201) defining an interior volume (202); - said expandable housing can be manipulated from an unexpanded state to an expanded state; - in said unexpanded state, said internal volume is filled with a beverage concentrate; A cartridge, wherein the expandable housing is arranged to be further filled with a base liquid, whereby a mixed beverage may be formed within the internal volume from the beverage concentrate and the base liquid.

[0120] (Appendix 2) 2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the expandable housing comprises a bendable housing portion, the bendable housing portion expanding when the expandable housing is manipulated from the unexpanded state to the expanded state.

[0121] (Appendix 3) 3. The cartridge of claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the expandable housing comprises a stretchable material arranged to stretch due to a pressure differential between a pressure inside the interior volume and a pressure outside the expandable housing.

[0122] (Appendix 4) 4. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet into the housing for receiving a base liquid within the internal volume.

[0123] (Appendix 5) 5. The cartridge of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising an outlet spout extending from the expandable housing, the outlet spout having an outlet end in fluid communication with the interior volume.

[0124] (Appendix 6) 6. The cartridge of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an outer housing (250), the expandable housing being positioned within the outer housing, and in particular, at least a portion of the outer housing retains its shape and dimensions when the expandable housing is manipulated from the unexpanded state to the expanded state.

[0125] (Appendix 7) 7. The cartridge of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on a fermented beverage, such as beer.

[0126] (Appendix 8) A beverage dispenser assembly (100) for dispensing a mixed beverage, said beverage dispenser assembly comprising a beverage dispenser (102) and a cartridge (200), in particular a cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7, - the beverage dispenser comprises a dispenser housing (104) comprising a receptacle (106) having a receiving volume (107) for receiving at least a portion of the cartridge; the beverage dispenser further comprises a base liquid input (108) for receiving a base liquid and a base liquid conduit (109) fluidly connecting the base liquid input and the receiving volume, - the cartridge comprises an expandable housing (201) defining an internal volume (202) and a first volume of beverage concentrate within the internal volume; a beverage dispenser assembly, wherein the cartridge is at least partially positioned within the receiving volume of the receptacle of the beverage dispenser;

[0127] (Appendix 9) 9. The beverage dispenser assembly of claim 8, wherein the receiving volume has a first sub-volume for accommodating the cartridge filled with the first volume of beverage concentrate and a second sub-volume adjacent to the first sub-volume, the first sub-volume and the second sub-volume together being arranged to accommodate the cartridge filled with the first volume of beverage concentrate and a second volume of base liquid.

[0128] (Appendix 10) 10. The beverage dispenser assembly of claim 8 or 9, wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises a receptacle connector (142), the cartridge comprises a cartridge connector (240), and the cartridge connector is releasably connected to the receptacle connector to temporarily fix the position of the cartridge connector relative to the receptacle connector.

[0129] (Appendix 11) 11. The beverage dispenser assembly of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises a carbonator (118) for carbonating a base liquid, in particular a base liquid passing through the base liquid conduit.

[0130] (Appendix 12) A beverage dispenser assembly as described in any one of Appendix 8 to 11, wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises a stirring unit (121) for stirring liquid inside the cartridge, and / or the beverage dispenser comprises an actuator for operating the cartridge from an extended state to an empty state, and in the empty state, the internal volume within the housing of the cartridge is smaller than the first volume.

[0131] (Appendix 13) 13. A beverage dispenser assembly as described in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises a pump for pumping a base liquid into the housing of the cartridge.

[0132] (Appendix 14) 1. A method for dispensing a mixed beverage, comprising: - providing a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate to a beverage dispenser or receiving a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate by a beverage dispenser; - using the beverage dispenser to dispense a second volume of base liquid into the cartridge such that a fluid volume in the cartridge is at least equal to the sum of the first volume and the second volume; - allowing the beverage concentrate and the base liquid to be at least partially mixed inside the cartridge to form a mixed beverage; - dispensing the mixed beverage from the cartridge.

[0133] (Appendix 15) 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on a fermented beverage, in particular beer.

Claims

1. A cartridge (200) for use in a beverage dispenser for dispensing a mixed beverage, wherein the cartridge comprises an expandable housing (201) defining an internal volume (202), - The expandable housing can be operated from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, - In the non-expanded state, the internal volume is filled with a beverage concentrate. A cartridge in which the expandable housing is disposed to be further filled with a base liquid, thereby allowing a mixed beverage to be formed within the internal volume from the beverage concentrate and the base liquid.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the expandable housing comprises a foldable housing portion, the foldable housing portion expands when the expandable housing is operated from the non-expanded state to the expanded state.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the expandable housing includes a stretchable material disposed to stretch due to a pressure difference between the pressure inside the internal volume and the pressure outside the expandable housing.

4. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet into the housing for receiving a base liquid within the internal volume.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an outlet spout extending from the expandable housing, wherein the outlet spout has an outlet end that is in fluid communication with the internal volume.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an outer housing (250), wherein the expandable housing is positioned inside the outer housing, and in particular, when the expandable housing is operated from the non-expanded state to the expanded state, at least a portion of the outer housing maintains its shape and dimensions.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on a fermented beverage such as beer.

8. A beverage dispenser assembly (100) for dispensing a mixed beverage, wherein the beverage dispenser assembly comprises a beverage dispenser (102) and a cartridge (200), in particular the cartridge described in claim 1 or 2. - The beverage dispenser comprises a dispenser housing (104) having a receptacle (106) having a receiving volume (107) for receiving at least a portion of the cartridge, - The beverage dispenser further comprises a base liquid input section (108) for receiving a base liquid, and a base liquid conduit (109) for fluidly connecting the base liquid input section and the receiving volume. - The cartridge comprises an expandable housing (201) defining an internal volume (202), and a first volume of beverage concentrate within the internal volume, - A beverage dispenser assembly in which the cartridge is at least partially positioned within the receiving volume of the receptacle of the beverage dispenser.

9. The beverage dispenser assembly according to claim 8, wherein the receiving volume has a first sub-volume for accommodating the cartridge filled with the first volume of beverage concentrate and a second sub-volume adjacent to the first sub-volume, and the first sub-volume and the second sub-volume are arranged together to accommodate the cartridge filled with the first volume of beverage concentrate and the second volume of base liquid.

10. The beverage dispenser assembly according to claim 8, wherein the beverage dispenser further comprises a receptacle connector (142), the cartridge comprises a cartridge connector (240), and the cartridge connector is removably connected to the receptacle connector to temporarily fix the position of the cartridge connector relative to the receptacle connector.

11. The beverage dispenser assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a carbonater (118) for carbonating a base liquid, in particular the base liquid passing through the base liquid conduit.

12. The beverage dispenser assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a stirring unit (121) for stirring the liquid inside the cartridge, and / or comprising an actuator for operating the cartridge from an expanded state to an empty state, wherein in the empty state, the internal volume of the cartridge within the housing is smaller than the first volume.

13. The beverage dispenser assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a pump for pumping a base liquid into the housing of the cartridge.

14. A method for distributing a beverage after mixing, - A step of providing a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate to a beverage dispenser, or a step of receiving a cartridge filled with a first volume of beverage concentrate by a beverage dispenser, - Using the beverage dispenser, supply a second volume of base liquid into the cartridge such that the total fluid volume in the cartridge is at least equal to the sum of the first volume and the second volume. - A step that enables the beverage concentrate and the base liquid to be at least partially mixed inside the cartridge to form a mixed beverage, A method comprising the step of dispensing the mixed beverage from the cartridge.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the beverage concentrate is based on a fermented beverage, particularly beer.

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