Beverage Dispenser Consumable System and Method

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure include a water filter mount for a beverage dispenser. The water filter mount releasably attaches a water filter to the beverage dispenser using a rotational movement that requires no tools. Aspects of the present disclosure also include a gas cylinder mount for a beverage dispenser. The gas cylinder mount releasably attaches a water filter to the beverage dispenser using a rotational movement that requires no tools. Aspects of the present disclosure also include a concentrate vial mount for a beverage dispenser. The concentrate vial releasably attaches a water filter to the beverage dispenser using a rotational movement that requires no tools.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a beverage dispenser. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for connecting consumables to a beverage dispenser.

Background Art

[0002] Beverage dispensers are used to provide beverages to users upon request. All beverage dispensers include some consumables that are consumed as the beverage is dispensed. Examples of beverage dispenser consumables include beverage concentrates, carbon dioxide gas, and water filters. The time and effort required to replace these consumables affects the operating efficiency of the beverage dispenser because the beverage dispenser must have the appropriate consumables available to function properly.

[0003] Some beverage dispensers are typically intended to be serviced by technicians trained in the process necessary to replace consumables. Other beverage dispensers are intended for use in small commercial or home environments where consumable replacement is typically performed by an end user (e.g., a business owner or a homeowner). In either case, the productivity and efficiency of the dispenser are improved by reducing the time and effort required to replace the consumables. In situations where service is achieved by the end user, it is even more important to simplify the consumable replacement process because the end user is typically not trained in beverage dispenser service. Accordingly, there is a need for a simplified consumable attachment system that improves the servicing of consumables in beverage dispensers.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Aspects of the present disclosure include a water filter mount for a beverage dispenser, the water filter mount including a base, a manifold pivotally attached to the base, the manifold being drivable outwardly from the base from a closed position to a loading position, and a filter head attached to the manifold and configured to receive an end of a water filter and fluidly connect an interior of the water filter to the manifold. The base includes first and second protrusions configured to be received by grooves in the water filter when the water filter is inserted into the filter head and the water filter and filter head are pivoted to the closed position.

[0005] Aspects of a method of installing a water filter within a beverage dispenser according to the present disclosure include inserting an end of the water filter into a filter head that is part of a manifold, the manifold being pivotally attached to a base, and rotating the water filter and filter head relative to the base from a loading position to a closed position such that grooves in the water filter receive a pair of protrusions disposed on the base.

[0006] Aspects of the present disclosure are a gas cylinder mount for a beverage dispenser, the gas cylinder mount including first and second side plates arranged parallel to each other, the gas cylinder mount, a manifold pivotally attached to the first and second side plates, the manifold being adapted to pivot outwardly from the first and second side plates from a closed position to a loading position, the manifold, a gas cylinder receptacle disposed within the manifold and configured to receive a valve of the gas cylinder, the gas cylinder receptacle, a gas cylinder receiving portion connected to the manifold and configured to releasably receive a flange of the gas cylinder, first and second tracks respectively disposed on each of the first and second side plates, first and second guide protrusions connected to the gas cylinder receiving portion, each of the first and second guide protrusions being received by one of the first and second tracks respectively, the first and second guide protrusions, and a gas regulator disposed within the manifold and configured to selectively fluidly connect an interior of the gas cylinder to the manifold.

[0007] An aspect of a method of attaching a gas cylinder within a beverage dispenser according to the present disclosure is inserting a valve of the gas cylinder into a receptacle disposed within a manifold pivotally attached to first and second side plates, the flange of the gas cylinder being seated within a receiving portion connected to the manifold when inserting the valve, inserting, and rotating the gas cylinder and the manifold relative to the first and second side plates from a loading position to a closed position.

[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure include a concentrate vial mount for a beverage dispenser. The concentrate vial mount includes a base and a head pivotally attached to the base. The head is configured to pivot outwardly from the base from a closed position to a loading position, and the head is configured to receive a vial cap to fluidly connect the concentrate vial to the beverage dispenser. The base includes first and second protrusions configured to be received by grooves in the vial cap when the concentrate vial is inserted into the vial head pivoted to the closed position.

[0009] Aspects of a method for attaching a concentrate vial to a beverage dispenser according to the present disclosure include inserting a cap of the concentrate vial into a head pivotally attached to a base, and rotating the concentrate vial and the head from a loading position to a closed position relative to the base such that grooves on the cap receive a pair of protrusions disposed on the base.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of this specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present disclosure.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "exemplary embodiment", etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is presented that the impact of such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments is within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art, whether or not explicitly described.

[0012] Simplifying the replacement of beverage dispenser consumables improves dispenser operating efficiency by reducing system downtime. It also improves the end-user experience in situations where the beverage dispenser is serviced by an end user, such as in small commercial or home environments. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure include simplified connection systems and methods for water filters, gas cylinders, and concentrate vials. These connection systems provide a secure fluid / gas-tight connection between the consumable and the beverage dispenser. The connection systems are also easy to use, do not require separate tools for service, and involve only a few operations that can be quickly accomplished to remove and replace the consumable. Finally, the connection systems provide both visual and tactile indications to confirm that the consumable is properly connected, which further improves the replacement process.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 - 4, an embodiment of the beverage dispenser 1 includes a housing 100. As shown in the figures, the housing 100 (also referred to as the clad portion 100) can be formed as a rectangular parallelepiped with a front wall 101, a rear wall 102, a right wall 103, a left wall 104, a top wall 105, and a bottom wall 106 (collectively referred to as the "housing walls"). The housing 100 may also be formed in a non - rectangular shape, such as a cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, or another prismatic shape with seven or more sides. The housing walls can be formed from one continuous element or from a number of elements joined together (e.g., metal sheets or plastic partitions). Further, the housing walls can include an opening for accessing the interior of the housing 100 and can also include attachment points for elements attached to the outer or inner surface of the walls. The housing walls can be formed from any suitable material, including, for example, aluminum, steel, and plastic materials. The housing walls can be joined together using any suitable method, such as adhesives, welding, or mechanical fasteners or connectors.

[0014] For the purposes of this disclosure and for ease of reference only, the directions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are defined as follows. The height direction is the direction extending perpendicular to the top wall 105 and the bottom wall 106, the width direction is the direction extending perpendicular to the right wall 103 and the left wall 104, and the depth direction is the direction extending perpendicular to the front wall 101 and the rear wall 102.

[0015] In some aspects, the housing 100 can be sized to be suitable for placement in non - typical dispenser locations, such as, for example, a countertop in an office pantry, a break room, or a home kitchen. The counter has a standard depth of 60 centimeters (23.6 inches). Most kitchen counters have wall cabinets built above the counter at a low height, sometimes 16 inches. Additionally, the space on the counter is limited, and a dispenser over 18 inches wide is too wide for most home kitchens. For these reasons, in some aspects, the housing 100 may not exceed 16 inches in height, 18 inches in width, and 23 inches in depth. Further, in these aspects, the beverage dispenser 1 can weigh less than 45 pounds with no removable mounted consumables. These aspects have the advantage of being easily positioned in non - typical locations such as the countertop described above. As discussed in detail below, these compact aspects of the beverage dispenser 1 include all of the components necessary to dispense beverages inside the housing 100. Specifically, neither consumables (e.g., beverage concentrate, CO2 gas canister, alkali chamber, and water filter) nor dispensing elements (e.g., pump, valve) are located outside the housing 100. These aspects of the beverage dispenser 1 still require external connections to a power source and a water source to function.

[0016] As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the beverage dispenser 1 includes a dispensing zone 120 configured to receive a container 2. The nozzle 124 is disposed on the front wall 101 within the dispensing zone 120. The drip tray 122 is also disposed on the front wall 101 within the dispensing zone 120. The drip tray 122 includes a surface 123 configured to support the container 2 under the nozzle 124 while the container 2 is being filled. The surface 123 includes openings forming a grid that allows any drips or overflows to flow through the surface 123 into the body of the drip tray 122. The display 800 is also disposed on the front wall 101 above the nozzle 124. The display 800 can be used to control aspects of the operation of the beverage dispenser 1 and to display information regarding the operation of the beverage dispenser 1.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, in some embodiments, the housing 100 includes one or more removable panels or doors that allow access from the outside to the interior of the housing 100. For example, in some embodiments, the housing 100 includes access doors 107 and 108 (on the right wall 103). The access doors 107 and 108 (collectively "access doors") cover the corresponding wall openings that allow a user to access the interior of the housing 100 and access the replaceable consumables of the beverage dispenser 1. The access doors can be made of any suitable material and are removably fastened to the corresponding walls of the access doors using hinges, mechanical fasteners, or any other suitable method for removably attaching the access doors. The doors can be locked in the closed position by a key or maintained in the closed position by a magnet or other latching mechanism. FIG. 3A is a side view of FIG. 3 with the access doors 107 and 108 removed to show an exemplary arrangement of the removable consumables accessible through the access doors. As shown in FIG. 3A, six concentrate containers 401 are shown inside the access door 107, and inside the access door 108, one CO2 gas cylinder 301, one alkali chamber 601, and one water filter 201 are shown. Each of these consumables is easily accessible and quickly replaceable by any unskilled user when empty or depleted, as described in detail below. The number and type of consumables present within the housing 100 can vary depending on the features and capabilities present in a particular embodiment of the beverage dispenser 1.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the rear wall 102 may include various external connections. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a power cord 130 configured to plug into an outlet suitable for providing power to the beverage dispenser 1 can be seen. A power switch 131 and a hot water switch 132 control the flow of power to the elements of the beverage dispenser 1. A water inlet 134 is provided in the rear wall 102 to receive cold water from a water source. A CO2 inlet 135 is also provided in the rear wall 102 to receive an external source of CO2 for carbonation purposes when an internal CO2 gas cylinder 301 is considered insufficient for a large community in a large office space. A cold water drain 136 and a hot water drain 137 are also located in the rear wall 102 to drain the water in the internal chiller tank and hot water from the hot water tank, respectively, whenever the dispenser has to be moved, relocated, or repacked and transported. Finally, FIGS. 3 and 4 also show a drip tray drain 138. Some of these connections may be optional in some embodiments of the beverage dispenser 1. Additionally, the access door 109 (on the rear wall 102) serves to provide maintenance access for repairing and inspecting the internal components of the housing 100, such as the main PCB board and the IoT communication board for cellular, wireless, Bluetooth connections.

[0019] Aspects of the water filter assembly 200 are shown in FIGS. 5 - 9. The water filter assembly 200 includes a water filter mount 204 that receives a water filter 201 (as seen in FIG. 8). The water filter 201 is configured to receive water and filter out unwanted contaminants from the water to provide filtered water for use by the beverage dispenser 1. The water filter mount 204 includes a water filter base 206 that secures the water filter assembly 200 to the beverage dispenser 1. The water filter base 206 can be connected to the beverage dispenser 1 by any suitable means, such as mechanical fasteners that pass through the water filter base 206 and are fixed to a suitable structure within the beverage dispenser 1.

[0020] The water filter base 206 also pivotably or rotatably supports the water filter manifold 210. As seen in FIGS. 6-7, the water filter manifold 210 is attached to the water filter base 206 at the water filter manifold pivot portion 211. In these embodiments, the cylindrical portion of the water filter manifold 210 is received within the corresponding cylindrical portion of the water filter manifold pivot portion 211 to enable the water filter manifold 210 to pivot with respect to the water filter base 206. As shown in FIG. 5, in some embodiments, the water filter manifold pivot portion 211 is disposed on the upper portion of the water filter base 206. Specifically, as will be described in detail below, the water filter manifold pivot portion 211 is disposed above a pair of water filter groove protrusions 208 disposed on the lower portion of the water filter base 206.

[0021] The water filter head 212 is connected to the water filter manifold 210. The water filter head 212 is configured to receive the water filter 201. In one embodiment, the water filter head 212 has a receptacle 213 for receiving corresponding protrusions 202 disposed at the ends of the water filter 201. The water filter head 212 is configured to fluidly connect the interior of the water filter 201 with the water filter manifold 210. The water filter manifold 210 has a pair of water filter fluid connection portions 207 configured to fluidly connect the water filter assembly 200 to the piping connection portion of the beverage dispenser 1. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5-9, the water filter fluid connection portions 207 are integrated with the water filter manifold pivot portion 211. Specifically, the cylindrical protrusion of the water filter manifold 210 extending within the water filter manifold pivot portion 211 also functions as the water filter fluid connection portion 207. Thus, the water filter fluid connection portions 207 are coaxially disposed with the water filter manifold pivot portion 211. These water filter fluid connection portions 207 may have suitable joints for interacting with a tube or pipe, such as a threaded or push connection element. By coaxially aligning the water filter fluid connection portions 207 with the water filter manifold pivot portion 211, space is saved and the piping connections required for the water filter base 206 are simplified.

[0022] The water filter head 212 or the water filter manifold 210 can also include one or more suitable valves configured to block fluid connection between the water filter fluid connection 207 and the water filter head 212 when the water filter 201 is not inserted into the water filter head 212. This ensures that water from the beverage dispenser 1 does not exit the water filter head 212 during the replacement process. The operation of this valve may be achieved by the movement of the protrusion 202 of the water filter 201 into the water filter head 212 (e.g., the end of the water filter 201 pushes the valve open from its spring-biased closed position).

[0023] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-9, three water filter seals 214 are disposed around the protrusion 202 of the water filter 201. These water filter seals 214 mate with the inner surface of the receptacle 213 of the water filter head 212 as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 9. In these embodiments, both the protrusion 202 and the receptacle 213 are cylindrical in shape and have diameters that vary along their lengths corresponding to the placement of each of the water filter seals 214 (i.e., the cylinders of the protrusion 202 and the receptacle 213 are stepped). For example, each water filter seal 214 can correspond to a different diameter, and the diameter decreases with each step closer to the end of the protrusion 202. The receptacle 213 has diameters corresponding to the different diameters of the protrusion 202 such that each water filter seal 214 contacts the inner surface of the receptacle 213. Although three water filter seals 214 are shown, there may be two, four, five, or more water filter seals 214. Arranging multiple seals in this way has the advantage of ensuring proper sealing of the water filter 201 within the water filter mount 204 while reducing the effort of inserting and removing the water filter 201 from the water filter head 212.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the water filter 201 is inserted into the water filter head 212 when the water filter head 212 (and the water filter manifold 210) is rotated outwardly away from the water filter base 206 to the loading position. This loading position is selected to allow easy removal of the water filter 201 without interference from other elements of the water filter assembly 200 or other elements of the beverage dispenser 1 located near the water filter assembly 200. For example, the loading position may be rotated such that the centerline of the water filter head forms an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with the rear surface of the water filter base 206. In other examples, the loading position may be rotated such that the centerline of the water filter head forms an angle of 30 to 45 degrees with the rear surface of the water filter base 206. The angle associated with the loading position can be controlled by designing the contact point between the portion of the water filter manifold 210 and the water filter base 206, or by including a stopper in the water filter manifold pivot 211.

[0025] After the water filter 201 is fixed within the water filter head 212, the water filter 201 and the water filter head 212 are rotated to a closed position as shown in FIG. 6. In the closed position, the center line of the water filter 201 is substantially parallel to the back surface of the water filter base 206. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, the water filter groove protrusions 208 disposed on both sides of the water filter base 206 are received by the water filter grooves 203 disposed on the water filter 201. The water filter groove protrusions 208 and the water filter grooves 203 are constructed to hold the water filter 201 within the water filter assembly 200 by preventing the water filter 201 from dropping downward relative to FIGS. 5 and 6 since the water filter groove protrusions 208 are captured by the water filter grooves 203. The water filter groove protrusions 208 also serve to prevent the water filter 201 from rotating out of the closed position by applying a clamping force to the water filter grooves 203. In some embodiments, the seating of the water filter groove protrusions 208 within the water filter grooves 203 may be configured to produce an audible or tactile (i.e., physically felt) indication that the water filter 201 is fully seated. For example, the shape of the water filter grooves 203 may be configured to produce a clicking sound when the water filter groove protrusions 208 are fully seated.

[0026] The elements of the water filter assembly 200 described above can be constructed from any suitable materials including, for example, metal and plastic materials.

[0027] The method of replacing the water filter 201 from the water filter assembly 200 according to the above aspect starts with the used water filter 201 being connected to the water filter assembly 200 in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The used water filter 201 is rotated upward to the loading position (as shown in FIG. 7) by gripping and pulling upward on the used water filter 201. Next, the used water filter 201 is removed from the water filter head 212 by pulling the water filter 201 away from the water filter head 212 (see FIG. 8). Valves within the water filter head 212 or the water filter manifold 210 prevent water from leaking from the water filter assembly 200 after the used water filter 201 is removed. Next, a new water filter 201 is inserted into the water filter head 212. Finally, the new water filter 201 is rotated to the closed position (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6), and the water filter groove protrusion 208 is captured by the water filter groove 203, thereby holding the new water filter 201. This service process does not require a separate tool and can actually be accomplished by the end user in just a few seconds.

[0028] A gas cylinder assembly 300 according to one aspect is shown in FIGS. 10 - 15. The gas cylinder assembly 300 includes a gas cylinder 301 having a gas cylinder valve 302 disposed at one end of the gas cylinder 301. The gas cylinder 301 is configured to store a pressurized gas used to carbonate beverages within the beverage dispenser 1. In some aspects, the gas cylinder 301 may store the liquid form of the associated gas (e.g., liquid CO2) released from the gas cylinder valve 302 as a high pressure gas.

[0029] The gas cylinder mount 310 serves to physically and fluidly connect the gas cylinder 301 to the beverage dispenser 1. The gas cylinder mount 310 is shown separately in FIG. 12. The gas cylinder mount 310 includes a pair of side plates 312 oriented parallel to each other. The gas cylinder manifold 320 is attached to the side plates 312 within the space defined between the side plates 312. The gas cylinder manifold 320 is rotatably or pivotably attached to the side plates 312 at the gas cylinder manifold pivot 316. The gas cylinder manifold 320 includes cylindrical protrusions received by the gas cylinder manifold pivot 316 disposed on the side plates 312 to facilitate the pivotal attachment of the gas cylinder manifold 320. At least one of these protrusions is also the gas cylinder manifold fluid connection 318 configured to fluidly connect the interior of the gas cylinder manifold 320 to the beverage dispenser 1. Thus, the gas cylinder manifold fluid connection 318 is coaxially located with the gas cylinder manifold pivot 316, reducing the plumbing requirements and complexity of the gas cylinder mount 310. The gas cylinder manifold fluid connection 318 may be configured with a suitable airtight connection such as a threaded or push-connect connection.

[0030] The gas cylinder manifold 320 includes a gas cylinder receptacle 322 disposed below the gas cylinder manifold 320 (most clearly seen in FIG. 12). The gas cylinder receptacle 322 is configured to receive the gas cylinder valve 302 to fluidly connect the gas cylinder manifold 320 to the interior of the gas cylinder 301.

[0031] The gas cylinder manifold 320 is attached to a gas cylinder manifold plate 324 that extends downward from the gas cylinder manifold 320 (i.e., in the direction including the gas cylinder receptacle 322). As seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, the gas cylinder tension assembly 330 includes a pair of supports 332 that are fixed to the bottom of the gas cylinder manifold support plate 324 and extend horizontally away from the gas cylinder support plate 324. A pair of springs 334 are fixed to each of the supports 332, and all four springs 334 extend upward (i.e., toward the gas cylinder manifold 320). The gas cylinder receiving portion 326 is attached to the other ends of the springs 334 below the gas cylinder manifold 320. The gas cylinder receiving portion 326 includes a U-shaped gas cylinder groove 327 configured to receive a corresponding gas cylinder flange 304 on the gas cylinder 301 when the gas cylinder 301 is loaded into the gas cylinder mount 310. The gas cylinder groove 327 is attached to the ends of the springs on the opposite side of the support 332 such that the gas cylinder groove 327 is spring-biased to move upward (i.e., toward the gas cylinder manifold 320). In this way, the end of the gas cylinder 301 inserted into the gas cylinder receptacle 322 is pushed into the gas cylinder receptacle 322 by the action of the gas cylinder tension assembly 330.

[0032] The gas cylinder tension assembly 330 also includes two guide protrusions 336, one of which is disposed on each of the supports 332. The guide protrusions 336 extend laterally outwardly from each protrusion 332 and extend through tracks 314 in the gas cylinder side plate 312. The tracks 314 define the path that the guide protrusions 336 take as the gas cylinder manifold 320 (and attached components) move from a closed position (as shown in FIG. 13) to a loading position (as shown in FIG. 14). For example, the loading position may be rotated such that the centerline of the gas cylinder manifold 320 forms an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with the rear surface of the gas side plate 312. In other examples, the loading position may be rotated such that the centerline of the gas cylinder manifold 320 forms an angle of 30 to 45 degrees with the rear surface of the gas side plate 312. The angle associated with the loading position is controlled by the extent of the tracks 314. As shown in FIG. 13, the closed position positions the centerline of the gas cylinder manifold 320 substantially parallel to the rear surface of the gas side plate 312.

[0033] The gas cylinder valve 302 also includes a gas cylinder seal 306 configured to contact the inner surface of the gas cylinder receptacle 322 and create an airtight seal when the gas cylinder 301 is loaded into the gas cylinder assembly 300.

[0034] The gas manifold 320 also includes a gas regulator 340. The gas regulator 340 is configured to adjust the gas exiting the gas cylinder 301 to a pressure usable by the beverage dispenser 1. In one aspect, the gas exiting the gas cylinder 301 can have a high pressure of 3000 PSI. The gas regulator 340 can be configured to reduce that pressure to 60 - 80 PSI. In one embodiment, the gas regulator 340 can be a standard diaphragm type regulator.

[0035] Another aspect of the gas regulator 340 is schematically shown in FIG. 15. In this aspect, the regulator pin 342 is actuated by the regulator actuator 344. The regulator pin 342 can move in and out of the receptacle 322 so as to contact the gas cylinder valve pin 308 disposed at the end of the gas cylinder 301. When the regulator pin 342 is extended, the regulator pin contacts the gas cylinder valve pin 308 and pushes it down, enabling gas to flow into the gas cylinder manifold 320 and the gas cylinder manifold fluid connection 318. When the regulator pin 342 is retracted upward (i.e., toward the regulator actuator 344), the gas cylinder valve pin 308 is not pushed down and gas does not flow out of the gas cylinder 301. The gas regulator 340 actuates the gas flow to the beverage dispenser 1 only when gas is required (e.g., when a beverage is being dispensed). Once actuated, this aspect of the gas regulator 340 adjusts the pressure and flow of gas through the gas cylinder assembly 300 by rapidly actuating the regulator pin 342 back and forth to open and close the gas cylinder valve pin 308. The cycling of the gas cylinder valve pin 308 adjusts the gas flow to the required pressure by allowing only a limited amount of gas to flow. This aspect of the gas regulator 340 pressurizes the interior of the gas cylinder manifold 320 only for the short time required to dispense a beverage. Gas cannot flow from the gas cylinder 301 at other times. This has the advantage of reducing potential gas losses caused by leaks in the gas system of the beverage dispenser 1. Further, it also means that the seal between the gas cylinder valve 302 and the gas cylinder receptacle 322 is not exposed to the high pressure found within the gas cylinder 301, unlike a standard diaphragm type regulator. This means that the seal does not need to be as robust since it only needs to seal against a very low pressure. Next, a less robust seal results in a lower insertion force when installing the gas cylinder 301 into the gas cylinder assembly 300.

[0036] The gas cylinder manifold 320 may also include one or more suitable valves configured to close the gas connection between the gas cylinder fluid connection 318 and the gas cylinder manifold 320 when the gas cylinder 301 is not inserted within the manifold 320. This ensures that gas from the beverage dispenser 1 does not escape from the gas cylinder manifold 320 during the replacement process of the gas cylinder 301. The operation of this valve can be achieved by the movement of the regulator pin 342 by the regulator actuator 344. Alternatively, the presence of the gas cylinder valve 302 within the gas cylinder receptacle 322 may physically actuate the valve opening, and the absence of the gas cylinder valve 302 within the gas cylinder receptacle 322 may physically actuate the valve closing.

[0037] The elements of the gas cylinder assembly 300 described above can be constructed from any suitable materials, including, for example, metal and plastic materials.

[0038] The method of replacing the gas cylinder 301 within the gas cylinder assembly 300 according to the above aspect begins with the used gas cylinder 301 being connected to the gas cylinder assembly 300 with the used gas cylinder 301 in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 13. The used gas cylinder 301 is rotated upward to the loading position (as shown in FIG. 14) by gripping the used gas cylinder 301 and pulling upward. The used gas cylinder 301 is then removed from the gas cylinder manifold 320 by pulling the gas cylinder 301 away from the gas cylinder manifold 320 (see FIG. 14). Next, a new gas cylinder 301 is inserted into the gas cylinder manifold 320. Finally, the new gas cylinder 301 is rotated to the closed position (as shown in FIGS. 10 and 13), and the gas cylinder groove 327 captures the gas cylinder flange 306, thereby holding the new gas cylinder 301. The gas cylinder tension assembly 330 presses the gas cylinder 301 into the gas cylinder receptacle 322. This service process does not require a separate tool and can actually be accomplished by the end user in just a few seconds.

[0039] The concentrate vial assembly 400 is shown in FIGS. 16-22. The concentrate vial assembly 400 includes a concentrate vial 401 removably attached to a vial mount 410. The concentrate vial 401 is configured to store a beverage concentrate for use when dispensing a beverage from the beverage dispenser 1. As shown in FIG. 18, the concentrate vial 401 includes a vial cap 402 fixed to one end of the concentrate vial 401. The vial cap 402 interfaces with the vial mount 410, as described below. FIG. 18 also shows a vial cap lid 403. The vial cap lid 403 is attached to the vial cap 402 and functions as a removable cap to protect the interface area of the vial cap 402 when the concentrate vial 401 is not attached to the vial mount 410.

[0040] The vial mount 410 is shown in FIG. 17. It includes a vial base 411 that supports the other components of the vial mount 410. The vial base 411 is also configured to be attached to the beverage dispenser 1, for example, by mechanical fasteners. The vial base 411 includes a pair of receiving arms 412 that extend outwardly from the vial base 411. The receiving arms 412 are shaped to define a space therebetween that is configured to receive the concentrate vial 401 (as shown in FIG. 16).

[0041] The vial head 420 is pivotably or rotatably attached to the vial base 411 at the vial head pivot 414. The cylindrical portion of the vial head 420 is captured by the vial head pivot 414 to allow rotation of the vial head 420 relative to the vial base 411. The vial head 420 is configured to receive the vial cap 402 within the vial receptacle 421. The vial receptacle 421 has a cylindrical shape corresponding to the vial cap 402. As shown in FIG. 17, the vial receptacle 421 also includes a vial head seal that provides a liquid-tight seal between the vial receptacle 421 and the vial cap 402. The vial head 420 fluidly connects the vial cap 402 (and thus the concentrate vial 401) to the beverage dispenser 1 via the vial fluid connection 415. In this aspect, the vial fluid connection 415 is coaxial with the vial head pivot 414. This reduces space and piping complexity by minimizing the piping required at the vial base 411. The vial fluid connection 415 can have any suitable piping connection, such as a hose barb or thread, to interface with the piping of the beverage dispenser 1. As described below, in some aspects, there are two separate vial fluid connections 415. One vial fluid connection 415 is for delivering concentrate from the vial assembly 400 to the beverage dispenser 1. The other vial fluid connection 415 is for delivering pressurized gas from the beverage dispenser 1 to the vial assembly 400 to equalize the pressure within the concentrate vial 401 during use.

[0042] The vial head 420 also includes a vial concentrate valve 424. The vial concentrate valve 424 is a normally closed valve that is opened by the presence of the vial cap 402 (i.e., when the vial cap 402 is loaded into the vial head 420, it physically opens the vial concentrate valve 424). This ensures that the internal piping of the beverage dispenser 1 is not exposed to the external environment unless the concentrate vial 401 is loaded into the vial mount 410.

[0043] The vial cap 402 has a cap concentrate valve 404. The cap concentrate valve 404 controls the flow of concentrate from the concentrate vial 401 to the vial head 420. The cap concentrate valve 404 is a vacuum-actuated valve that is normally closed but opens when a vacuum is applied. This occurs when a beverage is being dispensed by the beverage dispenser 1. Thus, the cap concentrate valve 404 ensures that the concentrate can only flow out of the concentrate vial 401 during beverage dispensing, which reduces the likelihood of concentrate leakage.

[0044] The vial receptacle 422 also includes a vial head gas valve 426. The vial cap 402 has a mating vial cap gas valve 405. These valves are functionally similar and are vacuum-actuated normally closed valves. Both of them open to connect the interior of the concentrate vial 401 to pressurized gas from the beverage dispenser 1 during beverage dispensing, thereby creating a vacuum in the concentrate vial 401 due to the reduction in the concentrate volume. In this way, the vial cap gas valve 405 and the vial head gas valve 426 reduce gas leakage and prevent contamination of the gas system of the beverage dispenser 1.

[0045] The vial mount 410 has three distinct features for holding the concentrate vial 401 within the vial head 420. First, the vial head 420 includes a vial cap receiving feature 429 (shown in FIG. 22) formed as a cylindrical flange having a recessed cylindrical region immediately below the flange. The flange faces outward and is above the recessed portion (i.e., the flange is positioned closer to the vial cap 402 when the concentrate vial 401 is attached). The vial cap 402 has a corresponding vial head engagement feature 409 formed as an inward flange disposed on the inner surface of the vial cap 402. When the vial cap 402 is pushed into the vial receptacle 422 and fully seated within the vial head receptacle 422, the vial head engagement feature 409 flexes outward and snap-fits over the vial cap receiving feature 429. This action functions to securely hold the vial cap 402 within the vial head receptacle 422 and also provides the user with a tactile confirmation that the concentrate vial 401 is fully seated within the vial head receptacle 422.

[0046] The second retention feature is the vial head magnet 428. As shown in FIGS. 17, 20, and 21, the vial head magnet 428 is fixed to the vial head 420 and thus pivots with the vial head 420. A corresponding vial cap magnet 408 is disposed within the vial cap 402. When the vial cap 402 is fully seated within the vial head receptacle 422, the vial cap magnet 408 and the vial head magnet 428 align and attract each other. This attraction secures the vial cap 402 (and thus the concentrate vial 401) in place relative to the vial head 420. This ensures that the vial cap 402 properly seals the vial head 420 and also provides the user with an additional tactical confirmation of proper seating.

[0047] The final retaining feature includes a pair of vial cap engagement protrusions 418, each of which is disposed on one of the receiving arms 412. The vial cap engagement protrusions 418 extend inwardly into the space defined between the receiving arms 412 and are configured to be received by vial cap grooves 406 disposed within the vial cap 402. When the concentrate vial 401 is moved from the loading position (FIG. 20) to the closed position (FIG. 19), the vial cap engagement protrusions 418 are captured by the vial cap grooves 406, inhibiting upward movement of the vial cap 402 from the vial head 420. The vial cap engagement protrusions 418 can also be formed to exert a radial force on the vial cap grooves 406 and thus further provide a retaining force to keep the concentrate vial 401 from moving from the closed position to the loading position.

[0048] The loading position (FIG. 20) may be rotated such that the centerline of the concentrate vial 401 forms an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with the rear surface of the vial base 411. In other examples, the loading position may be rotated such that the centerline of the concentrate vial 401 forms an angle of 30 to 45 degrees with the rear surface of the vial base 411. The angle associated with the loading position is controlled by the interaction between the portion of the vial head 420 and the vial base 411 or by a stop incorporated into the vial head pivot 414. As shown in FIG. 19, the closed position is located such that the centerline of the concentrate vial 401 is substantially parallel to the rear surface of the vial base 411.

[0049] The elements of the vial assembly 400 described above can be constructed from any suitable material, including, for example, metals and plastic materials.

[0050] The method of replacing the enrichment vial 401 within the gas cylinder assembly 400 according to the above aspect begins with the used enrichment vial 401 being connected to the vial assembly 400 in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 19. The used enrichment vial 401 is rotated downward to the loading position (as shown in FIG. 20) by gripping the used enrichment vial 401 and pulling downward. The used enrichment vial 401 is then removed from the vial head 420 by pulling the enrichment vial 401 away from the vial head 420 (see FIG. 21). A new enrichment vial 401 is then inserted into the vial head 420 until the vial head magnet 428 engages the vial cap magnet 408. Finally, the new enrichment vial 401 is rotated to the closed position (as shown in FIGS. 16 and 19), and the receiving arm 412 (and corresponding vial cap engagement protrusion 418) captures the vial groove 406, thereby holding the new enrichment vial 401. This service process requires no separate tools and can actually be accomplished by the end user in just a few seconds.

[0051] It should be understood that the section "Detailed Description of the Invention" is intended to be used for interpreting the claims, rather than the sections "Summary of the Invention" and "Abstract". The sections "Summary of the Invention" and "Abstract" may show one or more, but not all, exemplary aspects of the present disclosure as conceived by the inventors, and thus are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0052] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will fully disclose the general nature of the present invention, such that others may, by applying the knowledge of those skilled in the art, readily modify or adapt such specific embodiments for various uses without undue experimentation and without departing from the general concept of the disclosure. Accordingly, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the disclosed embodiments based on the teachings and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and thus the phraseology or terminology herein should be interpreted by those skilled in the art in light of the teachings and guidance herein.

[0053] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water filter mount for a beverage dispenser, wherein the water filter mount is The base and, A manifold pivotably attached to the base, wherein the manifold can pivot outward from the base from a closed position to a loaded position, The manifold is fitted with a filter head, which is configured to receive the end of the water filter and to fluidly connect the inside of the water filter to the manifold, The base comprises first and second projections configured to receive the water filter by grooves in the water filter when the water filter is inserted into the filter head and the water filter and the filter head are pivoted to a closed position.

2. The filter head further comprises a receptacle disposed within the filter head and configured to receive the end of the water filter, The end of the water filter comprises a first annular seal disposed on the first cylindrical portion of the end of the water filter and a second annular seal disposed on the second cylindrical portion of the end of the water filter, wherein the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion have different diameters. The water filter mount according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a first cylindrical receiving portion configured to receive the first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical receiving portion configured to receive the second cylindrical portion, and the first cylindrical receiving portion and the second cylindrical receiving portion each have different diameters corresponding to the diameters of the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, respectively.

3. The water filter mount according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid connection portion disposed within a pivot portion connecting the manifold and the base portion, and aligned coaxially with the pivot portion, wherein the fluid connection portion is configured to fluidly connect the manifold to the beverage dispenser.

4. The water filter mount according to claim 3, further comprising a valve configured to selectively connect the fluid connection portion to the filter head only when the water filter is attached to the filter head, and to disconnect the fluid connection portion from the filter head when the water filter is not attached to the filter head.

5. The water filter mount according to claim 3, wherein the filter head is positioned closer to the bottom of the base than the axis of the pivot between the manifold and the base.

6. A method for installing a water filter inside a beverage dispenser, Inserting the end of the water filter into the filter head, which is part of the manifold, wherein the manifold is pivotably attached to the base, A method comprising rotating the water filter and the filter head from a loaded position to a closed position relative to the base such that grooves on the water filter receive a pair of protrusions disposed on the base.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising inserting the end of the water filter to align a first seal on the end of the water filter with a first surface in the filter head, and aligning a second seal on the end of the water filter with a second surface in the filter head, wherein the first surface and the second surface are cylindrical and have different diameters.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein rotating the water filter and the filter head requires a rotation of 30 to 60 degrees measured between the center line of the manifold and the rear surface of the base.

9. A gas cylinder mount for a beverage dispenser, First and second side plates arranged parallel to each other, A manifold pivotably attached to the first and second side plates, wherein the manifold can be pivoted outward from the first and second side plates from a closed position to a loading position, A gas cylinder receptacle disposed within the manifold, configured to receive a valve for a gas cylinder, A gas cylinder receiving portion connected to the manifold and configured to releasably receive the flange of the gas cylinder, The first and second tracks are arranged on each of the first and second side panels, First and second guide protrusions connected to the gas cylinder receiving portion, each of the first and second guide protrusions being received by one of the first and second tracks, A gas cylinder mount comprising: a gas regulator disposed within the manifold and configured to selectively fluidize the inside of the gas cylinder with the manifold.

10. A manifold support plate extending from the aforementioned manifold, A tension assembly fixed to the manifold support plate, The tension assembly and the gas cylinder receiving portion are further comprising a spring fixed to the gas cylinder receiving portion such that the gas cylinder receiving portion is pushed away from the tension assembly and toward the manifold by the spring, The gas cylinder mount according to claim 9, wherein the first and second guide projections are arranged on the tension assembly.

11. The gas cylinder mount according to claim 9, wherein the first and second tracks are configured to limit the rotational range of the manifold between the closed position and the loaded position to 30 to 60 degrees, which is measured by the angle between the centerline of the manifold and the rear of one of the side plates.

12. The gas cylinder mount according to claim 9, further comprising a fluid connection portion configured to fluidly connect the manifold and the beverage dispenser, wherein the fluid connection portion is aligned coaxially with the pivot connection portion between the manifold and the first and second side plates.

13. The aforementioned gas regulator is Gas regulator actuator and A gas regulator pin connected to the gas regulator actuator, the gas regulator pin being able to extend and retract by the gas regulator actuator, comprises The gas cylinder mount according to claim 9, wherein the gas regulator pin is configured to press a valve pin located within the gas cylinder when the gas regulator pin extends to fluidly connect the inside of the gas cylinder to the manifold.

14. The gas cylinder mount according to claim 9, wherein the gas cylinder comprises a seal that interface-connects with a surface within the gas cylinder receptacle to provide an airtight seal between the gas cylinder and the manifold.

15. A method for installing a gas cylinder inside a beverage dispenser, The valve of the gas cylinder is inserted into a receptacle located within a manifold pivotably attached to the first and second side plates, wherein the flange of the gas cylinder seats within a receiving portion connected to the manifold when the valve is inserted. A method comprising rotating the gas cylinder and the manifold from a loaded position to a closed position relative to the first and second side plates.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising pushing the loaded gas cylinder into the receptacle by applying a spring force directed toward the manifold from a tension assembly connected to the manifold via a manifold support plate to the receptacle, wherein the spring force is provided by a spring positioned between the tension assembly and the receptacle.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein rotating the gas cylinder requires a rotation of 30 to 60 degrees measured between the center line of the manifold and the rear of the side plate.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising restricting the rotation of the gas cylinder by constraining the movement of the first and second guide projections positioned on the tension assembly by extending the first and second guide projections into the first and second tracks positioned on the first and second side plates, respectively.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising selectively adjusting the flow rate and pressure of the gas flowing between the inside of the gas cylinder and the fluid connection between the manifold and the beverage dispenser.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the selective adjustment further includes using a gas regulator actuator to selectively extend and retract a gas regulator pin located within the manifold, the gas regulator pin extending to fluidly connect the interior of the gas cylinder to the manifold, thereby opening a gas valve pin.

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