Liquid beverage dispenser

摘要

A beverage dispenser and methods of use for combining at least one beverage ingredient with a diluting ingredient to form a beverage. In one embodiment, the beverage ingredient is coffee or tea and the diluting ingredient is water. The beverage ingredient is retained in a container which is positioned in the beverage dispenser. The ingredient is mixed with water at least in part in the container for dispensing into a receptacle positioned relative to the dispenser. In one embodiment, the beverage ingredient is a liquid form of beverage concentrate packaged in a disposable container. The beverage dispenser includes mechanisms and assemblies which form a single opening in the container to allow water to enter and exit the container through the single opening in the container to release and mix the beverage ingredient.

主权项

1. A beverage dispensing apparatus including a container holder assembly, a water delivery system, and an opening device:
the container holder assembly receiving and positioning a container in a downwardly facing orientation, retaining at least one ingredient, relative to the opening device; the water delivery system controllably delivering water to and through the apparatus for use in making a beverage to be dispensed from the apparatus; the opening device is coupled to and communicating with the water delivery system for controllably delivering water to the container; at least one of the container holder and the opening device being moveable to cause the opening device to form a single opening in the downwardly facing end of the container; the opening device is positioned in the apparatus for forming the single opening in the downwardly facing end of the container and controllably delivering water from the water delivery system into the container, flushing water through the container to dispense a mixture of the water and ingredient out of the container through the single, downwardly facing opening in the end of the container.