Multi-single serve beverage dispensing apparatus, method and system

Abstract

A multi-single serve beverage dispensing apparatus, method and system is disclosed. Storage, management and delivery of a desired liquid enhancement cartridge to a beverage preparation positioned in a refrigerator or other liquid dispensing appliance is provided. A liquid dispensing cartridge is inserted and retrieved through a cartridge loading/unloading interface associated with a cabinet body of a liquid dispensing appliance. A storage system having multiple cartridge holding positions for storing and staging a variety of liquid enhancement cartridges is included. An indexing system has a means for moving one or more of the cartridges into a beverage preparation position for preparing and dispensing a beverage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet body;   a dispenser disposed within the cabinet and comprising a liquid pathway with an inlet in communication with a liquid source and an outlet in communication with a dispensing area;   a cartridge interface associated with the cabinet body, the interface configured to receive a cartridge having a liquid enhancement component;   a storage system in operable communication with the cartridge interface and comprising a storage device with a plurality of cartridge holding positions for staging a plurality of cartridges proximate a beverage preparation position; and   an actuator operably coupled with the storage system for moving one or more of the cartridges into the beverage preparation position between the inlet and the outlet of the liquid pathway for passing liquid through the cartridge for preparing and dispensing a beverage at the dispensing area.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge interface is positioned within a compartment of the cabinet body, the compartment connected in communication with the storage system. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge interface is positioned on an exterior portion of the cabinet body of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the storage system is housed in the compartment and accessible through the product loading interface. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises a combination of both serial and parallel configurations of the cartridge holding positions. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises one or more of the elements selected from the group consisting of channels, belts, clips, chutes, columns, carousels, magazines, and wheels, having cartridge holding positions for storing a plurality of cartridges. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is segmented into a plurality of sub-compartments, each sub-compartment comprises a quantified amount of a liquid enhancement component for preparing a beverage, and:
 a. a beverage having a first drink strength includes a liquid enhancement component dispensed from a first number of sub-compartments of the cartridge; and   b. a beverage having a second drink strength greater than the first drink includes a liquid enhancement component dispensed from a second number of sub-compartments of the cartridge greater than the first number of sub-compartments.   
     
     
         8 . A multi-single serve cartridge beverage dispensing system comprising:
 a cartridge loading interface, the interface configured to receive a cartridge having a liquid enhancement component;   a storage system associated with the cartridge loading interface, the storage system comprising a storage device having a plurality of cartridge holding positions for staging cartridges proximate a beverage preparation position; and   an indexing system comprising an actuator operably connected to the storage device, the actuator configured to move one or more of the cartridges into a liquid pathway at the beverage preparation position for passing liquid through the cartridge for preparing and dispensing a beverage at a dispensing area.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the storage device comprises one or more channels, belts, chutes, columns, carousels, magazines, or wheels having cartridge holding positions for storing a plurality of cartridges. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator rotates the storage device for staging a cartridge in the storage device at the beverage preparation position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the indexing system further comprises a cartridge service system comprising a shuttle for moving a cartridge from the storage system into the beverage preparation position. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  in combination with:
 a. a refrigerator; or 
 b. an ice/water dispenser of a refrigerator. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the beverage preparation position comprises a location in a liquid pathway of the dispenser between:
 a. an inlet in communication with a liquid source; and   b. an outlet in communication with a dispensing area.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8  in combination with a host appliance comprising one of:
 a. a countertop/tabletop water dispenser; 
 b. a water dispensing cabinet; 
 c. a beverage vending machine. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method for dispensing a beverage comprising:
 providing a beverage dispensing system in an appliance having a beverage preparation position;   introducing a cartridge having a liquid enhancement component into the host appliance;   staging the cartridge at the beverage preparation position in a cartridge holder;   indexing the cartridge from the cartridge holder into the beverage preparation position;   dispensing liquid to the beverage preparation position to pass through the cartridge for dispensing a beverage from the appliance; and   iterating the cartridge holder at the beverage preparation position for preparing another beverage.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the indexing step comprises rotating the cartridge holder for staging the cartridge at the beverage preparation position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the indexing step comprises shuttling the cartridge from the cartridge holder into the beverage preparation position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of controlling concentration levels of the beverage by dispensing from one or more sub-compartments in the cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of preparing a beverage having a first drink strength by dispensing from a first number of sub-compartments of the cartridge and another beverage having a second drink strength greater than the first drink by dispensing from a second number of sub-compartments of the cartridge greater than the first number of sub-compartments. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator and a liquid dispensing device.