Liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems are well known and ubiquitous throughout homes, businesses, public and private establishments. Liquid dispensers, to name just a few, may include refrigerator water and/or ice dispensers, faucets, countertop/tabletop water dispensers, water dispensing cabinets, or water bubblers. In short, liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems provide liquid from a source to a receiving point by transporting the liquid from the source through a liquid flow path to an outlet at or near the receiving point. Some liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems are even designed to allow flow-through of liquid from the source through a flavoring, such as a concentrated syrup or powder, and to be dispensed as a beverage to the receiving point. Even though some liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems are designed to pass liquid through a liquid flow path from a liquid source to a receiving point, and even dispense a beverage created from dispensing liquid from the liquid flow path, it is not known in the art to provide a liquid dispenser wherein the liquid flow path for communicating liquid from the liquid source to the receiving point is configurable between flow-through and parallel liquid flow modes to facilitate different beverage preparation processes.
Therefore, a need has been identified in the art to provide a liquid flow control system for liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems that is configurable to either a flow-through mode or parallel liquid flow mode to enable varying beverage preparation processes.
Flow control systems for most liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems are designed to support one liquid flow configuration or mode, such as the flow of liquid through a liquid flow path from the liquid source to a receiving point. For example, some appliances, such as a refrigerator, have a liquid flow path in communication with a liquid source for dispensing liquid at the refrigerator, and even dispense a beverage created from dispensing liquid from the liquid flow path. However, the liquid flow path in appliances and even refrigerators is not configured or configurable to flow-through and/or parallel liquid flow configurations for enabling a broad variety of beverage preparation processes.
Therefore, a need has been identified in the art to provide a flow control system for liquid dispensing appliances, such as a refrigerator, that is configured or reconfigurable to varying liquid dispensing modes, such as a flow-through and/or a parallel liquid flow mode for enabling the appliance or refrigerator to dispense a broad variety of beverages.
Currently, flow control systems for enabling liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and/or systems with beverage preparation abilities are limited to fixed or set liquid flow modes or scenarios depending on the hardware, architecture and componentry installed during manufacturing.
Therefore, a need has been identified in the art for a flow control system that enables liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems with beverage preparation abilities by providing varying liquid flow scenarios housed within an architecture that is integral to, removably insertable or removably attachable to the liquid dispensing apparatus, method and/or system.
Some liquid dispensing apparatuses, methods and systems may include the ability to prepare a beverage; however, because these same systems are not capable of providing various flow scenarios, they are also limited in the number of beverage preparation processes they can support.
Therefore, a need has been identified in the art to provide an architecture that is integral to, removably insertable or removably attachable to the liquid dispensing apparatus, method or system that includes a liquid flow control and beverage preparation system that is configurable between different flow control modes for supporting one or more beverage preparation processes.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds