Machine and methods for dispensing nutritional supplements and multi-serving cartridge therefor

A supplement dispensing machine, the machine comprising:

• a housing having a cartridge bay shaped to receive a generally annular supplements cartridge for rotation about a central axis such that the supplements cartridge centered about the central axis;
• a motor supported by the housing;
• and
• a lance drivingly connected to the motor and positioned within the housing, the lance movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, wherein the lance extends into the cartridge bay in the second position to open the supplements cartridge;
• wherein a buttress is disposed in the housing and positioned opposite to the lance, the buttress positioned to interface with a surface of the cartridge to support the cartridge and form a reinforcing backrest against the lance as the lance moves from the first position to the second position.

A supplement dispensing machine, the machine comprising:

• a housing having a cartridge bay shaped to receive a generally annular supplements cartridge for rotation about a central axis such that the supplements cartridge centered about the central axis;
• a motor supported by the housing;
• a lance drivingly connected to the motor and positioned within the housing, the lance movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, wherein the lance extends into the cartridge bay in the second position to open the supplements cartridge;
• and
• another motor for rotating the supplements cartridge about the central axis within the cartridge bay, the another motor including a rotary output shaft extending into the cartridge bay along a drive axis, the drive axis coinciding with the central axis of the supplements cartridge when the supplements cartridge is disposed in the cartridge bay of the housing;
• wherein the supplements cartridge has a disk-shaped frame centered about the central axis, the frame including an outer peripheral flange about an interior hole, the frame including a plurality of serving chambers, a volume of supplement disposed in each serving chamber, a punctureable membrane disposed in surface-to-surface relationship over the serving chambers, a spline cup affixed to the frame, the spline cup centered over the interior hole, the spline cup including a plurality of axially extending splines;
• and
• wherein the lance extends through and punctures the membrane to open a selected one of the serving chambers when moving between the first and second positions.