Beverage vessel support apparatus

A beverage vessel support apparatus for a beverage dispensing apparatus, the beverage vessel support apparatus comprising:

• a movable support member configured for supporting a beverage vessel at a plurality of different support positions;
• an actuation assembly configured for adjusting a height of the movable support member;
• a beverage vessel rim detector arranged at a first vertical position and configured to determine whether an uppermost part of a beverage vessel supported by the movable support member is at an appropriate position for a beverage to be dispensed into the beverage vessel;
• a first beverage vessel detector arranged at a second vertical position below the first vertical position of the beverage vessel rim detector and configured to determine whether a beverage vessel is present on the movable support member;
• and
• a second beverage vessel detector arranged at a third vertical position between the first and second vertical positions of the beverage vessel rim detector and the first beverage vessel detector and configured to determine whether a beverage vessel is present on the movable support member;
• wherein the plurality of support positions of the movable support member comprise a lowermost support position and an uppermost support position, and a plurality of intermediate support positions between the lowermost and uppermost support positions;
• and
• wherein the apparatus is configured such that:
• when the movable support member is at a support position below the second vertical position of the first beverage vessel detector, the first beverage vessel detector is used to detect the presence of a beverage vessel;
• and
• when the movable support member is at a support position above the second vertical position of the first beverage vessel detector, the second beverage vessel detector is used to detect the presence of a beverage vessel.

A method of operating a beverage dispensing apparatus comprising a beverage vessel support apparatus, the method comprising:

• positioning a height-adjustable beverage vessel support at a lowermost support position;
• detecting, using a first beverage vessel detector at a first vertical position above the lowermost support position, whether a beverage vessel is present on the beverage vessel support;
• detecting, using a beverage vessel rim detector, whether an uppermost part of a beverage vessel supported by the beverage vessel support is at an appropriate position for a beverage to be dispensed into the beverage vessel;
• either:
• a) dispensing a beverage when it is detected that a beverage vessel is present on the support and also that the uppermost part of the beverage vessel is at the appropriate position;
• or
• b) raising the beverage vessel support when it is detected that a beverage vessel is present on the support and also that the uppermost part of the beverage vessel is not at the appropriate position;
• wherein when a support position of the beverage vessel support is above the first vertical position of the first beverage vessel detector, detecting, using a second beverage vessel detector at a second vertical position above the first beverage vessel detector, whether a beverage vessel is present on the beverage vessel support;
• wherein when, after raising the beverage vessel support to an uppermost position, it is detected by the beverage vessel rim detector that an uppermost part of a beverage vessel supported by the beverage vessel support is not at an appropriate position for a beverage to be dispensed into the beverage vessel:
• using the second beverage vessel detector to detect whether a beverage vessel remains present on the beverage vessel support;
• and
• wherein when it is detected that a beverage vessel remains present, dispensing a beverage.