# US 2014/0150671 A1 · Beverage dispenser with automatic closure of the powder containers chutes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150671 A1 - Document ID: US20140150671A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,308 - Filed: 2012-07-18 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-28 - Assignees: Nestec S.A. - Inventors: Cedric Rey; Sven Zwicker; Michel Hess; Silvio Lardelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150671A1 ## CPC - A47J 31/401: {whereby the powder ingredients and the water are delivered to a mixing bowl} - G07F 11/44: in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk - G07F 13/06: with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract The invention concerns a beverage dispenser comprising: a housing (1), at least one refillable container (2) for storing bulk beverage ingredient, said container comprising a tank (22), a discharge port (5) at the outlet (23) of the tank, at least a beverage preparation unit (3) operatively linked to the container for preparing a beverage from the stored bulk beverage ingredient, a door, wherein the discharge port (6) of the container (2) is configured for being automatically closed due to the opening movement of the door. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Beverage dispenser comprising: a housing; and, at least one refillable container for storing bulk beverage ingredient, the container comprising: a tank, a discharge port at an outlet of the tank, at least one beverage preparation unit operatively linked to the container for preparing a beverage from the stored bulk beverage ingredient, a door, the refillable container is positioned in the housing and the housing is closed by the door, and the discharge port of the container interacts with the door so that the discharge port is opened when the door is closed and is closed when the door is opened. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port of the refillable container is closed at rest and is opened if a pressure is exerted on it. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port comprises: an internal delivery tube comprising a hollowing-out in its bottom part, an external movable member comprising a hollowing-out in its bottom part, the external movable member covering at least a part of the internal delivery tube and being movable between: a position in which the both hollowing-outs of the internal delivery tube and of the external movable member overlap each other, and a position in which the surface of the external movable member overlaps and closes the hollowing-out of the delivery tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a part of the external movable member is pushed by the internal face of the door when the door is closing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Beverage dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the internal delivery tube is a cylinder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) Beverage dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the internal delivery tube comprises a partial weir in front of its hollowing-out. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) Beverage dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the external movable member is a cylinder. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) Beverage dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the discharge port comprises at least one elastic member able to exert a force on the movable member so as to push the movable member away from the container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a spring or metal blades fixed on one end to the refillable container and cooperating on the other end with the external movable member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member cooperates with pins on the lateral sides of the external movable member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) Beverage dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the elastic member exerts a force sufficient to displace the external movable member to a position in which its hollowing-out does not overlap the hollowing-out of the internal cylinder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the internal side of the door presents at least one bump cooperating with the discharge port of the at least one refillable container when the door is closed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises an electromagnetic lock. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) Beverage dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the door comprises an electromagnetic lock and the force of the electromagnet of the electromagnetic lock is greater than the force indirectly exerted by the at least one elastic member of the at least one discharge port on the door.