Compact water purification and beverage dispensing apparatus

A compact apparatus for dispensing a plurality of beverages comprising:

• means for receiving water from an external source;
• means for purifying the water received from the external source;
• means for heating the water treated by the means for purifying the water;
• means for chilling the water treated by the means for purifying the water;
• means for carbonating the water treated by the means for purifying the water;
• and
• means for dispensing at a single dispensing station, the water carbonated by the means for carbonating, the water chilled by the means for chilling, and the means for heating such that a user can obtain hot water, chilled water, and carbonated water on demand from the compact apparatus at the single dispensing station.

A compact apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising:

• means for receiving water from an external source;
• a holding tank which receives the water;
• means for chilling the water received into the holding tank;
• at least one beverage concentrate storage receptacle, the beverage concentrate storage receptacle positioned in the holding tank and at least partially submerged in the water found in the holding tank such that the temperature of the water is transferred to the beverage concentrate storage receptacle;
• and
• means for dispensing the beverage from the beverage concentrate storage receptacle in the compact apparatus to a user at a beverage dispensing station.

A quickly refillable beverage storage receptacle for use in a compact apparatus for dispensing beverages, the beverage and being used in a compact beverage apparatus storage receptacle comprising:

• a hollow body capable of a holding a liquid beverage;
• a port formed in the body;
• a stopper positioned on the interior of the hollow body, the stopper being hinged such that it can assume a first closed position sealing the port and a second open position away from the port;
• and
• means for biasing the stopper into the first closed position.

A compact beverage dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing carbonated beverages using a source of carbon dioxide gas under pressure, the compact beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a carbonation receptacle capable of receiving water and carbon dioxide, causing the absorption of the carbon dioxide by the water, and being used in the compact beverage dispensing apparatus;
• a water inlet provided on the carbonation receptacle;
• a carbonated water outlet provided on the carbonation receptacle;
• a gas inlet provided on the carbonation receptacle, the gas inlet configured to receive the carbon dioxide gas;
• a gas outlet provided on the carbonation receptacle, the gas outlet configured to exhaust the carbon dioxide gas from within the carbonation receptacle;
• a first beverage receptacle, the first beverage receptacle being adapted to receiving a beverage concentrate;
• a first gas inlet provided on the first beverage receptacle;
• means for connecting the gas outlet to the first gas inlet port provided on the first beverage receptacle such that carbon dioxide gas transferred from the carbonation receptacle to the first beverage receptacle and the gas is kept under pressure within the first beverage receptacle.