Powdered beverage mixing and dispensing apparatus

In combination with a powdered beverage mixing and dispensing apparatus, a dispensing nozzle comprising:

• a first end attached to said apparatus and receiving a beverage therefrom;
• a second free end spaced apart from said first end positioned for directing a beverage dispensed through said dispensing nozzle into a container;
• and
• a beveled tip on said second free end for preventing bubble formation over a bore of said dispensing nozzle, wherein said beveled tip generally provides a single bevel angle extending substantially fully across said second free end and is angled downwardly towards a face of said apparatus to minimize dispersion of a beverage dispensed therefrom towards a user positioned proximate to said face of said apparatus.

A powdered beverage mixing and dispensing apparatus having a housing containing at least one powdered beverage substance hopper for retaining a powdered beverage substance;

• a powder stirring and dispensing mechanism coupled to said hopper for stirring the powdered beverage substance within the hopper and dispensing the powdered beverage substance from the hopper;
• a heated water dispensing system to controllably dispense a desired quantity of heated water for combination with a quantity of dispensed powdered beverage substance;
• a mixing assembly communicating with said at least one hopper for receiving powdered beverage substance dispensed therefrom and communicating with said heated water dispensing system for mixing said powdered beverage substance and heated water to produce a beverage;
• a dispensing tube having a weir positioned therein, said dispensing tube communicating with said hopper and said mixing assembly to direct powder dispensed from said hopper into said mixing assembly, said weir reducing the size of a leading face of powder retained in said tube;
• a moisture removal assembly positioned between said at least one hopper and said mixing assembly for removing moisture produced by heated water mixed in said mixing assembly to reduce intrusion of said removed moisture into said powdered beverage substance retained in said at least one hopper;
• a dispensing nozzle attached to said mixing assembly for directing the flow of beverage mixed therein to a container, a beveled tip of said dispensing nozzle for preventing formation of a bubble thereover;
• and
• a vent tube communicating with said heated water dispensing system for minimizing the accumulation of gas bubbles in a heated water dispensing line of said heated water dispensing system, said vent tube being configured with respect to said heated water dispensing line such that water flowing through the dispensing line backs up into the event tube thereby sealing off the vent tube wherein said vent tube drains through said heated water dispensing line at the completion of a dispensing cycle thereby providing consistent quantities of water dispensed.

A powdered beverage mixing and dispensing apparatus including at least one powdered beverage substance hopper for retaining a powdered beverage substance therein, a powdered beverage dispensing mechanism coupled to said hopper for dispensing powdered beverage therefrom;

• a mixing assembly positioned proximate to said at least one hopper for receiving powdered beverage substance dispensed therefrom for mixing said powdered beverage substance with water to produce a beverage;
• an angled tube having a first end communicating with a dispensing outlet of said hopper and a second end communicating with said mixing chamber, said angled tube defining an elbow therein between said first end and said second end;
• a weir positioned in said tube between said first end and said second end reducing the size of a leading face of powder retained in said tube;
• and
• said powdered beverage dispensing mechanism including
• an auger positioned in said hopper and attached to an auger motor for moving powdered beverage substance through said hopper toward said dispensing outlet in said hopper for controllably dispensing a desired quantity of powdered beverage substance from said hopper, and a stirring mechanism engaged with the auger including a disk retained in said hopper having teeth along a circumferential edge thereof engagable with said auger, and an agitator wire on said disk and having a dimension facilitating extension beyond the circumferential edge of said agitator disk wherein operation of said auger by said auger motor rotates said agitator disk and said agitator wire retained thereon in said hopper to agitate said powdered beverage substance retained therein.