TW202235165A - Sanitizing systems and methods for fluid mixture dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for sanitizing a fluid mixture dispensing system are disclosed. One system comprises at least one reservoir for storing a substance, a mixing area, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the system to execute a mixing cycle and a cleaning cycle. During the mixing cycle the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture. During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing area to sanitize the mixing area.

Description

System and method for sanitizing a fluid mixture dispensing device

field of invention

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/146,461, filed February 5, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for sanitizing devices for dispensing fluid mixtures.

Background of the invention

A typical beverage dispensing system combines a diluent (eg, water) with basic beverage components. Ideally, these diluents and components are provided to the device in a sterile state and the system disinfects all surfaces with which the diluents and components interact within the machine. However, over time, the various fluid channels and surfaces of the device accumulate residues of previous beverages, which pose a risk of reducing the performance of the device, reducing the quality of beverages produced by the device, and increasing the risk of unsanitary conditions such as Microorganisms grow inside the device.

Summary of the invention

This disclosure generally relates to fluid mixture dispensing systems and methods, and more particularly, it relates to several sanitizing systems and methods for fluid mixture dispensing systems. The term disinfection as used herein refers to the action of reducing or eliminating pathogens, while the term "cleaning" is a broader term that includes the removal of accumulated residues using sterile solvents.

Fluid mixture dispensing can be accomplished with an automated fluid mixture dispensing system. Such systems can produce beverage mixes, cleaning products, cosmetic compounds, and various other fluid mixtures. Based on user selections that can be tailored by them, the system can prepare and dispense various fluid mixtures based on a basic set of mixtures and compounds. In order for the system to prepare a fluid mixture, the system may rely on a predefined chemical composition of the mixture. For example, a chemical analysis of a particular wine or perfume produces a list of the chemical raw materials or components that make up the particular wine or perfume. The systems disclosed herein can rely on a predetermined list of chemical raw materials for a particular end user to specify a fluid mixture (eg, Chardonnay) to prepare the fluid mixture. Some chemical raw materials may be dispensed in relatively large volume percentages into the final mixture (for example, a glass of wine may have approximately 10 to 15% ethanol), while other components may be dispensed in volumes less than 0.1 ml. Since small amounts (e.g., less than 0.1 milliliters) of individual chemical raw materials can have a large impact on fluid mixture properties (e.g., taste), the overall storage or footprint of the system can be significantly smaller than those relying on syrups and/or concentrates. with system.

Fig. 1 illustrates a fluid mixture dispensing system in the form of device 100 according to several specific embodiments of the present invention. Picture 150 illustrates by way of example the appearance of device 100 , and picture 160 illustrates by way of example some of the internal components that may be part of device 100 . In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may be used for beverage dispensing as well as for dispensing a wide variety of other fluid mixtures. The fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may include a cup region for a cup 104 . The fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may be a countertop or consumer electronic device or a larger device installed in a restaurant or other commercial location.

The fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may include a housing 102 . The housing may be a protective enclosure that houses various internal components of the system, such as those shown at picture 160 . These internal components may include solvent reservoir(s) such as solvent reservoirs 108a and 108b (e.g., water reservoir(s) and/or alcohol reservoir(s)), raw material reservoirs such as raw material reservoir 106, A cassette, mixing channels, mixing chambers, heat exchangers (e.g., heater/chiller), and/or dissolution chamber(s) in the raw material receptacles such as cassette 105 , and various fluid moving mechanisms (eg, valves, actuators, pumps, etc.). The fluid mixture dispensing system 100 may also include a user interface 103 to allow a user to control the device. For example, a user may select a beverage to be made by the device 100 via the user interface 103 . The fluid mixture dispensing system 100 may also include one or more controllers configured to execute instructions to control the various components of the device and cause the device to perform the functions described in this disclosure.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the fluid mixture dispensing system is configured to perform one or more cleaning cycles. The cleaning cycles may include using one or more substances deposited into the device, such as solvent from solvent reservoir 108a/108b and/or feedstock from one or more feedstock reservoirs, such as feedstock reservoir 106 . The substance can be used as a raw material for preparing a fluid mixture, such as a beverage to be ingested by a user of the device, and as a cleaning fluid or as a raw material for preparing a cleaning fluid. In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the system may include various cleaning modes.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a fluid mixture dispensing system is provided. The system includes at least one reservoir for storing a substance, a mixing zone, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to: during a mixing cycle, dispense the substance from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture; and during a cleaning cycle , dispensing the substance from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone to sanitize the mixing zone.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a method for a fluid mixture dispensing system is provided. The method comprises: during a mixing cycle, dispensing a substance from at least one reservoir to a mixing zone to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture. The method also includes dispensing the substance from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone to sanitize the mixing zone during a cleaning cycle.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a fluid mixture dispensing system is provided. The system includes at least one solvent reservoir, at least one raw material reservoir, a mixing zone, and a controller. The controller is programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to: mix a solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir with a raw material from the at least one raw material reservoir in the mixing zone to create an ingestible fluid mixing; and producing a cleaning product in the mixing zone using the solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir and the raw material from the at least one raw material reservoir.

Implementations and specific embodiments of various aspects and variations of the systems and methods described herein will now be described in detail. Although several exemplary variations of the systems and methods are described herein, other variations of the systems and methods may include aspects of the systems and methods described herein having combinations of all or some of the described aspects in appropriate combinations .

This disclosure will detail various components and methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system, such as the device 100 shown in FIG. 1 . The methods and systems disclosed in this paragraph are non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, and are for illustration purposes only, and should not be used to limit the entire scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments may or may not overlap with each other. Thus, one embodiment, or a portion thereof, may or may not fall within the scope of another embodiment, or a particular embodiment thereof, and vice versa. Different embodiments from different aspects can be combined or implemented separately. Many different combinations and subcombinations of representative embodiments shown within the broad framework of the invention, although obvious to those skilled in the art but not explicitly shown and described, should not be construed as being excluded.

As shown in FIG. 1 , fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may include one or more feedstock reservoirs, such as feedstock reservoir 106 . The feedstock receptacle can be any of the feedstock receptacles described in: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed February 5, 2021, U.S. Patent Application, filed December 9, 2021 Serial No. 17/547,081, and US Patent Application Serial No. 17/545,699, filed December 8, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

A feedstock receptacle may include a "stock," which is also referred to herein as a "stock mix." The feedstock mixture may include at least one primary/functional feedstock. The primary/functional raw material can be at least one of the following: solid, liquid or gas. An example of a primary/functional raw material may be a chemical compound.

In some embodiments, the feedstock mixture may include various concentrations of chemical compounds. In some embodiments, the raw material mixture may include at least one solvent. The at least one solvent can be any combination of solvents disclosed herein. For example, the feedstock mixture in the feedstock reservoir could be a mixture of citric acid (primary/functional feedstock) and water at a specific concentration. Another raw material mixture may be a mixture of potassium sulfate (main/functional raw material), water and ethanol. As described herein, these feedstocks/feedstock mixtures may be dispensed into a fluid stream (which may be a mixture in a solvent (eg, water and/or ethanol) itself) and combined together to form an intermediate fluid mixture. In some embodiments, the raw material mixture may also include at least one of a solvent (eg, water and/or alcohol) and additional raw materials. The additional raw material can be at least one of surfactant, preservative or emulsifier/stabilizer.

The feedstock or feedstock mixture may be stored in a feedstock receptacle, such as feedstock receptacle 106 . In some embodiments, the material receptacles can include sachets, syringes, gravity dispense chambers, particle dispensers, and/or pierceable volumes. In some embodiments, the feedstock receptacles can be the same, different or a combination thereof in the system. In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can include a plurality of raw material reservoirs.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system can cause a predetermined amount of at least one material to flow from the plurality of material reservoirs to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture. The device may include multiple mixing channels. The term "mixing zone" is used in this disclosure to refer to any area in which an intermediate fluid mixture of one or more substances (including raw materials and/or solvents) is formed, including, for example, one or more raw materials mixed with each other and/or One or more mixing channels in which one or more solvents are mixed. The predetermined quantity of the at least one raw material may be mixed with at least one solvent (eg, water from a water reservoir and/or alcohol from an alcohol reservoir) in the at least one mixing channel before flowing into the mixing chamber. The at least one solvent can dissolve the at least one raw material and/or carry the at least one raw material to the mixing chamber.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system can cause a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock to flow from at least one feedstock reservoir to other components of the system, such as a mixing chamber, or to at least one dissolver chamber to form an intermediate mixture. In some embodiments, the at least one feedstock reservoir configured to allow feedstock to flow directly to the mixing chamber 207 and/or the dissolution chamber may not be one of the feedstock reservoirs fluidly connected to the at least one mixing channel By.

In some embodiments, the predetermined quantity(s) of feedstock may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether flowing directly to the mixing chamber or into an intermediate mixture or mixture from a mixing zone, the predetermined amount of the feedstock(s) flowing into the mixing chamber may correspond to the feedstock(s) in a predefined fluid mixture Quantities in , such as fluid mixtures selected from a library of predefined fluid mixtures.

In some embodiments, dispensing a predetermined amount of a material from a material reservoir may enter a mixing zone including at least one mixing channel via at least one microfluidic pump, or enter a mixing chamber and/or At least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, each feedstock reservoir can be fluidly connected to a microfluidic pump for dispensing a feedstock in a feedstock reservoir to a mixing channel, the mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber . In some embodiments, multiple feedstock reservoirs can be fluidly connected to a microfluidic pump for dispensing feedstock from the feedstock reservoirs.

The raw material receptacles may be located in one or more cassettes, such as cassette 105 . The cartridge may include a pressurized chamber to maintain the material reservoirs under pressure and facilitate dispensing of the material. The cassette may be any of those described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461 filed February 5, 2021, U.S. Patent Application No. 17 filed December 9, 2021 /547,081, U.S. Patent Application No. 17/547,612, filed December 10, 2021, and U.S. Patent Application No. 17/545,699, filed December 8, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated Included here as a reference.

FIG. 1 illustrates a set of material receptacles, such as several material receptacles 106 , packaged in a material cartridge 105 . In some embodiments, the system can include one or more feedstock cartridges. For example, at least one of 0-N solid raw material cartridges, 0-N gaseous raw material cartridges, 0-N multiplex raw material cartridges, and 0-N liquid raw material cartridges. In some embodiments, the raw material cartridge 105 may include a plurality of raw material receptacles 106 .

In some embodiments, at least one cartridge can be configured to dispense a predetermined amount of at least one ingredient from at least one ingredient reservoir to a mixing zone (including one or more mixing channels), a mixing chamber, and/or At least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, the at least one cartridge is detachably attached to the fluid mixture dispensing system such that it is replaceable, serviceable (refill/restock), and recyclable. In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can still operate with the cartridge missing or empty.

In some embodiments, a predetermined amount of at least one material can be dispensed into the mixing zone, mixing chamber and/or at least one dissolution chamber via at least one valve. In some embodiments, each feedstock reservoir can have individual valves and actuators. In some other embodiments, more than one feedstock reservoir may be associated with the same valve and/or actuator. In some embodiments, each valve assembly can be configured to control the flow of feedstock from the feedstock reservoir to the mixing zone, mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber.

In some embodiments, the at least one cartridge, such as cartridge 105, can include a pressurized chamber inside the cartridge. In certain specific embodiments, the pressurized chamber may be formed by the cartridge itself. This pressurized chamber can accommodate a plurality of feedstock receptacles, such as feedstock receptacle 106, such that pressure can be applied to the feedstock receptacles. In some embodiments, the system (eg, controller, pneumatic system) can be configured to control the pressure of the pressurized chamber. Correspondingly, the cassette can be pressurized such that, when the valve of the raw material reservoir is open, the raw material stored in the raw material reservoir can flow from the raw material reservoir to the mixing channel, the mixing chamber and/or the at least one dissolution chamber. The feedstock receptacles may be loaded or attached to pressurized chambers with controlled pressure to provide expulsion force.

The mixing zone (comprising one or more mixing channels), mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber may be fluidly connected to the valve outputs of the feedstock reservoirs such that any valve opening may result in feedstock flow to the mixing zone (comprising a or multiple mixing channels), a mixing chamber and/or at least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, the controller can be configured to open at least one valve for a period of time based at least on the pressure of the pressurized chamber, the physical flow characteristics of the particular feedstock in the feedstock reservoir, and/or the The opening diameter of at least one valve to control the flow of a predetermined amount of the at least one material to be dispensed. Accordingly, for a particular raw material in the raw material reservoir, the system may be calibrated to dispense/flow a predetermined amount of the particular raw material to a mixing zone (including one or more mixing channels), a mixing chamber, and/or at least one A dissolution chamber based on the pressure of the pressurized chamber, the physical flow characteristics (eg, viscosity) of the particular feedstock in the feedstock reservoir, and/or the diameter of the valve opening (or the diameter of the orifice of the feedstock reservoir). Likewise, the time interval during which the at least one valve is open may correspond proportionally to the quantity/concentration of at least one material in the material inventory (from chemical analysis) of the predefined fluid mixture. Since dispensing a desired amount of material is controlled by the timing at which the valve is opened, using the approach disclosed in this paragraph is referred to in this disclosure as a time-based material dispensing method.

In some embodiments, the feedstock stored in the feedstock reservoir can be ported to a valve below the feedstock reservoir. In some embodiments, the feedstock reservoirs (and their valves) can lead to a mixing zone. In some embodiments, a plurality of feedstock reservoirs can be fluidly connected to a mixing zone comprising a single mixing channel. In some embodiments, one mixing channel can be fluidly connected to a plurality of mixing channels and a second mixing channel can be fluidly connected to a second plurality of mixing channels. For example, a first mixing channel may have 5-20 feedstock reservoirs fluidly connected to it and a second mixing channel may have 5-20 same or different feedstock reservoirs fluidly connected to the second mixing channel. In these embodiments, the mixing zone can include a plurality of mixing channels. Accordingly, at least one solvent (eg, water and/or ethanol) may flow through the mixing zone and collect any feedstock dispensed into the mixing channels. In some embodiments, at least one solvent may also be dispensed into the mixing zone in order to remove any residual raw materials, as detailed below.

In some embodiments, the mixing channel(s) may be formed at the bottom of the plate body 140 . All mixing channels may be fluidly connected to the solvent reservoir(s) and mixing chamber. Likewise, a solvent can enter at least one mixing channel and at least one feedstock from at least one mixing reservoir can flow into the mixing channel to form an intermediate mixture with the solvent.

In several specific embodiments of the present invention, the solvent used may be water, alcohol, ethyl lactate, and/or propylene glycol. At least one solvent reservoir can supply at least one solvent to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. For example, at least one solvent reservoir 108a is shown in FIG. 1 and may be, for example, a water reservoir. In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can include a plurality of solvent reservoirs (e.g., one or more water reservoirs, one or more alcohol reservoirs, one or more propylene glycol reservoirs, one or more ethyl lactate reservoirs, and/or mixtures of alcohol and water reservoirs, and other variants). In some embodiments, any (or several) water reservoir(s) may include a water filter such that, before allowing the water in the water reservoir(s) to pass to other components of the system (e.g., the mixing chamber) , this water filter removes impurities from the water.

The at least one solvent reservoir can supply solvent to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. For example, any water reservoir may supply water to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. In some embodiments, the solvent reservoir is a solvent container housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system to supply solvent(s) to the system. The solvent(s) can be used to dissolve or carry various other raw materials to form the desired fluid mixture. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (e.g., a controller of the system) can cause a predetermined amount of at least one solvent to flow from at least one solvent reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture .

In some embodiments, the water reservoir is a water container housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system. In other embodiments, the water reservoir can be a standard water outlet, such as a faucet or hose, which can be connected to a fluid mixture dispensing system to supply water to the system. Additionally, water can be used as a solvent for dissolving various other raw materials to form the desired fluid mixture. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (eg, a controller of the system) can cause a predetermined amount of water to flow from the water reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form the intermediate fluid mixture. The predetermined amount of water may be mixed in at least one mixing channel with alcohol from the alcohol reservoir and/or raw materials (ie raw material mixture) from the plurality of raw material reservoirs to form an intermediate mixture before flowing into the mixing chamber.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system can cause a predetermined amount of at least one solvent to flow from the at least one solvent reservoir to other components of the system, such as the mixing chamber. Likewise, the mixing chamber may be fluidly connected to a water reservoir.

The predetermined amount of at least one solvent may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether the solvent flows directly to the mixing chamber or into an intermediate mixture or intermediate mixtures, the predetermined amount of solvent flowing into the mixing chamber may correspond to the solvent at a predefined rate selected from a library of predefined fluid mixtures. Quantity in fluid mixture. In some embodiments, the predetermined quantity of the at least one solvent can flow from the at least one solvent reservoir throughout the system via at least one pump.

In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system may include more than one solvent reservoir, such as a second solvent reservoir, such as the second solvent reservoir 108b shown in FIG. 1 . The second solvent reservoir can be used for the same or a different solvent than the first solvent reservoir. In several specific embodiments of the present invention, the second solvent reservoir, such as 108b, can be an alcohol reservoir as shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can include a plurality of alcohol reservoirs. The alcohol reservoir can supply alcohol to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. As noted above, the solvent reservoirs may include alcohol (eg, ethanol), water, ethyl lactate, propylene glycol, and/or various other alcohols and/or solvents and various combinations thereof. The alcohol in the alcohol reservoir may actually be a mixture of alcohols. In some embodiments, the alcohol mixture may include alcohol and water. For example, the alcohol can be an alcohol mixture of 10-100% alcohol by volume (0-90% water by volume).

In some embodiments, the alcohol reservoir(s) is an alcohol container(s) housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system. In addition to supplying alcohol to the fluid mixture, alcohol may also be used to dissolve various other materials to form an intermediate fluid mixture as part of the requested fluid mixture. Alcohol can also be used as a system disinfectant.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (eg, a controller of the system) can cause a predetermined amount of alcohol to flow from the alcohol reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture. The predetermined amount of alcohol may be mixed in at least one mixing channel with water from a water reservoir and/or raw materials from a plurality of raw material reservoirs to form an intermediate mixture before flowing into the mixing chamber. In some embodiments, water and alcohol can be mixed before entering the at least one mixing channel.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system can cause a predetermined amount of alcohol to flow from the alcohol reservoir to other components of the system, such as the mixing chamber and/or the dissolving chamber. Likewise, the mixing chamber may be fluidly connected to an alcohol reservoir and the alcohol reservoir may be fluidly connected to the at least one dissolution chamber, which in turn may be fluidly connected to the mixing chamber.

The predetermined amount of alcohol may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether directly to the mixing chamber or into an intermediate mixture or mixtures, the predetermined amount of alcohol flowing into the mixing chamber may correspond to the alcohol in a predefined fluid mixture selected from a library of predefined fluid mixtures. quantity. For example, if a glass of Chardonnay is selected and the predefined formula for Chardonnay has 14% (ABV) alcohol by volume, the system will cause a predetermined amount of ethanol to be added to the mixing chamber, resulting in, based on the other ingredients volume, the Chardonnay has 14% ABV alcohol in the final dispense fluid mixture. In some embodiments, the predetermined amount of alcohol is flowable from the alcohol reservoir to various parts of the system via at least one pump. In some embodiments, the system (eg, controller) can be configured to monitor the amount of alcohol or other solvent and/or raw material in the alcohol, solvent and/or raw material reservoir.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing device, such as device 100 , according to certain embodiments disclosed herein. FIG. 2 includes a schematic diagram of a raw material cassette 105 including a plurality of raw material receptacles 106 . Feedstock from feedstock reservoir 106 may be dispensed to mixing zone 211 via a set of valves 120 . The mixing zone 211 may include one or more mixing channels. Each feedstock reservoir may be connected to one or more mixing channels in the mixing zone, eg via a respective valve in the set of valves 120 .

Figure 2 also includes a schematic illustration of a set of solvent reservoirs, including solvent reservoirs 108a and 108b. Solvent from solvent reservoirs 108a and 108b may be dispensed to mixing zone 211 through one or more valves, such as valve 203 . As shown, a plurality of solvent lines, such as solvent line 204, may form a path from the solvent reservoirs to the mixing zone. In certain embodiments of the invention, two or more solvent lines may be mixed in a mixed solvent line, such as mixed solvent line 206 , and routed to mixing zone 211 . In certain embodiments of the invention, the solvent lines are also part of the mixing zone.

Figure 2 also includes a schematic diagram of the pneumatic system 250 of the device. The pneumatic system may be any of the pneumatic systems disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed February 5, 2021, and U.S. Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed December 10, 2021. Application No. 17/548,258, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The pneumatic system can be configured to force air into the mixing zone for various purposes. The pneumatic system can be configured so that air can be forced into the mixing zone via one or more valves, such as valve 203 .

Mixing zone 211 may include one or more inlet lines, such as inlet line 206 . The mixing zone can accept solvent(s) from solvent reservoirs 108a and 108b and/or forced air from pneumatic system 250 via the inlet lines. In certain embodiments of the invention, the inlet lines are also part of the mixing zone.

A controller, such as controller 210, may be configured to control the operation of one or more components of the system to perform various tasks. In certain embodiments of the invention, the controller can be programmed to control the system to perform a mixing cycle. The mixing cycle can prepare fluid mixtures in the manner previously disclosed in this disclosure. During the mixing cycle, the fluid mixture can be automatically dispensed and dispensed out of the device 100 . The fluid mixture may be an ingestible fluid mixture, such as a beverage to be consumed by a user of the device. The fluid mixture may include one or more substances.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the one or more substances may flow to mixing zone 211 to form an intermediate mixture, which may then move to mixing chamber 207 of the device where the intermediate mixture may be further mixed with other substances Mix or dispense outside of device 100. In certain embodiments of the invention, the fluid mixture may be automatically dispensed outside of mixing chamber 207 upon completion of the mixing cycle.

The one or more substances may include one or more raw materials from a raw material receptacle, such as raw material receptacle 106, such as a salt, an acid (eg, a food grade acid that may be used in an ingestible fluid mixture), or the like. The feedstocks may flow through a valve, such as valve 120 , into one or more channels in mixing zone 211 . The one or more substances may include one or more solvents from a solvent reservoir, such as solvent reservoirs 108a and/or 108b. The solvent(s) may flow to mixing zone 211 via one or more channels, such as one or more solvent lines 204 , 206 and inlet line 206 . In certain embodiments of the invention, the solvent(s) can flow through one or more channels in mixing zone 211 and pool and/or mix with the feedstock already dispensed into those channels. In certain embodiments of the invention, the solvent enters one or more mixing channels in the mixing zone, and the raw materials are dispensed to the solvent in the mixing zone. In any event, the feedstocks from the feedstock reservoir 106 may mix with each other and/or with the solvent(s) in the mixing zone and form an intermediate mixture. This intermediate mixture can be dispensed outside the mixing zone 211 and into the mixing chamber 207 of the device.

The one or more substances (ie, the feedstock(s) from the feedstock reservoir and/or the solvent(s) from the solvent reservoir) can be dispensed from the respective reservoirs into the mixing zone in a variety of ways. In certain embodiments of the invention, feedstock from feedstock reservoir 106 may flow to mixing zone 211 in a pressurized chamber located inside cartridge 105 and when a valve, such as valve 120, is open. In certain embodiments of the invention, solvent from solvent reservoirs 108a/b may flow through one or more valves 203 to the mixing zone, for example by means of a solvent pump connected to solvent line 204 .

Once one or more substances have been dispensed into the mixing zone, the substances or intermediate mixture can be moved through the mixing zone. The intermediate mixture may move through the mixing zone for mixing the mixture and/or for dispensing the mixture outside of the mixing zone and into a mixing chamber, such as mixing chamber 207 . This may include agitating the intermediate mixture in the mixing zone prior to dispensing into the mixing chamber 207 .

In certain embodiments of the invention, pneumatic system 250 is used to move the intermediate mixture through the mixing zone. The pneumatic system can force air into the mixing zone via inlet line 206 . The forced air may be used to move the intermediate mixture through the mixing zone, move the intermediate mixture from the mixing zone to the mixing chamber, agitate the intermediate mixture, and the like.

This intermediate mixture may be further mixed with other substances in mixing chamber 207 and/or dispensed outside of device 100 as previously described in this disclosure. The device may be programmed to automatically dispense the fluid mixture upon completion of the mixing cycle, for example automatically unlocking the outlet of the mixing chamber. In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the device can be programmed to dispense a fluid mixture upon sensing a container. The container can be a proprietary container, a container with an RFID chip so that the device can sense it or it can be a normal container recognizable by the device via a sensor, such as a presence sensor in the cup area, or other means. In certain embodiments of the invention, the device can be programmed to dispense a fluid mixture when the device receives an input to do so, such as user input via user interface 103 or other input.

Due to the aforementioned process of the mixing cycle carried out by the device to dispense the fluid mixture, material residues may remain in the mixing zone and the aforementioned other fluid channels. Residues of these substances can be a source of contamination to the installation as they can lead to bacterial growth and other undesirable conditions. Additionally, these substance residues may cross-contaminate other fluid mixtures subsequently prepared by the device, eg, fluid mixtures that do not contain the same substances as previously prepared fluid mixtures. Furthermore, in the long term, these substance residues can lead to damage to the device due to residue accumulation in the channels. Thus, in certain specific embodiments of the invention, the device can be programmed to perform a cleaning cycle.

The cleaning cycle may include steps similar to the mixing cycle disclosed above in that one or more substances may be dispensed through the mixing channel and to the mixing zone, however with the aim of cleaning the channel and mixing zone. In certain embodiments of the invention, during the cleaning cycle, one or more of the substances and/or intermediate mixtures described above for the mixing cycle may be the cleaning fluid for the device. The substance(s) can be dispensed from the reservoir(s) to the mixing zone and moved through and out of the mixing zone in a manner similar to that mentioned when describing the cleaning cycle, for example using the forced air of the pneumatic system 250 . In certain embodiments of the invention, the cleaning cycle may include forcing a burst of air from a pneumatic system into the mixing zone to remove any residue and clean the mixing zone. In certain embodiments of the invention, the cleaning cycle may involve dispensing cleaning fluid from the device, providing instructions to the user to add cleaning fluid to the solvent reservoir, and dispensing cleaning fluid from the solvent reservoir to The components of the cleaning system are downstream of the reservoir and other components within the system are upstream of the source of the cleaning fluid.

As noted above, the mixing and cleaning cycles of the device may have common steps and involve the use of common substances. However, the two cycles may differ in certain respects, such as the concentration of a substance used during the mixing cycle, and the concentration of the same substance used during the cleaning cycle.

FIG. 3 includes a flow diagram 300 of a set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system that includes these two cycles: the mixing cycle on the left and the cleaning cycle on the right. Flowchart 300 begins with step 301 of dispensing a substance. As shown, the substance may include a solvent, such as solvent from a solvent reservoir 108a/b, or feedstock from a feedstock reservoir in cartridge 105 . Step 301 can be performed in any one of a cleaning cycle and a mixing cycle, and the similarities and differences of each cycle are described below.

Step 301 can be similar in both cycles in that at least one common substance can be dispensed in both cycles. Step 301 may also be similar in both cycles in that both cycles may dispense at least one common substance in the same manner (ie, from the same reservoir, through the same channel and valve), as previously described in this disclosure. However, the amount or concentration of such substances need not be the same from cycle to cycle. For example, during a mixing cycle, the substance may be administered in an ingestible amount or concentration such that the concentration of the substance in the finished fluid mixture is acceptable for the ingestible fluid mixture. However, the same substances are dispensed in larger quantities to serve as or form the cleaning fluid during the cleaning cycle. A practical non-limiting example of this practice is where the substance is a food grade acid. During the mixing cycle, the acid may be dosed at step 301 in an amount approximately equal to 0.08 milligrams to produce a fluid mixture which may, for example, be wine. However, during the cleaning cycle, the food grade acid may be dosed at a higher concentration, for example 10 mg or more, to produce a cleaning fluid.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the amount of substance in the mixing cycle can be modified based on the requirements of the fluid mixture. For example, the controller may access a prescription for the fluid mixture stating the quantity of substance, or the controller may receive user preferences regarding the quantity of substance. Thus, if the device is configured to prepare a plurality of different fluid mixtures, the amount of substance used for each mixing cycle may vary (for example, some fluid mixtures may be prescribed alcohol while others may not include any alcohol, or some Prescriptions may call for more acid than others, etc). However, the amount of substance used for a cleaning cycle may be a fixed amount or a given cleaning cycle regardless of the fluid mixture being prepared by the device. For example, a fixed amount of alcohol can be used to sanitize the mixing area. This amount may vary with cleaning mode, for example a deep cleaning mode may require a fixed amount of alcohol, while a lighter mode may require a different fixed amount of alcohol. In certain embodiments of the invention, different modes of cleaning cycles may require different amounts of at least one common substance.

In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the substance may be administered in the same amount in both cycles. In certain embodiments of the invention, the substance is dosed in the same or different amounts in each cycle and diluted differently in each cycle so that the concentration of the substance is different. In the previous example of alcohol, this step could include diluting the alcohol with e.g. water to a concentration of e.g. 10-15% to produce alcohol during the mix cycle, while diluting the alcohol not at all, or to a lesser extent, during the cleaning cycle . If the substance is a solvent, as in the case of alcohol, for example, dilution may take place in the dissolution chamber and/or in a mixed solvent line such as mixed solvent line 206 of FIG. 2 . If the substance is feedstock from a feedstock reservoir, for example dilution may take place in the dissolution chamber and/or in one or more mixing channels in the mixing zone 211 .

The use of step 301 may be different for each cycle, also in that, in addition to at least one common substance, one or more additional substances not necessarily common to both cycles may be individually administered during each cycle. In the alcohol example above, step 301 for the mixing cycle may include dispensing also flavors or colorants for the wine, as well as other ingredients. However, the cleaning cycle may use pure alcohol, or step 301 may include dispensing other substances such as water to create a cleaning fluid.

With respect to the mixing cycle, flowchart 300 continues with step 302 of generating an intermediate mixture. As previously described in this disclosure, this step may include the process in which the raw materials and/or solvents, including the species, are dispensed into and merged in a mixing zone. Step 302 may include the pneumatic system moving the raw materials and/or solvent through a mixing zone, also as previously explained in this disclosure. Step 302 may be followed by step 303 of dispensing the intermediate mixture outside of the mixing zone and into a mixing chamber, such as mixing chamber 207 for finishing the fluid mixture. Step 303 may be performed using forced air from a pneumatic system to move the intermediate mixture out of the mixing zone. Step 303 may be followed by step 304 of dispensing the fluid mixture out of the device. Step 304 can be performed automatically after the mixing cycle, or in response to external input. The external input can be a command from the user, such as pressing a button via the interface 103, or a sensor of the device sensing that a container is placed in the outlet of the mixing chamber, and the like. In certain embodiments of the invention, the device can be configured to operate in a dedicated container, such as a container containing an RFID tag recognizable by the device. In these embodiments, the device can be programmed to perform step 304 when a dedicated container is sensed.

On the other hand, for a cleaning cycle, flowchart 300 continues with step 305 of cleaning the mixing zone. Various exemplary implementations of step 305 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4 . In any event, this step involves sanitizing the mixing zone using the substance as a cleaning fluid, either neat or mixed with other substances. Step 305 is followed by step 303 of dispensing cleaning fluid outside of the mixing zone and into mixing chamber 207 . As shown, step 303 may be the same for both the mixing and cleaning cycles, since it is performed in the same manner. The forced air of a pneumatic system can be used to move the cleaning fluid out of the mixing zone during the cleaning cycle in the same way as explained when used to move the intermediate mixture in the mixing cycle. Step 303 is followed by step 306 which prevents dispensing out of the device until an external input is detected. Various exemplary implementations of step 306 will be explained with reference to FIG. 5 .

In certain embodiments of the invention, cleaning fluid may be automatically dispensed out of the device after step 303 during the cleaning cycle, as explained when describing the mixing cycle. However, preventing the dispensing of cleaning fluid may be beneficial for various reasons. For example, the cleaning fluid may not be an ingestible fluid. The cleaning fluid may contain substances in ingestible concentrations. Furthermore, the cleaning fluid dispensed to the mixing chamber is waste after it is used to clean or sanitize the mixing zone. Automatically dispensing such cleaning fluids out of the mixing chamber may result in the user inadvertently ingesting what appears to be an ingestible beverage. In this sense, it may be advantageous to provide an indication to the user that the contents of the mixing chamber are not ingestible, and in some embodiments, await user input to continue dispensing.

The flowchart 400 of FIG. 4 illustrates a set of methods for a cleaning cycle of a fluid mixture dispensing device. Referring to the description of FIG. 3 , flowchart 300 includes a specific implementation of step 305 of cleaning the mixing zone. The cleaning cycle can include various modes. These patterns can be stored in memory accessible to the controller in the form of instructions to perform different cleaning cycles, and/or dynamically adjusted, as described in more detail below. These modes may include a quick rinse mode as shown in step 410 , a deep cleaning mode as shown in step 420 , a cleaning solution maker mode as shown in step 430 , or other modes as shown in step 440 . These modes can be selected by the user of the device, eg via the user interface 103 . These modes can be performed automatically by the device, depending on various factors such as device configuration, time elapsed since the last cleaning cycle, the state of the mixing zone as sensed by sensors in the device (e.g., detection of contamination ),wait. In certain embodiments of the invention, the device may have a default mode and switch to a different mode from time to time, either automatically or by receiving user input.

The quick flush mode shown at step 410 may include flushing the mixing zone with cleaning fluid. This step can include rinsing with water or whatever to clean the mixing area. As another example, this step may include rinsing with strong alcohol to sanitize the mixing area. This quick flush can be done between fluid mixtures as a quick way to prevent cross-contamination of the fluid mixture. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the quick flush mode may be the default mode of the device. In certain embodiments of the invention, the quick rinse cleaning cycle can be performed automatically after each mixing cycle. Step 410 may be followed by step 303 described in FIG. 3 for dispensing cleaning fluid or waste outside the mixing zone and into the mixing chamber. The quick rinse mode may optionally include a step 412 of rinsing the mixing zone. This step may include rinsing the mixing zone with water to wash away any residual cleaning fluid. This step may include forcing air into the mixing zone to wash off any residue of cleaning fluid. Likewise, step 412 may be followed by step 303 of dispensing waste liquid into the mixing chamber.

The deep cleaning mode shown at step 420 may include leaving the cleaning fluid in the mixing zone for a period of time, eg, to sanitize the mixing zone. As such, this mode may include the step 422 of holding for a period of time before step 303 of dispensing the cleaning fluid into the mixing chamber. This deep cleaning mode can also optionally include a step 412 of cleaning the mixing zone. This step can be the same as mentioned when describing the quick flush mode and is also followed by a step 303 of dispensing any waste liquid to the mixing chamber.

The cleaning fluid maker mode, as shown at step 430, may include producing cleaning products. The cleaning product can be produced using a combination of one or more substances. For example, the cleaning product may comprise at least one raw material from raw material reservoir 106 and at least one solvent from solvent reservoir 108a/b. This cleaning product can be used for any purpose, such as cleaning areas outside the unit. The cleaning product can be synthesized by mixing the substance with one or more other substances. In certain embodiments of the invention where the device is capable of outputting a solid mixture, the cleaning solution may be a tablet. This mode can be followed by a step 303 of dispensing cleaning fluid outside the mixing zone. This step may also include a cleaning step 412 and a step 303 for dispensing any waste material into the mixing zone, as previously described when describing the other modes.

Other cleaning cycle modes can be implemented, as shown in step 440 . For example, the cleaning modes that a user can configure may be based on the time the user is available to clean the device, on substances that the user does or does not want, and so forth. Other modes may also involve adjusting the temperature at which the cleaning fluid performs the cleaning cycle, the concentration of the species, the amount of cleaning fluid, or the like.

As shown, the cleaning cycle mode in FIG. 3 has a common final step 303 of dispensing (cleaning fluid, waste, or cleaning product) into the mixing chamber. As explained in describing FIG. 3 , this step may be followed by a step 306 of preventing dispensing until an external input is received.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart 500 of a set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing device, including examples of external inputs that may be received from step 306 . The external input may include detecting that the cup is not in the cup zone, as shown in step 502 . This step can be performed using sensors in the cup region of the device. In certain embodiments of the invention, this step may be advantageous because it ensures that the cleaning fluid is not dispensed into a cup that could potentially be used by the user to ingest the fluid. This step can then be followed by step 304 of dispensing cleaning fluid out of the device, as described with reference to FIG. 3 . The cleaning fluid may be dispensed, for example, to a waste area of the device, such as a gutter in the cup area, a drip tray or the like.

The external input may also or alternatively include detecting a dedicated container in the cup area of the device, as shown in step 503 . In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the dedicated container may be an RFID-tagged container such that the device can identify the cleaning fluid container. In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the dedicated container may be a reservoir of the device, such as solvent reservoir 108a/b. In these embodiments, the cleaning fluid can be returned to the reservoir of the device, as detailed below. In these embodiments, the device may be configured not to dispense cleaning fluid until a particular container of cleaning fluid is provided in the final dispensing area.

The external input may also or alternatively include receiving an instruction to dispense cleaning fluid, as shown in step 504 . Such instructions may be received from a user of the device and indicate that the user knows that a cleaning fluid will be dispensed, rather than a fluid mixture may be ingested. The commands may be through the user interface 103, a mobile device working in association with the device, or other components.

This external input may also or alternatively include manual removal of the mixing chamber, as shown in step 505 . This step can be performed by the user of the device to manually collect the cleaning fluid. Many other external inputs are possible and the given examples should not limit the scope of the invention. Any action that indicates to the system that there is no risk of dispensing cleaning fluid out of the mixing chamber can be used as an external input.

In several specific embodiments of the present invention, the system can be configured to provide instructions to the user for any of the previously disclosed inputs, as shown in step 501 . These instructions may relate to external inputs that the system expects to receive. These instructions may provide an indication to the user of what action needs to be taken in order to dispense cleaning fluid from the mixing chamber. For example, the instructions may include instructions to remove cups from the mixing zone. These instructions may be given, for example, before performing step 502 . Other instructions may include instructions to place a dedicated cup of cleaning fluid in the cup area. These instructions may be given, for example, before performing step 503 . Other instructions may include instructions to the user to perform an action to indicate dispensing, such as pressing a "now dispense cleaning fluid" button or other input, which indicates to the user that cleaning fluid is to be dispensed next. These instructions may be given, for example, before proceeding to step 504 . Other instructions may include instructions to remove the mixing chamber, such as how to remove it. These instructions may be given, for example, before performing step 505 . These and other instructions may be provided alone or in combination in step 501 and at various points during the loop. In this way, throughout the process, the user may receive information and/or instructions regarding the state of the loop and the next step to take.

In certain embodiments of the invention, and as shown in step 506 , the cleaning fluid may be withdrawn to device 100 . This step may involve the user collecting the cleaning fluid dispensed in steps 304 and 305, as shown in sub-step 507, and providing the cleaning fluid to the device, as shown in sub-step 508. The cleaning fluid can be provided to the device by pouring the cleaning fluid into a reservoir of the device. In several specific embodiments of the present invention, the reservoir can be one of the solvent reservoirs and/or raw material reservoirs disclosed herein. If the cleaning fluid is collected in a dedicated container as described in connection with step 503, step 506 may include placing the contents of the dedicated reservoir into the device. In certain specific embodiments of the invention, the device may have dedicated interfaces and/or inputs for dedicated containers. In certain embodiments of the present invention, and also as explained with reference to step 503, the dedicated container may be a receptacle of the device, such as solvent receptacle 108a/b. In such cases, step 506 may include returning the solvent reservoir to its original location in the device.

Flowchart 500 concludes with the optional step of dispensing a cleaning fluid, which may be the same as step 301 in flowchart 300 of dispensing a substance. This step can continue the cleaning cycle by dispensing cleaning fluid from the device reservoir (as explained when illustrating Figure 3 for the mixing and cleaning cycles), cleaning all fluid lines from the reservoir to the mixing zone. In several specific embodiments of the invention, this step may be advantageous because the cleaning fluid can clean not only the mixing channels in the mixing zone where the cleaning fluid is dispensed/formed, but also those that the cleaning fluid does not pass through. other upstream channels.

Although the present disclosure gives an example of alcohol as a substance showing that it can be used both as a raw material for a fluid mixture and as a component of a cleaning fluid during a mixing cycle, this is not a limitation of the invention. The systems and methods used herein can use other substances. These substances can be ingestible substances and can also be used to generate cleaning fluids. For example, a food grade acid such as citric acid may be used during the mixing cycle of the beverage and during the cleaning cycle of the cleaning fluid. In the same way, different salts can be used for both purposes. raw material Mixing Cycle Possible Concentration cleaning cycle possible concentration Alcohol 10-15% ABV for wine 80% ABV for disinfection citric acid 0.1% 0.6% lactic acid 0.00001% 3%

A controller as used in the present disclosure, such as reference controller 210, may include one or more processors that may be distributed locally within the system or remotely. For example, one or more components of a system, such as valves, pumps, and sensors, may be associated with several individual microcontrollers, which may control the operation and interaction with other components of the system. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the controller can be the control system of the overall device, even though the various control elements are planned separately and are not part of a common control hierarchy. The controller has access to one or more memories that store instructions for the controller. Such memories may also store system information such as formula libraries, reference values such as pressure thresholds and/or target pressure values mentioned in this disclosure, and any other necessary information such as sensor data and the like. Information.

While the specification has been described in detail with reference to a few specific embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications, variations and equivalents of these specific embodiments can readily be envisioned upon reading the foregoing. In conjunction with the hardware components described above, any of the methods disclosed herein may be performed by a processor in combination with a computer-readable medium storing instructions for the method. These and other modifications and variations of the present invention may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

100: device 100: system 102: Shell 103: interface 104: Cup 105: box body 106: receptacle 108a/108b: Receptacle 120: valve 140: board body 203: valve 204, 206: solvent lines 206: Inlet pipeline 207: mixing chamber 210: controller 211: Mixed area 250: system 300: Flowchart 301~306: Steps 400: Flowchart 410 to 440: Steps 412: Step 422:Step 500: Flowchart 501~506: steps 507,508: Substeps

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of a fluid mixture dispensing system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of several exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing device, according to certain embodiments disclosed herein.

3 illustrates a first flowchart of a set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system, according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

4 illustrates a second flowchart of the set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system, according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

5 illustrates a third flowchart of the set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system, according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

Similar components in the figures are denoted by the same reference numerals unless otherwise stated.

105: box body

108a/108b: Receptacle

207: mixing chamber

211: Mixed area

300: Flowchart

301~306: Steps

Claims (30)

A fluid mixture dispensing system comprising: at least one receptacle for storing a substance; a mixed zone; and a controller programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to: dispensing the substance from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone during a mixing cycle to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture; and During a cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone to sanitize the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing system as claimed in item 1, wherein: the substance is alcohol; and The controller is further programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to: During the mixing cycle, administering another substance to dilute the alcohol and prepare the ingestible fluid mixture; and During the cleaning cycle, the alcohol is dispensed at a concentration higher than an ingestible alcohol concentration. The fluid mixture dispensing system as claimed in item 1, wherein: during the mixing cycle, dispensing the substance in a first quantity; and During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed in a second quantity. The fluid mixture dispensing system as claimed in item 3, wherein: the first quantity and the second quantity are the same quantity; and The substance is diluted to a concentration that can be used in the mixing cycle that is different from a concentration used in the cleaning cycle. The fluid mixture dispensing system as claimed in item 3, wherein: the fluid mixture dispensing system is configured to prepare a plurality of fluid mixtures; The controller is further programmed to modify the first amount based on a requirement for each of the plurality of fluid mixtures; and The second quantity is a fixed quantity for each of the plurality of fluid mixtures. The fluid mixture dispensing system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further programmed to perform the following actions: determining the first amount based on a requirement for the ingestible fluid mixture; and The second number is determined based at least on a mode of the cleaning cycle. The fluid mixture dispensing system as claimed in item 6, wherein: The modes of the cleaning cycle include: a quick rinse mode and a deep clean mode; and The substance used in the quick rinse mode and the deep clean mode is the same substance. The fluid mixture dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is one of the following: an alcohol, a food-grade acid, and a concentrated salt. The fluid mixture dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to perform the following actions: During the cleaning cycle, the material is kept in the mixing zone for a period of time. The fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 9, wherein the period of time is determined based at least on a mode of the cleaning cycle. As the fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 1, it further comprises: a pneumatic system connected to the mixing zone; Wherein, the pneumatic system moves the substance through the mixing zone during at least a portion of the mixing cycle and at least a portion of the cleaning cycle. The fluid mixture dispensing system according to claim 11, wherein: The pneumatic system moves the substance through the mixing zone by forcing air into the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to perform the following actions: The material is forced out of the mixing zone using forced air from the pneumatic system. As the fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 1, it further comprises: a pneumatic system connected to the mixing zone and configured to provide forced air to the mixing zone; Wherein, the controller is further programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to use the forced air to agitate the substance in the mixing zone. As the fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 1, it further comprises: a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the mixing zone; Wherein, the controller is further programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to perform the following actions: moving the ingestible fluid mixture to the mixing chamber and automatically dispensing the ingestible fluid mixture out of the mixing chamber during the mixing cycle; and During the cleaning cycle, the substance is moved to the mixing chamber and is prevented from being dispensed outside the mixing chamber until an external input is detected. The fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 15, wherein the controller is programmed to detect the external input by sensing that a container is not in a container area. As the fluid mixture dispensing system of claim 15, it further comprises: a user interface; Wherein, the controller is programmed to detect the external input by at least one of the following actions: detect an input from the user interface; and A manual removal of the mixing chamber is detected. A method for a fluid mixture dispensing system, the method comprising: dispensing a substance from at least one reservoir to a mixing zone to prepare an ingestible fluid mixture during a mixing cycle; and During a cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed from the at least one reservoir to the mixing zone to sanitize the mixing zone. The method of claim 18, further comprising, during the cleaning cycle: received the substance in the at least one receptacle; and The substance is dispensed to the mixing zone via at least one channel to sterilize the at least one channel. The method of claim 18, wherein: the substance is alcohol; and The method further includes: During the mixing cycle, administering another substance to dilute the alcohol and prepare the ingestible fluid mixture; and During the cleaning cycle, the alcohol is dispensed at a concentration higher than an ingestible alcohol concentration. The method of claim 18, further comprising: during the mixing cycle, the substance is dispensed in a first quantity, and During the cleaning cycle, the substance is dispensed in a second quantity. The method of claim 21, wherein: the fluid mixture dispensing system is configured to prepare a plurality of fluid mixtures; and The method further includes: modifying the first quantity based on a requirement for each fluid mixture of the plurality of fluid mixtures; and Wherein, the second quantity is a fixed quantity for each of the plurality of fluid mixtures. The method of claim 21, further comprising: determining the first amount based on a requirement for the ingestible fluid mixture; and The second number is determined based at least on a mode of the cleaning cycle. The method of claim 23, wherein: The modes of the cleaning cycle include: a quick rinse mode and a deep clean mode; and The substance used in the quick rinse mode and the deep clean mode is the same substance. The method of claim 18, further comprising: During the cleaning cycle, the material is kept in the mixing zone for a period of time. The method of claim 18, further comprising: Using a pneumatic system of the fluid mixture dispensing system, the substance is moved through the mixing zone during at least a portion of the mixing cycle and at least a portion of the cleaning cycle. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of moving the substance through the mixing zone comprises: Forced air from the pneumatic system is used to force the material out of the mixing zone. The method of claim 18, further comprising: During this mixing cycle: moving the ingestible fluid mixture to a mixing chamber of the fluid mixture dispensing system; and automatically dispensing the ingestible fluid mixture out of the mixing chamber; and During this cleaning cycle: moving the substance to the mixing chamber; and The substance is prevented from being dispensed outside the mixing chamber until an external input is detected. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of detecting the external input includes at least one of the following: sensing that a container is not in a container zone; detecting an input from a user interface; and A manual removal of the mixing chamber is detected. A fluid mixture dispensing system comprising: at least one solvent reservoir; at least one raw material receptacle; a mixed zone; and a controller programmed to cause the fluid mixture dispensing system to: mixing a solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir with a raw material from the at least one raw material reservoir in the mixing zone to create an ingestible fluid mixture; and A clean product is produced in the mixing zone using the solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir and the feedstock from the at least one feedstock reservoir.

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