Patent ID: 6848600

Claim:
A beverage dispensing apparatus for a refrigerator, said beverage dispensing apparatus comprising: a drink supply canister holder mounted in said refrigerator and adapted to hold a drink supply canister having a drink supply outlet valve from which is discharged, a drink supply; a water supplier mounted in the refrigerator, said water supplier including a carbonated water line, a non-carbonated water line, a carbonated water valve connected to the carbonated water line, a non-carbonated water valve connected to the non-carbonated water line, and a water dispenser connected to the carbonated water valve and the non-carbonated water valve, said water dispenser including a water tube positioned adjacent to the drink supply outlet valve, the water tube having at least one wall which: (a) defines a carbonated water inlet; (b) defines a non-carbonated water inlet; (c) defines a channel in fluid communication with both the carbonated water inlet and the non-carbonated water inlet; (d) is shaped so as to define a central aperture; and (e) defines a plurality of orifices positioned about at least a portion of the central aperture, said drink supply outlet valve and said at least one wall being positioned on said apparatus so as to enable said drink supply to flow through said central aperture from above; a gas supplier connected to said carbonated water line; an actuator adapted to actuate the drink supply outlet valve; and a controller adapted to operate said water supplier and actuator, the controller operable to cause: (a) drink supply to flow from the drink supply outlet valve, through air and through the central aperture; (b) carbonated water or non-carbonated water to flow from the orifices and through the central aperture so that said drink supply and said carbonated water or non-carbonated water simultaneously pass through the central aperture; and (c) said drink supply and carbonated water or non-carbonated water to flow into a beverage collector.