Refrigeration – With cleaning means for apparatus
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2001-04-03
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
With cleaning means for apparatus
C062S344000, C062S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209339
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dispensing equipment and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a modular ice delivery system for providing ice to a beverage dispenser unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverage dispensers are often equipped with a drink tower to dispense a variety of popular beverages therefrom. Typically, beverage dispensers feature ice dispensers to complement those beverages dispensed from the drink tower such that consumers expect ice to accompany many of these popular carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.
However, providing a continuous supply of ice has long been problematic, especially if a beverage dispenser is accessed by large volumes of consumers. Current beverage dispensers either require manual ice replenishment by a beverage dispenser attendant or feature automatic icemakers of limited capacity.
In particular, beverage dispensers feature an ice holding chamber for providing a supply of ice to the ice dispenser. Often, ice within the ice holding chamber is replenished by an attendant placing ice directly into the ice holding chamber. In addition to being tedious and labor intensive, manual ice replenishment is hazardous in that consumers and beverage dispenser attendants alike trip and fall on ice that lands on the floor during the replenishment process. Furthermore, manual ice replenishment is less than sanitary due to ice contact with the atmosphere, the replenishment container, and even the attendant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,338, which issued to A. G. Weil et al. on Oct. 12, 1965 and is entitled “Ice Handling Apparatus”, features a beverage dispenser with an automatic ice maker. The Weil icemaker is confined within the inner workings of a beverage dispenser unit and, thus, cannot accommodate the unit's ice dispenser with large volumes of ice at any given time. The Weil icemaker imposes a further complication in that it does not include an integrated sanitizing system, which necessitates manual cleaning. Consequently, the Weil icemaker is not suited for placement in a confined space, such as under a counter.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a modular ice delivery system that is self-sanitizing and that provides large quantities of ice pursuant to consumer demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a modular ice delivery system includes a beverage dispenser unit for dispensing beverages therefrom and an ice delivery unit linked with the beverage dispenser unit for supplying ice to the beverage dispenser unit. A docking pathway formed between the ice delivery unit and the beverage dispenser unit is provided for operatively linking the ice delivery unit with the beverage dispenser unit. The modular ice delivery system may further include an ice capacity booster unit linked with the ice delivery unit, ultimately, for supplying ice to the beverage dispenser unit. A docking pathway formed between the ice delivery unit and the ice capacity booster unit is also provided for linking the ice capacity booster unit and the ice delivery unit. In effect, each docking pathway enables the modular ice delivery system to be broken down into modular units commensurate with varying demand for ice.
The ice delivery unit includes an automatic icemaker and the ice capacity booster unit includes a booster icemaker, each for providing a supply of ice for the beverage dispenser unit. As such, the ice delivery unit includes an ice delivery unit transportation element operatively linked with the automatic icemaker for transferring ice from the automatic icemaker to the beverage dispenser unit through the respective docking pathway. In a similar manner, the ice capacity booster unit includes a booster unit ice delivery element operatively linked with the booster ice maker for facilitating the transfer of ice from the booster ice maker to the beverage dispenser unit through the respective docking pathway.
The modular ice delivery system further includes a sanitizing system. The sanitizing system may include a sanitizing line positioned in the beverage dispenser unit, the ice delivery unit, and/or the ice capacity booster unit for ensuring the production and dispensing of sanitary ice from the modular ice delivery system.
In accordance with the present invention, a method for supplying ice includes linking a beverage dispenser unit with an ice delivery unit and supplying ice from the ice delivery unit to the beverage dispenser unit. Similarly, the method may include linking an ice capacity booster unit with the ice delivery unit and, ultimately, supplying ice from the ice capacity booster unit to the beverage dispenser unit. The method may include forming a respective docking pathway from the ice delivery unit to the beverage dispenser unit as well as from the ice capacity booster unit to the ice delivery unit. Thus, as noted above, ice is transferred through each docking pathway via the ice delivery unit transportation element and the booster unit ice delivery element.
Moreover, in accordance with the present invention, a method for sanitizing a modular ice delivery system includes linking a sanitizing line with the modular ice delivery system and dispensing sanitizing mixture from the sanitizing line to the modular ice delivery system. In particular, the modular ice delivery system is flushed with water via the sanitizing line to remove ice in the modular ice delivery system. Sanitizing mixture is discharged from the sanitizing line to sanitize the modular ice delivery system. The modular ice delivery system is flushed with water via the sanitizing line to remove the sanitizing mixture in the modular ice delivery system.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modular ice delivery system and associated methods for supplying ice from as well as for sanitizing the modular ice delivery system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ice delivery unit and an ice capacity booster unit, whereby each of these modular units is capable of being added to the modular ice delivery system in accordance with varying demand for ice.
Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art in light of the following.
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Durham Samuel
Schroeder Alfred A.
Lancer Partnership Ltd.
Makay Christopher L.
Tapolcai William E.
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