Hopper and agitator assembly for an ice dispenser
US4856682A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1988 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/24
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hopper and agitator assembly for an ice dispenser is characterized by an ice storage hopper having at least two ice dispensing openings and dual rotary agitators in the hopper for urging ice bodies through the openings during dispensing operations. The agitators are mounted side by side for rotation in a common plane and have radially extending arms, the ends of which sweep past the dispensing openings. By using dual agitators, the hopper may have a length considerably greater than its width, so that even when the dispensing openings are toward opposite ends of the hopper, the ends of the agitator arms still sweep closely past the openings to efficiently urge ice through the openings.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.