Ice dispenser for soft drink system
US5219008A · kind A · utility
26Cited by
9References
6Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 15, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/20
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice dispensing system for a soft drink dispenser employs a microphone adjacent a cup into which ice and soft drink are to be dispensed. The microphone senses sounds made by ice pieces dropping into the cup and converts the sounds to electrical signals. These electrical signals, characteristic of the masses of the pieces of ice dropping into the cup, are tallied during the dispensing cycle and the dispensing cycle is then terminated when the tally reaches a predetermined level, indicating that an appropriate compliment of ice has been dispensed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.