Ice transport and dispensing system
US5299427A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C5/20
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice transport and dispensing system includes an ice maker for introducing ice into a remote ice storage bin and a plurality of ice dispensing stations that receive ice from the bin. Each dispensing station has an ice storage hopper, and at least one downwardly sloping ice delivery conduit extends between the bin and the hoppers for a flow of ice through the conduit from the bin to the dispensing stations solely under the influence of gravity. So that a single conduit can deliver ice to at least two dispensing stations, the conduit extends past one of the stations and leads to the other station and an ice diverter assembly is actuable to divert a flow of ice from the conduit to the one station. A control circuit monitors the level of ice in the hoppers of the dispensing stations and operates the system in a manner to maintain a supply of ice in each hopper.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.