Ice/beverage dispenser with in-line ice crusher
First Claim
1. A combination of a beverage dispenser and an ice crusher, the combination comprising:
- a) a beverage dispenser having an ice bin and a cold plate, wherein syrup for at least one beverage is routed through tubing in the cold plate;
b) an ice crusher housing having an inlet connected to the ice bin;
c) an ice crusher within the ice crusher housing; and
d) a crushed ice outlet from the ice crusher housing.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ice crusher is attached to an ice dispenser or to a combined ice and beverage dispenser. The ice crusher occupies minimal space in order to fit the dispenser into an existing space on a serving counter or in a beverage dispensing area. The ice crusher may also elevate the ice. In embodiments using this technique, the outlet of the ice from the ice crusher is higher than the ice inlet. As the ice flows from a source of ice, such as an ice bin, the ice is elevated while it is being crushed. The ice then flows from the outlet of the ice crusher down an ice chute or other outlet of the ice crusher, into a cup or container as desired. Other embodiments convey the ice without lifting it, and still other embodiments dispense either crushed or cubed ice, as the consumer may select. In one embodiment the selected crushed ice or cubed ice are both dispensed though the same ice dispensing chute. A retrofit kit may be used to add an ice crusher to an existing ice dispenser, or to an existing combined ice and beverage dispenser.
108 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A combination of a beverage dispenser and an ice crusher, the combination comprising:
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a) a beverage dispenser having an ice bin and a cold plate, wherein syrup for at least one beverage is routed through tubing in the cold plate;
b) an ice crusher housing having an inlet connected to the ice bin;
c) an ice crusher within the ice crusher housing; and
d) a crushed ice outlet from the ice crusher housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A combination of an ice dispenser with an ice crusher, the combination comprising:
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a) a non-refrigerated ice bin;
b) an ice crusher housing having an inlet connected to the ice bin;
c) an ice crusher within the ice crusher housing; and
d) an outlet for crushed ice from the ice crusher housing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for crushing and dispensing ice from an ice dispenser, the method comprising:
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a) transferring ice from a non-refrigerated ice bin to an ice crusher housing containing an ice crusher;
b) crushing ice with the ice crusher; and
c) conveying crushed ice through an outlet from the housing of the ice crusher. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a beverage dispenser with an integrated ice dispenser, the beverage dispenser having at least one mixing and dispensing valve for mixing a syrup and water and dispensing a beverage, comprising:
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a) selecting whether crushed ice or cubed ice is to be dispensed and activating ice dispensing;
b) in response to a selection of crushed ice in step a), i) causing ice cubes to be delivered to an ice crusher housing;
ii) crushing the ice cubes in the ice crusher housing, and iii) delivering the resulting crushed ice to an ice dispensing chute; and
c) in response to a selection of cubed ice in step a), delivering cubed ice to an ice despising chute. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of operating a combined ice and beverage dispenser, wherein the beverage dispenser comprises at least one mixing and dispensing valve for mixing a syrup and water and dispensing a beverage, and wherein the ice dispenser is equipped with an ice crusher, comprising:
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a) selecting whether crushed ice or cubed ice is to be dispensed and, when crushed ice is selected, b) causing cubed ice to pass into the ice crusher, and c) activating the ice crusher, thereby crushing the ice. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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- 34. A combined ice and beverage dispenser having at least one mixing and dispensing valve for mixing a syrup and water and dispensing a beverage, an ice bin, first and second openings out of the ice bin, an ice crusher and a selector for selecting whether the dispenser will deliver cubed ice or crushed ice.
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39. A combined ice and beverage dispenser having at least one mixing and dispensing valve for mixing a syrup and water and dispensing a beverage, an ice bin, first and second openings out of the ice bin, an ice crusher and two dispensing chutes, one for cubed ice and one for crushed ice.
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40. A retrofit kit for adding an ice crusher to an existing ice dispenser comprising:
- an ice crusher in an ice crusher housing attachable to the existing ice dispenser and an ice dispensing chute attachable to the ice crusher housing.
Specification