Patent ID: 9249006
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: B67D,F25C,F25D

Claim Text:
1. A beverage dispenser for dispensing beverages, comprising: an ice bin that contains ice and is positioned above a hopper that contains water; a chute having at least one opening in the ice bin and one opening in the hopper, the chute connecting the ice bin and the hopper; an agitator mounted within the ice bin, where the agitator is adapted to rotate at least in part over the opening of the chute in the ice bin to cause ice from the ice bin to fall into the water in the hopper and form a slurry ice bath; at least one tube adapted to carry a beverage, the tube having a coiled portion positioned in the slurry ice bath in the hopper and an end portion connected to a dispense valve for dispensing the beverage; wherein the ice bin, hopper and chute are configured such that a buoyant upward force of the ice in the water, at equilibrium, prevents ice from flowing into the hopper via the chute to thereby regulate flow of ice into the hopper without additional mechanical or electrical components.