Patent Publication Number: US-6209339-B1

Title: Modular ice delivery system for a beverage dispenser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to dispensing equipment and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a modular ice delivery system for providing ice to a beverage dispenser unit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Beverage dispensers are often equipped with a drink tower to dispense a variety of popular beverages therefrom. Typically, beverage dispensers feature ice dispensers to complement those beverages dispensed from the drink tower such that consumers expect ice to accompany many of these popular carbonated and non-carbonated drinks. 
     However, providing a continuous supply of ice has long been problematic, especially if a beverage dispenser is accessed by large volumes of consumers. Current beverage dispensers either require manual ice replenishment by a beverage dispenser attendant or feature automatic icemakers of limited capacity. 
     In particular, beverage dispensers feature an ice holding chamber for providing a supply of ice to the ice dispenser. Often, ice within the ice holding chamber is replenished by an attendant placing ice directly into the ice holding chamber. In addition to being tedious and labor intensive, manual ice replenishment is hazardous in that consumers and beverage dispenser attendants alike trip and fall on ice that lands on the floor during the replenishment process. Furthermore, manual ice replenishment is less than sanitary due to ice contact with the atmosphere, the replenishment container, and even the attendant. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,338, which issued to A. G. Weil et al. on Oct. 12, 1965 and is entitled “Ice Handling Apparatus”, features a beverage dispenser with an automatic ice maker. The Weil icemaker is confined within the inner workings of a beverage dispenser unit and, thus, cannot accommodate the unit&#39;s ice dispenser with large volumes of ice at any given time. The Weil icemaker imposes a further complication in that it does not include an integrated sanitizing system, which necessitates manual cleaning. Consequently, the Weil icemaker is not suited for placement in a confined space, such as under a counter. 
     Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a modular ice delivery system that is self-sanitizing and that provides large quantities of ice pursuant to consumer demand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a modular ice delivery system includes a beverage dispenser unit for dispensing beverages therefrom and an ice delivery unit linked with the beverage dispenser unit for supplying ice to the beverage dispenser unit. A docking pathway formed between the ice delivery unit and the beverage dispenser unit is provided for operatively linking the ice delivery unit with the beverage dispenser unit. The modular ice delivery system may further include an ice capacity booster unit linked with the ice delivery unit, ultimately, for supplying ice to the beverage dispenser unit. A docking pathway formed between the ice delivery unit and the ice capacity booster unit is also provided for linking the ice capacity booster unit and the ice delivery unit. In effect, each docking pathway enables the modular ice delivery system to be broken down into modular units commensurate with varying demand for ice. 
     The ice delivery unit includes an automatic icemaker and the ice capacity booster unit includes a booster icemaker, each for providing a supply of ice for the beverage dispenser unit. As such, the ice delivery unit includes an ice delivery unit transportation element operatively linked with the automatic icemaker for transferring ice from the automatic icemaker to the beverage dispenser unit through the respective docking pathway. In a similar manner, the ice capacity booster unit includes a booster unit ice delivery element operatively linked with the booster ice maker for facilitating the transfer of ice from the booster ice maker to the beverage dispenser unit through the respective docking pathway. 
     The modular ice delivery system further includes a sanitizing system. The sanitizing system may include a sanitizing line positioned in the beverage dispenser unit, the ice delivery unit, and/or the ice capacity booster unit for ensuring the production and dispensing of sanitary ice from the modular ice delivery system. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a method for supplying ice includes linking a beverage dispenser unit with an ice delivery unit and supplying ice from the ice delivery unit to the beverage dispenser unit. Similarly, the method may include linking an ice capacity booster unit with the ice delivery unit and, ultimately, supplying ice from the ice capacity booster unit to the beverage dispenser unit. The method may include forming a respective docking pathway from the ice delivery unit to the beverage dispenser unit as well as from the ice capacity booster unit to the ice delivery unit. Thus, as noted above, ice is transferred through each docking pathway via the ice delivery unit transportation element and the booster unit ice delivery element. 
     Moreover, in accordance with the present invention, a method for sanitizing a modular ice delivery system includes linking a sanitizing line with the modular ice delivery system and dispensing sanitizing mixture from the sanitizing line to the modular ice delivery system. In particular, the modular ice delivery system is flushed with water via the sanitizing line to remove ice in the modular ice delivery system. Sanitizing mixture is discharged from the sanitizing line to sanitize the modular ice delivery system. The modular ice delivery system is flushed with water via the sanitizing line to remove the sanitizing mixture in the modular ice delivery system. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modular ice delivery system and associated methods for supplying ice from as well as for sanitizing the modular ice delivery system. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ice delivery unit and an ice capacity booster unit, whereby each of these modular units is capable of being added to the modular ice delivery system in accordance with varying demand for ice. 
     Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art in light of the following. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a modular ice delivery system according to the preferred embodiment featuring an ice delivery unit (center) and an ice capacity booster unit (right) engaged with the ice delivery unit, each for supplying ice to a beverage dispenser unit (left). 
     FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an ice delivery unit according to the preferred embodiment for providing ice to a modular ice delivery system. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating an alternative ice capacity booster unit according to the preferred embodiment for providing ice to a modular ice delivery system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms, the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, a modular ice delivery system  5  includes an ice delivery unit  10  and an ice capacity booster unit  50  linked with the ice delivery unit  10 . The ice delivery unit  10  and the ice capacity booster  50  are each engaged with a beverage dispenser unit  10  for supplying ice  7  to the beverage dispenser unit  70 . 
     The beverage dispenser unit  70  is a beverage dispenser system well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In particular, the beverage dispenser unit  70  includes a dispenser unit housing  71  where the ice  7  is stored. A drink tower  76  is provided atop the dispenser unit housing  71  and through a counter  100  for dispensing a variety of popular beverages therefrom. Similarly, an ice dispenser  77  is provided atop the dispenser housing  71  and through the counter  100  for dispensing the ice  7  therefrom to complement those beverages dispensed from the drink tower  76 . 
     The beverage dispenser unit housing  71  defines an ice holding chamber  72  for storing a supply of the ice  7  for the ice dispenser  77 . The ice  7  is brought from the ice holding chamber  72  to the ice dispenser  77  via a dispenser unit ice delivery element  75 . Although shown in FIG. 1 as a screw, as is preferred, the dispenser unit ice delivery element  75  may be any suitable means for delivering the ice  7  from the ice holding chamber  72  to the ice dispenser  77  as those skilled in the art will recognize. The dispenser unit ice delivery element  75  may include a guard plate  73  disposed along the ice holding chamber  72  to prevent unwanted ice within the ice holding chamber  72  from interfering with the delivery of ice by the dispenser unit ice delivery element  75 . Furthermore, the beverage dispenser unit  70  may include an ice agitator  78  disposed within the ice holding chamber  72  for facilitating free flow of the ice  7  from the ice holding chamber  72  through the dispenser unit ice delivery element  75  to the ice dispenser  77 . 
     In operation, the ice  7  enters the ice holding chamber  72  and collects therein until the ice dispenser  77  is activated. Upon activation, the ice  7  from the ice holding chamber  72  enters the dispenser unit ice delivery element  75  via an opening  74  formed between the guard plate  73  and the beverage dispenser unit housing  71 . The ice  7  is thus delivered to the beverage dispenser  77  via the dispenser unit ice delivery element  75  where it is dispensed therefrom. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred ice delivery unit  10  for providing large quantities of ice in accordance with consumer demand. The ice delivery unit  10  includes a delivery unit housing  11  where the ice  7  is formed via an automatic ice maker  30  and a sanitizing system where the preferred sanitizing operation is executed via a logic unit  20 . 
     Each delivery unit housing  11  defines at least one docking pathway  12  for linking the ice delivery unit  10  with the beverage dispenser unit  70  and/or the ice capacity booster unit  50 , thereby enabling the modular ice delivery system  5  to be broken down into component or “modular” units commensurate with varying consumer demand for ice with their beverages. Inasmuch, unlike current beverage dispensers with automatic ice makers, the capacity of automatic ice maker  30  can be varied by removing the ice delivery unit  10  in exchange for another ice delivery unit with an ice maker of larger or smaller capacity. 
     Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 1, where consumer demand for ice is high, at least one ice capacity booster unit  50  can be linked with the ice delivery unit  10 , whereby each ice capacity booster unit is equipped with at least one booster ice maker  60  and booster unit ice delivery element  55  for supplying ice to the beverage dispenser unit  70 . The ice delivery unit transportation element  15  transfers the ice  7  received from the booster unit ice delivery element  55  to the ice holding chamber  72  within the beverage dispenser unit  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the booster unit ice delivery element  55  and the ice delivery unit transportation element  15  are operatively linked with one another so that the ice  7  is delivered along a continuous path from the booster ice maker  60  to the ice holding chamber  72 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, coupling plates  13  are provided along the docking pathway  12  for securing the ice delivery unit  10  with the beverage dispenser unit  70 . In addition, the coupling plates  13  act as a “chute” for the ice  7  entering into the ice holding chamber  72  by providing a surface that facilitates ease of movement for the ice  7  traversing the junction between the ice delivery unit  10  and the beverage dispenser unit  70 . 
     The automatic icemaker  30  is an automatic icemaker well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the automatic icemaker  30  includes an array of ice cube moulds  31  formed by the automatic icemaker  30 . As such, the automatic ice maker  30  subjects the array of ice moulds  31  to freezing temperatures such that the ice  7  is formed by the deposition of liquid water therein. 
     An ice delivery unit pump  33  delivers liquid water from a water source  3  to the automatic icemaker  30  via a water line  34 . Thus in operation, water from the water line flows over the array of ice cube moulds  31 . Water nearest the freezing surface of the array of ice cube moulds  31  is frozen first, thereby establishing a first ice deposition layer therein. Remaining unfrozen water drains from the automatic icemaker  30  and collects in a collecting pan  36  linked with the automatic icemaker  30 . Water from the collecting pan  36  reenters the water line  34  linked with the collecting pan  36  and is pumped to the automatic ice dispenser  30  to establish a second ice deposition layer therein. This cycle is continued until the liquid water is exhausted, thereby forming an ice cube on each ice cube mould from the array of ice cube moulds  31 . Thereafter, the ice  7  from the array of ice cube moulds  31  is discharged from the automatic icemaker  30  and collects within the delivery unit housing  11 . This above described ice formation process is repeated to ensure that enough ice is generated to satisfy consumer demand. 
     A logic unit  20  is provided by the ice delivery unit  10  to execute the above ice formation process. The logic unit  20 , linked with the ice delivery unit pump  33 , enables the ice delivery unit pump  33  to repetitiously draw a sufficient amount of water from the water source  3  to form ice cubes within the array of ice cube moulds  31 , to regulate the temperature of the array of ice cube moulds  31  as well as to discharge ice therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, logic unit  20  comprises a printed circuit board having a microcontroller and associated circuitry well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Once a sufficient amount of ice has accumulated within the delivery unit housing  11 , the logic unit  20  activates an ice delivery unit transportation element  15  disposed within the delivery unit housing  11  to deliver the ice  7  to the docking pathway  12 . Specifically, a desired amount of ice is detected by a sensor  16  linked with the logic unit  20  and engaged with the ice  7  within the delivery unit housing  11 . The ice  7  is thus transferred by the ice delivery unit transportation element  15  from the ice delivery unit  10  to the ice holding chamber  72  within the beverage dispenser unit  70 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the preferred ice delivery unit transportation element  15  includes a conveyor belt  15  that travels between two opposing rollers  15   b.  As those skilled in the art will recognize, the ice delivery transportation element  15  may be any suitable means for delivering the ice  7  from the delivery unit housing  11  to the docking pathway  12 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the sensor  20  comprises a photodetector and emitter pair for determining height of the ice  7  within the delivery unit housing  11 , whereby the logic unit  20  activates the ice delivery unit transportation element  15  when a desired height is detected by the sensor  20 . It should be added that those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other suitable means for detecting a sufficient amount of ice within the ice delivery unit  10 . 
     Like other commercially available automatic icemakers, the automatic icemaker  30  requires periodic cleaning to ensure the production and dispensing of sanitary ice. However, unlike many automatic ice makers and beverage dispenser systems that require disassembly for sanitizing, the modular ice delivery system  5  includes a sanitizing system operated by the logic unit  20  that requires no disassembly of the modular ice delivery system  5 . 
     The sanitizing system includes a water inlet line  43  and a sanitizing solution inlet line  44 . As shown in FIG. 2, water within the water inlet line  43  is drawn from the water source  3  by a water inlet pump  48  linked with the water inlet line  43 . Similarly, sanitizing solution within the sanitizing solution inlet line  44  is drawn from a sanitizing solution source  4  by a sanitizing solution inlet pump  49 . It should be added that in the preferred embodiment, sanitizing solution is combined with water to obtain a sanitizing mixture  6  suitable for use by the modular ice delivery system  5 . Other embodiments, however, contemplate the modular ice delivery system  5  obtaining a sanitizing mixture from a premixed sanitizing mixture source rather mixing water and sanitizing solution as in the preferred embodiment. 
     As such, water from the water inlet line  43  and sanitizing solution from the sanitizing solution inlet line  44  are each introduced into a sanitizing line  46  linked with the water inlet line  43  and the sanitizing solution inlet line  44 , thereby mixing water and sanitizing solution to form and dispense the sanitizing mixture  6  therefrom. An inlet valve  45  linked with the water inlet line  43 , the sanitizing solution inlet line  44 , and the sanitizing solution line  46  is provided for controlling the formation of the sanitizing mixture  6 . The inlet valve  45  is operatively linked with the logic unit  20 , whereby the logic unit  20  regulates the formation and dispensing of the sanitizing mixture  6  via inlet valve  45 . In the preferred embodiment, the inlet valve  45  comprises a solenoid. 
     FIG. 1 shows the sanitizing line  46  configured along the ice delivery unit  10 , the beverage dispenser unit  70 , and the ice capacity booster unit  50  as is preferred. By dispensing the sanitizing mixture  6  therefrom, the sanitizing line  46  sanitizes the entire modular ice delivery system  5 , especially the holding chamber  72 , the automatic ice maker  30  within the ice delivery unit  10 , and the booster ice maker  60  within the ice capacity booster unit  50 . The sanitizing line  46  includes dispensing nozzles  47  coupled with the sanitizing line  46  for dispensing the sanitizing mixture  6  therefrom. 
     Operatively, the sanitizing system employs the following procedure. First, all the ice  7  within the modular ice delivery system  5  is flushed from the system. As such, the logic unit  20  activates the water inlet pump  48  and opens the inlet valve  45  so that water enters and is dispensed from the sanitizing line  46 , thereby melting the ice  7  within the modular ice delivery system  5 . After flushing the modular ice delivery system  5  with water, the logic unit  20  deactivates the water inlet pump  48  and closes the inlet valve  45 . Water drains from the modular ice delivery system  5 , via an ice delivery unit drainage passageway  14  formed by the delivery unit housing  11 , a beverage dispenser unit drainage passageway  71   a  formed by the beverage dispenser unit housing  71 , and a booster unit drainage passageway  51   a  formed by a booster unit housing  51  of the ice capacity booster unit  50 . 
     The logic unit  20  opens the inlet valve  45  and activates the water inlet pump  48  and the sanitizing solution inlet pump  49  to thus form the sanitizing mixture  6  within the sanitizing line  46 . The modular ice delivery system  5  is flushed with the sanitizing mixture  6 , thereby removing unfavorable impurities therefrom. The sanitizing mixture  6  is allowed to drain from the modular ice delivery system  5  through the ice delivery unit drainage passageway  14 , the beverage dispenser unit drainage passageway  71   a,  and the booster unit drainage passageway  51   a.  The modular ice delivery system  5  is then flushed with water as described above. 
     In a similar manner, in addition to sanitizing the modular ice delivery system  5 , the preferred sanitizing line  46  is linked and in communication with the automatic ice maker  30  for sanitizing therein. Inasmuch, ice within the automatic icemaker  30  is first flushed out. The logic unit  20  activates the water inlet pump  48  and opens the inlet valve  45  so that water enters and is dispensed from the sanitizing line  46  to the automatic ice maker  30  to melt ice within the automatic ice maker  30 . The logic unit  20  further opens an ice maker outlet drain valve  35  operatively linked with the logic unit  20  as well as linked and in communication with the water line  34  to permit the draining of the collecting pan  36 . After flushing the modular ice delivery system  5  with water, the logic unit  20  deactivates the water inlet pump  48  and closes the inlet valve  45 . 
     The logic unit  20  opens the inlet valve  45  and activates the water inlet pump  48  and the sanitizing solution inlet pump  49  to thus form the sanitizing mixture  6  within sanitizing line  46 . The automatic icemaker  30  is flushed with the sanitizing mixture  6 , thereby removing unfavorable impurities from the automatic icemaker  30 . The sanitizing mixture  6  is allowed to drain through the automatic ice maker  30  via the collecting pan  36  and out the ice delivery unit  10  via the drain valve drainage passageway  14   a.  The automatic icemaker  30  is then flushed with water in the manner described above at least once to ensure that the sanitizing mixture  6  is removed therefrom. Once the automatic icemaker  30  has been sufficiently flushed with water, the logic unit  20  closes the ice maker outlet drain valve  35 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative ice capacity booster unit  50  for providing large quantities of ice when the consumer demand for ice surpasses the capacity of the ice delivery unit  10 . In many respects, the ice capacity booster unit  50  is similar to the ice delivery unit  10 . 
     The ice capacity booster unit  50  includes a booster unit housing  51  where the ice  7  is formed via the booster icemaker  60 . Each booster unit housing  51  defines at least one docking pathway  12  for linking the ice capacity booster unit  50  with the ice delivery unit  10  or with another ice capacity booster unit. Moreover, where consumer demand for ice is high, other embodiments of the modular ice delivery system  5  contemplate incorporating a plurality of ice makers within the ice capacity booster unit  50  or integrating a plurality of ice capacity booster units to provide ice therefrom. 
     In the same manner as the ice delivery unit  10 , the ice capacity booster unit  50  includes the booster ice maker  60  with an array of ice cube moulds  61  formed by the booster ice maker  60 . As such, the booster icemaker  60  subjects the array of ice moulds  61  to freezing temperatures such that ice is formed by the deposition of liquid water therein in the same manner described above. Furthermore, an ice delivery unit pump  63  is provided for delivering liquid water from the water source  3  to the booster icemaker  60  across a water line  64 . 
     The sanitizing system from the ice delivery unit  10  is linked with the ice capacity booster unit  50  such that the sanitizing line  46  provides the sanitizing mixture  6  to the ice capacity booster unit  50 . The sanitizing mixture  6  is dispensed from the sanitizing line  46  throughout the ice capacity booster unit  50  as well as through the booster icemaker  60  in the same manner described for the ice delivery unit  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the ice capacity booster unit  50  includes a booster unit ice delivery element  55  generally disposed within the booster unit housing  51  for transporting ice from the booster ice maker  60  through the docking pathway  12  to the ice delivery unit  10 . Ultimately, while within the ice delivery unit  10 , the ice delivery unit transportation element  15  transfers the ice  7  received from the booster unit ice delivery element  55  to the ice holding chamber  72  within the beverage dispenser unit  70  in the manner described above. In the preferred embodiment, the booster unit ice delivery element  55  and the ice delivery unit transportation element  15  are operatively linked with one another so that the ice  7  is delivered along a continuous path from the booster ice maker  60  to the ice holding chamber  72 . 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing description, rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.