Patent ID: 8336326

Claim:
A dispenser comprising: an ice-making section for producing ice chips by freezing ice-making water; an ice-making water drain passage for draining the ice-making water supplied to the ice-making section; and a drain pan for receiving at least one of the ice chips and a beverage, the dispenser further comprising: an ice-making water supply passage for supplying the ice-making water to the ice-making section; a water supply valve for opening and closing the ice-making water supply passage; and a control section for controlling the water supply valve to open and close the ice-making water supply passage, wherein: the ice-making section comprises: an ice-making water tank connected to the ice-making water supply passage, for storing the ice-making water therein; and an overflow pipe for draining, when an amount of the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank exceeds a predetermined amount, surplus of the ice-making water in the ice-making water tank; and the ice-making water drain passage connects the overflow pipe and the drain pan to each other; and the control section controls the water supply valve to open and close the ice-making water supply passage so that the surplus of the ice-making water is made to overflow and is drained from the ice-making water tank at predetermined time points.