Systems and methods for dispensing liquid through a portion of an ice storage bin and related cleaning processes
AssigneeFollett Products, LLC
InventorPaul William Blayle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for dispensing ice and at least one liquid, and related cleaning processes. In one embodiment, the system comprises an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles, a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid, and a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet. An outlet end of the dispensing tube is positioned within a portion of the ice bin at a location aligned above the discharge outlet. The ice particles and the first liquid are dispensed through the discharge outlet separately or at the same time.
Claims17
A system for dispensing ice and at least one liquid, the system comprising:
- an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles;
- a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid;
- a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet;
- wherein an outlet end of the dispensing tube is positioned within a portion of the ice bin at a location aligned above the discharge outlet, and
- wherein the ice particles and the first liquid are dispensed through the discharge outlet separately or at the same time.
A system for dispensing ice and at least one liquid, the system comprising:
- an ice bin for storing a quantity of ice particles;
- a dispensing tube for carrying at least a first liquid;
- and
- a discharge chute in communication with a discharge outlet, wherein the discharge chute is disposed upstream of the discharge outlet;
- wherein the dispensing tube is operative to dispense the first liquid through the discharge outlet for drinking by a user in a first operative state, and
- wherein the dispensing tube is operative to dispense the first liquid into the discharge chute in a second operative state during a cleaning operation, wherein the cleaning operation simultaneously cleans at least the discharge chute and the ice bin, and
- wherein the ice particles are stored in the ice bin at a location separated from the first liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.