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US 2010/0250005 A1Published application
Ice Management Apparatus
AssigneeFollett Corporation
InventorsRichard B. Hawkes, Edward V. Twiggar, III
Life of this patent
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AssigneeFollett Corporation
InventorsRichard B. Hawkes, Edward V. Twiggar, III
Estimating the term…
An ice making and delivery apparatus for making and delivering ice to different ones of a plurality of receptacle units is provided, in which ice delivered via a conduit to a diverter valve mechanism, is diverted from alignment with one ice discharge line to another, depending upon sensors in ice receptacles recognizing a level of build-up of ice in any given receptacle, for computer control of a gearmotor for moving the diverter valve from one position to another. Various controls are provided for preventing ice build-up, and for operating the diverter valve during a “dwell” period of ice movement in the conduit, as distinguished from a “push” period of ice movement in the conduit to the diverter valve. A force multiplication technique is employed for moving the diverter valve notwithstanding the presence of ice therein.
1-26. (canceled)
A method of efficiently controlling ice levels among a plurality of ice receptacle units by the steps of providing a flow of ice to an ice diverter and:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.