Automatic ice bagger with self-contained sanitizing system
AssigneePackaged Ice, Inc.
InventorsAlfred A. Schroeder, Perry McGuar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ice bagger includes a sanitizing system which periodically activates to sanitize the ice hopper. In operation, a flow of water is directed to the hopper to melt the ice in the hopper and to flush the melt water to a reservoir. A sanitizing agent is added to the water in the reservoir to form a sanitizing solution which is circulated throughout the hopper. After the sanitizing process, the sanitizing solution is drained from the reservoir and the reservoir is refilled with fresh water for rinsing the hopper.
Claims13
An apparatus for automatically sanitizing a means for storing ice, comprising:
- a sanitizing agent source;
- a means connected to the means for storing ice for delivering water from a water source to the interior of the means for storing ice to melt the ice within the means for storing ice;
- a reservoir means communicating with an outlet from the means for storing ice for receiving and pooling the water from the water source and the water formed from the melted ice;
- a flow control means interposed to said reservoir means and a drain for controlling the flow of water to said drain;
- a first means for pumping connected to said sanitizing agent source for pumping sanitizing agent into said reservoir means to form a sanitizing solution;
- and
- a second means for pumping communicating with said reservoir means and the means for storing ice for circulating said sanitizing solution through the means for storing ice.
A method of sanitizing a means for storing ice, comprising the steps of:
- providing a flow of water from a water source into the interior of said means for storing ice;
- rinsing the interior of said means for storing ice to melt ice contained therein and flush the resulting water from said means for storing ice into a reservoir means;
- delivering a sanitizing agent into said reservoir means to form a sanitizing solution with the water contained therein;
- circulating said sanitizing solution within said reservoir means throughout said means for storing ice;
- draining said sanitizing solution from said reservoir means;
- refilling said reservoir means with water;
- circulating the water within said reservoir means throughout said means for storing ice;
- and
- draining the water from said reservoir means,
- refilling said means for storing ice with ice;
- and
- rinsing the interior of said means for storing ice to melt ice contained therein and flush the resulting water from said means for storing ice into a reservoir means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.