Beverage dispenser with integral ice maker

A method of producing and dispensing a beverage, the method comprising:

• a) producing ice with a refrigeration system having an evaporator remote from a compressor and a condenser, the evaporator being housed inside a housing that also houses a beverage dispenser;
• b) harvesting and storing said ice adjacent to a heat exchanger;
• c) cooling water and syrup in said heat exchanger by exchanging heat with said ice;
• d) mixing cooled water and syrup to form a beverage;
• and
• e) dispensing said beverage.

A beverage dispenser with an integral ice maker comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) a carbonation system comprising a carbonator within the housing and connections to sources of carbon dioxide and water, and a carbonator pump within the housing for pumping carbonated water;
• c) a water system within the housing comprising a water pump and ice-forming equipment;
• d) a refrigeration system having an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, and at least one receiver, the evaporator being located within the housing and the condenser and compressor being located outside the housing, and the at least one receiver having an inlet connected to the condenser, a vapor outlet connected to the evaporator by a valved passageway, and a liquid outlet connected to the expansion device which is connected in turn to the evaporator;
• e) an ice bin within the housing for receiving ice made by the refrigeration system;
• and
• f) a beverage dispensing system within the housing, the dispensing system comprising at least two mixing valves and interconnecting lines between said valves and a source of syrup and a water source, at least one of said mixing valves receiving syrup and carbonated water, wherein the interconnecting lines between the mixing valves and the syrup source and the water source are in heat exchange relationship with the ice bin.

A method of producing and dispensing a beverage, the method comprising:

• a) producing ice with a refrigeration system having an evaporator remote from a compressor and a condenser, wherein the evaporator is housed inside a beverage dispenser housing;
• b) harvesting the ice into an ice bin;
• c) cooling water and syrup by exchanging heat with said ice and carbonating said water;
• d) conveying said carbonated water and syrup to a mixing and dispensing valve;
• e) mixing cooled carbonated water and syrup to form a beverage;
• and
• f) dispensing said beverage.

A beverage dispenser with an integral ice maker comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) a carbonator within the housing connected to a source of carbon dioxide and a source of water.
• c) a water system inside the housing, the water system comprising a water pump and an ice-form lug mold;
• d) a refrigeration system having an evaporator inside the housing, a condenser and a compressor both located remotely from the evaporator, and a receiver with a vapor outlet connected to the evaporator by a valved passageway and a liquid outlet connected to an expansion device near the evaporator;
• e) an ice bin within the housing for receiving ice made by the refrigeration system;
• and
• f) a dispensing system within the housing comprising at least two mixing valves and interconnecting lines between said valves and the sources of syrup and water, at least one mixing valve receiving syrup and carbonated water, wherein the interconnecting lines between the mixing valves and the syrup and carbonated water are in heat exchange relationship with the ice bin.

An ice making aid dispensing machine, comprising:

• a) a water system including at least one pump, at least one ice-forming mold, and interconnecting lines therefor,
• b) a refrigeration system for making ice with water from the water system, the refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, at least one evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the at least one ice forming mold, and at least one receiver having an inlet connected to the condenser, a liquid outlet connected to an expansion device, and a vapor outlet connected by a valved passageway to the evaporator, wherein the compressor and the condenser are located remotely from the evaporator;
• c) an ice bin for receiving ice made by the water system and the refrigeration system;
• d) an ice dispensing system for dispensing ice from the ice bin;
• and
• e) a housing, wherein the water system, at least a portion of the refrigeration system the ice bin, and the ice dispensing system are located within the housing.

A beverage dispenser with an integral ice maker comprising:

• a) a water system including at least one pump, at least one ice-forming mold, and interconnecting lines therefor;
• b) a refrigeration system having at least one evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the ice forming mold, at least one receiver having an inlet connected lo a condenser, a liquid outlet connected to an expansion device, and a vapor outlet connected to the at least one evaporator by a valved passageway, and wherein a compressor draws refrigerant from the at least one evaporator and supplies compressed refrigerant to the condenser, the compressor and condenser both being located remotely from the evaporator;
• c) an ice bin for receiving ice made by the water system and the refrigeration system;
• d) at least one mixing valve for mixing and dispensing carbonated water and syrup, said carbonated water and syrup being chilled by ice from the ice bin, and
• e) a housing containing the water system, the at least one evaporator, the ice bin, and the at least one mixing valve.

A beverage dispenser with an integral ice maker comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) a carbonator within the housing connected to sources of carbon dioxide and water, and at least one pump within the housing for pumping water;
• c) a water system within the housing comprising a water pump and an ice-forming mold;
• d) a refrigeration system having at least one evaporator within the housing and at least one receiver, a condenser and a compressor, the evaporator being located within the housing and the compressor and condenser being located remotely from the evaporator, wherein the receiver has an inlet connected to the condenser, a liquid outlet connected to an expansion device, and a vapor outlet connected by a valved passageway to the evaporator;
• e) an ice bin within the housing for receiving ice made by the refrigeration system;
• and
• f) a dispensing system within the housing, the dispensing system comprising at least two mixing valves and interconnecting lines between said valves and a source of syrup and a water source, at least one mixing valve receiving syrup and carbonated water, wherein the interconnecting lines between the mixing valves and the syrup source and water source are in heat exchange relationship with the ice bin.