Ice Link, LLC

Brandon D Berge

Mark Allen McClure

J Eric Berge

Glenn S Seamark

An ice supply system includes an ice transport system, a volumetric feeder coupled with the ice transport system and adapted to deliver a preset volume of ice to an ice output system, and an ice delivery controller coupled with the ice transport system, the volumetric feeder, and the ice output system. The ice delivery controller receives ice requests from the ice output system, controls the delivery of ice from the ice transport system to the volumetric feeder in response to ice requests, controls the volumetric feeder to receive the preset volume of ice therein, and controls the delivery of the preset volume of ice from the volumetric feeder to the ice output system.

Method and apparatus for volumetrically supplying ice to ice output systems

An ice supply system delivers a product to a product engagement device having at least one product engagement jaw, and a discharge tube. An engaged product is delivered at an outlet of the tube. The ice supply system includes a sensor disposed in communication with a product stream to detect the product at a sensor elevation, and communicate the presence of product to a controller. The ice supply system further includes a product receptacle for receiving the engaged product. The product receptacle may be mobile or have an elevation adjustment, thereby providing the ability to create a product pile of a predetermined height beneath the discharge tube. In this configuration, the controller ceases the flow of product when the pile height reaches the sensor disposed in the discharge tube. Alternatively, the ice supply system includes a diverter to toggle between first and second flowpaths, thereby delivering engaged and non-engaged product.

Growing community of inventors

Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America

Brandon D Berge