Ice bagging apparatus
View Patent ↗An ice-bagging apparatus comprises an ice maker for making ice, a hopper for receiving the ice from the ice maker, a drawer system comprising a drawer and a top door operatively associated with the hopper for measuring the ice and delivering of the ice, a bag delivery mechanism including a bag supply mechanism for placing the ice in a bag, a blower engaged to open the mouth of the bag to receive the ice, a sealer for sealing the open mouth of the bag once the bag is filled with the ice, and a control device for managing and monitoring the drawer and bag delivery mechanism and allowing transmission of the collected data to the internet.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a hopper in which ice is adapted to be disposed;
a drawer movable relative to the hopper, the drawer comprising:
a first position; and
a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper;
a door movable relative to each of the hopper and the drawer, the door comprising:
a first position in which the ice is permitted to enter the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position; and
a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position;
a first actuator operably coupled to the drawer and adapted to move the drawer relative to each of the hopper and the door;
a second actuator operably coupled to the door and adapted to move the door relative to each of the hopper and the drawer;
a sensor coupled to the hopper and adapted to detect an amount of ice in the hopper;
a control unit operably coupled to the first actuator, the second actuator and the sensor
an ice maker from which the hopper is adapted to receive the ice;
a bagging mechanism comprising a bag into which the drawer is adapted to deliver the ice; and
a freezer adapted to store the bag after the ice has been delivered into the bag by the drawer;
wherein, when the drawer is in its first position and the door is in its second position, the door is disposed between at least a portion of the drawer and at least a portion of the hopper;
wherein the sensor sends a first signal to the control unit in response to the detection of the amount of ice in the hopper;
wherein the control unit sends a second signal to the second actuator in response to the receipt of the first signal by the control unit; and
wherein the second actuator places the door in its second position in response to the receipt of the second signal by the second actuator.
2. An apparatus comprising:
a hopper in which ice is adapted to be disposed;
a drawer movable relative to the hopper, the drawer comprising:
a first position; and
a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper;
and
a door movable relative to each of the hopper and the drawer, the door comprising:
a first position in which the ice is permitted to enter the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position; and
a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein, when the drawer is in its first position and the door is in its second position, the door is disposed between at least a portion of the drawer and at least a portion of the hopper; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises:
an ice maker from which the hopper is adapted to receive the ice;
a bagging mechanism comprising a bag into which the drawer is adapted to deliver the ice; and
a freezer adapted to store the bag after the ice has been delivered into the bag by the drawer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising at least one of the following:
a first actuator operably coupled to the drawer and adapted to move the drawer relative to each of the hopper and the door; and
a second actuator operably coupled to the door and adapted to move the door relative to each of the hopper and the drawer.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 comprising the first and second actuators;
wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a sensor coupled to the hopper and adapted to detect an amount of ice in the hopper;
a control unit operably coupled to the first actuator, the second actuator and the sensor;
wherein the sensor sends a first signal to the control unit in response to the detection of the amount of ice in the hopper;
wherein the control unit sends a second signal to the second actuator in response to the receipt of the first signal by the control unit; and
wherein the second actuator places the door in its second position in response to the receipt of the second signal by the second actuator.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein, when the drawer is in its first position and the door is in its second position, the door is disposed between at least a portion of the drawer and at least a portion of the hopper.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a sensor coupled to the hopper and adapted to detect an amount of ice in the hopper;
wherein the door is placed in its second position in response to the detection of the amount of ice by the sensor.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
an ice maker from which the hopper is adapted to receive the ice;
a bagging mechanism comprising a bag into which the drawer is adapted to deliver the ice; and
a freezer adapted to store the bag after the ice has been delivered into the bag by the drawer.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a control unit operably coupled to the drawer and the door.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the control unit is in communication with a remotely-located server.