초록 ▼

An ice-bagging apparatus that provides an establishment with the ability to automatically and expeditiously produce, bag and store bags of ice, thus maintaining a desired supply of bagged ice and eliminating conventional methods of manual ice-bagging and reducing the likelihood of unwanted bridging

An ice-bagging apparatus that provides an establishment with the ability to automatically and expeditiously produce, bag and store bags of ice, thus maintaining a desired supply of bagged ice and eliminating conventional methods of manual ice-bagging and reducing the likelihood of unwanted bridging of the ice.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An ice-bagging apparatus, comprising:means for producing ice; means for bagging the ice produced by said means for producing ice, wherein said means for bagging comprises at least one box slidably engaged with at least one tray, said at least one box adapted to receive the ice produced by said me

1. An ice-bagging apparatus, comprising:means for producing ice; means for bagging the ice produced by said means for producing ice, wherein said means for bagging comprises at least one box slidably engaged with at least one tray, said at least one box adapted to receive the ice produced by said means for producing ice, and wherein said at least one tray is positioned at an angle relative to a ground surface; and, means for dispensing the bagged ice. 2. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for producing ice is at least one icemaker.3. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one hopper for collecting the produced ice and for funneling the collected ice to said means for bagging, wherein said at least one box is adapted to receive the collected ice from said at least one hopper, and wherein said at least one hopper further comprises at least one ice agitator.4. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one box comprises at least one gravitationally encouraged drainage channel.5. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one box moves relative to said at least one tray, wherein said movement results in the passage of ice through at least one aperture in said at least one box, through at least one aperture in said at least one tray, and thereafter, into at least one bag, said at least one bag received from said means for bagging via at least one roller conveyor and at least one bag roll.6. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means for bagging further comprises at least one hatch positioned proximate to said at least one aperture in said at least one tray, wherein said at least one bag received from said means for bagging is positioned proximate to said at least one hatch and wherein said at least one hatch pivots to channel the ice falling from said at least one aperture of said at least one tray into said at least one bag.7. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one bag is opened via at least one blower and wherein said at least one hatch prevents closure of said at least one bag during the filling thereof with ice.8. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sealer to seal at least one bag filled with ice.9. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one rotator for receiving bagged ice from said means for bagging, said at least one rotator being at least one container rotatable via at least one motor.10. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one rotator rotates via said at least one motor to deposit the bagged ice into said means for dispensing.11. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one thermally insulated unit.12. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one storage unit.13. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one vending machine.14. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one control panel for computerized and electronic monitoring, controlling and operation of said apparatus.15. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for sensing operational parameters of said apparatus and for sensing utilization of a selected make and type of bag, said means for sensing selected from the group consisting of photoelectric eyes, laser technology, barcode technology, and combinations thereof.16. An ice-bagging apparatus, comprising:means for producing ice; means for bagging the ice produced by said means for producing ice, wherein said means for bagging comprises at least one box slidably engaged with at least one tray, said at least one box adapted to receive the ice produced by said means for producing ice, and wherein said at least one tray is positioned at an angle relative to a ground surface; means for dispensing bagged ice; means for controlling operation of said apparatus; and, means for sensing operational parameters of said apparatus. 17. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for producing ice is at least one icemaker.18. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one hopper for collecting the produced ice and for funneling the collected ice to said means for bagging, wherein said at least one box is adapted to receive the collected ice from said at least one hopper, and wherein said at least one hopper further comprises at least one agitator.19. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one box comprises at least one angled drainage channel.20. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said at least one box slidably moves relative to said at least one tray, and wherein such slidable movement of said at least one box results in the ice deposited therewithin passing through at least one aperture in said at least one box, through at least one aperture in said at least one tray, and thereafter, into at least one bag, said at least one bag fed from said means for bagging via at least one roller conveyor and supplied by at least one bag roll.21. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 20, wherein said means for bagging further comprises at least one hatch positioned to pivot and thus channel the ice falling from said at least one aperture of said at least one tray into said at least one bag.22. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one bag is blown open prior to the filling of same with ice, and wherein said at least one hatch facilitates the deposit of ice into said at least one bag by holding said at least one bag in an open position.23. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one heat sealer to heat-seal at least one bag filled with ice.24. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one rotator for receiving bagged ice from said means for bagging, said at least one rotator being at least one motorized rotatable container.25. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 24, wherein said at least one rotator rotates via at least one motor and deposits the bagged ice into said means for dispensing.26. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one thermally insulated unit.27. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one storage unit.28. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for dispensing is at least one vending machine.29. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for controlling operation of said apparatus is at least one control panel for computerized and electronical monitoring, controlling and operation of said apparatus.30. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for sensing accurate and proper operation of said apparatus and for sensing utilization of a selected make and type of bag is selected from the group consisting of photoelectric eyes, laser technology, barcode technology, and combinations thereof.31. An ice-bagging apparatus, comprising:at least one icemaker; at least one collecting mechanism for collecting ice produced by said at least one icemaker; at least one bagging assembly for bagging the ice produced by said at least one icemaker, said at least one bagging assembly comprising at least one box slidably engaged with at least one tray, said at least one box adapted to receive the ice collected by said at least one collecting mechanism, and wherein said at least one tray is situated at an angle relative to a ground surface; at least one storing unit for storing the ice bagged by said at least one bagging assembly; at least one control panel for controlling operation of said apparatus; and, at least one sensing mechanism for sensing operation of said apparatus and for sensing bag parameters. 32. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one collecting mechanism is at least one hopper, said at least one hopper adapted to funnel ice into said at least one box, said at least one hopper further comprising at least one agitator for agitating ice deposited and collected therein.33. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one box comprises at least one drainage channel for channeling melting ice and water away from solid ice deposited into said at least one box by said at least one hopper, and wherein said at least one tray assists in the drainage of the melting ice and the water from said at least one box as a result of said at least one tray being situated at an angle relative to the ground surface.34. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one box slides over said at least one tray for depositing ice carried therewithin through at least one aperture formed through said at least one box, through at least one aperture formed through said at least one tray, and thereafter, into at least one bag, said at least one bag fed through said at least one bagging assembly via at least one roller conveyor and supplied by at least one bag roll.35. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 34, wherein said at least one bagging assembly further comprises at least one hatch positioned under said at least one aperture formed through said at least one tray, wherein said at least one bag to be filled with ice is fed through said at least one bagging assembly and positioned under said at least one hatch, said at least one hatch capable of pivoting downward to channel ice falling through said at least one aperture of said at least one tray into said at least one bag.36. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 35, wherein said at least one hatch physically holds open a mouth of said at least one bag to facilitate the deposit of ice therein, wherein the mouth of said at least one bag is initially opened via at least one blower.37. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, further comprising at least one heat sealer to heat-seal at least one bag filled with ice.38. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, further comprising at least one rotator for receiving bagged ice from said at least one bagging assembly, said at least one rotator being at least one container rotatable via at least one motor.39. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 38, wherein said at least one rotator rotates via said at least one motor to deposit the bagged ice into said at least one storing unit.40. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 39, wherein said at least one storing unit is at least one thermally insulated unit.41. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one storing unit is at least one vending machine.42. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one control panel for controlling operation of said apparatus allows computerized and electronical monitoring, controlling and operation of said apparatus.43. The ice-bagging apparatus of claim 31, wherein said at least one sensing mechanism is selected from the group consisting of photoelectric eyes, laser technology, barcode technology, and combinations thereof.