IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0856451
(2010-08-13)
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등록번호 |
US-8468784
(2013-06-25)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
108 |
초록
An ice bagging system and method according to which ice is automatically disposed in respective bags provided from a first source of bags, and ice is automatically disposed in respective bags provided from a second source of bags.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus comprising: a first source of bags, each of the bags from the first source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a second source of bags, each of the bags from the second source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a first bag advance assembly configured to be operably c
1. An apparatus comprising: a first source of bags, each of the bags from the first source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a second source of bags, each of the bags from the second source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a first bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to either the first source of bags or the second source of bags;a second bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to the second source of bags;a first configuration in which: the first bag advance assembly is operably coupled to the first source of bags;the first bag advance assembly is not operably coupled to the second source of bags; andthe second bag advance assembly is operably coupled to the second source of bags;anda second configuration in which the first bag advance assembly is operably coupled to the second source of bags. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bag advance assembly comprises: a first roller; anda first motor adapted to drive the first roller;andwherein the second bag advance assembly comprises: second and third rollers; anda second motor adapted to drive the second roller. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a support frame to which the third roller is coupled;a pivot element about which the support frame and thus the third roller are adapted to pivot;a solenoid actuator comprising an actuator rod, wherein the actuator rod engages the support frame when the solenoid actuator is energized;a first spring coupled to the support frame and configured to urge the support frame to pivot in a first direction;a spring clip adapted to engage the support frame to thereby resist the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction; anda second spring coupled to the spring clip and configured to urge the spring clip to pivot, relative to the support frame. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, when the solenoid actuator has not yet been energized: the actuator rod does not engage the support frame; andthe spring clip engages the support frame and thereby resists the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, when the solenoid actuator is energized: the actuator rod engages the support frame and thereby urges the support frame to pivot in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; andthe spring clip does not engage the support frame; andthe spring clip is permitted to pivot, relative to the support frame, in response to the urging of the second spring. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, when the solenoid actuator is de-energized: the actuator rod does not engage the support frame;the spring clip does not engage the support frame; andthe support frame is permitted to pivot in the first direction, in response to the urging of the first spring. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one ice maker;a hopper in which ice made by the at least one ice maker is adapted to be disposed, wherein the respective bags are configured to be filled with ice previously disposed in the hopper; anda temperature-controlled storage unit configured to store the respective ice-filled bags. 8. An apparatus comprising: a first source of bags, each of the bags from the first source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a second source of bags, each of the bags from the second source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a first bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to either the first source of bags or the second source of bags; anda second bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to the second source of bags;wherein the first bag advance assembly comprises: a first roller; anda first motor adapted to drive the first roller;andwherein the second bag advance assembly comprises: second and third rollers; anda second motor adapted to drive the second roller. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first configuration in which: the first roller of the first bag advance assembly is engaged with a bag from the first source of bags so that, when the first motor drives the first roller, the first bag advance assembly feeds the bag from the first source of bags;andan initial bag from the second source of bags is engaged with, and held in place between, the second and third rollers. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a second configuration in which: the first roller of the first bag advance assembly is not engaged with any bag from the first source of bags;the initial bag from the second source of bags is engaged with the second and third rollers so that, when the second motor drives the second roller, the second bag advance assembly feeds the initial bag from the second source of bags to the first bag advance assembly. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a third configuration in which: the first roller of the first bag assembly is engaged with the initial bag from the second source of bags so that, when the first motor drives the first roller, the first bag advance assembly feeds the initial bag from the second source of bags. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a support frame to which the third roller is coupled;a pivot element about which the support frame and thus the third roller are adapted to pivot;a solenoid actuator comprising an actuator rod, wherein the actuator rod engages the support frame when the solenoid actuator is energized;a first spring coupled to the support frame and configured to urge the support frame to pivot in a first direction;a spring clip adapted to engage the support frame to thereby resist the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction; anda second spring coupled to the spring clip and configured to urge the spring clip to pivot, relative to the support frame. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, when the solenoid actuator has not yet been energized: the actuator rod does not engage the support frame; andthe spring clip engages the support frame and thereby resists the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, when the solenoid actuator is energized: the actuator rod engages the support frame and thereby urges the support frame to pivot in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; andthe spring clip does not engage the support frame; andthe spring clip is permitted to pivot, relative to the support frame, in response to the urging of the second spring. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, when the solenoid actuator is de-energized: the actuator rod does not engage the support frame;the spring clip does not engage the support frame; andthe support frame is permitted to pivot in the first direction, in response to the urging of the first spring. 16. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: at least one ice maker;a hopper in which ice made by the at least one ice maker is adapted to be disposed, wherein the respective bags are configured to be filled with ice previously disposed in the hopper; anda temperature-controlled storage unit configured to store the respective ice-filled bags. 17. An apparatus comprising: a first source of bags, each of the bags from the first source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a second source of bags, each of the bags from the second source of bags being adapted to be filled with ice;a first bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to either the first source of bags or the second source of bags; anda second bag advance assembly configured to be operably coupled to the second source of bags;wherein the first bag advance assembly comprises: a first roller; anda first motor adapted to drive the first roller;wherein the second bag advance assembly comprises: second and third rollers; anda second motor adapted to drive the second roller;andwherein the apparatus further comprises: a support frame to which the third roller is coupled;a pivot element about which the support frame and thus the third roller are adapted to pivot;a solenoid actuator comprising an actuator rod, wherein the actuator rod engages the support frame when the solenoid actuator is energized;a first spring coupled to the support frame and configured to urge the support frame to pivot in a first direction;a spring clip adapted to engage the support frame to thereby resist the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction; anda second spring coupled to the spring clip and configured to urge the spring clip to pivot, relative to the support frame;a first configuration in which: the solenoid actuator is not energized;the actuator rod does not engage the support frame;the first roller of the first bag advance assembly is engaged with a bag from the first source of bags so that, when the first motor drives the first roller, the first bag advance assembly feeds the bag from the first source of bags;an initial bag from the second source of bags is engaged with, and held in place between, the second and third rollers; andthe spring clip engages the support frame and thereby resists the pivoting of the support frame in the first direction, thereby maintaining the engagement of the initial bag from the second source of bags with the second and third rollers;a second configuration in which: the first roller of the first bag advance assembly is not engaged with any bag from the first source of bags;the solenoid actuator is energized and thus the actuator rod engages the support frame and thereby urges the support frame to pivot in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;the initial bag from the second source of bags is engaged with the second and third rollers so that, when the second motor drives the second roller, the second bag advance assembly feeds the initial bag from the second source of bags to the first bag advance assembly; andthe spring clip does not engage the support frame and thus the spring clip is permitted to pivot, relative to the support frame, in response to the urging of the second spring;anda third configuration in which: the solenoid actuator is not energized;the actuator rod does not engage the support frame;the spring clip does not engage the support frame; andthe first roller of the first bag assembly is engaged with the initial bag from the second source of bags so that, when the first motor drives the first roller, the first bag advance assembly feeds the initial bag from the second source of bags.
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