Metzger Et Al

US 10 , 240 ,844 B1 FIG . 4 is a side perspective view of the spool and the FIGS. 5A and 5B are side perspective views of the spool repair benefits, saving time when parts of the ice bagger 31 Turning briefly to FIG . 12 , which illustrates the ice tensioning assembly of the ice bagger of FIG . 1 ; need to be checked or replaced . and the tensioning assembly of the ice bagger of FIG . 1 , with vending machine 20 in a generalized section view bisecting the spool in the retracted and extended states , respectively ; 5 the ice vending machine 20 from front to back , a sheet 36 of FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged , side perspective views showing the tensioning assembly in detail ; bags 32 is shown moving through the ice bagger 31 along FIG . 7 is a top perspective view of the bag of FIG . 2 Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the sents downstream movement through the ice vending machine 20 . The bag feed assembly 33 is shown disposed 10 above a broken line B , representing a boundary between the enclosure 22, above the broken line B , and the merchandiser 21, below the broken line B . An exemplary bag 32 is shown in FIG . 2 with the 1515 understanding that the description of the exemplary bag 32 of FIG . 2 applies equally to all the bags 32 used in the ice vending machine 20 , even though some bags 32 may have different sizes and proportions . The bags 32 stored in the ice bagger 31 are identical and are stored in a long continuous 20 sheet 36 of bags 32 marked with a perforated edge 35 figures to designate the same elements. FIG . 1 illustrates an and opposed sides 32c and 32d . The bag 32 has a major or enclosure 22 , and the ice makers 23 to gather information 32d . As the term is used here , “ horizontal” means extending moving through the ice bagger of FIG . 1 ; FIGS. 8 - 10 are rear perspective views of the tensioning assembly, showing a throat formed underneath the tension ing assembly, and a guide and cutting element; FIGS. 11A and 11B are rear perspective views of the guide and the cutting element; and FIG . 12 is a stylized , section view bisecting the ice merchandiser of FIG . 1 equipped with the ice bagger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION same reference characters are used throughout the different the direction indicated by the arrowed line A , which repre between each bag 32 . The bag 32 has a top 32a , bottom 32b , ice vending machine 20 constructed and arranged according front face 34 which is flat and extends between the top 32a to the principle of the invention . The ice vending machine 20 and bottom 32b and between the sides 32c and 32d . The bag includes a merchandiser 21 , an enclosure 22 mounted atop 25 32 is constructed of two bonded sheets of transparent plastic the merchandiser 21 , and two ice makers 23 mounted atop or other strong, flexible material, and carries a pattern 40 of the enclosure 22 . A computer 24 with a display monitor is horizontal, opaque bands 41 extending substantially across coupled in data communication to the merchandiser 21, the the front face 34 of the bag 32 between the sides 32c and from those components and to control the production , bag - 30 between the sides 32c and 32d , while " vertical" or " longi ging , and distribution of bags of ice in the ice vending tudinal” will mean extending between the top 32a and bottom 32b . cover 25 lifted to expose the components within the enclo The pattern 40 of bands 41 are configured to be read by sure 22 . an optical sensor during relative translational movement of The merchandiser 21 is an insulated , refrigerated , tem - 35 the bag 32 past the optical sensor in the ice bagger 31 from perature - controlled housing having two doors 26 and 27 between the bottom 32d and top 32c of the bag 32 . The providing access into a refrigerated interior 30 of the mer- patterns 40 are non - unique, in that every bag 32 carries the machine 20 . In FIG . 1 , the enclosure 22 is shown with a front chandiser 21 in which bags of ice are made available for a same pattern 40 of bands 41 arranged in the same manner customer to choose. The doors 26 and 27 have windows and having the same size characteristics. Therefore , each allowing customers to view the interior 30 of the merchan - 40 pattern 40 identifies one bag 32, though not uniquely so . The diser 21 before reaching into the refrigerated interior 30 . The doors 26 and 27 each include a sensor for detecting when one or both of the doors 26 and 27 is opened . One having bands 41 are spaced apart from each other between the top 32a and bottom 32b of the bag 32 . A first minor band 41a is located proximate to the top 32a , a major band 41b is reasonable skill in the art will readily appreciate that the located at a generally intermediate position between the top merchandiser 21 may be of several sizes and arrangements 45 32a and bottom 32b , and a second minor band 41c is located as are common and well-known , such as four - foot or six - between the major band 41b and the bottom 32b . The bands foot wide single - door merchandisers, eight - foot wide 41a , 41b , and 41c each have different heights between the double - door merchandisers , twelve -foot wide triple -door top 32a and bottom 32b of the bag 32 and are vertically merchandisers , and similar arrangements . The merchandiser separated from each other by different distances . 21 shown in FIG . 1 is exemplary of an eight- foot wide 50 The bag feed assembly 33 is shown in detail in FIGS. 3A , 3B , 4 , 5A , and 5B . The bag feed assembly 33 includes a double - door merchandiser. The enclosure 22 is set above the merchandiser 21 and spool 42 mounted to the enclosure 22 for pivotalmovement covers an ice bagging machine ( or “ ice bagger ” 31) for along the double - arrowed arcuate line C in FIGS. 3A and 3B holding and dispensing bags 32 and for opening, filling, between a retracted or working condition ( shown in FIG . sealing, and depositing those bags 32 within the interior 30 55 3A ), in which the sheet 36 of bags 32 on the spool 42 are of the merchandiser 21 . The ice bagger 31 includes a bag wound, ready, and available during operation of the ice feed assembly 33 ( shown in FIG . 12 ) for storing and vending machine 20, and an extended or refilling condition dispensing the bags 32 to be filled with ice . The ice bagger 31, and all structural elements carried by the ice bagger 31 , (shown in FIG . 3B ), in which the spool 42 is pivoted out of the enclosure 22 to the front of the ice vending machine 20 are mounted on a frame 37 . The frame 37 includes two 60 so as to be available to be replaced with a new spool 42 of opposed frame elements 38 and 39 ( shown in FIGS . 3A and bags 32 . 7 ) extending entirely along opposed sides of the ice bagger The spool 42 pivots on opposed , identical swingarms 43 31. The frame 37 is mounted to the enclosure 22 , such as and 44 about an axis parallel to the front of the enclosure 22 . with bolts , screws, or like fasteners , and all pieces of the ice In the extended or refilling condition , the spool is extended bagger 31 are mounted to the frame 37 . This two -piece 65 out, cantilevered conveniently in front of the enclosure 22 construction of the frame greatly improves efficiency of where a store attendant can service the ice vending machine manufacturability , but also produces real maintenance and 20 without having to move behind the ice vending machine

US 10 ,240 , 844 B1 20 , reach deep into the ice vending machine 20 , or perform other difficult and strenuous maneuvers to replace the spool 42 . The swingarms 43 and 44 are identical and mounted on position (shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B ), in which the upper roller assembly 50 is away from the lower roller assembly 51. In the lowered position of the upper roller assembly 50 , opposed sides of the bag feed assembly 33 . The swingarm 43 5 the roller 60 is disposed between and below the rollers 53 has a pivot end 43a and an opposed distal end 43b which and 54 of the lower roller assembly 51. The roller 60 is opening 43e in the distal end 43b which is structured to is separated from and above the rollers 53 and 54 , and the extended condition . Likewise , the swingarm 44 has a pivot bag feed assembly 33 is being readied for operation , the enmeshed with the rollers 53 and 54 , with the roller 60 rotates about the pivot end 43a . The pivot end 43a is between just below the rollers 53 and 54 . The sheet 36 mounted on a pin secured in the frame 37 so that the pivot of bags and 32 is wound through the upper and lower roller end 43a pivots about the pin . The distal end 43b of the 10 assemblies 50 and , with the sheet 36 extending over the swingarm 43 is formed with a cradle 43c to allow quick roller 53, under the51roller 60, and over the roller 54. In the application and removal of the spool 42 from the swingarm raised position of the upper roller assembly 50, the roller 60 43. The cradle 43c has an enlarged lower lip 43d defining an sheet 36 of the bags 32 lies across the rollers 53 and 54. prevent the spool 42 from coming loose from the cradle 43c adre 43C 15 When the upper roller assembly 50 moves from the raised when the swingarm 43 is lowered and the spool 42 is in the position to the lowered position , as would happen when the end 44a which is mounted to the enclosure 22 for rotation , and an opposed distal end which rotates about the pivot end roller 60 catches and depresses the sheet 36 of bags 32 between the rollers 53 and 54 . and an opening to allow quick application and removal of the spool 42 from the swingarm 44 . The cradle prevents the which are a part of both the ice bagger 31 and the bag feed assembly 33 . The drive rollers 63 are downstream from the 44a . The pivot end 44a is mounted on a pin secured in the 20 Referring back to FIG . 12 , downstream from the upper frame 37 so that the pivot end 44a picots about the pin . The and lower roller assemblies 50 and 51 are drive rollers 63 distal end is formed with a cradle with an enlarged lower lip disposed above a vertical drop space or throat 64 , each of spool 42 from coming loose from the swingarm 44 when the 25 upper and lower roller assemblies 50 and 51 and include a swingarm 44 is lowered and the spool 42 is in the extended position . Referring briefly back to the schematic shown in FIG . 12 , the spool 42 carries the sheet 36 of bags 32 for provision from the bag feed assembly 33 . The sheet 36 of bags 32 30 extends from the spool 42 , at the front of the enclosure 22 , toward the middle of the enclosure through a tensioning top roller 63a and a bottom roller 63b . The top roller 63a is a tension roller, and the bottom roller 63b is operatively coupled to and driven by a motor to advance the sheet 36 of bags 32 downstream along line A through the bag feed assembly 33 . The bottom roller 63b carries annular gaskets or O - rings to provide friction or adhesion between the b ottom roller 63b and the sheet 36 of bags 32 to advance the assembly 45 . The tensioning assembly 45 includes sets of sheet 36 of bags 32 through the tensioning assembly 45 in upper and lower rollers (hereinafter identified as upper and response to rotation of the bottom roller 63b . lower assemblies 50 and 51, respectively ) and a driven upper 35 As shown in FIG . 12 , the rollers 63 are disposed higher roller 52 . The tensioning assembly 45 provides tension to the than the upper and lower roller assemblies 50 and 51. bags 32 unrolled from the spool 42 and directs the sheet 36 Accordingly, the tensioning assembly 45 rises, or is oriented , of bags 32 to a bag filling location 46 for filling with ice . obliquely from front to back : the tensioning assembly 45 is The upper and lower roller assemblies 50 and 51, which at a lower height proximate to the front of the frame 37 , and are a part of the bag feed assembly 33 , provide and maintain 40 is at a greater height at the driven upper roller 52 at the rear tension to the sheet 36 of bags 32 as the sheet 36 is moved of the frame 37 . The rollers 63 are tiered or stepped -up through the ice vending machine 20 . With reference to rearwardly : the roller 63a is above and just behind the roller FIGS. 5A , 5B , 6A and 6b , the lower roller assembly 51 includes two spaced - apart rollers 53 and 54 , each of which 63b , providing the rollers 63 with an angled orientation. Because the rollers 63 are elevated with respect to the upper is an elongate cylindrical member or mandrel mounted for 45 and lower roller assemblies 50 and 51, the throat 64 defines rotation . The rollers 53 and 54 are mounted directly to the a drop space : an empty , bound, and open vertical volume frame 37 on pins . under the tensioning assembly 45 . The sheet 36 of bags 32 front of the enclosure 22 and to the spool 42 , so that the sheet bags 32 are blown open , filled , sealed , and separated from Both of the rollers 53 and 54 are aligned parallel to the falls from the rollers 63 vertically into the throat 64, where 36 of bags 32 rolls from the spool 42 to the lower roller 50 the sheet 36 . The rearward tiered or stepped -up arrangement assembly 51 without twisting or binding. The lower roller of the rollers 63 urges the sheet 36 of bags 32 to fall faster assembly 51 is fixed to and within the frame 37, and the rollers 53 and 54 are spaced above the merchandiser 21 at a and improves the speed and reliability with which the sheet 36 of bags 32 can be fed through and out of the bag feed level and common height. A small guide roller 55 (visible in assembly 33 ; because the sheet clears the roller 63b first, the FIG . 6B ) is fixed to the frame 37 as well and is disposed in 55 sheet 36 drapes over and drops behind the roller 63b , ready front of and below the roller 53. The guide roller 55 guides to fall into the throat 64 . and re -directs the sheet 36 of bags 32 from the spool 42 to As shown in FIGS. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11A , and 11B , downstream over the first roller 53 in the lower roller assembly 51. from and below the drive roller 63 is a cutting element 70 , The upper roller assembly 50 pivots with respect to the which forms part of the ice bagger 31 . The cutting element lower roller assembly 51. The upper roller assembly 50 60 70 is mounted to move reciprocally through the throat 64, so includes a single elongate , cylindrical roller 60 mounted for that when a bag 32 is hanging in the throat 64 between the rotation on opposed arms61 and 62 . The arms61 and 62 are cutting element 70 , the cutting element 70 moves against the mounted directly to the frame 37 for pivotal movement bag 32 to cut the top 32a of the bag 32 after the bag 32 has upper roller assembly 50 is ready for operation , and a raised cutting element 70 and includes a central recess 75 . The along the double - arrowed arcuate line D shown in FIG . 5B been filled with ice . The cutting element 70 has a leading to allow the upper roller assembly 50 to pivot between a 65 scalloped or serrated cutting edge 74 directed toward the lowered position ( shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A ), in which the throat 64 . The cutting edge 74 extends entirely across the

US 10 ,240 , 844 B1 recess 75 is sharpened and is thus part of the cutting edge 74 , but is recessed or set back from the leading portion of the cutting edge 74 , to accommodate an ice chute, as will be explained . a blower and a flexible hose 81 , is mounted next to the chute 80 . When operating, the fan assembly blows air through the hose 81 , down the chute 80 and into the bag 32 to open the bag 32 . The chute 80 direct the air through toward the top The cutting element 70 is mounted on a piston 76 , 5 32a of the bag 32 . The chute 80 terminates in a contoured pneumatic actuator, solenoid , or like reciprocating device plate 82 pivoted to the chute 80 for pivotal movement. The defining drive means. In the embodiment shown in the plate 82 pivots in response to the reciprocalmovement of the drawings , this drive means is a piston 76 , but in other cutting element 70 , between a blocked condition , tilted up embodiments, the drive means is some other device which and blocking the chute 80 when the cutting element 70 is imparts reciprocalmovement to the cutting element 70 , such 10 advanced forward , and an open condition , tilted down and as an eccentric or a camming device . The rod of the piston 76 is seen best in FIG . 9 . The rod is secured onto the cutting extending through the recess 75 when the cutting element 70 is advanced rearward . Thus , as the cutting element 70 moves element 70 centrally on the cutting element 70 , just behind forward and backward , it causes the plate 82 to pivot up and the recess 75 . The cutting element 70 itself has two slides 78 down , thereby closing and opening the chute 81 to prevent at opposed sides of the cutting element 70 . The slides 78 are 15 or allow the movement of ice out of the chute 81 . The plate carried on rails 77 . The slides 78 include a triangular plate 82 fits into the recess 75 when the cutting element 70 is carrying two upper wheels and one lower wheel; the upper retracted . wheels ride above the rail 77 and the lower wheel rides below the rail 77. The rails 77 are mounted directly to the The ice bagger 31 includes several sensors for determin ing the status and location of the bag 32 within the ice bagger frame 37 and are oriented in a horizontal arrangement. The 20 31 . With reference to FIG . 7 , a reader sensor 83 is located piston 76 actuates in response to an electronic instruction and pushes the cutting element 70 forward and pulls it back from a central location . This centrally -located drive means provides a centrally - directed push that prevents binding of just downstream from the lower roller assembly 51, above the sheet 36 of bags 32 . The reader sensor 83 includes a transmitter above the sheet 36 and a reflector below the sheet 36 , and detects whether an opaque band 41 or a transparent the cutting element 70 on the rails 77 ; movement of the 25 plastic portion of the bag 32 is passing just below the reader opposed slides 78 on the opposed rails 77 in response to the sensor 83 . The transmitter of the reader sensor 83 is posi push from the piston 76 allows the cutting element 70 to tioned to project a beam toward the reflector of the reader move smoothly . sensor 83 . The reflector reflects the beam and the transmitter Referring now to FIG . 10, the throat 64 is downstream receives and detects the beam when the transparent plastic from the rollers 63, disposed just behind and below the 30 portion of the bag 32 passes through the beam . The reflector rollers 63a and 63b . The throat 64 is bound front-to -back at of the reader sensor 83 does not reflect the beam , and the its top by a guide 65 . The guide 65 includes two sets of transmitter does not receive and detect a reflected beam , fingers 66 and 67 below the tensioning assembly 45 . The when the beam is blocked by an opaque portion of the bag guide 65 is positioned behind and flanks an exit from the two 32 , such as one of the bands 41, passing by. rollers 63b and then bend forwardly . The fingers 66 are thin , spaced -apart elements which extend rearwardly from proxi- when the bag 32 is blown open against the flap 73 and is ready to receive ice. The bag open sensor 84 is directed opposed rollers 63a and 63b . The fingers 66 are disposed 35 Still referring to FIG . 12 , another sensor is carried near the behind the fingers 67. The fingers

ice . Rather , most service calls on an ice vending machine are related to the bagger , the part of the vending machine which 60 Referring to the drawings : fills and seals the bags of ice . An improved bagger for ice FIG . 1 is a front perspective view of an ice merchandiser vending machines is needed . equipped with an ice bagger ;