Automated Food Storage Machine

Abstract

A food storage machine is provided that includes a film delivery mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a conditioning assembly and a drive mechanism. The film delivery mechanism has a support cradle for a roll of bag material and a feed roller assembly for dispensing the bag material. The cutting mechanism is disposed adjacent the film delivery mechanism and has a first sealing bumper and a shuttle member with a cutting portion. The shuttle member is arranged to cut transversely across the bag material dispensed from the film delivery mechanism. The conditioning assembly is pivotably disposed below the film delivery mechanism and has a heater member for sealing a portion of the bag material. The drive mechanism is operatively connected to the conditioning assembly and configured to pivot upwards to contact the first sealing bumper of the cutting mechanism and to pivot downwards to contact a second sealing bumper.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A food storage machine comprising:
 a film delivery mechanism having a support cradle for a roll of bag material and a feed roller assembly for dispensing the bag material, the feed roller assembly being disposed adjacent the support cradle;   a cutting mechanism disposed adjacent the film delivery mechanism and having a shuttle member with a cutting portion, the shuttle member being arranged to cut transversely across the bag material dispensed from the film delivery mechanism;   a conditioning assembly pivotably disposed below the film delivery mechanism and having a heater member for sealing a portion of the bag material;   a housing having at least one slot sized for the bag material and a receptacle cavity with its opening at a front side of the housing;   a removable tray slidably positioned in the receptacle cavity and configured to slide out of the receptacle cavity from the front side of the housing.   
     
     
         20 . The food storage machine of  claim 19 , wherein the heater member includes a rotation bar portion and the rotation bar portion is configured to rotate as the heater member pivots upwardly or downwardly. 
     
     
         21 . A food storage machine comprising:
 a film delivery mechanism having a support cradle for a roll of bag material and a feed roller assembly for dispensing the bag material, the feed roller assembly being disposed adjacent the support cradle;   a cutting mechanism disposed adjacent the film delivery mechanism and having a shuttle member with a cutting portion, the shuttle member being arranged to cut transversely across the bag material dispensed from the film delivery mechanism;   a conditioning assembly pivotably disposed below the film delivery mechanism and having a heater member for sealing a portion of the bag material;   a housing having at least one slot sized for the bag material, a remote cavity with its opening at a front side of the housing, and an inner cavity; and   a vacuum remote assembly having a hose member coiled in the inner cavity of the housing, a nozzle member and an adapter member, the nozzle member and the adapter member being removably disposed in the remote cavity.   
     
     
         22 . The food storage machine of  claim 21 , wherein the adapter member includes a valve for a pulsing vacuum. 
     
     
         23 . The food storage machine of  claim 21 , wherein the heater member includes a rotation bar portion and the rotation bar portion is configured to rotate as the heater member pivots upwardly or downwardly.