Ice bagging assembly

Abstract

An ice bagging assembly is described that includes a support frame and an ice cube hopper coupled to the support frame. The ice cube hopper stores a plurality of ice cubes. The ice cube hopper is intended to convey the plurality of ice cubes from a low end of the ice cube hopper to a high end of the ice cube hopper. An ice chute is in mechanical cooperation with the high end of the ice cube hopper, the ice chute configured to drop the plurality of ice cubes into an open ice bag. The ice bagging assembly also includes a first level sensor configured to sense a height level of ice in the ice cube hopper to ensure an adequate quantity of ice to fill the open ice bag to a predetermined weight.

1 . An ice bagging assembly having:
 a support frame;   an ice cube hopper coupled to the support frame and configured to store a plurality of ice cubes, the ice cube hopper being configured to convey the plurality of ice cubes from a low end of the ice cube hopper to a high end of the ice cube hopper;   an ice chute in mechanical cooperation with the high end of the ice cube hopper, the ice chute configured to drop the plurality of ice cubes into an open ice bag;   a first level sensor configured to sense a height level of ice in the ice cube hopper to ensure an adequate quantity of ice to fill the open ice bag to a predetermined weight; and   a second level sensor adjacent to the open ice bag and configured to determine a level of ice in the open ice bag, wherein when the open ice bag is filled to a pre-determined level with the plurality of ice cubes as detected by the second level sensor, the plurality of ice cubes are no longer dropped into the open ice bag.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first level sensor is further configured to determine how much the height level has decreased to estimate a quantity of ice being placed in the open ice bag. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second level sensors comprises a camera. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second level sensors comprises a laser level. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second level sensors comprises an optical device. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second level sensors comprises a radio wave sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein when the height level of ice in the ice cube hopper reaches a pre-determined decreased level as detected by the first level sensor, the plurality of ice cubes are no longer dropped into the open ice bag. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein when the height level of ice in the ice cube hopper reaches a first pre-determined level as detected by the first level sensor, a signal is sent to an ice cube maker associated with the hopper to indicate that no more ice should be sent to the hopper. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein when the height level of the ice in the ice cube hopper reaches a second pre-determined level as detected by the first level sensor, a signal is sent to the ice cube maker associated with the hopper to indicate that more ice should again be sent to the hopper. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises a pair of angled guides on opposing inside sides of the support frame, the pair of angled guides positioned to guide the ice cube hopper into the support frame with the pair of angled guides each being lower toward a first end of the support frame and higher toward a second end of the support frame so that the ice cut hopper slides into the support frame toward a top of the support frame near the second end. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing mechanism configured to seal an open end of the open ice bag. 
     
     
         12 . A method of filling an empty ice bag with a plurality of ice cubes comprising:
 making a plurality of ice cubes;   storing the plurality of ice cubes in an ice cube hopper, the ice cube hopper being configured to convey the plurality of ice cubes from a low end of the ice cube hopper to a high end of the ice cube hopper;   dropping the plurality of ice cubes from the high end of the ice cube hopper into an open ice bag via an ice chute; and   sensing a height level of the plurality of ice cubes in the ice cube hopper to determine how much the level has decreased to estimate a quantity of ice being placed in the open ice bag.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when the open ice bag is filled to a pre-determined level with the plurality of ice cubes, sending a signal to stop the dropping of the plurality of ice cubes into the open ice bag. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein sensing the height level comprises sensing using a laser-level. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein sensing the height level comprises sensing using an optical device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when the level of ice in the hopper reaches a pre-determined decreased level, sending a signal from a level sensor to stop the dropping of the plurality of ice cubes into the open ice bag. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising measuring a level of ice in the open ice bag. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein measuring the level comprises measuring using a laser-level to determine the level of the plurality of ice cubes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein measuring the level comprises measuring using an optical device.