Automated bagging assembly

Abstract

An automated bagging assembly for quickly and efficiently bagging merchandise at a checkout stand includes a housing with an aperture extending through one side for receiving merchandise. A motion-actuated closure assembly opens and closes a door covering the aperture. A bagging mechanism is positioned within the housing. The bagging mechanism opens a bag to receive merchandise and releases the opened bag when the merchandise within the opened bag reaches a threshold weight. A suction cup may be used to open the bag. A plurality of bags is hung from a hook that pivots downward to release the opened bag. The hook retains the rest of the bags while the opened bag is released. A conveyor belt is positioned within the housing to direct merchandise from the aperture to an opening extending through the housing where bagged merchandise can be removed from the housing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An automated bagging assembly comprising:
 a housing including a base, a top panel, and a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall being attached to and extending between the base and the top panel, the housing having an interior area;   the peripheral wall having an opening extending therethrough, the opening permitting access to the interior area through the peripheral wall;   the top panel having an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture permitting access to the interior area through the top panel;   a closure assembly being mounted on the top panel and being configured to alternately open and close the aperture, the closure assembly including:
 a retractable cover being positioned in the top panel, the retractable cover being configured to extend and retract across the aperture; 
   an angled conveyor belt being positioned in the interior area, the angled conveyor belt being angled downwardly from the aperture toward the opening;   a bagging mechanism being positioned within the interior area proximate the aperture and being configured to open one of a plurality of bags and being configured to release an opened one of the plurality of bags when the opened one of the plurality of bags reaches a threshold weight;   a central processing unit being coupled to the housing, the central processing unit being configured to actuate the closure assembly and the bagging mechanism; and   a power source being coupled to the housing, the power source being electronically coupled to the central processing unit.   
     
     
         2 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the closure assembly is motion actuated to open and close the aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , the closure assembly further comprising a motion sensor being positioned on the top panel, the motion sensor being in communication with the central processing unit. 
     
     
         4 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 3 , the closure assembly further comprising a cover motor being mechanically engaged with the retractable cover, the cover motor being electronically coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit actuates the cover motor in response to a motion being detected by the motion sensor, the cover motor extending or retracting the retractable cover when the cover motor is actuated. 
     
     
         5 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , the bagging mechanism further comprising a bag hook being attached to the peripheral wall below the aperture, the plurality of bags being hung from the bag hook. 
     
     
         6 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 5 , the bag hook further comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being pivotably coupled to the second portion, the first portion is movable between an upwardly angled position and a downwardly angled position, wherein the opened one of the plurality of bags is released from the bag hook when the bag hook is in the downwardly angled position. 
     
     
         7 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 6 , the bagging mechanism further comprising a stopper being mounted to the bag hook, the stopper being positioned thereon to retain a next one of the plurality of bags on the bag hook as the opened one of the plurality of bags is released. 
     
     
         8 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 6 , the bagging mechanism further comprising:
 a weight sensor being coupled to the bag hook, the weight sensor being in communication with the central processing unit; and   a bag release motor being coupled to the bag hook, the bag release motor being in communication with the weight sensor, the bag release motor pivoting the first portion between the upwardly angled position and the downwardly angled position.   
     
     
         9 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit actuates the bag release motor in response to the threshold weight being detected by the weight sensor, the bag release motor pivoting the first portion downward to release the opened one of the plurality of bags. 
     
     
         10 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold weight is between 3.0 pounds and 15.0 pounds. 
     
     
         11 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , the bagging mechanism further comprising
 a suction cup being attached to the housing and being configured to open the one of the plurality of bags to define the opened one of the plurality of bags, the suction cup being attached to and being movable with the retractable cover, wherein the suction cup moves towards and engages the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is closing the aperture, and wherein the suction cup moves away from the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is opening the aperture; and   the suction cup releasably attaching to the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is extended across the aperture, the suction cup opening the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is retracted from the aperture.   
     
     
         12 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 11 , the bagging mechanism further comprising a mount attaching the suction cup to the housing, the mount extending downwardly from the retractable cover, the suction cup extending outwardly from the mount toward the bag hook. 
     
     
         13 . The automated bagging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opened one of the plurality of bags slides down the angled conveyor belt toward the opening when the opened one of the plurality of bags is released from the bag hook 
     
     
         14 . An automated bagging assembly comprising:
 a housing including a base, a top panel, and a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall being attached to and extending between the base and the top panel, the housing having an interior area;   a central processing unit being affixed to the housing;   a power source being coupled to the housing, the power source being in communication with the central processing unit;   the peripheral wall having an opening extending therethrough, the opening permitting access to the interior area through the peripheral wall;   the top panel having an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture permitting access to the interior area through the top panel;   a closure assembly being mounted on the top panel and being configured to alternately open and close the aperture, the closure assembly being motion actuated to open and close the aperture, the closure assembly including:
 a retractable cover being positioned in the top panel, the retractable cover being configured to extend and retract across the aperture; 
 a handle being affixed to the retractable cover; 
 a motion sensor being positioned on the top panel, the motion sensor being adjacent to the retractable cover, the motion sensor being in communication with the central processing unit; 
 a cover motor being mechanically engaged with the retractable cover, the cover motor being in communication with the motion sensor; 
 the central processing unit actuating the cover motor in response to a motion being detected by the motion sensor, the cover motor extending or retracting the retractable cover when the cover motor is actuated; 
   the housing having a rectangular shape with a first side and a second side;
 the opening extending through the peripheral wall along the second side; 
 the aperture extending through the top panel adjacent to the first side; 
   an angled conveyor belt being positioned in the interior area, the angled conveyor belt being angled downwardly from the aperture toward the opening;   a bagging mechanism being positioned within the interior area proximate the aperture and configured to open one of a plurality of bags and releasing an opened one of the plurality of bags when the opened one of the plurality of bags reaches a threshold weight, the bagging mechanism including:
 a bag hook being attached to the peripheral wall below the aperture, the bag hook having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being pivotably coupled to the second portion, wherein the first portion is movable between an upwardly angled position and a downwardly angled position; 
 the plurality of bags being hung from the bag hook, wherein the opened one of the plurality of bags is released from the bag hook when the bag hook is in the downwardly angled position; 
 a suction cup being attached to the housing and being configured to open the one of the plurality of bags to define the opened one of the plurality of bags, the suction cup being attached to and being movable with the retractable cover, wherein the suction cup moves towards and engages the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is closing the aperture, and wherein the suction cup moves away from the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is opening the aperture; 
 a mount attaching the suction cup to the housing, the mount extending downwardly from the retractable cover, the suction cup extending outwardly from the mount toward the bag hook; 
 a weight sensor being coupled to the bag hook, the weight sensor being in communication with the central processing unit; 
 a bag release motor being coupled to the bag hook, the bag release motor being in communication with the weight sensor, the bag release motor pivoting the first portion between the upwardly angled position and the downwardly angled position; 
 the suction cup releasably attaching to the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is extended across the aperture, the suction cup opening the one of the plurality of bags when the retractable cover is retracted from the aperture; 
 the central processing unit actuating the bag release motor in response to the threshold weight being detected by the weight sensor, the threshold weight being from 3.0 pounds to 15.0 pounds, the bag release motor pivoting the first portion downward to release the one of the plurality of bags; 
 a stopper being mounted to the bag hook, the stopper being positioned thereon to retain a next one of the plurality of bags on the bag hook as the opened one of the plurality of bags is released; and 
 the opened one of the plurality of bags sliding down the angled conveyor belt toward the opening when the opened one of the plurality of bags is released from the bag hook.