US2012031054A1PendingUtilityA1

Ice bagging system

45
Assignee: BROADBENT JOHN APriority: May 11, 2010Filed: May 11, 2011Published: Feb 9, 2012
Est. expiryMay 11, 2030(~3.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John Allen Broadbent
F25D 2331/801F25C 5/18B65B 5/067
45
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Claims

Abstract

An ice bagging system that comprises a compressed flake nugget ice maker and an ice bagging device that receives compressed flake nugget ice dispensed from the ice maker. The ice bagging device includes at least one bag into which the compressed flake nugget ice is dropped. The ice bagging device is configured to seal and drop the bag of compressed flake nugget ice once a predetermined quantity of ice has been loaded into the at least one bag. An ice merchandiser supports at least the ice bagging device. The ice merchandiser is adapted to receive the at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice dropped from the ice bagging device. Whereby the compressed flake nugget ice is dispensed from the ice maker directly to the bag of the ice bagging device and the at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice is dropped directly from the ice bagging device into the ice merchandiser.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An ice bagging system comprised of:
 a compressed flake nugget ice maker;   an ice bagging device that receives compressed flake nugget ice dispensed from said ice maker, said ice bagging device including at least one bag into which said compressed flake nugget ice is dropped wherein said ice bagging device is configured to seal and drop said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice once a predetermined quantity of ice has been loaded into said at least one bag; and   an ice merchandiser supporting at least said ice bagging device, said ice merchandiser being adapted to receive said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice dropped from said ice bagging device,   whereby said compressed flake nugget ice is dispensed from said ice maker directly to said at least one bag of said ice bagging device as said ice is being produced by said ice maker and said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice is dropped directly from said ice bagging device into said ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         2 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ice maker and said bagging device are an integral unit.   
     
     
         3 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said integral unit is stacked on top of said ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         4 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said ice merchandiser includes a top hole for receiving said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice from said bagging device of said integral unit.   
     
     
         5 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said integral unit has a width that is equal to or less than a width of said ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         6 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 5 , wherein said width of said integral unit is about 21 inches. 
     
     
         7 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ice maker and said ice bagging device are separate and discrete devices.   
     
     
         8 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 7 , wherein said ice maker and said ice bagging device are stacked on top of said ice merchandiser. 
     
     
         9 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 said ice merchandiser includes a top hole for receiving said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice.   
     
     
         10 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ice maker includes a small chute for dispensing said compressed flake nugget ice directly into said at least one bag of said ice bagging device.   
     
     
         11 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a control mechanism for controlling the bagging of the compressed flake nugget ice.   
     
     
         12 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ice maker is configured to dispense said compressed flake nugget ice directly into said at least one bag without using a hopper.   
     
     
         13 . An ice bagging system comprised of:
 an integral ice maker and bagger unit, including:
 a compressed flake nugget ice maker, said ice maker having a small chute, and 
 an ice bagging device that receives compressed flake nugget ice dispensed from said ice maker, said ice bagging device including at least one bag which receives said compressed flake nugget ice directly from said small chute of said ice maker without said ice going through a hopper, wherein said ice bagging device is configured to seal and drop said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice once a predetermined quantity of ice has been loaded into said at least one bag; and 
   an ice merchandiser supporting said integral maker and bagger unit, said ice merchandiser being adapted to receive said at least one bag of compressed flake nugget ice directly from said ice bagging device through a hole in a top of said ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         14 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 said integral ice maker and bagger unit has a width that is equal to or less than a width of said ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         15 . An ice bagging system according to  claim 14 , wherein
 a control mechanism for controlling the bagging of the compressed flake nugget ice.   
     
     
         16 . A method for bagging nugget ice, comprising the steps of:
 producing compressed flake nugget ice in an ice maker;   dispensing the compressed flake nugget ice directly from the ice maker to at least one bag of a bagging device as the ice is being produced;   sealing the at least one bag loaded with the compressed flake nugget ice; and   dropping the at least one bag loaded with the compressed flake nugget ice directly into an ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the compressed flake nugget ice is dispensed from a chute of the ice maker to the bag without passing through a hopper.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the compressed flake nugget ice is dispensed directly into the at least one bag without drying the ice.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the at least one bag loaded with the compressed flake nugget ice drops through a hole of the ice merchandiser.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of
 selecting a predetermined amount of ice to be loaded into the bag.

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