Ice Vending Machine

Abstract

An ice vending machine automatically provides ice to a customer based upon a request from the consumer for the ice. In some embodiments, the ice vending machine includes an ice bagging system. In some embodiments, the bagging system operates without the use of a counterweight. In some embodiments, the ice vending machine includes a view window to view the ice being bagged. In some embodiments, the ice vending machine is an ice and liquid water vending machine that automatically provides ice or liquid water to a customer based on a request from the customer for the ice or liquid water. In some embodiments, the ice and liquid water vending machine includes an ultraviolet light flushing assembly. In some embodiments, the ice and liquid water vending machine includes a chill tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated ice vending apparatus comprising:
 an ice supplying apparatus;   an ice bagging apparatus comprising:
 a bag supplying apparatus supplying at least one vending bag having an open end; 
 a bag opening apparatus receiving the vending bag from the bag supplying apparatus and preparing the vending bag to receive a plurality of ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus into the open end of the vending bag; and 
 a bag weighing apparatus comprising:
 at least one proximity sensor; and 
 at least one beam receiver; 
 wherein the proximity sensor and the beam receiver are located such that, when the vending bag is filled with the ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus to a level preventing the beam receiver from receiving a beam from the proximity sensor, the vending bag is considered a filled ice bag and the ice supplying apparatus stops supplying ice pieces to the bag weighing apparatus; 
 
   a bagged ice vending apparatus supplying the filled ice bag to a customer; and   a control board communicating with the ice supplying apparatus, the ice bagging apparatus, and the bagged ice vending apparatus to automate vending of the ice from the automated ice vending apparatus;   wherein the bag weighing apparatus operates without using a counterweight balance or a weighing scale.   
     
     
         2 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ice supplying apparatus comprises:
 an ice making apparatus receiving liquid water from a liquid water source and forming the plurality of ice pieces from the liquid water;   a holding vessel receiving and storing the ice pieces from the ice making apparatus; and   an ice transferring apparatus transferring and metering the ice pieces from the holding vessel to the ice bagging apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the ice transferring apparatus comprises an ice transport apparatus selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt, a chain, and a plurality of side-by-side rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bag supplying apparatus comprises a wicket. 
     
     
         5 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the bag supplying apparatus further comprises a plurality of the at least one vending bag hanging on the wicket. 
     
     
         6 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bag opening apparatus comprises a blower supplying moving air to the open end of the vending bag to prepare the vending bag to receive the ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus into the open end of the vending bag. 
     
     
         7 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bagged ice vending apparatus comprises:
 a drop floor supporting the vending bag receiving the ice pieces;   an actuator supporting the drop floor; and   a vending chute below the drop floor;   wherein when the vending bag is considered the filled ice bag, the control board activates the actuator to drop, thereby allowing the drop floor to drop under the weight of the filled ice bag, the filled ice bag falling into the vending chute; and   wherein when the control board activates the actuator to rise, the actuator pushes the drop floor back up to await a next vend.   
     
     
         8 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one view window comprising at least one transparent material in a location to permit the customer to view at least a portion of the ice supplying apparatus or the ice bagging apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a liquid water supplying apparatus; and 
 an ultraviolet light irradiating assembly comprising:
 an inlet line receiving liquid water from the liquid water supplying apparatus; 
 an irradiation zone downstream from the inlet line; 
 an ultraviolet light source irradiating the liquid water passing through the irradiation zone with ultraviolet light; 
 a flush line; 
 a vending line supplying liquid water to the customer; and 
 a control valve controlling whether liquid water from the irradiation zone is supplied to the flush line, supplied to the vending line, or retained in the irradiation zone; 
 wherein when liquid water has been retained in the irradiation zone for at least a predetermined period of time, the control valve supplies a predetermined amount of the liquid water to the flush line before supplying liquid water to the vending line. 
 
 
     
     
         10 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a liquid water supplying apparatus supplying liquid source water; 
 a chill tank comprising:
 an insulated tank receiving cold liquid water flushed from the ice supplying apparatus; and 
 coiled tubing in heat exchange contact with the insulated tank, the coiled tubing receiving the liquid source water from the liquid water supplying apparatus, the liquid source water being cooled by heat exchange with the cold liquid water in the insulated tank as the liquid source water flows through the coiled tubing; and 
 
 a cold water vending line receiving the liquid source water from the coiled tubing and supplying the liquid source water to the customer. 
 
     
     
         11 . An automated method of delivering a plurality of ice pieces to a customer comprising:
 a) an automated ice vending apparatus receiving a request from the customer for the ice pieces;   b) the automated ice vending apparatus supplying the ice pieces to a vending bag having an open end until the vending bag is filled with the ice pieces to a level preventing a beam receiver from receiving a beam from a proximity sensor to produce a filled ice bag comprising the ice pieces and the vending bag without using a counterweight balance or a weighing scale; and   c) the automated ice vending apparatus supplying the filled ice bag to the customer.   
     
     
         12 . The automated method of  claim 11  further comprising the automated ice vending apparatus receiving liquid water from a liquid water source and forming the plurality of ice pieces from the liquid water. 
     
     
         13 . The automated method of  claim 11  further comprising the automated ice vending apparatus supplying moving air to the open end of the vending bag to prepare the vending bag to receive the ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus into the open end of the vending bag. 
     
     
         14 . The automated method of  claim 11  further comprising the automated ice vending apparatus activating an actuator supporting a drop floor supporting the filled ice bag to drop, thereby allowing the drop floor to drop under the weight of the filled ice bag, the filled ice bag falling into a vending chute. 
     
     
         15 . The automated method of  claim 14  further comprising the automated ice vending apparatus activating the actuator to rise, the actuator pushing the drop floor back up to await a next vend. 
     
     
         16 . An automated ice vending apparatus comprising:
 an ice supplying apparatus;   an ice bagging apparatus receiving a plurality of ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus into an open end of a vending bag to form a filled ice bag comprising the vending bag and the ice pieces in the vending bag;   a bagged ice vending apparatus supplying the filled ice bag to a customer; and   at least one view window comprising at least one transparent material in a location to permit the customer to view at least a portion of the ice supplying apparatus or the ice bagging apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ice bagging apparatus comprises:
 a bag supplying apparatus supplying at least one vending bag having an open end;   a bag opening apparatus receiving the vending bag from the bag supplying apparatus and preparing the vending bag to receive a plurality of ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus into the open end of the vending bag; and   a bag weighing apparatus determining when the vending bag is considered a filled ice bag and causing the ice supplying apparatus to stops supplying ice pieces to the bag weighing apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the bag weighing apparatus comprises:
 at least one proximity sensor; and   at least one beam receiver;   wherein the proximity sensor and the beam receiver are located such that, when the vending bag is filled with the ice pieces from the ice supplying apparatus to a level preventing the beam receiver from receiving a beam from the proximity sensor, the vending bag is considered the filled ice bag and the ice supplying apparatus stops supplying ice pieces to the bag weighing apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a control board communicating with the ice supplying apparatus, the ice bagging apparatus, and the bagged ice vending apparatus to automate vending of the ice from the automated ice vending apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ice supplying apparatus comprises:
 an ice making apparatus receiving liquid water from a liquid water source and forming the plurality of ice pieces from the liquid water;   a holding vessel receiving and storing the ice pieces from the ice making apparatus; and   an ice transferring apparatus transferring and metering the ice pieces from the holding vessel to the ice bagging apparatus.   
     
     
         21 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the ice transferring apparatus comprises an ice transport apparatus selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt, a chain, and a plurality of side-by-side rollers. 
     
     
         22 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the bag supplying apparatus comprises a wicket. 
     
     
         23 . The automated ice vending apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the bag supplying apparatus further comprises a plurality of the at least one vending bag hanging on the wicket.