U.S. patent application number 13/799590 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-17 for ice vending machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to ICE HOUSE AMERICA, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is ICE HOUSE AMERICA, LLC. Invention is credited to Troy Doom, Daniel LaDon Dunn, Ernest Chip Venet, III, Steven Alan Weeks.
Application Number | 20140102582 13/799590 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50474298 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140102582 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Venet, III; Ernest Chip ; et
al. |
April 17, 2014 |
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.
Inventors: |
Venet, III; Ernest Chip;
(Jacksonville Beach, FL) ; Weeks; Steven Alan;
(Jacksonville Beach, FL) ; Dunn; Daniel LaDon;
(Jacksonville Beach, FL) ; Doom; Troy;
(Jacksonville Beach, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ICE HOUSE AMERICA, LLC |
Jacksonville Beach |
FL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ICE HOUSE AMERICA, LLC
Jacksonville Beach
FL
|
Family ID: |
50474298 |
Appl. No.: |
13/799590 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61714412 |
Oct 16, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/10 ; 141/69;
141/82; 141/83; 141/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 1/06 20130101; G07F
13/10 20130101; B65B 1/46 20130101; B67D 7/76 20130101; G07F 11/44
20130101; B65B 1/32 20130101; B65B 43/36 20130101; G07F 17/0071
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/10 ; 141/83;
141/82; 141/69; 141/94 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/46 20060101
B65B001/46 |
Claims
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.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims one or more inventions which were
disclosed in Provisional Application No. 61/714,412, filed Oct. 16,
2012, entitled "ICE VENDING MACHINE". The benefit under 35 USC
.sctn.119(e) of the United States provisional application is hereby
claimed, and the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention pertains to the field of vending machines.
More particularly, the invention pertains to ice vending
machines.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Ice vending machines that dispense ice automatically on
demand to a customer are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,048,
entitled "Automatic ice producing, bagging, and dispensing machine"
and issued Nov. 5, 2002 to Metzger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,124,
entitled "Automated Ice Bagging Apparatus and Methods" and issued
Aug. 23, 2005 to Dalton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,291, entitled
"Automated Ice Bagging Apparatus and Methods" and issued Sep. 12,
2006 to Dalton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,426,945, entitled "Automated
Ice Bagging Apparatus and Methods" and issued Sep. 23, 2008 to
Dalton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,527, entitled "Automated Ice
Delivery Apparatus and Methods" and issued Jun. 15, 2010 to Dunn,
U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,152, entitled "Automated Ice Bagging Apparatus
and Methods" and issued Oct. 5, 2010 to Dalton et al., U.S. Pat.
No. 8,122,689, entitled "Method and apparatus for producing,
bagging and dispensing ice" and issued Feb. 28, 2012 to Pape, U.S.
Pat. No. 8,245,488, entitled "Automated Ice Delivery Apparatus and
Methods" and issued Aug. 21, 2012 to Dunn, U.S. Patent App. Pub.
No. 2010/0319806, entitled "Automated Ice Bagging Apparatus and
Methods" by Dalton et al. and published Dec. 23, 2010, and U.S.
Patent App. Pub. No. 2012/0247066, entitled "Ice Bagging Apparatus
and Methods" by Dunn et al. and published Oct. 4, 2012, each
disclose a vending machine that dispenses ice on demand to a
customer.
[0006] Ice vending machines that dispense both ice and liquid water
automatically on demand to a customer are also known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,477, entitled "Purified water and ice
dispensing apparatus" and issued May 12, 1992 to Hamlin, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,484,538, entitled "Multiple service water purifier and
dispenser and process of purifying water" and issued Jan. 16, 1996
to Woodward, U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,312, entitled "Ice Dispenser with
an Air-Cooled Bin" and issued Jul. 25, 2000, and U.S. Patent App.
Pub. No. 2012/0186276, entitled "Ice and Chilled Water Producing
and Dispensing Machine" by Seymour and published Jul. 26, 2012,
each disclose a vending machine that dispenses both ice and liquid
water.
[0007] The above-mentioned references are hereby incorporated by
reference herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a bagging system assembly for
ice in operation in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the bagging system assembly of
FIG. 1 in operation.
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a close-up side view of the drop floor assembly
of the bagging system assembly of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 4 shows an elevated perspective view of the bagging
system assembly of FIG. 1 without the ice.
[0013] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the bagging system assembly
of FIG. 4.
[0014] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the bagging system assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 7 shows a front view of the bagging system assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0016] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the bagging system assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0017] FIG. 9 shows a back view of the bagging system assembly of
FIG. 4.
[0018] FIG. 10 shows a front view of a portion of an ice and water
vending machine with a view window for viewing the process of
bagging the ice in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 11 shows a UV light flushing assembly in an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 12 shows a chill tank in an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0021] FIG. 13 shows a cut-away view of the chill tank of FIG.
12.
[0022] FIG. 14 shows schematically an automated ice vending machine
in an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] An ice vending machine automatically provides ice to a
customer based upon a request from the consumer for the ice. In
some embodiments, the request includes a payment from the customer.
In some embodiments, the ice is bagged by the ice vending machine
after the request from the customer is made and prior to dispensing
the ice to the customer. In some embodiments, the ice vending
machine is an ice and liquid water vending machine that also
automatically provides liquid water to a customer based on a
request from the customer for the liquid water. In some
embodiments, the liquid water is chilled to a temperature below
room temperature. In some embodiments, the liquid water is put in a
container supplied by the ice vending machine after the request
from the customer is made and prior to dispensing the ice to the
customer.
[0024] An automated ice vending machine preferably includes a
customer request apparatus, an ice supplying apparatus, an ice
bagging apparatus, and a bagged ice vending apparatus. The customer
request apparatus preferably receives a request from a customer for
the ice in the form of a customer input, which may include, but is
not limited to, a payment by the customer or a selection of a
particular size of ice, a particular amount of ice, or a particular
number of bags of ice. A programmable logic control or other
computerized control system or logic preferably receives and
validates the request and initiates the vending process by
directing the ice supplying apparatus to begin supplying ice to the
ice bagging apparatus upon receipt of a valid request from a
customer. The computerized control system preferably also controls
and directs the rest of the automated vending process.
[0025] The ice supplying apparatus preferably includes a holding
vessel to hold the ice pieces to be vended. The holding vessel is
sufficiently insulated to retain a majority of the ice pieces in
solid form so as to minimize or avoid substantial melting of the
ice. The holding vessel is preferably insulated from the
environment by an insulation chamber.
[0026] In some embodiments, the ice supplying apparatus includes an
ice making apparatus. In such embodiments, the ice making apparatus
preferably forms ice pieces by freezing liquid water from a liquid
water source and supplies the ice pieces to the holding vessel, as
needed, such as when the amount of ice pieces in the holding vessel
goes below a predetermined amount. In other embodiments, ice pieces
are supplied to the holding vessel from an outside source rather
than being made by the automated ice vending machine.
[0027] An ice transferring apparatus preferably includes a
transport apparatus positioned in the holding vessel and configured
and adapted to transport a portion of the ice pieces from the
holding vessel to the ice bagging apparatus. The transport
apparatus may include, but is not limited to, a conveyor belt, a
chain, or a plurality of side-by-side rollers. The transport
apparatus preferably operates in a continuous loop and is
preferably motorized.
[0028] The ice bagging apparatus preferably includes a supply of
bags in a bag supply zone, a bagging zone where one bag to be
filled from the bag supply is opened and ice pieces from the ice
supplying apparatus are received in the opened bag. In some
embodiments, the bag supply zone includes a wicket on which the
supply of bags is hung in a flattened stack. In some embodiments, a
blower blows air to open the back at an open end of the bag. The
ice bagging apparatus preferably includes a measuring apparatus to
determine when the opened bag contains an appropriate predetermined
amount of ice pieces. The measuring apparatus may include, but is
not limited to, a scale, a counterbalance, or a beam sensor.
[0029] In some embodiments, the bagged ice is provided to the
customer without closing the open end of the bag. In other
embodiments, the ice bagging apparatus includes a bag closing
apparatus. In some embodiments, the ice closing apparatus
heat-seals the open end of the bag closed. In other embodiments,
the ice closing apparatus applies a fastener to the open end of the
bag. Fasteners may include, but are not limited to, staples, ties,
or adhesives.
[0030] Once the ice bagging apparatus has determined that the
opened bag contains the appropriate predetermined amount of ice
pieces, the bagged ice vending apparatus delivers the bagged ice to
the customer. In some embodiments, the bagged ice vending apparatus
includes a vend door that the customer may open to remove the
bagged ice from the bagging zone. In other embodiments, the bagged
ice is released and travels down a vending chute to a vend window,
from which the customer takes the bagged ice. In other embodiments,
the bagged ice is actively transported to a vend window.
[0031] In embodiments where the automated ice vending machine is an
automated ice and liquid water vending machine, the automated ice
vending machine preferably also includes a water supplying
apparatus, a water vending apparatus, and at least one of a
ultraviolet light irradiating assembly and a chill tank. The water
supply apparatus is preferably a water inlet pipe that may be
coupled to a municipal water line, a well water line, or any other
source of potable water. The water supply apparatus may also supply
the liquid water to be frozen by the ice forming apparatus.
[0032] The water vending apparatus supplies liquid water to the
customer upon receipt of a valid request from the customer for
liquid water through the customer request apparatus. In some
embodiments, the liquid water is purified by an ultraviolet light
irradiating assembly prior to being supplied to the water vending
apparatus. In some embodiments, the computerized control system
determines whether the control valve of the ultraviolet light
irradiating assembly has been actuated within a predetermined
period of time prior to receiving the vend request and actuates the
control valve to supply a predetermined amount of the liquid water
from the irradiation zone of the ultraviolet light irradiating
assembly to the flush line, if the control valve has not been
actuated within the predetermined period of time. The computerized
control system then actuates the control valve to supply liquid
water to the vending line to supply liquid water to the customer.
In some embodiments, the liquid water is chilled by passage through
the coils of a chill tank prior to being supplied to the water
vending apparatus. In some embodiments, the liquid water is chilled
by heat exchange in the chill tank with cold liquid water flushed
from the ice forming apparatus of the automated ice and liquid
water vending apparatus.
[0033] In some embodiments, the bags for bagging the ice rest in a
stack on a wicket to be dispensed. In some embodiments, the ice
bagging system includes the following method. Once a credit or a
request in another form is received from a customer, the control
board activates a blower that blows the front bag on the wicket
open. Proximity sensors detect that the bag is open and send a
signal to the control board, which activates the dispensing auger
that augers ice from the storage bin into the blown-open bag.
Through beam receivers, the control board receives a signal that
the bag is filled with ice, once the beam has been broken. The
control board activates a 2-inch actuator that supports a drop
floor, on which the filled bag rests. The activated actuator drops,
thereby allowing the drop floor to drop under the weight of the
bagged ice. When the drop floor drops, the weight of the ice inside
the bag rips the bag off the wicket and the bag of ice drops
through the vending chute. The control board then activates the
same actuator to open, which pushes the drop floor back up to await
the next vend. The bagging system preferably works without the use
of a counterweight or other weighing apparatus. Instead, the
bagging system preferably relies on the beam receivers to determine
whether a bag is full of ice.
[0034] FIG. 1 through FIG. 9 show a bagging system for an ice
vending machine for automatically bagging ice upon a request input
from a customer. In some embodiments, the ice vending machine vends
ice but not liquid water. In other embodiments, the ice vending
machine is an ice and liquid water vending machine. The bagging
system 10 includes a wicket 12, a bagging enclosure 14, a drop
floor 16, a drop floor actuator 18, at least one beam receiver 20,
and at least one proximity sensor 36. The control board 22 of the
vending machine, which is in electronic communication with the drop
floor actuator 18 and the beam receiver 20, activates a blower 21
that blows a vending bag 24 open inside the bagging enclosure 14
with the drop floor 16 in a closed or up position. Although the
control board 22 is shown in a particular location in FIG. 2, the
control board 22 may be located anywhere within or on the vending
machine. At least one proximity sensor 36 detects the vending bag
24 and sends a signal to the control board 22, which activates the
dispensing auger 26 that augers ice 28 from the storage bin (not
shown), down an ice chute 30, and into the blown-open bag 24.
Through the beam receivers 20, the control board 22 receives a
signal that the vending bag 24 is filled with ice 28, once the beam
has been broken. The control board 22 then activates the drop floor
actuator 18 that allows the drop floor 16, on which the filled
vending bag 24 rests, to open by hingedly pivoting at a pivot point
17 downward. The activated actuator 18 drops, thereby allowing the
drop floor 16 to drop under the weight of the ice-filled bag 24.
When the drop floor 16 drops, the weight of the ice 28 inside the
bag 24 rips the bag off the wicket 12 and the filled ice bag 32
drops through the vending chute 34 below the bagging enclosure 14
and to the customer. The control board 22 then activates the same
actuator 18 to open, which pushes the drop floor 16 back up to
await the next vend.
[0035] In some embodiments, the ice vending machine includes a view
window to allow the customer to watch the ice vending process. This
design element enhances the customer experience by allowing the
customer to view the ice during the bagging process. The experience
may be further enhanced by the use of accent lighting behind the
view window. Conventional automated ice vending machines do not
have any design attributes to allow the customer to view the ice
during the bagging process. A viewing window, preferably with
accent lighting, allows the consumer to see the ice during the
bagging and delivery process. This design element conveys the
concepts of freshness and the product not being touched by human
hands during the ice making process. In a preferred embodiment, the
bagging system 10 of FIG. 1 through FIG. 9 includes a viewing
window 38. The viewing window 38 is transparent and sits in the
front wall of the bagging enclosure 14. The viewing window 38 may
be made of any solid transparent material, including, but not
limited to, a transparent glass or a transparent plastic.
[0036] FIG. 10 shows a line drawing of the front 40 of an ice and
liquid water vending machine. The front 40 of the vending machine
includes a customer request area 41, an ice vending area, and a
liquid water vending area 52. The customer request apparatus 41
includes a payment slot 42, one or more vending buttons 44, a
digital screen 46, and a change/receipt window 48. The customer may
insert payment into the payment slot 42 and then the customer may
select one or more vending options by pushing one or more of the
vending buttons 44. The payment slot 42 may receive cash, in the
form of bills or coins, or a credit, debit, membership, or other
card associated with an account of the customer. The digital screen
46 provides messages to the customer, and the change/receipt window
48 provides change or a receipt to the customer. If the customer
requests liquid water, liquid water is dispensed out a nozzle 50
into a liquid water vending area 52. The liquid water is dispensed
into a container placed in the liquid water vending area 52. The
container may be supplied by the vending machine or the customer.
The container may be of any size that fits in the liquid water
vending area 52 and may hold any volume, although the volume
preferably corresponds to the volume of liquid water requested by
the customer.
[0037] A view window 54, which may be made of any solid transparent
material, including, but not limited to, glass or plastic, allows
the customer to see the ice bagging area 56 behind the view window
54. In some embodiments, an anti-fogging coating on one or both
sides of the transparent material prevents condensation from
forming on the surface of the transparent material that would
prevent a customer from being able to see through the view window
54. In a preferred embodiment, accent lighting 58 provides light to
the ice bagging area 56 to provide the customer with a better view.
In some embodiments, the view window 54 may be lifted by the
customer using a handle 55 when the bag has been filled with the
ice to allow the customer to remove the bag of ice from the vending
machine. In some embodiments, the vending machine locks the view
window 54 when the ice bagging area 56 is empty or when the bag is
not yet ready to be removed by the customer. In other embodiments,
the view window 54 is permanently in place and the filled bag of
ice is transferred to a vending chute by the vending machine to
supply the filled bag to the customer. In other embodiments, the
view window allows the customer to see other stages of the ice
making and ice bagging process. In some embodiments, the vending
machine includes multiple view windows to see different stages of
the ice making and ice bagging process. The view window or view
windows may be of any size or shape to allow viewing of a portion
or all of the ice formation and bagging process.
[0038] In embodiments where the ice vending machine also dispenses
liquid water, the liquid water is preferably irradiated with
ultraviolet (UV) light just prior to being dispensed. The UV light
sterilizes the water passing through it, but if the water sits
inside the UV compartment for a long period of time, the UV light
may heat the water up to temperatures as high as 120.degree. F. The
customer, however, in most cases is expecting the dispensed water
to be chilled. In some embodiments, to eliminate the heated water
from being dispensed to the customer, when the controller
determines that water has not been dispensed for a certain
predetermined period of time, the controller causes a valve to be
opened that allows water to be flushed out of the UV compartment.
The valve is preferably a solenoid valve. In other embodiments, the
controller waits until there is a customer request. At that time,
the controller determines whether water has been dispensed within a
certain predetermined period of time, and if the time since the
last dispensing event has exceeded the predetermined period of
time, the controller causes a solenoid valve to be opened that
allows water to be flushed out the UV compartment prior to
dispensing water to the customer.
[0039] FIG. 11 shows an ultraviolet light irradiating and warm
water flushing assembly 60 for an ice and liquid water vending
machine. An ultraviolet light source 62 generates ultraviolet
light, which is transmitted along a conduit 64 to a liquid water
irradiating zone 66. The water to be irradiated enters the
irradiating zone 66 by way of an inlet line 68 and exits the
irradiating zone 66 by way of an outlet line 70. A controller 72
directs a valve to control whether irradiated liquid water from the
outlet line 70 is flushed through a flush line 74 or travels
through a vending line 76 to the customer. The liquid water
entering through the inlet line 68 is preferably chilled prior to
entering the irradiating zone 66.
[0040] In embodiments where the ice vending machine also dispenses
liquid water, the liquid water is preferably chilled prior to being
dispensed. In some embodiments, an insulated tank receives and
holds the liquid water being flushed out by the ice maker after the
ice maker harvests a batch of ice. This cold liquid water in the
insulated tank is then used to chill the water to be dispensed
before it is dispensed to the customer. Coiled tubing rests inside
the insulated tank, and the incoming water line passes through the
coiled tubing to remove heat from the water before it is dispensed
to a customer.
[0041] FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show a chill tank 80 for an ice and
liquid water vending machine. The cold water being flushed out by
the ice maker after the ice maker harvests a batch of ice travels
down a tank inlet line 82 to an insulated tank 84 to serve as
cooling water. Coiled tubing 86 runs inside the insulated tank 84.
Incoming unchilled water flows into the coiled tubing 86 by way of
a water inlet line 88 and is chilled in the coiled tubing 86 by
heat transfer to the cooling water in the insulated tank 84. The
chilled water then exits the coiled tubing 86 by way of a water
outlet line 90 and is dispensed to the customer. A tank outlet line
92 drains excess cooling water from the insulated tank 84.
[0042] FIG. 14 schematically shows an automated ice vending
machine. The automated ice vending machine 100 includes a customer
request apparatus 41, an ice supplying apparatus 104, an ice
bagging apparatus 10, and a bagged ice vending apparatus 34. The
customer request apparatus 41 receives a request from a customer
for the ice in the form of a customer input, which may include, but
is not limited to, a payment by the customer or a selection of a
particular size of ice, a particular amount of ice, or a particular
number of bags of ice. A control board 22 including a programmable
logic control or other computerized control system or logic
receives and validates the request and initiates the vending
process by directing the ice supplying apparatus 104 to begin
supplying ice to the ice bagging apparatus 10 upon receipt of a
valid request from a customer.
[0043] The ice supplying apparatus 104 includes a holding vessel
106 to hold the ice pieces to be vended. The holding vessel 106 is
sufficiently insulated to retain a majority of the ice pieces in
solid form so as to minimize or avoid substantial melting of the
ice. The holding vessel 106 is preferably insulated from the
environment by an insulation chamber. The ice supplying apparatus
104 also includes an ice making apparatus 108. The ice making
apparatus 108 forms ice pieces by freezing liquid water from a
liquid water source, preferably a municipal liquid water source
200, and supplies the ice pieces to the holding vessel 106, as
needed, when the amount of ice pieces in the holding vessel goes
below a predetermined amount. The ice is passively supplied from
the ice making apparatus 108 to the holding vessel 106 by traveling
down a chute 110 between the ice making apparatus 108 and the
holding vessel 106. In other embodiments, the ice may be actively
transported from the ice making apparatus 108 to the holding vessel
106. The ice supplying apparatus 104 also includes an ice transport
apparatus 26 positioned in the holding vessel 106 and configured
and adapted to transport a metered portion of the ice pieces from
the holding vessel 106 to the ice bagging apparatus 10.
[0044] A view window 54 in front of the ice bagging apparatus 10
allows the customer to view at least a portion of the ice bagging
apparatus 10 in order to view the bagging process. Once the ice
bagging apparatus 10 has determined that the opened bag contains
the appropriate predetermined amount of ice pieces, the bagged ice
vending apparatus 34 delivers the bagged ice to the customer. The
bagged ice vending apparatus 34 is shown with dotted lines, as it
lies below the ice bagging apparatus 10. The bagged ice is released
from ice bagging apparatus 10 and travels down the vending chute 34
to the vend window 112, from which the customer takes the bagged
ice.
[0045] The automated ice vending machine 100 of FIG. 14 is an
automated ice and liquid water vending machine. The automated ice
vending machine 100 also includes a water supplying apparatus 114
and a water vending apparatus 116, including an ultraviolet light
irradiating assembly 60 and a chill tank apparatus 80. The water
supply apparatus 114 is a water inlet pipe coupled to any drinkable
water line, preferably a liquid water line 210 receiving liquid
water from a municipal liquid water source 200. The water supply
apparatus 114 also supplies the liquid water to be frozen by the
ice forming apparatus 108. A water inlet valve 118 preferably
controls whether liquid water is supplied to the liquid water inlet
88, the ice making apparatus inlet 120, neither inlet, or both
inlets. In other embodiments, separate lines controlled by separate
valves may supply liquid water to the ice making apparatus 104 and
the liquid water vending apparatus 116.
[0046] The water vending apparatus 116 supplies liquid water to the
customer upon receipt of a valid request from the customer for
liquid water through the customer request apparatus 41. The liquid
water is purified by the ultraviolet light irradiating assembly 60
prior to being supplied to the customer through the liquid water
vending line 76. In some embodiments, the control board 22
determines whether the control valve of the ultraviolet light
irradiating assembly 60 has been actuated within a predetermined
period of time prior to receiving the vend request and actuates the
control valve to supply a predetermined amount of the liquid water
from the irradiation zone of the ultraviolet light irradiating
assembly 60 to the flush line 74, if the control valve has not been
actuated within the predetermined period of time. The control board
22 then actuates the control valve to supply liquid water to the
liquid water vending line 76 to supply liquid water to the
customer. The liquid water is chilled by passage through the coils
of the chill tank apparatus 80 prior to being supplied to the
ultraviolet light irradiating assembly 60 for irradiation. Although
the tank inlet line 82 is shown in FIG. 14 as receiving cold water
drained from the ice making apparatus 108, the chute 110, the
holding vessel 106, and the ice transferring apparatus 26 of the
ice supplying apparatus 104, the tank inlet line 82 may alternately
receive cold water drained from one or any combination of these
parts of the ice supplying apparatus 104. The liquid water is
chilled by heat exchange in the chill tank apparatus 80 with cold
liquid water flushed or drained from the ice supplying apparatus
104 of the automated ice and liquid water vending apparatus 100. A
tank outlet line 92 drains excess cooling water from the chill tank
80. The chill tank outlet line 90 also serves as the ultraviolet
light irradiating assembly inlet line 68.
[0047] The control board 22 preferably controls and directs the
automated vending process by electronic communication with the
customer request apparatus 41, the ice supplying apparatus 104,
including the holding vessel 106, the ice making apparatus 108, and
the ice transport apparatus 26, the ice bagging apparatus 10, the
water inlet valve 118, and the water vending apparatus 116,
including the ultraviolet light irradiating assembly 60 and the
chill tank apparatus 80. As mentioned above, the control board 22
receives and validates a customer request for ice through the
customer request apparatus 41 and initiates the ice vending process
by directing the ice supplying apparatus 104 to begin supplying ice
to the ice bagging apparatus 10 upon receipt of a valid request for
ice from a customer. More specifically, the control board 22
directs the ice transport apparatus 26 to begin transporting ice
from the holding vessel 106 to the ice bagging apparatus 10. The
control board 22 also communicates with the holding vessel 106 to
monitor whether the amount of ice in the holding vessel 106 is
within a predetermined range. When the amount of ice in the holding
vessel 106 goes below the predetermined range, the control board 22
communicates with the ice making apparatus 108 to make more ice and
communicates with the water inlet valve 118 to supply water to the
ice making apparatus 108. The control board 22 also communicates
with the ice bagging apparatus 10 to initiate the ice bagging
process and to determine when to stop the ice bagging process.
[0048] The control board 22 also receives and validates a customer
request for liquid water through the customer request apparatus 41
and initiates the water vending process by directing the water
vending apparatus 116 to begin supplying liquid water upon receipt
of a valid request for water from a customer. The water vending
process includes the control board 22 communicating with the water
inlet valve 118 to supply water to the chill tank 80. The control
board 22 also preferably monitors the chill tank 80, including
monitoring the temperature of the chilling water received from the
ice supplying apparatus 104 and the temperature of the water to be
vended passing through the chill tank 80. The control board also
monitors the ultraviolet light irradiating assembly 60 in order to
direct the ultraviolet light irradiating assembly 60 to vend
chilled, irradiated water to the customer or to flush a
predetermined amount of the irradiated water that is no longer
sufficiently chilled.
[0049] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of
the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the
application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to
details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the
scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features
regarded as essential to the invention.
* * * * *