Ice machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing on-site ice production systems face issues with ice bridging, leading to underfilled or ruptured bags, increased maintenance costs due to vibrations, and limited ability to produce bags of varying sizes, resulting in inefficiencies and inventory shortages.
Innovation Solution
An automated ice bagger system with a hopper, ice agitator, and auger that prevents ice bridging, monitors ice levels, and allows for production of bags of different sizes by using a scale to ensure accurate ice filling and sealing, reducing maintenance and inventory issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vibrations are used to prevent ice bridging, then ice flow is improved, but device wear and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the vibrating mechanism from the system entirely, replacing it with a gravity-fed hopper design where ice flows naturally through a chute. This extraction of the harmful vibration element eliminates the associated wear and maintenance issues while preserving ice flow functionality through gravitational force and proper hopper geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vibration system with a passive gravity-based ice delivery mechanism. Instead of using vibrational forces to move ice, the system relies on gravitational force and the design of the hopper and chute to guide ice flow, thereby eliminating the mechanical wear caused by vibrations.
2Device complexity
If fixed-size drums or boxes are used for ice metering, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different bag sizes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic ice delivery system where the auger can be adjusted to deliver different quantities of ice corresponding to different bag sizes. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same device to adapt to various bag sizes without changing the fundamental simplicity of the gravity-fed hopper design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal ice bagging device that can handle multiple bag sizes through the adjustable auger mechanism. The same hopper and chute structure serves all bag sizes, with the auger providing the variable ice metering function, thereby achieving multi-functionality without sacrificing device simplicity.
3Productivity
If ice is transported from remote location, then centralized production is achieved, but transportation costs and ice melting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary ice production at the point of use rather than requiring centralized production and transportation. By installing an ice maker that produces ice locally and feeds it directly into the hopper, the system eliminates the transportation step entirely, preventing ice melting during transit and reducing energy losses associated with freezer delivery vehicles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently produces accurate, on-site ice bags of various sizes with minimal maintenance, preventing bridging and melting, and addressing inventory shortages by real-time production adjustments, reducing transportation costs and ensuring consistent ice supply.
Implementation Method 1
An auger transports the ice to a bagger
Implementation Method 2
A scale weighs the ice being deposited into the bag
Data Source
AI summary
An ice bagger is provided. The ice bagger includes an ice hopper into which ice is disposed from an ice manufacturer. The ice hopper further includes an ice agitator and defines an ice trough there beneath. An ice auger, housed inside the ice trough, transports ice to an ice delivery chute. A hatch is positioned beneath the ice delivery chute, upon which the bag rests while filling. A scale is positioned on the hatch. The scale weighs the ice being deposited into the bag. When the bag is full, the bag is sealed by a sealer. When the bag is sealed, the hatch opens and the bag of ice is deposited in an bag depository. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.