Ice vending machine and related methods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional ice vending machines face challenges in efficient on-demand ice dispensing, theft prevention, and operational efficiency, particularly in requiring constant attendant supervision and maintaining ice quality in varying environments.
Innovation Solution
The ice vending machine design includes a cabinet with an integrated ice maker, storage section, and bagging system, featuring agitators, an interactive panel for customer requests, a blower for bag opening, an ice feed auger for filling, and a heat sealer for sealing bags, allowing for rapid on-demand dispensing of ice bags within seconds, reducing theft risk and enabling 24/7 operation without an attendant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional ice vending machines store pre-filled bags of ice in a cooler, then ice can be dispensed quickly, but theft and contamination risks increase due to constant stock availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares ice bags in advance by filling and sealing them on-demand before customer purchase, then storing them in a secure cooler. This preliminary preparation eliminates theft risk since ice is only available after purchase, while maintaining quick dispensing since pre-filled bags are already ready for immediate distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice vending machine automatically fills, seals, and stores ice bags without human intervention. The system self-manages the ice supply chain by producing ice, packaging it in controlled conditions, and securing it in storage, thereby eliminating contamination risks from manual handling and preventing theft through automated control.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an attendant supervises traditional ice vending machines, then theft and contamination are prevented, but operational efficiency and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ice vending machine performs all operations autonomously - ice production, bag filling, sealing, and storage - without requiring attendant supervision. This self-service capability maintains theft and contamination prevention while eliminating the operational inefficiency and cost associated with human oversight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human attendant supervision with an automated control system that uses sensors, motors, and controllers to manage ice production, packaging, and storage. This substitution maintains security and quality control while dramatically improving operational efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ice is stored in varying temperature environments, then outdoor placement and versatility are enabled, but ice quality maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a localized controlled environment within the vending machine - specifically a refrigerated cooler compartment - that maintains consistent temperature conditions for ice storage regardless of external environmental variations. This local quality control allows the machine to be placed outdoors while preserving ice quality through isolated temperature management.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerated cooler creates a controlled, stable environment that protects ice from the harmful effects of varying outdoor temperatures. By maintaining a consistent cold atmosphere independent of external conditions, the system enables outdoor placement while ensuring reliable ice quality maintenance.
4Device complexity
If manual ice bag filling is used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but dispensing time and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual ice bag filling with an automated mechanical system consisting of an ice maker, auger mechanism, and heat sealer. This substitution dramatically reduces filling time from minutes to seconds while managing device complexity through integrated automation that requires no additional manual operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system enables continuous operation of the ice filling and sealing process without interruption or manual intervention. The ice maker continuously produces ice, the auger continuously feeds it to bags, and the heat sealer continuously seals them, eliminating the downtime and labor associated with manual batch processing.
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 ensures rapid, secure, and efficient dispensing of ice bags, maintaining ice quality, and allowing for unattended operation, reducing theft and contamination risks while enabling outdoor placement in various temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sealer for sealing bags
Implementation Method 2
an ice maker coupled to the frame
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of ice vending machines may include a cabinet having a frame, an ice maker coupled to the frame, and an ice storage section coupled to the frame and below the ice maker. The ice storage section may include one or more agitators. Implementations may also include an ice feed coupled below the ice storage section, a bagging system coupled to the frame and below the ice feed, a retrieval section coupled to the frame and below the bagging system, and an interactive panel coupled to an outer surface of the cabinet. The interactive panel may be configured to receive a purchase request from a customer for a bag of ice. The ice vending machine, in response to the purchase request, may be configured to fill and dispense the bag of ice on demand.