Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an animal acoustic augmentor (AAA) for an animal acoustic augmentation system. The AAA includes an audio system configured to generate audio proximal and/or for delivery to an ear of an animal and a logic device configured to communicate with and control operation of the audio system. The logic device is configured to detect an AAA trigger associated with operation of the AAA and/or the audio system and generate an animal-audible trigger response via the audio system of the AAA based, at least in part, on the detected AAA trigger, where the animal-audible trigger response includes a preprogrammed AAA trigger response stored within a memory of the AAA and/or a live AAA trigger response based, at least in part, on a control sequence and/or an owner command provided by a personal electronic device associated with the AAA and/or an acoustic environment of the animal.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an animal acoustic augmentor (AAA) for an animal acoustic augmentation system. The AAA includes an audio system configured to generate audio proximal and/or for delivery to an ear of an animal and a logic device configured to communicate with and control operation of the audio system. The logic device is configured to detect an AAA trigger associated with operation of the AAA and/or the audio system and generate an animal-audible trigger response via the audio system of the AAA based, at least in part, on the detected AAA trigger, where the animal-audible trigger response includes a preprogrammed AAA trigger response stored within a memory of the AAA and/or a live AAA trigger response based, at least in part, on a control sequence and/or an owner command provided by a personal electronic device associated with the AAA and/or an acoustic environment of the animal.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an animal acoustic augmentor (AAA) for an animal acoustic augmentation system. The AAA includes an audio system configured to generate audio proximal and/or for delivery to an ear of an animal and a logic device configured to communicate with and control operation of the audio system. The logic device is configured to detect an AAA trigger associated with operation of the AAA and/or the audio system and generate an animal-audible trigger response via the audio system of the AAA based, at least in part, on the detected AAA trigger, where the animal-audible trigger response includes a preprogrammed AAA trigger response stored within a memory of the AAA and/or a live AAA trigger response based, at least in part, on a control sequence and/or an owner command provided by a personal electronic device associated with the AAA and/or an acoustic environment of the animal.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an animal acoustic augmentor (AAA) for an animal acoustic augmentation system. The AAA includes an audio system configured to generate audio proximal and/or for delivery to an ear of an animal and a logic device configured to communicate with and control operation of the audio system. The logic device is configured to detect an AAA trigger associated with operation of the AAA and/or the audio system and generate an animal-audible trigger response via the audio system of the AAA based, at least in part, on the detected AAA trigger, where the animal-audible trigger response includes a preprogrammed AAA trigger response stored within a memory of the AAA and/or a live AAA trigger response based, at least in part, on a control sequence and/or an owner command provided by a personal electronic device associated with the AAA and/or an acoustic environment of the animal.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly is described that includes a support frame and an ice cube hopper coupled to the support frame. The ice cube hopper stores a plurality of ice cubes. The ice cube hopper is intended to convey the plurality of ice cubes from a low end of the ice cube hopper to a high end of the ice cube hopper. An ice chute is in mechanical cooperation with the high end of the ice cube hopper, the ice chute configured to drop the plurality of ice cubes into an open ice bag. The ice bagging assembly also includes a first level sensor configured to sense a height level of ice in the ice cube hopper to ensure an adequate quantity of ice to fill the open ice bag to a predetermined weight.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: Ice bagging assemblies comprising an ice bag merchandiser, an ice bag diverter positionable between first and second positions to drop ice bags into different first and second regions within the ice bag merchandiser. Methods of stacking ice bags in an ice bag merchandiser comprising receiving an ice bag in an ice bag diverter and dropping the ice bag to a first region of the ice bag merchandiser when the ice bag diverter is in a first position and dropping the ice bag to a second region of the ice bag merchandiser when the ice bag diverter is in a second position.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.

Abstract: A handle system for carrying and installing a plurality of empty ice bags in an ice bagging assembly is disclosed herein. The handle may comprise any system for effectively transporting empty ice bags and loading the ice bags into an ice bagging assembly. Implementations of the handle system may comprise a post member and a cover member. The post member may include a handle and a plurality of posts protruding from one side of the post member. The cover member may include a cover support bar with a plurality of reentrant openings aligned with the plurality of posts when the cover member is mated with the post member. The plurality of reentrant openings that each extend through the cover member and are sized to receive a portion of one of the plurality of posts.

Abstract: Ice bagging assemblies comprising an ice bag merchandiser, an ice bag diverter positionable between first and second positions to drop ice bags into different first and second regions within the ice bag merchandiser. Methods of stacking ice bags in an ice bag merchandiser comprising receiving an ice bag in an ice bag diverter and dropping the ice bag to a first region of the ice bag merchandiser when the ice bag diverter is in a first position and dropping the ice bag to a second region of the ice bag merchandiser when the ice bag diverter is in a second position.

Abstract: A machine that produces, dispenses and automatically bags ice. The machine will have at least one ice producing unit for producing ice. An auger mechanism is coupled to the ice producing unit for collecting and moving the ice that has been produced by the ice producing unit. A volumetric drum is coupled to the auger mechanism. The volumetric drum stores the ice moved by the auger mechanism and measures the amount of ice to be bagged by volume. A heat sealer coupled to the bagging mechanism is provided to seal the bag once the bag has been loaded with ice. The machine further has a freezer compartment which stores the bag when the bag has been loaded with ice and sealed. The machine has a monitoring and communication system which monitors operating conditions of the machine and sends information on the operation of the machine to the manufacturer.