Patent ID: 7497062

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a hopper in which ice is adapted to be disposed; a drawer movable relative to the hopper, the drawer comprising: a first position; and a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper; a door movable relative to each of the hopper and the drawer, the door comprising: a first position in which the ice is permitted to enter the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position; and a second position in which the ice is prevented from entering the drawer from the hopper when the drawer is in its first position; a first actuator operably coupled to the drawer and adapted to move the drawer relative to each of the hopper and the door; a second actuator operably coupled to the door and adapted to move the door relative to each of the hopper and the drawer; a sensor coupled to the hopper and adapted to detect an amount of ice in the hopper; a control unit operably coupled to the first actuator, the second actuator and the sensor an ice maker from which the hopper is adapted to receive the ice; a bagging mechanism comprising a bag into which the drawer is adapted to deliver the ice; and a freezer adapted to store the bag after the ice has been delivered into the bag by the drawer; wherein, when the drawer is in its first position and the door is in its second position, the door is disposed between at least a portion of the drawer and at least a portion of the hopper; wherein the sensor sends a first signal to the control unit in response to the detection of the amount of ice in the hopper; wherein the control unit sends a second signal to the second actuator in response to the receipt of the first signal by the control unit; and wherein the second actuator places the door in its second position in response to the receipt of the second signal by the second actuator.