U-line Corporation

Manitowoc Foodservice Group, Inc.

Dean G Byczynski

William A Reed

Jeffrey A Ziminski

Karl R Krumbiegel

Charles E Schlosser

Cary J Pierskalla

Thomas W Rand

Andrew J Doberstein

Joseph E Braun

Jack L Vaughn

Lawrence D Moye

David R Pluskota

A refrigeration unit with improved storage and accessibility features has a thermally insulated cabinet and door defining a storage space with a plurality of support elements. The support elements include easily removable door shelves and horizontal cabinet shelves that can be removed or repositioned without the door being fully opened due to dished regions adjacent the shelf supports that allow the shelves to be pivoted and removed rather than slid straight out of the cabinet. Indicia on one of the shelves follows the contour of one of the door shelves to indicate approximately the shelf space occupied by an adjacent door shelf and thus where items can be set without interfering with the closure of the door. The refrigeration unit also includes a cam assembly at the lower door hinge which biases the door closed when open approximately 35 degrees or less. The refrigeration unit also includes features for attaching an overlay panel to the door easily.

Refrigeration unit

An ice maker in which a non-metallic shroud surrounds the metal evaporator plate and has a continuous bulbous edge that engulfs the edges of the plate. The shroud further includes a roof disposed above the plate and slopes toward the front of the plate. The water distributor of the ice maker is mounted on the roof of the shroud.

Domestic clear ice maker

An ice maker in which a non-metallic shroud surronds the metal evaporator plate and has a continuous bulbous edge that engulfs the edges of the plate. The shroud further includes a roof disposed above the plate and slopes toward the front of the plate. The water distributor of the ice maker is mounted on the roof of the shroud.

A refrigerant evaporator has a first heat exchange portion with an uninterrupted surface formed from sheets of conductive material joined together to form passages therebetween. A second heat exchange portion is connected to and adjacent the first portion. The second portion is formed from hollow, serpentine tubes with spine fins. Condensed refrigerant passes through the first portion, which accummulates frost and ice, and then through the second portion. The first portion also includes a labyrinth of passages that define an accumulator for refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchange portion.

Evaporator for combination refrigerator/freezer

Handle

A refrigeration system including a compressor, condenser, capillary tube and evaporator includes a hot gas bypass defrosting capability provided by a bypass means around the capillary tube. Defrosting is achieved by the use of hot, uncondensed refrigerant, without requiring a reversal of the flow of refrigerant through the system. An exemplary bypass means includes a solenoid valve and associated tubing to form an alternate, low restriction path for the refrigerant to bypass the capillary tube. When the solenoid valve is closed, refrigerant is forced through the capillary tube for normal refrigeration. However, when the solenoid valve is open, condensation of refrigerant in the condenser is inhibited, and hot refrigerant gas is delivered directly to the evaporator for defrosting. The solenoid valve is controlled in response to the total accumulated running time of the compressor for improved control of the defrosting cycles.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Dean G Byczynski