Manitowoc Foodservice Companies, Inc.

Manitowoc Foodservice Group, Inc.

The Manitowoc Company, Inc.

Hamilton Industries, Inc.

Lee G Mueller

Gregory S McDougal

Charles E Schlosser

Howard G Funk

Steven P Kutchera

Timothy J Kraus

David J Williamson

John Phillip Myers

Michael C Hollen

Richard T Miller

Curt R Cayemberg

Marty J Lafond

Daryl Gregory Erbs

Brian A Ebelt

Raymond Randy Haack

Mathew E Kampert

William E Smith, Jr

Philip J Baranowski

Thomas G Gutman

Ramesh B Tirumala

Matthew E Kampert

A method of making ice in an ice making machine comprising: (a) compressing vaporized refrigerant, cooling the compressed refrigerant to condense it into a liquid, feeding the condensed refrigerant through an expansion device and vaporizing the refrigerant in an evaporator to create freezing temperatures in an ice-forming mold to freeze water into ice in the shape of mold cavities during an ice making mode; (b) heating the ice making mold to release the ice therefrom in a harvest mode by separating vaporous and liquid refrigerant within a receiver interconnected between the condenser and the expansion device and feeding vapor from the receiver to the evaporator, wherein the ice-forming mold, evaporator and receiver are disposed in an ice machine unit, and the compressor and condenser are disposed in a condensing unit; (c) determining if the ice making machine is on and if an ice bin switch is closed: if the ice machine is on and the bin switch is closed, then check a low pressure switch: if the low pressure switch is not closed, then return to step (i) above; or if the low pressure switch is closed, then set a time delay for a predetermined time delay; and (d) determining if the predetermined time delay has elapsed: if the predetermined time delay has not elapsed, then return to step (d); or if the predetermined time delay has elapsed, then initiate another the ice making mode.

Low pressure control for signaling a time delay for ice making cycle start up

A method that includes: (i) detecting an acoustic wave that is propagating through a body of water, as the body of water is being frozen on a structure, thus yielding a detected acoustic wave; (ii) extracting, from the detected acoustic wave, (a) a frequency component thereof, and (b) a magnitude of the frequency component; and (iii) removing the body of water from the structure when the magnitude exceeds a threshold value.

Analyzing an acoustic wave that has propagated through a body of water while the body of water is being frozen

An ice barrier and an ice making machine having an ice barrier is provided in some embodiments, wherein the ice barrier is movable between a first orientation in which liquid water from an ice-forming surface is directed into the liquid receptacle, and a second orientation in which the ice barrier blocks access of ice from the ice-forming surface to locations in which ice is trapped between the ice barrier and an adjacent surface. Also, a method of producing ice in an ice making machine is provided in some embodiments, wherein a barrier diverts a flow of liquid water received from the ice-forming surface away from an ice collection bin, and wherein the barrier is moved to an orientation in which the barrier diverts ice toward the ice collection bin and also blocks access of ice to positions trapped between the barrier and an adjacent surface.

Ice making machine and method

An ice machine includes an evaporator, a condensate collection unit, positioned below the evaporator and configured to collect condensate from a back surface of the evaporator. First and second mounting brackets attached to the first and second sides of the evaporator, respectively, and are attached to first and second side panels positioned within the ice machine. A pump deck resides below the evaporator and has a chambered section, and a sump is positioned within the chambered section. The condensate collection unit is coupled to a water discharge line, such that condensate is removed from the ice machine and does not come into contact with water that is recirculated to the evaporator. The first and second mounting brackets and first and second flanges on the sump permit easy installation and removal of the evaporator and the sump from the ice machine.

Ice machine including a condensate collection unit, an evaporator attachment assembly, and removable sump

A flaked ice making machine has a solenoid inlet valve in series with an inlet level control valve. In a preferred embodiment, these valves are used to provide an automatic cleaning feature. The automatic self-cleaning feature interacts with the control system and an array of inputs to clean a water reservoir and a freezing cylinder within the ice making machine and to rid the machine of mineral deposits.

Flaked ice making machine

A remote ice-making machine is disclosed having a compressor unit remote from an evaporator unit, a supply line for transferring refrigerant from the compressor unit to the remote evaporator unit, and a return line for returning refrigerant from the evaporator unit to the compressor unit during an ice-making mode. The preferred evaporator unit has an ice-forming evaporator and a heating unit, as well as a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator unit. A method for making ice with the remote ice-making unit is also disclosed.

Remote ice making machine

A remote ice-making machine is disclosed having a compressor unit remote from an evaporator unit, a supply line for transferring refrigerant from the compressor unit-to the remote evaporator unit, and a return line for returning refrigerant from the evaporator unit to the compressor unit during an ice-making mode. The preferred evaporator unit has an ice-forming evaporator and a heating unit, as well as a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator unit. A method for making ice with the remote ice-making unit is also disclosed.

An automatic ice making machine is disclosed having a coolant/refrigerant system, a water/ice system, a cleaning/sterilizing system and a microprocessor operated control system interconnecting the above systems. Methods for automatically cleaning the ice maker's water/ice systems and establishing safeguards and monitoring of system readiness and operation are also provided.

Ice making machine

An automatic ice making machine is disclosed having a coolant/refrigerant system, a water/ice system, a cleaning/sterilizing system and a microprocessor operated control system interconnecting the above systems. Methods for automatically cleaning the ice makers water/ice systems and establishing safeguards and monitoring of system readiness and operation are also provided.

An automatic self-cleaning self-sterilizing ice making machine is having a coolant/refrigerant system, a water-ice system, a cleaning/sterilizing system and a microprocessor operated control system interconnecting the above systems. Methods for automatically cleaning ice maker water-ice systems and establishing safeguards and monitoring of system readiness and operation are also provided.

Self-cleaning self-sterilizing ice making machine

A roller-equipped platform movably supported upon a tabletop having a straight, accessible rear edge, the platform including a straight depending flange received in a guide channel defined by the rear edge of the tabletop and a guide track secured to that rear edge. Stop elements at opposite ends of the track limit the extent of sideways movement of the platform upon the tabletop.

Growing community of inventors

Kewaunee, WI, United States of America

Lee G Mueller