Patents by Inventor Lee Gerard Mueller

Lee Gerard Mueller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9217597
    Abstract: 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 s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Manitowoc Foodservice Companies, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Gerard Mueller, Daryl G. Erbs
  • Publication number: 20120192575
    Abstract: A controller continues to operate an ice making machine in a safe mode when a failure of a component is detected. While in the safe mode due to failure of an ice thickness probe, the freeze cycle freeze time is based on an average freeze time of a predetermined number of the most previous freeze cycles prior to the failure. While in the safe mode due to failure of a water level probe, the water valve on time is based on an average water valve on time of a predetermined number of the most previous freeze cycles prior to the failure. If the failure is uncured after a predetermined time, the controller causes the ice making machine to enter a standby mode or disables the ice making machine from making ice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Tirumala, William Roy York, JR., Lee Gerard Mueller, Raymond R. Haack, Daryl G. Erbs
  • Publication number: 20120031114
    Abstract: A method for making clear ice comprising: filling a water sump to a predetermined level; contacting a refrigerant to an evaporator; circulating water from the sump over the evaporator to form ice on the evaporator; monitoring the water level in the sump; and monitoring the conductivity of the water in the sump to determine if the conductivity of the water is equal to or greater than a predetermined conductivity valve, (i) if the conductivity is not equal to or greater than the predetermined conductivity valve and if the water level reaches a predetermined lower water level, then complete the ice making cycle and initiate the harvest cycle; or (ii) if the conductivity is equal to or greater than the predetermined conductivity valve and if the water level has not reached a predetermined lower water level, then add additional water to the water sump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Lee Gerard Mueller, Daryl G. Erbs
  • Publication number: 20120031115
    Abstract: 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 s
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Lee Gerard Mueller, Daryl G. Erbs