By Change Of Consistency, E.g., Viscosity Or Overrun Patents (Class 62/136)
  • Patent number: 11473824
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a heat-source-tower heat pump system combined with an ice maker. The system includes a heat source tower and a heat pump unit. The system further includes an ice maker. The liquid outlet of the heat source tower is connected to the liquid inlet of the ice maker through a pipeline. The concentrated liquid outlet of the ice maker is connected to the liquid return port of the heat source tower. The cold outlet of the heat pump unit is connected to the cold inlet of the ice maker through a pipeline. The hot return port of the ice maker is connected to the hot inlet of the heat pump unit through a pipeline. The cold inlet and the hot outlet of the heat pump unit are respectively connected to corresponding outlet and inlet of an end of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Chongqing University, Jiangsu Simpsun Air New Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Lu, Yifei Lv, Fangqi Lu, Ling Xie, Lulu Yang
  • Patent number: 11369125
    Abstract: A cooling control device comprises a compressor, a condenser, a material reservoir evaporator, a freezing cylinder refrigeration inlet conduit, and a freezing cylinder refrigeration outlet conduit. An outlet end of the condenser is connected to a condenser outlet pipe. The condenser outlet pipe is in communication with three branch pipes, which are a freezing cylinder refrigeration pipe, a material reservoir pre-cooling pipe and a material reservoir freshness-preserving pipe arranged in parallel. The freezing cylinder refrigeration pipe is in communication with the freezing cylinder refrigeration inlet conduit. The material reservoir pre-cooling pipe and the material reservoir freshness-preserving pipe are in communication with an inlet end of the material reservoir evaporator. An outlet end of the material reservoir evaporator and the freezing cylinder refrigeration outlet conduit are respectively in communication with the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU GUANGSHEN ELECTRIC PRODUCE CO., LTD
    Inventor: Xinbing Wang
  • Patent number: 11300343
    Abstract: An icemaking system includes a circulation circuit configured to circulate icemaking solution, at least one icemaker provided in the circulation circuit, a cooling mechanism, a first detector and an adjuster. The icemaker includes a cooling chamber and a scraping mechanism. The cooling chamber has an inflow port and an exhaust port of solution, and the cooling chamber allows the solution to flow in the cooling chamber. The scraping mechanism scrapes ice generated on an inner surface of the cooling chamber. The cooling mechanism cools the solution in the cooling chamber. The first detector detects whether the inflow port of the cooling chamber has an ice nucleus. The adjuster adjusts a cooling temperature of the solution in accordance with a detection result of the first detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Kita, Azuma Kondou, Shunsuke Touya, Yuuya Seta, Shouhei Yasuda, Takeo Ueno
  • Patent number: 11236935
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and device for solidification and/or solid production, such as ice production, are provided. For example, a method of solid production includes contacting a first fluid with a second fluid to facilitate solidifying the second fluid; the first fluid and the second fluid are immiscible with respect to each other. The method includes solidifying the second fluid. A solid production system includes a first fluid and a second fluid; the first fluid and the second fluid are immiscible with respect to each other. The system includes one or more surfaces configured to contact the first fluid and the second fluid with each other and to form one or more solids from the second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Goldfarbmuren, Luke Erickson, Josh Nelson, John Darrah, Mauricio Sanchez, Chance Lord
  • Patent number: 11089798
    Abstract: An ice cream manufacturing apparatus, an ice cream manufacturing method, and an ice cream drawing method. An apparatus for manufacturing ice cream includes: a dasher positioned in a cylinder and agitating a liquefied original ice cream liquid and air input into the sealed cylinder; a dasher motor rotating the dasher; a motor RPM control means controlling a frequency of the dasher motor; a dasher motor load measuring means measuring a load of the dasher motor; and a controller determining a rotational speed change time of the dasher motor based on the load measured by the dasher motor load measuring means and controlling the motor RPM control means so as to change the frequency of the dasher motor to a predetermined frequency when the change of the rotational speed of the dasher motor is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Se Hoon You
  • Patent number: 10712094
    Abstract: A machine for making and dispensing cold or ice beverages, such as cool drinks, slushes, sorbets and the like, comprising at least: a containment and processing tank for the product to be dispensed which has a front wall, which is equipped at the bottom with a dispensing mouth for dispensing the beverage, a dispenser, located at the beverage dispensing mouth and able to be turned on or off to allow the beverage to be dispensed; a thermal treatment cylinder located inside the containment tank; a stirrer located outside an outer surface of said thermal treatment cylinder and adapted to rotate about a respective axis of rotation; a refrigerating plant comprising a first exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a pressure reducing unit and a compressor, the first heat exchanger being located inside said thermal treatment cylinder, a containment compartment for the second heat exchanger, a pressure reducing unit and a compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.-CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 10704971
    Abstract: Disclosed is a valve actuator configured to determine, during operation of a valve by an alternating current (AC) motor of the valve actuator, an amount of torque produced by the AC motor. A process for measuring the amount of torque produced by the AC motor includes actuating a valve using the AC motor of the valve actuator, measuring, by a microcontroller of the valve actuator and during the actuating of the valve, a time interval between: (i) a first zero crossing of a waveform of AC voltage applied to the AC motor, and (ii) a second zero crossing of a waveform of AC current drawn by the AC motor, and determining, based on the time interval, an amount of torque produced by the AC motor during the actuating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TRI-TEC MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Roy Gilbert, Richard Lynn Cordray
  • Patent number: 10638774
    Abstract: The method for preparing refrigerated products provides to control the solidity of a product being prepared inside a containment tank (2) of said product, until reaching a predetermined solidity, and to measure the temperature of the same product inside said tank (2) once reached said predetermined solidity. Once reached the predetermined solidity, said temperature of the product is set as reference temperature and said reference temperature is kept constant during the subsequent functioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: S.P.M. DRINK SYSTEMS S.P.A.
    Inventor: Enrico Grampassi
  • Patent number: 10598419
    Abstract: Seawater fluidized ice manufacturing equipment is disclosed, comprising a compressor; a condenser, connected with the compressor, the condenser being internally provided with a condensing agent; a heat exchanger, connected with the condenser, the heat exchanger being provided with a hydrophobic material coating; and an ultrasonic generator, connected with the heat exchanger. A seawater fluidized ice manufacturing method is also disclosed, comprising the following steps: compressing low-temperature and low-pressure condensing agent vapor in an ice making barrel into high-temperature and high-pressure condensing agent vapor by the compressor; driving the seawater to enter the ice making barrel and the liquefied condensing agent into a cooling pipe, condensing the seawater into fluidized ice, wherein when the seawater is condensed in the ice making barrel, the ultrasonic generator generates ultrasonic waves to drive the seawater to crystallize into fluidized ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG OCEAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhi Han, Zhen Wang, Roujia Zhang, Pengfei Zhang, Yaying Zhang, Wenqi Zhao, Tao Jiang, Wei Wang, Binju Wang, Yu Wang, Sheng'ao Shi, Yang Chen, Binhui Jin, Yiying Dong, Hongwei Gui, Zhihao Du, Jiawei Zheng, Ronglian Wei, Tianle Xu, Wanglai Kuang, Hongli Shan, Tianwen Lu, Xiaowen Shang, Xin Li, Kening Sun, Wenjun Zhang, Libiao Zhou
  • Patent number: 10561158
    Abstract: A machine for making and dispensing liquid or semi-liquid products including, in combination: at least one batch freezing unit, including: a processing vessel, a stirrer mounted inside the processing vessel to mix the basic product and provided with scrapers acting on the inside walls of the processing vessel, and a dispenser adapted to allow the product to be drawn out of the processing vessel; a first refrigerated compartment adapted to house a plurality of vessels for containing basic products; at least a first door for closing the first refrigerated compartment; at least one pump connected in use to the processing vessel and connectable to one of the vessels for containing basic products in order to transfer the basic product from the vessel for containing basic products to the processing vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ALI GROUP S.R.L.—CARPIGIANI
    Inventors: Andrea Cocchi, Roberto Lazzarini
  • Patent number: 10160289
    Abstract: A air conditioning control device is configured to estimate whether or not the temperature of refrigerant on a high-pressure side in a heat pump device is equal to or lower than a predetermined low temperature and to switch a flow path switching device to an air-heating start-up mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is equal to or lower than the predetermined low temperature and switch the flow path switching device to a normal air-heating mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is higher than the predetermined low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano
  • Patent number: 10060661
    Abstract: An accumulator that is used in a refrigeration apparatus including a plurality of compressors and is provided for the plurality of compressors, the accumulator including an inlet pipe that penetrates a cylindrical container perpendicularly to a central axis of the cylindrical container and conveys gas-liquid mixed refrigerant into the container and a plurality of outlet pipes connected to respective suction sides of the plurality of compressors, wherein the plurality of outlet pipes each have one end located in the container and forming outlet port for conveying gas refrigerant in the container toward the plurality of compressors, and wherein the outlet port of each of the plurality of outlet pipes is concentrated in a central part of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abastari, Satoru Ue, Tomotaka Ishikawa, Kenichi Hata
  • Patent number: 10018388
    Abstract: An outdoor unit, connected with indoor units by pipes to constitute a refrigerant circuit, includes a compressor configured to compress and discharge refrigerant, a plurality of parallel heat exchangers configured to allow heat exchange between air and the refrigerant, a first defrosting pipe serving as a flow path for branching a part of the refrigerant discharged by the compressor and allowing the refrigerant to flow into the parallel heat exchanger to be defrosted for defrosting, a first expansion device configured to decompress the refrigerant passing through the first defrosting pipe, a second expansion device configured to adjust the pressure of the refrigerant that passed through the parallel heat exchanger to be defrosted, and a controller configured to control the second expansion device such that the pressure of the refrigerant that passed through the parallel heat exchanger to be defrosted falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Takenaka, Shinichi Wakamoto, Kazuya Watanabe, Koji Yamashita, Takeshi Hatomura
  • Patent number: 9885508
    Abstract: A method for determining discharge pressure for a compressor operatively connected to a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator in a serial relationship, includes receiving information indicative of a compressor torque or compressor current; and determining a discharge pressure in response to the receiving of the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Don A. Schuster, Adeyemi A. Adepetu, Rajendra K. Shah
  • Patent number: 9869502
    Abstract: A method for operating a fan of a nugget ice maker is provided. The method includes monitoring a speed of an auger of the nugget ice maker while a motor of the nugget ice maker rotates the auger and the fan of the nugget ice maker runs at a stored speed. A speed of the fan is increased when the speed of the auger stabilizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Haier US Applicance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: William Everette Gardner, Alan Joseph Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9826754
    Abstract: A through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising a freezing cylinder, an inlet pipe, an inlet blocking device, an air inlet, an outlet pipe and an outlet blocking device, wherein, at least in one operational mode of the through-flow freezer, the inlet blocking device and the outlet blocking device are closed such that a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun in the freezing cylinder can be entrapped in the freezing cylinder by introducing air via the air inlet. Furthermore, a method for starting up a through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising the step of adding air through the air inlet until a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun is entrapped in the freezing cylinder and a certain cylinder pressure is reached in the freezing cylinder before starting the cooling of the freezing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Erik Jimmy Wolf Petersen, Steen Gyldenlov, Ole Bendixen
  • Patent number: 9068564
    Abstract: A controller performs, while controlling a first stage cryopanel to have a target temperature: a first determination in which it is determined whether a second stage cryopanel has been heated to a temperature higher than or equal to an alert temperature set to be lower than a maximum temperature of the second stage cryopanel set in the vacuum apparatus; and a second determination in which it is determined whether the second stage cryopanel is continuously being heated, for a preset period of time or longer, to a temperature within a temperature range set on condition that the alert temperature is a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9032746
    Abstract: An ice making device may include an ice tray, a water-supply part for supplying water to the ice tray, an electrostatic capacity sensor having two or more electrodes attached to the ice tray, a water quantity detecting section for detecting a water quantity in the ice tray on a basis of variation of an electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor, and an ice frozen detecting section for detecting water supplied to the ice tray having been frozen on the basis of the variation of the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor. A control unit for the ice making device controls the water-supply part, an ice tray drive part and an ice detecting part on the basis of variation of the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes of the electrostatic capacity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Ito, Masako Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20140208786
    Abstract: To defrost one barrel of a two barrel FCB dispenser, a refrigeration system defrosts the one barrel, while neither defrosting nor chilling the other barrel, for either a selected time or until a frozen beverage is drawn from the other barrel, whichever occurs first. Once the selected time or beverage draw occurs, the refrigeration system chills the other barrel until beverage within it is properly frozen, while neither defrosting nor chilling the one barrel. Once beverage in the other barrel is properly frozen, the refrigeration system resumes defrosting the one barrel, whereupon the foregoing cycle is repeated until defrost of the one barrel is complete, at which point the refrigeration system chills the one barrel to refreeze product in it. The arrangement keeps beverage in the other barrel properly frozen during defrosting of the one barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: IMI Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Billman, Daniel C. Leaver, Kyle B. Elsom, Nikolay Popov
  • Patent number: 8769973
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a frozen product dispenser is controlled to have a variable cooling capacity that is determined by variable cooling load demands of the dispenser. This is accomplished, in part, by providing the refrigeration system with a variable speed compressor and one or more adjustable expansion valves for metering refrigerant to associated evaporators that are heat exchange coupled to associated freeze barrels of the dispenser, and by controlling the metering setting of the expansion valves and the speed of operation of the compressor in accordance with the cooling load demands of the dispenser. The arrangement provides for efficient operation of the refrigeration system from an energy standpoint and for a reduction in on/off cycling of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Leaver, Gregory M. Billman
  • Publication number: 20130152610
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a frozen product dispenser is controlled to have a variable cooling capacity that is determined by variable cooling load demands of the dispenser. This is accomplished, in part, by providing the refrigeration system with a variable speed compressor and one or more adjustable expansion valves for metering refrigerant to associated evaporators that are heat exchange coupled to associated freeze barrels of the dispenser, and by controlling the metering setting of the expansion valves and the speed of operation of the compressor in accordance with the cooling load demands of the dispenser. The arrangement provides for efficient operation of the refrigeration system from an energy standpoint and for a reduction in on/off cycling of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: IMI Cornelius Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Leaver, Gregory M. Billman
  • Patent number: 8408017
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a frozen product dispenser is controlled to have a variable cooling capacity that is determined by variable cooling load demands of the dispenser. This is accomplished, in part, by providing the refrigeration system with a variable speed compressor and one or more adjustable expansion valves for metering refrigerant to associated evaporators that are heat exchange coupled to associated freeze barrels of the dispenser, and by controlling the metering setting of the expansion valves and the speed of operation of the compressor in accordance with the cooling load demands of the dispenser. The arrangement provides for efficient operation of the refrigeration system from an energy standpoint and for a reduction in on/off cycling of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: IMI Cornelius, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Leaver, Gregory M. Billman
  • Patent number: 8156748
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a sensing system for detecting quality of ice cubes in an ice cube storage bin. The system includes a digital image capture device coupled to a digital image analyzing system which captures digital images of the ice cube storage bin intermittently. The digital images are processed to determine a centroid of the ice mass within the bin, and the centroid is analyzed to determine whether it is located outside a predetermined acceptable boundary. A centroid outside of the acceptable range indicates an ice clumping situation. Additionally, the digital images are analyzed to determine whether ice cubes are smaller than a predetermined minimal acceptable size in order to detect stale ice. The level of ice in the bin can also be determined from the images. Notifications for clumping, stale and/or low level ice are sent to a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Kevin M. Chase, Brian P. Janke, Shreecharan Kanchanavally
  • Patent number: 8037697
    Abstract: An icemaker for a refrigerator having a cabinet with a refrigerated compartment and an unrefrigerated machine compartment includes a body portion formed with an inlet, an outlet and an opening. A flexible mold is positioned in the opening. A water supply is positioned to provide water to the flexible mold. A fluid supply circuit, including a pump mounted in the machine compartment, a first fluid conduit connected between the pump and the inlet, and a second fluid conduit connected to the outlet, provides warm fluid to the body portion. The icemaker forms ice during an ice production cycle and the fluid warmed in the machine compartment is used to partially melt and aid in releasing the ice which is then deposited in a ice storage bin during a harvest cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas David LeClear, Andrew Michael Tenbarge, Guolian Wu, Jon Donald Tromblee
  • Publication number: 20110167840
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a frozen product dispenser is controlled to have a variable cooling capacity that is determined by variable cooling load demands of the dispenser. This is accomplished, in part, by providing the refrigeration system with a variable speed compressor and one or more adjustable expansion valves for metering refrigerant to associated evaporators that are heat exchange coupled to associated freeze barrels of the dispenser, and by controlling the metering setting of the expansion valves and the speed of operation of the compressor in accordance with the cooling load demands of the dispenser. The arrangement provides for efficient operation of the refrigeration system from an energy standpoint and for a reduction in on/off cycling of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel C. Leaver, Gregory M. Billman
  • Patent number: 7712321
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a chilled or partially frozen beverage is provided. The system includes a beverage hopper (32) a chilling unit (44), a rotatable mixing member (38), a sensing member (230) for detecting an occurrence of a rotation reversal condition, a controller for generating a rotation reversal signal in response to the sensing member, and a drive motor (36) coupled to the mixing member for rotating the mixing member in a first direction and a second, reverse direction in response to a rotation reverse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Kadyk
  • Patent number: 7655265
    Abstract: A process control scheme for use with an extruding apparatus for cooling and heating aerated or compressible compounds that are edible. Broadly, the process includes providing a mixture to an inlet of the extruding apparatus, monitoring the pressure profile across the extruding apparatus, moving the mixture through the extruding apparatus with at least one auger while subjecting the mixture to a thermo-dynamic process, automatically altering speed of the at least one auger if the pressure profile across the extruding apparatus is outside a predetermined range, and moving the mixture through an outlet of the extruding apparatus. The process may also include monitoring temperature of a thermodynamic liquid, monitoring the load of an auger motor, and automatically altering the temperature of the thermodynamic liquid and the load of the auger motor if one of either the temperature of the thermodynamic liquid and the load of the auger motor is outside a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Larry D'Arcangelis, Uwe Tapfer
  • Patent number: 7603870
    Abstract: An automated machine for making semi-frozen beverages includes a bowl system with a chamber and a dispensing assembly. A mixing system includes an auger rotatably received in said chamber and a dispensing assembly. A drive assembly includes a motor drivingly connected to a flexible drive belt connected to and adapted for driving the auger. A refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator cylinder for receiving refrigerant from a compressor. The evaporator cylinder is located within the auger. A consistency control mechanism controls a valve for discontinuing the flow of refrigerant to the evaporator cylinder when the product reaches a desired consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Toskany International, LLC
    Inventors: Vasilios Mavridis, Theoharis Georgiadis, Harry E. Haas, Kenneth A. Miller
  • Publication number: 20090173089
    Abstract: An icemaker for a refrigerator having a cabinet with a refrigerated compartment and an unrefrigerated machine compartment includes a body portion formed with an inlet, an outlet and an opening. A flexible mold is positioned in the opening. A water supply is positioned to provide water to the flexible mold. A fluid supply circuit, including a pump mounted in the machine compartment, a first fluid conduit connected between the pump and the inlet, and a second fluid conduit connected to the outlet, provides warm fluid to the body portion. The icemaker forms ice during an ice production cycle and the fluid warmed in the machine compartment is used to partially melt and aid in releasing the ice which is then deposited in a ice storage bin during a harvest cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Douglas David LeClear, Andrew Michael Tenbarge, Guolian Wu, Jon Donald Tromblee
  • Publication number: 20090049848
    Abstract: In an air-conditioning system (10, 110, 210) for a motor vehicle, having a coolant circuit formed from a compressor (12, 112) for compressing the coolant, a condenser (14) for cooling the compressed coolant, an expansion device (16) for reducing the pressure of the coolant and an evaporator (18) for evaporating the coolant, a control unit (20) is provided which is connected to at least one of the coolant circuit components and which is set up to adapt an operating characteristic of the component to at least two different coolants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Markus Markowitz, Dietmar Fischer
  • Patent number: 7448516
    Abstract: A soft serve ice cream vending machine is disclosed. The vending machine includes a machine cabinet; a door pivotably connected to he machine cabinet; the door including a cup dispensing slot and an ice cream dispensing slot; a product dispensing button connected to the door; a cup dispenser adapted to dispense a cup and connected to the door; a money acceptor connected to the door; a flexible product container connected to a freezer engine adapted to receive a product, the freezer engine having an outlet proximate to the ice cream dispensing slot; a venturi air valve connected to the freezer engine; a spigot control device connected to the freezer engine and to the product dispensing button, whereby upon engagement of the product dispensing button the spigot control device engages the freezer engine for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Sunshine Ice Cream
    Inventors: Robert Davis, Otis Westerfield, Jorgen Bailey
  • Publication number: 20080202130
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a chilled or partially frozen beverage is provided. The system includes a beverage hopper (32) a chilling unit (44), a rotatable mixing member (38), a sensing member (230) for detecting an occurrence of a rotation reversal condition, a controller for generating a rotation reversal signal in response to the sensing member, and a drive motor (36) coupled to the mixing member for rotating the mixing member in a first direction and a second, reverse direction in response to a rotation reverse signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Kadyk
  • Patent number: 6971245
    Abstract: An auger type ice making machine is provided with a control unit for causing a hot gas valve to open and for causing a heater disposed in the vicinity of ice compression passages to perform heating for a time period longer than the opening period of the hot gas valve, in accordance with a detection result from a rotation detecting sensor which detects rotation of a motor rotating an auger. The opening period of the hot gas valve and the heating period of the heater consist of, respectively: a basic opening period and a basic heating period, each corresponding to a time period during which the rpm of the auger is not higher than a threshold value, and an additional opening period and an additional heating period which are respectively added to the basic opening period and the basic heating period and begin at the time when the auger rpm exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 6915647
    Abstract: An auger-type ice making machine has an abnormality detecting device which detects a freezing of an ice-scraping auger on the basis of a hunting of current flowing through an auger motor 25. Current flowing through the auger motor 25 is taken out by a current-voltage converter 45, and an instantaneous value of the taken-out voltage,waveform every predetermined time is A/D converted by an A/D converter 52 which is provided at a controller board 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Tsuchikawa, Masanobu Nagira
  • Patent number: 6766650
    Abstract: A method of controlling semi-frozen liquid beverage in a dispensing machine having a bowl to contain the beverage, a motor to turn a helical auger blade within the bowl to scrape the semi-frozen beverage, and a compressor to cool the beverage. The method includes the steps of actuating the compressor to the bowl until the temperature of the beverage is cool to reach an initial set point. The compressor is deactivated after temperature of the beverage is cooled at or below a set point. Torque on the motor caused by resistance to the auger blade is sensed after a defined time period following switching off of the compressor. The compressor is activated if the torque on the motor is below a certain level and the temperature set point is lowered from the initial set point to a lower set point in order to cool the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Kan-Pak, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James P. Cunha, Dennis J. Cohlmia, James A. Steinbacher, Joel D. Hockenbury
  • Publication number: 20040083754
    Abstract: Method for controlling and optimising the cycle for production of ice cream depending on the mixtures used in the ice-cream making machine, comprising a freezing cylinder exchanging heat with the evaporator of a refrigerating circuit, and a stirrer/scraper element rotating inside said freezing cylinder and actuated by a suitable electric motor, and further comprising a processing element, sensors for detecting continuously the temperature values of the refrigerating gas at the inlet and at the outlet of the evaporator and means for detecting continuously the value of the electric power used by the motor, said temperature values and said values for the electric power used by the motor being continuously input into said processing element; a software program in said processor for processing said values being able to provide an output signal which drives an impulse solenoid valve which introduces continuously the hot gases removed from the exhaust of the compressor into the main stream of refrigerating fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Gino Cocchi, Gianni Zaniboni
  • Patent number: 6694752
    Abstract: A bypass passage is provided between a discharge pipe and a suction pipe of a compressor being a component of an auger type refrigeration circuit, for allowing a hot gas on the high-pressure side of the circuit to recirculate back to the low-pressure side. An electromagnetic valve is disposed on the bypass passage, and an ammeter is provided to a geared motor that drives an auger, which detects an overcurrent value indicative of an overload acting on the geared motor. In response to detection of an overcurrent value by the ammeter, the electromagnetic valve operates to allow a hot gas on the high-pressure side to be supplied to the low-pressure side through the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Nomura, Yasuki Mizutani, Hiroyuki Sugie
  • Patent number: 6679314
    Abstract: A method of operating a frozen beverage machine is disclosed that utilizes a short “burst” heating of the beverage machine's freezing chamber. The method includes monitoring a beverage mixture within the freezing chamber of the frozen beverage machine, and heating the freezing chamber for a predetermined time period in response to the beverage mixture reaching a first predetermined state. The freezing chamber is then refrigerated until the beverage mixture reaches a second predetermined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Inventor: Jimmy I. Frank
  • Patent number: 6619056
    Abstract: A system for sensing the torque exerted upon a motor shaft assembly relative to the consistency of a mixture. The system includes a moving member for moving the mixture. One form of the mixture may be a chilled beverage in which the moving member moves the chilled beverage within a container. The motor shaft assembly includes a drive device coupled to the moving member for imparting movement to the moving member and a drive shaft connecting the drive device in the moving member. The drive shaft defines an axis of rotation. The drive shaft is adapted for rotation to effect movement of the moving member. The drive shaft includes at least one axially aligned resilient coupling extending generally coaxial with and radially spaced from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Bunn-O-Matic Corporation
    Inventors: William E. Midden, John T. Knepler, Jeffery W. Kadyk
  • Publication number: 20030145607
    Abstract: A method of operating a frozen beverage machine is disclosed that utilizes a short “burst” heating of the beverage machine's freezing chamber. The method includes monitoring a beverage mixture within the freezing chamber of the frozen beverage machine, and heating the freezing chamber for a predetermined time period in response to the beverage mixture reaching a first predetermined state. The freezing chamber is then refrigerated until the beverage mixture reaches a second predetermined state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventor: Jimmy I. Frank
  • Publication number: 20030136136
    Abstract: A bypass passage is provided between a discharge pipe and a suction pipe of a compressor being a component of an auger type refrigeration circuit, for allowing a hot gas on the high-pressure side of the circuit to recirculate back to the low-pressure side. An electromagnetic valve is disposed on the bypass passage, and an ammeter is provided to a geared motor that drives an auger, which detects an overcurrent value indicative of an overload acting on the geared motor. In response to detection of an overcurrent value by the ammeter, the electromagnetic valve operates to allow a hot gas on the high-pressure side to be supplied to the low-pressure side through the bypass passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Tomohito Nomura, Yasuki Mizutani, Hiroyuki Sugie
  • Patent number: 6513578
    Abstract: A method of operating a frozen beverage machine is disclosed that utilizes a short “burst” heating of the beverage machine's freezing chamber. The method includes monitoring a beverage mixture within the freezing chamber of the frozen beverage machine, and heating the freezing chamber for a predetermined time period in response to the beverage mixture reaching a first predetermined state. The freezing chamber is then refrigerated until the beverage mixture reaches a second predetermined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Jimmy I. Frank
  • Publication number: 20020189269
    Abstract: A system for sensing the torque exerted upon a motor shaft assembly relative to the consistency of a mixture. The system includes a moving member for moving the mixture. One form of the mixture may be a chilled beverage in which the moving member moves the chilled beverage within a container. The motor shaft assembly includes a drive device coupled to the moving member for imparting movement to the moving member and a drive shaft connecting the drive device in the moving member. The drive shaft defines an axis of rotation. The drive shaft is adapted for rotation to effect movement of the moving member. The drive shaft includes at least one axially aligned resilient coupling extending generally coaxial with and radially spaced from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: William E. Midden, John T. Knepler, Jeffery W. Kadyk
  • Patent number: 6467944
    Abstract: An iced-beverage making machine comprises a tank (11) to contain the beverage, a mixer (12) to stir the beverage in the tank and a refrigerating circuit (14) to cool the beverage in the tank. The mixer is connected by a magnetic joint to a movement reduction motor (13). The magnetic joint comprises a driving portion (16) which is provided with a crown of first magnets (22) and is connected to the reduction motor (13), and a driven portion (17) which is provided with a crown of second magnets (21) and is connected to the mixer and magnetically driven in rotation by the driving portion. Close to the two magnet crowns there is the presence of means (23, 24) for detecting the angular phase displacement of the two crowns relative to the angular position of maximum attraction between the magnets, the detecting means sending a disabling signal (26) to the refrigerating circuit when the detected angular phase displacement exceeds a preestablished value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Ugolini S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Ugolini
  • Publication number: 20020121099
    Abstract: A cake resistance measuring system and method are used to measure the cake resistance of a freeze dried sample during or after processing, with the results of the measurement being used to improve that processing and/or subsequent freeze drying processes or formulations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: William J. Lambert, Zeren Wang
  • Patent number: 6378329
    Abstract: Method for determining changing ice concentration in binary ice volumes with the steps: carrying out mechanical work in the volume to be measured with an electric motor, determining the electric power and mathematical conversion into a measure for the ice concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Integral Energietechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Paul
  • Patent number: 6370892
    Abstract: A batch freezing ice cream machine for cooling liquid ice cream into frozen ice cream includes a flooded evaporator or evaporator having an auxiliary tank or section of the evaporator that can ensure that a cooling chamber is surrounded by liquid refrigerant during normal operation. The mix from the evaporator is placed in a freezer for ripening once it reaches a particular consistency in the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Inventor: Harold F. Ross
  • Patent number: 6301904
    Abstract: A method and system for delivering aqueous ice slurry is disclosed. In one embodiment, the ice slurry delivery system includes a storage tank having an inlet to receive an aqueous ice slurry from an ice generating unit. A circulation loop is connected to the storage tank. Ice slurry held in the storage tank flows through the circulation loop generally continuously at a first rate. Valved discharge points are located along the circulation loop at spaced locations and are operable to re-direct some of the ice slurry flowing though the circulation loop to deliver ice slurry for end use upon demand. The rate of flow of ice slurry through the discharge points is less than the first rate even when all of the discharge points are re-directing ice slurry for end use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Sunwell Engineering Company Limited
    Inventor: Vladimir Goldstein
  • Patent number: 6174588
    Abstract: Fire and heat protective flexible web, comprising a flexible material. The web comprises, in a cross section view from the heat exposed side: a selected first support layer (1) consisting of a steam permeable, solid and tear resistant textile, one or more fluid transporting layers (2) consisting of a liquid permeable and airy textile, a selected second support layer (1) consisting of a steam permeable, solid and tear resistant textile, and a conduit (6) mounted at least in the upper part of the fire projective web, for supply of fluid to the fluid conducting weblayer, and to disperse the fluid evenly in the longitudinal extent of the web, whereby the different layers are tightly connected surface-to-surface by means of seams, adhesives, point fixing or similar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Inventor: Atle Bjørn Nordvik
  • Patent number: 6082123
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved frozen beverage dispenser overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art noted above. Not only is the beverage dispenser relatively simple to construct and maintain, but it also provides an exceptionally fast freeze down time and accurate monitoring and control of the thickness of the slush dispensed from the beverage dispenser of the invention. The components of the beverage dispenser of the invention are housed within a compact housing incorporating solid state design with few mechanical moving parts. The closed loop system includes an evaporator, heat exchanger, condenser, compressor, and a filter/dryer. A tank feed system directs the beverage mix to a cylindrical mixing chamber having a rotatable beater bar located therein. The beater bar is coupled to a direct drive control system which monitors and controls the thickness of the slush formed in the mixing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Greg A. Johnson