Patents by Inventor Gerald J. Stensrud

Gerald J. Stensrud 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: 6691528
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignees: Scotsman Ice Systems, Mile High Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Patent number: 6668575
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignees: Mile High Equipment Co., Scotsman Ice Systems
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Patent number: 6637227
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignees: Mile High Equipment Co., Scotsman Ice Systems
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Publication number: 20030126877
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: MILE HIGH EQUIPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Publication number: 20030126874
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: MILE HIGH EQUIPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Publication number: 20020189270
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: MILE HIGH EQUIPMENT CO. and SCOTSMAN ICE SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Publication number: 20020095944
    Abstract: An ice-making machine and method that uses an accumulator to accumulate liquefied refrigerant when warm gasified refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator after a freeze cycle. During a harvest cycle, a set of valves operates to bypass the condenser and direct the discharged gasified refrigerant from the compressor through the accumulator and then to the evaporator. The warm gasified refrigerant converts the liquefied refrigerant to gaseous refrigerant. This enhances the suction pressure to the compressor during the next ensuing freeze cycle, thereby increasing the efficiency of the accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Mile High Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald James Esser, Norman Lee Schmunk
  • Publication number: 20020073728
    Abstract: An ice cube-making machine that is characterized by noiseless operation at the location where ice cubes are dispensed and be lightweight packages for ease of installation. The ice cube-making machine has an evaporator package, a separate compressor package and a separate condenser package. Each of these packages has a weight that can generally by handled by one or two installers for ease of installation. The noisy compressor and condenser packages can be located remotely of the evaporator package. The maximum height distance between the evaporator package and the condenser package is greatly enhanced by the three package system. A pressure regulator operates during a harvest cycle to limit flow of refrigerant leaving the evaporator, thereby increasing pressure and temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator and assisting in defrost thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Daniel Leo Ziolkowski, Matthew W. Allison, David Brett Gist
  • Patent number: 6247318
    Abstract: An evaporator device for an ice maker with a grid of ice cells in horizontal rows and vertical columns. The grid is formed by a plurality of vertical integral structures interleaved with a plurality of vertical partitions. Each vertical structure is shaped to form the tops, bottoms and backs of the ice cells of a column. The sides of the ice cells of a column are formed by the vertical partitions to the right and left of a vertical structure. An evaporator tube threads bores and holes in the vertical structures and the vertical structures. The evaporator tube is expanded to mechanically bond the evaporator tube with the vertical structures and the vertical partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Mile High Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Stensrud, Gerald E. Gregory
  • Patent number: 5551250
    Abstract: A freezer system is disclosed comprising a freezing mechanism and an adjacent freezer cabinet. The freezer mechanism has a compressor that produces hot gas refrigerant, a condenser, and an evaporator which accumulates ice on its outside surface. An evaporator condensate pan is mounted beneath the evaporator and a compressor condensate pan is mounted beneath the compressor and connected by a conduit to the evaporator condensate pan. A condensate pan heater coil is attached to the bottom of the evaporator condensate pan. A hot gas valve connected between the compressor and the condensate pan heater coil, when activated, conducts hot gas refrigerant to the condensate pan heater coil to heat it and thereby heat the attached evaporator condensate pan, which in turn heats the outside of the evaporator to help melt accumulated ice. The hot gas refrigerant is then fed from the condensate pan heater coil to the evaporator, heating the inside of the evaporator and fully melting the ice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis
  • Patent number: 5491980
    Abstract: A refrigerator system having a refrigerating mechanism packaged in a separate case from the refrigerated cabinet and adapted to be attached to either side of the refrigerated cabinet. The refrigerated cabinet has discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The refrigerating mechanism has matching discharge and return openings on each of opposite sides. The discharge and return openings on the unattached side of the refrigerating mechanism and refrigerated cabinet are covered. The refrigerating mechanism has an evaporator blower which draws warm air through the return opening in the attached refrigerated cabinet, then through a cooling evaporator coil to propel the cooled air into a blower plenum, and then out a discharge outlet of the blower plenum directly into the matching discharge opening in the adjacent refrigerated cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc., A Delaware Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis
  • Patent number: 5476318
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is disclosed comprising a metallic cabinet case having a door opening in the front, a metallic cabinet liner mounted on the inside and thermal insulation separating the cabinet case and liner. A door is hingedly connected to the front of the cabinet case and adapted to swing over the door opening. A plastic cabinet thermal breaker is mounted between the metallic cabinet case and the metallic cabinet liner and frames the opening. A removable metallic breaker cap snaps on and covers the outside of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker except for a front facing portion of the plastic thermal breaker. A plastic door thermal breaker is mounted along the outer edge of the inside of the door and has an outwardly extending compressible portion which is adapted to press against the front portion of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker when the door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Traulsen & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Yingst, Gerald J. Stensrud, Ronald S. Davis