US 12,117,224 B2
Sanitary evaporator assembly
Kevin Knatt, St. Louis, MO (US); and Edward Hartman, Wentzville, MO (US)
Assigned to TRUE MANUFACTURING CO., INC., O'Fallon, MO (US)
Filed by True Manufacturing Co, Inc., O'Fallon, MO (US)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/508,281.
Application 18/508,281 is a continuation of application No. 18/178,322, filed on Mar. 3, 2023, granted, now 11,821,669.
Application 18/178,322 is a continuation of application No. 17/319,209, filed on May 13, 2021, granted, now 11,668,507, issued on Jun. 6, 2023.
Application 17/319,209 is a continuation of application No. 16/746,823, filed on Jan. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,054,180, issued on Jul. 6, 2020.
Application 16/746,823 is a continuation of application No. 15/819,132, filed on Nov. 21, 2017, granted, now 10,571,180, issued on Feb. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/425,905, filed on Nov. 23, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0159440 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. F25C 1/12 (2006.01); B23P 15/26 (2006.01); F25B 39/00 (2006.01); F25B 39/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 1/12 (2013.01) [B23P 15/26 (2013.01); F25B 39/00 (2013.01); F25B 39/02 (2013.01); F25B 39/022 (2013.01); F25B 2339/023 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An evaporator assembly for use in an ice maker, the evaporator assembly comprising:
an evaporator pan comprising a back wall and left, right, top and bottom sidewalls extending from the back wall;
a freeze plate located within the evaporator pan;
refrigerant tubing thermally coupled to the back wall of the evaporator pan opposite the left, right, top and bottom sidewalls;
an evaporator housing attached to the evaporator pan and covering the refrigerant tubing, the evaporator housing comprising:
housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls, wherein each of the housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls comprises a groove; and
a housing back wall on the housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls opposite the evaporator pan, the housing back wall comprising raised edges seated in the grooves of the housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls, the housing back wall comprising a raised edge, the raised edge being configured to melt during an ultrasonic welding process to seal the housing back wall to the housing left, right, top and bottom sidewalls.