Abstract: A laundry system includes a laundry appliance having a front-loading wash chamber in which a first clothes load can be washed and a module above the front-loading wash chamber. The module includes a rotatably mounted wash basket defining a top-loading wash chamber in which a second clothes load can be washed.

Abstract: A dish treating appliance for treating dishes including a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber having an access opening and a door moveable between opened and closed positions to selectively open and close the access opening that includes a front panel and a handle assembly mounted to the front door panel.

Abstract: A modular laundry system includes at least one laundry appliance and at least one laundry module below the laundry appliance. Both the laundry appliance and the laundry module have a single width. The laundry module has a height that is less than the height of the laundry appliance and performs a washing function to wash laundry.

Abstract: A laundry system includes at least one laundry appliance and at least one laundry module below the laundry appliance. The laundry module has a height that is less than the height of the laundry appliance and has a drawer, a tub within the drawer, a wash chamber within the tub for receiving fabric items to be washed, and a control panel for the selection of a wash cycle.

Abstract: A laundry system includes first and second front-loading laundry appliances, a washing module above the first laundry appliance, and a non-tumble drying module above the second laundry appliance. The washing module includes a tub and a wash basket, and has a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first laundry appliance. The non-tumble drying module includes a drying chamber and a drying rack in the drying chamber.

Abstract: A laundry module performs a washing function to wash laundry and has a height that is less than the height of a laundry appliance. The laundry module can be part of a modular laundry system including the laundry appliance. The laundry module can be vertically arranged with the laundry appliance, such as by supporting the laundry appliance thereupon.

Abstract: A connection system includes a feature module that supplies various functionalities, a portable countertop stand having an upright section that selectively receives the feature module and an umbilical connecting the portable stand to an external appliance to deliver utilities to the portable countertop stand. A utility port selectively delivers at least one utility to the feature module when engaged with the upright section. A utility receiver removably engages the utility port by hand without the use of tools and selectively receives a predetermined set of utilities when the feature module engages the upright surface. A connection interface detects when the feature module is engaged with the upright section and the predetermined utility set required by the engaged feature module. After the feature module is engaged, the connection interface prompts the utility port to release the predetermined utility set to the feature module.

Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes a filter or a stacked filter system positioned in the flow path between an air inlet and an air outlet for filtering contaminants from the air. Movable dampers are provided for selectively changing the airflow path to selectively bypass the filter to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. Preferably, the filter is a high performance HEPA-like filter having substantially less pressure drop.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for storage in a refrigerated appliance. One aspect includes glides or slides underneath and within the bottom perimeter dimensions of any bin or bin carrier relative to its supporting structure in the refrigerated appliance. This allows adjacent bins to more efficiently utilize lateral storage space in the refrigerator. It also promotes hiding of the glide or slides from view.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a vacuum insulated cabinet structure having side walls that are formed from a tube that has been folded/deformed into a structure having an “O” shape with vertically enlarged front and rear openings. The interior of the tube may be filled with silica powder or other filler, and a vacuum is formed within the tube. An insulated rear panel may be utilized to close off the rear opening of the vacuum insulated cabinet structure.

Abstract: A shelf for supporting items including but not limited to in refrigerated appliances includes in an integrated fashion a supporting surface and around the perimeter of the supporting surface of similar dimensions. A lighting subassembly is mountable to or integrated in the framing. Electrical power can be through touchless or contact electrical communication. In one form the supporting surface is a single substantially clear plate. In another form the supporting surface is a thin glass top layer and a bottom layer overmolded with the framing to the thin glass top layer.

Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes one or more movable dampers or movable filters positioned in the flow path between the air inlet and the outlet for selectively filtering contaminants from the air to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. The movable filters include sliding and/or pivot mounting structure which may accommodate stacking multiple filters with different filtering characteristics. The system may operate in a filtering only mode with no cooling, a cooling only mode with no filtering, or a combination of cooling and selective filtering.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a vacuum insulated cabinet structure having side walls that are formed from a tube that has been folded/deformed into a structure having an “O” shape with vertically enlarged front and rear openings. The interior of the tube may be filled with silica powder or other filler, and a vacuum is formed within the tube. An insulated rear panel may be utilized to close off the rear opening of the vacuum insulated cabinet structure.

Abstract: A liquid (water) pitcher that includes a pitcher having a liquid receiving aperture configured to allow a liquid (water) to be delivered into an interior liquid storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base and a liquid (water) filter positioned within the pitcher that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing where the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the liquid at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the liquid (water).

Abstract: An interactive appliance is provided. The interactive appliance includes at least a housing, and an intelligent control disposed within the housing. One or more lighting devices are electrically connected to the intelligent control, as are one or more sensors. The sensors provide sensor data for the interactive appliance. The intelligent control is configured to alter operation of at least one of the one or more lighting devices based on data provided by the sensor to provide interactive feedback to a user of the interactive appliance. The feedback can include altering light intensity, color, consistency, or the like depending on the sensor data. Furthermore, the lighting device can be placed on a surface, such as an exterior surface of the housing of the appliance, or can be disposed within an interior portion of the appliance.

Abstract: A split air conditioner has a cabinet with a fan and evaporator for mounting within a structure. The cabinet includes one or more movable dampers or movable filters positioned in the flow path between the air inlet and the outlet for selectively filtering contaminants from the air to provide a greater or lesser degree of filtration of the air. The movable filters include sliding and/or pivot mounting structure which may accommodate stacking multiple filters with different filtering characteristics. The system may operate in a filtering only mode with no cooling, a cooling only mode with no filtering, or a combination of cooling and selective filtering.

Abstract: A laundry system includes a laundry appliance having a front-loading wash chamber in which a first clothes load can be washed and a module above the front-loading wash chamber. The module includes a rotatably mounted wash basket defining a top-loading wash chamber in which a second clothes load can be washed.

Abstract: A laundry system includes a washing machine having a first wash chamber and a washing module below the first wash chamber. The washing module includes a drawer and a rotatably-mounted wash basket defining a second wash chamber with a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first wash chamber.

Abstract: A liquid (water) pitcher that includes a pitcher having a liquid receiving aperture configured to allow a liquid (water) to be delivered into an interior liquid storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base and a liquid (water) filter positioned within the pitcher that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing where the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the liquid at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the liquid (water).

Abstract: A laundry system includes first and second front-loading laundry appliances, a washing module above the first laundry appliance, and a non-tumble drying module above the second laundry appliance. The washing module includes a tub and a wash basket, and has a low capacity relative to a capacity of the first laundry appliance. The non-tumble drying module includes a drying chamber and a drying rack in the drying chamber.