Abstract: A high-efficiency air conditioning system for conditioning a plurality of rooms within an interior of a building, the air conditioning system including: two separate rooms within a building, a single outdoor unit a refrigerant flow pathway that includes a plurality of refrigerant conduits having a common refrigerant flow path portion and at least two divergent flow path portions, a first divergent flow path where the first evaporator and second evaporator are in parallel with one another; at least one throttling device and at least a first indoor air handling unit positioned within and providing cooling to the first room and a second indoor air handling unit positioned within and providing cooling to a second room. The compressor is incapable of simultaneously supplying both the first evaporator and the second evaporator at their full cooling capacity.

Abstract: A split air conditioning system for conditioning a plurality of zones within a single living area of a building, that includes a single outdoor unit; a refrigerant flow pathway made up of a plurality of refrigerant conduits having a common refrigerant flow path portion and at least two divergent flow path portions, a first divergent flow path and a second divergent flow path and the first evaporator and second evaporator are in parallel with one another; at least one throttling device; a portioning device configured to selectively and proportionately regulate the flow of a refrigerant fluid to the first evaporator and the second evaporator, respectively where the compressor is configured to be capable of simultaneously driving both the first evaporator and the second evaporator at their full cooling capacity.

Abstract: A multi-stage home refueling appliance and method supplying compressed natural gas from a utility natural gas supply. The multi-stage home refueling appliance includes a first compressing stage having a first stage inlet fluidly coupled to the supply of natural gas and a first stage outlet, a second compressing stage having a second stage inlet fluidly coupled to the first stage outlet and a second stage outlet and a vehicle refueling dispenser fluidly coupled to the second stage outlet and configured to be selectively fluidly coupled to a storage tank of a vehicle.

Abstract: An appliance system that includes an appliance group containing at least two appliances, a first appliance designed to perform a first consumer function related to the first appliance and a second appliance that is separate from the first appliance and designed to perform a second consumer function related to the second appliance. The appliance system also includes a thermal energy generator, typically a heat pump, where the thermal energy heats at least one thermal energy bearing fluid and is operably connected to the first and second appliances to deliver thermal energy to the first and second appliances simultaneously or at different times via one or more of the thermal energy bearing fluids.

Abstract: An ice making assembly and method utilizes a housing having an upper fluid chamber, a plurality of distinct, substantially vertical fluid channels, and at least one drain aperture in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Ice forming members extend from an ice forming evaporator into respective fluid channels. During an ice making event, fluid continuously supplied to the upper fluid chamber flows into each of the fluid channels and out through at least one drain aperture into a fluid reservoir below. The ice forming members are cooled such that fluid flowing across the fluid channels freezes on the ice forming members over time, forming clear ice pieces. The ice pieces are subsequently released from the ice forming members and transferred for storage and/or dispensing.

Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet; a first compartment; and a second compartment. The first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a horizontal mullion. The cabinet also typically includes a coolant system that has: a single compressor for regulating a temperature of the first compartment and a temperature of the second compartment operably connected to at least one evaporator; a shared coolant fluid connection system; and a coolant fluid spaced within the shared coolant fluid connection system used to regulate both the temperature of the first compartment and the second compartment. The compressor can provide the shared coolant at least two different pressures to at least one evaporator using the shared coolant fluid connection circuit. The ratio of the substantially steady state heat gain for the first compartment to the substantially steady state total heat gain for the overall cabinet is about 0.65:1 or greater.

Abstract: A refrigerator that has a refrigerating compartment and a freezer compartment. A refrigerating compartment door covers at least a portion of the refrigerating compartment. An ice compartment located in the refrigerating compartment is located on the refrigerating compartment door. An ice maker is located in the ice compartment and a dispenser is located on the refrigerating compartment door.

Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes having non-circular cross sectional shapes to improve heat transfer. The tubes may have central portions having an oblong cross-sectional shape with generally flat opposite side faces. The side faces may include raised portions to increase heat transfer. Alternatively, the tubes may have a C-shape in cross section. The shape of the tubes promotes thin film boiling of the fluid in the tubes to improve heat transfer.

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 gravity-driven fluid (water) treatment device that includes a bottom portion having at least one treated fluid outlet, an upper perimeter, and a bottom portion side wall that defines an interior volume of the bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion side wall is a shaped surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized fluid vessel openings and still allow treated fluid to be delivered to the interior of a fluid vessel through the at least one treated fluid outlets; a fluid treatment medium positioned within a fluid filter; and a top portion with an interior volume defined by at least one wall. The fluid filter, the bottom portion and the top portion are each configured to be removably engaged and disengaged to allow for replacement of the filter and reassembly of the overall gravity filter assembly by hand and without the use of tools.

Abstract: A gravity-driven fluid filtering system that includes a universal fluid (typically water) filter and a plurality of differently sized fluid dispensing adapters. The universal fluid filter includes: at least one gravity-driven fluid filter media; a housing having an interior and at least one fluid inlet aperture configured to allow a fluid to be treated to enter the interior of the housing by a force of gravity and into contact with the at least one gravity-driven water filter media spaced within the interior of the housing; and at least one treated fluid outlet aperture configured to deliver treated fluid to at least one of a plurality vessels each having a differently sized fluid receiving aperture. The plurality of differently sized fluid dispensing adapters each having a sloped and contoured fluid receiving portion, which is different for each adapter.

Abstract: A water pitcher system that includes a water receiving aperture configured to allow water to be delivered into an interior water storage volume defined by a base and at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from the base. The at least one upwardly extending wall includes an inner fluid facing wall section having an inner fluid facing surface and an outer user facing wall section having an exterior, user facing surface where the inner fluid facing wall section and the outer user facing wall section are each composites of a plastic substrate and a glass layer, typically deposited by vapor deposition or blow-molding, onto the plastic substrate. The inner fluid facing surface and the outer user facing surface are the glass layers.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall that are permanently attached to define a cabinet. The cabinet includes an interior liner and an exterior wrapper. A door is pivotally connected with the cabinet and includes an interior liner and an exterior wrapper. A pocket is disposed in at least one of the rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top wall, bottom wall, and door between the interior liner and the exterior wrapper. The pocket includes an access opening disposed at an edge of one of the rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, top wall, and bottom wall. A removable insulation panel is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a secondary cooling path for circulating liquid coolant through the refrigerator wherein the liquid coolant is cooled by the freezer compartment and wherein the liquid coolant cools the ice maker and the ice bin as the liquid coolant circulates through the secondary cooling path. A pump is positioned along the secondary cooling path for pumping the liquid coolant through the secondary cooling path. A tube having a first end proximate the pump and an opposite end exposed to atmosphere may control suction pressure associated with the pump. The refrigerator reduces frost build up through configuration of the secondary cooling path or performing ice harvesting operations which melt frost. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating hot liquid. The secondary cooling path may be used to provide for circulating liquid coolant during a power outage.

Abstract: A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.

Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling including multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.

Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.

Abstract: A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.

Abstract: An appliance system including a module removably mounted to an appliance, one or more removable gas canisters operably connected to the module, and a food retaining enclosed space operably connected to the module. The one or more gas canisters supply a modified atmosphere in the food retaining enclosed space to produce a modified atmosphere that enhances preservation of the food contained in the food retaining enclosed space.