Abstract: An icemaking compartment is provided in the refrigerator compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. An icemaker is within the icemaking compartment. A cold air duct supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaker. The cold air duct is formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator. A fan controls the flow of air through the cold air duct. A return air duct is provided to direct a portion of the air from the icemaker back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaker directs another portion of air into the refrigerator compartment.

Abstract: A bottom mount household refrigerator is provided with an apparatus to permit the dispensing of ice. According to one embodiment, a sealed ice making compartment is provided within the fresh food compartment. The sealed ice making compartment may be located at the bottom, at the top, or along a side wall within the fresh food compartment. According to another embodiment, ice is made in the ice compartment, and lifted upward to a dispensing location through the door of the fresh food compartment.

Abstract: A refrigerator having an ice and water dispenser has a seal to sealingly engage the ice compartment when the refrigerator door is closed. The seal is flexible to accommodate manufacturing tolerance. The seal may be impregnated with a friction reducing agent to increase life of the seal.

Abstract: A compact portable refrigerator includes caster wheels on its bottom and a removable storage tray on its top. The storage tray is well suited for containing ice and beverage containers. A lid may be provided to selectively enclose and cover the storage tray. Removable display panels may be provided on a door of the refrigerator. Back lighting may be provided to enhance the appearance of the display panels.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.

Abstract: An improved refrigerator door is provided with a metal outer panel and upper and lower plastic end caps installed on top and bottom edges of the door. The caps include grooves to receive flanges on the edges of the panel, thereby mounting the caps to the panel. The caps include ratcheting members to provide a mating fit with the panel. A bushing is snap fit into the upper cap without the use of hardware fasteners. Electric wires and a water line extend downwardly through the bushing to an ice and water dispenser in the door.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an oven door having a transparent zone and a passage for permitting an air flow to pass through the door and into a cooling duct extending about an oven cavity. The door includes a panel having a front surface and a central opening in which is arranged an outer transparent pane. The passage separates the outer transparent pane from an inner window pack. The inner window pack includes first and second, substantially parallel window panes spaced one from the other to establish an inner dead air space. Preferably, the door includes an inner transparent pane that forms, with an outer transparent pane, an outer window pack which establishes an outer dead air space. The outer dead air space is positioned between upper and lower portions of the oven door that establish additional dead air spaces that form an overall uniform insulating layer for the door.

Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a wash tub, a plurality of wash system components and a sump. The sump is either integrally formed with or separately formed and mounted to a bottom wall portion of the tub, while being provided with a plurality of fluid conduits that extend from a central intake ring to a respective plurality of attachment flanges. A wash pump and a drain pump are supported by respective ones of the plurality of attachment flanges so as to direct a flow of wash fluid into and out of the wash tub. The sump also includes structure for mounting a heater and a filter housing, as well as other wash and safety system components.

Abstract: An improved refrigerator door is provided with a metal outer panel and upper and lower plastic end caps installed on top and bottom edges of the door. The caps include grooves to receive flanges on the edges of the panel, thereby mounting the caps to the panel. The caps include plugs for receipt in a vertical channel in the panel. A bushing is snap fit into the upper cap without the use of hardware fasteners. Electric wires and a water line extend downwardly through the bushing to an ice and water dispenser in the door.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes at least one refrigerated compartment and a food product management system. The food product management system includes a container for storing foodstuffs in the at least one refrigerated compartment. The container includes a storage zone and a lid. A tag is arranged on the container to provide a consumer with an indication of whether a food item stored in the container is or is not spoiled. The tag can include a timer having a display, an indicator that changes state upon the passage of a predetermined time period and a computer that notifies a consumer, such as through an email, about a parameter associated with the food item in the container. The tag is affixed to the container with adhesive, snaps, clips, hooks and the like or, alternatively, simply integrally formed with the container.

Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a tub, a wash arm and a pump system. The pump system includes a flow housing mounted at a rear portion of the tub and a drain conduit. The flow housing includes an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a pump portion and a drain port. Within the pump portion are arranged an impeller, a chopper mechanism as well as a plurality of flow straightening fins. A motor is mounted to the flow housing for driving the impeller and the chopper mechanism. The drain conduit is connected between the drain port and a drain line. A venturi is provided in the drain conduit to create a siphoning action the decreases an amount of time required to drain the tub.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the cabinet, an ice compartment disposed within the cabinet, and an electronic control system associated with the refrigerator and adapted to monitor and control the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the ice compartment. The control system provides for energy efficient control and operation through various means, including by monitoring state of an ice maker associated with the ice compartment and controlling temperature within compartments of the refrigerator based on the ice maker state. A damper controls air flow between the fresh food and freezer compartments. The control system can direct heat to the damper if the damper becomes frozen.

Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a wash tub slidably mounted in the frame assembly, and a lid member. The lid member can be lowered onto the wash tub when the wash tub is shifted into the frame assembly, and raised when the wash tub is shifted out of the frame assembly. The lid member includes a seal element that abuts the wash tub when the lid member is lowered. The seal element includes a base portion, an angled, deflecting finger portion and a flat pad portion which projects from the base portion. When the seal element is urged against the wash tub, a compressive force is applied to the flat pad portion causing the deflecting finger to seal against the wash tub in a manner that substantially shields the deflecting finger from excessive compressive forces.

Abstract: A drawer-type dishwasher includes a dispenser mounted to a basin slidably supported in an outer body of the dishwasher. The dispenser includes a main body portion, a reservoir formed in the main body portion for receiving detergent and a lid hingedly mounted for selectivity closing the reservoir. The reservoir includes front, rear, bottom and opposing side walls, with one of the front, rear and opposing side walls being provided with a drainage port which is adapted to be closed by the lid. The dispenser is provided with a manual actuator that enables a consumer to open the dispenser lid to add detergent. An automatic actuator is provided to open the dispenser lid, exposing the reservoir and the drainage port, at a predetermined point in a washing operation. In addition to detergent, the dispenser can be provided with a reservoir for retaining and releasing rinse aid.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet within which is defined a fresh food compartment and/or a freezer compartment. The refrigerator further includes a control panel or user interface that enables a consumer to input desired operating parameters. The interface is also provided with a plurality of temperature control elements and at least one auxiliary control element. The temperature control elements enable a consumer to set compartment temperatures in a first or basic mode. The auxiliary control element, in addition to serving a function in the basic mode, provides access to a hidden or advanced features menu. Once the hidden menu is accessed, the temperature control elements enable a consumer to select and adjust advanced operating parameters, such as enabling a Sabbath mode, setting a temperature display, altering an intensity of ambient light required to activate a dispenser light, activating an audible warm alarm and initiating a super cool feature.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes first and second French-style doors connected through a door linkage system. The door linkage system includes first and second control arms, each including a first end linked to a corresponding one of the first and second doors and a second end. The second ends of the first and second control arms are interconnected and mounted so as to travel in an arcuate path when one of the doors is operated. Shifting one of the first and second doors in an open or closed direction results in a corresponding movement in the other door. The first and second control arms are actually interconnected to a linkage control arm that establishes a particular timing of the doors. The door linkage system also employs a camming surface, cam follower and spring element that provides a biasing force to the doors.

Abstract: A bidirectional slide lock includes a first clip and a second clip that are slid and locked together. The first clip has a longitudinal axis, a pair of pawls, and a pair of flanges. The second clip has a longitudinal axis, a pair of pawl stops, and a pair of clip flanges. Both pair of flanges retentively engaging one another to hold the clips together to prevent movement away from one another. The pawls engage the pawl stops to hold clips against longitudinal movement. The bidirectional slide lock also has springs biasing the pawls toward the second clip so as to retain pawls in retentive engagement with the pawl stops. The method of use includes moving the first and second clips longitudinally relative to one another so that the flanges move into retentive engagement and cause each of the pawl ends to engage one of the pawl stops.