Abstract: A system and method for communicating between a master and slave devices for managing home utility costs is provided. The system includes a measuring device for determining gas or water flow in the home, a memory that stores data relating to past usage, and that also receive data from the measuring device. A controller operatively communicates with the measuring device, memory, and at least one home appliance to provide a message to a homeowner, or transmit information to a utility, or display a proposed operational mode. The controller may include a lock-out feature to prevent a homeowner from overriding a proposed mode or operation, or the controller can shut-off gas or water flow based on a measured flow rate.

Abstract: An appliance for conditioning air of a room comprises one or more power consuming features/functions including a temperature controlling element for one of heating and cooling air. A controller is operatively connected to the one or more power consuming features/functions. The controller is configured to receive and process a signal indicative of a utility state. The controller operates the appliance in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least one of selectively adjust and deactivate at least one of the one or more power consuming features/functions to reduce power consumption of the appliance in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A household appliance system and method include an appliance control system having a common appliance interface provided on an appliance and a demand side management module connected to the common appliance interface. The module corresponds to one select utility of a plurality of utilities and is adapted to communicate with the one select utility of the plurality of utilities. The appliance control system operates the appliance based on communications with the one select utility through the module.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet includes a storage compartment defined by encased walls forming a peripheral edge surface surrounding the access opening. A door is hingedly mounted adjacent one edge and includes a resilient sealing gasket to seal the opening. A resilient flap is mounted on the inner panels of the walls or on the opposed liner panel of the door so that an auxiliary seal is formed separate from the gasket. An extended dead air space is provided between the flap, gasket and the opposed panels so that heat transfer from the area of the gasket into the compartment is substantially eliminated. The elongated body of the flap is approximately 70 Shore A Durometer hardness, and the base is approximately 70 Shore D Durometer hardness of a suitable plastic, such as polyvinylchloride. In one embodiment, the cross-section of the body takes the form of a bulb with a substantially semicircular cross-section, and in another embodiment, the body takes the form of a spike in cross-section with a convergent 5.degree.

Abstract: A side by side refrigerator has a vertical evaporator formed from an elongated tube wrapped with a ribbon of material having spine fins extending substantially perpendicular from the elongated tube. The elongated tube has elongated straight runs joined by return bent ends to define a vertically extending evaporator having a generally oval spiral or configuration. In one embodiment, the elongated straight runs are spaced from each other throughout the vertical length of the evaporator to provide a space of constant area for air flow.

Abstract: A spine fin refrigerator evaporator is formed of lower and upper sections of elongated straight runs, which have fins thereon and have their ends connected to each other by return bent ends. The lower section is formed with two rows of the elongated straight runs in an A shape to provide a passage therebetween through which air initially flows through the evaporator so that frost can be gathered without blocking air flow therethrough. The upper section has three rows of the elongated straight runs with the fins of adjacent rows overlapping each other to provide an efficient heat transfer from the refrigerant in the elongated straight runs to the air whereby the lower and upper sections combine to provide a practical and efficient evaporator. If desired, the upper and lower sections can be vertically spaced from each other to have a defrost heater disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A refrigerator freezer compartment has an evaporator forward of its rear wall for maintaining the freezer compartment at the desired temperature with a cover forward of the evaporator to define the rear of the freezer compartment within which food may be stored. A side ladder is attached to each side wall of the freezer compartment. A horizontal bar extends between the bottoms of the two side ladders to which it is attached and is secured to the bottom of a center ladder. The upper end of the center ladder may be supported within a nipple supported by the top wall of the freezer compartment or secured to a horizontal bar extending between the tops of the two side ladders and secured thereto. Each of the side ladders and the center ladder has a column of rectangular shaped slots to receive portions of an adjustable shelf so that one shelf may be mounted between one of the side ladders and the center ladder and another shelf may be mounted between the other side ladder and the center ladder.

Abstract: A pair of packing supports prevents movement during shipment of two shelves, which are slidably supported on vertically spaced shelf supports integral with inner side liners of a refrigerator cabinet. Each packing support, which is formed of corrugated cardboard, for example, has a shelf support portion wedged between two shelf supports on one of the inner side liners to prevent vertical and fore and aft motion of the packing support. Each packing support has a shelf retaining portion formed integral with the shelf support portion and bent at approximately 180.degree. thereto. The shelf retaining portion receives one end of each of the shelves whereby it is compressed so that there is no motion of the packing supports towards each other.

Abstract: A household refrigerator shelf assembly comprising a removable rigid unitary frame having two spaced apart shelf brackets, a front horizontal support member and a rear horizontal support member, both being rigidly attached to and spanning the distance between the brackets. The rear horizontal support member as viewed in lateral cross-section has a vertical wall at the top and a depending rearwardly directed horizontal flange terminating in a downwardly directed terminal end portion spaced rearwardly from the vertical wall, the bottom of the vertical wall having a forwardly directed horizontal flange with a downwardly directed rib. There is a reflector member attached to the rear horizontal support member and spanning the distance between the brackets. The reflector member as viewed in lateral cross-section has an upper vertical portion with a right angle bend at the bottom and a bottom portion.

Abstract: A mounting socket installed in a compartment having spaced apart side walls with socket muonting holes and the side walls are spaced apart a greater distance at the front of the compartment relative to the back of the compartment. The socket is adapted to receive a horizontally extending support device and has a body with a first open end, a closed second end and an intermediate section therebetween. The body has an internal cavity extending along its central axis from the first end to the second end. The cavity has a horizontally oriented first portion adapted to receive a horizontally extending support device and has a first stop located in the intermediate section and a horizontally oriented second portion adapted to receive the horizontally extending support device and has a second stop located in the intermediate section with the second stop being spaced from the open end a distance less than the first stop.