Abstract: Systems and methods for tote lid hinges are provided. In some embodiments, a tote includes: an interior of the tote; a lid to cover the interior of the tote; and a hinge mechanism configured to be opened in more than one direction. Different applications and use cases of a tote require differences in the opening direction of the tote lid. A flexible hinge mechanism allows the lid to be opened/closed for these various applications using the same hinge & lid design, rather than changing the lid type by application.

Abstract: A sandwich press or food holder for use with a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven. Sidewalls of the press that define a space in which a food item is received can have one or more ridges that define a convex surface inside the cavity and a concave surface on an exterior of the sidewall. The concave surface can be positioned adjacent a heating element when the press is received in a cooking cavity of the appliance. One or more openings can be provided in the sidewall, e.g., to allow radiant energy to pass and/or steam to escape. A handle can permit two-handed manipulation of the press and can have a gripping portion that is offset from an area directly above the press.

Abstract: A built-in apparatus and method for treating air including a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet. An air mover positioned near the air outlet is configured to draw the air through the air inlet. The housing encloses an air treatment zone, such as including an oxidizing zone, and an ozone removal zone positioned downstream of the air treatment zone and oxidizing zone. The air treatment zone includes UV light and/or ozone that partially oxidizes the chemical contaminants in the air treatment zone. A catalyst in the oxidizing zone oxidizes elements within the air treatment zone. The ozone removal zone includes a second, different catalyst material. A UV bulb that may or may not generate ozone is positioned within or downstream of the first and/or second catalyst materials to assist catalyst oxidation and/or self-clean the apparatus.

Abstract: A cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven, has a lifting arm including ribs that form a support surface for a food product in a cooking cavity of the appliance. Each rib can include an opening configured to permit infrared radiation from a heating assembly to pass through the rib to the food product supported by the lifting arm and/or to reduce a thermal mass and capacitance of the lifting arm. The heating assembly can include a support and/or heating element with a curved shape having a concave side facing a cooking cavity. The support and/or heating element can have a planar shape when unstressed and a curved shape when stressed. The heating element may be coupled to the support so as to be slidably movable relative to the support, e.g., so the heating element can slide relative to the support.

Abstract: A heating assembly for a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven, has a support and/or heating element with a curved shape having a concave side facing a cooking cavity. The support and/or heating element may be flexible, e.g., having a planar shape when unstressed and a curved shape when stressed. The support and/or heating element may define a sheet, e.g., having a length and width. The heating element may have openings in the sheet. The heating element may be coupled to the support so as to be slidable movable relative to the support, e.g., so the heating element can slide relative to the support when the support and heating element are bent into a curved shape.

Abstract: A cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven, has a lifting arm including ribs that form a support surface for a food product in a cooking cavity of the appliance. Each rib can include an opening configured to permit infrared radiation from a heating assembly to pass through the rib to the food product supported by the lifting arm and/or to reduce a thermal mass and capacitance of the lifting arm. The heating assembly can include a support and/or heating element with a curved shape having a concave side facing a cooking cavity. The support and/or heating element can have a planar shape when unstressed and a curved shape when stressed. The heating element may be coupled to the support so as to be slidably movable relative to the support, e.g., so the heating element can slide relative to the support.

Abstract: A toaster includes a housing that defines one or more cooking cavities. Each cooking cavity has a lift to lower and raise a food product inside the cooking cavity depending on food product type, and heating elements to cook the food product arranged inside the cooking cavity. The toaster includes a user interface operable to control a cooking cycle inside the one or more cooking cavities. The user interface can be used to select a combination of food product, cooking mode, and doneness level, and to initiate a cooking cycle performed by the toaster.

Abstract: A sandwich press or food holder for use with a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven. Sidewalls of the press that define a space in which a food item is received can have one or more ridges that define a convex surface inside the cavity and a concave surface on an exterior of the sidewall. The concave surface can be positioned adjacent a heating element when the press is received in a cooking cavity of the appliance. One or more openings can be provided in the sidewall, e.g., to allow radiant energy to pass and/or steam to escape. A handle can permit two-handed manipulation of the press and can have a gripping portion that is offset from an area directly above the press.

Abstract: A hinge for a door of a storage unit and a method of repairing a storage unit that includes a pivotable door. The hinge including a first bracket and a second bracket. The hinge further including a linking mechanism for coupling the second bracket to the first bracket so that the second bracket is able to translate and rotate relative to the first bracket, wherein a maximum amount of rotation of the second bracket relative to the first bracket is not determined solely by operation of the linking mechanism.

Abstract: A heating assembly for a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven. The heating assembly can have one or more elements arranged to emit radiation in a wavelength range of 0.75 to 10 microns with a radiative flux of at least 3,000 to 5,000 Watts/sq.cm at a distance of 10 cm from the plurality of heating elements, and/or to emit visible light in a wavelength range of 570 to 800 nanometers, and/or emit radiation in a wavelength range of 0.75 to 10 microns with a ratio of the radiating area to the total area of each heating element being 5% to 25%, and/or emit radiation in a wavelength range of 0.75 to 10 microns toward a cooking space with a ratio of a total radiating area of the plurality of heating elements to an area of the cooking space receiving the radiation is 1% to 20%.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating air includes a UV illumination source in a housing and arranged to expose air to UV illumination suitable to inactivate microorganisms. One or more light baffles can be arranged so that UV illumination is incident on an inlet or outlet side of the light baffle. First and second light baffles can operate as a catalyst element and each can respectively have first and second pluralities of air flow channels extending in first and second directions from an inlet side to an outlet side of the light baffle. The first and second directions can be arranged at an angle such that UV illumination is prevented transmission through the first and second light baffles. Air flow channels of a baffle can extend in a direction from an inlet side to an outlet side of the light baffle and can be inclined relative to the inlet side of the baffle by a slant angle of 10 degrees to 45 degrees.

Abstract: A cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven, has a lifting arm including ribs that form a support surface for a food product in a cooking cavity of the appliance. Each rib can include an opening configured to permit infrared radiation from a heating assembly to pass through the rib to the food product supported by the lifting arm and/or to reduce a thermal mass and capacitance of the lifting arm. The heating assembly can include a support and/or heating element with a curved shape having a concave side facing a cooking cavity. The support and/or heating element can have a planar shape when unstressed and a curved shape when stressed. The heating element may be coupled to the support so as to be slidably movable relative to the support, e.g., so the heating element can slide relative to the support.

Abstract: A built-in apparatus and method for treating air including a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet. An air mover positioned near the air outlet is configured to draw the air through the air inlet. The housing encloses an air treatment zone, such as including an oxidizing zone, and an ozone removal zone positioned downstream of the air treatment zone and oxidizing zone. The air treatment zone includes UV light and/or ozone that partially oxidizes the chemical contaminants in the air treatment zone. A catalyst in the oxidizing zone oxidizes elements within the air treatment zone. The ozone removal zone includes a second, different catalyst material. A UV bulb that may or may not generate ozone is positioned within or downstream of the first and/or second catalyst materials to assist catalyst oxidation and/or self-clean the apparatus.