Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a sealed cooling system, and an ice cream unit. The door may include a door liner defining an icebox compartment. The door may include a chilled air supply opening and a chilled air return opening spaced apart from the chilled air supply opening. The ice cream unit may be disposed within the icebox compartment. The ice cream unit may include a freezing tank, a rotatable auger extending into the freezing tank, a tank jacket, and a unit duct or support base. The tank jacket may receive the freezing tank and define a cooling passage extending about the freezing tank from a jacket inlet to a jacket outlet. The jacket outlet may be open to the icebox compartment to exhaust air from the cooling passage to the icebox compartment.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door, a sealed cooling system, and an ice cream unit. The door may include a door liner defining an icebox compartment. The door may include a chilled air supply opening and a chilled air return opening spaced apart from the chilled air supply opening. The ice cream unit may be disposed within the icebox compartment. The ice cream unit may include a freezing tank, a rotatable auger extending into the freezing tank, a tank jacket, and a unit duct or support base. The tank jacket may receive the freezing tank and define a cooling passage extending about the freezing tank from a jacket inlet to a jacket outlet. The jacket outlet may be open to the icebox compartment to exhaust air from the cooling passage to the icebox compartment.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance and air duct are provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an internal liner, and an air duct. The internal liner may be positioned within the cabinet and define a chilled chamber. The air duct may include a duct body and a plurality of resilient fingers. The duct body may extend between a first end to a second end. The duct body may define a fluid exchange path between the first end and the second end. The duct body may further define a first fluid opening at the first end in fluid communication with the fluid exchange path. The plurality of resilient fingers may be radially-spaced apart about the fluid opening. The plurality of resilient fingers may extend integrally from the duct body against the internal liner at the first end of the duct body.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance and air duct are provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, an internal liner, and an air duct. The internal liner may be positioned within the cabinet and define a chilled chamber. The air duct may include a duct body and a plurality of resilient fingers. The duct body may extend between a first end to a second end. The duct body may define a fluid exchange path between the first end and the second end. The duct body may further define a first fluid opening at the first end in fluid communication with the fluid exchange path. The plurality of resilient fingers may be radially-spaced apart about the fluid opening. The plurality of resilient fingers may extend integrally from the duct body against the internal liner at the first end of the duct body.

Abstract: Refrigerator appliances and mullions therefor are provided. A mullion includes a body formed from an unfoamed thermopolymer material. The body includes an outer non-porous barrier and an inner porous media, the inner porous media including a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.

Abstract: Radio frequency identification heat flux measurement systems for refrigerator vacuum insulation panels and methods of operation thereof are provided. One example refrigerator includes a plurality of vacuum insulation panels respectively positioned within a plurality of walls of the refrigerator. The plurality of walls of the refrigerator define an interior refrigerated space. Each of the plurality of vacuum insulation panels includes a conductive barrier layer forming a jacket around such vacuum insulation panel. The refrigerator includes a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) temperature sensors respectively positioned adjacent to the plurality of vacuum insulation panels. The refrigerator includes an RFID receiver. Each of the plurality of RFID temperature sensors transmits information concerning a local temperature to the RFID receiver.

Abstract: Radio frequency identification heat flux measurement systems for refrigerator vacuum insulation panels and methods of operation thereof are provided. One example refrigerator includes a plurality of vacuum installation panels respectively positioned within a plurality of walls of the refrigerator. The plurality of walls of the refrigerator define an interior refrigerated space. Each of the plurality of vacuum installation panels includes a conductive barrier layer forming a jacket around such vacuum installation panel. The refrigerator includes a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) temperature sensors respectively positioned adjacent to the plurality of vacuum installation panels. The refrigerator includes an RFID receiver. Each of the plurality of RFID temperature sensors transmits information concerning a local temperature to the RFID receiver.

Abstract: An appliance is provided with a cabinet having a plurality of fill holes along a rear section or panel of a cabinet whereby expandable foam material may be injected at multiple locations into voids within the cabinet. The plurality of fill holes avoids or minimizes problems with conventional methods such as sink parks, unfilled spaces, and uneven distribution. In certain embodiments, patterns or configurations of the fill holes are provided to e.g., improve the effectiveness of the injection process and conserve the amount of material required to fill the voids in the cabinet. Related methods are also provided.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided with a bracket disposed within a cavity defined by a cabinet of the appliance. The bracket supports a divider disposed within a chamber defined by the cabinet and configured for receipt of food articles. The divider extends from a top wall of the chamber into the chamber.

Abstract: An appliance is provided with a cabinet having a plurality of fill holes along a rear section or panel of a cabinet whereby expandable foam material may be injected at multiple locations into voids within the cabinet. The plurality of fill holes avoids or minimizes problems with conventional methods such as sink parks, unfilled spaces, and uneven distribution. In certain embodiments, patterns or configurations of the fill holes are provided to e.g., improve the effectiveness of the injection process and conserve the amount of material required to fill the voids in the cabinet. Related methods are also provided.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance is provided with a bracket disposed within a cavity defined by a cabinet of the appliance. The bracket supports a divider disposed within a chamber defined by the cabinet and configured for receipt of food articles. The divider extends from a top wall of the chamber into the chamber.

Abstract: A method for filling the internal cavity of an appliance cabinet with an expanding foam material includes defining a pattern of fill holes in the outer cabinet wall at defined locations for injecting foam into identified sections of the cavity. Measured quantities of the foam material are injected into the fill holes in a sequential manner starting at one end of the cabinet and working towards an opposite end of the cabinet so as to sequentially deposit measured amounts of the foam material into the cavity against previously deposited sections of foam along the length of the cabinet while driving air within the cabinet towards a last section of the cabinet to be filled.

Abstract: A method for filling the internal cavity of an appliance cabinet with an expanding foam material includes defining a pattern of fill holes in the outer cabinet wall at defined locations for injecting foam into identified sections of the cavity. Measured quantities of the foam material are injected into the fill holes in a sequential manner starting at one end of the cabinet and working towards an opposite end of the cabinet so as to sequentially deposit measured amounts of the foam material into the cavity against previously deposited sections of foam along the length of the cabinet while driving air within the cabinet towards a last section of the cabinet to be filled.

Abstract: An escutcheon for an appliance door assembly is provided. The escutcheon includes a control panel mounting surface comprising a lower edge, and a plurality of formations depending from said lower edge and defining a retaining slot.

Abstract: An escutcheon for an appliance door assembly is provided. The escutcheon includes a control panel mounting surface comprising a lower edge, and a plurality of formations depending from said lower edge and defining a retaining slot.

Abstract: A door panel assembly for a dishwasher includes an inner door panel having a formation extending therefrom, and a seal member having a head portion and an opening therethrough. The opening receives the formation and attaches the seal member to the formation.