Abstract: Provided is a refrigeration appliance including a refrigerated compartment, and a plurality of doors that, when closed, cooperate with each other to collectively enclose an entrance into the refrigerated compartment. A mullion is pivotally coupled to a distal side of a first door included in the plurality of doors, and is pivotal between an open orientation when the first door is open and a closed orientation in which a seal is established between the mullion and a second door when the doors are closed. A roller is provided adjacent to an end of the mullion, and includes a rubberized material that extends about at least a portion of an exterior periphery of the roller. A receiver with an arcuate surface over which the exterior periphery of the roller with the rubberized material travels to adjust the mullion between the open orientation and the closed orientation is also provided.

Abstract: A refrigerator assembly includes a mullion assembly movably attached with respect to the refrigerator assembly. The mullion assembly includes a mullion portion defining a mullion recess. The mullion recess receives a biasing device for engaging a follower. A hinge assembly is attached to the mullion portion such that the mullion portion is movable with respect to the hinge assembly between a first position and a second position. The hinge assembly includes a first recess for receiving the follower when the mullion portion is in the first position. The hinge assembly further includes a second recess for receiving the follower when the mullion portion is in the second position.

Abstract: A refrigerator assembly includes a mullion assembly movably attached with respect to the refrigerator assembly. The mullion assembly includes a mullion portion defining a mullion recess. The mullion recess receives a biasing device for engaging a follower. A hinge assembly is attached to the mullion portion such that the mullion portion is movable with respect to the hinge assembly between a first position and a second position. The hinge assembly includes a first recess for receiving the follower when the mullion portion is in the first position. The hinge assembly further includes a second recess for receiving the follower when the mullion portion is in the second position.

Abstract: A groutless tile system including groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile includes a substrate, a durable surface disposed within a groove defined by the substrate, the durable surface having bottom surface, and a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate. The first coupling member comprises a first bendable portion and a groove, the groove having an upper surface and a lower surface. The bottom surface of the durable surface is substantially coplanar with a point between the upper and lower surfaces of the groove. The polymer matrix forming at least a portion of the substrate can be modified to reduce the weight of the groutless tile or the cost to manufacture the groutless tile. In some embodiments, the polymer matrix is modified through the use of gas nucleation or a blowing agent.

Abstract: A drawn glass-coated metallic member has a thermal contraction coefficient differential such that the thermal contraction coefficient of the glass is less than that of the metallic member. The thermal contraction coefficient differential is maintained within a predetermined range during drawing. Drawn glass is placed under residual compression, interfacial bonding between said glass and said wire is substantially uniform, and surface cracking and bond breaks between metal and glass are substantially prevented. Optical properties of the glass coated microwire provide a basis for enabling multi-bit encoding capability. Advantageously data encoding is achieved optically, magneto-optically or using a combined magnetic and optical encoding mechanism. The duplex material constitution of the glass coated microwire permits imparting of data thereon by selection and processing of the glass. Data implantation is readily achieved in-line, during an initial drawing operation, or as a separate post-draw process.

Abstract: A drawn glass-coated metallic member has a thermal contraction coefficient differential such that the thermal contraction coefficient of the glass is less than that of the metallic member. The thermal contraction coefficient differential is maintained within a predetermined range during drawing. Drawn glass is placed under residual compression, interfacial bonding between said glass and said wire is substantially uniform, and surface cracking and bond breaks between metal and glass are substantially prevented. Optical properties of the glass coated microwire provide a basis for enabling multi-bit encoding capability. Advantageously data encoding is achieved optically, magneto-optically or using a combined magnetic and optical encoding mechanism. The duplex material constitution of the glass coated microwire permits imparting of data thereon by selection and processing of the glass. Data implantation is readily achieved in-line, during an initial drawing operation, or as a separate post-draw process.

Abstract: High index-contrast fiber waveguides, materials for forming high index-contrast fiber waveguides, and applications of high index-contrast fiber waveguides are disclosed.

Abstract: A glass-coated amorphous metallic microwire is encoded with multi-bit digital information. Encoding is achieved magnetically, optically or through a combination of magnetic and optical encoding processes. Magnetic encoding is carried out by modifying the constituent magnetic domain structure through selective relief of interfacial stress between the glass coating and the amorphous metallic alloy core. It is also achieved by selective surface crystallization of the amorphous metallic core in order to produce a controlled magnetic bias field. Optical encoding is associated with the glass coating. It is readily achieved by fluorescent element deposition, patterned removal of fluorescent element coating, Bragg grating, and thermally activated pattern deposition. The magnetic and optical multi-bit encoding approaches for glass-coated amorphous metallic microwire can be used individually or collectively in either a redundant or a complementary manner.

Abstract: A low temperature fluorophosphate glass useful for joining single-mode fluoride and silica optical fibers includes 5 to 7 mol % InF3, 20 to 35 mol % PbF2 and 57.5 to 75 mol % P2O5. An alkali for maintaining a low glass transition temperature can be included. Up to 25% (glass molar basis) of the P2O5 can be replaced by PbO.

Abstract: A portable pencil pocket 10 has one or more compartments for holding pencils 40,42. The pocket is made of plastic webbing that is folded at one end to form a pocket 20 and at the other end to form a loop 22. A shower clip 50 holds the pocket 10 to an article of clothing, such as a belt loop or button hole.