Whirlpool Corporation

Johnny R Revlett

Daryl Lee Reuter

Diane E Marret

Guy E Garrison

Mark G Steffenhagen

Jill C Moeller

Jeff J Smale

Matthew W Hartmann

Matthew P Deig

An air tower is provided for a refrigeration appliance that has a first cooled compartment and a second cooled compartment. The air tower has a diffuser section with a plurality of vent outlets to communicate with the first cooled compartment. A central duct section is defined by walls extending away from the diffuser section. An outlet is located at an end of the central section opposite the diffuser section to communicate with the second cooled compartment. A heat trap compartment is formed along one of the walls defining the central duct section. The heat trap compartment may communicate with a defrost heater.

Air tower with heat trap compartment for top mount freezer refrigerator

A refrigerator with at least one openable door has a hinge at a pivoting edge of the door allowing the door to open about the pivoting edge. A water dispenser, positioned on the door, has a paddle which is moved horizontally by a user to cause water to be dispensed. The paddle engages a toggle that is attached to the dispenser housing, causing the toggle to rotate into engagement with a microswitch. The microswitch is mounted on a user interface control board which communicates with a power supply electronic control board. The power supply control board operates a water dispenser solenoid valve to cause water to flow to the dispenser when the toggle engages the microswitch. An endcap is secured to an edge of the door adjacent to the pivoting edge. A first conduit extends from the water dispenser to an end within the endcap. A second conduit extends from within the cabinet to an end exterior of the cabinet and within the endcap. An end connector is provided to receive the ends of the first and second conduits. The hinge is movable from the pivoting edge of the door to an opposite edge of the door. The second conduit is arranged to exit from either adjacent one corner or adjacent an opposite corner of the cabinet to be adjacent to the pivoting edge. The two conduits are joinable within the endcap at the end connector to form a continuous conduit.

In-door water dispenser with door reversibility

An appliance cabinet with at least one openable door has a hinge at a pivoting edge of the door to allow the door to open about the pivoting edge. An endcap is secured to an edge of the door adjacent to the pivoting edge. A first conduit extends from an in-door apparatus to an end within the endcap. A second conduit extends from within the cabinet to an end exterior of the cabinet and within the endcap. An end connector is provided to receive the ends of the first and second conduits. The hinge is movable from the pivoting edge of the door to an opposite edge of the door. The second conduit is arranged to exit from either adjacent one corner or adjacent an opposite corner of the cabinet to be adjacent to the pivoting edge. In this arrangement, the two conduits are joinable within the endcap at the end connector to form a continuous conduit.

A door handle for a refrigerator has a contoured base member of die cast construction. A longitudinal channel is included in a front portion of the base member. An elongated decorative insert is nested in the channel. Flexible spring clips are staked to stud members integrally cast in the base member and coact with locking tabs on the insert to retain the insert in association with the die cast base. Steel extension base pieces are utilized where a longer than normal door handle assembly is required.

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Robards, KY, United States of America

Johnny R Revlett