Modular interface for pantry temperature control

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a refrigerator compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment, a drawer within the refrigerator compartment, a cover on a top of the drawer, a plurality of apertures in the cover, and controls on the cover for controlling temperature within the drawer. The cover is configured to be positioned between a user interface assembly and a user interface cover with screws through the apertures in a first configuration wherein the controls are electronic controls for controlling temperature within the drawer. The cover is further configured to be snapped to a control housing using the plurality of apertures for alignment in a second configuration wherein the controls are manual controls for controlling the temperature within the drawer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigerator cabinet;   a refrigerator compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment;   a drawer within the refrigerator compartment;   a cover on a top of the drawer;   a plurality of apertures in the cover;   controls on the cover for controlling temperature within the drawer;   wherein the cover is configured to be positioned between a user interface assembly and a user interface cover with screws through the apertures in a first configuration wherein the controls are electronic controls for controlling temperature within the drawer;   wherein the cover is configured to be snapped to a control housing using the plurality of apertures for alignment in a second configuration wherein the controls are manual controls for controlling the temperature within the drawer.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of apertures comprise a receiver opening for the controls and through holes on opposites sides of the receiver opening. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2  wherein the receiver opening is substantially centered along a length of the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3  wherein the receiver opening and the holes extend through a top surface of the cover. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 4  wherein the cover further comprises a first window on one side of the plurality of apertures and a second window on an opposite side of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5  wherein the drawer is a pantry drawer and wherein the cover is a pantry drawer top cover. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the refrigerator compartment is a fresh food compartment. 
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 determining if a pantry of the refrigerator is to provide manual controls or electronic controls;   providing a top cover for the pantry;   if the pantry of the refrigerator is to provide the manual controls, snapping the top cover to a manual control housing; and   if the pantry of the refrigerator is to provide the electronic controls, attaching the top cover between a user interface assembly and a user interface cover.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the top cover comprises controls for controlling temperature within the pantry. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the top cover comprises a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of apertures comprise a receiver opening for the controls and through holes on opposite sides of the receiver opening. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the receiver opening is substantially centered along a length of the cover. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the receiver opening and the holes extend through a top surface of the cover. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the cover further comprises a first window on one side of the plurality of apertures and a second window on an opposite side of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a plurality of refrigerators, each having a pantry drawer disposed within a refrigerator compartment, the method comprising:
 providing a top cover for the pantry drawer of each of the plurality of refrigerators, the top cover having a plurality of apertures therein including a receiver opening and through holes on opposite sides of the receiver opening;   for a first subset of the plurality of refrigerators, assembling each of the first subset of the plurality of refrigerators by snapping the top cover to a manual control housing;   for a second subset of the plurality of refrigerators, assembling each of the second subset of the plurality of refrigerators by attaching the top cover between a user interface assembly and a user interface cover.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the receiver opening is substantially centered along a length of the cover. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the receiver opening and the holes extend through a top surface of the cover. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the cover further comprises a first window on one side of the plurality of apertures and a second window on an opposite side of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising attaching the top cover to the pantry drawer for each of the plurality of refrigerators. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising placing the pantry drawer into the refrigerator compartment for each of the plurality of refrigerators.