US Patent 8061790 Powered drawer for an appliance

An appliance, such as a refrigerator, includes a drawer mounted within a cabinet for movement between an opened position and a closed position. A driving mechanism, including an electric motor and a transmission assembly, connects to the drawer for driving the drawer between the opened position and the closed position. The driving mechanism has an engaged state wherein the drawer is power driven by the driving mechanism between the opened and closed positions and a disengaged state wherein the drawer is manually movable between the opened and closed positions.