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An ice dispenser for a domestic refrigerator includes a lever having a housing with a passageway defined therein and a flapper door configured to pivot between a closed position in which ice is prevented from advancing into the passageway and an open position in which ice is permitted to advance int

An ice dispenser for a domestic refrigerator includes a lever having a housing with a passageway defined therein and a flapper door configured to pivot between a closed position in which ice is prevented from advancing into the passageway and an open position in which ice is permitted to advance into the passageway. A linkage is coupled to the lever and the flapper door such that movement of the lever causes the flapper door to move from the closed position to the open position.

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1. A domestic refrigerator comprising: an ice dispenser comprising:a mounting bracket;a lever pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket;a flapper door that includes a bracket having a lower end with a first plurality of teeth formed thereon and wherein the flapper door is pivotally coupled to the mo

1. A domestic refrigerator comprising: an ice dispenser comprising:a mounting bracket;a lever pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket;a flapper door that includes a bracket having a lower end with a first plurality of teeth formed thereon and wherein the flapper door is pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket, the flapper door being configured to pivot between (i) a closed position and (ii) an open position;a rotary damper that includes a shaft having a second plurality of teeth formed thereon, the second plurality of teeth being meshed with the first plurality of teeth and wherein the rotary damper is coupled to the flapper door; anda linkage coupled to the lever and the flapper door such that movement of the lever from a first lever position to a second lever position advances the flapper door from the closed position to the open position, wherein (i) the linkage is configured to permit the lever to move from the second lever position to the first lever position independently of the flapper door, and (ii) the rotary damper is configured to resist the movement of the flapper door from the open position to the closed position. 2. The domestic refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the lever further comprising a housing having a passageway defined therein, and wherein the flapper door includes: a plate positioned at an upper end of the passageway of the housing, anda bracket secured to the plate, the bracket including a lower end moveably coupled to the rotary damper. 3. The domestic refrigerator of claim 2 further comprising a first torsional spring configured to bias the lever in the first lever position, and second a torsional spring configured to bias the flapper door in the closed position. 4. The domestic refrigerator of claim 2, wherein: the bracket includes a sidewall having a slot defined therein, andthe linkage comprises (i) a roller positioned in the slot, the roller being configured to move along the slot, and (ii) a link arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the lever and a second end pivotally coupled to the roller. 5. The domestic refrigerator of claim 4, wherein: the roller is positioned at an upper end of the slot of the bracket as the lever is moved from the first lever position to the second lever position, andthe roller is moved away from the upper end of the slot as the lever is moved from the second lever position to the first lever position. 6. The domestic refrigerator of claim 1 further comprising a first torsional spring configured to bias the lever in the first lever position, and second a torsional spring configured to bias the flapper door in the closed position. 7. The domestic refrigerator of claim 6, wherein (i) the first torsional spring is configured to urge the lever to move from the second lever position to the first lever position at a first rotational speed, and (ii) the rotary damper is configured to permit the flapper door to move from the open position to the closed position at a second rotational speed that is less than the first rotational speed. 8. The domestic refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the lever further includes a paddle extending downwardly from the housing, the paddle having a curved surface configured to receive a container for ice. 9. The domestic refrigerator of claim 2 further comprising a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein, and the door pivotally coupled to the cabinet, the door comprising (i) a door panel defining a front surface of a door assembly, the door panel having an opening defined therein, and (ii) a housing positioned in the opening of the door panel, the housing having the mounting bracket secured thereto. 10. The domestic refrigerator of claim 9 further comprising an ice bin sized to contain ice, a motor operable to advance ice from the ice bin, and a switch operable to control the motor, wherein (i) the lever includes a control arm configured to operate the switch to energize the motor, and (ii) the control arm operates the switch when the lever is in the second lever position. 11. The domestic refrigerator of claim 10 further comprising a chute configured to guide ice to the passageway of the housing, the chute having a mouth positioned adjacent to an upper end of the passageway, wherein (i) when the flapper door is in the closed position, the flapper door is positioned over the mouth of the chute, and (ii) when the flapper door is in the open position, the flapper door is spaced apart from the mouth of the chute. 12. A domestic refrigerator, comprising: an ice dispenser comprising:a lever configured to pivot about an axis, the lever including a housing having a passageway defined therein that is sized to receive ice,a flapper door configured to pivot between (i) a closed position in which ice is prevented from advancing into the passageway and (ii) an open position in which ice is permitted to advance into the passageway, the flapper door including a bracket having a curved slot defined therein,a rotary damper engaged with the bracket of the flapper door, the rotary damper being configured to resist movement of the flapper door,a roller positioned in the curved slot of the bracket of the flapper door, the roller being configured to move along the curved slot, anda link having a first end pivotally coupled to the lever and a second end pivotally coupled to the roller,wherein (i) when the lever is pivoted about the axis in a first direction, the link is configured to advance the roller and the bracket upward such that the flapper door is moved from the closed position to the open position, and (ii) when the lever is pivoted about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, the roller is moved downward along the curved slot such that the flapper door is permitted to move between the open position and the closed position; andwherein the bracket of the flapper door includes a lower surface having a first plurality of teeth and the rotary damper has a second plurality of teeth. 13. The domestic refrigerator of claim 12, wherein: the lower surface of the flapper door is a convex lower surface and second plurality of teeth mesh with the first plurality of teeth. 14. The domestic refrigerator of claim 12, wherein: the lever is configured to pivot about the axis in the second direction at a first rotational speed, andthe rotary damper is configured to resist movement of the flapper door as the flapper door is moved from the open position to the closed position such that the flapper door is moved at a second rotational speed that is less than the first rotational speed. 15. The domestic refrigerator of claim 12 further comprising a biasing element configured to bias the flapper door in the closed position. 16. The domestic refrigerator of claim 12 further comprising: a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein,the door pivotally coupled to the cabinet, anda mounting bracket secured to the door, the mounting bracket having the lever and the flapper door pivotally coupled thereto. 17. The domestic refrigerator of claim 16 further comprising: a chute in the door, the chute having a mouth positioned adjacent to an upper end of the passageway,wherein (i) when the flapper door is in the closed position, the flapper door is positioned over the mouth of the chute such that ice is prevented from advancing into the upper end of the passageway, and (ii) when the flapper door is in the open position, the flapper door is spaced apart from the mouth of the chute such that ice is permitted to advance into the upper end of the passageway. 18. An ice dispenser for a domestic refrigerator, comprising: a lever configured to move between a first lever position and a second lever position, the lever including a housing having a passageway defined therein;a first spring to bias the lever in the first lever position;a flapper door configured to pivot, the flapper door including a bracket;a second spring to bias the flapper door in a closed position;a roller positioned in a slot of the bracket of the flapper door, the roller being configured to move along the slot;a link having a first end pivotally coupled to the lever and a second end pivotally coupled to the roller; anda rotary damper coupled to the flapper door;wherein (i) movement of the lever from the first lever position to the second lever position advances the roller and the bracket about an axis such that the flapper door is moved from the closed position to an open position, and (ii) movement of the lever from the second lever position to the first lever position causes the roller to move along the slot such that the flapper door is permitted to move from the open position to the closed position. 19. The ice dispenser of claim 18, wherein the rotary damper being configured to resist movement of the flapper door from the open position to the closed position and wherein the bracket of the flapper door includes a lower surface having a first plurality of teeth and the rotary damper has a second plurality of teeth and wherein the bracket has a slot defined therein. 20. The ice dispenser of claim 18 further comprising: an ice bin sized to contain ice,a motor operable to advance ice from the ice bin, anda switch operable to control the motor, wherein (i) the lever includes a control arm configured to operate the switch to energize the motor, and (ii) the control arm operates the switch when the lever is in the second lever position.