Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Vineeth Vijayan

Stephanos Kyriacou

Brent Alden Junge

Matthew R Hunter

Alan Joseph Mitchell

Martin Mitchell Zentner

Jordan Andrew Waymeyer

Choon Jae Ryu

Vishal Vittal Tulasigeri

A method of operating an ice maker appliance includes determining an infused ice making mode of the ice maker appliance. The method also includes flowing a volume of liquid water through the pod in the pod receiver, whereby the additive mixes with the volume of liquid water. The volume of liquid water may be a predetermined volume of liquid water based on the infused ice making mode. The method further includes flowing the additive and the volume of liquid water into the mold cavity and retaining the additive and the volume of liquid water in the mold cavity to form an ice piece from the additive and the volume of liquid water. The method may also include operating the ice maker appliance to provide a predetermined temperature based on the infused ice making mode.

Convertible ice maker appliance for making infused ice or water ice

A refrigerator appliance is provided including a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, and a light sensing assembly positioned within the chilled chamber. A controller is configured to determine that the door is closed, identify light in the chilled chamber using the light sensing assembly, and provide a user notification in response to identifying the light in the chilled chamber when the door is closed.

Gasket leak detection in a refrigerator appliance

A refrigerator appliance having a cabinet defining a chamber and a rotatably hinged door to at least partially seal the chamber or provide access to the chamber. The cabinet includes an induction coil and the door includes a heat pipe to provide a wireless anti-condensation system to a refrigerator mullion.

Wireless anti-condensation system for a refrigerator appliance mullion

An indoor gardening appliance includes a cabinet defining a grow chamber within the cabinet. The gardening appliance further includes environmental control system configured to adjust atmospheric conditions in the grow chamber. The gardening appliance may be operable to activate a compressor of the environmental control system to circulate a refrigerant through a sealed system of the environmental control system. The refrigerant enters the compressor at a suction side of the compressor and the refrigerant entering the compressor has a pressure that corresponds to a saturation temperature below the freezing point of water. The gardening appliance may be further operable to flow air across a heat exchange surface of the sealed system. The heat exchange surface of the sealed system is upstream of the grow chamber with respect to the air flow direction, and the heat exchange surface has a temperature above the freezing point of water.

Indoor garden center environmental control system

A refrigeration appliance and method for operation are provided. The appliance includes a cabinet and a door. The cabinet includes a controller, a first communications device, and a magnetic device. the door includes an energy source, a first switch, a second switch, a second communications device, and a user interface device. The second switch is operably coupled to the second communications device and the user interface device. The second communications device is in selective operable communication with the first communications device. The first switch is configured to operably couple the energy source to the second switch to allow energy to flow to the second switch, the second communications device, and the user interface device when the door is open. The first switch is configured to discontinue energy flow to the second switch when the door is closed.

Refrigeration appliance and method for operation

An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module rotatably mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods. A recirculation duct is in fluid communication with the grow chamber and a fan assembly circulates a flow of air through the recirculation duct and the grow chamber. A gas sensing assembly includes a gas sensor positioned within the recirculation duct for detecting the concentration of a gas within the flow of air and a flow stabilization device at least partially surrounding the gas sensor for reducing pressure fluctuations in the flow of air and improving gas sensor accuracy.

Gas sensing assembly for an indoor garden center

An indoor gardening appliance includes a grow module rotatably mounted within a liner to at least partially define a first grow chamber and a second grow chamber. A climate control system includes an evaporator plenum housing an evaporator, a fan assembly for urging air through the evaporator plenum, recirculation ducts for independently circulating air through the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber, and ambient duct systems for independently circulating fresh ambient air through the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber. A system of dampers selectively opens or closes each respective recirculation duct and ambient duct system for independent climate control of the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber.

Climate control system for an indoor garden center

A refrigerator appliance with sensing for load determination including a shelf and shelf support with a resilient member positioned so as to be compressed by the weight of food items placed on the shelf. Changes in pressure or flowrate of a fluid in the resilient member are used to detect changes in the weight of food items. The appliance can be configured to execute one or more events based on the detected changes.

Appliance with sensing for load determination

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet. A fresh food chamber and a freezer chamber are defined in the cabinet. The fresh food chamber and the freezer chamber are mutually separated by a mullion. The refrigerator appliance also includes an articulating lip coupled to the mullion. The articulating lip is movable relative to the mullion between a sealing position and an open position.

Refrigerator appliance with articulating horizontal mullion

A refrigerator appliance includes a fresh food chamber, a freezer chamber, and a flexible chamber defined in a door of the refrigerator appliance. The refrigerator appliance also includes a cooling system configured to provide cooled air to the fresh food chamber, the freezer chamber, and the flexible chamber. The sealed cooling system includes a fresh food fan configured to urge air from at least a first part of the cooling system to the fresh food chamber, a door-in-door fan configured to urge air from at least a second part of the cooling system to the flexible chamber, and a freezer fan configured to urge air from a third part of the cooling system to the freezer chamber.

Cooling system for refrigerator appliance with flexible chamber in door

Various embodiments of a multi-evaporator sealed vapor compression system for an appliance are provided. In one example aspect, a sealed system charged with a refrigerant fluid includes a single compressor and a first and second evaporator fluidly coupled in series. A flash tank is positioned between the evaporators. One or more valves are fluidly coupled with and positioned downstream of the flash tank and the second evaporator. The valves are operable to selectively switch the flow of refrigerant fluid between the two evaporators at a frequency such that the temperature rise in the evaporators is negligible. In another aspect, a sealed system charged with a refrigerant fluid includes a single compressor and a first and second evaporator fluidly coupled in parallel. One or more valves positioned upstream of the evaporators and one or more valves are positioned downstream of the evaporators for controlling the refrigerant flow through the sealed system.

Fast switching multiple evaporator system for an appliance

A refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a first liner, a second liner, a first fan, a second fan, and a return line. The cabinet may define an evaporator chamber. The first liner may be attached to the cabinet and may define a first chilled chamber having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet, and an air outlet. The second liner may be attached to the cabinet and may define a second chilled chamber spaced apart from the first chilled chamber, the second chilled chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet. The return line may extend in fluid communication from the air outlet of the second chilled chamber to the secondary air inlet of the first chilled chamber.

Refrigerator appliances having multiple fluidly-connected, chilled chambers

A delivery retrieval station, as provided herein, may include a delivery base and a destination container. The delivery base may include a receiving platform and a conditioning assembly in thermal communication with the receiving platform. The conditioning assembly may be disposed within a mechanical compartment beneath the receiving platform. The destination container may be selectively mounted to the base station. The destination container may include a base wall and sidewall defining a storage chamber. The base wall may be selectively supported on the receiving platform in a delivered position.

Delivery retrieval station

A refrigerator appliance and an arc-resistant heating assembly are provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a sealed system, and an electrical heater. The electrical heater may include a resistive element, a sheath, a thermally conductive electrical insulation, and an internal insulator. The sheath may be disposed about the resistive element from a first end portion to a second end portion. The thermally conductive electrical insulation may be radially positioned between the resistive element and the sheath. The internal insulator may be radially positioned between the resistive element and the thermally conductive electrical insulation.

Refrigerator appliance and arc-resistant heating assembly

A refrigeration heating assembly and method of operation are generally provided herein. The heating assembly may include an inner glass tube, a resistive heating element, an outer glass tube, a first end cap, a second end cap, and a sensor assembly. The inner glass tube may include a continuous inner wall defining a central passage. The resistive heating element may be disposed within the central passage. The outer glass tube may include a continuous outer wall disposed about the inner glass tube. A radial gap may be defined between the glass tubes. The first end cap may be positioned on the outer glass tube and the inner glass tube at a first end. The second end cap may be positioned on the outer glass tube and the inner glass tube at a second end. The sensor assembly may be disposed in fluid communication with the radial gap.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Vineeth Vijayan