Abstract: A household appliance includes an outer casing, a water tank and an ice maker. The water tank may be attached to the outer casing. The ice maker is disposed within the outer casing. The ice maker is in fluid communication with the water tank. The household appliance may further include a pump disposed within the outer casing, at least one drain tube attached to the outer casing and a controller. The pump may be in fluid communication with the water tank and the ice maker to flow water from the water tank to the ice maker. The at least one drain tube may define an exit point, the exit point located vertically below the ice mater. The controller may initiate a cleaning cycle that includes pumping a volume of cleaning solution through the ice maker and directing the volume of cleaning solution through the at least one drain tube.

Abstract: A solids separator for use in a composting system for separating solid waste from liquid waste in a stream of waste includes a housing defining a waste inlet for receiving the stream of waste, a liquids outlet for passing the liquid waste, and a solids outlet for passing the solid waste. A separator belt is positioned within the housing and extending between the liquids outlet and the solids outlet, the separator belt defining a plurality of apertures through which the liquid waste passes through the separator belt and into the liquids outlet. A drive cylinder is rotatably mounted within the housing for selectively rotating the separator belt such that a top surface of the belt is moved toward the solids outlet along with the solid waste that is extracted from the stream of waste.

Abstract: A laundry folding appliance includes one or more folding panels mechanically coupled to a cabinet and at least partially defining a folding surface for receiving articles of clothing. An actuating assembly selectively pivots the folding panels to fold the articles of clothing and a camera assembly is positioned in view of the folding surface. A controller obtains one or more images using the camera assembly, identifies the laundry articles positioned on the folding surface by analyzing the one or more images using a laundry identification model, adds the laundry articles to a closet inventory list, and subsequently provides a clothing recommendation selected from the closet inventory list based at least in part on a recommendation model.

Abstract: A laundry or dryer appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a drum, a door, and an additive dispensing assembly. The drum may be mounted within the cabinet and define a space for the receipt of clothes. The door may be movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the drum. The additive dispensing assembly may be held on the door and configured to provide an additive mist to the drum. The additive dispensing assembly may include an additive tank, a fluid pump, and a dispenser nozzle. The additive tank may define a tank volume to store an additive therein. The fluid pump may be in fluid communication with the additive tank to motivate a volume of the additive. The dispenser nozzle may be directed toward the drum downstream from the fluid pump to guide the volume of the additive into the space defined by the drum.

Abstract: An oven appliance includes a chamber, a fan assembly operable to cause air to flow in the chamber, and a first heating element adjacent to a bottom wall of the oven appliance. The oven appliance further includes a removable heating element cover configured for defining a duct in fluid communication with the fan assembly and the first heating element for directing airflow in the chamber to the fan assembly and across the first heating element to heat a food item. The oven appliance also includes a sensing device for detecting a presence of the heating element cover and a controller having a processor configured to receive an indication from the sensing device confirming whether the heating element cover is engaged with the sensing device and control operation of the oven appliance based on the indication.

Abstract: A cooking appliance assembly includes a cooking appliance having a heat source for heating at least one food item, a temperature sensing device, an imaging device for collecting data relating to the temperature sensing device, and a controller communicatively coupled with the cooking appliance assembly, the temperature sensing device, and the imaging device. The controller includes at least one processor for performing one or more operations, including but not limited to determining a type of the temperature sensing device based, at least in part, on the collected data relating to the temperature sensing device from the imaging device.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a liner, a thermodynamic assembly, an air conduit, a heat pipe, a conductive ice mold, and a water dispenser. The liner may define an icebox (IB) compartment. air conduit may be disposed within the IB compartment. The air conduit may define a conduit path between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet downstream from the conduit inlet. The heat pipe may be mounted to the air conduit and extend therefrom outside of the conduit path. The conductive ice mold may be mounted to the heat pipe within the IB compartment. The conductive ice mold may define a mold cavity outside of the air conduit. The water dispenser may be positioned below the conductive ice mold to direct an ice-building spray of water to the mold cavity.

Abstract: A drawer assembly for an appliance includes a drawer front for providing selective access to the drawer recess, the drawer front being rotatable between an open position and a closed position, a slide operably coupling the drawer front to the cabinet, the slide including a catch bar, an electronic input provided on the drawer front, the electronic input configured to transmit an input signal, and a latch provided in the drawer front, the latch being operably coupled with the electronic input and selectively engaged with the catch bar based on the input signal.

Abstract: A packaging assembly for a home appliance includes a base frame including a first plank and a second plank provided parallel to the first plank, and a pair of spring clips attached to the base frame. The pair of spring clips includes a right spring clip attached to a top surface of the first plank, and a left spring clip attached to a top surface of the second plank, wherein an axial extension direction of the right spring clip is parallel to an axial extension direction of the left spring clip, and wherein the pair of springs are configured to selectively accept a base rail of the home appliance therein.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a half-wave condition in an electrical appliance are disclosed herein. The method can include providing, by an electronic controller, an input signal to a triac circuit for controlling an electric motor, the triac circuit configured to control the electric motor, and receiving, by the electronic controller, a feedback signal from a feedback circuit indicative of an output of the triac circuit. The method can further include determining that the feedback signal indicates a half-wave condition is present, generating a shutdown signal for the electric motor, and providing the shutdown signal, by the electronic controller, to the triac circuit.

Abstract: A laundry appliance, such as a washing machine or dryer appliance, includes a basket that is rotatably mounted within a tub and that defines a chamber for receiving a load of clothes. A camera assembly is mounted within the tub for taking images of the load of clothes and a controller is operably coupled to the camera assembly for determining that a limited access mode is activated, receiving a start command for an operating cycle, obtaining and transmitting images or a live stream of the chamber to a remote device, and receiving user input related to a responsive action, such as a cycle authorization or operating parameter adjustment.

Abstract: A washing machine appliance includes a wash basket that is rotatably mounted within a wash tub and that defines a wash chamber for receiving a load of clothes. A basket speed sensor monitors the speed of the wash basket and a camera assembly is mounted within the wash tub for taking images of the load of clothes during and/or after a wash or rinse cycle. A controller determines the basket speed, adjusts a frame rate of the camera assembly to match the basket speed, obtains a still image from the camera assembly, analyzes the image using a machine learning image recognition process to determine a remaining moisture content (RMC) of the load of clothes, and adjusts at least one operating parameter of the washing machine appliance based on the remaining moisture content, e.g., such as ending the drain cycle when a target RMC is reached.

Abstract: An appliance includes a cabinet and a user interface. The user interface includes an illuminable indicator. The appliance also includes a circuit board with an LED mounted on the circuit board. The appliance further includes a flexible light guide extending from the LED to the illuminable indicator. The flexible light guide provides optical communication from the LED to the illuminable indicator, such that the LED is operable to illuminate the illuminable indicator when the LED is activated.

Abstract: A cooktop appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The vertical direction, the lateral direction, and the transverse direction are mutually perpendicular. The cooktop appliance includes a top panel with a gas burner disposed on the top panel. A terminal block is positioned on the top panel adjacent to the burner. The cooktop appliance also includes a grate with a plurality of fingers removably positioned above the gas burner. The plurality of fingers include a sensor finger. A temperature sensor is rotatably mounted to the sensor finger of the plurality of fingers of the grate whereby the temperature sensor is movable along the vertical direction between an elevated position and a lowered position.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a basket that is rotatably mounted within a cabinet and that defines a chamber for receiving a load of clothes. A camera assembly is mounted within the cabinet for taking images of the chamber and a controller obtains an image of the chamber when the basket is empty and not rotating. The image is analyzed using an autoencoder neural network process to determine an image quality and a responsive action is implemented when an image quality drops below a quality threshold.

Abstract: 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 drive assembly is provided for selectively rotating the grow module within the grow chamber, and includes a turntable assembly configured for receiving the grow module, a bi-directional motor assembly, and a clutch assembly mechanically coupling the motor assembly and the turntable assembly, the clutch assembly having a torque slip threshold beyond which the clutch assembly disengages the motor assembly from the turntable assembly.

Abstract: Systems, appliances, and methods for operating a cooking result inference system are provided herein. The cooking engagement system can include a controller in operable communication with a camera assembly, a mass sensor assembly, and a thermal sensor assembly. An image signal including an image of an object can be accessed. A mass signal including a mass of the object can be accessed from the mass sensor assembly. A temperature signal including a temperature of the object can be accessed from the thermal sensor assembly. An inferred cooking result can then be generated based on a machine-learned model that can perform operations on input including the image signal, the mass signal, and the temperature signal. The inferred cooking result can include an inferred image depicting the object as it is predicted to appear after a recommended cooking time at a recommended temperature.

Abstract: Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. A method of operating an air conditioner unit includes activating a makeup air system of the air conditioner unit. The makeup air system directs a flow of outside air from the makeup air system to an indoor portion of a housing of the air conditioner unit. The method also includes activating an indoor fan disposed in the indoor portion of the air conditioner unit at a fan speed at least equal to a minimum circulation threshold speed in response to the makeup air system being activated. Activating the indoor fan causes the flow of outside air from the makeup air system to be urged through the indoor portion of the housing. An air conditioner unit may include a controller, and the controller may be configured for performing the method.

Abstract: An appliance includes an external communication port, such as an RJ45 port, and a wireless communication module in wireless communication with a remote server through an external network. In addition, a controller includes a boot loader segment and is configured to receive a request to access the boot loader segment of the controller, transmit a notification of the request to the remote server using the wireless communication module, receive an access determination from the remote server, e.g., such as an access authorization or denial from an owner, and regulate access to the boot loader segment based at least in part on the access determination.

Abstract: A method of operating an ice maker appliance includes directing liquid water to a mold body of the ice maker appliance. The method also includes determining that at least a portion of the liquid water escaped based on at least one of an ice making time, a harvest motor torque, or a temperature change rate. The method further includes providing a user notification in response to determining that at least the portion of the liquid water escaped.