Abstract: A washing machine appliance is provided, including a cabinet having a rear panel, a wash tub located within the cabinet, and a shipping spacer assembly. The shipping spacer assembly is removably attached to the wash tub for fixing a distance between the wash tub and the cabinet in an installed position. The shipping spacer assembly includes a bolt, a spacer, and a locking mechanism. The bolt includes a shaft extending along an axial direction, and a head located at one end of the shaft. The bolt defines a lock-receiving feature along the shaft. The spacer defines a bolt cavity extending along the axial direction and removably receives the shaft. The locking mechanism removably engages the bolt at the lock-receiving feature to secure the spacer to the bolt.

Abstract: An icemaker assembly includes a mold body defining a plurality of cavities. A working fluid line is directly attached to the mold body, and a drain duct is disposed below the mold body. A defrost heating element is positioned below the mold body and within the drain duct. The defrost heating element is spaced from the mold body, and the defrost heating element is operable to melt frost on the mold body with radiant heat from the defrost heating element. A related appliance is also provided.

Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a cabinet, a tub, and a pump for recirculating wash fluid from the tub to a filter container. The filter container includes a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the pump and fluid outlet in fluid communication with the tub. The filter container also includes a filter housing for directing wash fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. A self-clearing filter assembly is provided within the filter housing. The self-clearing filter includes side walls and a filter base having at least one inclined surface. The self-clearing filter is situated such that the inclined surface is below the fluid inlet. The self-clearing filter prevents microfibers and other debris from passing through to the outlet of the filter container. Simultaneously, the force of the wash fluid on the inclined surface forces the microfibers and other debris to a trough, where it can be collected and disposed of.

Abstract: A reciprocating compressor includes a piston slidably mounted within a compression chamber and defining a suction port. A valve selectively permits a flow of gas through the suction port and includes a sealing portion positioned over the suction port, an attachment portion mechanically coupled to a compression face of the piston, a support portion that extends away from the attachment portion along the radial direction such that the attachment portion is positioned between the sealing portion and the support portion, wherein the support portion defines a flattened end opposite the sealing portion along the radial direction such that the valve has a non-circular shape, and a connecting portion that mechanically couples the support portion to the sealing portion and permits the sealing portion to move between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: An appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber, and a centrifugal pump in fluid communication with the wash chamber. The centrifugal pump includes a motor housing, a motor disposed in the motor housing, and a fluid impeller coupled to the motor. A diffuser housing assembly includes a first diffuser housing portion and a second diffuser housing portion. The first diffuser housing portion includes a groove and the second diffuser housing portion includes an extrusion. A diffuser vane is positioned on the motor housing. The diffuser vane engages in the groove of the first diffuser housing portion. The extrusion of the second diffuser housing portion encloses the diffuser vane into the diffuser housing assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for data transmission and performance improvement for an appliance is provided. The system includes an appliance including a controller operably connected to a network computing device. The controller is configured to transmit a packet to a network computing device. The packet includes genealogical data for the appliance encoded in a positional numeral system. The network computing device is configured to receive the packet and decode the genealogical data for the appliance. Decoding includes translating the positional numeral system to an appliance configuration.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A water filter for a refrigerator appliance with a sensor embedded in the water filter and related methods of detecting a leak in the refrigerator appliance are provided. Such methods include, and the refrigerator appliance may be configured for, measuring, by the sensor embedded in the water filter, at least one of water pressure in the water filter and flow through the water filter. A rate of change of the at least one of water pressure in the water filter and flow through the water filter over time is calculated. When there is no system demand for water, a leak is detected based on the increase in the rate of change over time.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet forming a refrigerating compartment defining a plurality of cooling zones, an air circulation duct in fluid communication with the refrigerating compartment, an evaporator provided in the air circulation duct, and a damper assembly in fluid communication with the air circulation duct and the refrigerating compartment. The damper assembly includes a plurality of doors to selectively allow air to enter into selected cooling zones within the refrigerating compartment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a motor coupled to an electrical appliance are disclosed herein. The electrical appliance can include a motor assembly comprising at least one electric motor and a filter network including an electrical resistance component and an electrical capacitance component. The electrical appliance can also include a controller electrically coupled to the motor assembly and the filter network, the controller comprising one or more processors and a memory comprising instructions for performing a process. The process can include providing an input signal to the filter network and receiving an output signal from the filter network, the output signal being filtered by the filter network. The process can also include identifying a filter characteristic of the filter network based on the output signal and identifying a type of the electric motor based on the identified filter characteristic.

Abstract: Methods for operating an oven appliance, as provided herein, may include various steps for activating top and bottom heating elements (e.g., at overlapping times) prior to limiting activation of one of the heating elements based on one or more received temperature signals.

Abstract: A washer tub assembly that includes a washer tub, a basket mounted inside the washer tub, and a tub cover. The tub cover coupled to the washer tub at a top portion of the washer tub over the basket, and the tub cover defines a slot. A rim of the washer tub is disposed within the slot and included is a protrusion positioned in the slot between the rim and the tub cover. The protrusion configured to deform one or both of the washer tub and the tub cover along the vertical direction.

Abstract: An icemaker appliance includes a first reservoir, a second reservoir, a first circulation system associated with the first reservoir, and a second circulation system associated with the second reservoir. Liquid in the first reservoir is directed toward a first set of ice molds and liquid from the second reservoir is directed toward a second set of ice molds. Liquid in the first reservoir is selectively supplied to the second reservoir.

Abstract: A method of operating a washing machine appliance may include obtaining one or more images of an external basket spaced apart from the washing machine appliance from a camera assembly and analyzing an obtained image of the one or more images using an image recognition process to estimate a fill level of a load of clothes within the external basket. The method may further include matching the estimated fill level to an estimated load size and directing a wash cycle within the washing machine appliance based on the estimated load size.

Abstract: An air conditioner unit includes a housing defining an outdoor portion and an indoor portion. An outdoor heat exchanger assembly is disposed in the outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger assembly is disposed in the indoor portion. The air conditioner unit also includes a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger assembly and the indoor heat exchanger assembly to circulate a refrigerant therebetween. The air conditioner unit further includes a plenum attached to the housing. The plenum is receivable within a wall channel defined by a structure wall along an axial direction. The air conditioner unit also includes a make-up air duct extending between the plenum and the indoor portion of the housing with a bracket fixed in place within the make-up air duct and a make-up air component slidably received in the bracket. The make-up air component is slidably removable from the bracket.

Abstract: A washing machine appliance defines a mutually perpendicular vertical direction, lateral direction, and transverse direction. The washing machine appliance includes a cabinet and a top cover. A wash tub is mounted within the cabinet and a wash basket is mounted rotatably within the wash tub. The wash basket is accessible through an opening in the top cover. A bulk tank is mounted inside the top cover. The washing machine appliance further includes a dispensing pump spaced apart from the bulk tank and in fluid communication with the bulk tank. The dispensing pump is operable to draw a liquid additive from the bulk tank. The washing machine appliance also includes a dispenser box downstream of the dispensing pump and upstream of the wash tub.

Abstract: A mushroom growing appliance includes a grow chamber defined within a cabinet and a climate control system for regulating the humidity and gas concentrations within the grow chamber. The climate control system includes a water reservoir positioned within the grow chamber for receiving water; a wicking filter positioned at least partially within the water reservoir for wicking the water into the wicking filter; a water supply system comprising a water storage tank that is mounted adjacent the cabinet above the water reservoir, the water storage tank fluidly coupled to the water reservoir through a water supply opening defined through the cabinet; a recirculation fan positioned adjacent the wicking filter for selectively urging a flow of recirculation air through the wicking filter and back into the grow chamber; and a fresh air fan positioned adjacent the wicking filter for urging a flow of fresh air through the wicking filter and into the grow chamber.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance or ice making assembly, as provided herein, may include a body and an ejector. The body may include an ice mold for receiving and freezing water. The ice mold may define a discrete first compartment and second compartment within which water freezes. The first compartment may define a first cube profile. The second compartment may be axially-spaced apart from the first compartment and define a second cube profile. The second cube profile may be different from the first cube profile. The ejector may be rotatably disposed above the first cube profile and the second cube profile to motivate ice from the first and second compartments.

Abstract: A burner assembly for an oven appliance, the oven appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction and including a cooking chamber, the burner assembly including a gas burner provided in the cooking chamber, the gas burner defining a clean air port, and a shutter housing attached to a first end of the gas burner, the shutter housing defining an air inlet in fluid communication with the clean air port, and wherein the air inlet is positioned below the clean air port along the vertical direction.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance includes a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly includes a dispenser recess with a flexible hose that is in fluid communication with a water supply to deliver water to the dispenser recess. The dispensing assembly also includes an actuating mechanism in operative communication with the water supply to cause the water supply to deliver a flow of water to the flexible hose when the actuating mechanism is activated. The dispensing assembly further includes a vibration generator coupled to the flexible hose and in operative communication with the actuating mechanism such that the vibration generator is activated when the actuating mechanism is activated. The vibration generator moves the flexible hose relative to the dispenser recess when the vibration generator is activated, thereby providing a wave pattern flow of water from the flexible hose.