Abstract: An ice making assembly includes an ice mold and a pump assembly for urging an ice-building spray into the ice mold to form an ice billet. A controller operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a first flow rate until the ice billet reaches a predetermined thickness and then operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

Abstract: An ice making assembly includes an ice mold and a pump assembly for urging an ice-building spray into the ice mold to form an ice billet. A controller operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a first flow rate until the ice billet reaches a predetermined thickness and then operates the pump assembly to provide the ice-building spray at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

Abstract: An electric ice press includes a mold body having a first mold segment and a second mold segment movable relative to each other. A heated guide rail extends between the first mold segment and the second mold segment to transfer heat from the first mold segment to the second mold segment. The heated guide rail may be a heat pipe for transferring heat generated by a base heater in the first mold segment or an electrical resistance heating rod for generating heat, either of which requires only a single power cord electrically coupled to only the first mold segment.

Abstract: An icemaker appliance includes a cabinet. A refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration system is charged with a refrigerant. The refrigeration system further includes a modulator having a reservoir and a supply conduit. The reservoir of the modulator is positioned on an outlet conduit of the evaporator. A first end portion of the supply conduit is coupled to an inlet conduit of the evaporator, and a second end portion of the supply conduit is coupled to the reservoir of the modulator. The refrigerant is flowable into and out of the reservoir of the modulator through the supply conduit of the modulator. An ice maker is positioned within the cabinet. The evaporator of the refrigeration system is coupled to the icemaker such that the refrigeration system is operable to chill the icemaker.

Abstract: An ice making assembly includes an ice mold defining a mold cavity and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator in thermal communication with the ice mold. A compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration loop for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to cool the evaporator and the ice mold. After ice is formed, a flow regulating device may divert a portion of the flow of refrigerant around the condenser through a bypass conduit to slowly increase a temperature of the refrigerant within the evaporator.

Abstract: A door assembly for an appliance includes an inner door, an outer door, and a lighting assembly positioned therebetween for illuminating a status indicator mounted on the outer door. The lighting assembly may include a mounting flange and a spring-loaded lighting board that engages an alignment feature mounted on the outer door when the door assembly is assembled, thereby aligning the light sources on the lighting board with the status indicator.

Abstract: An ice making assembly, a provided herein, may include a conductive ice mold, a sealed refrigeration system, and a water dispenser. The conductive ice mold may define a mold cavity. The sealed refrigeration system may include an evaporator in thermal communication with the ice mold. The water dispenser may be positioned below the ice mold to direct an ice-building spray of water to the mold cavity. The water dispenser may include a dispenser base and a spray cap selectively secured to the dispenser base. The spray cap may include a nozzle head defining an outlet aperture and an attachment wing extending radially from the nozzle head into the dispenser base.

Abstract: An electric ice press is provided herein and may be utilized to reshape an initial ice billet into a sculpted ice nugget. The electric ice press may include a mold body having a first mold segment and a second mold segment movable relative to each other. A guide rail extends from the first mold segment for receipt in a sleeve defined by the second mold segment to align the first mold segment and the second mold segment. A resilient bumper is mounted on the distal end of the guide rail to prevent marking or scratching the second mold segment.

Abstract: An ice making assembly includes an ice mold defining a mold cavity and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator assembly in thermal communication with the ice mold. A compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration loop for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to cool the evaporator assembly and the ice mold. The evaporator assembly includes a primary evaporator tube and a thermal enhancement structure, such as internal tubes and/or copper foam, placed therein to increase the refrigerant side surface area. The primary evaporator tube is deformed into a non-circular cross sectional shape and soldered or brazed onto a top wall of the ice mold.

Abstract: An icemaker appliance includes a cabinet. A refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration system is charged with a refrigerant. The refrigeration system further includes a modulator having a reservoir and a supply conduit. The reservoir of the modulator is positioned on an outlet conduit of the evaporator. A first end portion of the supply conduit is coupled to an inlet conduit of the evaporator, and a second end portion of the supply conduit is coupled to the reservoir of the modulator. The refrigerant is flowable into and out of the reservoir of the modulator through the supply conduit of the modulator. An ice maker is positioned within the cabinet. The evaporator of the refrigeration system is coupled to the icemaker such that the refrigeration system is operable to chill the icemaker.

Abstract: An electric ice press is provided herein and may be utilized to reshape an initial ice billet into a sculpted ice nugget. The electric ice press may include a mold body having a first mold segment and a second mold segment movable relative to each other. A heated guide rail extends between the first mold segment and the second mold segment to transfer heat from the first mold segment to the second mold segment. The heated guide rail may be a heat pipe for transferring heat generated by a base heater in the first mold segment or an electrical resistance heating rod for generating heat, either of which requires only a single power cord electrically coupled to only the first mold segment.

Abstract: An ice making assembly includes an ice mold defining a mold cavity and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator in thermal communication with the ice mold. A compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration loop for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to cool the evaporator and the ice mold. After ice is formed, a flow regulating device may divert a portion of the flow of refrigerant around the condenser through a bypass conduit to slowly increase a temperature of the refrigerant within the evaporator to release formed ice from the ice mold while preventing thermal shock and cracking.

Abstract: In one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, an ice making assembly is provided for making clear ice. The ice making assembly may include a conductive ice mold, an insulation jacket, and a water dispenser. The conductive ice mold may define an upper portion of a mold cavity extending from a top end to a bottom end. The insulation jacket may extend downward from the conductive ice mold. The insulation jacket may define a lower portion of the mold cavity. The lower portion of the mold cavity may be a vertically open passage aligned with the upper portion of the mold cavity. The water dispenser may be positioned below the insulation jacket to direct an ice-building spray of water to the mold cavity through the vertically open passage of the insulation jacket.

Abstract: An ice making assembly and method for making clear ice utilizing an ice making appliance are provided herein. The ice making appliance may include a cabinet, an ice mold, a heating element, and a controller. The ice mold may be positioned within the freezer chamber and define a mold cavity. The heating element may be mounted within the ice mold in conductive thermal communication with the mold cavity. The controller may be configured to initiate an ice making operation. The ice making operation may include maintaining the freezer chamber below a first sub-freezing during an ice formation cycle subsequent to a volume of water being received within the mold cavity, and heating the ice mold during the ice formation cycle at the heating element as a portion of the volume of water freezes to a frozen volume.

Abstract: An active ice press is provided herein and may be utilized to reshape an initial ice billet as a sculpted ice nugget. The active ice press may include a mold body and an electric heater. The mold body may define an axial direction and a mold cavity within which the sculpted ice nugget is shaped. The mold body may include a first mold segment and a second mold segment. The first mold segment may define a first cavity portion of the mold cavity. The second mold segment may be movably positioned above the first mold segment along the axial direction. The second mold segment may define a second cavity portion of the mold cavity. The electric heater may be disposed within the mold body in conductive thermal engagement with the mold cavity.

Abstract: A beverage brewing system is provided that includes a brewing body defining a brew chamber and a lid that is removably attachable to the brewing body to seal the brew chamber. The brewing system further includes a vacuum pump for drawing a vacuum in the brew chamber through a vacuum line assembly. An inlet to the vacuum line assembly is positioned above a top lip of the brewing body and a baffle may extend from the lid to assist in preventing water within the brew chamber from splashing, sloshing, or otherwise entering the inlet to the vacuum line assembly.

Abstract: A cooktop includes a cooking surface and a heating element. A cover for the cooktop includes a top sheet extending between a left side and a right side and between a front side and a back side. A locator opening is defined in the top sheet. A first peripheral flange extends from one of the left side and the front side, and a second peripheral flange extends from one of the right side and the back side. A first plurality of cooling slots is between the top sheet and the first peripheral flange. A second plurality of cooling slots is between the top sheet and the second peripheral flange. The cover is configured to overlie the cooktop such that the locator opening corresponds to the heating element of the cooktop.