Abstract: A plant growing appliance includes a cabinet. A tower is rotatably mounted within a grow chamber of the cabinet. The tower has a plurality of grow sections that are circumferentially spaced on the tower. Each of the plurality of grow sections defines a respective plurality of apertures for receiving one or more plant pods. A height of each of the plurality of grow sections is no less than sixty centimeters. A single camera is mounted to cabinet. The single camera is positioned and oriented for capturing an image of the height of each of the plurality of grow sections.

Abstract: A gardening appliance includes a grow tower rotatably mounted within a liner and having a plurality of apertures for receiving one or more plant pods. A controller is operably coupled to a drive motor and a camera assembly and is configured to operate the drive motor to rotate the grow tower while obtaining a series of images. The controller is further configured to analyze the series of images using a machine learning image recognition process to identify a target image of the series of images that corresponds to an image having the best image quality or clarity.

Abstract: A gardening appliance includes a grow tower rotatably mounted within a liner and having a plurality of apertures for receiving one or more plant pods. A controller is operably coupled to a drive motor and a camera assembly and is configured to receive, from a user interface device, image capture instructions from a user, the image capture instructions including at least one of a time of image capture, lighting conditions for image capture, or an angle of image capture, and obtain, using the camera assembly, an image in accordance with the image capture instructions.

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 moisture management system includes an evaporator plenum in fluid communication with the grow chamber and a fan assembly that recirculates air from the respective grow chambers and/or the ambient environment through an evaporator positioned within the evaporator plenum. In this manner, chamber humidity may be regulated while water is extracted from the air which may be used by a hydration system to hydrate plants.

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 moisture management system includes an evaporator plenum in fluid communication with the grow chamber and a fan assembly that recirculates air from the respective grow chambers and/or the ambient environment through an evaporator positioned within the evaporator plenum. In this manner, chamber humidity may be regulated while water is extracted from the air which may be used by a hydration system to hydrate plants.

Abstract: A method for scheduling an appliance operation is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals. Each signal has an on-peak signal. Based upon the plurality of signals, a predicted on-peak time value is determined. The predicted on-peak time value can be used to determine when to execute an appliance operation in order to avoid operating the appliance during an on-peak time period.

Abstract: A consumer appliance has a soft open door mechanism. The mechanism may include a damping device with a first end mounted to the cabinet and a second end mounted so as to move with the door. The damping device includes a partial fill damper activatable by an opening movement of the door toward the horizontal position to provide an opposing force to slow the door motion. The damper may be configured so as to initiate the opposing force only when the door has moved at least about 45 degrees from the upright position toward the horizontal position, and/or may be configured so that the damper includes a damping coefficient of about 200 to about 240 lb*s/ft.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an icemaker assembly to prevent premature ice harvests is provided. In particular implementations, normal icemaker operations, including ice cube harvesting, can be suspended when an ice cube level in an ice cube storage bin is detected to exceed a predetermined threshold or when a command is received to prevent harvesting. When a command to prevent harvesting is received, communication from an ice cube storage bin sensor can be disconnected, for instance, after a current harvesting cycle is complete. The communication from the ice cube storage bin sensor can be reconnected following a time interval or after receiving a command to re-start the normal operations.

Abstract: A method for scheduling an appliance operation is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals. Each signal has an on-peak signal. Based upon the plurality of signals, a predicted on-peak time value is determined. The predicted on-peak time value can be used to determine when to execute an appliance operation in order to avoid operating the appliance during an on-peak time period.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an icemaker assembly to prevent premature ice harvests is provided. In particular implementations, normal icemaker operations, including ice cube harvesting, can be suspended when an ice cube level in an ice cube storage bin is detected to exceed a predetermined threshold or when a command is received to prevent harvesting. When a command to prevent harvesting is received, communication from an ice cube storage bin sensor can be disconnected, for instance, after a current harvesting cycle is complete. The communication from the ice cube storage bin sensor can be reconnected following a time interval or after receiving a command to re-start the normal operations.

Abstract: The present subject matter provides a dishwashing appliance having a flow of air through an air passageway defined between an inner panel and an outer panel of the dishwasher appliance. The inner panel has a condensation surface for assisting in drying dishes in the dishwasher appliance. A dampening baffle causes at least one change of direction in the flow of air through the air flow passageway.

Abstract: A vacuum insulator for portions of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The vacuum insulator can be applied to the suction line leading to the refrigerant compressor, the capillary tube leading to the evaporator inlet, and/or the capillary tube—suction line heat exchanger. An outer insulating layer is used to create a vacuum that serves to insulate the intended portion of the refrigeration cycle.

Abstract: A consumer appliance with a soft open door mechanism includes a cabinet having top and a bottom and defining an opening along a front side. A door has a top and a bottom and is attached by a hinge to the front side of the cabinet. The hinge is at a bottom of the door so that the door is movable between an upright position closing the opening and a substantially horizontal position opening the opening. A spring is mounted in the cabinet so as to oppose movement of the door toward the horizontal position. A damping device is mounted within the cabinet activatable by an opening movement of the door toward the horizontal position to slow the door motion. The damping device is not active until the door has moved a distance from the upright position toward the horizontal position. Again, various options and modifications are possible.

Abstract: A consumer appliance with a soft open door mechanism includes a cabinet having top and a bottom and defining an opening along a front side. A door has a top and a bottom and is attached by a hinge to the front side of the cabinet. The hinge is at a bottom of the door so that the door is movable between an upright position closing the opening and a substantially horizontal position opening the opening. A spring is mounted in the cabinet so as to oppose movement of the door toward the horizontal position. A damping device is mounted within the cabinet activatable by an opening movement of the door toward the horizontal position to slow the door motion. The damping device is not active until the door has moved a distance from the upright position toward the horizontal position. Again, various options and modifications are possible.

Abstract: A vacuum insulator for portions of the refrigeration cycle of a refrigerator appliance is provided. The vacuum insulator can be applied to the suction line leading to the refrigerant compressor, the capillary tube leading to the evaporator inlet, and/or the capillary tube—suction line heat exchanger. An outer insulating layer is used to create a vacuum that serves to insulate the intended portion of the refrigeration cycle.