Abstract: A mechano-caloric stage includes an elongated outer sleeve. An elongated inner sleeve is disposed within the elongated outer sleeve. A pair of pistons is received within the elongated inner sleeve. Each of the pair of pistons is positioned at a respective end of the elongated inner sleeve. The pair of pistons are moveable relative to the elongated inner sleeve. A mechano-caloric material is disposed within the elongated inner sleeve between the pair of pistons. The mechano-caloric material is compressible between the pair of pistons.

Abstract: An automatic animal watering assembly includes a base that has a bowl section therein and a receiver section. A container is removably inserted into the receiver section of the base. The container contains water and the container releases the water into the bowl section. The container has an opening extending through a top end of the container for filling the container. A plug is movably positioned within the container. The plug is positionable in a closed position and an open position. A lid is hingedly coupled to the top end of the container. A lever is pivotally coupled to the container and the plug rests on the lever. The lever lifts the plug when the lever is lifted and the lever lowers the plug when the lever is lowered. The lever is in mechanical communication with the lid such that the lid lowers and lifts the lever.

Abstract: A refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a door, and a camera module. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber. The camera module may be movably mounted to the cabinet (e.g., above a support shelf). The camera module may be movable on the cabinet along a predefined direction between a retracted position proximal to a first end of the cabinet and an extended position proximal to a second end of the cabinet. The camera module may be directed at the chilled chamber in the extended position to capture an image thereof.

Abstract: A method for additively manufacturing a microstructure from a caloric material includes providing a geometry of the microstructure to a processor of an additive manufacturing device, the geometry defining a plurality of microfeatures of the microstructure. The method also includes generating, via the processor, a three-dimensional (3D) model representative of the geometry of the microstructure, wherein one or more of the plurality of microfeatures are represented in the 3D model by a non-arcuate profile. Further, the method includes printing, via the additive manufacturing device, the microstructure from the caloric material according to the 3D model. As such, the non-arcuate profile reduces a file size of the 3D model as compared to an arcuate profile.

Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module rotatably mounted within the grow chamber and defining a plurality of apertures for receiving a plurality of plant pods. A pollen pod is mounted to the grow module in one of the apertures and contains pollen for pollinating the plant pods to facilitate plant growth. A pollen ejection device, which may be a pressurized air nozzle or a protruding member for puncturing the pollen pod, is fixed to the liner or otherwise stationary relative to the pollen pod and is configured for engaging the pollen pod when the grow module rotates the pollen pod past the pollen ejection device to discharge and disperse pollen onto the plant pods.

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, the grow module defining a plurality of grow chambers spaced apart along the circumferential direction. One or more resilient sealing elements, e.g., formed from silicone, are positioned at the distal ends of the grow module to seal a gap between the grow module and the liner. The resilient sealing elements define one or more air ducts for providing a flow of air through the resilient sealing element into one of the plurality of chambers and a flow regulating device for regulating the flow of air.

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 ripening control system includes a recirculation duct and a fan assembly that recirculates air within the grow chamber. A reactive assembly, such as a titanium dioxide (TiO2) porous structure and an ultraviolet light, is positioned within the recirculation duct to regulate the concentration of one or more gases within the flow of air.

Abstract: A hydration system for an indoor gardening appliance includes sump for collecting water used to hydrate plants and a water supply containing fresh water. The sump and the water supply are fluidly coupled to a supply conduit and a pump assembly urges a flow of liquid through the supply conduit. A diverter assembly controls the amount of liquid recirculated from the sump and the flow of fresh water from the water supply. The hydration system further includes a drain valve that selectively discharges liquid from the sump to an external drain.

Abstract: A gardening appliance and method of operation during Jewish holidays is provided herein. The 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 controller may be configured for determining a Jewish holiday, such as the Sabbath, and may selectively control the indoor gardening appliance according to an operation routine for the Jewish holiday.

Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module rotatably mounted within the grow chamber and defining a root chamber. A hydration system is fluidly coupled to the root chamber for selectively implementing a hydration cycle where the root chamber is charged with mist and an air circulation system selectively urges a flow of air through the root chamber to maintain a desired temperature. A controller is configured for stopping the flow of air during the hydration cycle, e.g., to minimize disruption of the hydration cycle. The stopping of the flow of air may be time-based, e.g., based on the start/end times of the hydration cycle, or may be based on moisture level, e.g., as measured by an optical sensor.

Abstract: A method for operating a caloric heat pump system includes changing a cycle frequency at which a field of a field generator is applied to caloric material in the caloric heat pump system. The method also includes adjusting a speed of a hot side fan in response to the cycle frequency change and adjusting a speed of a cold side fan in response to the cycle frequency change. A respective one of three separate control loops changes the cycle frequency, adjusts the speed of the hot side fan, and adjusts the speed of the cold side fan.

Abstract: A mechano-caloric heat pump includes a mechano-caloric stage, an elongated lever arm pivotable about a point, and a motor is operable to rotate a cam. The elongated lever arm is coupled to the mechano-caloric stage proximate a first end portion of the elongated lever arm and to the cam proximate a second end portion of the elongated lever arm such that the motor is operable to stress the mechano-caloric stage via pivoting of the elongated lever arm as the cam rotates.

Abstract: A caloric regenerator system includes a flow body that defines a plurality of cold side channels, a plurality of hot side channels and a central passage. A port body is received within the central passage of the flow body such that the flow body is rotatable relative to the port body. The port body defines a hot side port and a cold side port. A width of the hot side port is less than a width of the cold side port. An annular caloric regenerator is in flow communication with the plurality of cold side channels and the plurality of hot side channels such that a heat transfer fluid is flowable into the annular caloric regenerator through the plurality of cold side channels and out of the annular caloric regenerator through the plurality of hot side channels.

Abstract: Refrigerator appliances and methods, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a door, a camera module, and a controller. The cabinet may define a chilled chamber. The door may be rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber. The camera module may be mounted to the cabinet within the chilled chamber. The controller may be operably coupled to the camera module. The controller may be configured to initiate an operation routine including initiating a continuous anti-fog capture sequence at the camera module, receiving a static image signal from the camera module during the continuous anti-fog capture sequence, or discarding the received static image signal.

Abstract: A heat pump, as provided herein, may include a hot side heat exchanger, a cold side heat exchanger, a pump, and a caloric heat pump. The caloric heat pump may include a regenerator housing, a plurality of stages, and a field generator. The regenerator housing may extend along an axial direction between a first end portion of the regenerator housing and a second end portion of the regenerator housing. The plurality of stages may be arranged sequentially along the axial direction from the first end portion to the second end portion. The plurality of stages may be arranged so that caloric temperature peaks of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction according to a predetermined, non-linear curve. The field generator may be positioned adjacent to the plurality of stages to subject the plurality of stages to a variable field generated by the field generator.

Abstract: A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a magneto-caloric cylinder. A plurality of thermal stages is stacked along an axial direction between a cold side and a hot side. A hot side heat exchanger is positioned at the hot side of the plurality of thermal stages. The hot side heat exchanger includes a plurality of pins or plates for rejecting heat to ambient air about the hot side heat exchanger. A cold side heat exchanger is positioned at the cold side of the plurality of thermal stages. A heat transfer fluid is flowable through the cold side heat exchanger. The cold side heat exchanger is configured such that the heat transfer fluid rejects heat to the cold side of the plurality of thermal stages when the heat transfer fluid flows through the cold side heat exchanger.

Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods. A motor rotates the grow module between a plurality of angular positions and a camera system captures images of the plants at the various positions. The plurality of images are used by the controller to estimate a total plant mass or a total plant volume, or the controller may stitch together the plurality of images to generate a 3D image that may be used to detect abnormal growth conditions or otherwise provide feedback to a user.

Abstract: A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a magneto-caloric cylinder. A plurality of thermal stages is stacked along an axial direction between a cold side and a hot side. Each of the plurality of thermal stages includes a plurality of magnets and a non-magnetic ring. The plurality of magnets is distributed along a circumferential direction within the non-magnetic ring in each of the plurality of thermal stages. The plurality of magnets and the non-magnetic ring of each of the plurality of thermal stages collectively define a cylindrical slot. The magneto-caloric cylinder is positioned within the cylindrical slot. In each of the plurality of magnets in one of the plurality of thermal stages, a first, second, third and fourth magnet segments are positioned and oriented such that the first, second, third and fourth magnet segments collectively form a closed loop high-field zone across the cylindrical slot.

Abstract: An automatic animal watering assembly includes a base that has a bowl section therein and a receiver section. A container is removably inserted into the receiver section of the base. The container contains water and the container releases the water into the bowl section. The container has an opening extending through a top end of the container for filling the container. A plug is movably positioned within the container. The plug is positionable in a closed position and an open position. A lid is hingedly coupled to the top end of the container. A lever is pivotally coupled to the container and the plug rests on the lever. The lever lifts the plug when the lever is lifted and the lever lowers the plug when the lever is lowered. The lever is in mechanical communication with the lid such that the lid lowers and lifts the lever.

Abstract: A heat pump system includes a magneto-caloric material disposed within a chamber of a regenerator housing. A back iron extends between an outer magnet and an inner magnet in order to provide a flux path between the outer and inner magnets. At least a portion of the back iron extends between the outer and inner magnets along the radial direction and is not positioned coplanar with the inner and outer magnets in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.