Filter assembly and a refrigerator appliance

A refrigerator appliance, comprising:

• a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;
• a filter assembly mounted to the cabinet, the filter assembly comprising a manifold having an inlet port and an outlet port;
• a filter cartridge comprising a casing, a gear rack, a filter medium, an inlet port and an outlet port, the gear rack coupled to the casing, the filter medium disposed within the casing;
• and
• an electric motor coupled to a gear, the electric motor configured to linearly move the filter cartridge along an axial direction by rotating the gear such that the gear meshes with the gear rack,
• wherein the filter cartridge is movable with the electric motor to a first position in which the filter cartridge is spaced apart from the manifold such that the inlet port of the filter cartridge is not in fluid communication with the inlet port of the manifold, and the outlet port of the filter cartridge is not in fluid communication with the outlet port of the manifold.
• wherein the filter cartridge is also movable with the electric motor to a second position in which the filter cartridge is mounted to the manifold such that the inlet port of the filter cartridge is in fluid communication with the inlet port of the manifold, and the outlet port of the filter cartridge is in fluid communication with the outlet port of the manifold.

A method for replacing a filter cartridge of a refrigerator appliance, the method comprising:

• receiving an interrupt from an input device, the input device operatively coupled to a controller configured to move the filter cartridge in response to the interrupt;
• moving the filter cartridge along an axial direction to a first position in which the filter cartridge is spaced apart from a manifold of the refrigerator appliance that was previously in fluid communication with the filter cartridge, the controller operatively coupled to an electric motor configured to linearly move the filter cartridge along the axial direction;
• detecting a parameter indicating insertion of a replacement filter cartridge, the controller operatively coupled to a sensor positioned along the axial direction and configured to generate the parameter in response to the replacement filter cartridge moving towards the manifold along the axial direction;
• and
• advancing the replacement filter cartridge along the axial direction to a second position in which the replacement filter cartridge is in fluid communication with the manifold, the controller configured to activate the electric motor in response to detecting the parameter indicating insertion of the replacement filter cartridge.