Refrigerator with an assisted door opener

1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items;

a door positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber and movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position;

a door opener attached to the cabinet, the door opener comprising

a casing fixedly mounted to the cabinet,

a push rod extending through the casing towards the door and movable relative to the casing between a retracted position and an extended position to motivate the door toward the open position, and

a position sensor attached to the cabinet to detect a position of the push rod relative to the casing; and

a controller in operable communication with the door opener and configured to direct an opener operation, the opener operation comprising

receiving an opening prompt for the door opener,

directing the push rod forward at a first extension speed in response to the received opening prompt,

detecting the push rod at a first threshold between the retracted position and the extended position,

directing the push rod forward at a second extension speed in response to detecting the push rod at the first threshold, the second extension speed being less than the first extension speed,

directing the push rod rearward at a first retraction speed following directing the push rod forward at the second extension speed,

detecting the push rod at a second threshold between the extended position and the retracted position while directing the push rod rearward,

detecting the push rod at a third threshold,

halting the push rod in response to detecting the third threshold, and

directing the push rod forward at a third extension speed following halting the push rod, wherein the third extension speed is less than the second extension speed.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein receiving the opening prompt comprises detecting door movement at the push rod at a partially extended position of the push rod between the retracted position and the extended position.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the opener operation further comprises halting the push rod at the extended position.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the opener operation further comprises

directing the push rod rearward at a second retraction speed in response to detecting the push rod at the second threshold, the second retraction speed being greater than the first retraction speed.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 4 , wherein the opener operation further comprises

detecting contact with the door while directing the push rod forward at the third extension speed, and

halting the push rod at a partially extended position in response to detecting contact.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the opener operation further comprises

detecting user opening of the door following directing the push rod forward at the second extension speed, and

directing the push rod rearward to the retracted position in response to detecting user opening of the door.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , wherein detecting user opening of the door comprises detecting a variation above a set condition at a rod-load sensor to detect a mechanical load reduction on the push rod.