Appliance storage bin with an over-molded glass panel
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorMichael Thomas Chezem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage bin for an appliance includes a single piece of molded plastic and a glass front panel. The single piece of molded plastic forms one or more of a bottom wall, a rear wall, and a pair of side walls. The glass front panel is insert-molded within the single piece of molded plastic to form a front wall. The front wall, the bottom wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls collectively define an interior storage volume. The bottom wall is imperforate. A method for constructing a storage bin is also provided.
Claims10
A storage bin for an appliance, comprising:
- a single piece of molded plastic forming a bottom wall, a rear wall, and a pair of side walls;
- a glass front panel insert-molded within the single piece of molded plastic to form a front wall;
- and
- a light source positioned at one or more of the bottom wall and the pair of side walls, the light source operable to illuminate the glass panel,
- wherein a bottom edge of the glass panel is inset within the bottom wall,
- wherein the glass panel is a rectangular glass panel, and each side of the rectangular glass panel is encased within the single piece of molded plastic, and
- wherein the front wall, the bottom wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls collectively define an interior storage volume, and the bottom wall is imperforate.
A method for constructing a storage bin for an appliance, comprising:
- positioning a glass panel and a light source within a mold body;
- and
- injecting plastic into the mold body with the glass panel,
- wherein a bottom wall, a rear wall, and a pair of side walls of the storage bin are formed from the plastic after injecting the plastic into the mold body, and a front wall of the storage bin is formed with the glass panel after injecting the plastic into the mold body,
- wherein the light source is positioned at one or more of the bottom wall and the pair of side walls after injecting the plastic into the mold body, the light source operable to illuminate the glass panel,
- wherein a bottom edge of the glass panel is inset within the bottom wall,
- wherein the glass panel is a rectangular glass panel, and each side of the rectangular glass panel is encased within the plastic after injecting the plastic into the mold body, and
- wherein the front wall, the bottom wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls collectively define an interior storage volume, and the bottom wall is imperforate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.