Drainage assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsBrianne Nicole Anderson, Homprakash Hariharan, Sadasivam Narayanan, Ganesan Ravi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A user interface includes a front panel that has an exterior surface and an interior surface. A flange outwardly extends from the exterior surface and defines a notch. A receiving body extends from the interior surface of the front panel that is proximate the flange. A receiving body has an angled edge and defines a drainage channel that extends through a portion of the notch that is defined by the flange.
Claims15
A locking assembly for an interface of an appliance comprising:
- a knob including a stem defining a receiving cavity, wherein the knob includes a barrier that extends toward said interface;
- an encoder;
- a flange that extends from said interface and cooperates with the barrier to define a labyrinth configured to prevent ingress of fluid;
- and
- a locking feature including:
- a first rim spaced from a second rim;
- a planar surface extending between the first rim and the second rim;
- and
- an arcuate surface extending between the first rim and the second rim, wherein the arcuate surface is also bowed between the first rim and the second rim to define a hyperbolic paraboloid construction, wherein the stem of the knob receives the locking feature and the encoder extends into an opening defined by said interface, wherein the locking feature receives the encoder and the locking feature fixedly secures the knob to the encoder to maintain the labyrinth, and wherein the locking feature prevents separation of the knob from the encoder.
A locking assembly for an interface of an appliance comprising:
- a knob having a stem that defines a receiving cavity wherein the knob includes a barrier that extends toward said interface and forms a labyrinth with a surface of said interface;
- an encoder extending into an opening in an appliance interface;
- a locking feature including:
- a planar surface, wherein the planar surface defines at least one retention aperture, and wherein the planar surface defines an at least one locking projection that extends from the at least one retention aperture;
- and
- an arcuate surface defined by a first rim and a second rim that opposes the first rim, wherein the stem of the knob receives the locking feature and the encoder extends into an opening defined by the appliance interface, wherein the locking feature receives the encoder and the locking feature fixedly secures the knob to the encoder to maintain the labyrinth, and wherein the locking feature prevents separation of the knob from the encoder.
A locking assembly for an interface of an appliance comprising:
- a knob having a stem that defines a receiving cavity;
- an encoder extending into an opening in said interface, wherein the knob includes a barrier that extends toward said interface and forms a labyrinth with a flange of said interface;
- a locking feature configured to couple the receiving cavity of the knob to the encoder, wherein the locking feature includes:
- a planar surface defined between a first rim and a second rim, wherein an adhesive is disposed on the planar surface;
- and
- an arcuate surface defined between the first rim and the second rim, wherein the arcuate surface includes a plurality of resilient ribs that are bowed inwardly and toward the planar surface, wherein the stem of the knob receives the locking feature and the encoder extends into an opening defined by said interface, wherein the locking feature receives the encoder and the locking feature fixedly secures the knob to the encoder to maintain the labyrinth between the barrier and the flange, and wherein the locking feature prevents separation of the knob from the encoder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.