Side access panel for an appliance
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsKoteswara Rao Gochika, Narendra A. Kapure, Manjunathraddi Navalgund, Manoj T. Sambrekar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerating appliance includes a refrigerating cabinet that has an outer wrapper. A machine compartment is disposed proximate a rear bottom of the refrigerating cabinet. The machine compartment is defined by selectively removable side panels, an inner curved surface of the outer wrapper, and a bottom support plate. A controller is disposed within the machine compartment. Reinforcement segments extend from a planar extent of the outer wrapper to a lip of the bottom support plate.
Claims13
A refrigerating appliance, comprising:
- a refrigerating cabinet having an outer wrapper;
- a machine compartment disposed proximate a rear bottom of the refrigerating cabinet, the machine compartment defined by selectively removable side panels, an inner curved surface of the outer wrapper, and a bottom support plate;
- a controller disposed within the machine compartment;
- reinforcement segments extending from a planar extent of the outer wrapper to a lip of the bottom support plate;
- and
- an independent lattice structure adjacent an interior surface of at least one of the selectively removable side panels.
An appliance cabinet, comprising:
- an outer wrapper enclosing an inner liner, the outer wrapper defining a machine compartment;
- first and second support members extending from a rear most portion of the outer wrapper to the machine compartment;
- first and second selectively removable side access panels removably coupled to the outer wrapper, each of the first and second selectively removable side access panels including a body with support ribs, an arcuate offset flange, and a linear flange that extends orthogonally from the body;
- an attachment feature that includes a frame having a top and a bottom;
- and
- vertical supports that are operably coupled to the top and the bottom of the frame, wherein the vertical supports define retention slots, and wherein each of the first and second selectively removable side access panels include retention tabs selectively disposed within the retention slots.
An appliance cabinet, comprising:
- an outer wrapper;
- a base including a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first rail and the second rail extend beyond a rear wall of the outer wrapper;
- a machine compartment disposed between the outer wrapper and the first and second rails;
- a first side access panel disposed between the outer wrapper and the first rail;
- a second side access panel disposed between the outer wrapper and the second rail;
- and
- a lattice having horizontal supports operably coupled to vertical supports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.