# US 12,000,074 B2 · Laundry treating appliance with a panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,074 B2 - Document ID: US12000074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/556,263 - Filed: 2021-12-20 - Published: 2023-06-22 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-20 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Kurt L. Masciovecchio; Daniel Polonsky; Mark Schulz; Anne Wessel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000074B2 ## CPC - D06F 34/34: characterised by mounting or attachment features, e.g. detachable control panels or detachable display panels - D06F 39/12: Casings; Tubs - D06F 2101/00: User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A laundry treating appliance can include a chassis defining an interior and having at least a front wall, with the front wall having a component access port providing access to an internal component of the laundry treating appliance. The laundry treating appliance can also have a panel coupled to the front wall, with the panel movable between a first position and a second position. The panel can also include a pocket handle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laundry treating appliance, comprising: a chassis defining an interior and having at least a front wall, with the front wall having a component access port providing access to an internal component of the laundry treating appliance; a closure having a bottom edge and selectively movable relative to the chassis between an opened position and a closed position; and a panel coupled to the front wall and having a top edge underlying and vertically spaced from the bottom edge of the closure to define a gap therebetween, with the panel movable between a first position providing access to the component access port and a second position covering the component access port; wherein the panel comprises a blind pocket handle accessible through the gap when the closure is in the closed position, the blind pocket handle comprising: a shelf wall forming a bottom surface of the blind pocket handle and located below the top edge of the blind pocket handle; and a first sidewall intersecting the shelf wall and projecting upwardly to the top edge; and a magnet coupled to the panel and configured to magnetically engage the front wall when the closure is in the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the magnet comprises an elongated bar magnet extending along the blind pocket handle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a panel width and the shelf wall comprises a shelf width between 40% and 100% of the panel width. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises an outer surface forming at least the shelf wall and the first sidewall and bounding a panel interior. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The laundry treating appliance of claim 4, wherein the magnet is positioned within the panel interior. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a second sidewall spaced from the first sidewall of the blind pocket handle and intersecting the shelf wall, with the magnet coupled to the second sidewall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, further comprising a hook projecting from the panel in a direction toward the interior of the chassis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The laundry treating appliance of claim 7, further comprising an aperture in the front wall of the chassis and configured to receive the hook therethrough. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The laundry treating appliance of claim 8, wherein the hook is configured for pivotal engagement with an edge of the aperture, with the panel being rotatably movable between the first position and the second position by way of the pivotal engagement. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The laundry treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the internal component comprises a pump. ### Claim 11 A combination washing and drying machine, comprising: a chassis defining an interior and having at least a front wall; a tub located within the interior and at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening; a washing circuit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber and having a wash circuit component located within the chassis; a drying circuit fluidly coupled to the treating chamber and having a drying circuit component located within the chassis; a component access port in the front wall providing access to at least one of the wash circuit component or the drying circuit component from an exterior of the combination washing and drying machine; a closure having a bottom edge and selectively movable relative to the chassis between an opened position with the access opening accessible from the exterior and a closed position with the access opening inaccessible from the exterior; and a panel coupled to the front wall and having a top edge underlying and vertically spaced from the bottom edge of the closure to define a gap therebetween, with the panel movable between a first position providing access to the component access port from the exterior and a second position blocking access to the component access port from the exterior; wherein the panel comprises a blind pocket handle accessible through the gap when the closure is in the closed position, the blind pocket handle comprising: a shelf wall forming a bottom surface of the blind pocket handle and located below the top edge of the blind pocket handle; and a first sidewall intersecting the shelf wall and projecting upwardly to the top edge; and a magnet coupled to the panel and configured to magnetically engage the front wall when in the second position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, wherein the magnet comprises an elongated bar magnet extending along the blind pocket handle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, wherein the panel comprises a panel width and the shelf wall comprises a shelf width between 40% and 100% of the panel width. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, wherein the panel comprises an outer surface forming at least the shelf wall and the first sidewall and bounding a panel interior. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 14, wherein the magnet is positioned within the panel interior. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, further comprising a second sidewall spaced from the first sidewall of the blind pocket handle and intersecting the shelf wall, with the magnet coupled to the second sidewall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, further comprising a hook projecting from the panel in a direction toward the interior of the chassis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 17, further comprising an aperture in the front wall of the chassis and configured to receive the hook therethrough. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 18, wherein the hook is configured for pivotal engagement with an edge of the aperture, with the panel being rotatably movable between the first position and the second position by way of the pivotal engagement. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The combination washing and drying machine of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the wash circuit component or the drying circuit component comprises a pump.