Integrally formed thread lock retention feature
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorDaniel A. Schurr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry appliance includes a basement housing comprising a capacitor receiver. A capacitor is disposed within the capacitor receiver to define a secured position. The capacitor receiver includes at least one retaining flange that is coupled to the basement housing via a living hinge. At least one retaining flange is outwardly biased away from a body of the capacitor when the capacitor is placed in an inserted position. At least one retaining flange includes a thread-engaging surface that operates to the secured position upon rotation of the capacitor in the inserted position.
Claims20
A structural housing comprising:
- a substrate panel comprising a component;
- opposing retaining flanges that are defined within the substrate panel and that form a component receiver;
- and
- a threaded stud that is axially inserted into the component receiver to define a secured position;
- wherein,
- the opposing retaining flanges are coupled to the substrate panel via respective living hinges;
- the opposing retaining flanges include respective thread protrusions, the respective thread protrusions engaging threads of the threaded stud;
- the opposing retaining flanges are outwardly biased when the threaded stud is placed in an inserted position;
- and
- the opposing retaining flanges are moved to the secured position when the threaded stud is rotated in the inserted position, whereby the respective thread protrusions engage the threads of the threaded stud to move the opposing retaining flanges from the inserted position to the secured position.
A method for assembling a structural housing for an appliance comprising steps of:
- forming a substrate panel within a mold, wherein the substrate panel includes an integral thread-lock receiver having opposing retaining flanges that are coupled to the substrate panel via living hinges, wherein the mold at least at a location of the integral thread-lock receiver is a two-piece mold that is free of lifters;
- linearly inserting a threaded stud of a component into the integral thread-lock receiver to define an inserted position, wherein the opposing retaining flanges are biased outwardly and away from a body of an electrical component;
- and
- rotating the electrical component in the inserted position to operate the opposing retaining flanges toward the body of the electrical component to define a secured position.
A structural housing comprising:
- a substrate panel comprising a component receiver;
- a component having a body and a threaded stud that is disposed within the component receiver to define a secured position;
- wherein,
- the component receiver includes opposing retaining flanges that are coupled to the substrate panel via respective living hinges;
- the opposing retaining flanges are outwardly biased away from the body of the component when the threaded stud is placed in an inserted position;
- each retaining flange of the opposing retaining flanges operates to the secured position upon rotation of the threaded stud in the inserted position to engage the opposing retaining flanges with the body of the component;
- the threaded stud is linearly and rotationally engaged with the component receiver to define the secured position;
- and
- the secured position is further defined by threads of the threaded stud engaging respective outer thread members of the opposing retaining flanges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.