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US 12,428,892 B2Granted
Adjustable bumper design for home appliances
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRohan Gajananrao Gore, David Gregory Quante
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bumper assembly for an appliance may include a cabinet having a front panel, a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel, and a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel. The bumper may include a cap having an annular outer surface defining an interior, at least one flange coupled to the outer surface, the at least one flange extending along at least a portion of the annular outer surface, a through-hole in communication with the interior, and a fastener. The fastener may be disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.
Claims20
A cooking appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet defining a cooking compartment;
- a front panel coupled with the cabinet, wherein the front panel defines an access opening in communication with the cooking compartment;
- a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;
- a bumper coupled with an aperture defined by one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
- a cap including a first end and a second end, the cap comprising:
- a disc-shaped portion disposed at the first end;
- an annular sidewall defining an interior therein disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a first flange and a second flange projecting from the annular sidewall, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end and are sloped with respect to the disc-shaped portion of the cap, such that the second end of the each flange is spaced further from the disc-shaped portion of the cap than the first end of the corresponding flange;
- a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap;
- and
- a through-hole defined by the second end of the cap;
- a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap;
- and
- a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the fastener receiver and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.
11 more elements
A cooking appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet having a front panel;
- a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel;
- a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
- a cap comprising a disc-shaped upper surface and an annular outer sidewall defining an interior;
- a first flange and a second flange coupled to the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges extending along at least a portion of the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges each including a flange body, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end, the second end spaced further from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap than the first end and a stop that extends from the flange body and couples with the disc-shaped upper surface;
- a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap;
- a through-hole in communication with the interior;
- and
- a fastener disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.
6 more elements
A cooking appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet having a front panel, wherein the front panel defines as access opening;
- a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;
- a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
- a cap defining an interior and including a disc-shaped upper portion at a first end of the cap, the cap comprising:
- an annular outer sidewall disposed between the first end of the cap and a second end of the cap;
- a first flange and a second flange arranged in an opposing manner adjacent the annular outer sidewall;
- a first stop extending from the first flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion and a second stop extending from the second flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion;
- a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap;
- and
- a through-hole defined by the cap;
- and
- a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the through-hole and the head is disposed within the interior when the bumper is in a mounted state.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.