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 having an elastomeric cover. 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 defining an interior and having a first end spaced from a second end by an annular sidewall;
- at least one flange coupled to an outer surface of the annular sidewall;
- a through-hole defined by the second end;
- a fastener receiver disposed within the interior and fixedly coupled with the second end;
- and
- a fastener having a shaft and a head, the head having an elastomeric cover, wherein the shaft is disposed within the fastener receiver and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.
A bumper assembly for an 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 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 having an elastomeric cover, wherein the fastener is disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.
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;
- at least one fin coupled to an outer surface of the cap, wherein the at least one fin lies in a first plane which intersects with a second plane defined by an upper surface of the cap;
- a through-hole defined by the cap, the through-hole having a diameter less than a diameter of the interior;
- a fastener having a shaft and a head, the head having an elastomeric cover, 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.