HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE INCLUDING TWO-PIECE FASCIA PANEL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE TWO-PIECE FASCIA PANEL

• US 20120118601A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Hite, David, Justis, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,530,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A household appliance having at least one fascia panel. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one fascia panel may include an electronics housing structured to house electronic components for operating the household appliance, and a cosmetic panel structured to be at least one of mounted and joined with the electronics housing. The cosmetic panel may include one or more interfaces cooperating with the electronic components for operating the dishwasher.

Claims

1. A household appliance having at least one fascia panel, the at least one fascia panel comprising:

an electronics housing structured to house electronic components for operating the household appliance; and

a cosmetic panel structured to be at least one of mounted and joined with the electronics housing, the cosmetic panel including one or more interfaces cooperating with the electronic components for operating the dishwasher.

2. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic panel includes one or more hook components, and wherein the cosmetic panel is mounted to the electronics housing by the one or more hook components.

3. The household appliance of claim 2, wherein the one or more hooks are structured

in interference to the electronics housing to eliminate a gap between the cosmetic panel and the electronics housing.

4. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic panel is joined to the electronics housing at least one of a weld, epoxy, and a male-female connector arrangement.

5. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic panel includes one or more gate locations operable to be used with at least one of metallic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and In-Mold Decorating molding processes.

6. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more interfaces are openings cooperating with at least one of a button and light guide of the electronic components.

7. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the at least one fascia panel is structured to be attached to a door of the household appliance using one or more screws.

8. The household appliance of claim 7, wherein the cosmetic panel is structured to use the screws for alignment with the door.

9. A fascia panel, comprising:

an electronics housing structured to house electronic components for operating a device; and

a cosmetic panel structured to be at least one of mounted and joined with the electronics housing, the cosmetic panel including one or more interfaces cooperating with the electronic components for operating the device.

10. The fascia panel of claim 9, wherein the cosmetic panel includes one or more hook components, and wherein the cosmetic panel is mounted to the electronics housing by the one or more hook components.

11. The fascia panel of claim 10, wherein the one or more hooks are structured

in interference to the electronics housing to eliminate a gap between the cosmetic panel and the electronics housing.

12. The household appliance of claim 9, wherein the cosmetic panel is joined to the electronics housing at least one of a weld, epoxy, and a male-female connector arrangement.

13. The household appliance of claim 9, wherein the cosmetic panel includes one or more gate locations operable to be used with at least one of metallic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and In-Mold Decorating molding processes.

14. The household appliance of claim 9, wherein the one or more interfaces are openings cooperating with at least one of a button and light guide of the electronic components.

15. The household appliance of claim 9, wherein the fascia panel is structured to be attached to a door of the device using one or more screws.

16. The household appliance of claim 15, wherein the cosmetic panel is structured to use the screws for alignment with the door.

17. A method of manufacturing a fascia panel, the method comprising:

molding and solidifying an electronics housing structured to house electronic components for operating a device;

separately molding and solidifying a cosmetic panel, the cosmetic panel including one or more interfaces cooperating with the electronic components for operating the device; and

at least one of mounting and joining the cosmetic panel with the electronics housing subsequent to their respective solidifying steps.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the injection molding of the cosmetic panel uses at least one of metallic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and In-Mold Decorating molding process.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the molding of the electronics housing is performed using a lower cost material than the injection molding of the cosmetic panel.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the molding and solidifying of the cosmetic panel provides one or more hook components, and wherein the cosmetic panel is mounted in interference to the electronics housing to eliminate a gap between the cosmetic panel and the electronics housing.