STRUCTURAL PANEL FOR AN APPLIANCE HAVING STAMPED COMPONENTS AND METHOD THEREFOR
First Claim
1. An operable panel for an appliance, the operable panel comprising:
- a metallic outer wrapper having a perimetrical wrapper edge that partially defines a perimetrical breaker channel;
an inner liner;
a plurality of corner brackets disposed proximate the perimetrical wrapper edge, each corner bracket cooperating with the perimetrical wrapper edge to fully define the perimetrical breaker channel;
a trim breaker adhered to the metallic outer wrapper and the plurality of corner brackets at the perimetrical breaker channel and having a liner channel that receives a portion of the inner liner, the trim breaker extending between the inner liner and the metallic outer wrapper; and
an insulation material disposed within an insulating cavity defined between the inner liner and the metallic outer wrapper.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An operable panel for an appliance includes a metallic outer wrapper having a perimetrical wrapper edge that partially defines a perimetrical breaker channel, an inner liner and a plurality of corner brackets disposed proximate the perimetrical wrapper edge. Each corner bracket cooperates with the perimetrical wrapper edge to fully define the perimetrical breaker channel. A trim breaker is adhered to the metallic outer wrapper and the corner brackets at the perimetrical breaker channel and having a liner channel that receives a portion of the inner liner. The trim breaker extends between the inner liner and the outer wrapper. An insulation material is disposed within an insulating cavity defined between the inner liner and the outer wrapper.
4 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An operable panel for an appliance, the operable panel comprising:
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a metallic outer wrapper having a perimetrical wrapper edge that partially defines a perimetrical breaker channel; an inner liner; a plurality of corner brackets disposed proximate the perimetrical wrapper edge, each corner bracket cooperating with the perimetrical wrapper edge to fully define the perimetrical breaker channel; a trim breaker adhered to the metallic outer wrapper and the plurality of corner brackets at the perimetrical breaker channel and having a liner channel that receives a portion of the inner liner, the trim breaker extending between the inner liner and the metallic outer wrapper; and an insulation material disposed within an insulating cavity defined between the inner liner and the metallic outer wrapper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for forming a structural panel for an appliance, the method comprising steps of:
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stamping a first metallic sheet into a flat liner pattern that corresponds to an inner liner for the appliance, the inner liner having a plurality of liner walls and a perimetrical liner tab; shaping the flat liner pattern into the inner liner; stamping a second metallic sheet into a flat wrapper pattern that corresponds to an outer wrapper for the appliance, the outer wrapper having a plurality of wrapper walls and a perimetrical wrapper edge; shaping the flat wrapper pattern into the outer wrapper; forming a trim breaker having a liner channel and a wrapper channel; securing the perimetrical liner tab and the perimetrical wrapper edge with the liner and wrapper channels, respectively; and disposing an insulating material within an insulating cavity formed between the inner liner and the outer wrapper. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for forming a structural panel for an appliance, the method comprising steps of:
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forming a first planar sheet into an inner liner; forming a second planar sheet into an outer wrapper having a plurality of wrapper walls and a wrapper edge that at least partially defines a perimetrical breaker channel; forming a trim breaker having a liner channel for receiving a portion of the inner liner and a wrapper channel for seating within the perimetrical breaker channel; securing the inner liner within the liner channel and placing the wrapper channel within the perimetrical breaker channel; and disposing an insulating material within an insulating cavity formed between the inner liner and the outer wrapper. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification