Interlocking and sealing arrangement for modular domestic appliances
First Claim
1. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, and cooperating interlocking shoulders on said side panels and said base panel which are engaged as said tongues are inserted into said slots, said interlocking shoulders being positioned between said slots on said base member and between said tongues on said side panels.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A domestic or household appliance is provided which includes a plurality of side panels and a base panel, each of the panels having cooperating integral interlocking means in the edges thereof so that the panels may be manufactured at one location and shipped in knockdown form to another location. The side panels may then be readily assembled on the base panel by unskilled personnel without the use of tools or separate fastening means by simple engagement of the interlocking means in the panel edges. This interlocking means includes a plurality of elongated slots in the base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly at an angle to the vertical and projecting tongues in the bottom edges of the side panels which extend at a similar angle to the vertical and are adapted to be inserted into the slots by movement of the side panel along the angle to the vertical. Cooperating interlocking shoulders on the base panel and the side panels are engaged as the tongues are inserted into the slots. Adjacent vertical edges of the side panels are also provided with cooperating tongue and groove means which extend inwardly and downwardly at the angle to the vertical and facilitate insertion of the tongues of the end panels into the slots in the front and rear panels. The adjacent vertical edges of the side panels also have cooperating interlocking shoulders which are engaged as the end panels are assembled on the front and rear panels.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, and cooperating interlocking shoulders on said side panels and said base panel which are engaged as said tongues are inserted into said slots, said interlocking shoulders being positioned between said slots on said base member and between said tongues on said side panels.
- 2. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, adjacent ones of said side panels have cooperating tongue and groove surfaces in the meeting edges thereof which are engaged as said projecting tongues are inserted into said slots.
- 11. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, and cooperating interlocking shoulders on said side panels and said base panel which are engaged as said tongues are inserted into said slots, said base panel being provided with an inwardly offset portion positioned above said slots for limiting inward and downward movement of said tongues into said slots.
- 18. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, and a groove in said base panel which is positioned between said slots and the outer edge of said base panel, said groove containing a sealing gasket for providing a seal between said base panel and said side panels.
- 20. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots, and gaskets mounted in the upper surface of said base panel and positioned on either side of said slots, said gaskets being engaged by the bottom edges of said side panels as said projecting tongues are inserted into said slots, thereby to provide dual seals between said base panel and said side panels.
- 27. A knockdown refrigeration appliance comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, each of said side and base panels comprising inner and outer sheets of plastic material separated by a layer of insulating material and each provided in the edges thereof with cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, aid interlocking means include elongated locating tabs which extend along the bottom edges of said side panels and project inwardly and downwardly therefrom at an angle to the vertical, and elongated openings in the edges of said base panel which are adapted to receive said locating tabs as said side panels are moved inwardly and downwardly relative to said base panel at said angle to the vertical.
- 39. A knockdown domestic appliance unit comprising a plurality of side panels and a base panel, said base panel and said side panels having in the edges thereof cooperating integral means for interlocking said panels together, whereby said side panels may be readily assembled to said base panel and to each other by simple engagement of said interlocking means in said panel edges without the use of tools or separate fastening means, said interlocking means including elongated slots in said base panel which extend inwardly and downwardly therein at an angle to the vertical, and projecting tongues on the bottom edges of said side panels which extend into said slots.
Specification