Appliance control panel
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A panel assembly comprising:
- a structural panel defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the panel between the front and rear faces;
a decorated transparent polymer film, the polymer film defining a front face and an oppositely directed rear face, the polymer film including indicia along the rear face;
an adhesive layer for securing the polymer film to the structural panel, the adhesive layer defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the adhesive layer between the front and rear faces, the adhesive layer disposed between the rear face of the structural panel and the front face of the polymer film;
wherein at least a portion of the indicia along the rear face of the polymer film is visible from the front face of the structural panel, through at least one aperture defined in the panel, through at least one aperture defined in the adhesive layer, and through the polymer film.
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Abstract
An appliance control panel is described. The control panel includes a front metal panel, a rearwardly positioned polymeric decorated film and an adhesive layer disposed between the panel and the decorated film. The film overlies an electronic control module which typically includes various displays and press-type switches. Various markings and indicia on the decorated film are visible through openings in the panel and the adhesive layer.
9 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A panel assembly comprising:
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a structural panel defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the panel between the front and rear faces; a decorated transparent polymer film, the polymer film defining a front face and an oppositely directed rear face, the polymer film including indicia along the rear face; an adhesive layer for securing the polymer film to the structural panel, the adhesive layer defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the adhesive layer between the front and rear faces, the adhesive layer disposed between the rear face of the structural panel and the front face of the polymer film; wherein at least a portion of the indicia along the rear face of the polymer film is visible from the front face of the structural panel, through at least one aperture defined in the panel, through at least one aperture defined in the adhesive layer, and through the polymer film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A panel assembly comprising:
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a structural panel defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the panel between the front and rear faces; a decorated transparent polymer film, the polymer film defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the polymer film between the front and the rear faces of the film, the polymer film including indicia along the rear face; an adhesive layer for securing the polymer film to the structural panel, the adhesive layer defining a front face, an oppositely directed rear face, and at least one aperture extending through the adhesive layer between the front and rear faces, the adhesive layer disposed between the rear face of the structural panel and the front face of the polymer film;
p1 a console defining a front face and a receiving region including at least one mounting provision;attachment provisions for affixing the rear face of the polymer film to the front face of the console; and an electric control module defining a front face and including a visual display and at least one pressure actuated switch accessible along the front face of the control module; wherein at least a portion of the indicia along the rear face of the polymer film is visible from the front face of the structural panel, through at least one aperture defined in the panel, through at least one aperture defined in the adhesive layer, and through the polymer film; wherein the control module is retained in the receiving defined by the console by the at least one mounting provision of the console, and the control module is positioned such that at least one pressure actuated switch is adjacent to the portion of the indicia along the rear of the polymer film which is visible from the front face of the structural panel; wherein the visual display is visible from the front face of the structural panel, through at least one aperture defined in the panel, through at least one aperture defined in the adhesive layer, and through at least one aperture defined in the polymer film. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification