Appliance fascia and mounting therefore

• US 9,339,993 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Cites, Jeffrey Scott, Rosenblum, Steven S., Wildeman, George Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Austin, Aaron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saberi, Jasper
• Application Number:
  US13/822,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20130164483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 428/68, 428/77, 428/174, 428/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/00 Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10137 Chemical strengthening
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10293 Edge features, e.g. inserts or holes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/00 Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/04 characterised by at least one layer folded at the edge, e.g. over another layer ; characterised by at least one layer enveloping or enclosing a material
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 21/00 Treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by diffusing ions or metals in the surface
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/266 of base or substrate

Abstract

A thin lightweight glass fascia for appliances. The fascia may be a seamless shaped glass fascia for an appliance, such as a glass fascia that wraps around at least two opposing edges of an appliance. The glass fascia may seamlessly incorporate a display or control panel under the fascia. A mounting arrangement that facilitates quick fascia removal and replacement may be provided. The fascia may be a chemically-strengthened glass sheet having a thickness of less than 2.0 mm, and a near-surface region under a compressive stress, wherein the compressive stress (CS) at a surface of the first glass sheet is greater than 300 MPa and extends to a depth of layer of at least 20 micrometers.

Claims

1. An appliance with a thin glass fascia mounted on an outer surface of the appliance, the thin glass fascia comprising:

a chemically-strengthened glass sheet having a thickness less than 2.0 m and a near-surface region under a compressive stress, wherein the compressive stress (CS) at a surface of the glass sheet is greater than about 300 MPa and extends to a depth of layer of at least 20 μ

m; and

a backer sheet adhered to one or more portions of the glass sheet, the backer sheet having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 2 GPa and comprising a material chosen from polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, nylon, or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC),

wherein the glass sheet further comprises a substantially planar or curved central portion having opposing side portions that are bent rearward from the central portion.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the compressive stress (CS) at a surface of the glass sheet is greater than about 400 MPa.

3. The appliance according to claim 2, wherein the compressive stress (CS) at the surface of the glass sheet is greater than about 600 MPa.

4. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein a composition of the glass sheet includes at least one of (a) 6 wt. % aluminum oxide;

and (b) one or more alkaline earth oxides, such that a content of alkaline earth oxides is at least 5 wt. %.

5. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheet has an area greater than 1 m².

6. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the central portion of the glass sheet is adhered to at least two mounting rails, with a mounting rail located adjacent each side edge of the central portion of the glass sheet, such that a space is provided between the inner surface of the central portion of the glass sheet and the outer surface of the appliance;

and

wherein the backer sheet substantially spans a distance between the at least two mounting rails.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the backer sheet extends beyond at least the side edges of the glass sheet to protect the edges of the glass sheet from impacts.

8. The appliance according to claim 7, wherein an inner surface backer sheet is adhered to at least two mounting rails, with a mounting rail located adjacent each side edge of the central portion of the glass sheet, such that a space is provided between the inner surface of the backer sheet and the outer surface of the appliance.

9. The appliance according to claim 6, wherein the side portions of the glass sheet extend rearward from the central portion of the glass sheet a distance sufficient to conceal the mounting rails.

10. The appliance according to claim 9, where the side portions of the glass sheet extend rearward from the central portion of the glass sheet a distance sufficient to conceal the mounting rails and at least a portion of sides of the appliance with a seamless decorative glass sheet.

11. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein the appliance has one of a door and a lid, the glass sheet is mounted on an outer surface of the one of a door and a lid, and the side portions of the glass sheet extend rearward from the central portion of the glass sheet a distance sufficient to cover the mounting rails and at least a portion of sides of the door.

12. The appliance according to claim 11, wherein the glass sheet seamlessly covers substantially the entire outer surface of the door or lid.

13. The appliance according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a display panel or control panel located in the space between an inner surface of the glass sheet and the outer surface of the appliance for at least one of viewing or activating the panel through the glass sheet.

14. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheet has a thickness of about 1 mm or less.

15. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheet has a thickness of about 0.7 mm or less.

16. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein a bend in the glass fascia has a radius of curvature of 10 mm or less.

17. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein a bend in the glass sheet has a radius of curvature of 5 mm or less.

18. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein compressive stress (CS) (in MPa) in the near surface region of the glass sheet extends from a surface of the first glass sheet to a depth of layer (in μ

m) of at least 65-0.06(CS) on a plot of depth of layer on the x-axis and CS on the y-axis.

19. An appliance with a thin glass sheet on an outer surface of the appliance;

the appliance comprising;

a glass sheet having a thickness less than 2.0 mm;

mounting elements mounting the glass sheet to an outer surface of the appliance with a space between an inner surface of the glass sheet and an outer surface of the appliance;

at least one of a display panel or a control panel located in the space for at least one of viewing or activating the panel through the glass sheet; and

a backer sheet adhered to one or more portions of the glass sheet, the backer sheet having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 2 GPa and comprising a material chosen from polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, nylon, or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC),

wherein the glass sheet further comprises a substantially planar or curved central portion having opposing side portions that are bent rearward from the central portion.

20. The appliance according to claim 19, wherein the appliance is one of a kitchen appliance and a laundry appliance having one of a door and a lid, and the glass sheet is mounted on the one of a door and a lid.

21. The appliance according to claim 19, wherein the glass sheet is a chemically-strengthened glass sheet having a near-surface region under a compressive stress (CS), wherein the CS at a surface of the first glass sheet is greater than 300 MPa.

22. The appliance according to claim 21, wherein the CS wherein the CS in the near surface region extends from a surface of the glass sheet to a depth of layer of at least 20 μ

m.

23. The appliance according to claim 19, wherein the glass sheet is chemically-strengthened and has a near-surface region under a compressive stress (CS) (in MPa), wherein the CS in the near surface region extends from a surface of the first glass sheet to a depth of layer (in μ

m) of at least 65-0.06(CS).

24. The appliance according to claim 23, wherein the CS at the near-surface region of the glass sheet is greater than 300 MPa.

25. An appliance with a laminate structure on an outer surface of the appliance, the appliance comprising:

a laminate structure having;

a first glass sheet having a thickness less than 2.0 mm, and

a polymer interlayer formed over a major surface of the first glass sheet;

mounting elements mounting the laminate structure to an outer surface of the appliance with a space between an inner surface of the laminate structure and an outer surface of the appliance;

a backer sheet adhered to one or more portions of the laminate structure, the backer sheet having a modulus of elasticity of at least about 2 GPa and comprising a material chosen from polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, nylon, or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC); and

at least one of a display panel or a control panel located in the space for at least one of viewing or activating the panel through the laminate structure,

wherein the laminate structure further comprises a substantially planar or curved central portion having opposing side portions that are bent rearward from the central portion.

26. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the laminate structure further comprises a second glass sheet having a thickness less than 2.0 mm, and wherein the polymer interlayer is positioned intermediate the first and second glass sheets.

27. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the polymer interlayer is selected from the group consisting of a monolithic polymer sheet, a multilayer polymer sheet, a composite polymer sheet, a plasticized polyvinyl butyral (PVB) sheet, a polycarbonate sheet, PVB, and combinations thereof.

28. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the appliance is a one of a kitchen appliance and a laundry appliance having one of a door and a lid, and the laminate structure is mounted on the one of a door and a lid.

29. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the first glass sheet is a chemically-strengthened glass sheet having a near-surface region under a compressive stress (CS), and wherein the CS at a surface of the first glass sheet is greater than 300MPa.

30. The appliance of claim 29, wherein the CS in the near surface region extends from a surface of the first glass sheet to a depth of layer of at least 20 μ

m.

31. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the first glass sheet is chemically-strengthened and has a near-surface region under a compressive stress (CS) (in MPa), wherein the CS in the near surface region extends from a surface of the first glass sheet to a depth of layer of at least 65-0.06(CS).

32. The appliance of claim 31, wherein the CS at a surface of the first glass sheet is greater than 300 MPa.

33. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the first glass sheet has a thickness of about 1 mm or less.

34. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the first glass sheet has a thickness of about 0.7 mm or less.