U.S. patent application number 10/892106 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for home appliance assembly.
Invention is credited to Ahn, Jeung Gie, Han, Il Tak, Hwang, Sung Gi.
Application Number | 20050116591 10/892106 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34617337 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050116591 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hwang, Sung Gi ; et
al. |
June 2, 2005 |
Home appliance assembly
Abstract
A home appliance assembly employs an alignment device provided
to the respective flanges of a front panel and side cabinet of the
outer case of a home appliance, such as a dryer, to facilitate
assembly and prevent a distortion of the front panel that may occur
when the completed assembly is transported. The home appliance
assembly includes at least one first flange formed on a front panel
of an outer case, at least one second flange formed on a side
cabinet of the outer case to oppose the first flange, and an
alignment device for aligning the front panel with respect to the
side cabinet during assembly of the outer case.
Inventors: |
Hwang, Sung Gi;
(Changwon-si, KR) ; Han, Il Tak; (Suwon, KR)
; Ahn, Jeung Gie; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE LLP
1900 K STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Family ID: |
34617337 |
Appl. No.: |
10/892106 |
Filed: |
July 16, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/265.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 58/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/265.6 |
International
Class: |
A47B 047/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 28, 2003 |
KR |
P 2003-85614 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A home appliance assembly comprising: at least one first flange
formed on a front panel of an outer case; at least one second
flange formed on a side cabinet of the outer case to oppose said at
least one first flange; and alignment means for aligning the front
panel with respect to the side cabinet during assembly of the outer
case.
2. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
front panel has at least two sides, said first flange being formed
on each side of the front panel.
3. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
at least one first flange is bent into a channel shape having a
rearward-facing mating surface for meeting said at least one second
flange.
4. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
side cabinet has at least two forward edges, said second flange
being formed on each forward edge of the side cabinet by bending
the forward edge approximately at a right angle to meet said at
least one first flange.
5. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, said
alignment means comprising: at least one holder protruding from one
of said first and second flanges, wherein the other flange of said
first and second flanges has a recess corresponding to said at
least one holder such that said at least one holder may be inserted
into the recess.
6. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is provided to said at least one first flange
and wherein the recess is formed in said at least one second
flange.
7. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is provided to said at least one second flange
and wherein the recess is formed in said at least one first
flange.
8. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is tapered toward its distal end.
9. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is integrally formed with said one of said
first and second flanges by a foaming process.
10. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is coupled to said one of said first and second
flanges using a screw.
11. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is welded to said one of said first and second
flanges.
12. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
recess formed in said one of said first and second flanges is open
along an edge of said one of said first and second flanges.
13. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said
at least one holder is provided at a plurality of sites on said one
of said first and second flanges, the plurality of sites
establishing a predetermined interval.
14. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said one of said first and second flanges has an upper and lower
end, said at least one holder being provided at at least one site
on each of upper and lower ends of said one of said first and
second flanges.
15. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
alignment means comprises at least one protrusion having a
predetermined height to maintain a uniform gap between said at
least one first flange and said at least one second flange.
16. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
alignment means further comprises at least one protrusion having a
predetermined height to maintain a uniform gap between said at
least one first flange and said at least one second flange.
17. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one protrusion and said at least one holder are
provided to said at least one first flange and wherein the recess
is formed in said at least one second flange.
18. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one protrusion and said at least one holder are
provided to said at least one second flange and wherein the recess
is formed in said at least one first flange.
19. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one protrusion and said at least one holder are each
provided at a plurality of sites on said one of said first and
second flanges, the plurality of sites establishing a predetermined
interval.
20. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said one of said first and second flanges has an upper and lower
end, said at least one protrusion and said at least one holder each
being provided at at least one site on each of upper and lower ends
of said one of said first and second flanges.
21. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one protrusion and said at least one holder are
integrally formed as one body by a foaming process.
22. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one protrusion, said at least one holder, and said
one of said first and second flanges are integrally formed as one
body by a foaming process.
23. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one holder is coupled to said at least one protrusion
using a screw.
24. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one holder is coupled to said at least one protrusion
and said one of said first and second flanges using a screw.
25. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein
said at least one holder is welded to said at least one
protrusion.
26. The home appliance assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
side cabinet is part of an outer case of a dryer.
27. A home appliance assembly comprising: a front panel, provided
to a front side of an outer case, having a pair of first flanges
respectively formed at a rearward edge of both sides of the front
panel; a side cabinet, provided on both lateral sides of the outer
case, having a pair of second flanges respectively formed on
forward edges of the side cabinet to oppose the first flanges; at
least one protrusion having a predetermined height to maintain a
uniform gap between the first flanges and the second flanges; and a
holder, protruding from said at least one protrusion, for aligning
the front panel with respect to the side cabinet during assembly,
wherein said at least one protrusion is provided to one of said
pair of first flanges and said pair of second flanges and a recess
is formed in the other pair of flanges to receive said holder.
28. A dryer comprising: a first flange formed on a front panel of
an outer case; a second flange formed on a side cabinet of the
outer case, to oppose said first flange upon assembly of the outer
case; and a holder protruding from one of said first and second
flanges, the other flange of said first and second flanges having a
recess corresponding to said holder, wherein, when said holder is
inserted into the recess, the front panel is aligned with respect
to the side cabinet during the assembly of the outer case.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application
No. P2003-085614, filed on Nov. 28, 2003, which is hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to home appliances, and more
particularly, to a home appliance assembly, which employs an
alignment means provided to the respective flanges of a front panel
and side cabinet, to facilitate the assembly of a home appliance
such as a dryer.
[0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0005] Generally speaking, a home appliance comprises a plurality
of outer panels forming an outer case for housing the inner
workings of the appliance, and the outer panels are provided in
pieces to facilitate manufacturing and repair stages. For
logistical and aesthetic reasons, the outer panels are typically
provided as large panels of sheet metal to be structurally joined
at the edges. In joining these panels to form the outer case of a
home appliance, structural strength and integrity and ease of
assembly should be considered.
[0006] As an exemplary home appliance assembly, FIG. 1 illustrates
a contemporary dryer in which an outer case includes a front panel
20 to be assembled to a side cabinet 30 of the dryer. Corresponding
pairs of first and second flanges 21 and 31 are formed on the
rearward edges of the lateral sides of the front panel 20 and on
the forward edges of the side cabinet 30, respectively, and are
coupled together securely by a plurality of coupling means, such as
screw locks, so that the front panel 20 is fixed to the side
cabinet 30. In manufacturing the front panel 20 and the side
cabinet 30, however, it is virtually impossible to form the first
and second flanges 21 and 31 with mating surfaces that are
perfectly flat, even, and consistent, such that random and
inconsistent gaps between the first and second flanges 21 and 31
are inevitably present in the completed assembly of the outer case
of a home appliance.
[0007] Therefore, in a home appliance assembly of a related art,
the front panel 20 assembled to the side cabinet 30 tends to shake
or rattle during operation of the home appliance and tends to move
or shift during its transport. Moreover, the home appliance
assembly requires numerous screw locks to assemble the front panel
20 and side cabinet 30, thereby hindering productivity, and
assembly necessitates a production worker to hold in place the
front panel with respect to the side cabinet, to allow for
installation of the screw locks. Furthermore, when the completed
assembly is carried manually such that the cabinet sides are
compressed, the front channel tends to distort or buckle, which may
cause permanent damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a home
appliance assembly that substantially obviates one or more of the
problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related
art.
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a home
appliance assembly having an outer case, which facilitates the
assembly of the outer case.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a home
appliance assembly, which prevents a distortion of a front panel of
the outer case that may occur when the completed assembly is
transported.
[0011] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination
of the following or may be learned from a practice of the
invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention
will be realized and attained by the subject matter particularly
pointed out in the specification and claims hereof as well as in
the appended drawings.
[0012] To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance
with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described
herein, a home appliance assembly includes at least one first
flange formed on a front panel of an outer case, at least one
second flange formed on a side cabinet of the outer case to oppose
the first flange, and alignment means for aligning the front panel
with respect to the side cabinet during assembly of the outer
case.
[0013] The alignment means includes at least one holder protruding
from one of the first and second flanges, wherein the other flange
has a recess corresponding to the holder such that the holder may
be inserted into the recess. Preferably, the alignment means
further includes at least one protrusion having a predetermined
height to maintain a uniform gap between the flanges.
[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a home appliance
assembly includes a front panel, provided to a front side of an
outer case, having a pair of first flanges respectively formed at a
rearward edge of both sides of the front panel, a side cabinet,
provided on both lateral sides of the outer case, having a pair of
second flanges respectively formed on forward edges of the side
cabinet to oppose the first flanges, at least one protrusion having
a predetermined height to maintain a uniform gap between the first
flanges and the second flanges, and a holder, protruding from said
at least one protrusion, for aligning the front panel with respect
to the side cabinet during assembly, wherein said at least one
protrusion is provided to one of said pair of first flanges and
said pair of second flanges and a recess is formed in the other
pair of flanges to receive said holder.
[0015] In a further aspect of the present invention, a dryer
including a first flange formed on a front panel of an outer case,
a second flange formed on a side cabinet of the outer case, to
oppose said first flange upon assembly of the outer case, and a
holder protruding from one of said first and second flanges, the
other flange of said first and second flanges having a recess
corresponding to said holder, wherein, when said holder is inserted
into the recess, the front panel is aligned with respect to the
side cabinet during the assembly of the outer case.
[0016] It is to be understood that both the foregoing explanation
and the following detailed description of the present invention are
exemplary and illustrative and are intended to provide further
explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principle of the invention. In the drawings:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective breakaway diagram showing the
assembly of a front panel to a side cabinet of a contemporary
dryer;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective breakaway diagram of a front panel
and side cabinet of a home appliance assembly according to a first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective breakaway diagram of a front panel
and side cabinet of a home appliance assembly according to a second
embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective breakaway diagram of a front panel
and side cabinet of a home appliance assembly according to a third
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective breakaway diagram of an assembly of
a holder and flange of a home appliance adopting the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings,
like elements are indicated using the same or similar reference
designations where possible.
[0024] The present invention may be applied to any home appliance
having joined cabinet panels. In the accompanying drawings, a
drum-type dryer is shown for illustrative purposes only.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a front panel and side cabinet of a home
appliance assembly according to a first embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the edge of each side of a front
panel 200 of a home appliance adopting the present invention is
bent into a channel shape having a first flange 210 formed at a
rear surface of the channel to establish a mating surface, and a
forward edge of each side of a side cabinet 300 is bent
approximately at a right angle, to form a second flange 310 for
meeting the corresponding first flange 210 of the front panel 200
at the mating surface. The bends in the front panel 200 reinforce
its structural rigidity, and the bends in the side cabinet 300
reinforce the rigidity of the front panel 200 after assembly, i.e.,
after a coupling the first and second flanges 210 and 310.
[0026] The home appliance assembly is provided with alignment means
for maintaining a proper alignment position of the front panel 200
with respect to the side cabinet 300, for facilitating an assembly
(or coupling) of the front panel to the side cabinet, and for
reinforcing the rigidity of the coupled parts after assembly. The
alignment means is provided at a plurality of locations, preferably
at at least one site on each side of the upper and lower ends of
the first and second flanges 210 and 310, the sites of each flange
being separated by a predetermined distance (or intervals). As
shown in FIG. 2, the alignment means comprises at least one holder
410 protruding from the second flange 310 to allow for insertion
into a recess 420 formed in the first flange 210 at a location
corresponding to that of the holder 410. The holder 410 is tapered
toward its distal end to facilitate insertion. In assembling the
front panel 200 to the side cabinet 300, the holder 410 is inserted
into the recess 420, thereby facilitating an alignment of the first
and second flanges 210 and 310, whereby the relative positioning is
maintained.
[0027] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the holder
410 is provided to the second flange 310, and the recess 420 in
which the holder 410 is to be inserted is formed in the first
flange 210. The holder 410 may be integrally formed with the second
flange 310 or, subsequent to the formation of the second flange
310, may be affixed thereto, for example, by welding, using a screw
coupling, or via a hook (not shown). The recess 420 may be open at
the edge of the first flange 210 or may be formed as an enclosed
hole through the first flange 210.
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a home appliance assembly according to a
second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the
alignment means comprises at least one holder 410' protruding from
a first flange 210' to allow for insertion into a recess 420'
formed in a second flange 310' at a location corresponding to that
of the holder. The holder 410' is tapered toward its distal end to
facilitate insertion. In assembling the front panel 200 to the side
cabinet 300, the holder 410' is inserted into the recess 420',
thereby facilitating an alignment of the first and second flanges
210' and 310', whereby the relative positioning is maintained.
[0029] In the second embodiment of the present invention, the
holder 410' is provided to the first flange 210', and the recess
420' in which the holder 410' is to be inserted is formed in the
second flange 310'. The holder 410' may be integrally formed with
the first flange 210' or, subsequent to the formation of the first
flange 210', may be affixed thereto, for example, by welding, using
a screw coupling, or via a hook (not shown). The recess 420' may be
open at the edge of the second flange 310' or may be formed as an
enclosed hole penetrating the second flange 310'.
[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates a side cabinet and front panel of a home
appliance assembly according to a third embodiment of the present
invention, in which the alignment means further comprises at least
one protrusion 430 having a predetermined height, provided to a
forward surface of one of the first flange 210 and second flange
310, for maintaining a uniform gap between the first and second
flanges 210 and 310. That is, though shown protruding from the
second flange in FIG. 4, the protrusion 430 may be provided to
either the first flange 210 or the second flange 310. Preferably,
the protrusion 430, which may be integrally formed with the holder
410, is provided to the flange having the holders. In any event,
the protrusion 430 is provided at each location of the first or
second flange 210 or 310 that corresponds to a location of the
holder 410. In doing so, the protrusion 430 may be integrally
formed with the first or second flange 210 or 310 by a process
known as "foaming". Preferably, the foaming process integrally
forms the holder 410, the protrusion 430, and the corresponding
flange as one body.
[0031] The foaming process is performed to manufacture the first
flange 210 of the front panel 200 or the second flange 310 of the
side cabinet 300, thus forming the protrusion 430 and holder 410 on
one flange, and the recess 420 is formed in the other flange. Then,
in assembling the front panel 200 and side cabinet 300, the holder
410 having the tapered shape is inserted into the recess 420,
thereby achieving alignment. In doing so, the flange (210 or 310)
in which the recess 420 is formed makes contact with the surface of
the protrusion 430 provided to the other flange (210 or 310), and
the protrusion 430 maintains a uniform gap between the flanges,
thereby preventing the front panel 200 from rattling during
operation or being shifted during transport. Finally, the assembly
of the front panel 200 and side cabinet 300, which are temporarily
fitted together by the alignment means, is completed using a screw
coupling or the like.
[0032] According to the present invention, the holder 410 and
protrusion 430 are provided to the first or second flange 210 or
310, which are coupled together using, for example, a screw
coupling.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 5, illustrating a screw coupling of the
holder 410 to the second flange 310 provided with the protrusion
430, a locking hole 431 is centrally formed in the protrusion so as
to penetrate the flange, and a through hole 411 is formed through
the holder 410. A screw 100 is passed through the through hole 411
to be secured in the locking hole 431, thereby fixing the holder
410 to the second flange 310 at the protrusion 430. As an
alternative to screw coupling, the holder 410 may be coupled to the
protrusion 430 by welding or via a hook (not shown).
[0034] As described above, the assembly of a home appliance
adopting the present invention is facilitated since the alignment
between the front panel and the side cabinet is achieved by the
holder provided to one of the flanges. Moreover, a distortion of
the front panel that may occur during the transport of the
completed assembly is prevented since the holder provided to one
flange is inserted into the recess provided to the other flange,
thereby reinforcing the rigidity of the front panel. In addition,
the protrusion provided between the holder and the flange maintains
a uniform gap between the flanges after assembly of front panel to
the side cabinet.
[0035] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications
and variations, provided they come within the scope of the appended
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *