Patent Application
20230255441
Dishwashers are used in many single-family and multi-family residential applications to clean dishes, silverware, cutlery, cups, glasses, pots, pans, etc. (collectively referred to herein as “utensils”). Many dishwashers rely primarily on rotatable spray arms that are disposed at the bottom and/or top of a tub and/or are mounted to a rack that holds utensils. A spray arm is coupled to a source of wash fluid and includes multiple apertures for spraying wash fluid onto utensils, and generally rotates about a central hub such that each aperture follows a circular path throughout the rotation of the spray arm. The apertures may also be angled such that force of the wash fluid exiting the spray arm causes the spray arm to rotate about the central hub.
While traditional spray arm systems are simple and mostly effective, they have the shortcoming that they must spread the wash fluid over all areas equally to achieve a satisfactory result. In doing so, resources such as time, energy and water are generally wasted because wash fluid cannot be focused precisely where it is needed. Moreover, because spray arms follow a generally circular path, the corners of a tub may not be covered as thoroughly, leading to lower cleaning performance for utensils located in the corners of a rack. In addition, in some instances the spray jets of a spray arm may be directed to the sides of a wash tub during at least portions of the rotation, leading to unneeded noise during a wash cycle.
A different approach to traditional spray arm systems utilizes one or more tubular spray elements to spray utensils within a dishwasher. A tubular spray element is a type of rotatable conduit that both conveys wash fluid along its length and ejects the wash fluid through various apertures disposed on an exterior surface thereof. A tubular spray element is generally formed of an elongated body and rotates about a longitudinal axis thereof, either in a controllable or uncontrollable fashion, e.g., based upon an electric drive, a hydraulic drive, or as a result of rotational forces imparted by the ejection of wash fluid from the tubular spray element.
It has been found, however, that the manufacture of a tubular spray element can present challenges, particularly when it is desirable to incorporate a metal tube such as a stainless steel tube into the design.
The herein-described embodiments address these and other problems associated with the art by providing a dishwasher and method for making and/or using the same utilizing a tubular spray element formed in part using an elongated metal tube joined with a molded polymer support member using one or more retaining tabs that are molded into the support member and that project within a sleeve in the support member to engage with cooperative mounting apertures in the elongated metal tube and thereby restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member both about and along a longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element.
Therefore, consistent with one aspect of the invention, a dishwasher may include a wash tub, a fluid supply configured to supply a wash fluid, and a tubular spray element disposed within the wash tub and being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. The tubular spray element includes a plurality of apertures in fluid communication with the fluid supply to direct wash fluid into the wash tub, and further includes an elongated metal tube including a supported end through which wash fluid is received from the fluid supply, a sidewall in which the plurality of apertures are disposed, and a mounting aperture disposed in the sidewall proximate the supported end of the elongated metal tube; a support member formed of a molded polymer material and including a sleeve configured to receive the supported end of the elongated metal tube; and a retaining tab molded into the support member and projecting substantially radially within the sleeve to engage with the mounting aperture of the elongated metal tube and thereby restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member both about and along the longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element.
In some embodiments, the support member further includes a gear molded thereon. Also, in some embodiments, the gear includes a plurality of teeth projecting radially from the longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element. Further, in some embodiments, the sleeve is disposed within a tubular portion of the support member that projects axially from the gear along the longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element.
In some embodiments, the retaining tab is coupled to the support member through an integrally molded living hinge. In addition, in some embodiments, the retaining tab includes a bulbous head and the living hinge has a width that is less than that of the bulbous head. In some embodiments, the sleeve is disposed in a tubular portion of the support member that projects axially along the longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element, the retaining tab projects inwardly into the sleeve in a substantially radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, and the retaining tab and at least a portion of the living hinge are separated from a sidewall of the tubular portion by a continuous slot formed in the sidewall of the tubular portion.
In addition, in some embodiments, the living hinge extends along and flexes within a plane that is substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. Moreover, in some embodiments, the retaining tab trails the living hinge in a direction of rotation of the tubular spray element.
In some embodiments, the support member has an injection molding part line extending along the plane such that the retaining tab and the living hinge are substantially bisected by the injection molding part line. Moreover, in some embodiments, the retaining tab and the living hinge are formed using a single action during injection molding.
In some embodiments, the retaining tab includes opposing first and second sidewalls that engage with the mounting aperture when the retaining tab is received within the mounting aperture to restrict relative rotational movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member about the longitudinal axis. In addition, in some embodiments, the retaining tab further includes a third sidewall disposed intermediate the first and second sidewalls and configured to engage with the mounting aperture when the retaining tab is received within the mounting aperture to restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member along the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the retaining tab further includes a fourth sidewall disposed intermediate the first and second sidewalls and opposing the third sidewall, the fourth sidewall configured to engage with the mounting aperture when the retaining tab is received within the mounting aperture to further restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member along the longitudinal axis. Moreover, in some embodiments, the mounting aperture is substantially circular, and the first, second and third sidewalls of the retaining tab form at least a portion of a cylindrical surface having a diameter substantially matching that of the mounting aperture.
Also, in some embodiments, the retaining tab further includes an inclined ramp configured to engage with an edge of the elongated metal tube when inserting the elongated metal tube into the sleeve of the support member during assembly to flex the living hinge and thereby deflect the retaining tab until the retaining tab is aligned with the mounting aperture. In some embodiments, the inclined ramp faces a backside of the support member such that the elongated metal tube is inserted through the backside of the support member during assembly.
Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a dishwasher tubular spray element may include an elongated metal tube being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and including a supported end through which wash fluid is received from a fluid supply, a plurality of apertures formed in a sidewall thereof and configured to direct wash fluid supplied through the supported end into the wash tub, and a mounting aperture disposed in the sidewall proximate the supported end of the elongated metal tube; a support member formed of a molded polymer material and including a sleeve configured to receive the supported end of the elongated metal tube; and a retaining tab molded into the support member and projecting substantially radially within the sleeve to engage with the mounting aperture of the elongated metal tube and thereby restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member both about and along the longitudinal axis.
In addition, in some embodiments, the retaining tab is coupled to the support member through an integrally molded living hinge, the sleeve is disposed in a tubular portion of the support member that projects axially along the longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element, the retaining tab projects inwardly into the sleeve in a substantially radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, the retaining tab and at least a portion of the living hinge are separated from a sidewall of the tubular portion by a continuous slot formed in the sidewall of the tubular portion, and the living hinge extends along and flexes within a plane that is substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis.
Also, in some embodiments, the support member has an injection molding part line extending along the plane such that the retaining tab and the living hinge are substantially bisected by the injection molding part line, and the retaining tab includes opposing first and second sidewalls that engage with the mounting aperture when the retaining tab is received within the mounting aperture to restrict relative rotational movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member about the longitudinal axis, a third sidewall disposed intermediate the first and second sidewalls and configured to engage with the mounting aperture when the retaining tab is received within the mounting aperture to restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member along the longitudinal axis, and an inclined ramp configured to engage with an edge of the elongated metal tube when inserting the elongated metal tube into the sleeve of the support member during assembly to flex the living hinge and thereby deflect the retaining tab until the retaining tab is aligned with the mounting aperture.
Other embodiments may include various methods for making and/or using any of the aforementioned constructions.
These and other advantages and features, which characterize the invention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described example embodiments of the invention. This summary is merely provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In some embodiments consistent with the invention, a tubular spray element is formed in part using an elongated tube joined with a molded polymer support member using one or more retaining tabs that are molded into the support member and that project radially within a sleeve in the support member to engage with cooperative mounting apertures in the elongated metal tube and thereby restrict relative movement between the elongated metal tube and the support member both about and along a longitudinal axis of the tubular spray element.
A tubular spray element, in this regard, may be considered to be a type of rotatable conduit that includes a body capable of communicating a fluid such as water, a wash fluid including water, detergent and/or another treatment composition, or pressurized air, and that is capable of communicating the fluid to one or more apertures or nozzles to spray fluid onto utensils within a wash tub. A tubular spray element generally includes an elongated body, which may be generally cylindrical in some embodiments but may also have other cross-sectional profiles in other embodiments, and which has one or more apertures disposed on an exterior surface thereof and in fluid communication with a fluid supply, e.g., through one or more internal passageways defined therein. A tubular spray element also has a longitudinal axis generally defined along its longest dimension and about which the tubular spray element rotates. Further, when a tubular spray element is mounted on a rack and configured to selectively engage with a dock based upon the position of the rack, this longitudinal axis may also be considered to be an axis of insertion. A tubular spray element may also have a cross-sectional profile that varies along the longitudinal axis, so it will be appreciated that a tubular spray element need not have a circular cross-sectional profile along its length as is illustrated in a number embodiments herein. In addition, the one or more apertures on the exterior surface of a tubular spray element may be arranged into nozzles in some embodiments, and may be fixed or movable (e.g., rotating, oscillating, etc.) with respect to other apertures on the tubular spray element. Further, the exterior surface of a tubular spray element may be defined on multiple components of a tubular spray element, i.e., the exterior surface need not be formed by a single integral component.
In addition, in some embodiments a tubular spray element may be discretely directed by a tubular spray element drive to multiple rotational positions about the longitudinal axis to spray a fluid in predetermined directions into a wash tub of a dishwasher during a wash cycle. In some embodiments, the tubular spray element may be operably coupled to such a drive through a support arrangement that both rotates the tubular spray element and supplies fluid to the tubular spray element, as will become more apparent below. Further details regarding tubular spray elements may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 10,531,781 to Digman et al., which is assigned to the same assignee as that of the present application, and which is incorporated by reference herein. In other embodiments, however, a tubular spray element may rotate in a less controlled fashion, e.g., through the use of an electric drive, a hydraulic drive, or based upon a force generated in reaction to the ejection of wash fluid from the tubular spray element itself. In such instances, the rotational position of a tubular spray element may not be discretely controlled and/or known at any given time, although other aspects of the rotation or operation of the tubular spray element may still be controlled in some embodiments, e.g., the speed of rotation, whether rotation is enabled or disabled, and/or whether fluid flow is provided to the tubular spray element, etc.
Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views,
In addition, consistent with some embodiments of the invention, dishwasher 10 may include one or more tubular spray elements (TSEs) 26 to direct a wash fluid onto utensils disposed in racks 18, 20. As will become more apparent below, tubular spray elements 26 are rotatable about respective longitudinal axes and are discretely directable by one or more tubular spray element drives (not shown in
Some tubular spray elements 26 may be fixedly mounted to a wall or other structure in wash tub 16, e.g., as may be the case for tubular spray elements 26 disposed below or adjacent lower rack 18. For other tubular spray elements 26, e.g., rack-mounted tubular spray elements, the tubular spray elements may be removably coupled to a docking arrangement such as docking arrangement 28 mounted to the rear wall of wash tub 16 in
The embodiments discussed hereinafter will focus on the implementation of the hereinafter-described techniques within a hinged-door dishwasher. However, it will be appreciated that the herein-described techniques may also be used in connection with other types of dishwashers in some embodiments. For example, the herein-described techniques may be used in commercial applications in some embodiments. Moreover, at least some of the herein-described techniques may be used in connection with other dishwasher configurations, including dishwashers utilizing sliding drawers or dish sink dishwashers, e.g., a dishwasher integrated into a sink.
Now turning to
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, pump 36 and air supply 38 collectively implement a fluid supply for dishwasher 100, providing both a source of wash fluid and pressurized air for use respectively during wash and drying operations of a wash cycle. A wash fluid may be considered to be a fluid, generally a liquid, incorporating at least water, and in some instances, additional components such as detergent, rinse aid, and other additives. During a rinse operation, for example, the wash fluid may include only water. A wash fluid may also include steam in some instances. Pressurized air is generally used in drying operations, and may or may not be heated and/or dehumidified prior to spraying into a wash tub. It will be appreciated, however, that pressurized air may not be used for drying purposes in some embodiments, so air supply 38 may be omitted in some instances. Moreover, in some instances, tubular spray elements may be used solely for spraying wash fluid or spraying pressurized air, with other sprayers or spray arms used for other purposes, so the invention is not limited to the use of tubular spray elements for spraying both wash fluid and pressurized air.
Controller 30 may also be coupled to a dispenser 44 to trigger the dispensing of detergent and/or rinse agent into the wash tub at appropriate points during a wash cycle. Additional sensors and actuators may also be used in some embodiments, including a temperature sensor 46 to determine a wash fluid temperature, a door switch 48 to determine when door 12 is latched, and a door lock 50 to prevent the door from being opened during a wash cycle. Moreover, controller 30 may be coupled to a user interface 52 including various input/output devices such as knobs, dials, sliders, switches, buttons, lights, textual and/or graphics displays, touch screen displays, speakers, image capture devices, microphones, etc. for receiving input from and communicating with a user. In some embodiments, controller 30 may also be coupled to one or more network interfaces 54, e.g., for interfacing with external devices via wired and/or wireless networks such as Ethernet, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular and other suitable networks. Additional components may also be interfaced with controller 30, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of the instant disclosure. For example, one or more tubular spray element (TSE) drives 56 and/or one or more tubular spray element (TSE) valves 58 may be provided in some embodiments to discretely control one or more tubular spray elements disposed in dishwasher 10, as will be discussed in greater detail below.
It will be appreciated that each tubular spray element drive 56 may also provide feedback to controller 30 in some embodiments, e.g., a current position and/or speed, although in other embodiments a separate position sensor may be used. In addition, as will become more apparent below, flow regulation to a tubular spray element may be performed without the use of a separately-controlled tubular spray element valve 58 in some embodiments, e.g., where rotation of a tubular spray element by a tubular spray element drive is used to actuate a mechanical valve.
Moreover, in some embodiments, at least a portion of controller 30 may be implemented externally from a dishwasher, e.g., within a mobile device, a cloud computing environment, etc., such that at least a portion of the functionality described herein is implemented within the portion of the controller that is externally implemented. In some embodiments, controller 30 may operate under the control of an operating system and may execute or otherwise rely upon various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc. In addition, controller 30 may also incorporate hardware logic to implement some or all of the functionality disclosed herein. Further, in some embodiments, the sequences of operations performed by controller 30 to implement the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using program code including one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices, and that, when read and executed by one or more hardware-based processors, perform the operations embodying desired functionality. Moreover, in some embodiments, such program code may be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer readable media used to actually carry out the distribution, including, for example, non-transitory computer readable storage media. In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations described herein may be combined, split, reordered, reversed, varied, omitted, parallelized and/or supplemented with other techniques known in the art, and therefore, the invention is not limited to the particular sequences of operations described herein.
Numerous variations and modifications to the dishwasher illustrated in
Now turning to
Moreover, as illustrated in
Tubular spray element 100 is in fluid communication with a fluid supply 106, e.g., through a port 108 of tubular spray element drive 102, to direct fluid from the fluid supply into the wash tub through the one or more apertures 104. Tubular spray element drive 102 is coupled to tubular spray element 100 and is configured to discretely direct the tubular spray element 100 to each of a plurality of rotational positions about longitudinal axis L. By “discretely directing,” what is meant is that tubular spray element drive 102 is capable of rotating tubular spray element 100 generally to a controlled rotational angle (or at least within a range of rotational angles) about longitudinal axis L. Thus, rather than uncontrollably rotating tubular spray element 100 or uncontrollably oscillating the tubular spray element between two fixed rotational positions, tubular spray element drive 102 is capable of intelligently focusing the spray from tubular spray element 100 between multiple rotational positions. It will also be appreciated that rotating a tubular spray element to a controlled rotational angle may refer to an absolute rotational angle (e.g., about 10 degrees from a home position) or may refer to a relative rotational angle (e.g., about 10 degrees from the current position).
Tubular spray element drive 102 is also illustrated with an electrical connection 110 for coupling to a controller 112, and a housing 114 is illustrated for housing various components in tubular spray element drive 102 that will be discussed in greater detail below. In the illustrated embodiment, tubular spray element drive 102 is configured as a base that supports, through a rotary coupling, an end of the tubular spray element and effectively places the tubular spray element in fluid communication with port 108.
By having an intelligent control provided by tubular spray element drive 102 and/or controller 112, spray patterns and cycle parameters may be increased and optimized for different situations. For instance, tubular spray elements near the center of a wash tub may be configured to rotate 360 degrees, while tubular spray elements located near wash tub walls may be limited to about 180 degrees of rotation to avoid spraying directly onto any of the walls of the wash tub, which can be a significant source of noise in a dishwasher. In another instance, it may be desirable to direct or focus a tubular spray element to a fixed rotational position or over a small range of rotational positions (e.g., about 5-10 degrees) to provide concentrated spray of liquid, steam and/or air, e.g., for cleaning silverware or baked on debris in a pan. In addition, in some instances the rotational velocity of a tubular spray element could be varied throughout rotation to provide longer durations in certain ranges of rotational positions and thus provide more concentrated washing in particular areas of a wash tub, while still maintaining rotation through 360 degrees. Control over a tubular spray element may include control over rotational position, speed or rate of rotation and/or direction of rotation in different embodiments of the invention.
In addition, an optional position sensor 122 may be disposed in tubular spray element drive 102 to determine a rotational position of tubular spray element 100 about axis L. Position sensor 122 may be an encoder or hall sensor in some embodiments, or may be implemented in other manners, e.g., integrated into a stepper motor, whereby the rotational position of the motor is used to determine the rotational position of the tubular spray element. Position sensor 122 may also sense only limited rotational positions about axis L (e.g., a home position, 30 or 45 degree increments, etc.). Further, in some embodiments, rotational position may be controlled using time and programming logic, e.g., relative to a home position, and in some instances without feedback from a motor or position sensor. Position sensor 122 may also be external to tubular spray element drive 102 in some embodiments.
An internal passage 124 in tubular spray element 100 is in fluid communication with an internal passage 126 leading to port 108 (not shown in
Turning to
In some embodiments, valve 140 may be actuated independent of rotation of tubular spray element 144, e.g., using an iris valve, butterfly valve, gate valve, plunger valve, piston valve, valve with a rotatable disc, ball valve, etc., and actuated by a solenoid, motor or other separate mechanism from the mechanism that rotates tubular spray element 144. In other embodiments, however, valve 140 may be actuated through rotation of tubular spray element 144. In some embodiments, for example, rotation of tubular spray element 144 to a predetermined rotational position may close valve 140, e.g., where valve 140 includes an arcuate channel that permits fluid flow over only a range of rotational positions. In other embodiments, a valve may be actuated through over-rotation of a tubular spray element, or through counter rotation of a tubular spray element. Further, in some embodiments, a valve may be variable, e.g., configured as an iris valve, to regulate fluid flow to the tubular spray element, and may be independently actuated from rotation of a tubular spray element in some embodiments (e.g., via a solenoid or motor), or may be actuated through rotation of a tubular spray element, e.g., through rotation to a predetermined position, an over-rotation, or a counter-rotation, using appropriate mechanical linkages. Other variations will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of the instant disclosure.
Now turning to
Moreover, as illustrated by tubular spray element 150 of
In still other embodiments, a tubular spray element may be rack-mounted.
As an alternative, and as illustrated in
In some embodiments, tubular spray elements 196, 198 by themselves may provide sufficient washing action and coverage. In other embodiments, however, additional tubular spray elements, e.g., tubular spray elements 199 supported above upper rack 192 on one or both of the top and back walls of wash tub 190, may also be used. In addition, in some embodiments, additional spray arms and/or other sprayers may be used. It will also be appreciated that while 10 tubular spray elements are illustrated in
It will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, multiple tubular spray elements may be driven by the same tubular spray element drive, e.g., using geared arrangements, belt drives, or other mechanical couplings. Further, tubular spray elements may also be movable in various directions in addition to rotating about their longitudinal axes, e.g., to move transversely to a longitudinally axis, to rotate about an axis of rotation that is transverse to a longitudinal axis, etc. In addition, deflectors may be used in combination with tubular spray elements in some embodiments to further the spread of fluid and/or prevent fluid from hitting tub walls. In some embodiments, deflectors may be integrated into a rack, while in other embodiments, deflectors may be mounted to a wall of the wash tub. In addition, deflectors may also be movable in some embodiments, e.g., to redirect fluid between multiple directions. Moreover, while in some embodiments tubular spray elements may be used solely to spray wash fluid, in other embodiments tubular spray elements may be used to spray pressurized air at utensils during a drying operation of a wash cycle, e.g., to blow off water that pools on cups and dishes after rinsing is complete. In some instances, different tubular spray elements may be used to spray wash fluid and spray pressurized air, while in other instances the same tubular spray elements may be used to alternately or concurrently spray wash liquid and pressurized air.
In some embodiments, for cost and/or simplicity, it may be desirable to utilize a prefabricated elongated metal tube in a tubular spray element. However, due to the need to provide support for the tubular spray element, as well as a way to rotate the tubular spray element and supply fluid thereto, it may also be desirable to include components such as gears, valves, supports, etc. that are more suited for construction out of molded and/or polymer materials. Joining molded polymer parts to prefabricated elongated metal tubes, however, desirably minimizes the number of processes performed on the elongated metal tubes, which would otherwise defeat the purpose of using such tubes. In embodiments consistent with the invention, as described below, a retaining mechanism incorporating a retaining tab supported on a molded polymer support member through a living hinge may be used to engage with a mounting aperture on a sidewall of an elongated metal tube to provide a suitable mechanism for fastening the support member to the elongated metal tube, and to do so in an economical, simple, and easily-manufactured manner.
Now turning to
Each elongated metal tube 210, 212 includes a plurality of apertures 218, 220 suitable for directing wash fluid into the wash tub. Each tubular spray element 202, 204 moreover is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, e.g., axis L for tubular spray element 204. In order to rotate each tubular spray element, the support member 214, 216 thereof includes a gear 222, 224 including a plurality of teeth 226, 228 that generally project radially from the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular spray element 202, 204 and mate with cooperative teeth 230 on a drive gear 232 driven by motor 206.
Each support member 214, 216 also includes a tubular portion 234, 236 that includes a sleeve or channel 238, 240 configured to receive the elongated metal tube 210, 212, and that generally projects axially from gear 222, 224 along the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular spray element 202, 204. In addition, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Retaining tab 262 in the illustrated embodiment is integrally molded into a sidewall 264 of tubular portion 236 and defined by a continuous slot 266 that further defines a living hinge 268 that is integrally molded into support member 216 and effectively couples retaining tab 262 to support member 216. Retaining tab 262 may include a bulbous head 270 that may be circular in shape or otherwise have a shape and size suitable for projecting into mounting aperture 258 when elongated metal tube 212 and support member 216 are appropriately aligned. Living hinge 268 in contrast may be configured as a relatively narrow strip having a smaller width than that of bulbous head 270 to provide a desired degree of flexibility. The size and configuration of each of living hinge 268 and bulbous head 270 of retaining tab 262, however, may vary in other embodiments.
In the illustrated embodiment, living hinge 268 extends along and flexes within a plane P (
In the illustrated embodiment, and as illustrated in
In addition, in the illustrated embodiment it may be desirable to incorporate an inclined ramp 280 on retaining tab 262 to facilitate assembly of elongated metal tube 212 and support member 216. In particular, inclined ramp 280 may be oriented and angled such that when elongated metal tube 212 is inserted into sleeve 240 of support member 216 from a backside 282 thereof, a leading edge 284 of elongated metal tube 212 will engage with inclined ramp 280 to flex living hinge 268 and thereby deflect retaining tab 262 until retaining tab 262 is aligned with mounting aperture 258, at which point the bias of living hinge 268 will urge retaining tab 262 into mounting aperture 258 and thereby join elongated metal tube 212 and support member 216 in proper alignment.
While support member 216 may be molded using a number of different technologies in other embodiments, in the illustrated embodiment support member 216 is injection molded using a single cavity/core mold with a divided draft, with both sides of living hinge 268 and retaining tab 262 formed on opposite drafts, e.g., as represented by part line 286 in
There herein-described retaining mechanism therefore provides a relatively simple, reliable, and inexpensive method of attachment suitable for use with prefabricated elongated metal tubes, and one that is generally more suitable for large scale manufacturing than alternative technologies such as set screws, knurling, press-fitting, etc. It will be appreciated that a wide variety of alternative configurations may be used in other embodiments, including the use of multiple retaining tabs/mounting apertures, as well as different living hinge orientations and/or retaining tab configurations. In addition, rather than projecting radially inwardly into a sleeve as illustrated herein, a retaining tab in other embodiments may project in different orientations and directions to engage with a mounting aperture in an elongated metal tube, including, for example, radially outwardly (e.g., where the elongated metal tube slides over an outwardly-facing sleeve rather than an inwardly-facing sleeve), or in other directions that will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of the instant disclosure.
Other modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention lies in the claims hereinafter appended.
