Patent Application
20110221313
The present invention is directed to a household appliance, and more particularly, to a household appliance including a removable kick panel, and more particularly, to a household appliance including a removable kick panel having a concealed catch and no visible fixation areas.
A household appliance, such as a front-loading clothes washer or dryer, includes a housing having a door that provides access to a washing unit or drying unit in the interior of the appliance housing. For example, in a washer, the washing unit includes a tub having a cylindrical washing drum rotatably mounted inside the tub. In operation, clothes or laundry are inserted into the washer through the door and placed in the rotating washing drum inside the tub. The household appliance wets the laundry to be washed with washing liquid and mechanically moves the laundry to release contaminants from the laundry. A drive system rotates the washing drum inside the tub about an axis of the drum. A pump is coupled to a drain on the bottom of the tub for removing washing liquid from the tub.
In operation, small laundry items (e.g., baby socks, mittens, fluff, etc.) can get sucked into the pump during the drain cycle, thereby causing a blockage in the pump. In some conventional appliances, the user is not provided with any access to the pump, and therefore, a service technician must be called to clear the blockage in the pump, which increases operating costs to the user. It is desirable to provide the user with access to the pump such that the user can clear the pump blockage themselves, thereby reducing or avoiding service costs for common pump blockages.
In some conventional household appliances, the user access to the pump is provided, for example, by incorporating a small access door at the front of the washer, or by providing a kick panel coupled to the front panel of the appliance that can be removed to access the pump. Product Safety Certification Organizations, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), mandate that the user be prevented from touching any electrically live parts or rotating parts without the use of a tool. In order to comply with these requirements, many conventional appliances use secondary fixation devices for securing the access door or the kick panel to the front panel of the appliance. These secondary fixation devices, which commonly include threaded fasteners such as screws, bolts, etc., require the use of a tool (e.g., a screwdriver, hex wrench, socket, etc.) to remove the access door or kick panel.
In the conventional appliances having a small access door in the front panel, there is a problem in that the access door affects the aesthetic appearance of the appliance when viewed from the front, which generally is undesirable to the user. Moreover, the access door commonly is fixed using one or more threaded fasteners, such as screws, which are visible from the front and hence have a negative effect on the aesthetic appearance of the appliance.
In other conventional appliances, a kick panel may be provided. The kick panel can be configured to be removed to access the pump, parts, etc. Such conventional kick panels commonly are rigid metal kick panels secured by a plurality of threaded fasteners that must be removed and then reinstalled by the user after accessing the pump. In these devices, there commonly is a problem that the fixation devices, which commonly include threaded fasteners such as screws, bolts, etc., for securing the kick panel to the front panel of the appliance, are visible from the front of the appliance. This is particularly the case when the appliance is arranged in a stacked configuration and the location of the fixation devices is closer to the chest height or eye level of the user. Conventional designs have attempted to hide these fixation devices from being visible to the user, for example, by locating the screws under the lower edge of the kick panel. However, the known conventional solutions for concealing or hiding the fixation devices from view generally reduce or limit the accessibility to the fixation devices by the user, which results in additional time, effort, and difficulty to remove the kick panel. In many cases, it is necessary to tilt the household appliance backward in order to access the fixation devices. There is a problem in that it may not be possible for a user to tilt the appliance, for example, in built-in configurations, stacked configurations, etc. It also may be difficult for some users to provide enough force to tilt the weight of the appliance. These conventional solutions may lead to an increased risk of tipping of the appliance, damage to the appliance or adjacent appliances/fixtures, and/or injury to the user.
In some conventional devices, the kick panel may include a step portion formed, for example, at the lower front surface to provide access to the fixation devices, for example, using a screwdriver, hex wrench, socket, etc. without tilting. As a result, both the step portion and the screws are visible from the front of the appliance, each of which affects the aesthetic appearance of the appliance to the user.
These problems and others are addressed by the present invention, exemplary embodiments of which provide a removable kick panel for a household appliance, such as a washer or dryer, having catch means that are concealed from view from the front of the household appliance, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance of the household appliance while providing user access, for example, to the pump. The exemplary embodiments provide a removable kick panel that is easily accessible for various appliance configurations, such as stacked, side-by-side, and built-in configurations, and that is easily removed and installed by a user with minimal or no tools, and without moving or tilting the appliance. Moreover, the exemplary embodiments provide a removable kick panel that does not require secondary fixation devices, such as threaded fasteners, for securing the kick panel to the front panel of the appliance.
An exemplary embodiment of the kick panel can include a concealed catch at one or both ends of the kick panel for removably coupling the kick panel to the front panel of the household appliance.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the kick panel, or at least the sidewalls thereof, can be flexible such that the sidewalls of the kick panel can be flexed, bent, or bowed away from the sidewalls of the front panel, thereby enabling the kick panel to removably snap over the metal front panel of the appliance.
The concealed catch of the kick panel can include, for example, an integrated catch formed on an inner surface of the sidewalls of the kick panel such that the front wall of the kick panel has no visible fixation area when viewed from the front of the appliance, thereby improving the aesthetic appearance of the kick panel to the user. Each catch can be configured to match up with a cut-out portion or retaining slot formed in a sidewall of the underlying metal front panel of the appliance.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the catch can be formed in the shape of a wedge having a cam surface projecting from the inner surface of the sidewall for engaging the cut-out portion formed in the sidewall of the underlying metal front panel of the appliance. The hook is not limited to a wedge and can include other suitable shapes, such as a projection, hook, tab, or the like that can engage the cut-out portion in the front panel when the kick panel is snapped over the front panel and that can be disengaged from the cut-out portion by flexing, bowing, or bending the sidewalls of the kick panel away from the sidewalls of the front panel.
In an exemplary embodiment, the kick panel includes two snap hook features, one at each sidewall of the kick panel, that snap into cut-outs formed in each sidewall of the metal front panel. In this manner, the present invention does not require secondary fixation methods, like threaded fasteners, screws, etc. In operation, the two snap hook features locate and fixate the kick panel in a vertical direction. The horizontal (e.g., left to right) location and fixation of the kick panel can be achieved by the kick panel having the same or substantially similar inside width as the front panel width over which the kick panel is wrapped or snapped around.
In another embodiment, the inner surface of the front wall of the kick panel can include a plurality of hooks that engage into a plurality of corresponding cut-outs formed in the front wall of the front panel. The engagement of the plurality of hooks into the front cut-outs can secure or pull the kick panel flush against the front wall of the front panel, thereby minimizing or eliminating any rattling between the kick panel and the front panel during operating cycles of the household appliance.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a kick panel that can be easily removed and reinstalled. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the kick panel can be installed by aligning the kick panel with the front panel and then pushing the kick panel against the front panel (i.e. toward the household appliance). At this point, the side walls of the kick panel can flex or bow in an outward direction from the sidewalls of the front panel, for example, as a result of the cam surfaces of the catches on each side of the kick panel gliding against the sidewalls of the front panel. The kick panel then can be pushed upwards until the two catches (e.g., snap hook features) snap into the cut-outs in the sidewalls of the front panel. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the size, shape, and orientation of the catches can vary within the spirit and scope of the invention depending on overall appliance design.
In an exemplary embodiment having catches and front hooks, the kick panel similarly can be installed by aligning the front hooks with the corresponding cut-outs in the front panel and then pushing the kick panel against the front panel (i.e. toward the household appliance). At this point, the side walls of the kick panel can flex or bow in an outward direction from the sidewalls of the front panel, for example, as a result of the cam surfaces of the catches on each side of the kick panel gliding against the sidewalls of the front panel. The kick panel then can be pushed upwards until the front hooks engage the front cut-outs in the front panel and the two catches (e.g., snap hook features) snap into the cut-outs in the sidewalls of the front panel. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the size, shape, and orientation of the catches and front hooks can vary within the spirit and scope of the invention depending on overall appliance design.
To remove the kick panel, a screw driver or a custom tool can be wedged between the sidewall of the kick panel and the sidewall of the front panel to flex or bow the sidewall of the kick panel away from the front panel until the hook or catch clears the underlying cut-out portion of the front panel. The kick panel then can be removed easily and effortlessly from the front panel.
An exemplary embodiment of the kick panel can include a cut-out or kick-panel release hole formed in an edge of the sidewall of the kick panel corresponding, for example, to an optimal location for insertion of a screwdriver or custom tool between the sidewall of the kick panel and the sidewall of the front panel. The cut-out or kick-panel release hole can be, for example, a U-shaped cut-out on each side of the kick panel. In this manner, the present invention can guide the user during the insertion of the screw driver or custom tool for removing the kick panel without affecting the aesthetic appearance of the kick panel when viewed from the front.
In operation, a screw driver, a similar wedge tool, or custom wedge tool can be inserted into the U-shaped opening and in between the side wall of the kick panel and the side wall of the front panel of the appliance. The screw driver or similar tool acts as a wedge or cam surface between the side wall of the kick panel and the side wall of the front panel such that the kick panel flexes or bows outward, thereby disengaging the catches (e.g., snap hooks) at each side of the kick panel from the cut-outs in the sidewalls of the front panel. At this point, the user can apply a slight downwards force to the kick panel, thereby resulting in disengagement of the front hooks (if equipped) from the cut-outs in the front wall of the front panel. The kick panel is disassembled at this stage.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a custom wedge tool for insertion between the sidewall of the kick panel and the sidewall of the front panel to remove the kick panel. The exemplary custom wedge tool can include a plastic wedge tool having predetermined geometric dimensions, such as length, height, width, and slope of the cam surface, that match the design of the appliance and that provide a predetermined or optimal amount of flex or bowing of the sidewall of the kick panel to release the catches from the cut-outs or retaining slots of the front panel. In this manner, the present invention eliminates guessing and uncertainties by the user as to whether or not the catches, which are not visible to the user, properly are disengaged.
Another exemplary embodiment can include a step formed between the sidewall of the front panel and the sidewall of the kick panel such that the exemplary plastic wedge tool can snap into place when inserted. The wedge can have a predetermined height that is designed to securely disengage the hook when the wedge is fully seated or snapped in place.
In this manner, the present invention provides important advantages by providing a removable kick panel that easily can be removed by a user without having visible fasteners, such as screws, clips, etc., on the front of the appliance. These exemplary embodiments are particularly advantageous for stacked appliances, such as a stacked washer and dryer, in which the kick panel is readily visible to the user. According to the present invention, no visible step from the side of the unit is necessary, and the kick panel can be configured to extend all the way down to, and matched up with, a lower edge of the side panel of the appliance.
In another exemplary embodiment, the kick panel can include an access hole formed in the front of the kick panel at each end through which a screw driver or similar tool can be inserted to act as a wedge between the sidewall of the kick panel and the sidewall of the front panel. In this embodiment, the screw driver or similar tool can be inserted from the front of the appliance. In this manner, the present invention provides important advantages by providing a removable kick panel that easily can be removed by a user without having visible fasteners, such as screws, clips, etc., on the front of the appliance, and with only a small access hole formed on either side of front wall of the kick panel. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for side-by-side or built-in appliance configurations in which the sidewalls of the kick panel are not readily accessible to the user. According to the present invention, no visible step from the side of the unit is necessary, and the kick panel can be configured to extend all the way down to, and matched up with, a lower edge of the side panel of the appliance.
Another exemplary embodiment of the kick panel can include one or more stops formed on the inner surface of the bottom wall of the kick panel. The stops fill the void or space between the bottom wall of the kick panel and the bottom wall of the front panel, thereby limiting the vertical movement of the kick panel with respect to the front panel after assembly. These features are important for minimizing or preventing damage to the catches, front hooks, or kick panel surfaces resulting from forces being applied to the bottom of the appliance, for example, from dropping the appliance, transporting the appliance, etc. These features also aid in the manufacturing process and the customer re-assembly process by providing a defined stopping point for coupling the kick panel to the front panel.
In addition to or as an alternative to the catches, other exemplary embodiments of the kick panel can include one or more angled channels for securing the kick panel to the front panel using threaded fasteners, such as screws, etc. For example, other embodiments can include a plurality of angled channels (e.g., three angled channels) formed in and spaced across the bottom wall of the kick panel for receiving threaded fasteners. The angled channels can guide the threaded fasteners through openings in the bottom wall of the kick panel, through openings formed in bottom wall of the front panel, and into a bottom plate of the appliance, thereby securing the kick panel to the front panel. The angled channels also conceal the threaded fasteners from view from the front of the appliance, while tilting the fasteners to improve access to the ends of the fasteners.
In another exemplary embodiment, the outer surface of the bottom surface of the kick panel can be angled with respect to a bottom edge of the side walls of the appliance. The angle can be other than 90° such that the angled channels and the threaded fasteners therein are more easily accessed by the user without moving or tilting the appliance from its resting position. Preferably, the outer surface is angled such that the threaded fasteners in the channel can be accessed by inserting the screwdriver substantially straight into the channel (e.g., in a plane perpendicular to the front of the appliance).
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a kick panel for a household appliance, such as a washer or dryer, that easily is removable from, and reinstalled on, the front panel of the household appliance by a user without secondary fixation methods (e.g., screws; clips, etc.). The kick panel according the present invention can be provided with minimal or no visible fixation areas (e.g., holes, screw heads, etc.) when the appliance is viewed from the front, thereby providing user access, for example, to the pump or other parts, while minimizing disruptions to the aesthetic appearance of the appliance.
For example, a first exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a household appliance comprising a housing body; a front panel defining a front of the housing body, the front panel including a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the front panel, the first side wall of the front panel including a cut-out; and a kick panel removably secured to the front panel, the kick panel including a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the kick panel, wherein an inner concealed surface of the first side wall of the kick panel includes a catch device extending therefrom and engaging the cut-out of the front panel and securing the kick panel to the front panel, and wherein the kick panel conceals the catch device from view when viewed from a front of the household appliance.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a kick panel for a household appliance, wherein the household appliance includes a housing body and a front panel defining a front of the housing body, the front panel including a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the front panel, the first side wall of the front panel including a cut-out, wherein the kick panel comprises a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the kick panel, wherein an inner concealed surface of the first side wall of the kick panel includes a catch device extending therefrom for engaging the cut-out of the front panel and securing the kick panel to the front panel, and wherein the kick panel conceals the catch device from view when viewed from a front of the household appliance.
A further exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a household appliance comprising a housing body; a front panel defining a front of the housing body, the front panel including a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the front panel, the first side wall of the front panel including a cut-out; and a kick panel removably secured to the front panel, the kick panel including a front wall and a first side wall adjacent to a first end of the front wall of the kick panel, wherein an inner concealed surface of the first side wall of the kick panel includes concealed catch means for engaging the cut-out of the front panel and securing the kick panel to the front panel, and wherein the kick panel conceals the concealed catch means from view when viewed from a front of the household appliance.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description and drawings.
These and other aspects and features of embodiments of the present invention will be better understood after a reading of the following detailed description, together with the attached drawings, wherein:
The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Referring now to the drawings,
With reference to
The kick panel 300 can include one or more catch means formed on the inner surface 304b of the sidewall 304. The catch 308 is concealed from view from the front of the household appliance. The catch means can include, for example, a catch 308, such as a wedge-shaped catch, a snap catch, a projection, a hook, a tab, or the like that can engage the cut-out portion 208 in the front panel 200 when the kick panel 300 is snapped over the front panel 200 and that can be disengaged from the cut-out portion 208 by flexing, bowing, or bending the sidewalls 304 of the kick panel 300 away from the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200.
In an exemplary embodiment, the kick panel 300 can include a concealed catch 308 at only a single end of the kick panel 300. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the kick panel 300 can include at least one concealed catch 308 at each end of the kick panel 300. The arrangement and number of concealed catches 308 is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and other arrangements and number of catches are contemplated. The catch 308 preferably can be formed from plastic. However, other materials are contemplated, such as metal. The catch 308 can be integrally formed with the kick panel, or separately formed and coupled to the kick panel 300 by conventional attachment means.
The kick panel 300, or at least the sidewalls 304 thereof, can be flexible such that the sidewalls 304 of the kick panel 300 can be flexed, bent, or bowed. The kick panel 300 can be formed, for example, from sheet metal, plastic resin, or other suitable materials with sufficient flexible characteristics. The front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can be a planar surface or a curved surface that conforms with or corresponds to the shape of the front panel 200 of the household appliance. The top, side, and bottom edges of the kick panel 300 can have a linear shape or a curved shaped depending on the shape of the household appliance.
With reference again to
With reference again to
In another exemplary embodiment, the inner surface 302b of the front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can include a plurality of hooks 312 that engage into a plurality of corresponding cut-outs 212 formed in the front wall 202 of the front panel 200. The inner surface 302b of the front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can include one or more front ribs 311 projecting away from the inner concealed surface and toward the front wall 202 of the front panel 200. The ribs 311 abut the front wall of the front panel when the plurality of hooks 312 of the kick panel are engaged with the plurality of cut-outs of the front panel. These features will be described in greater detail with reference to
Another exemplary embodiment of the kick panel 300 can include one or more stops 314 on the inner surface 306b of the bottom wall 306 of the kick panel 300. The stops 314 will be described in greater detail with respect to
With reference to
With reference to
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can be provided within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in other embodiments, the catch can be formed on the outer surface of the side wall 204 of the front panel 200 for engaging a cut-out formed in the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300.
An exemplary method for installing the kick panel will now be described with reference again to
In operation, the kick panel 300 can be installed by aligning the kick panel 300 with the front panel 200 and then pushing the kick panel 300 against the front panel 200 (i.e., toward the household appliance). At this point, the side walls 304 of the kick panel 300 can flex or bow in an outward direction from the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200, for example, as a result of the cam surfaces of the catches 308 on each side of the kick panel 300 gliding against the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200. The kick panel 300 then can be pushed upwards until the two catches 308 (e.g., snap hook features) snap into the cut-outs 208 in the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200. The catches 308 engage the cut-out portion 208 to locate and fixate the kick panel 300 in a vertical direction. At this time, the kick panel 300 can be snapped into place leaving a uniformly narrow gap between the kick panel 300 and the front panel 200 and the sidewall 400 of the appliance.
The kick panel 300 can have the same or substantially similar inside width as a width of the front panel 200 over which the kick panel 300 is wrapped or snapped around, thereby further locating and fixating the kick panel 300 in a horizontal (e.g., left to right) direction. In an exemplary embodiment, the side ribs 309 on the inner surface 304b can define a predetermined inside width of the kick panel 300. The horizontal (e.g., left to right) location and fixation of the kick panel 300 can be achieved by the kick panel 300 having the same or substantially similar inside width between the ribs 309 as the outer width of the front panel 200 over which the kick panel 300 is wrapped or snapped around.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the size, shape, and orientation of the catches 308 and/or side ribs 309 can vary within the spirit and scope of the invention depending on overall appliance design.
With reference to
To remove the kick panel 300, a screw driver or a custom tool (e.g., 500) can be wedged between the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300 and the sidewall 204 of the front panel 200 in a direction shown by the arrow in
In another exemplary embodiment, as described with reference to
In this embodiment, to remove the kick panel 300, a screw driver or a custom tool (e.g., 500) can be inserted into the cut-out 310 and between the sidewall 304 and sidewall 204 to flex or bow the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300 away from the front panel 200 until the catch 308 clears the underlying cut-out portion 208 of the front panel 200. The kick panel 300 then can be removed easily and effortlessly from the front panel 200.
With reference to
In another preferred exemplary embodiment, a custom wedge tool 500 can be provided for insertion between the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300 and the sidewall 204 of the front panel 200 to remove the kick panel 300. The custom wedge tool 500 can include a plastic wedge tool having predetermined geometric dimensions that match the design of the appliance and provide a predetermined or optimal amount of flex or bowing of the sidewall of the kick panel 300 to release the catches 308 from the cut-outs or retaining slots 208 of the front panel 200. As shown in
With reference to
The hooks 312 can be integrally formed with the kick panel 300, for example in the case of a plastic resin kick panel, or formed separately from the kick panel 300 and secured to the kick panel, for example, using an adhesive, welding, or other suitable means for securing the hooks to the kick panel 300. The hooks 312 can be formed from plastic, metal, or other suitable materials.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner surface 302b of the front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can include six (6) hooks 312 that engage into six (6) corresponding cut-outs 212 formed in the front wall 202 of the front panel 200. For example, three hooks can be positioned near the upper edge of the kick panel and three hooks can be positioned near the lower edge of the kick panel. Other arrangements of the hooks 312 also are possible.
In another exemplary embodiment, the inner surface 302b of the front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can include one or more front ribs 311 projecting away from the inner concealed surface 302b and toward the front wall 202 of the front panel 200. The ribs 311 abut the front wall 202 of the front panel 200 when the plurality of hooks 312 of the kick panel 300 are engaged with the plurality of cut-outs 212 of the front panel 200. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the inner surface 302b of the front wall 302 of the kick panel 300 can include at least one front rib 311 adjacent to each of the hooks 312, and more preferably, a pair of front ribs 311 adjacent to each of the hooks 312. For example, a rib 311 can be located on each side of the hook 312, as shown in
With reference again to
In this embodiment, the kick panel 300 can be installed by aligning the front hooks 312 with the corresponding cut-outs 212 in the front panel 200 and then pushing the kick panel 300 against the front panel 200 (i.e. toward the household appliance). At this point, the side walls 304 of the kick panel 300 can flex or bow in an outward direction from the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200, for example, as a result of the cam surfaces of the catches 308 on each side of the kick panel 300 gliding against the sidewalls 204 of the front panel 200. The kick panel 300 then can be pushed upwards until the front hooks 312 engage the front cut-outs 212 in the front panel 200 (as shown in
With reference to
With reference to
The kick panel 300 can include an access hole 320 formed in the front of the kick panel 300 at each end through which a screw driver 600 or similar tool can be inserted to act as a wedge between the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300 and the sidewall 202 of the front panel 200. In this embodiment, the screw driver 600 or similar tool can be inserted from the front of the appliance, thereby enabling the kick panel 300 to be removed from the front when access to the sidewalls 304 of the kick panel 300 is limited or unavailable, such as in a side-by-side configuration shown in
In operation, to remove the kick panel 300, a screw driver 600, preferably a flat-head screwdriver, can be inserted into the access hole of the kick panel and wedged between the sidewall 304 of the kick panel 300 and the sidewall 204 of the front panel 200 in a direction shown by the arrow in
With reference to
With reference to
For example, other embodiments can include a plurality of angled channels 316 (e.g., three angled channels) formed in and spaced across the bottom wall 306 of the kick panel 300 for receiving threaded fasteners (not shown). The angled channels 316 can guide the threaded fasteners through openings in the bottom wall 306 of the kick panel 300, through openings formed in bottom wall 206 of the front panel 200, and into a bottom plate (not shown) of the appliance, thereby securing the kick panel 300 to the front panel 200. The angled channels 316 can conceal the threaded fasteners from view from the front of the appliance, while tilting the fasteners to improve access to the ends of the fasteners.
With reference to
To summarize, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a kick panel for a household appliance, such as a washer or dryer, that easily is removable from, and reinstalled on, the front panel of the household appliance by a user without secondary fixation methods (e.g., screws; clips, etc.). The kick panel according the present invention can be provided with minimal or no visible fixation areas (e.g., holes, screw heads, etc.) when the appliance is viewed from the front, thereby providing user access, for example, to the pump or other parts, while minimizing disruptions to the aesthetic appearance of the appliance.
The present invention has been described herein in terms of several preferred embodiments. However, modifications and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It is intended that all such modifications and additions comprise a part of the present invention to the extent that they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto.
Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.”
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly.
