Housing for household appliance with external panel having integrated reinforcement

US11692716B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC. · BE

Inventors

• Stefan Bayerlein · Rothenburg ob der Tauber, DE
• Stefan Dänzer · Neuenkirchen, DE
• Reinhold Hofmann · Rothenburg ob der Tauber, DE
• Norbert Danzer · Gebsattel, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 2020
• Grant date: Jul 4, 2023
• Expiry date: May 21, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F24C15/08
• WIPO field: Thermal processes and apparatus
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A household appliance is provided having a plurality of decorative external panels that provide reinforcement to and an exterior face of the appliance. At least one of the panels has a main body portion and an interior body portion integrally formed together from a common sheet of material. The interior body portion has a plurality of integral structural reinforcements formed from bending the sheet of material in the interior body portion adjacent the main body portion. The integral structural reinforcements can include a pair of opposed parallelly extending pillars each defining a columnar volume, and a pair of opposed rearwardly bent flanges each being bent to engage the pair of pillars to form a box frame adjacent to and integral with the main body portion. In preferred embodiments, the plurality of reinforced external panels together can define a chassis of the appliance.