Patent ID: 9513013
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: F24C,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A manifold assembly having a plurality of user operable controls for a domestic kitchen appliance, the assembly comprising: a structural frame having an opening; an esthetic skin fixed to the structural frame, the esthetic skin having a front face and four transverse faces that extend at an angle from the front face, a cavity being formed by the front face and the transverse faces, each of the transverse faces having an edge, the edges of the transverse faces being configured to contact a front surface of the domestic kitchen appliance or a front surface of a cabinet in which the domestic kitchen appliance is installed; a first bar-shaped clamp; a second bar-shaped clamp; a control panel including the plurality of user operable controls positioned on the control panel and in the entire opening of the structural frame, the control panel being replacably removably positioned inside the cavity and clamped to the structural frame by the first bar-shaped clamp and the second bar-shaped clamp, the plurality of user operable controls being any and all user operable controls that are positioned inside the cavity; and a glass panel positioned between the structural frame and the control panel and replacably removably clamped in position in the cavity with the control panel by the first bar-shaped clamp and the second bar-shaped clamp, wherein the structural frame provides structural support for the skin and the control panel, the structural frame includes control panel locating features that locate the control panel relative to the skin, the first bar-shaped clamp is positioned along and contacts an upper longitudinal edge of the control panel such that a linear surface of the first bar-shaped clamp contacts a linear surface of the upper longitudinal edge of the control panel, the linear surface of the first bar-shaped clamp being parallel to the linear surface of the upper longitudinal edge of the control panel, the second bar-shaped clamp is positioned along and contacts a lower longitudinal edge of the control panel such that a linear surface of the second bar-shaped clamp contacts a linear surface of the lower longitudinal edge of the control panel, the linear surface of the second bar-shaped clamp being parallel to the linear surface of the lower longitudinal edge of the control panel, and the structural frame, the first bar-shaped clamp, the second bar-shaped clamp, and the control panel are positioned entirely within the cavity when the manifold assembly is in an assembled state.