Patent ID: 6435632
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: F24F

Abstract:
A modular panel forming part of an enclosure for an appliance, the appliance being manufacturable in a plurality of sizes requiring two or more of said panels, each of said panels comprising:a main section defining a front surface and a rear surface and first and second substantially parallel spaced apart edges; said main section further comprising a first substantially planar section and a second section extending angularly rearwardly from said first section; a first flange integrally formed with said first and second sections of main section and extending rearwardly from said first edge and defining a rear edge; a second flange integrally formed with said first and second sections of said main section and extending rearwardly from said second edge and defining a rear edge; said first and second flanges extending substantially parallel to one another and each having an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface; said outer facing surface of said first flange having integrally formed, at the rear edge thereof, at least two first hinge elements, spaced from one another by a predetermined distance, which together define a first axis, one of said first hinge elements being adjacent said first section and another of said hinge elements being adjacent said second section; said outer surface of said second flange having integrally formed, at the rear edge thereof, at least two second hinge elements spaced from one another by the same predetermined distance as said first hinge elements, one of said second hinge elements being adjacent said first section and the other of said second hinge elements being adjacent said second section, and together defining a second axis parallel to said first axis; said second hinge elements being configured to joiningly engage said first hinge elements of another substantially identical modular panel in a manner which causes said first and second axes to become coincident and allows pivotal movement of said panels with respect to one another about said coincident axes until said outer surfaces of said first flange of said first modular panel is in confronting relation with said outer surface of said second flange of said another modular panel; and means for interconnecting said confronting outer surfaces to one another.