Patent ID: 6766596
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
An appliance comprising a housing defining a compartment including a wall having an opening through which clothing can ingress and egress said compartment, at least one of a door and lid, hinge means for effecting movement of said at least one door and lid between a first position substantially closing said opening and a second position substantially effecting opening of said opening, said at least one door and lid including a panel of substantially transparent tempered glass having a peripheral edge portion bordered by a frame defined at least in part by a peripheral encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, said frame including a peripherally innermost edge portion defined by upper and lower walls bridged by a peripheral wall collectively defining a channel housing said glass panel peripheral edge portion, said glass panel including an outer surface and an inner surface, a substantially central area and a peripheral area between said substantially central area and said peripheral encapsulation, means upon said glass panel inner surface of said peripheral area for imparting an appearance thereto ranging between substantially translucent to substantially opaque and establishing an edge defining an outer periphery of said substantially transparent central area through which the compartment and/or clothing therein can be viewed when said at least one door and lid is in the first position thereof, printing means in the form of at least one of clothing care instructions and safety directions upon at least an exposed surface portion of said appearance imparting means which are substantially indiscernible when viewed through said glass panel outer surface in said at least one door and lid first position, and said one of clothing care instructions and safety directions are readably oriented and readable in the at least one door and lid second position against the background afforded thereto by said appearance imparting means.