Abstract:
A structural panel, such as an appliance door, includes first and second frame members each having inner and outer peripheral edges with the inner peripheral edges each defining an opening. At least one of the frames is constructed from synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material. A glass panel has an outer peripheral edge in sandwiched relationship with at least one annular member inner peripheral edge thereby closing the opening thereof, and the two frames are secured together. A second glass panel can be associated with the other frame to close the opening therein, and the glass panels can be in spaced parallel relationship to each other. Alternatively, one of the glass panels can be of a concavo/convex relationship, particularly when the structural panel is a washing machine door.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is directed to a door or lid for appliances, particularly for “white” goods, such as washers, but can also be utilized in conjunction with dryers or with “brown” appliances, such as a microwave ovens. Conventionally, washer doors have been made of metal with or without a glass panel through which the interior of the washer and its contents can be viewed. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
   UK Patent Application GB 2 118 580 describes conventional washer doors for washing machines which each include a piece of glass secured to a circumferential annular support formed of nesting sections by means of screws. In such conventional constructions, it is found very difficult to secure the glass to the annular support by means of separate support sections because the edge of the glass is very often irregular and cannot therefore be fitted correctly to the support. In order to avoid the latter and other problems, an annular support for the glass window of the washing machine door is formed of two complementary annular rings or frames which nest together and have two inboardmost flanges or opposing portions between which the circumferential outer edge of the glass is secured after the two rings have been joined together. The rings are joined together by peripherally innermost and outermost beads, projections or ribs which interconnect with grooves or ribs. Therefore, the washing machine door is essentially constructed from two separate annular rings and a piece of glass which are snap-secured to each other. 
   UK Patent Application GB 2 294 698 A acknowledges the existence in the prior art of a clothes washing machine door which includes two plastic rings but these are completely absent in the latter disclosure and instead the washer door is defined by a central wall member to which is glued a hinge and a catch. Since the entire door is made from transparent material, a layer of opaque material is applied to the part of the wall member to which the hinge and catch are attached in order to prevent the latter components from being viewed from the exterior. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,753 B1 discloses a drum-type washing machine having a cabinet with a front circular access opening which is accessible by opening a door of a circular shape which has a central transparent portion made of glass, for example. The specifics of the construction of the door are only illustrated schematically and are not described. 
   U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0046964 A1 discloses a conventional door having a transparent cover, most likely plastic, which is secured by a snap-assembly to a front frame and a gallows frame which allows viewing the washer interior. This might be a representative example of the schematically illustrated door of U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,753 B1. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,229 is an example of a relatively old washer door having a sleeve-like peripheral window portion with an edge of a glass panel being secured to a metallic door structure. Metal washer doors with glass windows made from enumerable metallic components screwed or bolted together remain commonplace in the industry and share many of the same disadvantages, most notable among which are the high cost of manufacturing and inevitable rusting and attendant leakage when in use. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,823 B1 discloses a door of a front-loading washing machine which has an annular front and an inwardly or rearwardly sloping back of lesser diameter and, on some models, a transparent window to allow the user to view the washing operation. The patent discloses but does not describe a peripheral interconnection between an edge of the transparent window and an unnumbered C-shaped channel in an inboard edge of a sloping back of the door. 
   U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,394,176 and 3,489,135 are each directed to an oven door construction but are included herein as exemplary of many door constructions utilizing two glass panels. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,559 discloses a clothes dryer having a front-loading glass door including a window united to a ring using a door glass seal or gasket. 
   A number of other patents developed during a search of the present invention are listed herein as reflective of the state of the art. 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
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   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is specifically directed to a clothes washer door for a clothes washer, but contrary to the latter-described conventional doors and those of the listed patents, the washer door of the present invention includes a transparent panel constructed from tempered glass and an open frame, border or encapsulation constructed of polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material. An outer peripheral edge of the tempered glass has injection molded thereto an innermost edge of the frame, border or encapsulation and a peripheral flange of the frame is provided with an appropriate hinge, catch and peripheral seal. A second outermost frame is secured in overlying relationship to the flange of the inner frame which effects an aesthetically pleasing outer appearance of the washer door. The two frames are preferably each made of polymeric/copolymeric plastic material and are preferably snap-secured together, but the outer frame can also be made of sheet metal or the like and can be secured to the inner frame by conventional fasteners, such as screws, bolts and nuts, etc. 
   The washer door, particularly when constructed from two polymeric/copolymeric frames or borders with the tempered glass encapsulated thereto, results in a virtually indestructible washer door which is leak-proof, rust-proof, effects low maintenance, is virtually indestructible, and achieves exceptionable aesthetics at modest costs. 
   In further accordance with the present invention, the washer door may be provided with a second glass panel carried by the outermost frame which is preferably united thereto through an injection molded peripheral edge encapsulation. In this case, the inner frame and its glass panel and the outer frame and its glass panel are each a unitary structure which can be readily, rapidly and inexpensively secured to each other and disassembled should such be required for purposes of gasket and/or desiccant replacement. 
   In further accordance with this invention, a washer door may also be constructed from an inner frame and an outer frame with the inner frame having encapsulated thereto an edge of a concavo/convex piece or panel of glass while the outer frame has an inner flange to which is glued an edge of a planar piece of glass. The concavo/convex glass not only affords visual access to the washer interior, but affords tumbling action to the clothing as it is being washed. 
   With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary front perspective view, and illustrates a clothes washer having an opening closed by a washer door or lid of the present invention hinged thereto with an outer frame defining an opening through which clothing in the washer can be viewed through a tempered glass panel peripherally encapsulated to an inner periphery of a polymeric/copolymeric plastic material inner frame. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view, and illustrates the inner and outer frames and a gasket prior to the assembly thereof. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrates the relationship of the inner and outer frames to each other and the assembly thereof. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 , and illustrates hooks and slots carried by respective inboard walls of the outer and inner frames for snap-securing the same together. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 4 , and illustrates a pair of hooks or tongues of an inner wall of the outer frame received in a slot of an inner wall of the inner frame. 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 , and illustrates details of the interlocked connection between the pair of hooks or tongues and the associated slot. 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary perspective view of another clothes washer, and illustrates another door of the invention in its closed position. 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 , and illustrates inner and outer frames of the washer door snap-secured to each other with each frame having an innermost peripheral edge encapsulated through injection molding to an associated peripheral edge of a tempered glass panel. 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 8 , and illustrates details thereof. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view through another washer door of the present invention similar to  FIG. 8 , but illustrates an outer frame to which a tempered glass panel is bonded. 
       FIG. 11  is a fragmentary enlarged view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 10 , and illustrates details thereof. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken through another washer door of the present invention similar to the washer doors of  FIGS. 8 and 10 , and illustrates a concavo/convex piece of tempered glass having an edge encapsulated through injection molding to an inner frame of the washer door and an outer planar tempered glass panel bonded to an outer frame of the washer door. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A washer  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings and includes a conventional washer body  11  having an interior tub or chamber  12  to which is hinged by a pair of conventional hinges  14  a novel clothes washer door or lid  20  of the present invention. A conventional agitator (not shown) is mounted in the tub or chamber  12  and reciprocates arcuately in a conventional fashion during a clothes washing cycle. 
   The washer door  20  includes three major components, namely, a tempered glass panel  21 , an inner frame, encapsulation or border  30  and an outer frame, encapsulation or border  50 . 
   The tempered glass panel  21  is of a predetermined peripheral configuration defined by a substantially continuous peripheral edge  22 . The glass panel  21  further includes opposite inner and outer surfaces  23 ,  24 , respectively, bridged by the peripheral edge  22  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). An outermost peripheral edge portion  25  of the piece of glass or glass panel  21  is defined by the peripheral edge  22  and immediately adjacent surface portions (unnumbered) of the opposite inner outer surfaces  23 ,  24 , respectively. 
   The inner open frame, encapsulation or border  30  is formed as a one-piece, injection molded, polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material annular member and includes an outer peripheral portion, peripheral skirt or peripheral wall  31 , an innermost portion  32  entirely encapsulating the outer peripheral edge portion  25  of the glass panel  21 , an outermost peripheral flange  33  and a peripheral body wall  34 . The peripheral body wall  34  blends with the inner peripheral portion  32  at a radius portion or radius wall  35  and similarly blends or merges with the peripheral flange  33  at a peripheral radius portion or radius wall  36 . 
   An axially outwardly projecting peripheral wall  37  ( FIGS. 3-5 ) is an extension of the body wall  34  and projects axially outwardly beyond the peripheral flange  33  and substantially normal thereto ( FIG. 5 ), and projecting therefrom in peripherally spaced relationship to each other are a plurality of identical latching or securing tabs or fingers  38  ( FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 ) each having a generally polygonal latching opening, slot or aperture  41  therein. The peripheral flange  33  of the frame or annular member  30  includes an inwardly opening substantially continuous channel  42  ( FIG. 3 ) defined by a generally inwardly opening U-shaped wall  43  provided along its bottom (unnumbered) with a plurality of spaced slots  44  ( FIG. 2 ) and between adjacent slots  44  are inwardly opening generally U-shaped wall portions  45  ( FIG. 2 ). A sealing gasket  60  ( FIG. 2 ) corresponding to the configuration of the channel  42  is seated in the latter with portions  61  of the sealing gasket  60  being forced through the slots  44  to thereby retain the sealing gasket  60  seated within the channel  42  with a gasket sealing surface  65  of the sealing gasket  60  positioned to peripherally contact and seal against an outer surface (unnumbered) of the washer body  11  in the closed position of the washer door  20  ( FIG. 1 ) to prevent leakage of water during a washing cycle. 
   The peripheral skirt or peripheral wall  31  of the inner frame  30  is disposed substantially normal to the peripheral flange  33  along the upper and side edges (unnumbered in  FIG. 1 ) of the door  20 , as is designated appropriately by the reference numeral  69  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but at the bottom edge a portion  70  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the peripheral wall  31  tapers upwardly at an approximately 45 degree angle and outwardly therefrom. 
   The outer frame or annular member  50  includes an annular wall  51 , an outer peripheral wall  52  and an inner peripheral wall  53 . The outer peripheral wall  52  is substantially normal to the annular wall  51  along the upper and side edges (unnumbered) of the door  20  but at the bottom edge a wall portion  54  ( FIG. 3 ) is formed into an inwardly opening hook which engages the bottom wall portion  70  ( FIG. 3 ) of the inner frame  30  and defines therewith a finger grip area FG ( FIG. 3 ) running along the bottom of the door  20  which can be gripped by a user to open and close the door  20 . The inner peripheral wall  53  of the outer frame  50  includes eight pairs of latching teeth, tabs or tongues  55  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) which engage by pairs in each of the polygonal latching openings  41  of the inner frame member  30  in the manner best illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  of the drawings to maintain the inner and outer frames  30 ,  50 , respectively, in snap-secured assembled relationship. Preferably, the walls  37 ,  53  ( FIG. 5 ) of the respective inner and outer frames  30 ,  50  are stepped to provide a smooth transition between the outer surfaces (unnumbered) of the peripheral body wall  34  of the inner frame  30  and the inner peripheral wall  53  of the outer frame  50 . Since the material of the outer frame  50  is preferably relatively resilient polymeric/copolymeric material, but can also be sheet metal, a tool, such as the blade B ( FIG. 5 ) of a screwdriver, can be inserted at the juncture (unnumbered) of the walls  34 ,  53  of the respective inner and outer frames  30 ,  50  to flex or bend the inner peripheral wall  53  sufficiently to progressively disengage the pairs of tongues or notches  55  from the grooves  41  to disassemble the frames  30 ,  50 , as may be necessary to repair/replace the gasket  60 . Furthermore, the annular wall  51  of the outer frame  50  rests upon the U-shaped wall portions or channels  45  and is supported thereby to impart further rigidity/integrity to the overall washer door  20 . 
   Reference is made to  FIGS. 7 through 9  of the drawings and another washer  10 ′ ( FIG. 7 ) which includes a conventional washer body  11 ′ having an interior tub or chamber  12 ′ and a washer door or lid  20 ′. All structure of the washer  10 ′ which is identical to structure of the washer  10  has been primed to thereby incorporate by reference such identical structure into the description of the washer  10 ′ and washer door  20 ′ thereof. 
   The washer door  20 ′ includes three major components, namely, a tempered glass panel  21 ′, an inner frame, encapsulation or border  30 ′, and an outer frame, border, annular member or encapsulation  50 ′. The outer frame  50 ′ includes an annular flange  51 ′, an outer peripheral flange or skirt  52 ′ and an inner peripheral wall  53 ′ ( FIG. 9 ). The inner peripheral wall  53 ′ is snap-secured to the inner peripheral wall  37 ′ (not shown) of the inner frame  30 ′ by pairs of latching tongues or tabs and polygonal openings (not shown for purposes of clarity) corresponding to the respective tongues and openings  55 ,  41 , respectively, of the washer door  20  ( FIG. 5 ). However, the outer frame  50 ′ is formed as an integral injection-molded encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material and includes a peripheral encapsulation edge  80  which includes outer and inner peripheral walls  81 ,  82 , respectively, between which is encapsulated an outermost peripheral edge  86  of a piece or panel of tempered glass  85  which with the glass panel  21 ′, the body wall  34 ′ and the radius  36 ′ define a cavity or chamber C′ ( FIG. 8 ) through which the interior of the washer tub or chamber  12 ′ and the clothing therein can be viewed. 
   In order to preclude the interior surfaces (unnumbered) of the glass panels  21 ′,  85  from becoming fogged-up when in use, a peripheral annular band  87  of desiccant material somewhat in the shape of a large O-ring, is held in sandwiched relationship between opposing grooves (unnumbered) formed in opposing circumferential projections  88 ,  89  integrally formed upon the injection molding of the inner frame  30 ′ and the outer frame  50 ′, respectively. Any moist air within the chamber C′ readily migrates through gaps or spaces between the peripheral walls  37 ′,  53 ′ ( FIG. 9 ) and the respective latching openings and tabs (not shown) associated therewith corresponding to the structure shown in  FIG. 5 . If found necessary or desirable, additional air passage openings can be formed in the peripheral walls  37 ′,  53 ′ of the respective inner and outer frames  30 ′,  50 ′ to afford air passage. The O-shaped ring or band  87  of desiccant can also be snapped-fit or adhesively bonded to either or both of the channels (unnumbered) of the projections  88 ,  89 . 
   Reference is made to  FIGS. 10 and 11  of the drawings and another washer door or lid  20 ″ constructed in accordance with this invention. All structure of the washer door  20 ″ which is identical to the washer doors  20 ,  20 ′ has been double primed to thereby incorporate by reference such identical structure into the description of the washer door  20 ″. 
   The washer door  20 ″ includes three major components, namely, a tempered glass panel  21 ″, an inner frame, encapsulation or border  30 ″, and an outer frame, border, annular member or encapsulation  50 ″. The outer frame  50 ″ includes an annular flange  51 ″, an outer peripheral wall or skirt  52 ″ and an inner peripheral wall  53 ″ ( FIG. 9 ). The inner peripheral wall  53 ″ is snap-secured to the inner peripheral wall  37 ″ of the inner frame  30 ″ by pairs of latching tongues or tabs and polygonal openings (not shown for purposes of clarity) corresponding to the respective tongues and openings  55 ,  41 , respectively, of the washer door  20  ( FIG. 5 ). However, the outer frame  50 ″ is formed as an integral injection-molded encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material and includes a peripheral encapsulation edge  80 ″ which includes an inner peripheral wall  82 ″ upon which is seated an outermost peripheral edge  86 ″ of a piece or panel of tempered glass  85 ″ which with the glass panel  21 ″, the body wall  34 ″ and radius  36 ″ define a cavity or chamber C″ ( FIG. 10 ) through which the interior of an associated washer tub or chamber and the clothing therein can be viewed. 
   In order to preclude the interior surfaces (unnumbered) of the glass panels  21 ″,  85 ″ from becoming fogged-up when in use, a peripheral annular band  87 ″ of desiccant material, somewhat in the shape of a large O-ring, is held in sandwiched relationship between opposing grooves (unnumbered) formed in opposing circumferential projections  88 ″,  89 ″ integrally formed upon the injection molding of the inner frame  30 ″ and the outer frame  50 ″. Any moist air within the chamber C″ readily migrates through gaps or spaces between the peripheral walls  37 ″,  53 ″ and the respective latching openings and tabs (not shown) associated therewith corresponding to the structure shown in  FIG. 5 . If found necessary or desirable, additional air passage openings can be formed in the peripheral walls  37 ″,  53 ″ of the respective inner and outer frames  30 ″,  50 ″ to afford air passage. The O-shaped ring or band  87 ″ of desiccant can also be snapped-fit or adhesively bonded to either or both of the channels (unnumbered) of the projections  88 ″,  89 ″. 
   Reference is made to  FIG. 12  of the drawings and another washer door or lid  20 ′″ constructed in accordance with this invention. All structure of the washer door  20 ′″ which is identical to the washer doors  20 ,  20 ′ and  20 ″ has been triple primed to thereby incorporate by reference such identical structure into the description of the washer  20 ′″. 
   The washer door  20 ′″ includes three major components, namely, a tempered glass panel  21 ′″, an inner frame, encapsulation or border  30 ′″, and an outer frame, border, annular member or encapsulation  50 ′″. The outer frame  50 ′″ includes an annular flange  51 ′″, an outer peripheral skirt  52 ′″ and an inner peripheral wall  53 ′″. The inner peripheral wall  53 ′″ is snap-secured to the inner peripheral wall  37 ′″ of the inner frame  30 ′″ by pairs of latching tongues or tabs and polygonal openings (not shown for purposes of clarity) corresponding to the respective tongues and openings  55 ,  41 , respectively, of the washer door  20  ( FIG. 5 ). However, the outer frame  50 ′″ is formed as an integral injection-molded encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material and includes a peripheral edge  80 ′″ which includes an inner peripheral wall  82 ′″ upon which is seated an outermost peripheral edge  86 ′″ of a piece or panel of tempered glass  85 ′″ which with the glass panel  21 ′″ the body wall  34 ′″ and the radius  36 ′″ define a cavity or chamber C′″ through which the interior of an associated washer tub or chamber and the clothing therein can be viewed. The piece or panel of tempered glass  21 ′″ is of a cup-shaped configuration defined by a base portion  91  and a peripheral wall  92  which in part defines the chamber C′″. Other than the latter shape of the glass panel  21 ′″ and the absence of a radius or radius portion  36 ″ ( FIG. 10 ), the washer door  20 ′″ is identical in structure and function to the washer door  20 ″ of  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
   Each of the washer doors  20  ( FIGS. 1 through 7 ),  20 ′ ( FIGS. 8 ,  9 )  20 ″ ( FIGS. 10 ,  11 ) and  20 ′″ ( FIG. 12 ) includes in common at least one piece or panel of tempered glass  21 ,  21 ′,  21 ″, and  21 ′″ having an outermost peripheral edge  25 ,  25 ′,  25 ″ and  25 ′″ encapsulated by a peripheral encapsulating edge portion  32 ,  32 ′,  32 ″ and  32 ′″ formed during the injection molding of the inner annular member or frame  30 ,  30 ′,  30 ″ and  30 ′″. Furthermore, though the outer frames or annular members  50 ,  50 ′,  50 ″ and  50 ′″ are preferably constructed as integral one-piece injection molded components, the annular members or borders  50  ( FIGS. 1 through 7 ),  50 ″ and  50 ′″ can be constructed from metallic material, such as sheet metal. In such constructions the tabs or tongues  55  and the openings  41  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) blanked, bent and/or struck from the metal can be utilized, or in lieu thereof, conventional fasteners F ( FIG. 1 ), such as screws, can instead or in addition be used to fasten the inner and outer frames or annular members  30 ,  30 ″,  30 ′″ and  50 ,  50 ″,  50 ′″, respectively, to each other. Appropriate adhesive A is conventionally known for bonding glass to metal as well as to synthetic plastic material. Therefore, depending upon aesthetics, cost, desires of manufacturers and/or end users, the outer annular members or borders  50 ,  50 ″ and  50 ′″ can be constructed from sheet metal or similar metallic material, whereas such cannot be done with respect to the outer annular member, border or frame  50 ′ ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) which, obviously, includes the one-piece injection molded border  50 ′ including the encapsulating edge portion  80  thereof. 
   Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the various washer doors without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.