Patent Abstract:
A cabinet dryer door includes a truss attached to the door to establish seal compression for adequate sealing of the door against the drying cabinet. The inner door has spacers molded into the inner door. The truss cooperates with the spacers to bias the door against the seal. The drying cabinet may utilize a pair of doors with at least one having a truss that establishes a seal compression in both of the doors. The truss is joined to the inner door by a screw located in the center of the truss. The method has the step securing a truss member to the door and curving the door to create a biasing force.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to truss systems for reinforcing appliance or cabinet doors and specifically to a door truss for use with a drying cabinet appliance and method of use. 
   Drying cabinets provide hot air for drying clothes hanging in the cabinet. Drying cabinets can be used for dewrinkling clothes by providing steam into the cabinet to remove wrinkles. Drying cabinets may be used in combination with a tumble dryer and when placed on top of the tumble dryer, preferably have door handles on the front bottom portion of the cabinet doors. However, the drying cabinet makes use of relatively tall and thin doors. Without adequate support, the doors will flex during opening. This flex creates a non-rigid feel to the user which may be perceived as poor quality construction. 
   In addition, the tall cabinet doors having a handle at the bottom have a potential problem of inadequate seal compression at the upper end of the doors. Although the lower ends of the doors may be adequately fastened or latched, the upper ends may be loose as there is no comparable latch at the upper ends. 
   A still further problem of drying cabinet doors is maintaining the shape of the doors. Each door normally includes a plastic inner door liner and an outer metal skin. In order to have adequate compression seal around the perimeter of the door, the shape of the inner and outer door panels must be maintained. 
   Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved cabinet dryer door. 
   Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a cabinet dryer door truss system for reduced flexing of the door during opening and closing of the cabinet door. 
   Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a cabinet door that may be latched at the bottom yet still provide adequate seal compression at the top of the door. 
   Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a cabinet or appliance door having a sheet metal skin on an inner plastic liner which is assembled to maintain a preloaded shape for the assembled door. 
   A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved appliance door having sufficient seal compression around the perimeter of the door. 
   Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved appliance door which is economical to manufacture and durable in use. 
   These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing objectives may be achieved with a door assembly for an appliance or cabinet having a plastic inner door panel and a metal outer door panel. Spacers molded into the inner door and a truss system attached to the inner door cooperate to establish seal compression between the closed door and the drying cabinet. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the truss may be attached to the inner door by a screw placed into a hole approximately centered in the truss. 
   According to another feature of the present invention, the door assembly has a block spacer between the inner door panel and the outer skin panel. The block spacer provides curvature to the outer skin similar to the curvature of the inner door. 
   According to yet another feature of the present invention, the truss positioned within the door assembly is a bar received into slots in the spacers so as to be supported by the spacers. 
   The foregoing objectives may also be achieved with a drying cabinet having a housing and a pair of center opening doors attached to the housing. The doors have a handle at the bottom of the doors and a truss within at least one door. The truss is secured to the door to preload the door and thereby establish a seal compression around the doors for adequate sealing of the doors against the housing. 
   The foregoing objectives may also be achieved by a method of generating a preload on a cabinet door to provide sealing compression. The method has the steps securing a truss member to the door and maintaining the truss member in a straight profile while curving the door for a biasing effect against a seal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clothes drying machine having a drying cabinet located on top of a tumble dryer and showing the doors in a closed position. 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  showing the doors opened. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a door assembly of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing a door in the assembled state. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3  additionally including a sectional view of the truss member in position on the spacers. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  shows a combination clothes drying machine  10  having a tumble dryer  12  and a drying cabinet  14 . The tumble dryer  12  and cabinet dryer  14  are housed within a cabinet or housing  16  so as to define a single appliance with dual functions. The drying cabinet  14  is shown to be mounted on top of the tumble dryer  12 , though it is understood that other configurations can be provided, and includes a drying compartment or chamber  18 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the drying cabinet  16  may include removable shelves  17  and a hanging bar  19  to hold clothes on hangers. 
   The drying cabinet  14  includes a pair of doors or door assemblies  20  which provide access to the drying compartment  18 . The right and left doors  20  are mirror images of one another. The right door has an emblem in the upper right hand corner. Each door assembly  20  has a metal outer skin or panel  22  that attaches to a plastic inner door panel  24 . The outer skin  22  is a sheet metal. A handle  26  is formed near the bottom of the inner door  24 . Each door assembly  20  is relatively tall and narrow and encounters torque when the door assembly  20  is opened using the handle  26 . A door strike  28  is provided on the inner panel  24 . The door strike  28  is received in latch  30  on the drying cabinet  14  to maintain the doors  20  in a closed position. 
   The location of the handle  26  and door strike  28  at the bottom of each door assembly  20  presents the problem of providing adequate seal compression at the top of the door assemblies  20 . Thus, a truss member  32  is provided to preload at least one door assembly  20  and bias the top  29  slightly against the seal  31  when the door assembly  20  is in the closed position. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the truss member  32  is an angle iron having a first leg  36  and second leg  38  formed at an approximately 90 degree angle. The truss member  32  is made out of metal, typically commercial steel. The truss member  32  may be hot dipped galvanized steel that is 0.052 inches thick. 
   While the truss member  32  is illustrated as an angle iron, it may be employed in various other structural shapes to create a relatively inflexible member. These shapes include, but are not limited to, flat bar, C-channel and tubular shapes. 
   The truss member  32  is placed adjacent spacers  40  formed in the inner panel  24 . The truss member  32  and spacers  40  are located diagonally across the inner door panel  24  running from a bottom corner opposite the door strike  28  to a top corner. The spacers  40  have opposite walls  42 ,  44  defining a slot that receives the first leg  36  of the truss member  32 . 
   A screw  46  is provided to attach the truss member  32  to the inner door panel  24 . The screw  46  goes through hole  47  approximately centered in the truss member  32  to attach to screw boss  48  on the inner panel  24 . As the screw  46  is tightened, the inner door panel  24  flexes to be drawn into its final position against the relatively inflexible truss member  32 . 
   Blocks  50  are used to space the outer skin panel  22  from the inner door panel  24 . The blocks  50  each have a slot  51  for mounting upon ribs  52  formed on the inner door panel  24  and are prevented from side movement by jaws  54 . As the screw  46  is tightened the inner door panel  24  is drawn upward to abut the truss member  32  and the blocks  50  raise with the inner door panel  24  so that the shape of the inner door panel  24  is conveyed to the outer skin panel  22 . Using blocks  50 , the same preloaded shape is maintained in both the inner door panel  24  and the outer skin panel  22  of the door assembly  20 . 
     FIG. 5  is a cross section of  FIG. 3  but having the truss  32  adjacent the spacers  40 . The spacers  40  have varying heights. Spacers  40 A,  40 D, and  40 E are slightly taller than  40 B and  40 C. This height difference creates space  41 A between the truss  32  and the spacer  40 C and space  41 B between the truss  32  and spacer  40 B. These spaces remain as long as the inner door panel  24  does not have a load applied to the spacer  40 C by the screw being tightened into screw boss  48 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , there is no bias outward away from the top  29  of the inner door panel  24 . 
     FIG. 6  is a cross section of  FIG. 4 . The screw  46  has been inserted into the screw boss  48  drawing the inner door panel  24  inward by force F a . Force F a  draws the inner door  24  into the truss  32  to remove gaps  41 A and  41 B and slightly bend the inner door  24 . Force F a  creates an outward bias force F b  at the top  29  of the door assembly  20 . These forces cooperate with the door strike  28  and latch  30  of the drying cabinet  14  to maintain the doors in the closed position. 
   The truss member  32  is illustrated in use on the right door assembly  20 . Alternatively, the truss member  32  may be on both the left and right door assemblies  20 . Typically, the drying cabinet  14  is designed such that one door assembly  20  closes over the other to form a seal. When only one truss member  32  is used, the truss  34  is preferably upon the side of the drying cabinet  14  that closes over the other side. As illustrated in the Figures, the right side door of the drying cabinet  14  closes over left side door and therefore the right side door would preferably have the truss member  32 . Even if the truss member  32  is not used within a door assembly  20 , the blocks  50  are still utilized to create curvature of the outer skin panel  22 . 
   In operation, the user will grip the handle  26  as seen in  FIG. 1  and pull outward to open the door assembly  20 . The outward force by the user disengages the door strike  28  from the latch  30  permitting separation of a seal at the top of the door assembly  20 . The user rotates the door assembly  20  away from the centerline of the drying cabinet  14  and the door assembly  20  is prevented from flexing by the truss member  32 . The user then loads the drying cabinet with articles of clothing upon removable shelves  17  and the hanging bar  19 . The user rotates the door assembly  20  toward the centerline of the drying cabinet  14  and the door assembly  20  is prevented from flexing by the truss member  32 . The user then presses the door strike  28  into the latch  30  which concurrently engages a seal at the top of the door assembly  20  assisted in part by the seal compression created by the truss assembly  32 . Throughout opening and closing, the user is assured that the door assembly  20  is sealed prior to opening, rigid when being opened or closed, and secured and sealed after closing. 
   The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3