Washing machine appliance and backsplash assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10246810-B2
Application number	US-201615137065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2016
Priority date	Apr 25, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A washing machine is provided that may include a cabinet, a basket, and a backsplash. The cabinet may define an opening and include a backsplash bracket having a predefined footprint. The backsplash bracket may include one or more support decks, each having a planar top surface and a bottom surface. The backsplash bracket may define a first aperture extending through one support deck between a corresponding planar top surface and a corresponding bottom surface. The backsplash bracket may also define a second aperture extending through a support deck between a corresponding planar top surface and a corresponding bottom surface. The basket may be mounted within the cabinet and define a wash chamber beneath the opening to receive one or more clothing articles to be washed. The backsplash may be positioned over the predefined footprint and include a first and second engagement hook.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction, and a vertical direction that are mutually orthogonal, the washing machine comprising:
a cabinet defining an opening and including a backsplash bracket having a predefined footprint, the backsplash bracket including a first support deck and a second support deck, the first support deck having a planar top surface defining a rear portion of the opening, the second support deck also having a planar top surface, the planar top surface of the second support deck positioned beneath the planar top surface of the first support deck along the vertical direction;
a basket mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a wash chamber beneath the opening to receive one or more clothing articles to be washed; and
a backsplash positioned over the predefined footprint, the backsplash including a first engagement hook disposed on the first support deck and a second engagement hook disposed on the second support deck such that the first and second engagement hooks mount the backsplash to the backsplash bracket,
wherein the second support deck includes a left support portion and a right support portion, and wherein the first support deck extends in the lateral direction from the left support portion to the right support portion such that the first support deck separates the left support portion from the right support portion along the lateral direction.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the first support deck defines a first aperture extending in the vertical direction through the first support deck, wherein the second support deck defines a second aperture extending in the vertical direction through the second support deck, wherein the first engagement hook includes a prong extending through the first aperture and across a portion of a bottom surface of the first support deck, and wherein the second engagement hook includes a prong extending through the second aperture and across a portion of a bottom surface of the second support deck.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the prong of the first engagement hook includes a side tab extending along the lateral direction across the bottom surface of the first support deck.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the first aperture includes a plurality of discrete first apertures spaced apart from one another along the lateral direction, and wherein the first engagement hook includes a plurality of first engagement hooks, each engagement hook of the plurality of first engagement hooks being matched to a respective one of the plurality of discrete first apertures.

5. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the side tab defines a hook width in the lateral direction, and wherein the first aperture defines a rear aperture width and a front aperture width, the rear aperture width being greater than the hook width and the front aperture width being less than the hook width.

6. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the prong of the second engagement hook includes a forward tab extending along the transverse direction across the bottom surface of the second support deck.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the second aperture includes a plurality of discrete second apertures spaced apart from one another along the lateral direction, and wherein the second engagement hook includes a plurality of second engagement hooks, each engagement hook of the plurality of second engagement hooks being matched to a respective one of the plurality of discrete second apertures.

8. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the forward tab defines a tab length in the transverse direction, and wherein the second aperture defines an aperture length greater than the tab length.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the backsplash includes a perimeter rim complementary to the predefined footprint of the backsplash bracket, and wherein the cabinet includes an elevated lip positioned adjacent the backsplash bracket and extending from at least one of the first support deck or the second support deck, an outer surface of backsplash at the perimeter rim being flush with an outer surface of the cabinet at the elevated lip.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the perimeter rim includes a pair of perimeter edges formed on opposite lateral ends of the backsplash, wherein each perimeter edge extends along the transverse direction in slidable engagement with the planar top surface of the second support deck.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the backsplash includes an input selector to control operation of the washing machine appliance.

12. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes a plurality of sidewalls supporting a top cover, wherein the opening is defined through the top cover, and wherein the backsplash bracket is integrally formed on the top cover at a rear portion of the top cover.

13. A washing machine defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction, and a vertical direction that are mutually orthogonal, the washing machine comprising:
a cabinet defining an opening and including a backsplash bracket having a predefined footprint, the backsplash bracket including one or more support decks, the one or more support decks including a first support deck and a second support deck, each support deck having a planar top surface and a bottom surface, the backsplash bracket defining
a first aperture extending through one of the one or more support decks between a corresponding planar top surface and a corresponding bottom surface, and
a second aperture extending through one of the one or more support decks between a corresponding planar top surface and a corresponding bottom surface;

a basket mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a wash chamber beneath the opening to receive one or more clothing articles to be washed; and
a backsplash positioned over the predefined footprint, the backsplash including a first engagement hook and a second engagement hook, the first engagement hook being disposed in slidable engagement across the corresponding bottom surface of the first aperture, and the second engagement hook being disposed in slidable engagement across the corresponding bottom surface of the second aperture such that the first and second engagement hooks mount the backsplash to the backsplash bracket,
wherein the second support deck includes a left support portion and a right support portion, wherein the first support deck extends in the lateral direction from the left support portion to the right support portion such that the first support deck separates the left support portion from the right support portion along the lateral direction, and wherein the first support deck defines a rear portion of the opening.

14. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the first engagement hook includes a prong extending through the first aperture, the prong including a side tab extending along the lateral direction across the corresponding bottom surface of the first aperture.

15. The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the first aperture includes a plurality of discrete first apertures spaced apart from one another along the lateral direction, and wherein the first engagement hook includes a plurality of first engagement hooks, each engagement hook of the plurality of first engagement hooks being matched to a respective one of the plurality of discrete first apertures.

16. The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the side tab defines a hook width in the lateral direction, and wherein the first aperture defines a rear aperture width and a

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliances Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Leisl Iii Donald James
• Vitan Craig Robert
• Kulkarni Sripad

Classifications

• D06F34/28

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title

• D06F39/12 Primary

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F39/005 Primary

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic