Lid assembly for a laundry appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11162201-B2
Application number	US-201916384210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2019
Priority date	Apr 15, 2019
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior cavity. A frame has a raised outer edge and defines a support structure. A first panel is received by the outer edge of the frame and rests upon the support structure in a first lid configuration. A second panel is received by the outer edge of the frame and rests upon a portion of the support structure in a second lid configuration. A trim is selectively coupled to the support structure in the second lid configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lid assembly for a laundry appliance, comprising:
a first panel;
a second panel, wherein the second panel has a second panel depth less than a first panel depth of the first panel;
a frame having a raised outer edge for receiving the first panel in a first lid configuration and the second panel in a second lid configuration, wherein the frame defines snap feature apertures and bosses concealed by the first panel in the first lid configuration; and
a trim coupled to the frame in the second lid configuration, the trim comprising:
protrusions defining openings; and
snap elements extending from a bottom surface of the trim.

2. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are configured to align with the bosses defined by the frame.

3. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the snap elements are positioned in pairs in a center portion of the trim and configured to align with the snap feature apertures.

4. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 3 , wherein a first snap feature of the pair is offset from a second snap feature of the pair.

5. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 4 , wherein the frame defines a support structure, and wherein each of the first snap features couple to a first side of the support structure and the second snap features couple to a second opposing side of the support structure.

6. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the frame defines ridges positioned adjacent to the bosses.

7. The lid assembly for a laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the trim is positioned between the second panel and the outer edge of the frame in the second lid configuration.

8. A lid assembly for a laundry appliance, comprising:
a first panel;
a second panel;
a frame having a raised outer edge for receiving the first panel in a first lid configuration and the second panel in a second lid configuration, wherein the frame defines snap feature apertures and bosses concealed by the first panel in the first lid configuration; and
a trim coupled to the frame in the second lid configuration, the trim comprising:
protrusions defining openings; and
snap elements extending from a bottom surface of the trim, wherein the trim is positioned between the second panel and the outer edge of the frame in the second lid configuration.

9. The lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the frame includes a raised inner edge with a platform, wherein at least one of the first panel and the second panel are selectively positioned on the platform.

10. The lid assembly of claim 9 , wherein the frame includes support structures extending between the raised outer edge and the raised inner edge.

11. The lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the trim includes tabs to assist in aligning the trim relative to at least one of the frame and the second panel.

12. The lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the snap elements of the trim selectively engage the snap feature apertures of the frame when in the second lid configuration.

13. The lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the openings of the protrusions of the trim are configured to align with the bosses of the frame to receive a fastener in the second lid configuration.

14. The lid assembly of claim 8 , wherein the trim is flush with the second panel in the second lid configuration.

15. The lid assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a pad coupled to the frame and configured to be disposed between the frame and the first panel in the first lid configuration and between the frame and the trim in the second lid configuration.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ahamad Iftkhar
• Leon Lopez Neyda Eleza
• Prabhakaran Raghavendran

Classifications

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F37/18

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/28

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• D06F1/10 Primary

  Covers; Handles · CPC title