Door assembly for a laundry treatment machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11242644-B2
Application number	US-201716461175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Nov 21, 2016
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A laundry treatment machine door assembly having a front frame and a cap element outwardly assembled to the front frame. The front frame and the cap element both comprise an irregularity which defines a handle for the door assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door assembly configured to open and/or close an opening defined in a laundry treatment machine, the door assembly comprising:
a front frame; and
a cap element outwardly assembled to the front frame, the cap element forming the front surface of the door assembly;
wherein the front frame has:
an outer frame edge having a frame portion extending in a first circular path defining a first circumference along a first plane around the door assembly, and
a frame projecting portion defining a first portion of a handle for the door assembly, the frame projecting portion including a substantially flat outer surface extending radially outwardly from an inner frame boundary located on the first circumference along a second plane in a direction outwardly inclined from the front frame and continuously converging at an outer frame boundary located on the outer frame edge, and the frame projecting portion is integrally formed with the frame portion, and

wherein the cap element has:
an outer cap edge having a cap portion extending in a second circular path defining a second circumference around the door assembly, and
a cap projecting portion defining a second portion of the handle for the door assembly, the cap projecting portion including a substantially flat outer surface extending radially outwardly from an inner cap boundary located on the second circumference in the direction outwardly inclined from the front frame and continuously converging at an outer cap boundary located on the outer cap edge, and the cap projecting portion is integrally formed with the cap portion,

wherein the outer frame edge of the frame projecting portion defining the first portion of the handle, and the outer cap edge of the cap projecting portion defining the second portion of the handle come together in a continuously converging manner in the direction outwardly inclined from the front frame to define the handle for the door assembly.

2. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame edge of the front frame follows the outer cap edge of the cap element.

3. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cap element is at least partially transparent and comprises an inner side facing the front frame, wherein an opaque element comprising opaque material is arranged at the inner side of the cap element and between the front frame and the cap element.

4. The door assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the opaque element comprises an outer edge which borders the outer cap edge of the cap element and borders the outer frame edge of the front frame.

5. The door assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the opaque element is ring-shaped.

6. The door assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the front frame comprises a front side and wherein the opaque element overlaps a peripheral zone of the front side of the front frame when viewed laterally outwardly from the door assembly.

7. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the front frame comprises at least an aperture configured to receive a portion of a hinge device of the door assembly.

8. The door assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a rear frame and a closing element arranged between the rear frame and the front frame, wherein the rear frame, the closing element and the front frame are assembled together.

9. The door assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the cap element peripherally extends beyond the front frame and/or the opaque element so that a peripheral zone of the front frame is visible when viewed laterally outwardly from the door assembly.

10. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outer cap edge comprises a radial protrusion and/or a bulge.

11. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the door assembly is a pull to open door assembly.

12. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the handle is fixed to be stationary relative to the front frame.

13. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cap element is a closed element that does not include an aperture.

14. The door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the handle is defined only by the front frame and the cap element.

15. A laundry treatment machine comprising:
a casing including a wall on which an opening is formed; and
a door assembly configured to open and/or close the opening, the door assembly comprising:
a front frame; and
a cap element outwardly assembled to the front frame, the cap element forming the front surface of the door assembly;
wherein the front frame has:
an outer frame edge having a frame portion extending in a first circular path defining a first circumference along a first plane around the door assembly, and
a frame projecting portion defining a first portion of a handle for the door assembly, the frame projecting portion including a substantially flat outer surface extending radially outwardly from an inner frame boundary located on the first circumference along a second plane in a direction outwardly inclined from the front frame and continuously converging at an outer frame boundary located on the outer frame edge, and the frame projecting portion is integrally formed with the frame portion, and

wherein the cap element has:
an outer cap edge having a cap portion extending in a second circular path defining a second circumference around the door assembly, and
a cap projecting portion defining a second portion of the handle for the door assembly, the cap projecting portion including a substantially flat outer surface extending radially outwardly from an inner cap boundary located on the second circumference in the direction outwardly inclined from the front frame and continuously converging at an outer cap boundary located on the outer cap edge, and the cap projecting portion is integrally formed with the cap portion,

wherein the outer frame edge of the frame projecting portion defining the first portion of the handle, and the outer cap edge of the cap projecting portion defining the second portion of the handle come together in a continuously converging manner in the direction outwardly inclined from the front frame to define the handle for the door assembly.

Assignees

• Electrolux Appliances AB

Inventors

• Buso Danny
• Santarossa Marco
• Pradal Luca
• Braconi Dario

Classifications

• D06F58/04

  Details  (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00) · CPC title

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title