Adjustable bumper design for home appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428892-B2
Application number	US-202418591396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2024
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A bumper assembly for an appliance may include a cabinet having a front panel, a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel, and a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel. The bumper may include a cap having an annular outer surface defining an interior, at least one flange coupled to the outer surface, the at least one flange extending along at least a portion of the annular outer surface, a through-hole in communication with the interior, and a fastener. The fastener may be disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a cooking compartment;
a front panel coupled with the cabinet, wherein the front panel defines an access opening in communication with the cooking compartment;
a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;
a bumper coupled with an aperture defined by one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
a cap including a first end and a second end, the cap comprising:
a disc-shaped portion disposed at the first end;
an annular sidewall defining an interior therein disposed between the first end and the second end;
a first flange and a second flange projecting from the annular sidewall, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end and are sloped with respect to the disc-shaped portion of the cap, such that the second end of the each flange is spaced further from the disc-shaped portion of the cap than the first end of the corresponding flange;
a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap; and
a through-hole defined by the second end of the cap;

a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap; and
a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the fastener receiver and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped portion of the cap defines an aperture configured to receive the head of the fastener.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first flange includes a stop disposed at one of the first end and second end of the first flange, the stop coupled with the disc-shaped portion to prevent rotation of the cap.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second flanges are disposed in an opposing manner on the annular sidewall.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of a cover coupled to the fastener head is positioned one of planar with and above an upper surface of the cap in the mounted state.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped portion of the cap includes a diameter larger than a diameter defined by the annular sidewall.

7. A cooking appliance, comprising:
a cabinet having a front panel;
a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel; a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
a cap comprising a disc-shaped upper surface and an annular outer sidewall defining an interior;
a first flange and a second flange coupled to the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges extending along at least a portion of the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges each including a flange body, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end, the second end spaced further from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap than the first end and a stop that extends from the flange body and couples with the disc-shaped upper surface;
a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap;
a through-hole in communication with the interior; and
a fastener disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , further comprising:
a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 8 , wherein the fastener receiver is unitary with the cap, thereby forming a single piece.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are disposed in an opposing manner on the annular outer sidewall.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the fastener includes an elastomeric cover positioned one of planar with and above the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap in the mounted state.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the stop is disposed within the cap at a surface lower than the disc-shaped upper surface.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein an upper surface of the first flange is sloped with respect to the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap.

14. A cooking appliance, comprising:
a cabinet having a front panel, wherein the front panel defines as access opening;
a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;
a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:
a cap defining an interior and including a disc-shaped upper portion at a first end of the cap, the cap comprising:
an annular outer sidewall disposed between the first end of the cap and a second end of the cap;
a first flange and a second flange arranged in an opposing manner adjacent the annular outer sidewall;
a first stop extending from the first flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion and a second stop extending from the second flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion;
a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap; and
a through-hole defined by the cap; and

a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the through-hole and the head is disposed within the interior when the bumper is in a mounted state.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap defines an aperture configured to receive the head of the fastener.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the first stop and the second stop are coupled with the disc-shaped upper portion, thereby preventing rotation of the cap in the mounted state.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap includes a diameter larger than a diameter defined by the annular outer sidewall.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , further comprising:
a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 18 , wherein the fastener receiver is unitary with the cap, thereby forming a single piece.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are sloped with respect to the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Gore Rohan Gajananrao
• Quante David Gregory

Classifications

• F24C15/027

  located at bottom side of housing · CPC title

• E05Y2900/308

  for ovens · CPC title

• E05Y2900/20

  for furniture, e.g. cabinets · CPC title

• E05F5/06 Primary

  Buffers {or stops limiting opening of swinging wings, e.g. floor or wall stops}(E05F5/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24C15/00 Primary

  Details · CPC title