Multi-faceted appliance height-adjustment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835284-B2
Application number	US-201514617400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

An appliance height-adjustment mechanism includes a support block having a plurality of supporting faces, a plurality of height-adjustment surfaces defined by at least a portion of the supporting faces of the support block, each height-adjustment surface being further defined by a lateral spacing flange extending perpendicularly from each height-adjustment surface and a plurality of support surfaces defined by at least a portion of the plurality of supporting faces, wherein each support surface corresponds to a cooperating height-adjustment surface of the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces, wherein the support block includes a plurality of support positions, and wherein each of the plurality of support positions is defined by one of the support surfaces being a respective base of the support block and the corresponding height-adjustment surface defining a dedicated appliance height above the respective base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance height-adjustment mechanism comprising:
a support block having a plurality of supporting faces;
a plurality of height-adjustment surfaces defined by at least a portion of the supporting faces of the support block, each height-adjustment surface being further defined by a lateral spacing flange that extends perpendicularly from each height-adjustment surface; and
a plurality of support surfaces defined by at least a portion of the plurality of supporting faces, wherein each support surface corresponds to a cooperating height-adjustment surface of the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces, wherein the support block includes a plurality of support positions, and wherein each of the plurality of support positions is defined by one of the support surfaces being a respective base of the support block and corresponding height-adjustment surface defining a dedicated appliance height above the respective base, wherein each lateral spacing flange has substantially the same thickness such that when the support block is in any one of the plurality of support positions, the lateral spacing flange defines a minimum spacing width between each height-adjustment surface and an outside surface of each respective lateral spacing flange, and wherein the minimum spacing width for each lateral spacing flange is the same.

2. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces includes first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces corresponding to respective first, second and third support positions of the support block.

3. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of support surfaces includes first, second and third support surfaces that correspond to the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces, respectively, wherein the first support surface is positioned perpendicular with the first height-adjustment surface and the second support surface is positioned perpendicular with the second height-adjustment surface.

4. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces include dedicated appliance heights of within a range of from approximately 4 millimeters to approximately 60 millimeters.

5. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the first height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 6 millimeters, wherein the second height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 24 millimeters, and wherein the third height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 51 millimeters.

6. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 2 , wherein each of the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces includes a respective fixing aperture that is configured to receive a fastener for engaging the support block to a bottom of an appliance in the respective support position of the support block.

7. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 1 , wherein each height-adjustment surface is defined by the respective lateral spacing flange and a respective lateral alignment wall that opposes the respective lateral spacing flange, and wherein each corresponding height-adjustment surface, lateral spacing flange and lateral alignment wall cooperate to define a channel configured to receive a bottom of an appliance, wherein each support position places the bottom of the appliance at the dedicated appliance height, wherein each support position includes a different dedicated appliance height.

8. An appliance height-adjustment mechanism comprising:
a plurality of height-adjustment surfaces, each of the height-adjustment surfaces defining a dedicated appliance height and including a lateral spacing flange extending perpendicularly from each height-adjustment surface, wherein each height-adjustment surface is configured to receive a bottom of an appliance and position the bottom of the appliance at any one of the dedicated appliance heights; and
a plurality of support surfaces, wherein each support surface corresponds to a cooperating height-adjustment surface of the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces, and wherein each support surface and corresponding height-adjustment surface defines one of the dedicated appliance heights, wherein the dedicated appliance height is defined by a perpendicular distance between one of the support surfaces and the cooperating height-adjustment surface, and wherein each dedicated appliance height is different with respect to each support surface and cooperating height-adjustment surface.

9. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces and the plurality of support surfaces are defined by a support block having a plurality of supporting faces, wherein the plurality of supporting faces defines the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces and the plurality of support surfaces.

10. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of height-adjustment surfaces includes first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces corresponding to respective first, second and third support positions of the support block, and wherein the first, second and third support positions of the support block correspond to appliance heights of the dedicated appliance heights.

11. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of support surfaces includes first, second and third support surfaces that correspond to the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces, respectively, wherein the first support surface is positioned perpendicular with the first height-adjustment surface and the second support surface is positioned perpendicular with the second height-adjustment surface.

12. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 10 , wherein each lateral spacing flange has substantially the same thickness such that when the support block is in any one of the first, second and third support positions, the lateral spacing flange defines a minimum spacing width between each height-adjustment surface and an outside surface of each respective lateral spacing flange, and wherein the minimum spacing width for each lateral spacing flange is the same.

13. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces include dedicated appliance heights of within a range of from approximately 4 millimeters to approximately 60 millimeters.

14. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the first height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 6 millimeters, wherein the second height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 24 millimeters, and wherein the third height-adjustment surface has a dedicated appliance height of approximately 51 millimeters.

15. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 10 , wherein each of the first, second and third height-adjustment surfaces includes a respective fixing aperture that is configured to receive a fastener for engaging the support block to a bottom of an appliance in the respective support position of the support block.

16. The appliance height-adjustment mechanism of claim 9 , wherein each height-adjustment surface is defined by the respective lateral spacing flange and a respective lateral alignment wall that opposes the respective lateral spacing flange, and wherein each corresponding height-adjustment surface, lateral spacing flange and late

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Gandole Yogesh S
• Jayabalan Naveen

Classifications

• F16M7/00 Primary

  Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks (elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04) · CPC title

• A47L15/4272

  Supporting arrangements for the tub · CPC title

• D06F37/00

  Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00 · CPC title

• F25D23/00

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24C15/08

  Foundations or supports plates; Legs or pillars; Casings; Wheels (tops, e.g. hot plates F24C15/10) · CPC title