Home appliance assembly

Abstract

A home applicant assembly enables an outer case to be easily and economically assembled, using just one coupling method for joining cabinet panels of the outer case when coupling a top plate to a side cabinet panel and a top bracket. The home appliance assembly includes a first flange of a side cabinet panel, the first flange provided with at least one locking hole; a protrusion integrally formed with the at least one locking hole of the first flange and extending from the first flange; a top bracket, disposed atop the first flange, for reinforcing the first flange, the top bracket provided with at least one through hole opposing the at least one locking hole of the first flange; a holder, to be loaded above the top bracket, the holder having a screw passage; a locking device for passing through the screw passage of the holder and the through hole of the top bracket, to be secured in the at least one locking hole of the first flange; and a top plate to be joined with the side cabinet panel, the top plate having a coupling recess for receiving the holder.

1 . A home appliance assembly comprising: 
 a first flange of a side cabinet panel, said first flange provided with at least one locking hole;    a protrusion integrally formed with the at least one locking hole of said first flange and extending from said first flange;    a top bracket, disposed adjacent said first flange, for reinforcing said first flange, said top bracket provided with at least one through hole opposing the at least one locking hole of said first flange;    a holder, to be loaded above said top bracket, said holder having a screw passage; and    locking means for passing through the screw passage of said holder and the through hole of said top bracket, to be secured in the at least one locking hole of said first flange.    
   
   
       2 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a top plate to be joined with said side cabinet panel, the top plate having a coupling recess for receiving said holder.  
   
   
       3 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the holder has a stepped lower part for being received by the coupling recess.  
   
   
       4 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said top plate comprises a second flange formed to meet said first flange.  
   
   
       5 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the coupling recess in formed is said second flange.  
   
   
       6 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the coupling recess communicates with a guide formed lengthwise with respect to said second flange to guide said holder when said top plate is joined to said side cabinet panel.  
   
   
       7 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said holder is caught in the coupling recess by a hanging part provided on one side of the coupling recess.  
   
   
       8 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking hole of said first flange is threaded to receive said locking means.  
   
   
       9 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one through hole of said top bracket is aligned with the at least one locking hole of said first flange.  
   
   
       10 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said top bracket has a perpendicularly bent portion abutting said first flange.  
   
   
       11 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the alignment is achieved by abutting the perpendicularly bent portion of said top bracket against said first flange and adjusting said top bracket lengthwise with respect to said first flange.  
   
   
       12 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one through hole of said top bracket has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of said protrusion.  
   
   
       13 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the alignment is achieved by inserting said protrusion into the at least one through hole of said top bracket.  
   
   
       14 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said top bracket is disposed above said first flange and said protrusion extends downward from said first flange.  
   
   
       15 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said top bracket is disposed above said first flange and said protrusion extends upward from said first flange.  
   
   
       16 . The home appliance assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the side cabinet panel is part of an outer case of a dryer.  
   
   
       17 . A dryer comprising: 
 a flange of a side cabinet, said flange provided with a plurality of locking holes;    a protrusion, integrally formed with said flange and extending from said flange;    a bracket, disposed atop said flange, for reinforcing said flange, said bracket provided with a plurality of through holes corresponding to the locking holes of said flange;    a holder, to be loaded above said bracket, said holder having a screw passage; and    locking means for passing through the screw passage of said holder and the through holes of said bracket, to be secured in the locking holes of said flange.