Laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet or surround structure. A pair of front feet are respectively provided at either front corner thereof. A front unit includes a front face, a pair of side face portions extending rearwardly therefrom to abut the side walls of the cabinet, and a pair of spaced apart front feet portions which are adjacent front feet of the cabinet. A top deck, held down by a securement, includes a flange surrounding or substantially surrounding an upper edge of the front panel and the side and rear walls of the cabinet. A connection, which is releasable by vertical relative movement of the front panel, is provided between each front foot portion of the front panel and a front foot of the cabinet.

1 . A laundry appliance including: 
 a cabinet or surround structure including a rear wall, a pair of side walls extending forward from said rear wall and connected with said rear wall along adjoining edges and a base member connected with said side walls,    a pair of front feet respectively at either front corner of said cabinet,    a front unit including a front face, a pair of rearwardly turned side face portions, connected with said front face along their forward edges and extending rearwardly from said edges to abut the front edges of said side walls of said cabinet and a pair of spaced apart front feet portions, positioned to be adjacent said front feet of said cabinet,    a top deck including a downwardly extending perimeter flange surrounding or substantially surrounding an upper edge of said front panel, side walls and rear wall, and a securement holding down said top deck, and    a connection between each said front foot portion of said front panel and a front foot of said cabinet, said connection releasable by vertical relative movement of said front panel.    
   
   
       2 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said top deck is secured to the upper edge of said rear panel by one or more clips releasable by an upward rotation of said top deck about its rear edge, and secured to a drum support structure towards its front edge.  
   
   
       3 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said drum support structure includes a pair of side members with upper edges, and said top deck includes inwardly extending buttressing between its upper face and said downwardly extending perimeter flange, said buttressing including one or more downwardly opening notches, said upper edges of said support structure side members engaging in said notches.  
   
   
       4 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 1  including a locating engagement between each said butting forward edge of said side wall and rear edge of said side face portion.  
   
   
       5 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said forward edges of said side walls include inwardly turned vertical flanges, and said rearward edges of said side face portions include inwardly turned vertical flanges, said flanges of said side walls and said side face portions facing and abutting, and said locating means comprise protrusions from one said flange of each pair engaging in detents or apertures in the other said flange of each pair.  
   
   
       6 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said protrusions comprise clips fitted into apertures in the respective said flange and extending therefrom, the extending portion of said clips extending into corresponding apertures in the other said flange.  
   
   
       7 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said front unit includes a panel formed from sheet material and each said front foot portion comprises a molded component connected to the lower edge of said front panel.  
   
   
       8 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       9 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       10 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each said front foot portion includes a downwardly extending locking member connecting with the respective front foot.  
   
   
       11 . A laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each said front foot of said surround structure includes a downwardly facing ledge engaging over a rear end of the respective front foot portion, such that said front unit must be pivoted forward to disengage said connection.  
   
   
       12 . A laundry machine as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said front foot portion includes a downwardly extending locking tongue connecting with the respective front foot.  
   
   
       13 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said front foot portion includes a rearwardly extending locking member, said downwardly extending locking tongue extending from the rear end of said locking member, the upper edge of said locking member engaging under said downwardly facing ledge.  
   
   
       14 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said front unit includes a panel formed from sheet material and each said front foot portion comprises a molded component connected to the lower edge of said panel.  
   
   
       15 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       16 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       17 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said front unit includes a panel formed from sheet material and each said front foot portion comprises a molded component connected to the lower edge of said panel.  
   
   
       18 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       19 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said surround structure is formed from sheet material and each said front foot is a molded component connected to said base member.  
   
   
       20 . A laundry appliance as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said front unit includes a panel formed from sheet material and each said front foot portion comprises a molded component connected to the lower edge of said panel.