Domestic appliance access panel

Abstract

An access panel is disclosed for extending across a lower frontal section of a domestic appliance positioned on a surface. The access panel includes, a substantially rigid middle portion having a top edge and a bottom edge, a flexible top portion attached along at least a portion of the top edge of the substantially rigid middle portion for positioning adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance, and a flexible bottom portion attached along at least a portion of the bottom edge of the substantially rigid middle portion for positioning adjacent the surface. A leveling bracket is disposed adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance. The leveling bracket has a slot for receiving at least one tab element of the access panel for retaining the access panel across the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance, the tab element being moveable within the slot between a first position and a second position for adjusting the height of the flexible bottom portion in relation to the surface.

1 . An access panel for extending across a lower frontal section of a domestic appliance positioned on a surface, the access panel comprising:
 a substantially rigid middle portion having a top edge and a bottom edge;   a flexible top portion attached along at least a portion of the top edge of the substantially rigid middle portion for positioning adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance; and   a flexible bottom portion attached along at least a portion of the bottom edge of the substantially rigid middle portion for positioning adjacent the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The access panel of  claim 1  wherein the substantially rigid middle portion and flexible top and bottom portions are thermoplastic. 
     
     
         3 . The access panel of  claim 2  wherein the thermoplastic comprises extruded polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         4 . The access panel of  claim 3  wherein the substantially rigid middle portion and the flexible top and bottom portions is a co-extruded integral combination of rigid and flexible polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         5 . The access panel of  claim 1  further comprising a mount formed on the access panel for mounting the access panel across the lower frontal section. 
     
     
         6 . The access panel of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one tab element attachable to the substantially rigid middle portion; and 
 a leveling bracket disposed adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance having a slot for receiving the at least one tab element and for retaining the access panel across the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance, the tab element being moveable within the slot between a first position and a second position for adjusting the height of the flexible bottom portion in relation to the surface. 
 
     
     
         7 . An access panel for extending across a lower frontal section of a domestic appliance positioned on a surface, the access panel comprising:
 a substantially rigid portion having a top edge and a bottom edge, the top edge for positioning adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance and the bottom edge for positioning adjacent the surface; and   a flexible portion attached along at least a portion of at least one of the top edge and bottom edge of the substantially rigid portion, the flexible portion to be disposed between at least one of the top edge of the substantially rigid portion and the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance and between the flexible bottom portion and the surface.   
     
     
         8 . The access panel of  claim 7  wherein the substantially rigid portion and the flexible portion are thermoplastic. 
     
     
         9 . The access panel of  claim 8  wherein the thermoplastic comprises extruded polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         10 . The access panel of  claim 9  wherein the substantially rigid portion and the flexible portion is a co-extruded integral combination of rigid and flexible polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The access panel of  claim 7  further comprising:
 at least one tab element attachable to the substantially rigid middle portion; and 
 a leveling bracket disposed adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance having a slot for receiving the at least one tab element and for retaining the access panel across the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance, the tab element being moveable within the slot between a first position and a second position for adjusting the height of the flexible bottom portion in relation to the surface. 
 
     
     
         12 . An access panel for extending across a lower frontal section of a domestic appliance positioned on a surface, the access panel comprising:
 a substantially rigid portion including at least one tab element, the substantially rigid portion having a top edge and a bottom edge, the top edge for positioning adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance and the bottom edge for positioning adjacent the surface; and   a leveling bracket disposed adjacent the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance having a slot for receiving the tab element and retaining the substantially rigid portion across the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance, the tab element being moveable within the slot between a first position and a second position for adjusting the height of the bottom edge of the substantially rigid portion in relation to the surface.   
     
     
         13 . The access panel of  claim 12  wherein the tab element is moveable within the slot to a third position for preventing the bottom edge of the substantially rigid portion from contacting the surface during shipping and installing of the dishwasher. 
     
     
         14 . The access panel of  claim 13  wherein the slot includes a first slot portion for allowing for insertion of the tab element within the slot, a second slot portion for the preventing of the bottom edge of the substantially rigid portion from contacting the surface during shipping and installing of the dishwasher, and a third slot portion for the adjusting of the height of the bottom edge of the substantially rigid portion in relation to the surface after the dishwasher is installed, and wherein the tab element is moveable within the slot between the first slot portion, the second slot portion, and the third slot portion. 
     
     
         15 . The access panel of  claim 12  further comprising a flexible portion attached along at least a portion of the top edge of the substantially rigid portion for positioning between the lower frontal section of the domestic appliance and the top edge of the substantially rigid portion. 
     
     
         16 . The access panel of  claim 15  wherein the substantially rigid portion and the flexible portion are thermoplastic. 
     
     
         17 . The access panel of  claim 16  wherein the thermoplastic is a co-extruded integral combination of rigid and flexible polyvinyl chloride.