Home appliance with self-locking aperture

Abstract

A home appliance includes an appliance body, a front panel mounted to the appliance body and defining a self-locking aperture, and a generally cylindrical electrical element having an electrical element body mounted to the front panel in registry with the self-locking aperture, wherein the panel defining the self-locking aperture has a self-locking assembly for engaging and altering the structure of the electrical element body to retain the electrical element in place.

1 . A home appliance comprising:
 an appliance body;   a front panel mounted to the appliance body and defining a self-locking aperture; and   a generally cylindrical electrical element having an electrical element body mounted to the front panel in registry with the self-locking aperture, wherein the panel defining the self-locking aperture has a self-locking assembly for engaging and altering the structure of the electrical element body to retain the electrical element in place.   
     
     
         2 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the electrical element has a plastic body and the self-locking assembly includes a plurality of gripping members on the panel defining the aperture, the gripping members projecting toward the center of the aperture for engagement with the electrical element body, wherein the gripping members penetrate the surface of the electrical element body for gripping the electrical element body, thereby altering the structure of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         3 . The home appliance of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of gripping members includes a plurality of wedge-shaped projections formed integrally with the panel defining the aperture and having sharp edges for penetrating the surface of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         4 . The home appliance of  claim 2  wherein eight gripping members are formed in the panel defining the aperture at regular intervals to engage the electrical element body to prevent free rotation of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         5 . The home appliance of  claim 4  wherein the eight gripping members include eight wedge-shaped projections having sharp edges for penetrating the surface of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         6 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein each wedge shaped projection includes two walls that diverge from a sharp distal end to the panel at a predetermined angle and extend to the panel. 
     
     
         7 . The home appliance of  claim 6  wherein the walls diverge at about a forty degree (40°) angle. 
     
     
         8 . The home appliance of  claim 4  wherein each gripping member extends about 0.7 mm from the panel wall defining the aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the electrical element is a plunger switch. 
     
     
         10 . A range comprising:
 an appliance body;   a front panel mounted to the appliance body and defining a self-locking aperture; and   a generally cylindrical electrical element having an electrical element body mounted to the front panel in registry with the self-locking aperture, wherein the panel defining the self-locking aperture has a self-locking assembly for engaging and altering the structure of the electrical element body to retain the electrical element in place.   
     
     
         11 . The range of  claim 10  wherein the electrical element has a plastic body and the self-locking assembly includes a plurality of gripping members on the panel defining the aperture, the gripping members projecting toward the center of the aperture for engagement with the electrical element body, wherein the gripping members penetrate the surface of the electrical element body for gripping the electrical element body, thereby altering the structure of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         12 . The range of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of gripping members includes a plurality of wedge-shaped projections formed integrally with the panel defining the aperture and having sharp edges for penetrating the surface of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         13 . The range of  claim 11  wherein eight gripping members are formed in the panel defining the aperture at regular intervals to engage the electrical element body to prevent free rotation of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         14 . The range of  claim 13  wherein the eight gripping members include eight wedge-shaped projections having sharp edges for penetrating the surface of the electrical element body. 
     
     
         15 . The range of  claim 10  wherein each wedge shaped projection includes two walls that diverge from a sharp distal end to the panel at a predetermined angle and extend to the panel. 
     
     
         16 . The range of  claim 15  wherein the walls diverge at about a forty degree (40°) angle. 
     
     
         17 . The range of  claim 13  wherein each gripping member extends about 0.7 mm from the panel wall defining the aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The range of  claim 10  wherein the electrical element is a plunger switch. 
     
     
         19 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the self-locking assembly includes a plurality of gripping members on the front panel defining the aperture, the gripping members being wedge shaped teeth having a uniform height and a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         20 . The home appliance of  claim 6  wherein the walls diverge at a angle of about forty degrees (40°), with the angle remaining constant along the width of each projection.