Panel assemblies and methods for forming panel assemblies

1. A panel assembly, comprising:

a main panel extending within a plane which defines an X-axis and a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis;

a first side panel extending from the main panel generally along a Z-axis perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis;

a second side panel extending from the main panel generally along the Z-axis, the second side panel generally perpendicular to the first side panel;

a first tab extending from the first side panel and comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending from the first side panel generally along the X-axis, the second portion extending from the first portion generally along the Z-axis such that a slot is defined between the second portion and the first side panel; and

a second tab extending from the second side panel generally along the Y-axis and through the slot,

wherein a side edge of the second tab defines a notched area, wherein the notched area is positioned between the second tab and the first portion of the first tab within the slot along the Z-axis, wherein the notched area is open toward the first portion along the Z-axis, and wherein the notched area provides an open clearance for the second tab over the first portion of the first tab through the slot.

2. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the first tab contacts the second tab.

3. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main panel, first side panel, second side panel, first tab and second tab are integrally formed such that the panel assembly is a monolithic structure.

4. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wherein the main panel, first side panel, second side panel, first tab and second tab are formed from a metal.

5. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly is a front oven door panel assembly.

6. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the second tab comprises a radiused portion.

7. The panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein no secondary joining of the first side panel and the second side panel is performed.

8. An unformed panel assembly, comprising:

a main panel extending within a plane which defines an X-axis and a Y-axis perpendicular to the X-axis;

a first side panel extending generally within the plane from the main panel along the X-axis;

a second side panel extending generally within the plane from the main panel along the Y-axis;

a first tab extending from the first side panel, the first tab comprising a first portion extending from the first side panel generally along the X-axis and a second portion extending from the first portion; and

a second tab extending from the second side panel generally along the X-axis,

wherein the main panel, first side panel, second side panel, first tab and second tab are integrally formed such that the unformed panel assembly is a monolithic structure, wherein the unformed panel assembly is formed from a metal, wherein a side edge of the second tab defines a notched area parallel to the second tab within the plane from the main panel along the X-axis, wherein the notched area is open along the Y-axis in a direction opposite the second tab, and wherein the notched area provides an open clearance for the second tab over the first portion of the first tab through a slot.

9. The unformed panel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the unformed panel assembly extends from the first portion generally along the Z-axis.

10. The unformed panel assembly of claim 8 , wherein the unformed panel assembly is an unformed front oven door panel assembly.