Composite material structural panel having an integral air channel

1. A laundry appliance comprising:

a drum that processes laundry;

a blower that delivers process air from a heater to the drum via an airflow path; and

a structural panel that defines a front aperture for accessing an interior of the drum and an air channel that defines a portion of the airflow path; wherein

the structural panel includes a lower first portion that is made of a first material and an upper second portion that is made of a second material that is different from the first material; and

the first and second materials meet at a predetermined seam that extends through the structural panel and the air channel.

2. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are co-molded portions, wherein the first and second materials are co-molded to meet at the predetermined seam.

3. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second materials are separately molded and attached via fasteners at the predetermined seam.

4. The laundry appliance of claim 3 , further comprising:

a gasket that extends around the air channel at the predetermined seam.

5. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first material is a first polypropylene material that includes approximately 20 percent talc.

6. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second material is a second polypropylene material that includes approximately 40 percent calcium tricarbonate particles.

7. The laundry appliance of claim 2 , wherein the first and second materials are contemporaneously co-molded within a single molding tool.

8. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the heater is an electrically resistive heating element.

9. The laundry appliance of claim 1 , wherein the air channel defines an air filter receptacle.

10. A laundry appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a drum disposed within the cabinet and that processes laundry;

a blower that delivers process air from a heater to the drum via an airflow path; and

a structural panel that defines an air channel of the airflow path; wherein

the structural panel includes a first portion that is made of a first material and a second portion that is made of a second material that is different from the first material; and

the first and second materials meet at a predetermined seam that extends through a perimeter wall of the structural panel that defines the air channel.

11. The laundry appliance of claim 10 , wherein the structural panel defines a front aperture for accessing an interior of the drum, and wherein the air channel extends through a wall of the structural panel and at least partially defines the front aperture.

12. The laundry appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first and second portions are co-molded portions, wherein the first and second materials are co-molded to meet at the predetermined seam.

13. The laundry appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first and second materials are separately molded and attached via fasteners at the predetermined seam.

14. The laundry appliance of claim 13 , further comprising:

a gasket that extends around the air channel at the predetermined seam.

15. The laundry appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first material is a first polypropylene material that includes approximately 20 percent talc and the second material is a second polypropylene material that includes approximately 40 percent calcium tricarbonate particles.

16. The laundry appliance of claim 12 , wherein the first and second materials are contemporaneously co-molded.

17. The laundry appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the structural panel is positioned proximate a heating element.

18. A structural panel for a laundry appliance, the structural panel comprising:

a lower first portion made of a first polypropylene material;

an upper second portion made of a second polypropylene material that is different than the first polypropylene material, wherein the upper second portion defines a front aperture for accessing a rotating drum;

an air channel that extends from the front aperture of the upper second portion to a base of the lower first portion, wherein:

the first and second materials meet at a predetermined seam that divides the lower first portion and the upper second portion; and

the predetermined seam extends through a perimeter wall that defines the air channel.

19. The structural panel of claim 18 , wherein the lower first and upper second portions are co-molded portions, wherein the first and second polypropylene materials are co-molded within a single molding tool to meet at the predetermined seam.

20. The laundry appliance of claim 18 , wherein the first and second polypropylene materials are separately molded and attached via fasteners at the predetermined seam, and wherein a gasket is disposed proximate the perimeter wall at the predetermined seam, wherein the gasket extends around the air channel at the predetermined seam.