IP Library Granted Patent US 12,428,892
Granted Patent B2
US 12,428,892 · App. 18/591,396 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Adjustable bumper design for home appliances

Inventors: Rohan Gajananrao Gore (Stevensville, MI); David Gregory Quante (St. Joseph, MI)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
E05F5/06F24C15/027E05Y2900/308
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,428,892
App. No.
18/591,396
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bumper assembly for an appliance may include a cabinet having a front panel, a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel, and a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel. The bumper may include a cap having an annular outer surface defining an interior, at least one flange coupled to the outer surface, the at least one flange extending along at least a portion of the annular outer surface, a through-hole in communication with the interior, and a fastener. The fastener may be disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

Claims (51)

1. A cooking appliance, comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking compartment;

a front panel coupled with the cabinet, wherein the front panel defines an access opening in communication with the cooking compartment;

a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;

a bumper coupled with an aperture defined by one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:

a cap including a first end and a second end, the cap comprising:

a disc-shaped portion disposed at the first end;

an annular sidewall defining an interior therein disposed between the first end and the second end;

a first flange and a second flange projecting from the annular sidewall, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end and are sloped with respect to the disc-shaped portion of the cap, such that the second end of the each flange is spaced further from the disc-shaped portion of the cap than the first end of the corresponding flange;

a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap; and

a through-hole defined by the second end of the cap;

a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap; and

a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the fastener receiver and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped portion of the cap defines an aperture configured to receive the head of the fastener.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first flange includes a stop disposed at one of the first end and second end of the first flange, the stop coupled with the disc-shaped portion to prevent rotation of the cap.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second flanges are disposed in an opposing manner on the annular sidewall.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of a cover coupled to the fastener head is positioned one of planar with and above an upper surface of the cap in the mounted state.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped portion of the cap includes a diameter larger than a diameter defined by the annular sidewall.

7. A cooking appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a front panel;

a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively contact the front panel; a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:

a cap comprising a disc-shaped upper surface and an annular outer sidewall defining an interior;

a first flange and a second flange coupled to the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges extending along at least a portion of the annular outer sidewall, the first and second flanges each including a flange body, wherein the first and second flanges each comprise a first end and a second end, the second end spaced further from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap than the first end and a stop that extends from the flange body and couples with the disc-shaped upper surface;

a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap;

a through-hole in communication with the interior; and

a fastener disposed within the interior and the through-hole when the bumper is in a mounted state.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , further comprising:

a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 8 , wherein the fastener receiver is unitary with the cap, thereby forming a single piece.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are disposed in an opposing manner on the annular outer sidewall.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the fastener includes an elastomeric cover positioned one of planar with and above the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap in the mounted state.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the stop is disposed within the cap at a surface lower than the disc-shaped upper surface.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein an upper surface of the first flange is sloped with respect to the disc-shaped upper surface of the cap.

14. A cooking appliance, comprising:

a cabinet having a front panel, wherein the front panel defines as access opening;

a door hingedly coupled with the cabinet and configured to selectively cover the access opening;

a bumper coupled to one of the door and front panel, the bumper comprising:

a cap defining an interior and including a disc-shaped upper portion at a first end of the cap, the cap comprising:

an annular outer sidewall disposed between the first end of the cap and a second end of the cap;

a first flange and a second flange arranged in an opposing manner adjacent the annular outer sidewall;

a first stop extending from the first flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion and a second stop extending from the second flange toward the disc-shaped upper portion;

a first wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the first flange and a second wedge depending from the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap adjacent the second flange, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are disposed adjacent an outer edge of the cap; and

a through-hole defined by the cap; and

a fastener having a shaft and a head, wherein the shaft is disposed within the through-hole and the head is disposed within the interior when the bumper is in a mounted state.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap defines an aperture configured to receive the head of the fastener.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the first stop and the second stop are coupled with the disc-shaped upper portion, thereby preventing rotation of the cap in the mounted state.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap includes a diameter larger than a diameter defined by the annular outer sidewall.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , further comprising:

a fastener receiver disposed within the interior of the cap.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 18 , wherein the fastener receiver is unitary with the cap, thereby forming a single piece.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 14 , wherein the first flange and the second flange are sloped with respect to the disc-shaped upper portion of the cap.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 16994755 · Aug 17, 2020
Related Publication 20240200384A1 · Jun 20, 2024
References Cited (33)
US 162934A · Matsinger · 1875 [cited by examiner]
US 1073253A · Lavelle · 1913 [cited by examiner]
US 1776005A · Miller · 1930 [cited by applicant]
US 1880190A · Anderson · 1932 [cited by examiner]
US 2395788A · Luxem · 1946 [cited by examiner]
US 3538485A · Hennessey, Jr. · 1970 [cited by examiner]
US 4651962A · Helgesson · 1987 [cited by examiner]
US 4756638A · Neyret · 1988 [cited by examiner]
US 4924549A · Morel · 1990 [cited by examiner]
US 5397196A · Boiret · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 5881710A · Davis · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6295697B1 · Simon · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6507976B2 · Ichimaru · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 10150444B1 · Schwalm · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 11946309B2 · Gore · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20110079573A1 · Nakamura · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20180126565A1 · Zheng · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190242169A1 · Diez Herrera · 2019 [cited by examiner]
CN 106882021A · 2017 [cited by examiner]
CN 110080645A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 209681762U · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 209687159U · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 111677396A · 2020 [cited by examiner]
DE 102011101393B4 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018125724A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
EP 2420158A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
GB 2113827B · 1985 [cited by applicant]
GB 2519252B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 19980043044A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
KR 200148711Y1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
KR 20190056022A · 2019 [cited by examiner]
KR 102475980B1 · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO 1999061740A1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]