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A door/lid for an appliance, such as a washer or dryer, includes a tempered glass panel upon an inner surface of which is applied one or two screen printed borders of fusible ceramic printing medium defining a substantially opaque peripheral border bounding a central viewing area through which cloth

A door/lid for an appliance, such as a washer or dryer, includes a tempered glass panel upon an inner surface of which is applied one or two screen printed borders of fusible ceramic printing medium defining a substantially opaque peripheral border bounding a central viewing area through which clothing associated with a washer or dryer can be viewed when the door/lid is closed. An injection molded narrow encapsulation, border or rim surrounds an edge of the tempered glass panel and effects a water-tight seal therewith. Third ceramic printing means in the form of instructions or safety rules in applied to the first or second printing medium but is indiscernible from the outside when the door/lid is closed. When the door/lid is open, the instructions/safety rules are totally divisible, upright and readable.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An appliance comprising a housing defining a compartment including a wall having an opening through which clothing can ingress and egress said compartment, at least one of a door and lid, hinge means for effecting movement of said at least one door and lid between a first position substantially c

1. An appliance comprising a housing defining a compartment including a wall having an opening through which clothing can ingress and egress said compartment, at least one of a door and lid, hinge means for effecting movement of said at least one door and lid between a first position substantially closing said opening and a second position substantially effecting opening of said opening, said at least one door and lid including a panel of substantially transparent tempered glass having a peripheral edge portion bordered by a frame defined at least in part by a peripheral encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, said frame including a peripherally innermost edge portion defined by upper and lower walls bridged by a peripheral wall collectively defining a channel housing said glass panel peripheral edge portion, said glass panel including an outer surface and an inner surface, a substantially central area and a peripheral area between said substantially central area and said peripheral encapsulation, means upon said glass panel inner surface of said peripheral area for imparting an appearance thereto ranging between substantially translucent to substantially opaque and establishing an edge defining an outer periphery of said substantially transparent central area through which the compartment and/or clothing therein can be viewed when said at least one door and lid is in the first position thereof, printing means in the form of at least one of clothing care instructions and safety directions upon at least an exposed surface portion of said appearance imparting means which are substantially indiscernible when viewed through said glass panel outer surface in said at least one door and lid first position, and said one of clothing care instructions and safety directions are readably oriented and readable in the at least one door and lid second position against the background afforded thereto by said appearance imparting means. 2. The appliance as defined in claim 1 including one of an upwardly and outwardly convexly curved peripheral seating wall portion outboard of and substantially surrounding said compartment wall opening, and said peripheral encapsulation lower wall includes one of a downwardly and inwardly concavely curved peripheral seating surface substantially mirroring the configuration of and seating upon said peripheral seating wall portion in said at least one door and lid first position. 3. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes a finger grip surface portion and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion located outboard of said peripheral seating surface. 4. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 5. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 6. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means, and said at least one appearance imparting means and said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 7. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 8. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes said finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located o pposite said finger grip surface portion. 9. The appliance as defined in claim 2 wherein said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means, and said at least one appearance imparting means said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 10. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 11. The appliance as defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 12. The appliance as defined in claim 10 wherein said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 13. The appliance as defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means, and said at least one appearance imparting means and said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 14. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 15. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 16. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means, and said at least one appearance imparting means and said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 17. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means, and said at least one appearance imparting means said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 18. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge means define a substantially horizontally oriented hinge axis. 19. The appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge means define a substantially vertically oriented hinge axis. 20. An appliance comprising a housing defining a compartment including a wall having an opening through which clothing can ingress and egress said compartment, at least one of a door and lid, hinge means for effecting movement of said at least one door and lid between a first position substantially closing said opening and a second position substantially effecting opening of said opening, said at least one door and lid including a panel of substantially transparent tempered glass having a peripheral edge portion bordered by a frame defined at least in part by a peripheral encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, said frame including a peripherally innermost edge portion defined by upper and lower walls bridged by a peripheral wall collectively defining a channel housing said glass panel peripheral edge portion, said glass panel including an outer surface and an inner surface, a substantially central area and a peripheral area between said substantially central area and said peripheral encapsulation, first means upon said glass panel inner surface of said peripheral area for imparting an appearance thereto ranging between substantially translucent to substantially opaque and establishing an edge defining an outer periphery of said substa ntially transparent central area through which the compartment and/or clothing therein can be viewed when said at least one door and lid is in the first position thereof, second means upon said first appearance imparting means for imparting additional appearance thereto, printing means in the form of at least one of clothing care instructions and safety directions upon at least an exposed surface portion of said second appearance imparting means which are substantially indiscernible when viewed through said glass panel outer surface in said at least one door and lid first position, and said one of clothing care instructions and safety directions are readably oriented and readable in the at least one door and lid second position against the background afforded thereto by said first and second appearance imparting means. 21. The appliance as defined in claim 20 including one of an upwardly and outwardly convexly curved peripheral seating wall portion outboard of and substantially surrounding said compartment wall opening, and said peripheral encapsulation lower wall includes one of a downwardly and inwardly concavely curved peripheral seating surface substantially mirroring the configuration of and seating upon said peripheral seating wall portion in said at least one door and lid first position. 22. The appliance as defined in claim 21 wherein said hinge means define a substantially horizontally oriented hinge axis. 23. The appliance as defined in claim 21 wherein said hinge means define a substantially vertically oriented hinge axis. 24. The appliance as defined in claim 21 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 25. The appliance as defined in claim 20 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 26. The appliance as defined in claim 20 wherein said first and second appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface, said first appearance imparting means and said second appearance imparting means. 27. The appliance as defined in claim 20 wherein said first and second appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface, said first appearance imparting means and said second appearance imparting means, and at least one of said first and second appearance imparting means and said printing means is a ceramic print medium. 28. The appliance as defined in claim 20 wherein said first and second appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface, said first appearance imparting means and said second appearance imparting means, and said first and second appearance imparting means and said printing means are a ceramic print medium. 29. An appliance door/lid comprising a panel of substantially transparent tempered glass having a peripheral edge portion bordered by a frame defined at least in part by a peripheral encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, said frame including a peripherally innermost edge portion defined by upper and lower walls bridged by a peripheral wall collectively defining a channel housing said glass panel peripheral edge portion, said glass panel including an outer surface and an inner surface, a substantially central areas and a peripheral area between said substantially central area and said peripheral encapsulation; means upon said glass panel inner surface of said peripheral area for imparting an appearance thereto ranging between substantially translucent to substantially opaque and establishing an edge defining an outer periphery of said substantially transparent ce ntral area through which clothing can be viewed when said door/lid is in a closed position with respect to a clothes opening of an associated appliance, printing means in the form of at least one of clothing care instructions and safety directions upon at least an exposed surface portion of said appearance imparting means which are substantially indiscernible when viewed through said glass panel outer surface in said closed position, and said one of clothing care instructions and safety directions are readably oriented and readable in an open position against the background afforded thereto by said appearance imparting means. 30. An appliance door/lid as defined in claim 29 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 31. The appliance door/lid as defined in claim 29 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means. 32. An appliance door/lid comprising a panel of substantially transparent tempered glass having a peripheral edge portion bordered by a frame defined at least in part by a peripheral encapsulation of synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, said frame including a peripherally innermost edge portion defined by upper and lower walls bridged by a peripheral wall collectively defining a channel housing said glass panel peripheral edge portion, said glass panel including an outer surface and an inner surface, a substantially central area and a peripheral area between said substantially central area and said peripheral encapsulation, first means upon said glass panel inner surface of said peripheral area for imparting an appearance thereto ranging between substantially translucent to substantially opaque and establishing an edge defining an outer periphery of said substantially transparent central area through which clothing can be viewed when said door/lid is in a closed position with respect to a clothes opening of an associated appliance, second means upon said first appearance imparting means for imparting additional appearance thereto, printing means in the form of at least one of clothing care instructions and safety directions upon at least an exposed surface portion of said second appearance imparting means which are substantially indiscernible when viewed through said glass panel outer surface in said closed position, and said one of clothing care instructions and safety directions are readably oriented and readable in an open position against the background afforded thereto by said first and second appearance imparting means. 33. An appliance door/lid as defined in claim 32 wherein said peripheral encapsulation includes at least two substantially opposite wall portions, one of said opposite wall portions includes a finger grip surface portion, and said hinge means is located opposite said finger grip surface portion. 34. The appliance door/lid as defined in claim 32 wherein at least one of said appearance imparting means and said printing means are heat-fusingly adhered to said respective glass panel inner surface and said appearance imparting means.