초록 ▼

A composite appliance base used for manufacture and assembly of various appliances such as a clothes washing machine, clothes dryer, or the like. The composite appliance base includes a heater box, an electric motor mount, a fan shroud, and at least one duct. There are also various inlets which are

A composite appliance base used for manufacture and assembly of various appliances such as a clothes washing machine, clothes dryer, or the like. The composite appliance base includes a heater box, an electric motor mount, a fan shroud, and at least one duct. There are also various inlets which are used for water hoses (in the case where the composite appliance base is used for a washing machine or the like) as well as exhaust ducts and integrated cable clips. In one embodiment, the composite appliance base includes a base portion and a fan shroud, as well as a first duct in fluid communication with the fan shroud. The composite appliance base also includes a second duct which functions as the heater box; the heater box is operable with a heater device to heat air flowing through the heater box, the duct, and the fan shroud.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A composite appliance base, comprising: a base portion;a fan shroud mounted to said base portion;a first duct in fluid communication with said fan shroud;a second duct, at least a portion of said second duct integrally formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said first duct such that

1. A composite appliance base, comprising: a base portion;a fan shroud mounted to said base portion;a first duct in fluid communication with said fan shroud;a second duct, at least a portion of said second duct integrally formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said first duct such that said second duct is operable for being placed in fluid communication with said first duct such that air flowing through said second duct is heated prior to passing through said fan shroud and said first duct; anda plurality of cable clips formed as part of said base portion operable for providing proper positioning of cables used with said composite appliance base. 2. The composite appliance base of claim 1, said first duct further comprising: a removable upper half; anda lower half integrally formed with said base portion, said removable upper half selectively connectable to said lower half of said first duct to facilitate fluid communication between said first duct and said fan shroud. 3. The composite appliance base of claim 1, said fan shroud further comprising: a removable upper portion; anda lower portion integrally formed with said base portion such that said removable upper portion is selectively connectable to said lower portion and facilitate fluid communication between said fan shroud and said first duct. 4. The composite appliance base of claim 3, said fan shroud further comprising: an upper wall formed as part of said removable upper portion; anda lower wall formed as part of said lower portion and in contact with said upper wall formed as part of said removable upper portion when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion, forming said fan shroud. 5. The composite appliance base of claim 4, said fan shroud further comprising: a semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall; anda semi-circular notch formed as part of said lower wall such that when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion, said semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall and said semi-circular notch formed as part of said lower wall form an aperture. 6. The composite appliance base of claim 1, wherein said second duct is a heater box, further comprising: a lower half operable for being selectively connected to said base portion;an upper half operable for being selectively connected to said lower half such that said second duct is formed. 7. The composite appliance base of claim 6, further comprising at least one support member integrally formed as part of said base portion operable for supporting a heating element for heating air passing through said second duct, said at least one support member substantially surrounded by said lower half of said second duct. 8. The composite appliance base of claim 7, said at least one support member further comprising: a first support member integrally formed as part of said base portion; anda second support member integrally formed as part of said base portion such that said first support member and said second support member are covered by said lower half of said second duct when said lower half of said second duct is assembled to said base portion. 9. The composite appliance base of claim 8, further comprising: a first top support surface formed as part of said first support member;a second top support surface formed as part of said second support member; anda backing plate formed as part of said second support member substantially perpendicular to said second top support surface such that said first top support surface, said second top support surface, and said backing plate are operable to support said heating element operable for heating air passing through said second duct. 10. The composite appliance base of claim 1, further comprising at least one motor mount formed as part of said composite appliance base in proximity to said fan shroud. 11. The composite appliance base of claim 10, further comprising at least one semi-circular recess formed as part of said at least one motor mount operable for supporting an electric motor connected to a fan located in said fan shroud. 12. The composite appliance base of claim 1, further comprising a water inlet mount connected to said base portion, said water inlet mount operable for connection with a source of water. 13. The composite appliance base of claim 12, said water inlet mount further comprising: a main flange integrally formed as part of said base portion; andan aperture formed as part of said main flange, wherein a conduit in fluid communication with said source of water is mounted in said aperture and operable for providing a source of water to said composite appliance base. 14. The composite appliance base of claim 13, said water inlet mount further comprising an offset flange formed as part of said main flange operable for supporting a valve to control the amount of flow through said conduit. 15. A composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance, comprising: a base portion;a first duct formed as part of said base portion;a fan shroud integrally formed as part of said base portion such that said fan shroud is in fluid communication with said first duct;a second duct formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said first duct, said second duct operable for being placed in fluid communication with said first duct;at least one support member operable for supporting a heating element such that said heating element is operable to increase the temperature of air flowing through said second duct; anda plurality of cable clips integrally formed as part of said base portion operable for retaining cables in a desired position. 16. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 15, said fan shroud further comprising: a removable upper portion having an upper wall; anda lower portion formed as part of said base portion, said lower portion having a lower wall, said upper wall and said lower wall forming a rear wall of said fan shroud when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion. 17. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 16, said fan shroud further comprising: a semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall of said removable upper portion; anda semi-circular notch formed as part of said lower wall of said lower portion, said semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall and said semi-circular notch formed as part of said lower wall form an aperture when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion. 18. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 15, said first duct further comprising: a removable upper half integrally formed as part of said removable upper portion of said fan shroud; anda lower half integrally formed as part of said base portion such that said lower half of said first duct is also integrally formed with said lower portion of said fan shroud, and when said removable upper half of said first duct is connected to said lower half of said duct and said removable upper portion of said fan shroud is connected to said lower portion of said fan shroud, air is allowed to pass between said fan shroud and said first duct. 19. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 15, said second duct further comprising: a lower half selectively connected to said base portion in proximity to said first duct; andan upper half selectively connected to said lower half to form an aperture such that said second duct is operable to be placed in fluid communication with said first duct to provide circulation of air between said first duct, said second duct, and said fan shroud. 20. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 19, said at least one support member further comprising: a first support member integrally formed with said base portion in proximity to said first duct; anda second support member integrally formed with said base portion in proximity to said first duct and said first support member, wherein said first support member and said second support member are concealed by said lower half of said second duct when said second duct is connected to said base portion. 21. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 20, further comprising a first top support surface formed as part of said first support member;a second top support surface formed as part of said second support member; anda backing plate formed as part of said second support member substantially perpendicular to said second top support surface such that said first top support surface, said second top support surface, and said backing plate are operable to support said heating element operable for heating air passing through said second duct. 22. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 15, further comprising a water inlet mounting formed as part of said base portion operable for supporting a valve and a conduit in fluid communication with a water source. 23. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 22, said water inlet mounting further comprising: a main flange;an aperture formed as part of said main flange such that a hose in fluid communication with a water supply is operable for being mounted to said aperture formed as part of said main flange; andan offset flange formed as part of said main flange, wherein a valve is operable for being mounted to said offset flange formed as part of said main flange for controlling the flow of fluid through said hose mounted within said aperture. 24. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of motor mounts integrally formed as part of said base portion, at least one of said plurality of motor mounts formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said fan shroud. 25. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 24, each of said plurality of motor mounts further comprising a semi-circular recess operable for supporting an electric motor mounted to said plurality of motor mounts. 26. A composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance, comprising: a base portion;a fan shroud mounted to said base portion, at least a portion of said fan shroud integrally formed with said base portion;a first duct in fluid communication with said fan shroud, at least a portion of said first duct integrally formed with said base portion;a second duct connected to said base portion in proximity to said first duct;a plurality of motor mounts integrally formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said fan shroud, each of said plurality of motor mounts operable for supporting an electric motor, said electric motor operable for driving a fan located within said fan shroud for circulating air through said first duct and said second duct;a water inlet mounting formed as part of said base portion operable for connection with a source of water for facilitating the deliver of water to said appliance; anda plurality of cable clips integrally formed as part of said base portion operable for properly positioning cables or wires to said base portion, said cables or wires connected to said electric motor. 27. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, said fan shroud mounted to said base portion further comprising: a removable upper portion;an upper wall formed as part of said removable upper portion;a semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall;a lower portion integrally formed with said base portion;a lower wall formed as part of said lower portion and in contact with said upper wall formed as part of said removable upper portion when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion; anda semi-circular notch formed as part of said lower wall which forms an aperture with said semi-circular notch formed as part of said upper wall when said removable upper portion is connected to said lower portion, such that said electric motor mounted to said plurality of motor mounts is operable to connect to said fan located in said fan shroud by a shaft extending through said aperture. 28. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 27, said first duct further comprising: a removable upper half integrally formed with said removable upper portion of said fan shroud; anda lower half integrally formed with said base portion and adjacent to said lower portion of said fan shroud such that when said removable upper half of said first duct is assembled to said lower half of said duct and said removable upper portion of said fan shroud is connected to said lower portion of said fan shroud, said first duct is in fluid communication with said fan shroud. 29. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, said second duct further comprising: a lower half operable for being connected to said base portion; andan upper half selectively attached to said lower half to form a substantially square-shaped aperture operable for being placed in fluid communication with said first duct for providing circulation of air. 30. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, further comprising: a first support member integrally formed as part of said base portion; anda second support member operable for being formed as part of said base portion in proximity to said first support member such that said first support member and said second support member are covered by said lower half of said second duct when said lower half of said second duct is assembled to said base portion. 31. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 30, further comprising: a first top support surface formed as part of said first support member;a second top support surface formed as part of said second support member; anda backing plate formed as part of said second support member substantially perpendicular to said second top support surface such that said first top support surface, said second top support surface, and said backing plate are operable to support a heating element operable for heating air passing through said second duct. 32. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, said second duct further comprising a heater box. 33. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, each of said plurality of motor mounts further comprising a semi-circular recess formed as part of each of said plurality of motor mounts. 34. The composite appliance base for use in the construction of an appliance of claim 26, said water inlet mount further comprising: a main flange;an aperture formed as part of said main flange such that a hose in fluid communication with a water supply is operable for being mounted to said aperture formed as part of said main flange; andan offset flange formed as part of said main flange, wherein a valve is operable for being mounted to said offset flange formed as part of said main flange for controlling the flow of fluid through said hose mounted within said aperture.