Home appliance with handle, end cap, and crush rib

Abstract

A home appliance includes a handle; an end cap attaching the handle to the home appliance; and a crush rib disposed between the handle and the end cap. The home appliance may include a locating feature, wherein the crush rib is disposed on the locating feature. The locating feature may be a pin.

Description

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY[0001]The present technology relates to attaching a handle to a home appliance. More particularly, the present technology relates an enhancement that makes attaching a handle to a home appliance easier.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In the modern kitchen, one common appliance is the dishwasher, or in more specific terms, the automatic dishwasher. Most automatic dishwashers share certain basic components. There is a compartment in which the dishes or crockery are placed and enclosed for treatment or washing. Commonly, there is at least one rack to hold the items to be cleaned. A hinged door or sliding drawer is commonly used to enclose the compartment and its contents, and the door or drawer frequently includes a handle. There are commonly a number of nozzles for spraying water to facilitate the cleaning within the compartment and a basin that collects water sprayed from the nozzles. A drain is incorporated into the basin and the drain is connected to a hose ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]However, with a single pin, such damage can be reduced or eliminated. Also, by providing a structure (such as a crush rib) that preferentially receives damage due to such misalignment, the damage can occur in a controlled, acceptable manner.

Problems solved by technology

Where there are two or more pins for alignment at an interface between an end cap and a handle bar (there are typically two such interfaces when the handle bar is attached at two ends by way of two end caps), the Applicants discovered that one or more of the pins can become damaged when the handle bar is securely fastened to the end cap by way of a fastener, for example, a screw.

When the fastener draws the handle securely to the end cap, one or more pins may be damaged due to misalignment, which can be due to manufacturing tolerances, between the pins and holes for the pins and the material when the holes are locating being harder than the material of the pins.

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