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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A home appliance, comprising:
 a handle;   an end cap attaching the handle to the home appliance; and   a crush rib disposed between the handle and the end cap.   
     
     
         2 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the home appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         3 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locating feature, wherein the crush rib is disposed on the locating feature. 
     
     
         4 . The home appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein the locating feature is a pin. 
     
     
         5 . The home appliance according to  claim 4 , wherein the pin is conical or frustoconical. 
     
     
         6 . The home appliance according to  claim 4 , wherein there is no more than one pin per end of the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The home appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein the locating feature is:
 disposed on a surface of the end cap, and offset from a centerline of the surface, the centerline being along a direction of a length of the handle.   
     
     
         8 . The home appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein the locating feature is part of the end cap. 
     
     
         9 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises two ends and the end cap and the handle are each adapted such that the end cap fits on both ends of the handle to secure the handle to the home appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of crush ribs. 
     
     
         11 . The home appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of crush ribs is arrayed around a locating pin. 
     
     
         12 . The home appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein external surfaces of the plurality of crush ribs together define a generally conical shape or generally frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         13 . The home appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of crush ribs form a pin-like structure. 
     
     
         14 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a hole and the crush rib is disposed within the hole. 
     
     
         15 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is fastened to the end cap by way of a mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         16 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second end cap attaching the handle to the home appliance, wherein the end cap and the second end cap are substantially identical. 
     
     
         17 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the crush rib is integrally formed on the end cap. 
     
     
         18 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the end cap comprises:
 a cradle region that conforms to and cradles a surface of the handle,   a cover region that covers an end of the handle, and   a locating feature disposed on the cradle region,   wherein the crush rib is integrally formed on the locating feature and the cover region is substantially perpendicular to the cradle region.   
     
     
         19 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the crush rib is adapted to preferentially deform before any other portions of the handle or the end cap when the handle is fastened to the end cap. 
     
     
         20 . The home appliance according to  claim 19 , wherein the crush rib preferentially deforms due to misalignment between a hole in the handle that is adapted to receive the crush rib and a location of the crush rib. 
     
     
         21 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical fastener that fastens the handle to the end cap,
 wherein the handle comprises:
 a first hole, and 
 a second hole; and 
   wherein the crush rib is disposed in the first hole and the mechanical fastener is disposed in the second hole.   
     
     
         22 . The home appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is made from a harder material than the crush rib. 
     
     
         23 . The home appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a front face, wherein the end cap is attached to the front face. 
     
     
         24 . A method of assembling a home appliance, comprising:
 inserting a crush rib that is on an end cap into a handle;   fastening the handle to the end cap; and   fastening the end cap to the home appliance.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising deforming the crush rib. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the fastening the handle forces alignment between the handle and the end cap and deforms the crush rib. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein tightening a fastener fastens the handle to the end cap. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 inserting a second crush rib on a second end cap into the handle;   fastening the handle to the second end cap; and   fastening the handle to the home appliance.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 inserting a plurality of crush ribs on the end cap into the handle; and   deforming at least one crush rib while fastening the handle to the end cap.