Composite material structural panel having an integral air channel

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a drum that processes laundry. A blower delivers process air from a heater to the drum via an airflow path. A structural panel defines a front aperture for accessing an interior of the drum and an air channel that defines a portion of the airflow path. The structural panel includes a lower first portion that is made of a first material and an upper second portion that is made of a second material that is different from the first material. The first and second materials meet at a predetermined seam that extends through the structural panel and the air channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming a structural panel for a laundry appliance, the method comprising steps of:
 positioning a molding tool that defines an enclosed molding cavity;   disposing a first injectable material into the enclosed molding cavity;   disposing a second injectable material into the enclosed molding cavity, wherein the first injectable material and the second injectable material meet at a predefined seam to define the structural panel;   cooling the first injectable material and the second injectable material;   opening the molding tool; and   removing the structural panel from the molding tool.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first injectable material and the second injectable material are injected contemporaneously. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an air channel is defined within the structural panel, and wherein the first injectable material and the second injectable material define the air channel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a gasket is positioned within the predefined seam. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second injectable material is disposed in the enclosed molding cavity after the first injectable material has at least partially cooled. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the air channel defines a portion of an airflow path for the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first injectable material is a first polypropylene material that includes approximately 20 percent talc. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second injectable material is a second polypropylene material that includes approximately 40 percent calcium tricarbonate particles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gasket is attached to the structural panel after the structural panel is removed from the molding tool. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the air channel defines a receptacle for receiving an air filter of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming a structural panel for a laundry appliance, the method comprising steps of:
 molding a first portion of the structural panel within a first molding cavity using a first injectable material;   molding a second portion of the structural panel within a second molding cavity using a second injectable material;   removing the first and second portions of the structural panel from the first and second molding cavities, respectively;   placing a gasket within a gasket receptacle that is defined between the first and second portions;   attaching the first and second portions together at a predefined seam to define the structural panel; and   fastening the first portion and the second portion together using fasteners.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gasket receptacle is located within the predefined seam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first molding cavity and the second molding cavity are defined within separate molding tools. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gasket receptacle extends around an air channel of the structural panel, and wherein the gasket extends around the air channel at the predefined seam. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first molding cavity and the second molding cavity are separate cavities within a single molding tool. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first injectable material is a first polypropylene material that includes approximately 20 percent talc. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second injectable material is a second polypropylene material that includes approximately 40 percent calcium tricarbonate particles. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the air channel defines a portion of an airflow path of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the air channel defines a receptacle for receiving an air filter of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         20 . A method for forming a structural panel for a laundry appliance, the method comprising steps of:
 molding a first portion of the structural panel within a first molding tool;   molding a second portion of the structural panel within a second molding tool that is separate from the first molding tool;   removing the first and second portions of the structural panel from the first and second molding tools, respectively;   placing a gasket within a gasket receptacle that is defined between the first and second portions, wherein the gasket receptacle extends around an air channel that extends through the first and second portions of the structural panel;   attaching the first and second portions together at a predefined seam to define the structural panel; and   fastening the first portion and the second portion together using fasteners.