Appliance installation protection system and method

Abstract

An appliance installation protection system includes an appliance having an outer vertical surface including a front face, a pair of lateral faces, and a rear face. A protective panel has a first side, a second side, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge. The protective panel is comprised of a flexible material and has a rectangular shape. The protective panel has a height from the upper edge to the lower edge that is equal or greater than a height of the appliance. The protective panel is positioned on the outer vertical surface such that the first side abuts the outer vertical surface and at least covers the front face and the pair of lateral faces. A securing member is attached to the protective panel and is engaged to releasably retain the protective panel on the appliance.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An appliance anti-marring system for protecting the outer surface of an appliance from damage during an installation process, the system including:
 the appliance having an outer vertical surface including a front face, a pair of lateral faces, and a rear face, the front face and the rear face each having a width dimension and the lateral faces each having a length dimension;   a protective panel having a first side, a second side, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge, the protective panel being comprised of a flexible material and having a rectangular shape, the protective panel having a height from the upper edge to the lower edge being equal or greater than a height of the appliance;   the protective panel being positioned on the outer vertical surface such that the first side abuts the outer vertical surface and at least covers the front face and the pair of lateral faces; and   a securing member being attached to the protective panel, the securing member being engaged to releasably retain the protective panel on the appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the appliance is selected from the group including appliances for cleaning clothes, washing dishes, preparing food, and refrigerating food. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is a cloth material. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the protective panel being no greater than 20% more than the height of the appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective panel has a width from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge being greater than a summation of the length and width dimensions of the front face and the pair of lateral faces. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 5 , wherein the width of the protective panel being less than a summation of length and width dimensions of the front face, the pair of lateral faces, and the rear face. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , further including a cushioning material being positioned within the protective panel and being positioned between the first and second sides of the protective panel, the cushioning material being spaced from the first and second lateral edges and having a size such that the front face is covered by the cushioning material when the protective panel is positioned on the appliance. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 7 , wherein the cushioning material extends laterally within the protective panel a distance no more than 12.0 inches greater than the width dimension of the front face. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 8 , wherein the cushioning material has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 9 , wherein the cushioning material comprises a resiliently compressible material. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the securing member includes a plurality of straps extending between and biasing toward each other the first and second lateral edges of the protective panel wherein the straps extend across the rear face of the appliance when the protective panel is positioned on the appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 1 , further including a plurality of magnets being attached to the protective panel for magnetically attaching the protective panel to the appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 12 , wherein each magnet of the plurality of magnets are positioned between the first and second faces. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance anti-marring system according to  claim 13 , wherein each magnet of the magnets is positioned adjacent to one of the first or second lateral edges and are vertically spaced from each other. 
     
     
         15 . An appliance anti-marring system for protecting the outer surface of an appliance from damage during an installation process, the system including:
 the appliance having an outer vertical surface including a front face, a pair of lateral faces, and a rear face, the appliance being selected from the group including appliances for cleaning clothes, preparing food, washing dishes, and refrigerating food, the front face and the rear face each having a width dimension and the lateral faces each having a length dimension;   a protective panel having a first side, a second side, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge, the protective panel being comprised of a flexible material, the flexible material being a cloth material, the protective panel having a rectangular shape, the protective panel having a height from the upper edge to the lower edge being equal or greater than a height of the appliance, the height of the protective panel being no greater than 20% more than the height of the appliance;   the protective panel being positioned on the outer vertical surface such that the first side abuts the outer vertical surface and at least covers the front face and the pair of lateral faces;   a securing member being attached to the protective panel, the securing member being engaged to releasably retain the protective panel on the appliance;   the protective panel having a width from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge being greater than a summation of the length and width dimensions of the front face and the pair of lateral faces, the width of the protective panel being less than a summation of length and width dimensions of the front face, the pair of lateral faces, and the rear face;   a cushioning material being positioned within the protective panel and being positioned between the first and second sides of the protective panel, the cushioning material being spaced from the first and second lateral edges and having a size such that the front face is covered by the cushioning material when the protective panel is positioned on the appliance, the cushioning material extending laterally within the protective panel a distance no more than 12.0 inches greater than the width dimension of the front face, the cushioning material having a rectangular shape, the cushioning material comprising a resiliently compressible material;   the securing member including a plurality of straps extending between and biasing together the first and second lateral edges of the protective panel wherein the straps extend across the rear face of the appliance when the protective panel is positioned on the appliance; and   a plurality of magnets being attached to the protective panel for magnetically attaching the protective panel to the appliance.   
     
     
         16 . A method of protecting an appliance during installation thereof, the method including the steps of:
 selecting a protective panel having a size such that its height is no greater than 20% of the height of an appliance it is to be positioned on;   positioning a protective panel on an exposed outer surface of the appliance such that a front face and a pair of lateral faces are completely covered with the protective panel and a rear face of the appliance is only partially covered with the protective panel;   releasably retaining in place the protective panel with one or more straps attached to the protective panel and extending the one or more straps across the rear face of the appliance such that the one or more straps bias a first lateral edge of the protective panel toward a second lateral edge of the protective panel;   moving the appliance to or adjacent to an installation position; and   removing the protective panel from the appliance.