Fireplace appliance glass retention in recreational vehicles

Abstract

A fireplace appliance includes a cabinet defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side. The cabinet includes a peg on an interior side of the cabinet. A heating element is disposed within the cabinet, along with a fan. A panel assembly is removably coupled to the front side of the cabinet. The panel assembly includes a glass panel defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side, and a mounting bracket coupled to the glass panel. The mounting bracket defines a slot. The slot is configured to engage the peg of the cabinet when mounted to the cabinet. The slot includes a biasing member configured to retain the peg within the slot.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 
     
         1 . A fireplace appliance for recreational vehicles, the fireplace appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions mutually perpendicular, the fireplace appliance comprising: 
 a cabinet defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side, the cabinet comprising a peg on an interior side of the cabinet;    a heating element disposed within the cabinet;   a fan disposed within the cabinet; and   a panel assembly removably coupled to the front side of the cabinet, the panel assembly comprising: 
 a glass panel defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side; and 
 a mounting bracket coupled to the glass panel, the mounting bracket defining a slot, the slot configured to engage the peg of the cabinet when mounted to the cabinet, the slot comprising a biasing member configured to retain the peg within the slot.  
   
     
     
         2 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the slot of the mounting bracket defines an open end and a closed end between a bottom edge and a top edge of the slot, the slot extending at an angle between the transverse direction and the vertical direction such that the open end is below the closed end with respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         3 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the biasing member is positioned proximate to the bottom edge of the slot. 
     
     
         4 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the peg of the cabinet comprises a first peg and a second peg, the second peg below the first peg with respect to the vertical direction.  
     
     
         5 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the slot of the mounting bracket comprises a first slot and a second slot, the second slot below the first slot with respect to the vertical direction, the first slot configured to engage the first peg of the cabinet, and the second slot configured to engage the second peg of the cabinet.  
     
     
         6 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the biasing member of the mounting bracket comprises a first biasing member and a second biasing member, the first slot comprising the first biasing member, and the second slot comprising the second biasing member.  
     
     
         7 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket of the panel assembly defines a front surface, and wherein the glass panel of the panel assembly is adhered to the front surface of the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         8 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring clip.  
     
     
         9 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element of the fireplace appliance comprises an electric heating element. 
     
     
         10 . A fireplace appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions mutually perpendicular, the fireplace appliance comprising: 
 a cabinet defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side, the cabinet comprising a peg on an interior side of the cabinet;    a heating element disposed within the cabinet;   a fan disposed within the cabinet; and   a panel assembly removably coupled to the front side of the cabinet, the panel assembly comprising: 
 a glass panel defining a front side, a back side, a first side and a second side; and 
 a mounting bracket coupled to the glass panel, the mounting bracket defining a slot, the slot configured to engage the peg of the cabinet when mounted to the cabinet, the slot comprising a biasing member configured to retain the peg within the slot.  
   
     
     
         11 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the slot of the mounting bracket defines an open end and a closed end between a bottom edge and a top edge of the slot, the slot extending at an angle between the transverse direction and the vertical direction such that the open end is below the closed end with respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the biasing member is positioned proximate to the bottom edge of the slot. 
     
     
         13 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the peg of the cabinet comprises a first peg and a second peg, the second peg below the first peg with respect to the vertical direction.  
     
     
         14 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the slot of the mounting bracket comprises a first slot and a second slot, the second slot below the first slot with respect to the vertical direction, the first slot configured to engage the first peg of the cabinet, and the second slot configured to engage the second peg of the cabinet.  
     
     
         15 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing member of the mounting bracket comprises a first biasing member and a second biasing member, the first slot comprising the first biasing member, and the second slot comprising the second biasing member.  
     
     
         16 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the mounting bracket of the panel assembly defines a front surface, and wherein the glass panel of the panel assembly is adhered to the front surface of the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         17 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring clip.  
     
     
         18 . The fireplace appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element of the fireplace appliance comprises an electric heating element.