Door Assembly for a Laundry Treating Appliance

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/615,477, filed Mar. 25, 2024, now allowed, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/402,888, filed on Aug. 16, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,959,220, issued Apr. 16, 2024, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/137,093, filed on Sep. 20, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,118,295, issued Sep. 14, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/587,078, filed on Nov. 16, 2017, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, can have a configuration based on a rotating laundry basket that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treating. The laundry treating appliance can include a cabinet including a panel with an access opening through which clothes are loaded and unloaded into the treating chamber. A door assembly can be movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively open and close the access opening to the treating chamber. The door assembly can include multiple door pieces to support various parts of the door assembly, such as a transparent or partially transparent viewing window, a hinge assembly, and a user interface for the laundry treating appliance.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a laundry treating appliance comprising a cabinet defining an interior, a drum located within the interior and defining a treating chamber, and a door assembly coupled to the cabinet to selectively open and close the treating chamber and at least partially defining the treating chamber when the door assembly is in a closed condition. The door assembly comprises an intermediate door having front and rear surfaces and defining an opening, a user interface mounted to the intermediate door, a door window mounted to the intermediate frame and overlying the opening, a door cover adjacent the front surface of the intermediate door and overlying the user interface, a rear door adjacent the rear surface of the intermediate door, a trim element provided about at least a periphery of the intermediate door, and a heat stake connection comprising a plurality of posts on one of the intermediate door or the trim element and a plurality of receiving on the other of the intermediate door or the trim element, the posts configured to be received within the receiving openings and thermally deformed to create a plurality of caps to secure the trim element to the intermediate door.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a door assembly for a laundry treating appliance. Door assemblies for laundry treating appliances can include a variety of features and components, including, but not limited to, a transparent viewing window area, structures for preventing the passage of liquid from the interior of the laundry treating appliance to the exterior of the laundry treating appliance, and even a user interface and display area. A viewing window for the user interface and display area can be accompanied by screen decoration to cover the associated electronics and provide a clean aesthetic to the user. Additionally, the structure of the door cover can be altered in the area of the user interface to provide a flat, angled surface for the user interface that allows for high acuity of a touch screen. Speaker openings can also be provided in the door assembly for improved transmission of auditory cues to a user.

When the user interface is located on or within the door assembly of a laundry treating appliance, the door assembly can include additional features and structures to ensure that the user interface can operate properly within the door assembly and that electronic components are protected from liquid within the laundry treating appliance. By way of non-limiting example, the door assembly can include structures to keep liquid from contacting electronic components of the user interface, such as gaskets and water diverting channels, and structures to ensure that sensitivity of the user interface and its associated electronics and functions are optimized for ease of function and operability.

Such a door assembly can comprise multiple components that together form the door assembly. The use of multiple components to form the door assembly can require additional consideration to ensure that the door assembly is assembled in an efficient manner that allows for a durable door assembly and sturdy connections between the multiple components of the door assembly. The use of specialized fasteners, hooks, and heat staking can improve assembling of the components of the door assembly. Snaps for a viewing window can serve not only to secure the window piece, but to center it within the door assembly.

The door assembly of the present disclosure has applicability in a variety of laundry treating appliances, including, but not limited to, both laundry washing appliances and laundry drying appliances. While certain aspects of the door assembly can be the same regardless of whether the door assembly is used in the context of a laundry washing appliance or a laundry drying appliance, it will also be understood that other aspects of the door assembly can be different depending on whether the door assembly is used in the context of a laundry washing appliance or a laundry drying appliance. By way of non-limiting example, the features of the viewing window or the structures for water protection or transmission of sound can differ depending on the context in which the door assembly is intended to be used.

In more detail, and referring to, a laundry treating applianceaccording to an aspect of the disclosure can be any laundry treating appliancethat performs a cycle of operation to clean or otherwise treat laundry items placed therein. The laundry treating applianceis illustrated herein as a horizontal axis, front-load laundry treating appliance, such as, but not limited to, a washing machine or a laundry dryer. However, it will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure can have applicability in other horizontal axis laundry treating appliances, non-limiting examples of which include a combination washing machine or dryer, a refreshing/revitalizing machine, an extractor, or a non-aqueous washing apparatus, or also a horizontal axis laundry treating appliance that is top-loading. Depending on the configuration, it is possible for the embodiments to have applicability in vertical axis laundry treating appliances and other appliances having a door, whether it be hinged, slidable, or otherwise attached to a cabinet, with access to a treating chamber. The laundry treating appliance shares many feature of a conventional automated clothes washer and/or dryer, which will not be described in detail herein except as necessary for a complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure.

The laundry treating appliancecan include a structural support assembly comprising a cabinetdefining a housing within which a laundry holding assembly resides. The cabinetcan be a housing having a chassis and/or a frame, defining an interior, enclosing components typically found in a conventional washing machine or drying machine. Conventional washing machine or drying machine components are not described in detail, but are described briefly as needed to provide an illustrative environment to support a complete understanding of aspects of the present disclosure.

Referring now to, the laundry holding assembly may include a rotatable drumsupported within the cabinetby a suitable suspension assembly and defining at least a portion of a laundry treating chamberfor receiving the laundry and which rotates about a rotational axis, which for convenience, but not limitation, happens to be illustrated as a generally horizontal axis. The drumis configured to receive a laundry load comprising articles for treatment, including, but not limited to, a hat, a scarf, a glove, a sweater, a blouse, a shirt, a pair of shorts, a dress, a sock, and a pair of pants, a shoe, an undergarment, and a jacket. An access openingin a front panelof the cabinetprovides access to the laundry treating chamber.

The laundry holding assembly may further include a door assemblywhich can be movably mounted to the cabinetto selectively close the access openingto the treating chamber. The door assemblycan have a handlefor pivotally opening the door about a hinge assembly. The door assemblycan further include an integrated user interfacecomprising a plurality of buttons, which can be touch sensitive buttons, a display module, which can be a touch sensitive liquid crystal display module, and a user interface controller. While the user interfaceis illustrated as a touch control panel, the user interface can be any form of human machine interface, such as, but not limited to, a mechanical touch surface, a capacitive touch surface, a set of mechanical buttons or mechanical knobs for controlling the operation of the laundry treating appliance, or a combination of any of these. The door assemblycomprises an outer door assembly, the display module, and an inner door assembly() or() that, when coupled together, form the door assembly.shows the door assemblyin a closed condition andshows the door assemblyin an open condition.

Turning now to the components of the door assembly,illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the door assemblyincluding the outer door assemblyand the inner door assembly, and that includes a portion of the user interface. A door coverprovides the front surface for the door assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the door coveris formed of a plastic material. However, it will be understood that glass, composite, or other suitable material can be used to form the door cover. The door covercan be partially transparent to allow a user to view the treating chamber, or can be entirely transparent across the entirety of the door cover. The door covercan also include the plurality of buttons.

An intermediate dooris also provided, and can be positioned to the rear of the door cover. The intermediate doorcan be formed of plastic, metal, or any suitable composition. The intermediate doorincludes a central openingand a display opening. The central openingcan be configured to line up with a transparent portion of the door coverto allow a user to view the treating chamberthrough the door assembly, even when the door assemblyis in the closed condition. The display openingcan also be configured to line up with a second transparent portion of the door cover, to allow a user to view the user interface. The door covercan have separate transparent portions corresponding to the central openingand the display openingof the intermediate door, or the entire door covercan be transparent. It will also be understood that the transparent portion or portions of the door coverare not limited to being the size and shape of the central openingor the display opening, but could also be larger or smaller than the central openingor the display opening.

A trim element, illustrated herein as a peripheral trim ring, is provided and can be configured to be coupled with and to surround the peripheral edges of at least the door coverand the intermediate door. The peripheral trim ringcan be formed of plastic, metal, or any suitable composition. A touch filmis provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the touch filmis adhesively bonded to a rear surfaceof the door cover, though it will be understood that the touch filmcan be attached to the door coverin any other suitable manner, non-limiting examples of which include mechanical attachment or being held against the door coverby pressure from another component of the door assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the touch filmis adhered to the rear surfaceof the door coversuch that the touch filmis aligned with the display openingof the intermediate doorwhen the door assemblyis fully assembled.

At least one circuit boardcan also be included. In an exemplary embodiment, the circuit boardcan be a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), though it will also be understood that the PCB is not required to be flexible, but could be a standard PCB. While the door assemblyis illustrated as having two circuit boards, one on either side of the touch film, it will be understood that any suitable number of circuit boards, including a single circuit board, can be provided, and that the at least one circuit boardcan be provided at any position on the door cover, either adjacent to or not adjacent to the touch film. The circuit boardscan be adhered to the rear surfaceof the door coverby the use of an adhesive layer. The adhesive layercan have a shape that corresponds to that of the at least one circuit board, or can only be present between the rear surfaceand the at least one circuit boardover a portion of the surface of the at least one circuit board. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one circuit boardis adhered to the rear surfaceof the door coversuch that the at least one circuit boardis aligned with the buttonsof the door coverwhen the door assemblyis fully assembled.

The peripheral trim ring, the door cover, the touch film, the at least one circuit board, the adhesive layer, and the intermediate doorcan be collectively thought of as comprising an outer door assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the peripheral trim ring, the door cover, and the intermediate doorthat form a portion of the outer door assemblyare all formed of plastic.

Referring now to, a front view of a portion of the door assemblycontaining the user interfaceis illustrated. The view ofshows the at least one circuit boardbeing aligned with the buttonsto provide the appropriate electrical circuitry for the functioning of the buttons. Although the display module, which can be provided as a touch screen user interface display moduleas enabled by the touch film, can provide primary input functions for the user interface, a user may desire that there be additional buttons. By way of non-limiting example, the buttonsprovided in addition to the touch screen user interface display modulecan be hard-coded buttons that a user may desire to be always available regardless of the status of the display module, such as a power button. When the laundry treating applianceis powered off, or when the touch screen user interface display moduleis in an inactive condition and is not actively displaying information, the presence of the hard-coded buttonsensures that specific desired functions and controls are always available to the user and readily identifiable.

Turning now to, the door covercan have structural features to improve the operability of the user interfacewithin the door assembly, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the door cover. The door coverincludes an upper portionand a lower portion. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper portioncorresponds to the position of the user interface, and the upper portion is relatively flat. The lower portioncan be located outside the position of the user interface, and can have a convex surface in cross-section. By aligning the flat upper portionof the door coverwith the user interface, improved acuity and function of the user interfacecan be attained.

illustrates a cross-sectional view of the flat upper portionof the door coverwithin the door assembly. Behind the flat upper portionof the door cover, the touch filmis positioned. Behind the touch film, the display moduleis positioned within the display openingof the intermediate door, immediately behind the touch film. By having the touch filmand the display moduleadjacent the flat upper portionof the door cover, any air gap that would exist between the door coverand the display moduleif the door coverwere curved is eliminated, such that improved touch performance is achieved by the touch filmand the display module. The upper portionof the door coverbeing flat also makes it easier for the touch filmand the at least one circuit boardto be adhered to the rear surfaceof the door cover, with less chance of wrinkling or air bubbles as compared to adhesion to a curved surface. Additionally, the presence of the flat upper portionof the door coverresults in the user interfacebeing presented to the user in a tilted manner, which improves visibility and ergonomic performance for the user, as the flat upper portionis likely to be below the height of an average user. In this way, the flat upper portionpresents the user interfaceto a user such that the display moduleis visually tilted towards the user for case of use. In one aspect of the disclosure, by way of non-limiting example, the flat upper portionof the door coverwhere the user interfaceis located can be provided at an angle of 10.4° relative to vertical, though it will be understood that any suitable angle can be used, including an angle larger than 10.4° relative to vertical.

To further improve usability of the user interface, it is also contemplated that the upper portionand the lower portioncan have differing thicknesses, such that the upper portionof the door coveris thinner than the lower portion. By having the upper portionadjacent the touch filmand the display modulehave a decreased thickness relative to the lower portion, the sensitivity, or the touch resolution, of the touch filmto a touch by a user can be improved. In an exemplary embodiment, the lower portionof the door cover can have a thickness of 3.5 millimeters, while the upper portionhas a thickness of 2.5 millimeters. It will also be understood that while the upper portioncan be both flat and have a reduced thickness in the same area, it is not required that the flat area and the area of reduced thickness are of identical shape and size. Further, where the upper portionand the lower portionmeet, the thickness can gradually transition from the thickness of the upper portionto the thickness of the lower portion, or the thickness can abruptly change at the point where the upper portionand the lower portionmeet.

illustrates a front view of a visual appearance of a portion of the door cover. A masked portioncan be included to provide an opaque area of the door coverto hide the components of the user interface, such as the at least one circuit boardor other electrical components. The masked portionincludes a mask openingthat corresponds to the touch film, the display module, and the display openingof the intermediate door, such that the masked portiondoes not impede the viewability of the display module. In an exemplary embodiment, the masked portionis a heat transfer foil decoration applied to the rear surfaceof the door cover. The at least one circuit boardand corresponding adhesive layercan be applied to the rear surfaceof the door cover, even where the masked portionis already present. It will be understood that any other suitable type of masking decoration can be applied other than the use of a heat transfer foil, non-limiting examples of which include hot stamping, ink, in-mold decoration, or in-mold labelling.

The presence of the user interfaceand associated electronics, such as the at least one circuit boardand the display modulewithin the door assemblyrequires structures within the door assemblyto protect the user interfacefrom liquid and to divert any liquid that may enter the door assemblyaway from the user interface. Referring back to, a groovecan be seen in the front surface of the intermediate door. The grooveextends circumferentially about the touch film, display module, and the at least one circuit board. The grooveis positioned such that it can accommodate a gasketwithin the groove. The gasketcan be seen in the cross-sectional view of. The gasketserves to ensure that any liquid and dust or debris within the door assembly, particularly between the intermediate doorand the door cover, is diverted away from the electronics of the user interface. While the gasketand the grooveare shown as encircling the user interfaceentirely, it will be understood that both the grooveand the gasketcan also extend only around an upper portion of the user interface, or in any other portion different than what is shown.

illustrates an enlarged rear perspective view of an upper portion of the outer door assembly, including an additional liquid diverting structure that is present on a rear surfaceof the intermediate door. A water channel(also visible in cross-section in) extends rearwardly from the rear surfaceof the intermediate door. The water channelis positioned above the display openingof the intermediate door. In an exemplary embodiment, the water channelextends to a width that is at least the width of the display moduleand the at least one circuit board, though it will be understood that the water channelcan be any suitable width such that any liquid that may be present within the door assembly, particularly between the intermediate doorand a rear door, is deflected away from the electronics of the user interface.

The outer door assemblycomprises a plurality of fasteners that are used in the assembling of the outer door assembly, as illustrated in, which illustrate rear perspective views of the outer door assembly, including the door cover, the intermediate door, and the peripheral trim ring. The door coveris coupled to the intermediate doorby a plurality of door cover hooksthat are received by door cover hook openingsprovided within the intermediate door. In an exemplary embodiment as illustrated, there are provided eight sets of couplings of the door cover hookswith the door cover hook openings, the eight sets being arranged along the periphery of the outer door assembly, and only along a lower portion of the periphery of the outer door assembly. However, it will be understood that any suitable number of sets of door cover hooksand door cover hook openingscan be provided, and that they can be provided at any suitable point along the periphery of the outer door assembly.

The peripheral trim ringis coupled to the intermediate doorby a plurality of intermediate door hooksthat are received within receiving windowsprovided on the peripheral trim ring, which can be seen in enlarged detail in. The receiving windowson the peripheral trim ringare shaped to receive the intermediate door hookssuch that rotation of the peripheral trim ringabout the peripheral edge of the intermediate dooris prevented when the peripheral trim ringis coupled to the intermediate door.

Referring back to, a third attachment feature of the outer door assemblyinvolves the coupling of the door cover, the intermediate door, and the peripheral trim ringby the use of heat staking. A plurality of heat stake postsare provided on the peripheral trim ring, projecting rearwardly from the peripheral trim ringtowards the treating chamber. The heat stake postsare received by a corresponding number of heat stake towersformed in the intermediate doorand defining receiving openings for the heat stake posts. A plurality of sets of the heat stake postsand the heat stake towerscan be distributed about the periphery of the outer door assembly, such that the heat stake postsare arranged about a perimeter of the intermediate doorand the heat stake towersare arranged about a perimeter of the peripheral trim ring. The heat stake postscan be received within the heat stake towersof the intermediate doorwhen the door coverand the intermediate doorhave been coupled together via the door cover hooksand the door cover hook openings, such that the peripheral trim ringsandwiches the door coverbetween the peripheral trim ringand the intermediate door. Alignment locators (not shown) can be provided to ensure that the door cover, the intermediate door, and the peripheral trim ringare aligned properly. Non-limiting examples of such an alignment locator can include notches, protrusions, or indentations that are complementary to one another between the door cover, the intermediate door, and the peripheral trim ring. Any suitable number of such alignment locators can be provided, including a plurality of alignment locators or only a single alignment locator.

While the heat stake postsare illustrated herein as being provided on the peripheral trim ringand the heat stake towersdefining the receiving openings are illustrated herein as being provided on the intermediate door, it will be understood that the heat stake postscan be provided on either the peripheral trim ringor the intermediate door, with the heat stake towersdefining the receiving openings can be provided on the other of the peripheral trim ringor the intermediate door, such that the heat stake postsand the heat stake towersdefining the receiving openings collectively form first and second parts of a heat stake connection.

Referring now to, a schematic cross-sectional view of the heat stake postand heat stake towerare shown. When the door cover, the intermediate door, and the peripheral trim ringhave been aligned and the heat stake postsare received within the heat stake towers, heat can be applied by a heating apparatusin order to melt the top of the heat stake postswhile applying downward pressure to create a cap, illustrated herein as a mushroom-shaped top, on the heat stake postsand couple the peripheral trim ringto the intermediate door, as shown in. While the cap is illustrated herein as a mushroom-shaped or flattened top, it will be understood that the cap can have any suitable shape. In an exemplary embodiment, the heating apparatuscan be a heating machine, a non-limiting example of which includes an ultrasonic heating machine, though it will be understood that any suitable heating device can be used. The melting of the heat stake towerscreates a robust coupling between the peripheral trim ringand the intermediate door, such that there is no looseness between the two parts to create squeaking or rattling during the operation of the laundry treating appliance.

illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the inner door assemblythat can be used in the door assembly. In the exemplary embodiment, the inner door assemblycan be used to form the door assemblyfor a laundry washing appliance, though it will be understood that the inner door assemblycan also be used in any other type of laundry treating appliance. The inner door assemblycomprises the rear door, the hinge assembly, and a door inner window. In an exemplary embodiment, the door inner windowcan have the shape of a bowl, although it will be understood that any suitable shape can be used, including a flat window, or a concave or convex window that is not shaped like a bowl. The rear doorincludes a door inner window openingthat is designed to receive the door inner window. When the door inner windowis received within the door inner window openingof the rear door, and the inner door assemblyis coupled to the outer door assemblyto form the door assembly, the door inner windowis aligned with the central openingof the intermediate doorto allow a user to view the treating chamberwhen the door assemblyis in the closed condition. In an exemplary embodiment, both the rear doorand the door inner windowcan be formed of plastic, although it will be understood that the rear doorcan also be formed from metal, composite, or other suitable material, while the door inner windowcan also be formed of glass.

The inner door assemblyincludes fastening elements for coupling the door inner windowto the rear door, which are illustrated inin the form of a plurality of holding snapsand a plurality of centering snapsprovided along the periphery of the door inner window openingof the rear door. As shown in an enlarged cross-sectional view in, the holding snapssandwich the door inner windowagainst the rear doorsecurely such that the door inner windowis tightly held and does not allow for gaps between the door inner windowand the rear door.

The centering snapsare shown in enlarged cross-sectional view in. The centering snapsare resiliently biased against the door inner window. In an exemplary embodiment, the centering snapsare distributed evenly about the periphery of the door inner window openingof the rear doorsuch that an even and balanced amount of pressure is applied to the door inner windowby the centering snapsfrom any given direction. In this way, the biasing of the centering snapsagainst the door inner windowserves to center the door inner windowwithin the door inner window opening.

illustrates a rear perspective view of an upper portion of the rear door. A rear surfaceof the rear doorcontains at least one set of speaker openingsthat pass through the rear surfaceof the rear door. In an exemplary embodiment, two sets of speaker openingsare provided, one set on either side of the position of the user interfaceand the display module. The speaker openingsallow sound from the user interfaceto exit the door assemblyand be projected such that a user can hear the audible sounds from the user interface. It will be understood that any suitable number of speaker openingsor sets of speaker openingscan be provided, including a single set of speaker openings, and that they can be provided at any suitable location on the rear door.

illustrates an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment of the inner door assemblythat can be used in the door assembly. In the exemplary embodiment, the inner door assemblycan be used to form the door assemblyfor a laundry drying appliance, though it will be understood that the inner door assemblycan also be used in any other type of laundry treating appliance. The inner door assemblycomprises a rear door, the hinge assembly, and a door window. The rear doorincludes a door window openingthat is designed to receive the door window. When the door windowis received within the door window openingof the rear door, and the inner door assemblyis coupled to the outer door assemblyto form the door assembly, the door windowis aligned with the central openingof the intermediate doorto allow a user to view the treating chamberwhen the door assemblyis in the closed condition. A sealcan be provided where the door windowis received within the door window opening. In an exemplary embodiment, the rear dooris formed of metal, while the door windowis formed of glass, although it will be understood that the rear doorcan also be formed from plastic or other suitable material, while the door windowcan also be formed of plastic.

The inner door assemblyincludes fastening elements for coupling the door windowto the rear door, which can be in the form of holding snapsand centering snapsas described previously within the inner door assembly, or the fastening elements can be provided in the form of clampsas shown in. The clamps can be fastened to the rear doorin order to hold the door windowin place within the door window opening. In an exemplary embodiment, both the clampsand the rear doorare formed of steel.

The inner door assemblyfurther includes a handle coverand a hinge coverthat are coupled to the rear door. The hinge assemblycan be attached to either side of the rear door, depending on the preference of the user. Whichever side the user chooses of the rear doorto attach the hinge assemblyto, the hinge covercan be coupled to the rear dooron the side corresponding to the position of the hinge assembly, with the handle coverbeing coupled to the rear dooron the side opposite the position of the hinge assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, both the handle coverand the hinge coverare formed of plastic, though it will be understood that any suitable material, including metal, can be used.

illustrates a rear view of the inner door assemblywith the hinge assembly, the hinge cover, and the handle coverin position and coupled to the rear door. Both the handle coverand the hinge coverhave a set of speaker openingsat both an upper portion and a lower portion, such that even if the handle coverand the hinge coverwere switched to opposite sides of the rear door, along with the hinge assembly, the user is assured that a set of speaker openingswill still be in place for optimal sound transmission.

illustrates a rear perspective view of the rear door, including a hole patternthat can be provided in the rear door. The hole patternallows for sound to exit the rear doorfrom the user interface, such that the sound can most effectively reach the speaker openingsof the handle coveror the hinge coverin order to be transmitted to the user from the door assembly. The hole patternis illustrated herein as being provided either on a horizontal or vertical surface of the rear door. It will be understood that such arrangements of the hole patterncan be provided either on their own or together and either above or below the hinge assembly. By way of non-limiting example, the portion of the rear dooreither above or below the hinge assemblycan be provided with a hole patternon a horizontal surface of the rear door, on a vertical surface of the rear door, or both the horizontal and the vertical surfaces of the rear door. The portions of the rear doorabove and below the hinge assemblycan be provided with identical hole patterns, or the hole patterncan differ above and below the hinge assembly.

Turning now to the assembling of the door assembly, the door cover, intermediate door, and peripheral trim ringare coupled to one another to form the outer door assemblyusing the various fasteners as described previously with respect to. Once the outer door assembly, including the touch film, the at least one circuit board, and the adhesive layer, has been completed, the display modulecan then be fastened to the intermediate door. The display modulecan be fastened to the intermediate doorusing any suitable fastener, non-limiting examples of which include screws, bolts, snaps, or clamps. The display moduleis fastened to the intermediate doorsuch that the display moduleis aligned with the display openingof the intermediate door, and therefore also aligned with the touch filmand the flat upper portionof the door cover. Then, depending on the type of laundry treating appliance the door assemblyis needed for, as well as the desired features of the door assembly, either of the inner door assemblies,can be attached to the outer door assemblyby means of suitable fasteners, non-limiting examples of which include screws, bolts, snaps, or clamps. The hinge assembly, which is attached as a part of the inner door assembly,, can then be attached to the cabinetby means of suitable fasteners, non-limiting examples of which include screws, bolts, snaps, or clamps.

The embodiments described herein set forth a door assembly for a laundry treating appliance that allows for a user interface to be used that is appealing and ergonomically satisfying for a user, as well as setting forth a variety of features for ensuring the stability of the door assembly, for protecting the user interface and associated electronics from liquid, for improving the usability of the touch interface and improving sound transmission to a user, and for providing flexibility for the type of laundry treating appliance that the door assembly can be used with, even allowing a user to select which way they would like the door to open in certain embodiments.

To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments can be used in combination with each other as desired, or can be used separately. That one feature may not be illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise.