GB2050814A

GB2050814A - False doors for cabinet mounted appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2050814A
Application number: GB8016139A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-06-01
Filing date: 1980-05-15
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: IT8022440A0; FR2457661A1; DE2922384A1; DE2922384C2; GB2050814B; IT1131209B; FR2457661B1

Abstract

An appliance capable of being installed in a kitchen upright cupboard or the like includes a door (14) and a false door (or cladding element) (15) which is capable of being mounted on the outer face of the door. The cladding 15 may be aligned - when the door is closed - with the front face of the cupboard or adjacent surface portions even when the appliance itself is not perfectly aligned. The cladding element (15) projects beyond the perimeter of the door (14) and is connected thereto by a plurality of adjustable fastening devices 20,22,24 substantially at three points in such a manner that, without changing the position of the door (14), a three-dimensional alignment of the cladding element (15) with the adjacent surface portions is possible. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Appliance The present invention relates to an appliance, especially a refrigerator or freezer, capable of being installed in a recess of a kitchen upright cupboard or the like and mounted flush with surrounding surface portions.

In known flush-mounted appliances, the appliance door is in general equipped with flanges extending along its side faces, to which flanges a door leaf is directly connected by screws. The known, direct attachment of the door leaf to the appliance door is accompanied, however, by the risk that the appliance door will distort during th fixing of the door leaf and subsequently no longer seat tightly against the door opening of the flush-mounted appliance.

This is an especial disadvantage in refrigerator or freezer cabinets, since warm, moist air can penetrate through leakage points in the door seal into the refrigerator space and as a result considerable escape of cold can occur, which can only be compensated at high energy expenditure. Moreover, the risk also exists of the evaporator becoming rapidly frosted up due to the penetration of humid, warm room air. This results in an increased consumption of energy and also in difficulties in the accurate regulating of the temperature in there frigerating appliance.

A serious drawback, however, in the known flushmounted appliances is that the direct fixing of the door leaf to the appliance door does not permit subsequent alignment of the door leaf to the front of adjacent furniture units. If corrections are to be made to a door leaf fixed directly to the appliance door, it can only be done by changing the position of the appliance in the recess, due to the rigid connection between appliance door and door leaf. This operation is, however, very difficult and time-consuming and is also accompanied by great difficulty, due to the frequently large weight of the appliance. Added to this is the fact that in the known, direct connection of door leaf to appliance door it is also difficult to secure the door leaf with an accurate seating.

There is accordingly a need for a flush-mounted appliance in which the connection between the appliance door and door leaf is such that a subsequent three-dimensional adjustment of the door leaf is possible at any time without undue difficulty, and without the position of the appliance, permanently mounted in the recess, needing to be changed.

According to the present invention there is provided an appliance for installation in a recess, the appliance comprising a door provided at a front face thereof with a cladding element which projects beyond the perimeter of the door and which is fastened to the door at at least three locations thereon by a plurality of fastening devices adjustable to permit adjustment of the position of the cladding element in three dimensions relative to the door for alignment with surface portions adjoining the opening of such recess.

Conveniently, the cladding element is adjustably attached by fittings at two points near the external corners of the upper edge face and at one point in the central region of the lower edge face of the appliance door.

Preferably, the connection means associated with the upper edge face of the appliance door is constructed as a right-angle sectional bar extending at least approximately over the entire width thereof, the upper horizontal flange of which bar, associated with the upper edge face of the appliance door, is equipped with slots permitting a change in the distance of the cladding element from the appliance door, whereas in the vertical flange of the bar associated with the cladding element there are disposed slots which permit a lateral alignment of the cladding element.

In an appliance comprising at least two hinge fittings seated on the outer face of the door and extending into corresponding recesses on the rear side of the cladding element, a considerable simplification of the mounting of the cladding element is obtained if the hinge fittings are equipped with removable centering rings, which permit the recesses in the cladding element, which are of larger dimensions than the external diameter of the hinge fittings, to be centered.

These centering rings, which are removed before the cladding element is finally mounted, have the function of preventing the hinge fittings from bearing at one side against the edge of the recess in the cladding element. In this manner, after the centering rings have been removed, the alignment in all directions of the cladding element is not impeded by the hinge fittings on the door.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flush-mounted refrigerator cabinet installed in a recess of a kitchen upright cupboard, comprising an appliance door and a door leaf mounted thereon adjustably relative to the other front faces of the kitchen cupboard, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the appliance door and the door leaf attached with fittings adjustably to its upper and lower edge faces, as viewed from behind, Figure 2a is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the door leaf and appliance door when viewed from the rear, Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the door leaf, and appliance door when viewed from the front, Figures 4 to 6 are fragmentary cross-sectional views of an upper corner of the appliance door and door leaf with the corresponding portion of the fitting, drawn to a larger scale when viewed from behind, above and the side, respectively, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the appliance door of another door leaf equipped with a horizontal gripping strip, with the corresponding fittings for its attachment in exploded view, Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the appliance door and door leaf corresponding to Figure 7, with the fittings in the assembled position, together with the adjacent portions of the upright cupboard, Figures 9 and 10 are a fragmentary perspective view and fragmentary end view respectively of further embodiments of the connection of the lower part of the appliance door with different forms of door leaf, and Figure 11 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of an appliance door with hinge fittings equipped with centering rings on its external face, the hinge fittings penetrating into corresponding recesses on the rear face of the door leaf.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 shows an upright kitchen cupboard generally indicated at 10 having at approximately half-way up, a recess 11, into which a refrigerator cabinet 12 is inserted. The refrigerator cabinet 12, conventionally equipped with a housing 13 and appliance door 14, is equipped with a door leaf 15 capable of being mounted on the outer face of the appliance door; this door leaf projects beyond the outer edges of the appliance door 14 and is accurately flush, in the closed state, with the front surfaces of the kitchen upright cupboard 10 and adjacent furniture units.

The door leaf 15 is, as described in more detail below, connected by a plurality of adjustable connecting means essentially at three points to the appliance door 14 in such a manner that, without changing the position of the refrigerator cabinet 12 mounted fixed in the recess 11, a subsequent, three-dimensional alignment of the door leaf 15, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, with the adjacent furniture front faces is possible. The adjustable connecting means comprise fittings, which are adjustably attached at two positions near the outer corner of the upper edge face and at one position in the central region of the lower edge face of the appliance door 14.

The fitting associated with the upper edge face of the appliance door 14 is formed as a right-angle sectional bar 16, extending at least approximately over the entire width thereof. The horizontal flange associated with the upper edge face of the appliance door 14 is equipped, near its outer ends, with elongated holes 17, 18 respectively, which permit a changing of the distance between the door leaf 15 and the appliance door 14. In the vertical flange of the angle bar 16 associated with the door leaf 15, elongated holes 19 are, however, provided which permit a lateral alignment of the door leaf 15 within their longitudinal extent.At each of the seating positions disposed near the ends of the angle bar 16 and near the upper corners of the appliance door 14, the horizontal flange of the angle bar 16 associated with the upper edge face of the appliance door 14 is fixed by two screws situated close together, of which the screw referenced 20 is formed as an adjusting screw equipped with a shoulder 21 r while the screw referenced 22 serves as a fixing screw. As can be seen especially from Figure 4 to 6, the horizontal flange of the angle bar 16 bears against the shoulder 21 of adjusting screw 20, while the fixing screw 22 bears with its head on the top of the horizontal flange of the angle bar 16.By the close adjacent positioning of each pair comprising one adjusting screw 20 and one fixing screw 22 near the ends of the angle bar 16, bending of this bar when the fixing screw is tightened up is prevented. In this manner, the angle bar 16 can be of relatively light construction.

The elongated holes 17 in the horizontal flange of the angle bar 16, associated with the adjusting screws 20, are open towards the edge, so that when the fixing screws 22 are released it is possible to push on or pull off the angle bar 16 onto or away from the adjusting screws 20 in the horizontal direction. The vertical flange of the angle bar 16 associated with the door leaf 15 is fixed to the door leaf 15 by countersunk screws 23, which, passing with their threaded shanks in the elongated holes 19 through the upright flange are screwed into the door leaf 15.

The fitting associated with the lower edge face of the appliance door 14, as apparent especially from Figures 7,8 and 10, formed as a fixing angle 24 attached to the centre of the door, in the flanges of which (angle) through holes are provided which permit an adjustment within the elongated holes 18 and 19 in the upper angle bar 16. For this purpose, in the horizontal flange of the fixing angle 24 associated with the lower edge face of the appliance door 14, elongated holes 25 are provided, through which the threaded shanks of sheet metal screws 26 penetrate, by which this flange is secured to the appliance door 14. In the vertical flange of the fixing angle 24 associated with the door leaf 15, by contrast, round holes 27 are disposed, the diameter of which is considerably larger than that of the threaded shanks of fixing screws 28 passing through them.The head of the fixing screws 28 bears, via washers 29, againstthe edge of the round holes 27.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, the door leaf 15 is equipped, at its lower edge, with a gripping strip 30, which prevents direct screwing on of the fixing angle 24 by the screws 28 to the door leaf 15. In this case, on the rear face of the door leaf 15, a strip 32 fixed by countersunk screws 31 is provided, this strip being furnished, near its lower edge, with threaded bores 33, into which the threaded shank of the screws 28 can be screwed.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, by contrast, the vertical flange of the fixing angle 24 associated with the door leaf 15 is secured directly by screws 34 to the door leaf 15. These screws 34 have a flat, wide spread head, by which they bear against the edge of the round holes 27.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 10, the door leaf 15' is formed as a box with a frame 35. In this case also, the vertical flange of the fixing angle 24 associated with the door leaf 15' cannot be directly screwed onto it. Instead, a strip 32 illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 7 is used, though by contrast to that embodiment the strip is nox fixed extending downwardly on the frame 35.

The appliance door 14 is, as can be seen especially from Figures 3 and 11, fixed to the housing 13 by double articulation hinges, the hinge fittings 36 of which are seated externally on the appliance door 14 at the hinge side edge. These hinge fittings 36 are equipped with removable centering rings 37, by which the recesses 38 on the face of the door leaf 15 facing towards the appliance door 14, which reces ses are of larger dimensions than the external diameter of the hinge fittings 36, can be centered.

These centering rings 37, which serve merely as an assembly aid and are removed when the door leaf 15 is finally mounted on the appliance door 14, have the function of preventing the hinge fittings 36 from bearing at one side against the edge of the recess 38.

For mounting on the appliance door 14 and accurately adjusting the door leaf 15 to the front faces of adjacent furniture units, the following procedure is adopted: Firstly, the door leaf 15 is equipped, on its side facing towards the appliance door 14, with the recesses 38 for the hinge fittings 36, at appropriate positions according to a template. Then the angle bar 16 and fixing angle 24 are attached, by their flange associated with the upper and lower edge face respectively of the appliance door 14, to the corresponding positions on the appliance door 14. Care should be taken to ensure that the corresponding screws each adopt a central position in the elongated holes or in the through holes of oversized diameter, in order that appropriate corrections to the position of the fittings can subsequently be assured.The angle bar 16 bears here with its horizontal flange upon the shoulder of the adjusting screw 20, screwed into about one half of its adjustment travel, and is held in this position by the lightly tightened-up fixing screw 22. Against the appliance door 14 prepared in this manner, the door leaf 15 is now placed, the centering rings 37 on the hinge fittings 36 being introduced into the recesses 38, and thus serving as a reliable guide for the door leaf 15. On the rear face of the door leaf 15, the position of the angle bar 16 and fixing angle 24 and of the bores and elongated holes disposed therein are now marked, whereupon the door leaf 15 is removed and the angle bar 16 is fixed in the previously marked position by countersunk screws 23.To facilitate the marking, projections such as knobs, points or the like are disposed on the flange of the angle bar 16 associated with the door leaf 15 and projecting towards the door leaf 15, these projections penetrating into the rear face of the door leaf 15 when pressed onto it. The position of the elongated holes 19 can then be lightly scratched in according to these marks.

In the case of embodiment illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 10, the lug or strip 32 is then attached at the marked position on the rear face of the door leaf 15.

The thus prepared door leaf, after the centering rings 37 have been removed, is then pushed with the edge-open elongated holes 17 in the horizontal flange of the angle bar 16 onto the adjusting screws 20 and, if necessary, is accurately adjusted to the front surfaces of the adjacent furniture components by subsequent alignment of the fittings. If a subsequent alignment of the door leaf 15 in the horizontal direction towards the side becomes necessary, then all that is needed is to remove the door leaf 15 from the appliance door after loosening the corresponding screws, and to align the fittings accordingly on its rear face also after loosening the screws. The door leaf is then again mounted on the appliance door 14, after tightening up the screws, and is secured there by tightening up the corresponding screws.

As a result of the connection of the cladding element at basically three points to the appliance door, stresses are avoided and an absolutely secure, tight closure of the door is ensured.

Claims

1. An appliance for installation in a recess, the appliance comprising a door provided at a front face thereof with a cladding element which projects beyond the perimeter of the door and which is fastened to the door at at least three locations thereon by a plurality of fastening devices adjustable to permit adjustment of the position of the cladding element in three dimensions relative to the door for alignment with surface portions adjoining the opening of such recess.

2. An appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cladding element is adjustably secured by the fastening devices at two locations adjacent the ends of an upper edge face of the door and at one location in the central region of a lower edge of the door.

3. An appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cladding element is fastened to the door at said upper edge face thereof by a fastening device comprising an elongate L-section mounting element extending over at least a substantial part of the width of the door, one of the flanges of the mounting element being engaged with the upper edge face of the door and being provided with slots permitting adjustment of the cladding element towards and away from the door, and the other flange of the mounting element being engaged with the cladding element and being provided with slots permitting adjustment of the cladding element laterally of the door.

4. An appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein said one flange is engaged at each of said two locations at the upper edge face of the door by an adjusting screw and a fixing screw.

5. An appliance as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjusting screws are engaged in the slots in said one flange, the slots extending from the free edge of the flange to permit movement of the flange relative to the screws in direction towards or away from the door.

6. An appliance as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said other flange of the mounting element is provided with projections which project towards the cladding element.

7. An appliance as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the cladding element is fastened to the door at said lower edge face thereof by a fastening device comprising a bracket mounted on the door and provided with holes permitting adjustment of the cladding element in the lower region of the door corresponding to the adjustment permitted by the mounting element.

8. An appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lower edge face fastening device further comprises a connecting element mounted on a lower portion of the cladding element and connected to the bracket.

9. An appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the door is provided with at least two hinge fittings which are disposed at the outerface of the door and which extend with play into recesses in the adjacent face of the cladding element, the hinge fitting being provided with removable centering rings centering the hinge fittings in the recesses.

10. An appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with .reference to the accompanyng drawings.