CN103174706B

CN103174706B - Household electrical appliance are combined

Info

Publication number: CN103174706B
Application number: CN201110445579.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: A·若普
Original assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd
Current assignee: BSH Electrical Appliances Jiangsu Co Ltd
Priority date: 2011-12-22
Filing date: 2011-12-22
Publication date: 2017-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-22
Also published as: CN103174706A; EP2607825A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kind of household electrical appliance combination, including：First household electrical appliance (127), the second household electrical appliance (129), wherein, the first household electrical appliance (127) and second household electrical appliance (129) are arranged side by side and there is gap (G)；In order to cover the gap (G) cover strip (139,220)；And in order to connect the cover strip (139, attachment structure 220) (133,203).According to a suggestion of the present invention, the cover strip (139,220) and the bindiny mechanism (133,203) socket connection on longitudinally.

Description

Household appliance combination

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a combination of household appliances, in particular a combination of household appliances (such as refrigerators) arranged side by mechanical connection and a device for the combination of household appliances.

Background

Various combinations of household appliances formed by mechanically connecting at least two household appliances are known.

The publication DE 20209516U 1 describes a refrigerator for two mechanical connections which fix the appliances to one another with screws via short connecting rails. The connection rail is located in a visible manner in front of the appliance. The cover bar is provided to cover a gap between the sidewalls of the two refrigerators.

Publication DE 10001001 a1 describes a combination of household appliances consisting of two refrigerators. The cover bar for covering the gap between the two refrigerators is fixed to the two refrigerators by screws passing through the cover bar, and the screws exposed to the front end surface of the cover bar are not favorable for obtaining an attractive and uniform style of the combination of the home appliances.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a combination of household appliances that facilitates reducing or even avoiding the use of screws that can be exposed to the outside for fixing the cover strip.

The above object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the figures, the description and the dependent claims.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a home appliance combination, comprising: a first household appliance; a second household appliance, wherein the first household appliance and the second household appliance are arranged side by side with a gap; the gap covering strip is used for covering the gap covering strip; and a connecting structure for connecting the cover strip; the cover strip and the connecting structure are connected in an inserting mode in the longitudinal direction.

Since the cover strip can be connected with the connecting structure in a plugging manner in the longitudinal direction of the cover strip, the use of screws which can be exposed at the outer side of the cover strip to fix the cover strip can be reduced. By suitable arrangement, it is contemplated to avoid the use of screws for fixing the cover strip, which may spoil the appearance of the household appliance combination. Furthermore, this connection is also particularly advantageous for simplifying the step of mounting the cover strip to the domestic appliance combination.

A household appliance as understood hereinafter refers to any appliance that can be used in housekeeping. Such an appliance may be a large appliance, such as a washing machine, a tumble dryer, a dishwasher, a cooker or an oven, a refrigerator such as a refrigerator or freezer, or an air conditioning unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the connection structure includes an upper connection part at an upper portion of the gap and in plug-in connection with an upper end of the cover strip, and/or a lower connection part at a lower portion of the gap and in plug-in connection with a lower end of the cover strip. This is not only advantageous for the mounting of the cover strip, but also for reducing the influence of the connecting structure on the appearance of the combination of the household appliance, and even for the connecting structure to be invisible from the front, possibly through a reasonable arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting structure comprises an insert and the cover strip comprises a slot or hole receiving the insert. This is advantageous in that the connection structure is prevented from being exposed to the outside of the cover strip, which may affect the appearance.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover strip includes a plate-shaped cover portion covering the gap and a groove inside the cover portion and extending over the entire height of the cover strip, the upper and lower connecting portions being inserted into upper and lower ends of the groove, respectively. Thus, the upper and lower connection parts may not be visible to a consumer, thereby facilitating simplification of the appearance of the home appliance assembly.

In a preferred embodiment, the insertion portion is formed by an angled tongue.

Although it is also possible that the connection structure is formed by other means, in a preferred embodiment the refrigeration appliance comprises a plurality of connection means for mechanically connecting said first household appliance and said second household appliance, said connection structure being formed by at least one of said connection means. This is particularly advantageous for simplifying the construction of the combination of household appliances and for reducing the number of components, in particular components of the device for realizing the combination of two household appliances.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one of said connection means comprises a first mounting plate fixed to the first household appliance and a second mounting plate fixed to said second household appliance. The first household appliance and the second household appliance are connected by either a direct connection (e.g., by securing the two mounting plates together by passing screws through both the first and second mounting plates) or an indirect connection (e.g., using connectors disposed on the first and second mounting plates to effect the connection of the first and second mounting plates). In an alternative embodiment, at least one of said connection means comprises a connection plate fixed at one end to said first electric household appliance and at the other end to said second electric household appliance.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover strip comprises a magnetic element for connection with a wall of at least one of the first and second household appliances. This is advantageous in that the cover strip is stably fixed to the home appliance assembly while being held in place between the home appliances, and in addition, the sealing effect of the cover strip can be enhanced.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover strip comprises an extruded profile.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a device for a household appliance combination comprising a first household appliance and a second household appliance arranged side by side and with a gap, the device comprising: a plurality of connecting means for mechanically connecting the first household appliance and the second household appliance; and a cover strip to cover the gap; characterized in that the covering strip is connected to at least one of the connecting devices in a plug-in connection.

Because the cover strip is inserted and connected in the connecting device which is fixed on the first household appliance and the second household appliance, the use of the screw which can be exposed outside the cover strip can be reduced to realize the fixation of the cover strip, and the use of the screw which can damage the appearance of the household appliance combination to fix the cover strip is expected. Furthermore, this is particularly advantageous for simplifying the step of mounting the cover strip to the domestic appliance combination. In addition, the cover strip is directly connected with the connecting device in an inserting mode, the structure of the household appliance combination is simplified, and parts are reduced.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one end of the cover strip is plugged into the corresponding connecting device.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting means comprises an insert and the cover strip comprises a slot or hole for receiving the insert.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting means comprise an angled tongue into which the cover strip can be inserted.

Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for a household appliance combination, wherein the household appliance combination comprises a first household appliance and a second household appliance arranged side by side with a gap, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of connecting means for mechanically connecting the first household appliance and the second household appliance; and a cover strip to cover the gap; characterized in that the covering strip is connected to at least one of the connecting devices in a plug-in connection.

By using magnetic elements between the cover strip and the household appliance, it is advantageous to keep the cover strip firmly in place between the household appliances, so that the use of screws that can be exposed outside the cover strip to achieve fixing of the cover strip can be reduced, and it is therefore contemplated to avoid fixing the cover strip using screws that can damage the appearance of the household appliance combination.

In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic element is integrated in the side of the cover strip. In this way, the magnetic element can be fixed on the side wall of the household appliance.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover strip includes a covering portion covering the gap and an insertion portion protruding into the gap, the insertion portion including a fixing groove to fix the magnetic element.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a household appliance assembly comprising a first household appliance and a second household appliance arranged side by side with a gap, characterized in that it comprises a device as described in any one of the preceding claims.

Drawings

There are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, exemplary embodiments of the invention. Wherein,

figure 1 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates for fixing to the underside of a household appliance before the household appliance is pushed together;

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates after pushing the household appliances together, wherein the household appliances are also schematically shown;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two mounting plates with connectors unseated;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two mounting plates with connectors installed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two mounting plates with the connectors in place but with the cover strip not yet installed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of two mounting plates with the connectors in place and the cover strip in place;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates and a cover strip for fixing to the upper side of the household appliance before insertion of the connecting element;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates and a cover strip for fixing to the upper sides of two household appliances after the connecting elements are in place;

fig. 9 shows a front view of a device for connecting two household appliances;

FIG. 10 shows a further view of the device for connecting two household appliances at the underside of the household appliances;

fig. 11 shows a further view of the device for connecting two household appliances on the upper side of the household appliances;

FIG. 12 shows two appliances with cover strips inserted;

FIG. 13 shows a further view of two household appliances mechanically connected at the upper side;

FIG. 14 is a partial schematic view of two household appliances before completing a mechanical connection according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 15 is a partial schematic view of the two electric home appliances of fig. 14 assembled together after the mechanical connection has been completed.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates 103 and 105 for fixing to a housing of a household appliance before the household appliance is pushed together, the mounting plates 103 and 105 being fixed, for example, to the underside of the respective housing. The underside of the household appliance is formed by a surface of the household appliance facing the floor.

The first mounting plate 103 includes a fixing portion 107 and a connecting portion 111. Accordingly, the second mounting plate 105 includes a fixing portion 109 and a connecting portion 113.

The fixing portion 107 or 109 is used to fix the mounting board 103 or 105 to the lower side of the electric home appliance. To achieve this, the fixing portion 107 or 109 has a hole 119 or 121 through which a screw (not shown) can pass and be fixed into a corresponding thread of the household appliance. Each of the fixing portions 107, 109 has four holes 119 and 121. But for the sake of clarity only one hole 119 or 121 is marked for each fixing portion 107, 109. However, the number of holes 119 or 121 is not limited to a particular number or arrangement, as long as the holes 119 or 121 are suitable for fixing the mounting plate 103 or 105 to the underside of the household appliance. It is advantageous to arrange the holes 121 in two rows offset with respect to each other, since this makes the connection of the household appliance more secure.

According to one embodiment, mounting plates 103 and 105 may be secured to the underside of the household appliance in another manner. For example, the fixing portions 107 and 109 of the mounting plate may have pins or bolts (not shown) which can be inserted into and engage with corresponding cut-outs in the underside of the household appliance. In short, other members such as brackets and the like may be used to fix the fixing portion 107 or 109 of the mounting board 103 or 105 as long as the members can fix the mounting board 103 or 105 to the lower side of the home appliance.

The connection portion 111 or 113 is used to establish a mechanical connection between the two mounting boards 103 and 105, thereby simultaneously establishing a mechanical connection between the two home appliances. After the mounting plates 103 and 105 are fixed, the connection portion 111 or 113 extends laterally beyond the lower edge of the electric appliance toward the gap between the electric home appliances. Thus, the connection portions 111 or 113 are extended outwardly beyond the lower side of the electric home appliance and the side ends of the electric home appliance are fixed to each other by their connection.

The connection of the mounting boards 103 and 105 is realized by a connecting member placed on the connecting portion 111 or 113 from above or below, for example. In order to fix the connecting member which has been placed on the connecting portion 111 or 113, each connecting portion 111 or 113 has two holes 123 and 125, but only one hole is designated with a reference numeral for each connecting portion 111 and 113. The holes 123 and 125 are used to secure and connect the connectors to the mounting plates 103 and 105, such as may be accomplished with screws. To accomplish this, the holes 123 and 125 may have internal threads such that screws inserted therein from top to bottom are screwed into the holes 123 and 125 and achieve a fastening effect.

To facilitate the placement of the connectors, the connecting portions 111 and 113 have angled members 115 or 117. The angled member 115 or 117 is composed of a portion of the connecting portion 111 or 113 bent upward at a right angle. This creates an abutment surface when the mounting plates 103 and 105 are pushed together, thereby ensuring that the household appliances are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. Furthermore, the outer side of the angled section may be covered by an elastic material, for example a rubber layer, to ensure that the tension between the mounting plates 103 and 105 is uniform after the connector has been mounted.

However, in alternative embodiments, each connection portion 111 or 113 may be provided with other means for establishing a secure mechanical connection between the mounting plates 103 and 105 by placing a connector (e.g., a male device having a pin that may be inserted into a corresponding socket in the connection portions 111 and 113).

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the two mounting plates 103 and 105 after the household appliances 127 and 129 have been pushed together. The fixing portions 107 and 109 of the mounting plates 103 and 105 are fixed to the lower sides of the home appliances 127 and 129 through the holes 119 and 121, for example, may be fixed to the lower sides of the home appliances 127 and 129 with screws. The connecting portions 111 and 113 are adjacent to each other, and the outer sides of the angled members 115 and 117 are in contact with each other. This means that the home appliances 127 and 129 are spaced apart by a distance and the distance is predetermined by the length of the connection members 111 and 113. This has the advantage that a gap of a predetermined width, which can be covered by a suitably designed cover strip, can be produced between the household appliances 127 and 129.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the two mounting plates 103 and 105 of fig. 2, without the connection 131 yet positioned, without the household appliance being shown. In the position in which the mounting plates are pushed together, the connecting member 131 is placed on the connecting portions of the mounting plates 103 and 105 from top to bottom in the direction indicated by the arrow, so that the two mounting plates 103 and 105 are connected to each other. To accomplish this, the connector 131 has a slot-like opening 135 that receives the two angled members 115 and 117. The edges of the slot-like opening 135 surround the angled members 115 and 117 so that the two mounting plates 103 and 105 cannot be moved away from one another. The slot-like opening 135 may also have rounded edges to prevent sticking when the connector 131 is placed so that the connector 131 can be easily installed on the angled members 115 and 117. In addition, however, the corners and edges of the angled members 115 and 117 are rounded and deburred to facilitate attachment of the connector.

Four holes 137 are provided for fixing the connecting member 131, but only one of them is designated with a reference numeral. Through these holes the connecting members 131 can be screwed into the holes 123 and 125 of the mounting plates 103 and 105, and after the mounting plates are screwed together, a stable mechanical connection is formed between the electric home appliances.

In an alternative embodiment, the angled portions 115 and 117 may be designed to flex after the connector is installed and in this manner secure the connector 131 to the mounting plates 103 and 105. In general, however, the connection portions 111 and 113 of the mounting plates 103 and 105 and the connection member 131 may be implemented in other manners as long as the mechanical connection is achieved after the connection member 131 is mounted.

Furthermore, the connecting piece 131 has angled tongues 133. The angled tongue 133 includes a portion of the connecting member 131 bent upward at a right angle and positioned in the middle of the gap between the home appliances. The tongue 133 allows the cover strip to be installed from top to bottom after the connector 131 is secured to the panels 103 and 105.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the two mounting plates 103 and 105 with the connector 131 in place. The angled members 115 and 117 pass through the slot-like opening 135. The holes 137 are aligned with the holes 123 shown in fig. 3 to secure the connectors using screws. For example, to accomplish this, the lower hole has an internal thread.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates 103 and 105 with the connector 131 in place but with the cover strip 139 not yet installed. The cover strip 139 is pushed onto the leaf-like tongue 133 of the connecting element 131 from above. To accomplish this, the cover strip 139 has a slot (not shown) for receiving the tongue 133.

The cover strip 139 has a width equal to the lateral gap between the two household appliances. Such a covering strip may consist of, for example, plastic, wood or metal cladding. To close the gap between the home appliances, the side of the cover strip 139 may have a magnet so that the cover strip 139 is caught by the metal wall of the home appliance. For example, these magnets may be integrated into the side portions of the cover strip 139. In an alternative embodiment, the magnetic foil may be glued to the side wall of the cover strip. In addition, the cover strip 139 may have a seal, such as a silicon seal, to prevent dust or dirt from entering.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the two mounting plates 103 and 105 with the connector 131 and cover strip 139 in place. The cover strip 139 is pushed onto the tongue until the cover strip stops. This secures the cover strip 139 to the lower connection between the household appliances. In this state, the lower connection between the two home appliances is completed. The upper connection between the two household appliances is then started.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of two mounting plates 103 and 105 and a cover strip 139 for fixing to the upper sides of the household appliances 127 and 129, wherein the connecting piece 131 has not yet been mounted. In the upper connection of the two household appliances 127 and 129, the mounting plates 103 and 105 and the connecting piece 139 are identical to the corresponding components for the lower connection. The reference numerals used therefore correspond to those used in figures 1 to 6 described above.

In the upper connection, the mounting boards 103 and 105 are mounted to the upper sides of the home appliances 127 and 129. The upper sides of the home appliances 127 and 129 are formed by surfaces facing the ceiling of the room. Furthermore, the two angled parts 115 and 117 do not point downwards into the gap between the household appliances, but point upwards.

By the arrangement of the connecting element 139, not only is a mechanical connection between the two mounting plates 103 and 105 achieved, but at the same time the tongue 133 is pushed into the upper groove 141 of the cover strip 139. Thus, by placing the connector 131, the mechanical connection between the mounting plates 103 and 109 and the cover strip 139 is completed. In particular, the length of the tongue 133 may exceed the height of the angled members 115 and 117. This has the advantage that the connecting piece 131 can be initially inserted slightly into the groove 141 of the covering strip 139 and then the angled parts 115 and 117 can be inserted into the groove-like opening 135 as soon as the connecting piece 131 is pushed further downwards. This has the advantage that the top connection operation is very simple, requiring only a few steps.

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the two mounting plates 103 and 105 and the cover strip 139 on the upper side of the two household appliances after the connecting piece 131 is in place. The connection of the electric home appliance is completed by mounting the connection member 131 to the upper mounting plates 103 and 105 and the cover strip 139 and fixing them together by screws through the holes 137.

The household appliances are fixed on the upper and lower sides by a very stable mechanical connection, while the gap created between the two household appliances is covered by the covering strip 139, so that the combined device forms a neat and easy-to-clean front area. Furthermore, a complete and even impression can be given when viewed from the front.

The device according to the invention has the particular advantage that the household appliance can be connected while it remains upright after the mounting plate underneath has been fixed. Furthermore, the connection between the household appliances can be removed in a simple manner, for example by removing the connecting pieces of the upper and lower connections when the combination is removed. The connection device can then be reused to complete a subsequent installation.

Fig. 9 shows a front view of a device for connecting two household appliances. Two household appliances 127 and 129, such as refrigerators, having handles 141 and 143 are mechanically secured together by upper and lower attachment means.

The lower attachment means comprises mounting plates 103 and 105, the angled parts of said mounting plates 103 and 105 being directed upwards. The connecting piece 131 connecting the two mounting plates 103 and 105 is mounted from top to bottom, said piece serving at the same time for connecting the cover strip 139.

The upper connecting means also comprises mounting plates 103 and 105, which are shaped identically to the mounting plates 103 and 105 of the lower connecting means. The angled members 115 and 117 are oriented upward. The connecting element 131 is placed on the angled parts 115 and 117 of the upper connecting device for the upper connection, whereby the tongue points downwards and is inserted from above into a corresponding groove of the cover strip 139.

Fig. 10 shows a further view of the device for connecting two household appliances 127 and 129 on the underside of the household appliances. The mounting plates 103 and 105 are fixed to the lower sides of the home appliances 127 and 129 by screws 145 and 147. The connector 131 is secured to the mounting plates 103 and 105 by screws 149. The other reference numerals correspond to those in fig. 1 to 9.

Fig. 11 shows a further view of the device for connecting two household appliances 127 and 129 on the upper side of the household appliances. The mounting plates 103 and 105 are fixed to the upper sides of the home appliances 127 and 129 by screws 145 and 147. The connector 131 is secured to the mounting plates 103 and 105 by screws 149. The other reference numerals correspond to those in fig. 1 to 9.

Fig. 12 shows the two household appliances 127 and 129 after the cover strip 139 has been plugged onto the tongue 133.

Fig. 13 shows a further view of two household appliances 127 and 129 mechanically connected on the upper side. The reference numerals correspond to those in fig. 8.

Mounting plates 103 and 105 and/or connector 131 may be made of steel, metal, or iron. The use of these materials gives particularly good rigidity. In general, however, all other materials which are suitable for establishing a connection between household appliances and which are sufficiently rigid can be considered.

The use of titanium or stainless steel for the components is particularly advantageous because these materials do not corrode. In an alternative embodiment, it is advantageous to manufacture the components using strip steel, since this allows for the use of simple methods for manufacturing the components in large quantities.

If parts are manufactured from materials that are susceptible to corrosion, it may be advantageous to additionally apply corrosion protection to the mounting plates 103 and 105 or the connector 131. This corrosion protection can be achieved, for example, by galvanising the component parts. However, other passive corrosion protection measures using a separate layer to cover the component parts may also be employed, such as phosphate conversion coatings, anodic layers, hard anodic layers, chromate conversion coatings or other layers with non-metallic properties, such as synthetic resin layers.

Fig. 14 is a partial schematic view of a household appliance combination before completion of a mechanical connection according to another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 15 is a partial schematic view of the household appliance combination of fig. 14 after the mechanical connection has been completed.

As shown in fig. 14 and 15, the difference from the above embodiment includes that the upper connecting means includes an integrated connecting plate 200 having one end fixed to the first electric home appliance 127 and the other end fixed to the second electric home appliance 129. The connection plate 200 has a plurality of holes 201 at a position corresponding to each home appliance 127, 129. The connection plate 200 is fixed to upper sides of the first and second home appliances 127 and 129, respectively, by screws 210 through the corresponding holes 201.

The web 200 has angled tongues 203. The angled tongue 203 includes a portion of the connection plate 200 bent downward at a right angle and is located in the gap G of the two home appliances. The angled tongue 203 is located at the forward end of the web 200.

Although not shown, in the present embodiment, the lower connecting means may also adopt such an integrated connecting plate structure, and of course, the tongue piece should extend into the gap G between the two home appliances like the upper connecting means, so that it is bent upward. In an alternative embodiment, the lower connecting means may also be the lower connecting means shown in fig. 1 to 13 or any other connecting means suitable for providing a connecting portion for plugging the cover strip 220.

Further, the cover strip 220 includes a plate-shaped cover portion 221 covering the gap G between the two home appliances and an embedded portion 222 protruding into the gap G. In this embodiment, cover strip 220 is an extrusion.

The embedding portion 222 includes a pair of oppositely disposed wall portions 223 projecting rearwardly from the inside of the cover portion 221. The wall 223 extends over the entire length of the cover strip 220, which forms a slot 224 inside the cover 221 and extending over the entire height of the cover strip 220. The slot 224 is used to receive the tongue 203 extending into the gap G between the two appliances.

Each wall portion 223 is provided with a fixing groove 225 at a side wall facing a corresponding one of the home appliances to fix the magnetic member 230. The fixing groove 225 may also extend along the entire length of the cover strip 220. The magnetic member 230 is fixed to a sidewall of the corresponding home appliance.

In the above embodiments it is the attachment means that is provided with the insert (e.g. tongue) and the cover strip is provided with a groove or hole for receiving the insert. In an alternative embodiment, it is also possible that the cover strip is provided with an insertion portion and the connecting device or other suitable means (for example, a connecting structure for plugging in the cover strip, which is additionally provided separately from the connecting device) is provided with a receiving portion for receiving the insertion portion.

The various embodiments of the individual components described in connection with fig. 1 to 15 may be combined with each other in any given way to achieve the advantages of the invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and other means than those shown may be generally used as long as the same effects are obtained.

For example, although a coupling device including a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, and a coupling member arranged to couple the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate to couple the two mounting plates is described in detail in fig. 1 to 13, it should be understood that this is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and in an alternative embodiment, the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate, which are respectively fixed to the corresponding home appliances, are directly coupled together. Furthermore, the one-piece connecting device as shown in fig. 14-15 may also enable mechanical connection of two household appliances. It is also possible to use different forms of connecting means for the upper and lower parts of the two household appliances, respectively.

Claims

1. A household appliance combination comprising:

a first household appliance (127);

a second household appliance (129), wherein the first household appliance (127) and the second household appliance (129) are arranged side by side and have a gap (G);

a cover strip (139, 220) to cover the gap (G); and

-a connecting structure (133, 203) for connecting the covering strips (139, 220);

characterized in that the cover strip (139, 220) and the connecting structure (133, 203) are plug-connected in the longitudinal direction of the cover strip.

2. A household appliance combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting structure (133, 203) comprises an upper connecting portion at the upper part of the gap (G) and the upper end of the covering strip (129, 220) being plug-connected and/or a lower connecting portion at the lower part of the gap (G) and the lower end of the covering strip (129, 220) being plug-connected.

3. A household appliance combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting structure (133, 203) comprises an insert, and the cover strip (139, 220) comprises a slot (224) or hole (141) receiving the insert.

4. The household appliance combination of claim 2, wherein the cover strip (220) comprises a plate-shaped cover portion (221) covering the gap and a groove (224) inside the cover portion (221) and extending over the entire height of the cover strip (220), the upper and lower connecting portions being inserted into upper and lower ends of the groove (224), respectively.

5. The household appliance combination of claim 3, wherein the insert is formed by a cornered tongue.

6. The household appliance combination of claim 3, wherein the insert is formed by a cornered tongue.

7. A household appliance combination according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200) for mechanically connecting the first household appliance (127) and the second household appliance (129), the connecting structure (133, 203) being formed by at least one of the connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200).

8. A household appliance combination according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of said connection means (103, 105, 131) comprises a first mounting plate (103) fixed to the first household appliance (127) and a second mounting plate (105) fixed to the second household appliance (129).

9. Household appliance combination according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of said connection means (200) comprises a connection plate fixed at one end to said first household appliance (127) and at the other end to said second household appliance (129).

10. A household appliance combination according to claim 1, wherein the cover strip (139, 220) comprises a magnetic element (230) for connection with a wall of at least one of the first and second household appliances (127, 129).

11. The household appliance combination of any one of claims 1 to 6 and 10, wherein the covering strip (220) comprises an extruded profile.

12. The household appliance combination of claim 7, wherein the cover strip (220) comprises an extruded profile.

13. The household appliance combination of claim 8, wherein the cover strip (220) comprises an extruded profile.

14. The household appliance combination of claim 9, wherein the cover strip (220) comprises an extruded profile.

15. An arrangement for a household appliance combination comprising a first household appliance (127) and a second household appliance (129) arranged side by side and with a gap (G), the arrangement comprising:

a plurality of connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200) for mechanically connecting said first and second household appliances; and

a cover strip (139, 220) to cover the gap (G); it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the cover strip (139, 220) is connected to at least one of the connecting devices (103, 105, 131; 200) in such a way that it can be plugged in along the longitudinal direction of the cover strip.

16. Device for household appliance assembly according to claim 15, wherein at least one end of the covering strip (139, 220) is plugged into the corresponding connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200).

17. Device for household appliance assembly according to claim 15, wherein the at least one connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200) comprises an insert and the cover strip (139, 220) comprises a slot (224) or hole (141) receiving the insert.

18. Device for household appliance assembly according to claim 16, wherein the at least one connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200) comprises an insert and the cover strip (139, 220) comprises a slot (224) or hole (141) receiving the insert.

19. Device for household appliance combination according to claim 16, 17 or 18, characterized in that the connecting means (103, 105, 131; 200) comprise a cornered tongue insertable into the covering strip (139, 200).

20. An arrangement for a household appliance combination, wherein the household appliance combination comprises a first household appliance (127) and a second household appliance (129) arranged side by side with a gap (G), the arrangement for a household appliance combination comprising a cover strip (139, 220) to cover the gap (G), characterized in that the cover strip (139, 220) comprises a magnetic element (230) for connection with a wall of at least one of the first and second household appliances (127, 129).

21. Device for household appliance assembly according to claim 20, characterized in that said magnetic element (230) is integrated on the side of said covering strip (139, 220).

22. The apparatus for household appliance assembly of claim 20, wherein the cover strip (220) comprises a covering portion (221) for covering the gap (G) and an embedding portion (222) which can be inserted into the gap (G), and the embedding portion (222) comprises a fixing groove (225) for fixing the magnetic element (230).

23. A household appliance combination, characterized in that it comprises a device for a household appliance combination as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 22.