EP2941500A1

EP2941500A1 - Laundry treatment appliance stacking apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP2941500A1
Application number: EP12818901.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guven Ertas; Remzi Can; Ahmet METIN; Umit Gulbay
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2012-12-30
Filing date: 2012-12-30
Publication date: 2015-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-12-30
Also published as: WO2014101963A1; EP2941500B1

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a stacking apparatus (100) allowing installation of a laundry treatment appliance on a workplate top of another treatment appliance in a space saving manner. In a more specific manner, the present invention provides a stacking apparatus for conveniently stacking to laundry treatment machines that are different in size. Said stacking apparatus comprises a support arm (4) which is extending over said lower appliance in the manner to peripherally cover edges thereof with a front panel (16) and two arms (4) at both sides.

Description

LAUNDRY TREATMENT APPLIANCE STACKING APPARATUS

The present invention pertains to a stacking apparatus allowing installation of a laundry treatment appliance such as a drying appliance on a workplate top of another laundry treatment appliance such as a washing appliance in a space saving manner. In a more specific manner, the present invention provides a stacking apparatus for conveniently stacking two laundry treatment machines that are different in size.
Use of a separate laundry drying appliance beside a laundry washing appliance requires additional space for accommodating the additional machine. It can become an important issue to the extent that people intending to buy a drying appliance may not do so simply because he/she has no available room in his/her bathroom.
A further problem associated with stacking two different domestic appliances is that, for example in order for stacking a first front-loaded appliance as a washing appliance and a second front-loaded appliance as a drying machine, it may occur that the two appliances are not physically similar in size to the extent that placing one on top of the other would either cause stability problems or requires additional means for establishing a secure connection in between the two machines. As a matter of fact, a stacking apparatus allowing adaptation of a plurality of different machines having varied depth values on top of a first laundry treatment appliance is desirable as renewing only a single appliance in the pair would lead to readjustment of the stacking configuration.
Further, a solution allowing convenient stacking of two laundry treatment machines should not involve drilling of holes on the machines to secure them to each other for the reason that such holes will cause an unpleasant view in case said machines are later on needed to be used separately
A further problem associated with existing stacking apparatus is that a standard fixed size kit may prevent moving a first laundry treatment appliance having a non-standard smaller depth closer to a wall behind in case a similar size appliance is placed on top of said first machine. In this case said stacking apparatus will have portions protruding outside the machines and hence prevent moving said machines closer to the wall.
A prior art reference, among many others, relevant to the technical field of the present invention is the DE 3827790 publication. It discloses a kit for mounting of an upper appliance eg. a laundry drier, with four height-adjustable feet onto a workplate top of a lower appliance. The document addressing secure interlocking of the machines is however silent about stacking of machines having different depths in an adaptive manner.
Primary object of the present invention is to provide a stacking apparatus for stacking a pair of laundry treatment appliances on top of each other in a securely interlocked manner.
The present invention proposes as described in claims, a stacking apparatus allowing mounting an upper laundry treatment appliance on top of a lower appliance. Said stacking apparatus comprises a support arm which is extending over said lower appliance in the manner to peripherally cover edges thereof with a front panel.
Each of said support arm arms has a longitudinally extending inner channel for adjustably receiving a bracket. Said brackets are then fixed in each of said inner channels at a desired position such that the distance between said front panel and a movement limiting means integral to said depth adjustment means is adjustable to correspond to the actual depth of said upper laundry treatment appliance. Said movement limiting means together with a leg slot provided in the vicinity of a corner of said front panel, block movement of said upper laundry treatment appliance on the axis along each arm of said support arm.
Said support arm therefore has a generally U-shaped body which is mounted on said lower appliance the open side of said U-shaped body facing the rear side of said first appliance.
Said bracket comprises a plurality of fixation openings into which lateral retaining means protruding from lateral surfaces of said inner channels engage. This provides fixation of said brackets within said inner channels. Said bracket has two parallel arms separated by a parallel slit in between. Therefore only outer lateral surfaces of said arms are provided with said fixation openings. Alternatively, said retaining means may fulfill the function of bottom support for guiding said brackets through said inner channels.
According to the present invention, slit engagement means disposed along top surface of said inner channel are engageable with said slit of said depth adjustment means. This provides that said brackets at the sides of said slit are correctly positioned and oriented.
Said movement limiting means is designed in the form of an upright support extending perpendicularly to said workplate top in the reverse direction of the same. It has an enlarged contact surface against which said upper laundry treatment appliance leans by a flush contact surface.
According to the present invention, a lateral support plate covers an outer lateral surface portion and an upper surface portion of a respective support arm. A lateral support plate is fixedly mounted on each arm of said support arm to effect securing of the same to the lower laundry treatment appliance. Said plate connects said depth adjustment means to said support arm and the two to said lower laundry treatment appliance.
Further, said lateral support plate has a bent flange portion in the form of a linear edge bent from an upper surface portion of said lateral support plate. Said bent flange portion interlocks with a retaining slit of said support arm, said retaining slit extending longitudinally adjacent to inner lateral surface of said support arm.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a stacking apparatus for stacking a pair of laundry treatment machines whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained hereinafter in brief. The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of the stacking apparatus as assembled according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a general perspective view of the stacking apparatus at a second stage of assembling according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a general exploded view of the stacking apparatus.
Fig. 4 stacking apparatus demonstrates a planar lateral view of the front part of two laundry treatment machines with a stacking apparatus according to the present invention.
Referring now to the figures outlined above, the present invention proposes a stacking apparatus for stacking a pair of laundry treatment machines. The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:
(1) Lateral support plate
(2) Rear extension
(3) Carrier plane
(4) Support arm
(5) Slit engagement means
(6) Depth adjustment means
(7) Movement limiting means
(8) Bracket fixing hole
(9) Bracket
(10) Fixation opening
(11) Depth adjustment means slit
(12) Lateral fixing hole
(13) Upper fixing hole
(14) Inner channel
(15) Lateral retaining means
(16) Front panel
(17) Support arm lateral fixing hole
(18) Support arm upper fixing hole
(19) Leg slot
(20) Bent flange portion
(21) Retaining slit
(22) Rear fixing hole
(100) Stacking apparatus
The present invention provides a stacking apparatus (100) for mounting of two household appliances on top of each other. Said stacking apparatus (100) provides interlocking of said two laundry treatment appliances in a secure manner. Said stacking apparatus (100) comprises a support arm with a front panel (16), said plate being mountable on said first appliance. Said stacking apparatus (100) secured to said lower appliance therefore carries said upper appliance.
Said stacking apparatus (100)has two support arms (4) extending from said front panel (16) along lateral edges of said workplate top. Said support arm arms (4) extend form said front panel (16) rearwardly in the direction of the rear part of said laundry treatment machines. Said stacking apparatus (100) therefore covers with said front panel (16) and two support arms (4) front and lateral edges of said workplate top of said lower appliance peripherally.
Said stacking apparatus (100) comprises two depth adjustment means (6) which are attached to the end of two support arms (4). Said arms (4) of said stacking apparatus (100) has longitudinally extending inner channels (14) into which a bracket (9) of said depth adjustment means (6) is fixedly securable in the manner that the distance of said depth adjustment means (6) brackets (9) are advanceable within each of said inner channels (14) of said support arm arms (4) is adjustable. In other words, said bracket (9) is inserted into said channel (14) and fixed therein at a desired position. Said fixing position is adjusted such that said upper laundry treatment apparatus is fixedly secured on said stacking apparatus (100). The depth of a laundry treatment appliance, i.e. the dimension from the front to the rear part thereof can vary in respect of service capacity and model of an appliance. Therefore a stacking apparatus (100) with a support arm (4) allowing adaptation of a plurality of appliances with different depth values prevents a stacking apparatus (100) from outwardly projecting in an unpleasant manner, which therefore enables leaning of appliances flush against a rear wall. To this end, a stacking apparatus (100) according to the invention does not occupy extra space in a room, which is the case for standard size kits used with appliances having smaller depth.
Said depth adjustment means (6) has a movement limiting means (7) for blocking movement of said upper laundry treatment appliance. Said support arm arm (4) further comprises a leg slot (19) for receiving a leg of an upper laundry treatment appliance in the manner to block movement of the latter in the direction of said front panel (16). Therefore an upper laundry treatment appliance placed on top of said lower laundry treatment appliance and secured to said support arm’s two arms (4) will be held in position by said leg slots (19) from the front part and by said movement limiting means (7) from the rear part. Said movement limiting means (7) is designed in the form of an upright support extending perpendicularly to said workplate top in the reverse direction of the same and having flush surface contact with said upper laundry treatment appliance’s rear wall such that the latter leans against said movement limiting means (7) in a supported manner.
Further, said bracket (9) comprises a plurality of fixation openings (10) with which a lateral retaining means (15) protrudingly disposed along said inner channel (14) of said support arm (4) are engageable. To this end, said fixation openings (10) arranged on lateral surfaces of said brackets (9) provide interlocking of said brackets (9) with said retaining means (15) of said inner channels (14). As both said fixation openings (10) and said retaining means (15) are provided in a plurality of numbers, different retaining means (15) and opening (10) pairs can interengage for fixing a bracket (9) at a desired position. Said bracket’s (9) position within said inner channels (14) is fixed both by said retaining means (15) and by screw type fasteners, both on bracket fixing holes (8) of said bracket (9).
Said lateral retaining means (15) are disposed on lateral surfaces of said inner channel (14) at lowermost positions whereby a more reliable engagement is assured in terms of mechanical stability.
According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible that said lateral retaining means (15) do not engage with said fixation openings (10) but instead delimit them and block their movement from bottom in said inner channels (14).
Said ) bracket (9) according to the present invention is designed in the form of two arms separated by a slit (11), the latter longitudinally extending between said arms. This arrangement provides that each arm of said bracket (9), uniform and extending in parallel, is provided with an outer lateral surface on which said fixation openings (10) are located. To this end, a plurality of slit engagement means (5) disposed along top surface of support arm (4) are engageable with said slit (11) whereby said bracket’s (9) fixed position is supported and ensured by both said retaining means (15) and said slit engagement means (5). In other words deviation of said bracket’s (9) locking direction from its longitudinal axis is prevented by said slit engagement means (5) and its position is fixed by said retaining means (15) and by said screw type fasteners on said bracket fixing holes (8).
Said stacking apparatus (100) comprises further features a lateral support plate (1) covering both an outer lateral surface portion and an upper surface portion of said support arm (4). Said lateral support plate (1) comprises a rear extension (2) and a carrier plane (3). Said lateral support plate (1) is fixedly mountable on said arm (4) such that it holds said support arm (4) connected to said lower laundry treatment appliance in a more stable manner. It further secures said depth adjustment means (6) to said support arm (4). It therefore provides securing of the block formed by said depth adjustment means (6) and said support arm (4) to said lower laundry treatment appliance. This is established by lateral and upper fixing holes (17, 18) of said support arm (4) on which said lateral support plate (1) is fixable by means of lateral and upper fixing holes (12, 13) as well as by a rear fixing hole (22) on the rear surface of said lateral support plate (1).
Said lateral support plate (1), said support arm (4) and said depth adjustment means (6) are fixed to each other via a fastening means which fits into said lateral fixing hole (12), said support arm fixing hole (17) and said bracket fixing hole (8) simultaneously.
Said lateral support plate (1) has a bent flange portion (20) designed in the form of a linear edge bent from an upper surface portion of said lateral support plate (1). Said bent flange portion (20) is engageable with a retaining slit (21) of said support arm (4) such that the latter is joined securely with said lower laundry treatment appliance as said lateral support plate (1) is fixed to said appliance. Said retaining slit (21) extends longitudinally adjacent to inner lateral surface of said support arm (4), thereby providing a longitudinally extending connection line for a more secure connection.

Claims

A stacking apparatus (100) for mounting of an upper laundry treatment appliance onto a workplate top of a first lower appliance, said stacking apparatus (100) comprising a front panel (16) and two support arm arms (4) extending from said front panel (16) along lateral edges of said workplate top, characterized by, two depth adjustment means (6) which are attached to the ends of two support arms (4).
A stacking apparatus (100) as in Claim 1 characterized by said arms (4) has longitudinally extending inner channels (14) into which a bracket (9) of said depth adjustment means (6) is fixedly securable in the manner that the distance of said depth adjustment means (6) brackets (9) are advanceable within each of said inner channels (14) of said support arm arms (4) is adjustable.
A stacking apparatus (100) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by, said depth adjustment means (6) has a movement limiting means (7) for blocking movement of said upper laundry treatment appliance.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in any one of the preceding claims wherein said support arm (4) has a U-shaped body mountable on a laundry treatment appliance to be extending along three peripheral edges of workplate top of said laundry treatment appliance with the open side of said U-shaped body facing rear side of said first appliance.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said bracket (9) comprises a plurality of fixation openings (10) with which lateral retaining means (15) protrudingly disposed along said inner channel (14) of said support arm (4) are engageable.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 5 wherein said lateral retaining means (15) are disposed on lateral surfaces of said inner channel (14) at lowermost positions.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said bracket (9) is in the form of two arms separated by a slit (11) longitudinally extending between said arms.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 7 wherein a plurality of slit engagement means (5) disposed along top surface of said support arm (4) are engageable with said slit (11).
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said movement limiting means (7) is in the form of an upright support extending perpendicularly to said workplate top in the reverse direction of the same.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said movement limiting means (7) has a surface facing said respective support arm (4) against which said upper laundry treatment appliance is leanable.
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in any previous Claims wherein a lateral support plate (1) covering both an outer lateral surface portion and an upper surface portion of said support arm (4) is fixedly mountable on said support arm (4).
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said support arm (4) has lateral and upper fixing holes (17, 18) on which said lateral support plate (1) is fixable by means of lateral and upper fixing holes (12, 13) of said lateral support plate (1).
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in Claim 11 or 12 wherein said lateral support plate (1) has a bent flange portion (20) in the form of a linear edge bent from an upper surface portion of said lateral support plate (1), said bent flange portion (20) being engageable with a retaining slit (21) of said support arm (4), said retaining slit (21) extending longitudinally adjacent to inner lateral surface of said support arm (4).
A stacking apparatus (100) as set forth in any one of the preceding claims wherein said support arm arm (4) comprises a leg slot (19) for receiving a leg of an upper laundry treatment appliance in the manner to block movement of the latter in the direction of said front panel (16).