EP3826509A1

EP3826509A1 - Kitchen furniture item having a variable worktop or tabletop

Info

Publication number: EP3826509A1
Application number: EP19758371.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marc Oliver ECKERT; Ulrich Spohde
Original assignee: Bulthaup GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Bulthaup GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2018-08-21
Filing date: 2019-08-20
Publication date: 2021-06-02
Also published as: CN112739237A; DE102018120369A1; US20210267362A1; WO2020038908A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a kitchen furniture item having a horizontal worktop or tabletop and a substructure which holds the worktop, wherein the worktop or tabletop is built up in modular fashion from at least two panel parts which are releasably connected to one another along common lateral edges, wherein at least one of the panel parts is a functional panel part which is provided with a treatment. The invention further relates to a method for integrating a functional panel part into a worktop or tabletop of such a kitchen furniture item and to a method for replacing one panel part of a worktop or tabletop of such a kitchen furniture item with another panel part.

Description

Kitchen furniture with variable worktop or table top

The invention relates to a kitchen furniture with a horizontal work or table top and a base that holds the worktop.

Generic kitchen furniture is known from the prior art in a wide variety of configurations. For example, sideboards or dining and work tables are typically arranged in household kitchens that have a horizontal work or table top.

The worktops or table tops can also be seen with various functional elements, for example with hobs, water basins or the like. However, the configuration of the work surfaces is always rigid and cannot be adapted to the special needs of a customer, neither by the manufacturer nor by the user, without resorting to expensive custom-made products.

The object of the invention is to provide a kitchen furniture with a worktop or table top, which has a high degree of flexibility in the manufacturer or user adaptation to special needs of a customer. Against this background, the invention relates to a kitchen furniture with a horizontal worktop or table top and a substructure that holds the worktop, the worktop or table top being constructed modularly from at least two plate parts which are detachably connected to one another along common side edges, where at at least one of the plate parts is a functional plate part which is provided with an application.

Due to the detachable connection of the plate parts, non-functional simple plate parts with different functional plate parts can be put together in an individual manner to form an overall variably configured worktop or table top.

The term kitchen furniture is to be understood in the given context in the sense of any furniture that is intended for installation in a private or gastronomic kitchen. The worktop or table top can be, for example, the worktop of a fitted kitchen or the table top of a free-standing kitchen worktable. In addition to the furniture plate, the kitchen furniture also includes a base that holds the worktop or table top in position.

At least one other of the plate parts is preferably a non-functional plate part which is not provided with any application. For example, the non-functional plate part can be a simple wooden plate that is provided with connecting elements for connecting to other plate parts.

More preferably, the worktop or table top comprises two or more functional parts and two or more non-functional plate parts. For example, a row of two or more, for example three, functional plate parts can be sandwiched between two longer, non-functional plate parts on the worktop or table top. In one embodiment it is provided that the functional plate parts comprise one or more of the following applications: a heating device, a cooling device, a lighting, a holding device, a water supply, a tub, holders for kitchen appliances, or guide rails for displaceable elements.

For example, at least one functional plate part can comprise a temperature control plate, which preferably has both a cooling function and a heating function. For example, a module for temperature control, which comprises a Peltier element, which can be operated both for heating and for cooling the plate, can be arranged on the underside of such a plate part, or more precisely, said temperature control plate. To control the Peltier element, the module can further comprise a sensor which is designed, for example, in such a way that it can detect the presence of a magnet in a detection area of the work surface, the Peltier element upon detection or after movement of a magnet in the detection area is energized. With the top of the module, for example, a rod-shaped, magnetic control element can be associated, the rotational position of which in the detection area of the sensor is decisive for the current intensity and direction and therefore the question of how much the area is heated or cooled.

Furthermore, at least one functional plate part can comprise a trough with holders with removably held accessories. For example, the table can be set up for eating sushi by providing small bowls and serving cutlery for wasabi and soy sauce as removable and therefore washable accessories. This plate part can also include a temperature module in order to be able to heat or cool individual accessories, wherein the temperature module can be designed as just described.

Furthermore, at least one functional plate part can comprise guide rails for displaceable elements. The sliding elements can be, for example, holders for napkins, cutlery or chopsticks spindles. By moving these elements can be variably brought into a position that can be easily reached by everyone sitting at the table.

The releasable connection between the plate parts of the worktop or table top can be a positive connection. It can be seen that the common side edge encompasses dovetail grooves which are undercut by reversibly expandable sliding blocks. The sliding blocks can be spread apart, for example by means of a screw, in a direction which is essentially normal to the plane of the plate and reversibly clamps the plate parts.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the kitchen furniture is mobile or be movable. For example, the kitchen furniture can be a serving wagon or a similar mobile kitchen furniture. In principle, however, stationary or permanently installed kitchen furniture is also covered by the present invention.

In a kitchen furniture according to the invention, the at least two plate parts are preferably connected to one another in such a way that the at least two plate parts can be arranged side by side, one below the other or one above the other or are arranged. For example, the functional plate part can be arranged displaceably relative to the other plate part of the at least two plate parts, so that the plate parts can be arranged one above the other or one below the other.

Furthermore, the at least two plate parts are preferably formed from a different material. This configuration enables a particularly high-quality appearance to be achieved. For example, one plate part can be made of wood and the other plate part of marble. The choice of material is arbitrary and can be flexibly adapted to the respective requirements. For example, wood, stone, metal or plastic can be used. Against the background mentioned at the outset, the invention further relates to a method for integrating a functional plate part into a worktop or table top of a kitchen piece of furniture according to the invention, the functional plate part being connected to at least one further plate part of the table. The method allows a worktop or table top to be assembled in a variable manner from a reservoir of prefabricated panel parts in accordance with the individual needs of a customer.

In addition, the invention relates to a method for replacing a plate part of an Ar beits- or table top of a kitchen furniture according to the invention with another Ren plate part, wherein the removed and / or the inserted plate part is a functional plate part. For example, worktops or table tops of kitchen furniture according to the invention can also be subsequently adapted if the customer's needs change subsequently, for example due to a conversion or relocation.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the exemplary embodiment discussed below with reference to the figures. The figures show:

Figure 1: Views of a table designed according to the invention, which is configured as a preparation and dining table for sushi;

Figure 2: Views of the functional plate parts of this table;

Figure 3: a single view of one of these functional plate parts;

FIG. 4: a single view of another of these functional plate parts together with associated accessories; and

Figure 5: a single view of yet another of these functional plate parts together with associated elements. A kitchen furniture according to the invention in the form of a sushi table 1 is shown in different views in FIG. 1, FIG. 1 a a perspective view, FIG. 1 b a top view, FIG. 1 c a side view of the long side and FIG. 1d a side view of the short side the table 1 show.

The table 1 generally comprises a table top 20 and a base 30 in the form of two table legs 31 with a plurality of struts 32 for holding the table top 10.

The table top 10 is composed modularly of several plate parts, namely three functional plate parts 110, 120 and 130 and four non-functional plate parts 210, 220, 230 and 240. Two of the non-functional plate parts 210 and 220 have the shape of elongated boards and enclose the three functional plate parts 1 10, 120 and 130 arranged in rows on both sides in a sandwich-like manner. The other two of the non-functional plate parts 230 and 240 complete the row of functional plate parts 110, 120 and 130 on both sides. The non-functional plate parts 210, 220, 230 and 240 can preferably be made of wood.

The non-functional plate parts 210 and 220 are connected along their inner longitudinal edges with one longitudinal edge of all three functional plate parts 1 10, 120 and 130 and the further non-functional plate parts 230 and 240 in a manner that enables subsequent removal. In this context, it is provided that the long side edges of all plate parts 1 10, 120, 130, 210, 220, 230 and 240 each comprise dovetail grooves, which are engaged locally at connection locations by reversibly expandable sliding blocks using screws.

The middle part of the table top 10 consisting of the three functional top parts 110, 120 and 130 which are joined together in a row is shown in isolation in FIG. 2, once together with associated accessories and elements (FIG. 2a) and once without (FIG. 2b). The row on the left comprises a first plate part 110 with a temperature plate 11, which has both a cooling function and a heating function. On the underside of this plate part 1 10, a module for temperature control is arranged in the area of the temperature control plate 1 11, which module comprises a Peltier element and a sensor element. Depending on the direction of the current supply, the Peltier element can be operated both for heating and for cooling the temperature control plate 11. The sensor is used to control the Peltier element, whereby it can detect the presence of a magnet in a detection area 1 12 of the plate surface and can energize the Peltier element upon detection or after movement of a magnet in this detection area 1 12. Two magnetic rods 1 13a are provided as corresponding control elements, the rotational positions of which are decisive for the direction of the magnetic fields and therefore the question of whether and to what extent the load is heated (magnetic rod 1 13a) or cooled (magnetic rod 1 13b). The plate enteil 1 10 and one of the magnetic bars 1 13 are shown in Figures 3a and 3b isolated.

The row also comprises in the middle a second plate part 120 with an infor mation 121 for inserting a tub 122 for soy sauce and holders 123 for tools 124 for portioning wasabi. A Peltier element, as described in connection with the first plate part 110, is arranged below the indentation 121 in order to be able to selectively heat or cool the tub 122 and its contents. The control of the Peltier element works as described in connection with the first plate part 110, an operating element in the form of a magnetic rod 135 also being provided here. The plate part 120 and the individual accessories 122 and 124 are shown in Figures 4a-c isolated Darge.

Ultimately, the row on the right comprises a third plate part 130 with guide rails 131 for displaceable holding elements 132, which can be used to store serviettes, cutlery or chopsticks. By moving along the guide rails 131, these holding elements 132 can be variably in one for everyone at the table seated persons are brought into an easily accessible position. The plate part 130 and a single one of the holding elements 132 are shown in isolation in FIGS. 5a-b.

The sushi table 1 has a high degree of flexibility and can be manufactured by the manufacturer by a certain combination of the plate parts 110, 120, 130, 210, 220, 230 and 240 and subsequently by the user by exchanging one or more plate parts 110, 120, 130, 210, 220, 230 and 240 can be adapted to the special needs of a customer.

Claims

Expectations

1. Kitchen furniture with a horizontal worktop or table top and a substructure that holds the worktop, characterized in that the worktop or table top is constructed modularly from at least two plate parts which are detachably connected to one another along common side edges, with it at least one of the plate parts is a functional plate part which is provided with an application.

2. Kitchen furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one other of the plate parts is a non-functional plate part which is not provided with any application.

3. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the worktop or table top comprises two or more functional and two or more non-functional plate parts.

4. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional plate parts comprise one or more of the fol lowing applications: a heating device, a cooling device, lighting, a holding device, a water supply, a tub, holders for kitchen appliances, or guide rails for sliding elements.

5. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one functional plate part comprises a tempering plate, which preferably has both a cooling function and a heating function.

6. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one functional plate part comprises a tub with brackets with removably held accessories.

7. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one functional plate part comprises guide rails NEN for displaceable elements.

8. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detachable connection between the plate parts of the worktop or table top is a positive connection, preferably providing that the common sides comprise edge dovetail grooves, which are attacked by reversibly expandable sliding blocks.

9. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the kitchen furniture is mobile and is preferably a ser four car.

10. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least two plate parts are connected to one another in such a way that the at least two plate parts can be arranged or arranged side by side, one below the other or one above the other.

1 1. Kitchen furniture according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least two plate parts are made of a different material.

12. A method for integrating a functional plate part in a worktop or table top of a kitchen furniture according to one of claims 1-11, wherein the functional plate part is connected to at least one further plate part of the table.

13. A method of replacing a plate part of a worktop or table top of a kitchen furniture according to one of claims 1 -11 with another plate part, wherein the removed and / or the inserted plate part is a functional plate part.