EP4507539B1

EP4507539B1 - Assembly including a first and a second recessed appliance

Info

Publication number: EP4507539B1
Application number: EP23720672.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabrizio Crisà
Original assignee: Elica SpA
Current assignee: Elica SpA
Priority date: 2022-04-15
Filing date: 2023-04-07
Publication date: 2026-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 2043-04-07
Also published as: IT202200007646A1; EP4507539A1; WO2023199188A1; CA3250379A1; CN119012943A; US20250228366A1

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly for the installation of a first and a second recessed appliance. Such an assembly has the function of allowing the installation of two recessed appliances in the same piece of furniture such as, according to the invention a hob and an oven. The assembly according to the present invention is advantageously employable in the field of furniture, particularly in kitchen furniture.
It is known in the state of the art to recess one or more appliances in a piece of furniture. In particular, it is known to install a hob above an oven, recessing them in the same piece of furniture. In the state of the art, the upper shelf of the furniture is provided with a first seat adapted to accommodate the hob. Furthermore, the furniture is provided with a second seat adapted to accommodate an oven, which is in particular positioned directly below the hob.
In the known assembly mode, the oven and the hob are two independent appliances, functionally disconnected from each other. Consequently, there are no constraints to their positioning, and the hob can be installed so as to be positioned at a certain distance from the front edge of the furniture shelf. However, if it were necessary to position the hob closer to the front edge of the shelf or adjacent thereto, a significant disadvantage would arise. In particular, given the variability of both commercially available furniture and shelves, it is not possible to ensure the continuity of the surfaces between the hob, the furniture and the oven. This can create discontinuities or "steps" along which dust or dirt can accumulate, compromising the hygiene of the environment. Furthermore, such discontinuities also compromise the aesthetics of the furniture. Relevant prior art can be found in US3347609A .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to propose an assembly for the installation of a first and a second recessed appliance which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly for the installation of a first and a second recessed appliance capable of facilitating the cleaning of the appliances.
The specified technical task and purposes are substantially achieved by an assembly for the installation of a first and a second recessed appliance, comprising the technical characteristics set forth in claim 1. The first appliance has an upper outer surface. The second appliance has a front outer surface.
The assembly comprises a front panel having a front surface and connectable with a connecting edge of the first appliance.
The assembly further comprises a fixing portion connected to the front panel and configured to be fixed to the furniture and/or to the first and/or to the second appliance. The front surface is placed in continuity with the upper outer surface of the first appliance when the front panel is fixed to the furniture.

LIST OF FIGURES

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of an assembly of including a first and a second recessed appliance, as illustrated in the appended figures in which:

Figure 1a is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the assembly in accordance with the present invention including a first and a second recessed appliance;
Figure 1b is a sectional side view of the assembly of Figure 1a;
Figure 2a is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an assembly in accordance with the present invention including a first and a second recessed appliance;
Figure 2b is a sectional side view of the assembly of Figure 2a;
Figure 3a is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an assembly in accordance with the present invention including first and a second recessed appliance;
Figure 3b is a sectional side view of the kit of Figure 3a;
Figure 4a is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an assembly in accordance with the present invention including a first and a second recessed appliance;
Figure 4b is a sectional side view of the assembly of Figure 4a;
Figure 5 is a sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of an assembly in accordance with the present invention including a first and a second recessed appliance; and
Figure 6 is a sectional side view of a detail of the assembly of Figures 1a, 2a and 3a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the appended figures, the number 1 indicates a kit for the installation of a first 10 and a second recessed appliance 20. The appliances 10, 20 in use are recessed inside a piece of furniture 30. According to the invention the first appliance 10 is identified with a hob, while the second appliance 20 is identified with an oven.
The assembly defined by the furniture 30, by the appliances 10, 20 and by the kit 1 described below is also part of the present invention.
In detail, the furniture 30 is preferably made so as to be part of a modular kitchen (not illustrated). In particular, the furniture 30 can be part of a kitchen base, i.e., it can be adapted to rest directly on a floor. The furniture 30 is provided with a countertop 31, also called a kitchen top or kitchen counter. Preferably, the countertop 31 extends beyond the furniture 30 overlapping other furniture (not illustrated) adjacent thereto. The countertop 31 has its own front surface 32, preferably but not necessarily vertically oriented.
The furniture 30 is provided with a first seat, made on the upper portion of the furniture 30 itself. The countertop 31 thus has an opening 34 at the first seat, adapted to allow the insertion of the first appliance 10. The furniture 30 also has a second seat, made on the front portion of the furniture 30. The second seat is thus located at least partly below the first seat. The seats are suitably dimensioned so as to allow the simultaneous recessing of both appliances 10, 20.
With reference to the first appliance 10, it should be noted that it has an upper outer surface 11. As can be seen in the appended figure 1, the upper outer surface 11 defines a front edge 12. At least in one area adjacent to the front edge 12, the upper outer surface 11 of the first appliance 10 is flat and continuous and, in use, preferably substantially horizontal. The front edge 12 can be defined by a chamfer, as shown in figure 1, or by a fitting, or in any other manner already known in the state of the art.
The first appliance 10 also has a connecting edge 13, which has the function of allowing the connection to other elements of the kit 1, as will be better explained in a later part of the present description. Such a connecting edge 13 is placed substantially at the front edge 12, in particular below and preferably directly below the front edge 12.
The second appliance 20 has a front outer surface 21. In use, the front outer surface 21 is defined by an openable door 22. Such a door 22 is in particular rotatable along a horizontal hinge axis (not illustrated) substantially defined at an edge which, in use, is placed in a position proximal to the floor. In other words, the door 22 opens by rotating downwards. The front outer surface 21 of the second appliance 20 has an upper edge 23, which is preferably defined on an edge of the door 22 opposite the hinge.
The kit 1 further comprises a front panel 2 which, in use, is oriented vertically. The front panel 2 is also connected with the connecting edge 13 of the first appliance 10. The front panel 2 has a height, i.e., an extension along a direction perpendicular to the upper outer surface 11 of the first appliance 10, which is comprised between 10 mm and 70 mm, preferably between 17 mm and 56 mm. Advantageously, in some embodiments of the invention the height of the panel can be defined so as to adapt to the particular type of furniture 30 and to the particular model of second appliance 20.
The front panel 2 has a front surface 2a, which is preferably flat and continuous.
With particular reference to the embodiments shown in figures 1a, 1b and 5, the front panel 2 can be configured to be fixed to the furniture 30 in particular through the countertop 31, so that the front surface 2a is substantially coplanar to the front outer surface 21 of the second appliance 20. It should be noted that the fixing can be carried out either directly or indirectly, whereby it can also occur by fixing the front panel 2 to the appliances 10, 20 which are then fixed to the furniture 30 in a per se conventional manner.
Alternatively, in the embodiment shown in figures 2a and 2b, the front panel 2 is configured to be fixed to the furniture 30 so that the front surface 2a is substantially coplanar with the front surface 32 of the countertop 31.
It should also be noted that when the front panel 2 is fixed to the furniture 30, the front surface 2a is placed in continuity with the upper outer surface 11 of the first appliance 10. In particular, the front surface 2a is placed directly in continuity with the front edge 12. In the context of the present description, two surfaces are understood as "placed in continuity" when, as far as possible compatibly with the processes used for their creation, there are no separation elements such as cracks, intervals or steps between one and the other.
More in detail, the front panel 2 comprises a first end edge 3, which is adapted to be connected with the connecting edge 13 of the first appliance 10, preferably by interlocking. In particular, the connecting edge 13 is provided with a protrusion 14, which extends in a direction substantially parallel to the front surface 2a of the front panel 2. The first end edge 3 is provided with a recess 4, counter-shaped to the protrusion 14, which is adapted to retain the protrusion 14 by interference. Optionally or alternatively, the fixing of the protrusion 14 in the recess 4 can be assisted by an adhesive, such as a glue or a resin.
The front panel 2 also has a second end edge 5, opposite the first end edge 3. It should be noted that in the embodiments shown in figures 1a, 1b and 5 the second end edge 5 faces the upper edge 23 of the front outer surface 21 of the second appliance 20. In this case the second end edge 5 and the upper edge 23 define a slot 6 therebetween. In greater detail, the distance between the second end edge 5 and the upper edge 23 is comprised between 1 mm and 50 mm.
The kit 1 further comprises a fixing portion 7, which is connected to the front panel 2. The fixing portion 7 is fixed to the furniture 30 and to the first 10 and/or to the second appliance 20.
In particular, in the embodiments shown in figures 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b, the fixing portion 7 is defined by a lamina 33 which extends away from the front panel 2 from the opposite side with respect to the front surface 2a. Such a lamina 33 is arranged to be inserted in a notch 35 obtained below the upper outer surface 11 of the first appliance 10. Advantageously, thereby the fixing portion 7 is locked between the first appliance 10 and the countertop 31.
According to the embodiment shown in figure 5, the fixing portion 7 can be configured to be hidden from view at least in part by the second appliance 20. In this case, the fixing portion 7 comprises a rear panel 8, which extends substantially parallel to the door 22 of the second appliance. The rear panel 8 is also connected to the second appliance 20 in substantially similar manners to those with which the front panel 2 is connected to the first appliance 10.
With particular reference to the embodiment of figure 5, the fixing portion 7 further comprises a connecting panel 9, which is connected to the front panel 2 and to the rear panel 8. The connecting panel 9 is arranged transversally, and in particular perpendicularly, to the other panels 8, 9. The fixing portion 7, defined by the rear panel 8 and connecting panel 9, has an "L" shape, in which the connecting panel 9 is fixed to the second end edge 5 of the front panel 2 and to a corresponding edge of the rear panel 8. In other words, the panels 2, 8, 9 as a whole have an "S" shape. In accordance with the present invention, the panels 2, 8, 9 are made in a single piece.

Claims

Assembly comprising:
- a piece of furniture (30), and

- a kit (1) for the installation of a first (10) and a second recessed appliance (20), the kit comprising:
- the first appliance (10) having an upper outer surface (11) and being a hob,

- the second appliance (20) having a front outer surface (21) and being an oven,

- a front panel (2) having a front surface (2a) and connectable with a connecting edge (13) of the first appliance (10),

- a fixing portion (7) connected to the front panel (2) and configured to be fixed to a piece of furniture (30) and to the first appliance (10);
wherein:
- the first (10) and the second appliance (20) are fixed recessed in the furniture (30), and

- the front panel (2) is fixed to the furniture (30) so that the front surface (2a) is placed in continuity with the upper outer surface (11) of the first appliance (10).
Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the front panel (2) comprises a first end edge (3) configured to be connected with the connecting edge (13) of the first appliance (10), preferably by interlocking.
Assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein the connecting edge (13) has a protrusion (14), the first end edge (3) having a recess (4), counter-shaped to the protrusion (14) to retain the protrusion (14) by interference.
Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front panel (2) has a height between 10 and 70 mm.
Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front panel (2) is configured to be fixed to the furniture (30) so that the front surface (2a) is substantially coplanar with the front outer surface (21) of the second appliance (20).
Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front panel (2) comprises a second end edge (5) facing a corresponding upper edge (23) of the front outer surface (21) of the second appliance (20), the upper edge (23) of the front outer surface (21) of the second appliance (20) being defined on an openable door (22), the distance between the second end edge (5) and the upper edge (23) of the front outer surface (21) of the second appliance (20) being between 1 and 50 mm.
Assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the furniture is provided with a countertop (31), the front panel (2) being configured to be fixed to the furniture (30) so that the front surface (2a) is substantially coplanar with a front surface (32) of the countertop (31).