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The present invention relates to a household appliance comprising a connection member which enables the household appliance to be easily, properly, and securely mounted onto kitchen furniture and a countertop.
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In household appliances, particularly exhaust hoods and cookers, which are mounted on kitchen furniture and countertops, installation is typically carried out by means of screws. This leads to the deformation of the furniture or countertop during the second and subsequent installations at the same point. Moreover, due to the variations in countertop thickness, it is quite difficult to adjust the level of the household appliance, particularly the cooker, relative to the countertop. As a result, multiple installation personnel are often required during the installation of the household appliance. Consequently, the installation time is extended accordingly.
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In the state of the art European Patent Application No.
EP3087803 a connection piece is disclosed, which enables the cooker to be easily and properly mounted onto a kitchen countertop.
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In the state of the art European Patent Application No.
EP2110607 , a cooker is disclosed, comprising a one-piece connection member having a spring member, which can be simply mounted into a cut-out in the countertop.
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In the state of the art German Patent Application No.
DE19704578 , a household appliance is disclosed, which is placed into a kitchen cabinet by means of a connection member comprising holders joined together by tooth-like protrusions.
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In the state of the art United States Patent No.
US3392720 , a household appliance is disclosed, which is adapted to be placed into a kitchen cabinet and countertop and which has a vertically adjustable connection member for closing the gap between the side edges of the household appliance and the adjacent edges of the countertop.
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The aim of the present invention is the realization of a household appliance comprising a connection member which enables the household appliance to be easily, properly, and securely mounted onto kitchen furniture and a countertop.
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The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, is placed into at least one opening located on furniture and/or a countertop, and comprises a connection member having a first section which bears against the edge of the opening and has at least two first slits which are horizontal and parallel to each other, a second section which is provided adjacent to the first section and has at least two second slits which are horizontal and parallel to each other, at least two panels which are located on the top or bottom edge of the first and second sections, which are perpendicular to the first and second sections and which has a first arm bearing against the underside or top side of the edge of the opening, a holder having a second arm which enters the first slit and extends under or above the edge of the opening and a third arm extending perpendicular to the second arm and located on the other side of the first section, and a protrusion which is fixed to the wall of the household appliance and which, when the household appliance is placed into the opening, bears against the panel and engages with the second slit.
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In the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the first arm and the second arm is equal to the height of the edge of the opening, and the panel is clamped in the vertical axis between the first arm and the second arm, while the third arm applies pressure in the horizontal axis toward the edge of the opening. Thus, the panel is fixed to the edge of the opening without the use of any screws or similar fixing member.
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By means of the first slits arranged at different heights on the connection member placed onto the furniture or countertop, the connection member is enabled to be fixed to the openings with different thicknesses, and by means of the second slits also arranged at different heights, the protrusion is enabled to be seated such that the household appliance is mounted into the opening and thus onto the furniture and/or countertop. By means of the present invention, the household appliance is enabled to be mounted correctly, quickly, and securely even in furniture and countertops with varying thicknesses. Moreover, the same connection member can be used for different types of household appliances. Thus, the household appliance is enabled to be mounted without the use of a complex structure.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the first slit, close to the edge of the first section of the panel, is open. Thus, after the panel is placed along the edge of the opening, the holder enters easily and quickly the first slit at the level corresponding to the height of the opening edge so as to enable the panel to be locked at the appropriate height against the edge of the opening.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, both ends of the second slit are closed. Thus, after the panel is fixed to the edge of the opening by means of the holder, the protrusion on the rear wall of the household appliance inserted into the opening is enabled to fit into the second slit at the appropriate height so as to be fixed to opening without moving to right or left.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder is L-shaped.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion is a spring steel component.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance is a cooker. In this embodiment of the present invention, the panel is placed along the edge of the opening on the countertop, and the first arm is inserted into the first slit at the level corresponding to the height of the opening such that the panel is fixed to the edge of the opening by being clamped between the first arm and the second arm. In this case, the third arm applies horizontal pressure against the edge of the opening via the panel. Then, the cooker is inserted into the opening by fitting the protrusion on the rear wall thereof into the second slit at the appropriate height on the panel, ensuring that the cooker is mounted securely, correctly, and quickly onto the countertop.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance is an exhaust hood. In this embodiment of the present invention, the panel is placed along the edge of the opening on the furniture, and the first arm is inserted into the first slit at the level corresponding to the height of the opening such that the panel is fixed to the edge of the opening by being clamped between the first arm and the second arm. In this case, the third arm applies horizontal pressure against the edge of the opening via the panel. Then, the exhaust hood is inserted into the opening by fitting the protrusion on the rear wall thereof into the second slit at the appropriate height on the panel, ensuring that the exhaust hood is mounted securely, correctly, and quickly onto the furniture.
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By means of the present invention, the difficulties encountered during the mounting of the household appliances onto furniture and countertops with different thicknesses are eliminated. Since no fastening is done with screws on the furniture surface, the household appliance is enabled to be mounted in the desired position without causing any deformation or damage to the furniture. Furthermore, the household appliance is mounted easily, safely, and quickly so as to be flush with the opening, regardless of the thickness of the opening available for placement. Thus, the household appliance is prevented from being mounted so as to create any protrusion or recess above the opening, and the aesthetic perception is improved. Moreover, the number of personnel required for installation is reduced, and the installation time is shortened.
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A cooking device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
- Figure 1 - is the exploded view of a connection member.
- Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the connection member.
- Figure 3 - is the front view of the cooker embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 4 - is the rear view of the cooker embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 5 - is the front view of the exhaust hood embodiment of the present invention.
- Figure 6 - is the rear view of the exhaust hood embodiment of the present invention.
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The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows.
- 1. Household appliance
- 2. Opening
- 3. Connection member
- 4. Panel
- 5. First section
- 6. Second section
- 7. First arm
- 8. First slit
- 9. Second slit
- 10. Holder
- 11. Second arm
- 12. Third arm
- 13. Protrusion
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The household appliance (1), which is placed into at least one opening (2) located on furniture and/or a countertop, comprises a connection member (3) having a first section (5) which bears against the edge of the opening (2) and has at least two first slits (8) which are horizontal and parallel to each other, a second section (6) which is provided adjacent to the first section (5) and has at least two second slits (9) which are horizontal and parallel to each other, at least two panels (4) which are located on the top or bottom edge of the first (5) and second (6) sections, which are perpendicular to the first (5) and second (6) sections and which has a first arm (7) bearing against the underside or top side of the edge of the opening (2), a holder (10) having a second arm (11) which enters the first slit (8) and extends under or above the edge of the opening (2) and a third arm (12) extending perpendicular to the second arm (11) and located on the other side of the first section (5), and a protrusion (13) which is fixed to the wall of the household appliance (1) and which, when the household appliance (1) is placed into the opening (2), bears against the panel (4) and engages with the second slit (9) (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
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In the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the first arm (7) and the second arm (11) is equal to the height of the edge of the opening (2), and the panel (4) is clamped in the vertical axis between the first arm (7) and the second arm (11), while the third arm (12) applies pressure in the horizontal axis toward the edge of the opening (2). Thus, the panel (4) is fixed to the edge of the opening (2) without the use of any screws or similar fixing member.
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By means of the first slits (8) arranged at different heights on the connection member (3) placed onto the furniture or countertop, the connection member (3) is enabled to be fixed to the openings (2) with different thicknesses, and by means of the second slits (9) also arranged at different heights, the protrusion (13) is enabled to be seated such that the household appliance (1) is mounted into the opening (2) and thus onto the furniture and/or countertop. By means of the present invention, the household appliance (1) is enabled to be mounted correctly, quickly, and securely even in furniture and countertops with varying thicknesses. Moreover, the same connection member (3) can be used for different types of household appliances (1). Thus, the household appliance (1) is enabled to be mounted without the use of a complex structure.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the first slit (8), close to the edge of the first section (5) of the panel (4), is open. Thus, after the panel (4) is placed along the edge of the opening (2), the holder (10) enters easily and quickly the first slit (8) at the level corresponding to the height of the opening (2) edge so as to enable the panel (4) to be locked at the appropriate height against the edge of the opening (2).
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In an embodiment of the present invention, both ends of the second slit (9) are closed. Thus, after the panel (4) is fixed to the edge of the opening (2) by means of the holder (10), the protrusion (13) on the rear wall of the household appliance (1) inserted into the opening (2) is enabled to fit into the second slit (9) at the appropriate height so as to be fixed to opening (2) without moving to right or left.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the holder (10) is L-shaped.
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In an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion (13) is a spring steel component.
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance (1) is a cooker. In this embodiment of the present invention, the panel (4) is placed along the edge of the opening (2) on the countertop, and the first arm (7) is inserted into the first slit (8) at the level corresponding to the height of the opening (2) such that the panel (4) is fixed to the edge of the opening (2) by being clamped between the first arm (7) and the second arm (11). In this case, the third arm (12) applies horizontal pressure against the edge of the opening (2) via the panel (4). Then, the cooker is inserted into the opening (2) by fitting the protrusion (13) on the rear wall thereof into the second slit (9) at the appropriate height on the panel (4), ensuring that the cooker is mounted securely, correctly, and quickly onto the countertop (Figure 3 and Figure 4).
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In another embodiment of the present invention, the household appliance (1) is an exhaust hood. In this embodiment of the present invention, the panel (4) is placed along the edge of the opening (2) on the furniture, and the first arm (7) is inserted into the first slit (8) at the level corresponding to the height of the opening (2) such that the panel (4) is fixed to the edge of the opening (2) by being clamped between the first arm (7) and the second arm (11). In this case, the third arm (12) applies horizontal pressure against the edge of the opening (2) via the panel (4). Then, the exhaust hood is inserted into the opening (2) by fitting the protrusion (13) on the rear wall thereof into the second slit (9) at the appropriate height on the panel (4), ensuring that the exhaust hood is mounted securely, correctly, and quickly onto the furniture (Figure 5 and Figure 6).
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By means of the present invention, the difficulties encountered during the mounting of the household appliances (1) onto furniture and countertops with different thicknesses are eliminated. Since no fastening is done with screws on the furniture surface, the household appliance (1) is enabled to be mounted in the desired position without causing any deformation or damage to the furniture. Furthermore, the household appliance (1) is mounted easily, safely, and quickly so as to be flush with the opening (2), regardless of the thickness of the opening (2) available for placement. Thus, the household appliance (1) is prevented from being mounted so as to create any protrusion or recess above the opening (2), and the aesthetic perception is improved. Moreover, the number of personnel required for installation is reduced, and the installation time is shortened.