US20050116592A1

US20050116592A1 - Kitchen fixture

Info

Publication number: US20050116592A1
Application number: US10/965,368
Authority: US
Inventors: Ramon Sarmiento Orza
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-10-15
Filing date: 2004-10-14
Publication date: 2005-06-02
Also published as: EP1524208B1; EP1524208A1; ATE353840T1; JP4322196B2; DE60311814D1; JP2005118552A; PT1524208E; DE60311814T2; ES2282590T3; DK1524208T3

Abstract

A kitchen fixture, including a fixed body, an extractable body in the fixed body and a garbage container on the extractable body. The fixed body includes a swivelling partition acting as a cover for the container. The extractable body includes a bottom platform with wheels, a front panel hinged to the platform, and a platform on which an outwardly projecting rocker lever is internally assembled. The garbage container has lower wheels which rest on the platform of the extractable body. Stepping on the rocker lever opens the front of the fixed body and pivots down the front of the extractable body providing access to the garbage container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a kitchen fixture, specially intended for housing a garbage container, the fixture being designed to be built-in under a countertop, under a sink, cooking range or any other higher apparatus or fixture.
A fixture for the purpose set forth is already known from Spanish Utility Model ES 1043638. It includes a receptacle swivel-mounted in the cavity of a low kitchen fixture, which can be coupled under a countertop. This fixture has the drawback that the receptacle is not easily extractable, which may create problems for the cleaning thereof. Furthermore, its use is relatively uncomfortable, given the tilted position that the receptacle adopts when it is necessary to place the bags therein, to dump the garbage inside it, and to remove them once they are full, a position in which the cover also partially hinders those operations.
A domestic garbage sorting fixture is known from Spanish Utility Model number ES 200202167, designed to be assembled in a kitchen fixture, under a sink or the like, which comprises a receptacle assembled inside of the fixture and which incorporates an upper gate hinged thereto which, in a closed position, acts as the upper part of the front of the fixture, whereas in its open position, it acts as a dumping ramp of the receptacle. The fixture is provided with an upper gate operation mechanism. In this type of fixtures, the garbage container is not easily extractable, and access thereto, through the upper gate, may present drawbacks, especially when introducing relatively voluminous garbage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks set forth above by means of a fixture in which the garbage container is easily accessible and extractable, such that all necessary operations can be very easily carried out.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture for the purposes set forth, which may include a high capacity garbage container with divisions for different kinds of garbage, or without these divisions, and which can further provide other uses or functions.
The fixture of the invention is comprised of a fixed body, an extractable body and a garbage container.
The fixed body is comprised of at least two parallel walls and a lower bottom and incorporates a partition between the walls capable of acting as a cover for the container.
The extractable upper body is comprised of a front panel and a bottom platform with support wheels. The panel and platform are hinged at their adjacent edges around a shaft parallel to the edges, to permit the swivelling of the front panel with regard to the bottom platform between a closed position, in which they form approximately a right angle together, and an open position, in which the front panel is outwardly lowered, approximately in extension with the bottom platform, position in which the garbage container is perfectly accessible and extractable. The bottom platform incorporates a rocker lever assembled therein, rotatable around a shaft parallel to that of the hinge between said platform and the front panel. The lever projects outwardly through the lower platform and the front panel to form an operation pedal.
The garbage container is open at its upper base and is provided with two lower support wheels resting on the bottom platform of the extractable body. These wheels enable the container to be easily removed from the fixed body, which acts as a casing for the container, when the front panel is in its lowered position, in extension with the bottom platform. When the container is inside the fixed body, the lever assembled on the bottom platform extends between the wheels of the container, such that acting on the pedal forming the rocker lever can achieve the lifting and removal of the container.
All the features set forth, as well as other features of the invention, as included in the claims, are explained below in greater detail with the aid of the attached drawings, which show a non-limiting embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a kitchen fixture according to the invention, in its closed position.
FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the fixture of FIG. 1, in a closed position, wherein one of the sides has been omitted to show the inside thereof.
FIG. 3 shows a view similar to FIG. 2, with the fixture in an open and removed position.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the fixed body.
FIG. 5 shows a view similar to FIG. 4, wherein the front side-wall has been omitted.
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the extractable body.
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the garbage container.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The fixture shown in FIG. 1 has a right prismatic configuration, of a square or rectangular plan form, and comprises a fixed outer body shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, generally referenced with number 1, a extractable body shown in FIG. 6 and generally referenced with number 2, and a garbage container shown in FIG. 7 and generally referenced with number 3.
The fixed body 1 is comprised of two side-walls 4, a lower bottom panel 5, and, optionally, an upper closure panel 6, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The walls 4 can be joined also by means of intermediate cross members 7 and 8. A panel 9 is assembled between the walls 4, which panel can swivel about a rear shaft 10 and which will serve as a closure cover for the garbage container receptacle, as explained below. The walls 4 are also internally provided with lower strips 11, close to the bottom panel 5, defining with the panel, guides for steering the extractable body 2, as will be explained below.
The panel 9 can include an upper support 12 for a roll of garbage bags or the like.
As can be seen in FIG. 5, the bottom panel 5, from the front edge, is provided with recesses 13 for receiving sliding wheels of the extractable body.
As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the extractable body 2 is comprised of a front panel 14 and of a bottom platform 15 with front 16 and rear 17 support wheels. The front panel 14 acts as a front closure door of the fixture, as can be seen in FIG. 1.
The front panel 14 and the platform 15 are hinged together at their adjacent edges by means of a hinge or hinge element 17 a, the adjacent edges being spaced for allowing the passage of a lever 18 between them which is hinged to the bottom panel 5 according to a shaft 19 parallel to that of the hinge 17. The lever 18 projects outwardly to define an operating pedal 20. The platform 15 may include a front band 21 which will close the front of the fixture, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lever 18 forming the pedal 20 projecting between it and the panel 14.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, when the extractable body is inside of the fixed body, the wheels 16 are housed in the front recesses 13 of the bottom 5.
The platform 15 can be provided on its rear part with partitions or supports 22 for fixing an object holder bucket 23.
Lastly, the container 3 intended for containing the garbage is open at the upper base, and the lower part is provided with two support wheels 24. It is also possible to provide it with an extractable handle 25. It can internally be provided with dividing partitions 26 to define different housings, possibly intended for different kinds of garbage. Furthermore, the container 3 can be provided with hand grips 27 on the side-walls.
With the construction mentioned above, the front panel 14 of the extractable body, in the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is in a position approximately perpendicular to the bottom platform 15, defining the front closure surface of the fixture. The front panel 14 and the upper cover 6 of the fixed body can be provided with fastening means for ensuring this closed position.
When intending to dump any garbage, the pedal 20 is acted on, causing the swivelling of the lever 18, which runs under the garbage container 3, between the wheels 24 thereof, causing its tilting and pushing the front panel 14 outwards, thus allowing easy access to the container 3.
The front panel 14 can be completely outwardly lowered, as seen in FIG. 3, to a position at which the garbage container 3 can be removed, for example for the emptying or cleaning thereof.
Furthermore, the extractable body 2, defined by the front panel 14 and the platform 15, can be removed from the fixed body, as shown in FIG. 3, thus facilitating access to the container 3 as well as to the bucket 23 located behind said container.
The partition 9, if it is rotatable about the shaft 10, will remain on the container 3, acting as a cover thereof, when the assembly is in the position of FIG. 2, whereas upon removal of the container 3, the partition 9 will swivel downwards, to a position which may be limited by a stop.
For introducing and removing the extractable body, the platform 15 thereof will shift on the wheels 16 and 17, the longitudinal edges of the platform being steered by the strip or guide 11.
Definitively, with the fixture of the invention, by means of a simple constitution, a container is provided for garbage, which can be sorted, and which is easily accessible, for both dumping the garbage inside the container and removing the latter for the purpose of the emptying or cleaning thereof. Furthermore, the fixture can include an auxiliary bucket 24 for other receptacles or utensils, as well as the upper support 12 for bags or the like.
The garbage container 3 can be provided with means for holding the bags intended for receiving the garbage near the upper edge of its walls and of the partitions 26.
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A receiving fixture comprising:

a fixed body, an extractable body positionable in and extractable from the fixed body, and a garbage container supported by the extractable body;

the fixed body is comprised of at least a first front panel and an opposite rear panel and a bottom panel, a partition assembled between the first front panel and the rear panel and being positioned for acting as a cover for the container when in the fixed body;

the extractable body is comprised of a respective second front panel and a bottom platform below the extractable body, the second front panel and the bottom platform are hinged together at adjacent edges thereof at a first hinge and on the second front panel can swivel with respect to the platform at the hinge,

a rocker lever hinged to the bottom platform, the lever projecting outward between the bottom platform and the second front panel; and

the garbage container includes an open upper base and has a lower support for resting on the bottom platform of the extractable body.

2. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge is on a first shaft parallel to the adjacent edges of the second front panel and the platform.

3. A fixture according to claim 2, wherein there is a second hinge at a second shaft extending parallel to the first hinge.

4. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein the lower support further comprises two lower support wheels and the rocker lever of the extractable body running between the support wheels.

5. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein the fixed body also has walls with lower parts which include internal guides; and longitudinal edges of the bottom panel of the extractable body are movably housed in and are movable along the guides.

6. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein the extractable body has front wheels, and the fixed body bottom is provided both internally and from a front edge thereof with recesses for receiving and housing the front wheels of the extractable body.

7. A fixture according to claim 1, further comprising:

walls for the fixed body;

a partition assembled between the walls of the fixed body and positioned for acting as a cover for the garbage container.

8. A fixture according to claim 7, wherein the cover for the garbage container bears an upper support for a roll of bags.

9. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein the bottom platform of the extractable body is extended, behind the support area of the garbage container to define a portion of the bottom platform configured for coupling and fixing an object holder bucket.