WO2018011028A1

WO2018011028A1 - An apparatus for mounting a built-in household appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2018011028A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/066713
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet YASAR; Cetin USLU; Ali Gokhan GENC; Akin Ozdemir
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2016-07-13
Filing date: 2017-07-05
Publication date: 2018-01-18

Abstract

The present invention is an adjustment apparatus (20) with prismatic shape for adjusting the distance between a household appliance (10) placed in a cabinet (30) and said cabinet.

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING A BUILT-IN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

The present invention relates to installation apparatuses facilitating mounting of body and doors of built-in household appliances, in particular of refrigerators into a cabinet.

The bodies of built-in household appliances, in particular refrigerators or freezer type cooler devices have to be mounted into a cabinet together with their doors. The mounting is completed by properly aligning the body and the door three dimensionally in terms of depth, height and lateral distance, followed by fixing of the cabinet and its cover to the corresponding body and the door.

Adjustment of the distance between the outer periphery of the cabinet and the body after the built-in household appliance is placed into a cavity of the cabinet is important in terms of the functionality of said appliance. Therefore, this has to be done by means of precise measurements by trained service technicians.

However, the weight of the household appliance and difficulty of moving it inside the cabinet and also the necessity to make a door adjustment according to thickness of the furniture in which the household appliance is mounted makes mounting a time-consuming and inconvenient process.

Patent publication no. TR201111997 discloses a gauge used for installation adjustment of built-in household appliances and a household appliance which can be installed by said gauge. According to this, a gauge is provided for a decorative upper panel and a lower panel provided in a body so that there is a space between thereof, and an adjustable foot on which the body stands. The gauge comprises a spacing extension engaging the space so as to provide distance suitable for a predetermined thickness, and a height extension standing in such a way to heighten a base of the body to a predetermined height by being placed from the spacing extension to the ground on which the adjustable foot rests. The gauge is formed in an L-shape in which the spacing extension and the height extension connect at one end each.

The aim of the invention is to facilitate aligning built-in household appliances in a cabinet for mounting.

To achieve the above-mentioned aim, the invention is an adjustment apparatus with prismatic shape for adjusting the distance between a household appliance placed in a cabinet and said cabinet. Preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a front edge provided between a base portion and a back wall extending outwards from each other, and cascading at a predetermined measure. Thanks to its cascading structure, the front edge helps to adjust the distance between the cabinet and the household appliance when for example the back edge is placed on the appliance.

In a preferred embodiment, the front edge has a staircase-like shape. Thus, the measures envisaged to be used are defined on the front edge by a shape cascading in a predetermined count. When the adjustment apparatus is placed from its back wall to a front wall of the household appliance, for example to an outer door sheet, it becomes possible to measure the depth between the front wall and the outer edge of the cabinet by looking at the front edge from the side. For this, the projection of the outer edge facing the front wall of the adjustment apparatus is measured.

In a preferred embodiment, a visual indicator is provided on each cascade displaying the height from the base portion. Thanks to the visual indicator, a person mounting the household appliance can easily visually identify the measure matching the thickness of the furniture to be mounted on the door by means of the adjustment apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, the base portion and the back wall are perpendicular to each other and are flat shaped. Thus, the adjustment apparatus takes a quasi-pyramidal form together with the front edge, and when the back wall rests on the door the front edge forms an indicator easily traceable when viewed frontally.

A preferred embodiment comprises a seat provided on the back wall, in which a magnet is positioned. The adjustment apparatus is thus enabled to be easily fixed by its portions proximate to the seat to ferrometalic surfaces, for example to the side walls or the door of the household apparatus made of metal.

In a preferred embodiment, the widths of the back wall and the front edge are equal to each other. This helps the front edge to be easily seen when viewed frontally. This also gives the adjustment apparatus a flat structure. Thus, a separate installation parameter measurement function can be assigned to the width distance of the adjustment apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, the back wall comprises a tab extended outwards from an end thereof. When the adjustment apparatus is positioned vertically, the tab assists distance adjustment by being rested by the back wall to a space between the household appliance and the cabinet.

A preferred embodiment comprises a side wall of a panel shape surrounding along its edges the base portion, the back wall and the front edge. The side wall enables the adjustment apparatus to have an enclosed shape and gives it structural strength. A preferred embodiment comprises an edge extension of the side wall of a planar protrusion structure passing from the back wall. The edge extension of each adjustment apparatus helps equidistant alignment of the household appliance and the cabinet by their sides by holding the adjustment apparatus vertical along the back wall and inserting it between the mutual side walls of the household appliance and the cabinet.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned aims, the invention is a measurement method by means of an adjustment apparatus comprising the steps of determining the thickness of a door panel, resting the back wall to a door of the household appliance, and aligning the advancement distance of the household appliance in the profundity of the cabinet up to the cascade value on the front edge corresponding to the determined thickness value.

The household appliance realized to achieve the aims of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a built-in refrigerator on which a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention is mounted, in the adjustment position before mounting in a cabinet.

Figure 2 is a blown-up view of detail A given in figure 1.

Figure 3 is a blown-up view of detail B given in figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view from above of a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention in side adjustment position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view from side of a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention in top adjustment position.

Figure 6 is a ground space frontal view of a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention.

Figure 7 is a sectional view from above of a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention in side adjustment position, showing the magnet.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus of the invention.

The elements in the figures are numbered individually and the correspondence of these numbers are given hereinafter.

10 Cabinet

11 Side panel

12 Ceiling panel

13 Opposite side panel

14 Ground panel

20 Adjustment apparatus

22 Front edge

23 Base portion

24 Back wall

25 Seat

26 Side wall

27 Edge extension

28 Tab

30 Household appliance

32 Door

33 Lower door

34 Foot

35 Base

38 Housing

40 Door panel

42 Upper part

44 Lower part

50 Visual indicator

70 Magnet

Figure 1 perspectively shows a household appliance (30) which is a built-in refrigerator of domestic type in a decorative cabinet (10). The cabinet (10) comprises two mutual vertical side panels (11) spaced from each other and a ceiling panel (12) connecting them by one of their ends. The cabinet (10) is seated on a ground panel (14), for example on the kitchen ground. The household appliance (30) having a housing (38) and a door (32) covering thereof, is placed to the internal space of the cabinet (10) forming a cavity so as to have space in between. Since the household appliance (30) is a double-door refrigerator, it also comprises a lower part (33) closing corresponding pieces opening independently from each other. The open frontal face of the cabinet (10) is closed by a door panel (40). To enable this, the door panel (40) is attached on the door (32) with the help of fixing members, for example brackets (not shown). The door panel (40) has an upper part (42) and a lower part (44) mounted on the corresponding portions on the door (32).

The adjustment apparatuses (20) are attached between the household appliance (30) and the side panels (11, 13). A pair of adjustment apparatuses (20) are mutually placed between the side edge of the door (32) and the internal wall of the corresponding side panel (11, 13). Another pair of adjustment apparatuses (20) are placed between the side edges of the lower door (33) and the internal wall of the corresponding side panel (11, 13). In turn, an adjustment apparatus (20) is inserted to the space between a base (35) of the household appliance (30) and the ground panel (14).

Figure 2 is a blown-up view of detail A, showing the position adjustment of the door (32) in the cabinet (10) by the adjustment apparatus (20) according to the thickness of the door panel (40). The adjustment apparatus (20) comprises a front edge (22) with a staircase shape. It is also attached to the door (32) by magnetic engagement by means of a seat (25) bearing a magnet (70) inside. Figure 3 is a blown-up view of detail B showing the status of the adjustment apparatus (20) in the base (35) emerging from the lower edge of the lower door (33). A planary shaped base portion (23) of the adjustment apparatus (20) is placed facing outwards. The side wall (26) contacts the base (35). A visual indicator (50) is provided on the base portion (23). The visual indicator (50) comprises an imprint as measurement information indicating the distance between the ground panel (14) and the base (35).

Figure 4 shows aligning of the side panel (11) and the household appliance (30). A planar edge extension (27) in elongation structure of the side wall (26) at the back portion, is inserted to the space between the side panel (11) and the door (32). The thickness of the edge extension (27) is equal to the width of the space which is desired to be aligned. The side wall (26) contacts by its back portion the inner face of the corresponding side panel (11). The adjustment apparatus (20) holds on the outer sheet of the door (32) thanks to engagement by magnet (70), and an installation operator viewing from front easily adjusts the space according to the width of the edge extension (27). Figure 5 shows the alignment of the household appliance in depth position in the cabinet (10) according to the thickness of the door panel (40). The thickness of the door panel (40) can be determined by a measurement member as well as by the adjustment apparatus (20) by means of aligning to a back edge. Thus, position adjustment is performed by moving the household appliance (30) backwards or forwards in the cabinet through controlling on the side panel (11) the projection corresponding to the front edge, of the front edge (22) cascade aligned according to the predetermined thickness of the door panel (40). The adjustment apparatus (20) is hanged to the door (32) by a tab (28) thereof forming a hook on the back wall (24).

Figure 6 shows placement of the adjustment apparatus (20) to a space between the household appliance (30) elevated on a foot and the ground panel (14). The operator is enabled to read the height of the foot on the visual indicator (50) and to perform the height adjustment according to the thickness of the base portion (23) by the adjustment apparatus (20) placed with its base portion (23) facing outwards. Figure 7 shows the position of the magnet (70) in the adjustment apparatus (20). The magnet (70) placed adjacent to the back wall (24) in the proximity of the lower door (33) enables magnetic attachment of the adjustment apparatus (20) to the sheet of the lower door (33).

Figure 8 shows a representative embodiment of the adjustment apparatus (20). The adjustment apparatus (20) has a right angled triangle-like cross-section. The base portion (23) in flat strip shape, and the back wall (24) extending perpendicularly from the back edge thereof, are connected by their ends distant to each other through the front edge (22) in staircase shape. The height of the cascades on the front edge (22) are determined equally to one another as a quarter of an inch. The tab (28) forming the upper edge of the adjustment apparatus (20) and the first cascade provided on the top define a distance of ¾ of an inch, and subsequent cascades progressively advance defining 1 inch, 1-1/4 inches respectively. The measure of each cascade is determined by visual indicators (50) provided on the front edge (22). The side wall (26) circumferentially surrounds the base portion (23), the back wall (24) and the front edge (22). The seat (25) placed on the back wall (24) bearing the magnet (70) can be viewed from the opposite open lateral facade.

Claims

An adjustment apparatus (20) comprising a prismatic form for adjusting the distance between a household appliance (30) placed in a cabinet (10) and said cabinet (10), characterized in that, a front edge (22) provided between a base portion (23) and a back wall (24) extending outwards from each other, is cascaded according to a predetermined measure.
The adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the front edge (22) is formed in a staircase-like shape.
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to claim 2, comprising a visual indicator (50) displaying the height from the base portion (23) on each one of the cascades.
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base portion (23) and the back wall (24) are perpendicular to each other and are flat shaped.
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a seat (25) provided on the back wall (24), in which a magnet (70) is positioned.
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the widths of the back wall (22) and the front edge (22) are equal to each other.
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a tab (28) extended outwards from one end of the back wall (24).
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a panel-shaped side wall (26) surrounding along the edges thereof the base portion (23), back wall (24) and the front edge (22).
The adjustment apparatus (20) according to claim 8, wherein the side wall (26) comprises an edge extension (27) of a planar protrusion structure, passing from the back wall (24).
Method for measurement by the adjustment apparatus (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of determining the thickness of a door panel (40), resting the back wall (24) to a door (32) of the household appliance (30), and aligning the advancement distance of the household appliance (30) in the cabinet (10) profundity up to the cascade value on the front edge (22) corresponding to the determined thickness value.