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(11) | EP 2 240 646 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
WORKTOP FOR KITCHENS OR THE LIKE ARBEITSFLÄCHE FÜR KÜCHEN ODER DERGLEICHEN PLAN DE TRAVAIL POUR CUISINES OU ANALOGUES |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
Technical Field
Background Art
[0002] It is known that during the preparation of food it is generally necessary to cut, chop or slice vegetables, meat, fish, etc.
[0003] In particular, the use is known of boards made of wood or other material, the so-called cutting boards, having a flat work surface, for the preparation of food. During use, such cutting boards are normally positioned on a table or on the so-called worktop of a piece of kitchen furniture.
[0005] After use, in fact, the cutting boards have to be cleaned of residues and washed for subsequent uses.
[0006] Furthermore, during use, food residues can dirty the table or the worktop on which the cutting board is positioned.
[0007] In particular, during the preparation of foods, liquid residues can easily slip along the flat work surface and reach the table or kitchen worktop.
[0008] Not the least drawback is the fact that, when not used, such cutting boards are normally housed inside compartments intended to accommodate pots and pans or the like and, therefore, take up useful space.
[0009] To obviate such drawbacks at least in part, the use is known of special plates, generally made of metal, positionable resting on a common kitchen sink and having a flat work surface.
[0010] This permits collecting the solid and liquid residues produced by the preparation of the food inside the sink.
[0011] Such plates however, though making it possible to avoid dirtying other areas of the kitchen, such as the table or the worktop, also have their drawbacks.
[0012] In particular during the preparation of the food, the sink is engaged and, therefore, cannot be used for other jobs.
[0013] Document FR 2514800 A discloses a worktop for kitchens or the like, comprising at least one bearing structure, at least one work surface supported by said bearing structure and suitable for preparing food, at least one drain opening for removing from said work surface the wastes produced during the preparation of the food, at least one chute substantially sloped, supported by said bearing structure and arranged below said drain opening, and at least one collection area for said wastes obtained inside said bearing structure.
Object of the Invention
[0014] The main aim of this invention is to provide a worktop for kitchens or the like that allows preparing food and is, at the same time, easy to clean and use. Another object of this invention is to provide a worktop for kitchens or the like that allows to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the known technique within the ambit of a simple and rational solution, which is easy and effective to use, as well as having a low cost.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0016] Further characteristics and advantages of this invention will appear more evident from the description of two preferred but not only embodiments of a worktop for kitchens or the like, illustrated indicatively by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a first embodiment of the worktop according to the invention, installed on a piece of kitchen furniture or the like;
Figure 2 is an axonometric view of a second embodiment of the worktop according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a side and section view of the worktop according to the invention illustrated in figure 2.
Embodiments of the Invention
[0017] With particular reference to such figures, a worktop for kitchens or the like, usable particularly for the preparation of the food, has been globally indicated by 1.
[0018] The worktop 1 comprises a bearing structure, generally indicated by the reference 2, which is associable with the furniture unit M of a kitchen or the like, schematically illustrated in the above illustrations.
[0019] The worktop 1 comprises a substantially flat work surface 3, supported by the bearing structure 2, and suitable for preparing food. E.g., the work surface 3 can be used to cut, chop or slice vegetables, meat or fish.
[0020] The worktop 1 also comprises one or more drain openings 4 suitable for collecting up, e.g., the product wastes during the preparation of the food.
[0021] A substantially sloped chute 5 is supported by the bearing structure 2 and is arranged below the drain openings 4.
[0022] The worktop 1 has a collection area 6 for collecting the wastes produced during the preparation of the food, obtained inside the bearing structure 2 and defined close to a lower portion 5a of the chute 5.
[0023] The worktop 1 comprises introduction means 7 for introducing a jet of water A along the chute 5.
[0024] Such introduction means 7 are associated with the bearing structure 2 at an upper portion 5b of the chute 5, and the jet of water A produced by these pushes the wastes that have fallen off the work surface 3, through the drain openings 4, along the chute 5 as far as the collection area 6.
[0025] With special reference to the particular embodiments of the worktop 1 shown in the above illustrations, the collection area 6 for collecting the wastes is composed of a tank obtained inside the bearing structure 2, having an outlet mouth 8.
[0026] The chute 5 is composed of a sloped surface obtained inside the bearing structure 2, which extends from the upper portion 5b to the lower portion 5a towards the tank 6.
[0027] Usefully, the tank 6 and the sloped surface 5 are made in a single piece and make up the bearing structure 2, which has side walls and an upper opening 2a. Different embodiments of the worktop 1 cannot however be ruled out in which the collection area 6 and the chute 5 have a different shape and arrangement.
[0028] The introduction means 7 are schematised in the above illustrations as a water dispensing mouth obtained on a vertical wall of the bearing structure 2, at the upper portion 5b of the chute 5.
[0029] The dispensing mouth 7 has a widened shape and extends along nearly the whole width of the sloped surface 5. This allows the dispensing of a jet of water A of widened laminar shape that better distributes on the surface of the sloped surface 5 and which, consequently, better removes the solid and liquid wastes produced by the preparation of food and present on the sloped surface itself, pushing these towards the tank 6.
[0030] Usefully, the worktop 1 has a plurality of substantially plate-shaped functional elements, generically indicated by the reference 9, which can be positioned resting at the upper opening 2a of the bearing structure 2, above the chute 5 or the tank 6.
[0031] In particular, such functional elements 9 can have different shapes and uses and can be composed, e.g., of a plate 10, of the type of a cutting board or the like, having the above work surface 3.
[0032] The plate 10 itself can have a drain opening 4, or the drain opening 4 can be defined by any space between the plate 10 and another functional element 9 adjacent to it.
[0033] The plate 10 can be made of metal, glass, polymer material such as nylon or the like, or of other materials.
[0034] The functional elements 9 can further be composed of a drip tray 11 (figures 1, 2 and 3), positionable resting, e.g., on the tank 6, or of a substantially plate-shaped weighing scale 12 (figure 1). The manufacture of different functional elements 9 and accessories positionable resting on the bearing structure 2 cannot however be ruled out.
[0035] In particular, the bearing structure 2 has two protrusions 2b extending along opposite outer sections of the upper opening 2a. Each of the functional elements 9 has a pair of supports 13, fastened near the edges substantially opposite and positionable resting on the protrusions 2b.
[0036] The supports 13 are of the bracket type or the like with an L-shaped profile and are fixed below on each of the functional elements 9, at opposite edges.
[0037] The protrusions 2b and the supports 13 extend along straight directions and are complementary to one another, thereby allowing the straight sliding of each of the functional elements 9 inside the upper opening 2a of the bearing structure 2.
[0038] During use, the different functional elements 9 of the worktop 1 can be exchanged the one with the other and arranged as required on the upper opening 2a of the bearing structure 2.
[0039] Usefully, the worktop 1 comprises at least one water dispenser 14, of the so-called telephone type, which has a grip associated with a flexible hose, not shown in the illustrations, and which is normally housed in a suitable seat 15 obtained on a flat portion of the bearing structure 2, close to the tank 6.
[0040] The worktop 1 also comprises a mixer device 16 for starting or interrupting the dispensing of hot or cold water, and a deviator device 17, able to deviate the flow of water between the dispensing mouth 7 and the dispenser 14.
[0041] It has in fact been ascertained how the described invention achieves the set objects, and in particular the fact is underlined that the worktop is easily usable to prepare food, for cleaning dishes and for other activities and that, furthermore, the worktop is simple to clean after use.
[0042] In particular, the presence of the chute and of the tank allows collecting the wastes during the preparation of food.
[0043] Furthermore, the presence of the water introduction means allows keeping clean the chute and the worktop in general or, in any case, allows reducing the necessary cleaning operations to a minimum.
at least one bearing structure (2);
at least one work surface (3) supported by said bearing structure (2) and suitable for preparing food;
at least one drain opening (4) for removing from said work surface (3) the wastes produced during the preparation of the food;
at least one chute (5), substantially sloped, comprising at least one sloped surface supported by said bearing structure (2) and arranged below said drain opening (4);
at least one collection area (6), for said wastes, obtained inside said bearing structure (2) and arranged close to a lower portion (5a) of said chute (5); and
introduction means (7) of at least a jet of water (A) along said chute (5);
characterized in that said introduction means (7) are associated with said bearing structure (2) at an upper portion (5b) of said chute (5), and have a widened shape extending along nearly the whole width of the sloped surface (5) of said chute, so as to allow the dispensing of a jet of water (A) of widened laminar shape that is better distributed on said sloped surface (5) for removing the wastes present on it and pushing them towards said collection area (6).
mindestens einer Tragkonstruktion (2);
mindestens einer von der Tragkonstruktion (2) gehaltenen und für die Zubereitung von
Speisen geeigneten Arbeitsoberfläche (3);
mindestens einer Ablauföffnung (4) zum Entfernen der während der Zubereitung der Speisen
entstehenden Abfälle von der Arbeitsoberfläche (3);
mindestens einer im wesentlichen geneigten Rutsche (5), die mindestens eine von der
Tragkonstruktion (2) gehaltene und unter der Ablauföffnung (4) angeordnete, geneigte
Oberfläche aufweist;
mindestens einem Sammelbereich (6) für die Abfälle, der innerhalb der Tragkonstruktion
(2) erhalten wird und nahe einem unteren Teil (5a) der Rutsche (5) angeordnet ist;
und
einer Einleiteinrichtung (7) für mindestens einen Wasserstrahl (A) entlang der Rutsche
(5);
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Einleiteinrichtung (7) an einem oberen Teil (5b) der Rutsche (5) mit der Tragkonstruktion
(2) verbunden ist und eine verbreiterte Form entlang nahezu der gesamten Breite der
geneigten Oberfläche (5) der Rutsche besitzt, um das Abgeben eines Wasserstrahls (A)
von einer verbreiterten, laminaren Form zu erlauben, der auf der geneigten Oberfläche
(5) besser verteilt wird, um die auf ihr befindlichen Abfälle zu entfernen und in
Richtung des Sammelbereichs (6) zu schieben.
au moins une structure de support (2) ;
au moins une surface de travail (3) supportée par ladite structure de support (2) et apte à la préparation des aliments ;
au moins une ouverture d'évacuation (4) pour éliminer de ladite surface de travail (3) les déchets produits pendant la préparation des aliments ;
au moins une glissière (5), sensiblement inclinée, comprenant au moins une surface inclinée supportée par ladite structure de support (2) et située au-dessous de ladite ouverture d'évacuation (4) ;
au moins une zone de collecte (6) pour lesdits déchets, ménagée à l'intérieur de ladite structure de support (2) et située à proximité d'une portion inférieure (5a) de ladite glissière (5); et
des moyens d'introduction (7) d'au moins un jet d'eau (A) le long de ladite glissière (5);
caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens d'introduction (7) sont associés à ladite structure de support (2) au niveau d'une partie supérieure (5b) de ladite glissière (5), et ont une forme élargie s'étendant sur presque toute la largeur de la surface inclinée (5) de ladite glissière, afin de permettre la distribution d'un jet d'eau (A) de forme laminaire élargie qui est mieux réparti sur ladite surface inclinée (5) pour éliminer les déchets qui y sont présents et les pousser vers ladite zone de collecte (6).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description