This invention is related with the height-adjustable foot connections of household appliances such as a dishwasher or a washing machine.

Height-adjustable feet are used to level household applications on the floor. These feet are installed to the bottom of the appliance and thanks to the screw-threaded connection on them; they enable both adjusting the height of such appliances by a certain extend and leveling them on the floor. The mentioned feet may either be directly installed on the bottom base of the appliance or they can also be installed by means of certain interconnection components.

In the prior art, various adjustable foot systems have been developed for household appliances. For example, the published patent no. DE3225502 illustrates an interconnection unit screwed to the bottom of a household appliance, and a height-adjustable foot attached to that unit. However, the installation of the mentioned interconnection unit requires multiple screws, therefore, the operations of mounting and dismounting the component is time consuming.

The foot connection system according to the invention includes a sole plate of a household appliance, an interconnection component installed to at least one installation channel on the sole plate, and the foot installed on that component. On the interconnection component, there is a slide bedded in the installation channel; and a guide on at least one lateral edge of the slide. On the installation channel, there is a clearance on one side of the channel where the slide enters longitudinally in single direction, and there is a guide on at least one side of the clearance along the channel. There, the mentioned guides are interlacing, and the component is longitudinally bedded in the channel. On one side of the interconnection component, there is a foot installation socket in which the foot is installed. Screw thread is provided in that socket and on the foot pivot; and the foot is installed to the interconnection piece by turning, and thus the height of the foot can be adjusted.

The aim of the invention is to ensure that height-adjustable feet are installed to the sole plate components of household appliance by means of interconnection components.

Another aim of the invention is to ensure that the interconnection components are installed to the sole plate component in a fast and practical manner.

Another aim of the invention is to ensure firm fixation of the interconnection components to the sole plate component.

Another aim of the invention is to ensure fast and handy installation of height-adjustable feet to the interconnection component.

A further aim of the invention is to ensure the installation of interconnection components and height adjustable feet to the sole plate component, and to level the household appliances on the floor.

A sample foot connection system of the present invention is shown in the appended figures, and

• Figure 1. is the top perspective elevation of the household appliance sole plate.
• Figure 2. is the bottom perspective elevation of the household appliance sole plate.
• Figure 3. is the detailed perspective elevation of the installation channel on the sole plate.
• Figure 4. is the perspective elevation of the interconnection component.
• Figure 5. is another perspective elevation of the interconnection component.
• Figure 6. is the perspective elevation of the sole plate, interconnection component and foot as installed.

The pieces in the figures are individually numbered and the following items are represented by the corresponding numbers.

• Sole plate (1)
• Installation channel (2)
• Channel guides (3)
• Slope surface (4)
• Centering clearance (5)
• Interconnection component (6)
• Connection guides (7)
• Clamp (8)
• Foot installation socket (9)
• Foot (10)
• Centering pin (11)
• Clearance (12)
• Tie piece (13)
• Slide (14)
• Foot pivot (15)
• Screw thread (16)
• Screw thread (17)

In Figure 1-2, the perspective elevations of the sole plate of a household appliance are given. The foot connection system according to the invention includes this sole plate (1); the interconnection component (6) installed to the installation channel (2) on the sole plate (figure 4-6) and the foot (10) installed to the interconnection component (6) (figure 6).

Figure 3 shows the detailed perspective elevation of the installation channel (2) on the sole plate (2). In the installation channel (2), there is a clearance (12) on one side of the interconnection component (6) to allow for single-directional linear entry. There is a guide (3) on at least one side of the clearance (12) along the channel (2). Each channel guide (3) is constructed as compatible with the connection guide (7) (figure 5) on the interconnection component (6) to be installed in the channel (2). These guides (3, 7) form interlacing indents and projections and enable the back and forth movement of the inter-connection component (6) in the channel (2) only on single direction. In other words, by means of these guides (3, 7), the interconnection component (6) should be bedded in the channel (2) linearly (the sample guides (3, 7) on the figures are shown in dovetail form).

On the opposite side of the mentioned clearance (12), and at the end of the channel (2), there is a slope surface (4). While the interconnection component (6) is advanced in the channel (2), when at least one clamp (8) on the component (6) (figure 5) leans on this surface (8), it flexes and then flexes back and it is installed on the tie piece (13) on the top part of the channel (2). The slope surface enables bending of the clamp (8) outwards. On one side of the mentioned clearance (12) there is a central gap (5) strengthening the connection of the interconnection component (6) to the sole plate (1). A centering pivot (11) on the interconnection piece (6) enters this centering clearance (5).

Figure 4-5 shows the perspective elevations of the interconnection component (6). The interconnection component (6) is bedded linearly in the channel (2) as mentioned above. Therefore, a slide section (14) is created on the component (6). A connection guide (7) on at least one side of the slide (14) is associated with a channel guide (3). When the connection component (6) is installed to the channel (2) from the clearance (12) side by means of a slide (14); as also mentioned above, the guides (3, 7) interlace and the interconnection component (6) is bedded only on single direction in the channel (2). On the top part of the slide (14), there is at least one clamp (8) with flexing properties. While the interconnection component (6) is installed to the channel (2), that clamp (8) contacts to the slope surface (4) and flexes outward, the clamp (8) flexes back at the end of the surface (4) and is installed on the tie piece (13) on top of the slope surface (4). So, the separation of interconnection component (6) from the sole plate (1) by mistake is prevented. In order to separate the interconnection component (6) from the sole plate (1), the clamp (8) is flexed outwards and freed from the tie piece; then the connection component is pulled back and removed from the channel (2). So, the mantling and dismantling of the interconnection component (6) to the sole plate (1) can be realized quickly.

On the bottom section of the slide (14), there is a centering pivot (11) formed to enter the centering clearance (5). When the interconnection component (6) is completely fitted in the channel (2), the pivot (11) fits in the clearance (5). Both the placement of the slide (14) into the channel (2) and the placement of the pivot (11) into the clearance (5) solidify the installation of the interconnection component (6) to the sole plate (1).

On one side of the interconnection component (6), there is a foot installation socket (9) created to install the foot (10). There is a screw thread (16) in that installation socket (9) which allows for attaching the foot (10) by twisting action. Therefore, (as shown in figure 6), a screw thread (17) has been provided on the pivot (15) which is located on the foot (10). Therefore, the height adjustment of the leg (10) can be made.