The present invention relates to a system for mounting panels on doors of built-in refrigerators comprising a plurality of brackets which are adapted to be fastened to said doors and to said panels.

A system of this type is shown for example by GB 2050814 in which the fixing brackets have systems for adjusting the position of the decorative panel of the door, which panel extends laterally beyond said door. In such known mounting systems, the panel is fastened with the assistance of a template to the demounted panel, an operation which extends the time taken to install the built-in household electrical appliance. Furthermore, said metal brackets, which may be made in various configurations, are visible on the internal side of the decorative panel of the door, giving rise to a final result which is less than ideal in appearance. The object of the present invention is to provide a system for mounting decorative panels on refrigerator doors which does not exhibit the above-stated disadvantages, which is simple and economic to carry out and effectively assists the installer with aligning the panel on the door. A further object is that of providing a simple and quick method for installing panels for doors of built-in refrigerators.

Such objects are achieved thanks to the features set out in the appended claims.

According to the invention, use is made of covers of polymeric material with appropriate detachable lateral attachments which are fastened, preferably form-fittingly, to the brackets on the hinge side prior to installation of the panel, allowing the operator to align the decorative panel (usually made of wood or similar material) by pushing said panel laterally to said cover attachments in such a manner as to centre it relative to the door. Using the solution according to the invention, the panels can be fastened to the installed product, so accelerating the operation while simultaneously providing an attractive cover for the screws and fastening brackets of the panel.

Further advantages and features of a system according to the present invention will emerge from the following detailed description, which is provided purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a built-in refrigerator provided with a system for mounting panels according to the present invention;
• Figures 1A and 1B are details on a larger scale of Figure 1;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a first covering element used in the refrigerator of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second covering element used in the refrigerator of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the refrigerator of Figure 1 illustrating the method of mounting the panel;
• Figures 4A and 4B are details on a larger scale of Figure 4; and
• Figure 5 shows the step of detaching the portion of the covering element once the latter has been used for the correct positioning of the panel.

With reference to the drawings, 10 denotes a built-in refrigerator of the double door type (fridge + freezer) inserted in a cabinet M and provided with an upper door 12 and a lower door 14, both hinged on the right. At the top of each door is fastened, by means of screws or similar fastening elements, an elongate, L-shaped bracket 16 having a first portion 16a (horizontal in the installed configuration) fastened to an upper edge of the door 12 or 14 and a second portion 16b (vertical in the installed configuration) with two ends E extending laterally from the door and provided with elongate holes 18 for fastening to a panel 20 (Figure 4).

Similarly, on the vertical edges of each door 12, 14 are fastened shaped brackets 22 having an angled portion 22a adapted to be fastened to the edge of the door and portions 22b which extend from the edge of the door and are provided with elongate holes 23 for fastening by means of screws to the panel 20.

On the ends E of the elongate brackets 16 and on the extending portions 22b of the shaped brackets 22, on the hinge side (on the right in the solution described in Figure 1), are form-fittingly mounted covering elements respectively denoted 24 and 26 of polymeric material preferably of a colour which is compatible with or similar to the colour of the panel 20. Form fitting may for example be achieved by using undercut portions (portion Q in Figure 3) adapted to couple resiliently with corresponding portions of the metal brackets. Each covering element 24 has a first portion 24a adapted to couple with the end E of the respective elongate bracket 16 and an L-shaped portion 24b joined to the first portion by arms 25 of reduced section. Similarly, each covering element 26 has a first portion 26a adapted to couple with a portion of the respective shaped bracket 22, in line with the edge of the door and an L-shaped portion 26b joined to the first portion by arms 27 of reduced section. Both the portions 24b and the portions 26b of the covering elements 24 and 26 define planar stop surfaces K which, in the mounted configuration of the covering elements, are parallel to the edge of the door of the refrigerator 10.

Subsequent mounting of the panel 20 (Figure 4) provides that a lower edge 20a thereof is brought into line with an adjustable stop 28, of known type and shown for example by EP 718459 or EP 873704 (movement in accordance with the arrow 1 of Figure 4), and subsequently (arrow 3) rested on the brackets 16 and 22. During this operation, the installer aligns the panel 20 (arrow 2), resting it on the right on the stop surfaces K of the covering elements 24 and 26 (detail of Figure 4B where the panel 20 is indicated with a dashed line). Planar double-sided adhesive elements 30 adhesively bonded to the brackets are provided for temporarily retaining the panel 20 on the door 12 or 14 (Figure 4A). Subsequent to said temporary mounting, the installer removes the covering elements 24 and 26 and securely fastens the panel 20 to the door by means of screws inserted in the openings 18 and 23 of the brackets. The final operation provides detachment of the removable portions 24b and 26b from the covering elements 24 and 26 (Figure 5), said detachment being facilitated by the reduced section of the joining arms 25 and 17 (detachment further facilitated by notches (not shown) in the vicinity of said arms adjacent the covering portion), and subsequent remounting on the brackets to ensure attractive covering of the latter and of the respective fastening screws (not shown).

The same covering elements may, of course, also be used for the opposite side of the door to the hinge side by firstly removing the attachments 24b and 26b prior to installation thereof on the bracket which is already fastened to the panel 20. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide specific covering elements without the lateral attachment which are provided for mounting on the brackets opposite the hinged side of the door.