Cooktop for modular kitchen cabinet provided with an opening for vertical pull-out extractor hood

Abstract

 Cooktop for modular kitchens adapted to be mounted on the top of a cabinet, characterized in that it is provided with a longitudinal opening behind the area that supports the burners in order to allow for the alternate vertical travels of a pull-out hood with respect to a casing fitted under the top.

Description

[0001] The present patent application relates to a cooktop for modular kitchens provided with an opening for a vertical pull-out extractor hood.

[0002] The peculiarities and advantages of the present invention will appear evident from a brief description of the prior art.

[0003] As it is known, a modular kitchen is formed of cabinets that rest on the floor (the so-called base units) and cabinets that are hung to the walls (the so-called walls units) above the corresponding base units.

[0004] Within such a configuration, one of said base units supports a cooktop, generally made of sheet metal, in which the stoves are inserted (the so-called burners).

[0005] Every cooktop is associated with an extractor hood in order to extract and filter the fumes and odors generated by the saucepans disposed on it.

[0006] According to the most typical solution, the extractor hood is mounted in horizontal position above the cooktop, in correspondence of the bottom of the wall unit mounted above the cabinet (or base unit) that supports the cooktop.

[0007] Recently, a new type of extractor hoods (technically defined as "downdraft hoods") has become popular, being characterized in that the hood operates in vertical position in the rear part of the cooktop.

[0008] As a matter of fact, the extracting power of a downdraft hood is capable of extracting the fumes and odors generated by the cooktop.

[0009] More precisely, such a hood is composed of a casing adapted to be mounted in vertical position inside the cabinet, in such a condition that its opening is disposed in the rear part of the cooktop and is basically flush with it.

[0010] Such a casing houses the filtering-extracting unit that is suitably adapted to make alternate vertical travels in order to be alternatively brought from a non-operating position, in which it is completely contained inside the casing, to a operating position, in which it is out of the casing basically for its entire height and in useful position to extract the fumes and odors generated by the cooktop.

[0011] This description continues illustrating the installation mode of a downdraft hood in the cabinet, in the rear part of said cooktop.

[0012] Two different openings must be made on the top of said cabinet, as expressly shown in the attached technical drawing identified as "Prior Art".

[0013] With reference to said technical drawing, Fig. 1 is an exploded axonometric view that shows the first large rectangular opening (1) adapted to house the cooktop (P).

[0014] For said reason, the opening (1) is made immediately behind the front longitudinal border of the top (T) and extends for most of its depth.

[0015] The second opening (2) is made behind said first opening (1), near the rear longitudinal border of the top (T), and is adapted to vertically house the casing of the downdraft hood (C).

[0016] Said second opening (2) is likewise provided with a rectangular profile and its length is normally higher than the length of the first opening, whereas its width is considerably lower.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, the two openings (1, 2) are separated by a thin longitudinal section (3) of said top (T) that acts as support surface for the adjacent border of the perimeter flange normally provided in the opening of the casing of the hood (C).

[0018] Fig 2 is a top view of the top (T) when the cooktop (P) and the hood (C) are inserted into the openings (1, 2) of the top (T).

[0019] As shown in the aforementioned figure, the thin longitudinal section (3) of the top (T) remains visible between the cooktop (P) and the hood (C).

[0020] Considering that the cooktop (P) and the horizontal upper finishing panel (Pa) of the hood (C) have a considerable thickness and protrude upwards with respect to the top (T), it is evident that the thin intermediate section (3) of the top (T) represents the bottom of a narrow channel generated between the cooktop (P) and the hood (C).

[0021] Although the use of a similar downdraft hood has given satisfactory functional and aesthetic results, it must be noted that such a technology is impaired by the following drawbacks.

[0022] The main drawback is related to the traditional presence of said two separate openings (1, 2) made on the top of the cabinet that receives both the cooktop (P) and the downdraft hood (C).

[0023] It is obvious that the need to make two separate openings (1, 2) increases the difficulty and extends the time needed to repeat such a cutting operation of the top (T) twice.

[0024] Moreover, the presence of the two separate openings (1, 2) generates the formation of said thin longitudinal section (3) of the top (T).

[0025] Practically speaking, the presence of said thin longitudinal section (3) of the top (T) comprised in lower position between the cooktop (P) and the extractor hood (C), is particularly critical.

[0026] Indeed, it inevitably collects dust, humidity, fat and food residues, and its depressed position makes cleaning operations difficult.

[0027] Moreover, the continuous exposure of the longitudinal intermediate section (3) of the top (T) to the steam produced by the saucepans positioned on the cooktop (P) generates humidity infiltration, causing damage or structural deformation.

[0028] A careful critical evaluation of the prior art has resulted in the present invention, which eliminates the aforementioned drawbacks related to the use of a downdraft hood in the rear part of a traditional cooktop.

[0029] The inventive idea consists in a new cooktop that, in addition to supporting the burners, is provided with a longitudinal opening behind them.

[0030] The function of such an opening is to allow the downdraft hood to make alternate vertical travels with respect to its casing, which is usually disposed under the top of the cabinet.

[0031] In order to implement such an inventive solution, the depth of the cooktop of the invention is basically equal to the depth of the top of the cabinet, with significant consequences also for the cabinet configuration.

[0032] In particular, the two separate openings obtained on the top (one for the cooktop, and one for the casing of the hood) that are typical of the prior art are no longer necessary, it being sufficient to make a single large opening to house the cooktop of the invention.

[0033] The elimination of the two separate openings has eliminated the critical presence of said thin longitudinal section of the top that, according to the prior art, is disposed between them and originates said depressed channel that is responsible for the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0034] Indeed, in case of a kitchen cabinet equipped with the new cooktop of the invention, the top is coated with a metal surface that is perfectly continuous, without undercut, also in the space comprised between the burners and the opening used for the downdraft hood.

[0035] Such a construction makes cleaning of said continuous metal surface easier and faster.

[0036] In view of the above, the cooktop of the invention is also useful when installed in a cabinet that is already provided on the top with said two separate openings that are typical of the prior art.

[0037] In such a case, because of its high depth, the cooktop of the invention is able to "cover" the thin longitudinal intermediate section that separates the two openings on the top.

[0038] Also in this case the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, which are related to the presence of said thin section of top comprised between the traditional cooktop and the casing of the hood, would be eliminated.

[0039] Moreover, it must be said that the use of the cooktop of the invention also allows to eliminate the perimeter flange provided in the opening of the casing of the downdraft hood according to the prior art.

[0040] As a matter of fact, said perimeter flange used to be positioned above the top of the cabinet to conceal the perimeter borders of the opening adapted to house the casing.

[0041] According to the present invention, the opening of the casing of the downdraft hood is finished on the perimeter directly by the borders of the opening obtained on the cooktop of the invention.

[0042] For explanatory reasons the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawing, which only has an illustrative, not limiting value, wherein:

• Fig. 3 is an axonometric view of the new cooktop of the invention, before being inserted in the cabinet;
• Fig. 4 is an axonometric view of the cabinet equipped with the cooktop of the invention and the downdraft hood pulled out from its casing;
• Fig. 5 is a top view of the cabinet of Fig. 4.

[0043] Referring to the three aforementioned figures, the cooktop of the invention (10), which is usually made with sheet metal and adapted to be mounted on the top (T) of a cabinet, is characterized in that it is provided with a longitudinal opening (11) with rectangular elongated narrow shape disposed in the rear part of the area used to support the burners (F).

[0044] The function of the opening (11) is to allow for the alternate vertical travels of a traditional downdraft hood (CD), the casing (C) of which is usually fitted to the cabinet under the top (T).

[0045] In order to install the new cooktop of the invention (10), the top (T) is preferably provided with a single large opening (A).

[0046] The depth of the cooktop (10) of the invention is basically the same as the top (T) and, for this reason, also the opening (A) practically extends from the front longitudinal border to the rear longitudinal border of the top (T).

Claims

1. Cooktop for modular kitchens adapted to be mounted on the top (T) of a cabinet, characterized in that it is provided with a longitudinal opening (11) behind the area that supports the burners (F) in order to allow for the alternate vertical travels of a pull-out hood (CD) with respect to a casing (C) fitted under the top (T).

Drawing