JOINING ELEMENT FOR A COLUMN OF WHITE GOODS

Abstract

 An improved joining element (1) is described, for a column of white goods, in particular for overlapping of at least one washing machine (3) and at least one laundry-drying machine (5), wherein said joining element (1) comprises at least one supporting structure (15) and at least one withdrawable element (19) sliding inside the supporting structure (15), the withdrawable element (19) being composed of at least one clothes hanger structure (191) and of at least one bearing plane (193) overlapped to the clothes hanger structure (191), the bearing plane (193) being slidable with respect to the withdrawable element (19) between a first operating position in which it covers the clothes hanger structure (191) of the withdrawable element (19) below, and a second operating position in which it at least partially uncovers the clothes hanger structure (191) below, and vice versa.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to an improved joining element for a column of white goods, in particular for laundry in a column.

[0002] Joining elements and systems are known in the art for laundry in a column, through which it is possible to overlap a laundry-drying machine and a washing machine allowing a relevant space saving.

[0003] Joining elements and systems are further generally equipped only with withdrawable working planes as bearing in laundry loading and unloading operations.

[0004] Document US-A1-2012/285032 discloses a joining element for a column of household apparatuses integrated in the rotary supporting structure and which cannot be used without rotating the supporting structure outside.

[0005] Object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems by providing an improved joining element for a column of white goods, in particular for laundry in a column, which allows a universal use with every type of washing machine/laundry-drying machine pair.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is providing an improved joining element for a column of white goods, in particular for laundry in a column, equipped with a multi-function withdrawable element which can be used indifferently both as bearing plane and as hanger.

[0007] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will result from the following description, are obtained with an improved joining element for a column of white goods, in particular for laundry in a column, as claimed in claim 1.

[0008] Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0009] It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) could be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

[0010] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of a column of laundry equipped with a preferred embodiment of the improved joining element according to the present invention;
• Figures 2a to 2d show perspective views of the improved joining element according to the present invention in various configurations of use;
• Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the improved joining element according to the present invention in an installation step thereof;
• Figures 4a and 4b respectively show a side and a front view of the improved joining element according to the present invention in another installation step thereof;
• Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the improved joining element according to the present invention in another installation step thereof;
• Figures 6a and 6b respectively show a side and a front view of the improved joining element according to the present invention in another installation step thereof;
• Figure 7 shows a front view of the improved joining element according to the present invention in another installation step thereof;
• Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a component of the improved joining element according to the present invention in another installation step thereof; and
• Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the component of Figure 8 in another installation step thereof.

[0011] With reference to the Figures, it is possible to note that a preferred embodiment of the improved joining element 1 for a column of white goods according to the present invention, in particular for a laundry in a column and therefore aimed to allow an overlapping of at least one washing machine 3 and at least one laundry-drying machine 5, comprises at least one supporting structure 15, of a substantially planar shape, interposed between the white goods, and in particular a washing machine 3 and a laundry-drying machine 5, and at least one withdrawable element 19 sliding inside the supporting structure 15. Advantageously, the withdrawable element 19 is composed of at least one hanger structure 191, of the type for example comprising one or more substantially horizontal cross members 192 aimed to support or catch pieces of clothing to be dried, and at least one bearing plane 193, useful as bearing in laundry loading and unloading operations to and from the washing machine 3/laundry-drying machine 5, overlapped to the hanger structure 191, the bearing plane 193 being sliding with respect to the withdrawable element 19 between a first operating position in which it at least partially, but preferably wholly covers the hanger structure 191 below and a second operating position in which it at least partially uncovers the hanger structure 191 below, and vice versa.

[0012] It must be noted how, herein below, for an easy description, reference will be made to a washing machine 3 and a laundry-drying machine 5 as examples of white goods, without anyway being limited as regards the fields of application of the present invention.

[0013] Starting therefore from a configuration of the improved joining element 1 according to the present invention like the one shown for example in Figure 2a, it can be noted that the withdrawable element 19 is completely retracted inside the supporting structure 15. If a user needs a bearing plane, it will be enough to extract (for example along arrow F1 in Figure 2a), even only partially, the withdrawable element 19 together with the bearing plane 193, which is then in its first operating position, from the supporting structure 15, thereby taking the improved joining element 1 according to the present invention to the configuration shown, for example, in Figure 2b.

[0014] Alternatively, if a user needs hanging some pieces of clothing, it will be enough to extract (always along arrow F1 in Figure 2a), even only partially, only the withdrawable element 19 with ita related hanger structure 191 keeping, by a relative sliding with respect to the withdrawable element 19 itself, the bearing plane 193 inside the supporting structure 15 (which finds then itself in its second operating position), and thereny taking the improved joining element 1 according to the present invention to the configuration shown, for example, in Figure 2d.

[0015] In a further alternative, starting from the configuration of the improved joining element 1 of Figure 2b, in order to uncover the hanger structure 191, it is enough to slide only the bearing plane 193 (for example along arrow F2 of Figure 2c) inside the supporting structure 15, keeping the withdrawable element 19 extracted from the structure 15 itself: in such a way, the bearing plane 193 is again taken to its second operating position, at least partially uncovering the hanger structure 191 below.

[0016] It can be noted how, in order to allow the mutual sliding of the withdrawable element 19 and of its related bearing plane 193, the supporting structure 15 can be equipped with suitable sliding guides 24: to make the operations easier, both the withdrawable element 19 and the bearing plane 193 can be equipped with knobs or handles, respectively 25 and 26.

[0017] Obviously, the improved joining element 1 can be connected to the white goods, respectively below and above, to make the column, through any connection system suitable for such purpose and known in the art, which guarantees enough safety levels. Preferably, as it is possible to note in the Figures, in order to obtain a preferred connection system, the improved joining element 1 comprises at least one fastening belt 9 which forms a ring with a preferably vertical development and which simultaneously tightens the white goods, and in particular the washing machine 3 and the laundry-drying machine 5, passing through the joining element 1. Obviously, the ring composed of the fastening belt 9 is arranged so that it can be developed along the side flanks 11 of the washing machine 3 and the laundry-drying machine 5, in order not to interfere with the opening of the respective loading/unloading doors 13 and/or with the functional components arranged on the back of the white goods 3, 5.

[0018] With particular reference to Figure 3, it is possible to note that the supporting structure 15, preferably made of a plastic material suitable for such purpose, and possibly reinforced with a reticular structure of ribs 16, can be equipped, along at least two edges corresponding to the side flanks 11 of the washing machine 3 and of the laundry-drying machine 5, with respective containing bulkheads 17 in order to prevent the relative movement and offset of the washing machine 3 and of the laundry-drying machine 5 once being overlapped. In addition, to increase the contact adherence between the joining element 1 and the interface surfaces of the white goods 3, 5, the supporting structure 1 can be equipped with a plurality of supporting plates 21, each one of which is covered with at least one layer 23 of a sliding-preventing or adhesive material.

[0019] With particular reference to Figure 5, it is moreover possible to note that, along at least each one of the two edges of the supporting structure 15 corresponding to the side flanks 11 of the washing machine 3 and of the laundry-drying machine 5, at least one passing slit 27 of the fastening belt 9 is arranged, in order to constrain the belt 9 itself to the joining element 1 and increase the stability of the column composed by overlapping the white goods and the joining element 1, and in particular by overlapping washing machine 3, junction element 1 and laundry-drying machine 5.

[0020] From the same Figure 5, it is also possible to note that the fastening belt 9 is equipped with a first free terminal 29 and with a second terminal equipped with a tensioning and fastening device 31, the tensioning and fastening device 31 being adapted to cooperate with the free terminal 29 for tightening and fastening the ring composed of the belt 9 around the column of laundry composed by overlapping washing machine 3, junction element 1 and laundry-drying machine 5. Preferably, the tensioning and fastening device 31 is composed of at least one jack of a type substantially known in the art.

[0021] With further reference to Figures 8 and 9, it is moreover possible to note that the joining element 1 according to the present invention further comprises at least one protecting cover 35 of the tensioning and fastening device 31. In particular, the protecting cover 35 adapted to cover, both for aesthetic reasons and for functional safety reasons (in order to prevent possible accidental tamperings of the device 31 itself, for example due to impacts, which could slacken the tensioning and generate a dangerous decrease of stability of the laundry column) is equipped with at least one first passing slit 35 adapted to allow the passage and the free sliding therein of the fastening belt 9, and at least one second blocking opening 37 of the cover 33 along the belt 9, for example through the action of a pair of teeth 39 taken to be interposed between the belt 9 and the flank 11 of the white good 3 or 5. As it is possible to note in particular from Figure 8, the cover 33 also allows containing therein the portion of slack 41 of the belt 9, also in this case performing both an aesthetic function and a safety function.

[0022] With particular reference to Figures 3 to 9, it is possible to note some of the installation steps of the joining element 1 according to the present invention, which provide for:

a) arranging the joining element 1 overlapping the white good of the column, for example the washing machine 3, placed on the ground so that the containing bulkheads 17 of the supporting structure 15 are arranged externally to the flanks 11 of the white good (Figures 4a and 4b);

b) passing the free terminal 29 of the fastening belt 9 inside a first slit 27 of the joining element 1, below the white good, for example the washing machine 3, and inside the second slit 27 of the joining element 1 (Figure 5);

c) overlapping a second white good, for example the laundry-drying machine 5, to the joining element 1 (Figures 6a and 6b);

d) tightening also the second white good, for example the laundry-drying machine 5, with the fastening belt 9 (Figure 7);

e) closing and tighening the ring composed of the fastening belt around the column of white goods, and in particular the column of laundry composed by overlapping washing machine 3, junction element 1 and laundry-drying machine 5, through the cooperation between free terminal 29 and tensioning and fastening device 31 according to known methodologies (Figures 8 and 9).

[0023] Possibly, before step a), it is possible to provide the step of arranging the supporting plates 21, and their related layers 23 of a sliding-preventing or adhesive material, in the preset positions of the supporting structure 3 of the joining element 1 (Figure 3).

[0024] Finally, possibly after step e), it is possible to provide the step of arranging the protecting cover 33, covering the tensioning and fastening device 31 and the possible slack 41 of the belt 9 itself, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0025] It is wholly clear that the vertical arrangement of washing machine 3 and laundry-drying machine 5 can be different from the shown one, for example by inverting their positions in the vertical overlapping, as well as the type of overlapped white goods, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Improved joining element (1) for a column of white goods, in particular for an overlapping of at least one washing machine (3) and at least one laundry-drying machine (5), comprising at least one supporting structure (15) and at least one withdrawable element (19) sliding inside said supporting structure (15), characterized in that said withdrawable element (19) is composed of at least one hanger structure (191) and of at least one bearing plane (193) overlapped to said hanger structure (191), said bearing plane (193) being sliding with respect to said withdrawable element (19) between a first operating position in which it covers said hanger structure (191) below and a second operating position in which it at least partially uncovers said hanger structure (191) below, and vice versa.

2. Improved joining element (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that said supporting structure (15) is equipped with sliding guides (24), said withdrawable element (19) and said bearing plane (193) being sliding along said guide (24).

3. Improved joining element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said supporting structure (15) is equipped, along at least two corresponding edges of the side flanks (11) of said white goods (3, 5), with respective containing bulkheads (17).

4. Improved joining element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said supporting structure (15) is equipped with a plurality of supporting plates (21), each one covered by at least one layer (23) made of a sliding-preventing or adhesive material.

5. Improved joining element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one fastening belt (9) which forms a ring with a preferably vertical development and which simultaneously tightens said white goods (3; 5) passing through said joining element (1).

6. Improved joining element (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that at least one passing slit (27) of said fastening belt (9) is arranged along at least each one of the two edges of said supporting structure (15) corresponding to one of the side flanks (11) of said white goods (3, 5).

7. Improved joining element (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said fastening belt (9) is equipped with a first free terminal (29) and with a second terminal equipped with a tensioning and fastening device (31), said tensioning and fastening device (31) being adapted to cooperate with said free terminal (29) in order to tighten and fasten said ring composed of said belt (9) around said column composed by overlapping said white goods (3, 5) and said joining element (1).

8. Improved joining element (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that it comprises at least one protecting cover (35) of said tensioning and fastening device (31), said protecting cover (35) being equipped with at least one first passing slit (35) adapted to allow a passage and a free sliding therein of said fastening belt (9), and at least one second blocking opening (37) of said cover (33) along said belt (9), said second blocking opening (37) being equipped with a pair of teeth (39) taken to be interposed between said belt (9) and said flank (11) of said white good (3, 5).

Drawing