DOMESTIC APPLIANCE WITH A PLINTH COVERING PLATE

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a domestic appliance, especially a dishwasher, which comprises an adjustable covering plate.
GB-A-2114432 discloses a washing machine according to the preamble of claim 1.
The front side of a support, which is located at the bottom of the domestic appliance, is covered by the covering plate. Depending on its place of use, if the height of the domestic appliance is lowered, the covering plate should not prevent this, and on the other hand if the height of the appliance is increased, there should not be left a space between the lower end of the covering plate and the floor.

[0002] The object of the present invention is to realize a domestic appliance comprising an adjustable covering plate whose height can easily be changed.
This object is solved by the features according to the characterising portion of claim 1.
The domestic appliance realized to attain the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a domestic appliance comprising a small covering plate mounted on it.

Figure 2a is a detailed perspective view of a small covering plate comprising an flap.

Figure 2b is a schematic view of a small covering plate comprising a folded flap.

Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of a domestic appliance comprising depth adjustment and locking means.

Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of a depth adjustment means, locking means, slot for locking means and a fixation protrusion.

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of a depth adjustment means, a slot for locking means and a fixation intrusion.

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of a domestic appliance whose height is increased, and a covering plate mounted on it.

Figure 7a is a detailed perspective view of a covering plate wherein the space left behind it is closed by a flap.

Figure 7b is a detailed perspective view of a covering plate comprising a height adjustment channel wherein the space left behind it is not closed.

[0003] Various parts in the drawings have been numbered individually, and they are listed herebelow:

1. Domestic appliance

2. Plinth

3. Covering plate

4. Depth adjustment means

5. Locking means

6. Slot for locking means

7. Protrusion

8. Recess

9. Small covering plate

10. Large covering plate

11. Height adjustment channel

12. Flap

13. Cavity

[0004] A domestic appliance (1) comprises a plinth (2) which enables it to be levelly placed on the floor and a covering plate (3) which covers the front side of the plinth (2).

[0005] The plinth (2) comprises

one or more depth adjustment means (4) onto which the covering plate (3) is mounted so as to allow the adjustment of the depth of the covering plate (3) by either pushing or drawing it,

one or more locking means (5) for fixing the depth adjustment means (4) at a desired position,

one or more slots (6) through which the locking means (5) moves in the desired direction, and

one or more protrusions (7) which enable the locking means (5) to be fixed at the locking position.

[0006] Depth adjustment means (4) involves one or more recesses (8) for fixing the depth adjustment means (4) at a desired position by way of placing the locking means (5) into any one of said recesses (8).

[0007] Locking means (5) is fastened to the locking slot (6) without any auxiliary elements such as screws or pinions. Locking means (5) can be moved in the locking slot (6) either linearly in the vertical or horizontal directions or rotationally.

[0008] The movements of the locking means (5) may take place either in the plane of the plinth (2) or in other planes.

[0009] The covering plate (3) comprises a large covering plate (10) which is used when the height of use of the domestic appliance (1) is either nominal or more, and a small covering plate (9) which is used when the height of use of the domestic appliance (1) is nominal.

[0010] Large covering plate (10) involves one or more height adjustment channels (11) which enables the large covering plate (10) to be mounted by being adjusted in the upper or lower direction.

[0011] The small covering plate (9) involves one or more flaps (12) for closing the space left behind the height adjustment channel (11) after the adjustable mounting of the large covering plate (10) in front of the small covering plate (9).

[0012] The flaps (12) are such that they can be folded back for providing full contact between the lower edge of the small covering plate (9) and the floor, in case the small covering plate (9) is used alone.

[0013] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the plinth (2) comprises one or more cavities (13) for fixing the locking means (5) at a locking position.

[0014] For the small covering plate (9) to be able to be used alone at nominal height of usage of the domestic appliance (1), it is mounted to depth adjustment means (4), and for it to reside fully upon the floor, the flaps (12) are folded back. In order to adjust the depth, first the depth adjustment means (4) is moved forward or backward until it is brought to the desired position; then the locking means (5) is slid till it resides in the recess (8) of the depth adjustment means (4). For nominal or more usage heights of the domestic appliance (1), the large covering plate (10) is first placed in front of the small covering plate (9) and slid down until it resides on the floor, then it is mounted on the depth adjustment means (4) via fixing elements which pass through depth adjustment channels (11). Once the depth adjustment means (4) are brought to the desired position by being moved forward or backward, the locking means (5) is slid till it resides in the recess (8) of the depth adjustment means (4).

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the covering plate (3) is mounted on the depth adjustment means (4) before the depth adjustment, so that the position adjustment is made easier.

[0016] Since the present covering plate (3) is made up of two pieces one of which is slidably mounted on the other, at every usage height and depth of the domestic appliance (1) within the standards, the front face of the plinth (2) can be closed without leaving any space.
The fact that the locking means (5) can move in both directions in the locking slot (6) without any need for an auxiliary fastening element such as a screw or pinion, and that the height adjustment channels (11) of the large covering plate (10) and flaps (12) of the small covering plate (9) enable closing of the spaces or residing of the small covering plate (9) on the floor in case it is used alone, allows the covering plate (3) to be easily adjusted to various usage heights of the domestic appliance (1).

Claims

1. A domestic appliance (1) comprising a plinth (2) which enables it to be levelly placed on the floor and a covering plate (3) which covers the front side of said plinth (2), said covering plate (3) comprising a large covering plate (10) which is used when the height of use of the domestic appliance (1) is either nominal or more; said plinth (2) comprising one or more depth adjustment means (4) onto which the covering plate (3) is mounted so as to allow the adjustment of the depth of the covering plate (3) by either pushing or drawing it, and one or more locking means (5) for fixing said depth adjustment means (4) at a desired position which can be moved in the plane of the plinth (2) or in other planes, characterized in that the covering plate (3) further comprises a small covering plate (9) which is used when the height of use of the domestic appliance (1) is nominal and which comprises one or more flaps (12) which are foldable backwards so as to enable the lower edge of the small covering plate (9) to contact the floor onto which the appliance (1) rests.

2. The domestic appliance (1) of Claim 1, characterized in that the plinth (2) further comprises one or more slots (6) through which said locking means (5) moves in the desired direction, and one or more protrusions (7) which enable said locking means (5) to be fixed at the locking position.

3. The domestic appliance (1) of any of the claims above, characterized in that the depth adjustment means (4) involves one or more recesses (8) for fixing the depth adjustment means (4) at the desired position.

4. The domestic appliance (1) of claim 2, characterized in that the locking means (5) is fastened to the locking slot (6) without any auxiliary elements such as screws or pinions and that it can be moved in the locking slot (6) either linearly in the vertical or horizontal directions or rotationally.

5. The domestic appliance (1) of claim 1, characterized in that the plinth (2) further comprises one or more cavities (13) for fixing the locking means (5) at the locking position.

6. The domestic appliance (1) of any of the claims above, characterized in that the large covering plate (10) comprises one or more height adjustment channels (11) which enable the large covering plate (10) to be mounted by being adjusted in the upper or lower direction.

7. The domestic appliance (1) of claim 6, characterized in that the flaps (12) are to close the space left behind the height adjustment channel (11) after the adjustable mounting of the large covering plate (10) in front of it.

Ansprüche

1. Haushaltsgerät (1), umfassend einen Sockel (2), wodurch es nivelliert auf dem Boden aufstellbar ist, und eine Abdeckplatte (3), die die Stirnseite des Sockels (2) abdeckt, wobei die Abdeckplatte (3) eine große Abdeckplatte (10) umfasst, die verwendet wird, wenn die Benutzungshöhe des Haushaltsgeräts (1) entweder der Nennhöhe entspricht oder darüber liegt; wobei der Sockel (2) ein oder mehrere Tiefenjustierungsmittel (4) umfasst, auf denen die Abdeckplatte (3) montiert ist, um das Justieren der Tiefe der Abdeckplatte (3) zu ermöglichen, indem diese entweder geschoben oder gezogen wird, und ein oder mehrere Verriegelungsmittel (5) zum Fixieren der Tiefenjustierungsmittel (4) in einer gewünschten Position, die sich in der Ebene des Sockels (2) oder in anderen Ebenen bewegen lassen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Abdeckplatte (3) ferner eine kleine Abdeckplatte (9) umfasst, die verwendet wird, wenn die Benutzungshöhe des Haushaltsgeräts (1) der Nennhöhe entspricht, und die eine oder mehrere Klappen (12) umfasst, die nach hinten faltbar sind, um zu ermöglichen, dass die Unterkante der kleinen Abdeckplatte (9) in Kontakt mit dem Boden gelangt, auf dem das Gerät (1) ruht.

2. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sockel (2) ferner einen oder mehrere Schlitze (6) umfasst, durch die sich das Verriegelungsmittel (5) in der gewünschten Richtung bewegt, und einen oder mehrere Vorsprünge (7), die es ermöglichen, das Verriegelungsmittel (5) in der Verriegelungsposition zu fixieren.

3. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Tiefenjustierungsmittel (4) eine oder mehrere Vertiefungen (8) zum Fixieren des Tiefenjustierungsmittels (4) in der gewünschten Position aufweist.

4. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verriegelungsmittel (5) ohne Hilfselemente wie Schrauben oder Zapfen im Verriegelungsschlitz (6) angebracht ist, und dass es sich entweder linear in vertikaler oder horizontaler Richtung oder drehend in dem Verriegelungsschlitz (6) bewegen lässt.

5. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sockel (2) ferner einen oder mehrere Hohlräume (13) zum Fixieren des Verriegelungsmittels (5) in der Verriegelungsposition umfasst.

6. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die große Abdeckplatte (10) einen oder mehrere Höhenjustierkanäle (11) umfasst, die es ermöglichen, die große Abdeckplatte (10) unter Justierung in Aufwärts- oder Abwärtsrichtung zu montieren.

7. Haushaltsgerät (1) nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Klappen (12) dazu dienen, den Zwischenraum zu schließen, der nach dem justierbaren Montieren der großen Abdeckplatte (10) vor dem Höhenjustierkanal (11) hinter diesem zurückbleibt.

Revendications

1. Un appareil électroménager (1) comprenant un socle (2) qui lui permet d'être posé sur le plancher en étant nivelé correctement et une plaque de couverture (3), qui couvre la face frontale de ce socle (2), ladite plaque de couverture (3) comprenant une grande plaque de couverture (10) qui est utilisé lorsque la hauteur de l'utilisation de l'appareil domestique (1) est nominale ou plus ; ledit socle (2) comprenant un ou plusieurs moyens de réglage de profondeur (4) sur laquelle la plaque de couverture (3) est montée de manière à permettre l'ajustement de la profondeur de la plaque de couverture (3) ou bien en poussant ou bien en tirant, et un ou plusieurs moyens de verrouillage (5) pour la fixation desdits moyens de réglage de profondeur (4) à une position souhaitée qui pourrait être déplacée dans le plan du socle (2) ou dans d'autres plans, caractérisé en ce que la plaque de couverture (3) comprend en outre une petite plaque de couverture (9), qui est utilisée lorsque la hauteur de l'utilisation des appareils domestiques (1) est nominale, et qui comprend un ou plusieurs volets (12) qui sont repliables vers l'arrière afin de permettre au bord inférieur de la petite plaque de couverture (9) de prendre contact avec le sol sur lequel l'appareil (1) repose.

2. L'appareil domestique (1) selon la Revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le socle (2) comprend en outre une ou plusieurs fentes (6) à travers lesquelles lesdits moyens de verrouillage (5) se déplacent dans la direction souhaitée, et une ou plusieurs saillies (7), qui permettent auxdits moyens de verrouillage (5) d'être fixé à la position de verrouillage.

3. L'appareil domestique (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de réglage de profondeur (4) comportent une ou plusieurs niches (8) pour la fixation des moyens de réglage de la profondeur (4) à la position souhaitée.

4. L'appareil domestique (1) selon la Revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de verrouillage (5) sont fixés à la fente de verrouillage (6) sans éléments auxiliaires tels que des vis ou des pignons, et en ce qu'ils peuvent être déplacés dans la fente de verrouillage (6) soit linéairement dans le sens vertical ou horizontal, soit en rotation.

5. L'appareil domestique (1) selon la Revendication 1, caractérise en ce que le socle (2) comprend en outre une ou plusieurs cavités (13) destinées à fixer les moyens de verrouillage (5) à la position de verrouillage.

6. L'appareil domestique (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la grande plaque de couverture (10) comprend un ou plusieurs canaux de réglage de la hauteur (11) qui permettraient à la grande plaque de couverture (10) d'être montée en étant réglée vers le haut ou vers le bas.

7. L'appareil domestique (1) selon la Revendication 6, caractérise en ce que le volets (12) sont à proximité de l'espace à gauche derrière le canal de réglage de la hauteur (11) après le montage réglable de la grande plaque de couverture (10) en face.

Drawing