FR2683849A1 - APPARATUS WITH DOOR PROVIDED WITH A COVER PANEL. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising a door (1) in a vertical closed position. Its front face (3) is provided with a covering panel (5). At least a first element (60) fixed to the covering panel (5) serves to secure the panel and the door in relative horizontal translation, from front to rear and from rear to front. A second element (50) cooperates with an auxiliary element (55). The first element (60) and the second element (50) associated with the auxiliary element (55) secure the panel (5) and the door (1), in relative translation, in the plane of the front face (3), respectively in a first direction and a second opposite direction. The auxiliary element (55) is accessible from the rear face (40) of the door (1). Application to household appliances, in particular to dishwashers.

Description

APPARATUS WITH DOOR PROVIDED WITH A PANEL

DRESSING

  The present invention relates to an appliance with a door provided with a covering panel This appliance can be a

  dishwasher or any other household appliance.

  For many years, kitchen furniture doors have had panels reproducing different styles of furniture. To be in harmony with this furniture, the fronts of household appliances are covered with panels of the same style. These appliances can be built-in

  in the furniture or be integrated among the furniture.

  A household appliance such as a dishwasher may thus have a wooden covering panel on the front, for example, surmounted by a control panel. When the appliance is installed, the front face of the covering panel is

  in the same plane as the facade of the adjacent furniture (s).

  A dishwasher generally comprises a tub closed by a front door pivoting around a horizontal axis located at the lower edge of the door The door is designed to be vertical in the closed position and horizontal in the open position In the opening, it serves as a slide and a support for a dish basket The basket is pulled out of the tank of the appliance to fill it, empty it or when you need to access the organs located in the tank The panel covering covers the front of the

door it is attached to the door.

  In the rest of the presentation, we consider that the door

is in the closed position.

  A known system for fixing the covering panel provides for using two types of fixing elements. First fixing elements are secured to one side of the covering panel in its lower part. These first elements end on the other. side by a tongue which is introduced into an opening carried by the front face of the door The first elements secure the covering panel and the door, in horizontal relative translation from front to back and from back to front, and in relative vertical translation in a first direction Second elements of

  fixing, generally two in number, are also used.

  They each have the shape of a square with a first wing integral with the covering panel in its upper part, and a second wing engaging between the front face and the face

  back of the door, by an opening of the front face.

  This second wing is clamped thanks to a system comprising a screw located in the thickness of the door, the head of the screw appearing on one of the lateral, right or left edges of the door. The screw head is then visible when the

door is ajar.

  The second elements and the screw system cooperate to secure the covering panel and the door, in relative vertical translation, in a second direction opposite to the

first sense.

  The major drawback of this fastening system is encountered in particular when mounting the covering panel. The positioning and fixing of the covering panel can only be done correctly when the appliance door is closed and when the edges side of the door are accessible for the screwing of the screws This implies that the device cannot be put in place and that the plane of the door must protrude from the front of the door (s)

neighboring furniture.

  This drawback is even more annoying if the device is intended to be placed in a corner of the room Even if the device is pulled relative to the position it must have to operate, at least one of the screws remains inaccessible because it is too close to one side of the angle The device must be moved, by rotating it, to be able to access the

two side edges of the door.

  The present invention provides an appliance with a door fitted with a covering panel, the assembly and / or disassembly of which are simple. These operations can be carried out even when the appliance is built-in or integrated, whatever its position in the room. it is no longer necessary to move the device to intervene on the covering panel An intervention on the covering panel is easier

and faster.

  The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a door in the vertical closed position, having a front face provided with a covering panel and a rear face; at least a first element fixed to the covering panel to secure the covering panel and the door in horizontal relative translation, from front to rear and from rear to front, and at least a second element fixed to the covering panel cooperating with an auxiliary element The first element and the second element associated with the auxiliary element join the covering panel and the door, in relative translation in the plane of the front face, respectively in a first and in a second opposite direction L auxiliary element is accessible from

the back of the door.

  The second element may be formed from a square having a first wing fixed to the covering panel and a second wing engaged between the front face and the rear face of the door.

by an opening of the front face.

  The first element may be formed of a part fixed to the covering panel, extended by a tongue engaging in an opening on the front face. The tongue is substantially parallel to the covering panel, a space between them.

  separating to receive a portion of the front face.

  The auxiliary element may be a screw whose head is located on the rear face and whose end opposite to

  the head is in contact with the second element.

  Preferably, the first element and the second element are combined to form a single element. The tongue and the second wing of the square engage in a single opening. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tongue is directed upwards. and the second wing of

  the square surmounts the auxiliary element.

  The tongue can also be directed downwards, the auxiliary element surmounting the second wing of the bracket. The tongue could of course be directed in any direction. The door can be formed of a front panel fixed to a rear panel, the auxiliary element contributing to the

fixing of the two panels.

  The covering panel is preferably a quadrilateral comprising first and second elements

  arranged in the corners of the quadrilateral.

  The door may have on its rear face a projecting frame, near the edge of the door, the element

  auxiliary being located between the frame and the edge.

  The present invention will be better understood thanks to the

  description below, illustrated by the appended figures which

  represent: Figures 1 A and 1 B: schematic sectional views of a door appliance according to the prior art showing the door provided with a covering panel; Figures 2 A and 2 B: schematic sectional views of a door appliance according to the invention showing the door provided with a trim panel; Figure 3: a schematic exploded view of the cover panel and the front face of the door of an apparatus according to the invention; Figure 4: a schematic exploded view of a variant of the covering panel and the front face of an apparatus according to the invention. In these figures the same elements have the same references For reasons of clarity the dimensions are not

respected in these figures.

  In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a diagrammatic view of part of a conventional appliance, of the dishwasher type, with pivoting front door is seen. This appliance comprises a bowl (not shown) opening towards the front to receive dishes The tank is closed by a front door 1 pivotally mounted by its lower edge 2 around a horizontal axis (not shown) The door 1 is vertical in the closed position and

horizontal in open position.

  The door 1 shown has two panels 3, 4 joined together, comprising a front panel 3 forming the front face 30 of the door 1 and a rear panel 4 forming the rear face 40 of the door 1 The front face 30 of the door is provided with 'a covering panel 5 The rear face 40 of the door 1 generally comprises, near its edge, a frame 6 projecting towards the tank The frame 6 comes to crush a seal (not shown) which borders the opening of the tank, so that

  seal the tank when door 1 is closed.

  The front panel 3 and the rear panel 4 are assembled to each other by a series of screws 7, the heads of which are located between the projecting frame and the edge of the rear panel 4 Risks

leakage are then eliminated.

  The door 1 also has along its edge 8

  upper control panel 9.

  The covering panel 5 is fixed to the front face 30 of the door 1 by fixing elements which we will describe. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, two first fixing elements 10 are shown, integral with the covering panel. 5 in its lower part and two second fastening elements 20 secured to the covering panel 5 in its upper part. The first two elements 10 have one end 11 fixed to the covering panel 5 by at least one screw 12 and another end in the form of a tongue 13 which engages in an opening 14 in the front face 30 of the door 1 The tongue 13 is directed downwards and is substantially parallel to the covering panel 5 A space separates them A portion of the front face 30 is housed in this space until the lower edge of the opening 14 is in abutment against the base of the tongue 13 The first two elements 10 aim to secure the covering panel 5 and the door 1, in relative horizontal translation, from front to back and from back to front, and in

  relative vertical translation, from top to bottom.

  The two second elements 20 are square.

  A wing 21 of the bracket is fixed to the covering panel 5 by at least one screw 22 The other wing 23 of the bracket, directed along a vertical axis, enters an opening 24 in the front face of the door 1 This wing 23 comes to slip between the two branches 25 of a piece 26 in the form of a clamp. The two branches 25 of the piece 26 can be tightened on the wing 23 of the bracket by means of a lateral screw 27 whose head is located at one of the side edges (left or right) of the

front panel 3 of door 1.

  Each of the second elements 20, associated with a piece 26 in the form of a clamp and with a lateral screw 27, aims to secure the covering panel 5 and the door 1 in

  relative vertical translation from bottom to top.

  The mounting of the covering panel 5 consists first of all in fixing the first elements 10 and the second elements on the latter. The door 1 of the device being closed, the tongues 13 are engaged between the front face 30 and the rear face. 40 through the openings 14 The covering panel 5 is then pressed against the front face 30 of the door 1 The wings 23 penetrate into the openings 24 and come to slip between the two branches 25 of the part 26 in the form of a clamp We give at the openings 14 and 24 a dimension adapted so that, at this stage, the covering panel 5 has a very slight clearance so as to align it correctly on the lateral and upper edges of the front face 30 of the door 1 The last step consists in immobilizing the panel 5 covering relative to the door 1 by screwing the lateral screws 27 It is therefore necessary to have access to these screws 27 The device cannot be in its position of use Indeed in this position, with the door 1 closed, the cover panel 5 is in the same plane as the facade of the adjacent furniture (s) The edge of door 1 is not accessible If we plan to open door 1 we risk moving the covering panel 5 It is therefore necessary that the closed door 1 of the appliance is projecting from the

  front of the adjacent furniture (s).

  If the appliance is to be built-in or integrated into a corner of a room, it is not enough that, with the door closed 1 the appliance is protruding from the front of the adjacent furniture (s) One of the screws 27 of the edge of door 1 is too close to one side of the corner for us to be able to

screw it in with a screwdriver.

  Figures 2 A and 2 B are sections of the front of a door appliance according to the invention These figures are comparable to Figures l A and 1 B We find the door 1 formed from the front panel 3 and rear panel 4 assembled by screws 7 The door 1, provided with the covering panel 5, comprises along its upper edge 8 a control panel 9 A part 90 known as "heightening" has been interposed between the upper edge of the covering panel 5 and the control panel

  9 This extension 90 is formed by a stack of lamellae.

  It is integral with the control panel 9 It is used to more easily adjust the position of the cover panel 5 relative to

to the control panel 8.

  The main difference between FIGS. 1 A, 1 B and 2 A, 2 B is located at the level of the fixing of the covering panel 5 on the front face 30 of the door 1 The present invention aims to facilitate and simplify assembly and / or disassembly of the

cover panel 5.

  Fastening elements 50, 60 are integral with the covering panel 5. In FIGS. 2 A and 2 B, it is assumed

  that there are four but there could be less or more.

  At least a first element 60 has a part 61

  fixed against the covering panel 5 by at least one screw 62.

  The part 61 fixed to the covering panel 5 is extended by a tongue 63 which engages in an opening 64 in the front face 30 of the door 1 The tongue 63 is substantially

  parallel to the cover panel 5, a space separates them.

  A portion of the front face 30 is housed in this space An edge of the opening 64 abuts against the base of the tongue 63 In FIGS. 2 A, 2 B, the tongues 63 are directed upwards but they could be directed downward or in any other direction, degrees to the right of the vertical by

example.

  At least one second element 50 has a square part A first wing 51 of the bracket is fixed against the covering panel 5 by means of at least one screw 52 A second wing 53 preferably horizontal is engaged between the front face 30 and the rear face 40 through an opening 54 of the front face 30 The openings 54, 64 have dels selected dimensions

  so that the lateral clearance of the covering panel is minimum.

  The immobilization of the covering panel 5 is obtained by means of at least one auxiliary element 55 which comes to cooperate with the element 50 at right angles. This auxiliary element 55 is accessible from the rear face 40 of the door 1 In FIGS. 2A and 2 B, it is a screw, one end of which is wedged under the second horizontal wing 53 of the square The head of the screw 55 is located on the rear face 40 of the door 1, preferably between the frame in relief 6 and the edge of the door. This substantially horizontal screw 55 is screwed from the rear face 40 of the door towards the front face 30. It can advantageously be used just like the screws 7 for securing the

  front panel 3 to back panel 4 of door 1.

  The first two elements 60 aim to secure the covering panel 5 and the door 1, in relative horizontal translation, from front to rear and from rear to front, and in relative translation in the plane of the front face, from below. top The two second elements 50 aim to secure the covering panel 5 and the door 1, in relative translation

  in the plane of the front panel, from top to bottom.

  Preferably, one or more first fastening elements 60 with tongue 63 are used in the upper part of the covering panel 5, the tongues 63 being directed upwards, and one or more second fastening elements 50 to

  angle in the lower part of the panel 5 covering.

  It can be envisaged, as in FIG. 2A, that a first and a second fixing element form a single element comprising both a tongue and a bracket. The tongue extends the first wing of the bracket fixed to the covering panel. FIG. 4, all the fixing elements referenced 80 comprise both the bracket and the tongue. Preferably, two tongue elements will be used in the upper part and two tongue elements and

  square in the lower part of the panel.

  To ensure correct fixing of the covering panel 5, arrangements will be made for the fastening elements, 60 to be arranged near the edges of the covering panel 5. The covering panel is generally rectangular or square, the elements of fixing are in its angles. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the covering panel 5 and of the front face 30 of the door 1 of FIGS. 2 A, 2 B The rear face has not been shown for the sake of clarity The fastening elements 50, 60 are four in number The two upper 60 have a tongue 63 directed upwards as in Figures 2 A, 2 B The two lower elements 50 have a bracket and a tongue 56 The bracket is formed by a first wing 51 fixed to the covering panel by at least one screw 52 and a second wing 53 which enters between the front face 30 and the rear face by an opening 54 on the front face 30 The tongue 56 extends the first wing 51 The opening 54 receives both the second wing 53 and the tongue 56 The tongues 56 and 63 on this

  example, are directed upwards.

  To be able to assemble the cover panel 5 to the door, we start by positioning and fixing the fastening elements 50, 60 on the cover panel 5 This step can be carried out using a drilling template supplied with the appliance On then presents the covering panel 5 facing the front face 30 of the door and engaging the second wings 53 of the brackets and the tongues 63, 56 in the openings 54, 64 It is translated horizontally By a translational movement, in the plane of the front face, upwards one comes to abut the upper edge of the openings 54, 64 at the base of the tongues 63, 56 Portions of the front face 30 of the door 1 are wedged between the panel 5 d 'covering and the tongues 63, 56 The covering panel 5 and the door are then made integral, in this position, thanks to the ends of the screws 55 which slide under the second wings 53 of the brackets The second wings 53 of the brackets come in support s on screws 55 Access to screws 55 is by opening the

door 1.

  The screws 55 are accessible whatever the position of the device in the room, even if it is in an angle If it is built-in or integrated it is not necessary to

project it.

  FIG. 4 also shows an exploded view of the covering panel 5 and the front face 30 of the door 1 The fixing elements, four in number, bear the reference 80 They are all identical They comprise a square formed by a first wing 81 fixed to the covering panel 5 by at least one screw 82 and a second wing 83 which enters between the front face and the rear face of the door 1 by an opening 84 Each fixing element 80 also has a tongue 86 which extends the first wing 82 downwards The opening 84 also receives the tongue 86 Screws 85, the head of which is located towards the rear face of the door, cooperate with the second wings 83 of the brackets The ends of the screws opposite the heads overcome the seconds wings 83, to immobilize the panel 5 covering relative to the front face 30 of the door

  when the tabs 86 have been engaged in the openings 84.

  The present invention is not limited to the examples described. The fastening elements may in particular have

other forms.

Claims (11)

  1 Apparatus comprising a door (1) in the vertical closed position having a front face (30) provided with a panel (5) covering and a rear face (40); at least a first element (60) fixed to the cover panel (5) to secure the cover panel (5) and the door (1) in horizontal translation from front to back and from back to front and at least a second element (50) fixed to the covering panel (5) cooperating with an auxiliary element (55), characterized in that the first element (60) and the second element (50) associated with the auxiliary element (55) secure the door (1) and the covering panel (5), in relative translation in the plane of the front face (30), respectively in a first direction and in a second opposite direction and in that the auxiliary element ( 55)   is accessible from the rear face (40) of the door (1).   2 Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first element (60) comprises xine part (61) fixed to the panel (5) covering, extended by a tongue (63) substantially parallel to the covering panel, s' engaging between the front face (30) and the rear face (40) through an opening (64) of the front face.   3 Apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that the second element (50) is formed from a bracket having a first wing (51) fixed to the panel (5) and a second wing (53) engaging between the front face (30) and the rear face (40) through an opening (54) of the front face (30).   4 Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that the auxiliary element (55) is a screw whose head is located on the rear face (40) and whose end opposite the head is in contact with the second element (50).   Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the first element and the second element   are brought together to form a single fastener (80).   6 Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 5,   characterized in that the tongue (86) and the second wing (83) of the bracket engage in a single opening (84) in the front face (30).   7 Apparatus according to one of claims 2 to 6,   characterized in that the tongue (63) has any direction.   8 Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 7,   characterized in that the tongue (63) is directed upwards, the second wing (53) of the bracket surmounting the element auxiliary (55).   9 Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 7,   characterized in that the tongue (86) Pst faces downwards, the auxiliary element (85) surmounting the second wing (83) of the bracket.   Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 9, the   door (1) comprising a front panel (3) fixed to a rear panel (4), characterized in that the auxiliary element (55)   helps to fix the front panel (3) to the rear panel (4).   11 Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 10,   characterized in that the first and second elements (50,60)   are distributed near the edge of the trim panel.   12 Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 11,   characterized in that the rear face (40) of the door has a projecting frame near the edge of the door (1), the auxiliary element (55) being located between the frame and the edge of the door (1).   13 Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 12,   characterized in that it is of the dishwasher type.