Casing for a device that can be used in domestic, catering, or retail sectors

Abstract

A casing for a device that can be used in the domestic, catering, or retail sectors, in one embodiment a refrigerating device, that has two lateral walls, a top wall, and a rear wall. The casing comprises two lateral casing elements for covering the lateral walls of the device, a top casing element for covering the top wall of the device, and a rear casing element for covering the rear wall of the device. The lateral casing elements and the top casing element each have an angled front edge section for engaging around a front edge of the lateral walls and a front edge of the top wall, respectively. Each lateral casing element includes a retaining profile on a face opposite the angled front edge section, the rear casing element being held in said retaining profiles.

Claims

1. A casing for a device that has two lateral walls, a top wall, and a rear wall, the casing comprising: two lateral casing elements for covering the lateral walls of the device; a top casing element for covering the top wall of the device, wherein the lateral casing elements and the top casing element each have an angled front edge section for engaging around a front edge of the lateral walls and a front edge of the top wall respectively; a rear casing element for covering the rear wall of the device; and a retaining profile on a rear edge section of each of the lateral casing elements opposite the angled front edge section, wherein lateral edge sections of the rear casing element are held in the respective retaining profiles, and wherein each of the retaining profiles has a receiving slot for receiving a respective lateral edge section of the rear casing element, wherein the lateral casing elements, the top casing element, and the rear casing element hold together without using screws, rivets, or the like.

2. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the rear casing element is secured in the retaining profiles against pulling out in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the lateral casing elements.

3. The casing according to claim 1, wherein two opposite lateral edge sections of the rear casing element are insertable into the retaining profile in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the top casing element.

4. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the receiving slot of each of the retaining profiles has an L-shaped cross section for receiving an appropriately angled lateral edge section of the rear casing element.

5. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the retaining profiles each include a stop surface protruding from a plane of the lateral casing element for engaging around a rear edge of the lateral walls.

6. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the angled front edge sections of the lateral casing elements and of the top casing element each include a projecting retaining element for engaging a groove, depression, or recess of the device.

7. The casing according to claim 6, wherein the projecting retaining element is rail-shaped.

8. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the top casing element has a rear-angled edge section for engaging around a rear edge of the top wall.

9. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the lateral casing elements have an angled top edge section for engaging around a top edge of the lateral walls, wherein the angled top edge section is formed with an angled end section at its end facing the angled front edge section so as to form an area engaging around a corner of the device.

10. The casing according to claim 9, wherein the angled front edge section of the top casing element is formed to be shorter than an extension in width of said casing element.

11. The casing according to claim 1, further comprising a front casing element for covering a door of the device.

12. The casing according to claim 11, wherein the front casing element has an angled edge section at each of its edges.

13. The casing according to claim 11, wherein at least one edge section of the front casing element has at least one resilient click-stop element engaging behind the door of the device.

14. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the casing elements are each formed by a metal sheet or a plate-shaped plastic part.

15. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the rear casing element has venting slots.

16. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the lateral casing elements and the top casing element each carry a decorative cover.

17. The casing according to claim 16, wherein the decorative cover is formed by a plate.

18. The casing according to claim 16, wherein the decorative covers of the casing elements are adjacent to each other in the assembled state of the casing.

19. The casing according to claim 16, further comprising a front casing element that carries a decorative cover.

20. A device that can be used in the domestic, catering, or retail sector having a casing according to claim 1.

21. Use of the casing according to claim 1 for the replaceable casing of devices used in the domestic, catering, or retail sector.

22. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the device is a refrigerating device.

23. A casing for a device that has two lateral walls, a top wall, and a rear wall, the casing comprising: two lateral casing elements for covering the lateral walls of the device; a top casing element for covering the top wall of the device, wherein the lateral casing elements and the top casing element each have an angled front edge section for engaging around a front edge of the lateral walls and a front edge of the top wall respectively; a front casing element for covering a door of the device, wherein at least one edge section of the front casing element has at least one resilient click-stop element engaging behind the door of the device; a rear casing element for covering the rear wall of the device; and a retaining profile on a rear edge section of each of the lateral casing elements opposite the angled front edge section, wherein lateral edge sections of the rear casing element are held in the respective retaining profiles, and wherein each of the retaining profiles has a receiving slot for receiving a respective lateral edge section of the rear casing element.

24. A casing for a device that has two lateral walls, a top wall, and a rear wall, the casing comprising: two lateral casing elements for covering the lateral walls of the device; a top casing element for covering the top wall of the device, wherein the lateral casing elements and the top casing element each have an angled front edge section for engaging around a front edge of the lateral walls and a front edge of the top wall respectively, and wherein the top casing element has a rear-angled edge section for engaging around a rear edge of the top wall; a rear casing element for covering the rear wall of the device; and a retaining profile on a rear edge section of each of the lateral casing elements opposite the angled front edge section, wherein lateral edge sections of the rear casing element are held in the respective retaining profiles, and wherein each of the retaining profiles has a receiving slot for receiving a respective lateral edge section of the rear casing element.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The present disclosure will hereinafter be explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated in the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a refrigerating device;

(3) FIGS. 2 and 3 show the attachment of the top casing element;

(4) FIG. 4 shows the refrigerating device after the attachment of the top casing element;

(5) FIGS. 5 and 6 show the attachment of the lateral casing elements;

(6) FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of the fastening of the lateral casing elements on the refrigerating device;

(7) FIG. 8 shows the refrigerating device after attachment of the lateral casing elements;

(8) FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of the area IX of FIG. 8;

(9) FIG. 10 shows the attachment of the rear casing element;

(10) FIG. 11 shows the refrigerating device after attachment of the rear casing element;

(11) FIGS. 12 and 13 show the attachment of the front casing element on the door of the device;

(12) FIGS. 14 and 15 show a detailed view of the door of the device from the inside;

(13) FIG. 16 shows a detailed view of the door of the device from below; and

(14) FIG. 17 shows the refrigerating device after attachment of all casing elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIG. 1 shows a refrigerating device 1, a coolable inner space 2 that is accessible through a pivotable door 3 of the device. The refrigerating device has a top wall 4, two lateral walls 5 and 6, and a rear wall 7. The dimensions of the refrigerating device 1 can, in principle, be freely chosen. In particular, the device is a refrigerator for use in the catering sector as it is usually suitable for receiving beverages, in particular beverage cans, and for installation on a bar, counter, or the like.

(16) In the present exemplary embodiment, the casing of the refrigerating device consists of a top casing element 8, two lateral casing elements 9 and 10, a rear casing element 11, and a front casing element 12. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate how the top casing element 8 is attached to the refrigerating device 1. The top casing element 8 has an angled front edge section 13 which can engage around a front edge 15 of the refrigerating device. The front edge section 13 is inserted by its rail-shaped retaining element, the function of which will be explained in more detail below with reference to the equivalent design of the lateral casing elements in FIG. 7, in an oblong gap formed at the front of the refrigerating device, whereupon the front edge section 13 is pivoted onto the top wall 4 according to arrow 17, so that an angled rear edge section 16 of the top casing element engages around a rear edge 18 of the top wall 4 and the state illustrated in FIG. 4 is achieved. It is also apparent from FIG. 2 that the angled front edge section 13 has two slot-like recesses 14 for the hinge of the door 3 of the device. Depending on whether the door 3 of the device is mounted left or right hinged, the hinge is inserted in the left or the right recess 14.

(17) In a similar way, the two lateral casing elements 9 and 10 are assembled. Again, the lateral casing elements 9 and 10 each have an angled front edge section 19 for engaging around a front edge 22, and an angled top edge section 20 for engaging around a top edge 23. Said angled top edge section has an angled end section 24 that is located in the same plane as the angled front edge section 19 and forms a corner with the latter. For fastening the angled front edge section 19 and the end section 24 to the front of the refrigerating device, they each have a protruding retaining element 25 and 26, which is again formed by an angle and is inserted into a gap 27 formed between a housing part 28 and an inner lining 29 of the refrigerating device 1.

(18) FIG. 8 shows the state after attachment of the lateral casing elements 9 and 10. Here, the angled top edge sections 20 overlap the top casing element 8 so that the latter is secured against removal. However, it would also be possible in principle to first assemble the lateral casing elements 9 and 10 and only then add the top casing element 8; in this case, however, the latter would not be secured against removal without additional measures.

(19) It is apparent from the detailed view in accordance with FIG. 9 that the lateral casing element 9 carries a retaining profile 21. For its connection to the lateral casing element 9, the retaining profile 21 has an L-shaped slot 30 in which a double-bent end section 31 of the lateral casing element 9 is inserted. Further, with its area 32, the retaining profile 21 has a stop surface 33 protruding from the plane of the lateral casing element 9, with which it rests against the rear wall 7 of the refrigerating device 1 so that the lateral casing element 9 embraces the refrigerating device 1 both at the front, namely with the angled front edge section 19, and at the back, namely with the retaining profile 21.

(20) For fastening the rear casing element 11, the retaining profile 21 has a further L-shaped receiving slot 34 which is formed to be symmetrical with respect to the slot 30. The receiving slot 34 serves to receive an angled edge section 35 of the rear casing element 11, the two edge sections 35 being inserted into the retaining profiles 21 from above in the direction of arrow 36, as shown in FIG. 10. Said receiving slots 34 are arranged such that a gap remains between the rear wall 7 and the rear casing element 11 so that air circulation is made possible. Venting slots are referred to by numeral 37. A horizontally angled section 38 of the rear casing element 11 also has venting slots. As can be seen from FIG. 11, the horizontal angled section 38 is flush with the top casing element 8.

(21) The attachment of the front casing element 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. The front casing element 12 is formed to be frame-like and has angled edge sections 39 on all four sides that engage around the edges of the door 3 of the device. The front casing element 12 is first put onto the top edge of the door 3 and is then pivoted onto the door 3 of the device according to arrow 40 so as to obtain a completely cased refrigerating device 1 as illustrated in FIG. 15. From the detailed view in accordance with FIG. 14, it is apparent that the top edge section 39 of the front casing element 12 has at least one L-shaped shoulder 41 that can be inserted in a slot provided on the inside of the door 3 of the device. Said slot is located between the door frame referred to as 43 and the inner casing 42 of the door 3 carrying the circumferential seal 42. In order to facilitate the insertion of the one leg of the L-shaped shoulder 41 in the slot, the shoulder 41 is formed to be resilient. The assembled state is illustrated in FIG. 15.

(22) The lower edge section 39 of casing element 12 as apparent from FIG. 16 has two apertures 44 that align with recesses 45 of the door 3 of the device in the assembled state. Here, the assembly of the casing element 12 comprises inserting pins 46 into the apertures 44 and the recesses 45 so that the casing element 12 is fixed to the door 3.

(23) From the above description of the assembly of the casing elements, it is apparent that the assembly is possible without tools.

(24) The features of the present disclosure as disclosed in the above description, in the claims and in the drawings can be essential to the realization of the present disclosure in its different embodiments both individually and in any possible combination.