PANEL ASSEMBLY FOR A DISHWASHER, METHOD FOR MOUNTING A PANEL ASSEMBLY, AND DISHWASHER HAVING A PANEL ASSEMBLY OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

A composite panel for a dishwasher includes a panel carrier, a first panel element connected to the panel carrier via a first joint arrangement which is arranged in a region of a first inner face of the panel carrier, and a second panel element connected to the panel carrier via a second joint arrangement, which is arranged in a region of a second inner face of the panel carrier. The second panel element has at least one portion in overlapping relation to the first panel element.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A composite panel for a dishwasher, comprising: a panel carrier; a first panel element connected to the panel carrier via a first joint arrangement which is arranged in a region of a first inner face of the panel carrier; and a second panel element connected to the panel carrier via a second joint arrangement, which is arranged in a region of a second inner face of the panel carrier, said second panel element having at least one portion in overlapping relation to the first panel element.

18. The composite panel of claim 17, constructed for a household dishwasher.

19. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein the second inner face is opposite from the first inner face.

20. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second joint arrangements comprises a joint head receiver and a joint head received in the joint head receiver.

21. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein the first panel element comprises a handle and/or an electronic assembly.

22. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein the second panel element comprises an electronic assembly.

23. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein the first panel element comprises a first latching element, preferably a plurality of first latching elements, for fastening to the panel carrier.

24. The composite panel of claim 23, wherein the first panel comprises a second latching element, preferably a plurality of second latching elements, for fastening the second panel element to the first panel element.

25. The composite panel of claim 24, wherein the first latching element and the second latching element are arranged on two different surfaces of the first panel element.

26. The composite panel of claim 25, wherein the two different surfaces of the first panel element are perpendicular to one another.

27. The composite panel of claim 24, wherein the first latching element and the second latching element are arranged perpendicular to one another in a plan view of the first panel element.

28. The composite panel of claim 20, wherein the joint head of at least one of the first and second joint arrangements is of T-shaped configuration in a plan view of the corresponding one of the first and second panel elements.

29. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second panel elements comprises a retaining element which engages in a corresponding recess of the panel carrier.

30. The composite panel of claim 17, wherein the first panel element comprises reinforcing ribs.

31. The composite panel of claim 30, wherein the reinforcing ribs of the first panel element form drainage surfaces for water penetrating into the composite panel.

32. The composite panel of claim 30, wherein the reinforcing ribs of the first panel element are of triangular configuration and are arranged in a cascade-like manner on a plurality of levels.

33. A dishwasher, comprising: a front door; and a composite panel provided in an upper region of the door, said composite panel comprising a panel carrier, a first panel element connected to the panel carrier via a first joint arrangement which is arranged in a region of a first inner face of the panel carrier; and a second panel element connected to the panel carrier via a second joint arrangement, which is arranged in a region of a second inner face of the panel carrier, said second panel element having at least one portion in overlapping relation to the first panel element.

34. The dishwasher of claim 33, constructed in a form of a household dishwasher.

35. A method for mounting a composite panel for a dishwasher, comprising: connecting a first panel element to a panel carrier via a first joint arrangement; pivoting the first panel element into the panel carrier; fixing the first panel element to the panel carrier; connecting a second panel element to a panel carrier via a second joint arrangement; pivoting the second panel element into the panel carrier; and fixing the second panel element to the panel carrier.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first panel element is fixed to the panel carrier by a first latching element and/or the second panel element is fixed to the first panel element by a second latching element.

Description

[0035] The invention and its advantageous embodiments and developments and the advantages thereof are explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, in each case in a schematic basic sketch:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a composite panel in a front view and a dishwasher in a side view,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a first sectional side view of the composite panel according to the invention,

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a second sectional side view of the composite panel according to the invention,

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a third sectional side view of the composite panel according to the invention,

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the first panel element, and

[0041] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the panel carrier.

[0042] In the following description of the figures, the same reference characters are used for features which are in each case identical and/or at least comparable in the various figures. The individual features, the design and/or mode of operation thereof are generally explained in detail only when mentioned for the first time. If individual features are not explained again in detail, the design and/or mode of operation thereof corresponds to the design and mode of operation of the already described features which have the same function or the same name.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows on the left-hand side a composite panel 1 in a front view and on the right-hand side a dishwasher 2 in a side view. This figure is intended to illustrate the basic shape of the composite panel 1 and the principal arrangement thereof in the dishwasher 2. The composite panel 1 is configured to form the upper portion of a door 3 of the dishwasher 2. The composite panel 1 preferably contains display elements and/or control elements which permit a user to operate the dishwasher 2. For example, the composite panel 1 can have a display 4 which displays, in particular, an operating state of the dishwasher 2. The external appearance of the composite panel 1 in the exemplary embodiment is preferably characterized by a panel carrier 5. The first panel element 6 and the second panel element 7 (see FIG. 2) are arranged in the interior of the panel carrier 5 and thus not generally visible when the dishwasher 2 is finally or fully assembled.

[0044] FIGS. 2 to 4 show a sectional side view of the composite panel 1. The orientation of these views is such that a mounting of the composite panel 1 can be easily carried out. These side views correspond to the side view of the dishwasher 2 of FIG. 1 but with a rotation of 90° counterclockwise. The mounting direction M in which, after a 90° rotation clockwise, the composite panel 1 would be connected to the door 3 of the dishwasher 2 in a final assembly is provided in FIG. 2 for illustration.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows the composite panel 1 made up of the panel carrier 5, the first panel element 6 and the second panel element 7. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the mounting of the composite panel 1, wherein FIG. 3 shows how the first panel element 6 is inserted into the panel carrier 5 and FIG. 4 shows how the second panel element 7 is inserted into the panel carrier 5. By way of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 it can be identified that the first panel element 6 is connected via a first joint arrangement 8 to the panel carrier 5 and pivoted into the panel carrier 5. To this end, the panel carrier 5 is substantially configured as a hollow space, in particular, wherein in these figures the upwardly oriented side is open for receiving the panel elements 6, 7. It can be identified by way of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 that the second panel element 7 is connected to the panel carrier 5 and also pivoted into the panel carrier 5 via a second joint arrangement 9.

[0046] The first joint arrangement 8 is arranged in the region of a first inner face 10 of the panel carrier 5. The second joint arrangement 9 is arranged in the region of a second inner face 11 of the panel carrier 5. In this exemplary embodiment, the first inner face 10 and the second inner face 11 oppose one another. The second panel element 7 overlaps the first panel element 6 at least in some portions.

[0047] In the present example, the first joint arrangement 8 and the second joint arrangement 9 comprise in each case a joint head 12 and a joint head receiver 13. By way of example, the joint head receivers 13 are a constituent part of the panel carrier 5 and the joint heads 12 are constituent parts of the first panel element 6 or the second panel element 7. Other configurations which have already been set forth in the description above are also conceivable. In these views, the joint head receivers 13 are open upwardly in order to receive the joint heads 12 in a simple manner. The joint head receivers 13 substantially form recesses for positively receiving the joint heads 12, wherein a clearance remains, however, for rotating the joint heads 12 about an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

[0048] The first panel element 6 is fixed, for example, in the panel carrier 5 by means of a first latching element 14. The first latching element 14 is configured, for example, with a bend so as to be intentionally resiliently deformable. The first latching element 14 acts, for example, positively on a latching edge of the panel carrier 5.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3, the first panel element 6 is connected by means of the first joint arrangement 8 to the panel carrier 5, for example, and pivoted counterclockwise into the panel carrier 5. Subsequently, the first panel element 6 is fixed to the panel carrier 5 by means of the first latching element 14.

[0050] The second panel element 7 is fixed, for example, by means of a second latching element 15 to the first panel element 6, wherein the first panel element 6 comprises the second latching element 15. As can be identified in FIG. 4, after the first panel element 6 is mounted, the second panel element 7 is connected to the panel carrier 5 by means of the second joint arrangement 9 and pivoted into the panel carrier 5 clockwise. Subsequently, the second panel element 7 is fixed to the first panel element 6 by means of the second latching element 15. The second latching element 15 acts positively, for example, on a latching edge of the second panel element 7. The first latching element 14 and the second latching element 15 are arranged, for example, on different surfaces of the first panel element 6. In the present example, these surfaces are perpendicular to one another. In a plan view of the first panel element 6, i.e. for example from above in comparison with FIGS. 2 to 4, the first latching element 14 and the second latching element 15 are arranged perpendicular to one another. In particular, during the mounting of the first panel element 6 or the second panel element 7, the first latching element 14 and the second latching element 15 are deformed in directions perpendicular to one another.

[0051] The first panel element 6 has a retaining element 16 which is pivoted into a corresponding recess 17 of the panel carrier 5 when the first panel element 6 is pivoted in and, in particular, in the mounted state of the first panel element 6. The retaining element 16 primarily serves to fix the first panel element 6 on the side of the first joint arrangement 8. In particular, a movement of the joint head 12 of the first joint arrangement 8 upwardly out of the joint head receiver 13 is intended to be prevented.

[0052] The second panel element 7 also has a retaining element 16 which engages in a corresponding recess 17 of the panel carrier 5 when the second panel element 7 is pivoted in and, in particular, in the mounted state of the second panel element 7. In particular, a movement of the joint head 12 of the second joint arrangement 9 out of the joint head receiver 13 is also intended to be prevented here.

[0053] The composite panel 1 can also have the features mentioned in the context of the description of FIGS. 2 to 4, namely the joint head 12, joint head receiver 13, first latching element 14, second latching element 15, retaining element 16 and recess 17, in particular also repeatedly.

[0054] The first panel element 6 has, for example, a handle 18 which is preferably substantially configured as a hollow space or recessed grip for the fingers of a user of the dishwasher 2. The panel carrier 5, for example, also has a corresponding opening 19 for the handle 18 (see FIG. 6). In order to enable the user to reach into the handle 18, the door 3 of the dishwasher 2 preferably also has a corresponding opening 19. The first panel element 6 has, for example, a first electronic assembly 20 which comprises, in particular, the display 4. It is also conceivable that the first electronic assembly 20 comprises further control elements.

[0055] The second panel element 7 comprises, for example, a second electronic assembly 21. The second electronic assembly 21 can have, in particular, control elements for controlling the dishwasher 2, such as for example buttons. Additionally, the second electronic assembly 21 can also comprise an additional display 4. It is conceivable that the control elements of the first electronic assembly 20 and the second electronic assembly 21 are arranged on different surfaces of the composite panel 1. The panel carrier 5 has, in particular, openings 19 (see FIG. 6) for the control elements of the first electronic assembly 20 and the second electronic assembly 21.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the first panel element 6 and namely viewed from below in the perspective of FIGS. 2 to 4. For example, the centrally arranged first electronic assembly 20 with the display 4 can be clearly identified. A plurality of first latching elements 14 are arranged on the upper side surface. A plurality of retaining elements 16 are arranged on the lower side surface. A plurality of joint heads 12 are also arranged on the lower side surface. In this plan view, the joint heads 12, for example, are of T-shaped configuration. This shaping permits a stable pivoting of the first panel element 6 exclusively around one axis of rotation. For example, the first latching elements 14, the retaining elements 16 and the joint heads 12 are arranged offset to one another.

[0057] The first panel element 6 also has reinforcing ribs 22 which in the view of FIG. 5 are arranged perpendicular to the plane of the figure. The reinforcing ribs 22 ensure, on the one hand, increased stability of the first panel element 6. Moreover, the reinforcing ribs 22 are arranged, in particular, such that they form drainage surfaces for water penetrating into the composite panel 1. To this end, the reinforcing ribs 22 are configured, for example, as open triangles. In particular, the reinforcing ribs 22 protect the first electronic assembly 20 from penetrating water. The reinforcing ribs 22 are arranged, for example, in a cascade-like manner on a plurality of levels 23. Water can be conducted thereby, for example, past the first electronic assembly 20 to a drain, not shown.

[0058] For illustrating the essential structure of the panel carrier 5, FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the panel carrier 5 and namely in the perspective of FIGS. 2 to 4, when viewed from above. A plurality of joint head receivers 13 of the first joint arrangement 8 are arranged in the region of a first inner face 10 of the panel carrier 5. A plurality of joint head receivers 13 of the second joint arrangement 9 are arranged in the region of a second inner face 11, preferably opposing the first inner face 10.

[0059] A plurality of recesses 17 for the retaining elements 16 of the first panel element 6 are also arranged in the region of the first inner face 10. In this exemplary embodiment, a recess 17, not shown, is provided by an edge 24 for the retaining elements 16 of the second panel element 7. The panel carrier 5 also has openings 19 for the display 4 of the first electronic assembly 20 or for the handle 18.

[0060] Finally, a few points of the present invention should be explained once again, wherein if required the following features can be implemented individually or in any combination (if technically possible and expedient).

[0061] The invention permits a simple and rapid mounting of different components in a composite panel.

[0062] The first panel element is inserted into bearing points which are incorporated in the panel carrier. Subsequently, using a pivoting movement the first panel element is mounted in the panel carrier. The mounting process for the second panel element is implemented according to the same principle. On the opposing side, bearing points are also incorporated in the panel carrier for the second panel element. This second panel element is inserted into the bearing points. Now a pivoting movement takes place with the second panel element onto the first panel element. The components are fixed together by means of the snap hooks, bearing points and reinforcing ribs.

[0063] Advantages: [0064] cost-effective and simple mounting principle without additional components or tools, [0065] stable and resilient construction principle, since components are braced against one another, [0066] simple, rapid and reliable mounting, including poka-yoke.

[0067] Moreover, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown. Rather, all combinations of the described individual features as shown or described in the claims, the description and the figures, and as long as a corresponding combination is technically possible or appears expedient, form the subject of the invention. In particular, the composite panel according to the invention is not only able to be mounted on the front door of a semi-integrated household dishwasher or a so-called “stand-alone” household dishwasher, in which in each case generally the front wall of the panel carrier is visible to a user from outside, but also on other front doors such as for example a fully integrated household dishwasher. In a fully integrated household dishwasher, the entire front of the front door is covered by a furniture panel which is preferably adapted to the design of the adjacent kitchen furniture or corresponds thereto.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference characters 1 Composite panel 2 Dishwasher 3 Door 4 Display 5 Panel carrier 6 First panel element 7 Second panel element 8 First joint arrangement 9 Second joint arrangement 10 First inner face 11 Second inner face 12 Joint head 13 Joint head receiver 14 First latching element 15 Second latching element 16 Retaining element 17 Recess 18 Handle 19 Opening 20 First electronic assembly 21 Second electronic assembly 22 Reinforcing rib 23 Level 24 Edge M Mounting direction