MODULAR KITCHEN UNIT

Abstract

A modular kitchen unit has a plurality of adjacent functional elements and includes a multiplicity of vertical posts in the form of sections having a profile with at least a front wing and a side wing, a multiplicity of upper and lower panels and of lower partitions fixed to the vertical posts. The vertical posts have through slots at least superiorly in the front wing, and the upper panels have hook members engaging the through slots for mounting the upper panels to the vertical posts, in such a way that the modular kitchen unit is free-standing.

Claims

1. A modular kitchen unit comprising a plurality of adjacent functional elements (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, and 1L) and including a multiplicity of vertical posts (2; 23; 24) and a multiplicity of upper panels (3) and lower panels (4) and of lower partitions (5), the vertical posts (2; 23; 24) having through slots (22) at least superiorly, and the upper panels (3) having hook members (6) for engaging the through slots (22) of the vertical posts (2; 23; 24), characterized in that each vertical post (2; 23; 24) is fastened to one of the multiplicity of lower panels (4) and lower partitions (5) for making free-standing the modular kitchen unit, without any supporting base other than the lower panels (4) and the lower partitions (5), and without any fastening means for fixing the vertical posts to wall or ceiling.

2. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, wherein the vertical posts (2; 23; 24) are sections having a profile with a front wing (20) and a side wing (21).

3. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, in which the vertical posts (2; 23; 24) have inferiorly through holes (7) for the insertion of fastening members for fastening the lower partitions (5) to the vertical posts (2; 23; 24).

4. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 3, wherein the fastening members of lower partitions (5) to the vertical posts (2; 23; 24) are screws.

5. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, in which the vertical posts (2; 23) rest on the floor.

6. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, in which the vertical posts (24) do not rest on the floor.

7. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a pillar structure of a first functional element (1A) includes an end side panel (11) and an intermediate side panel (12), both having a height equal to the height of the vertical posts (2), and a back upper panel (13) for the connection between the two side panels (11, 12), a vertical post (2) being fixed also to the intermediate side panel (12).

8. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a chest of drawers in the structure of a second functional element (1F) has an end lower side panel (5), to which rearly fixed is a first vertical post (2) resting on the floor and, adjacent to a pair of feet (16), a second vertical post (24) not resting on the floor.

9. The modular kitchen unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical posts (23) have also superiorly in the side wing (21) through slots (22), and the upper panels (3) have hook members (6) engaging through slots (22) of the front wings (20) and lateral wings (21) for the consecutive angular assembly of the upper panels (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the indicative and, therefore, non-limiting, description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a modular kitchen unit, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a front axonometric view of a first embodiment of kitchen unit according to the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a front axonometric view showing the kitchen unit in FIG. 1 at an initial step of its assembly;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a rear axonometric view of the kitchen unit at an assembly step subsequent to that in FIG. 2;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a rear axonometric view showing an enlarged detail of parts in FIG. 3;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a rear axonometric view of a second embodiment of a kitchen unit according to the present invention during assembly; and

[0029] FIG. 6 is a rear axonometric view showing in enlarged scale a detail of a third embodiment of a kitchen unit according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Reference is initially made to FIG. 1 which is a front axonometric view of a first embodiment of kitchen unit according to the present invention.

[0031] The modular kitchen unit has a plurality of adjacent functional elements indicated as 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, and 1L. Such functional elements can be, in succession, a refrigerator compartment, a first hanging closet, a hood, a second hanging closet, a plate rack, a chest of drawers, a hob, a storage furniture, a sink with under sink. An oven, dishwasher or other household appliances and compartments may also be added as desired. The kitchen unit includes a plurality of vertical posts, such as that indicated as 2 in FIG. 1. The vertical posts 2 rests on the floor behind the functional elements. Alternatively, for example in the presence of adjacent legs, a vertical post 24 does not rest on the floor.

[0032] Reference is made now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, which are asymmetric front e rear views showing the kitchen unit in subsequent mounting steps and an enlarged detail of parts in FIG. 3, respectively.

[0033] The vertical post 2, as shown in particular in FIG. 4, is a section having at least a front wing 20 and a lateral wing 21. The section may have a cross-section other than that shown in FIG. 4.

[0034] Each functional element is obtained by the combination of a plurality of upper panels 3 and lower panels 4, and of lower partitions 5 fixed to the vertical posts.

[0035] According to the present invention, through slots 22, such as that shown in FIG. 4, are made superiorly in the front wing 20 of the vertical posts 2. The upper panels 3 have hook members 6, which can enter the through slots 22 for mounting the upper panels 3 to the vertical posts 2.

[0036] Although not shown in detail, the vertical posts 2 have inferiorly through holes 7 (FIG. 4) for inserting fastening members for fastening the lower partitions 5 to the vertical posts 2.

[0037] The fastening members of the lower partitions 5 to the vertical posts 2 can be screws.

[0038] Back panels 8 are joined orthogonally to the lower partitions 5 near the vertical posts 2. Spacers 9 can be inserted between subsequent pairs of vertical posts 2 (FIG. 3). A vertical post 24 in correspondence of feet 16 does not lean against the floor.

[0039] The assembly of the kitchen unit according to the first embodiment of the invention can be carried out starting from a first pillar element, that of the refrigerator 1A (FIG. 2). This pillar element includes an end side panel 11 and an intermediate side panel 12, whose height is equal to the height of the vertical posts 2. A top back panel 13 is useful for connecting the two side panels 11 and 12, spaced below by means of spacers 14. In this way, thanks to the U shape of the first pillar element 11-12-13, the kitchen unit has a stable starting element to which a first vertical post 2 can be mounted in the intermediate side panel 12.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, a first lower partition 5 is secured to the intermediate side panel 12 coplanar thereto. Secured perpendicularly to the intermediate side panel 12 is a lower back panel 15 to which is joined a second lower partition 5 with feet 16, 16. The second lower partition 5 is secured to a vertical post 24 at the rear.

[0041] The assembly of the kitchen unit proceeds essentially in the same manner as shown in FIG. 3 with the upper panels 3 acting as crossbeams engaged with the latching elements 6 on their respective vertical posts 2.

[0042] Reference is now made to FIG. 5 which is a rear axonometric view of a second embodiment of kitchen unit according to the present invention in an assembly step.

[0043] The assembly of the kitchen unit according to the second embodiment of the invention can be carried out from a chest of drawers 1F, which is the functional element adjacent to the pillar structure 11-12-13 of the functional element 1A shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the first embodiment. This chest of drawers includes a bottom end side panel, which is the first lower partition 5 of the first embodiment, to which at the rear a first vertical post 2, resting on the floor, is secured. Perpendicular to the lower end side panel is a lower back panel 15 to which a second lower partition 5 with feet 16 is joined, fixed at the rear to an vertical post 24 not resting on the floor.

[0044] The assembly of the kitchen unit of the second embodiment proceeds essentially as shown and described for the first embodiment. In the same way as shown in FIG. 3, with the upper panels 3 acting as crossbeams engaging with the latching elements 6 on their vertical posts 2, 24, respectively.

[0045] It should be understood that the kitchen unit has been illustrated and described in the two embodiments only by way of an example, because the assembly could take place from any functional element.

[0046] It should also be apparent that other combinations of parts could be made according to the space and needs of the user.

[0047] For example, the layout of the kitchen unit may be cornered as shown in FIG. 6, which is a rear axonometric view showing in an enlarged scale a detail of a third embodiment of kitchen unit according to the present invention.

[0048] It can be seen that a vertical post 23 has superiorly through slots 22 in both the front wing 20 and the lateral wing 21. The upper panels 3 have hook members 6 which can enter the through slots 22 of the front wing 20 and of the wing lateral 21 of the vertical post 23 for the consecutive angle assembly of upper panels 3 on the vertical posts 2.