Home appliance device

Abstract

For the purpose of providing a home appliance device with improved characteristics regarding user convenience, a home appliance device, in particular a home chiller appliance device, is proposed with at least one bridging unit which is configured for bridging at least one gap between at least one appliance body and at least one part of a piece of furniture, the bridging unit comprising at least one first bridging element and at least one second bridging element that at least partly engages into the first bridging element in at least one assembled state. The second bridging element includes at least one flexible connecting link that is guided in at least one at least sectionally curved guiding slot of the first bridging element.

Claims

1. A home appliance device, in particular a home chiller appliance device, comprising at least one bridging unit which is configured for bridging at least one gap between at least one appliance body and at least one part of a piece of furniture, the bridging unit comprising at least one first bridging element and at least one second bridging element that at least partly engages into the first bridging element in at least one assembled state, the second bridging element comprising at least one flexible connecting link that is guided in at least one at least sectionally curved guiding slot of the first bridging element, wherein said at least one flexible connecting link is influenced by the curvature of said at least one sectionally curved guiding slot upon being guided in.

2. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the curved guiding slot being curved in a direction facing away from a front side of the appliance body.

3. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the first bridging element comprising at least one at least substantially vertical guiding slot in which the connecting link is insertable.

4. The home appliance device according to claim 3, the vertical guiding slot being, in an assembly position, located above the curved guiding slot.

5. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the connecting link comprising at least two projections, which are separated from each other by at least one flexible region.

6. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the connecting link at least mostly having a sawtooth-like profile when viewed in at least one viewing direction.

7. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the first bridging element being made of one piece.

8. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the second bridging element being made of one piece.

9. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the first bridging element being at least mostly made of aluminum.

10. The home appliance device according to claim 1, the second bridging element being at least mostly made of plastic.

11. A home appliance, in particular a home chiller appliance, comprising at least one home appliance device according to claim 1.

12. A system comprising a home appliance according to claim 11; the appliance body; and the part of the piece of furniture.

13. A method using a home appliance device, in particular a home chiller appliance device, according to claim 1, for bridging the gap between the appliance body and the part of the piece of furniture, wherein the flexible connecting link of the second bridging element is inserted into the at least one sectionally curved guiding slot of the first bridging element.

14. A home appliance device, in particular a home chiller appliance device, comprising at least one bridging unit which is configured for bridging at least one gap between at least one appliance body and at least one part of a piece of furniture, the bridging unit comprising at least one first bridging element and at least one second bridging element that at least partly engages into the first bridging element in at least one assembled state, the second bridging element comprising at least one flexible connecting link that is guided in at least one at least sectionally curved guiding slot of the first bridging element, wherein said at least one flexible connecting link is curved by a curvature of said at least one sectionally curved guiding slot upon being guided in.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 a system comprising a piece of furniture and a home appliance comprising a home appliance device, in a schematic front view,

(2) FIG. 2 the system comprising the piece of furniture and the home appliance comprising the home appliance device, in a schematic front view,

(3) FIG. 3 a bridging unit of the home appliance device in a first assembly position, in a schematic perspective view,

(4) FIG. 4 a first bridging element of the bridging unit in a schematic perspective view,

(5) FIG. 5 a second bridging element of the bridging unit, in a schematic perspective view,

(6) FIG. 6 the bridging unit in a second assembly position, in a schematic perspective view,

(7) FIG. 7 the bridging unit in a third assembly position, in a schematic perspective view and

(8) FIG. 8 the bridging unit in an assembled state, in a schematic perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a system 36 comprising a piece of furniture 16 and a home appliance 34 in a schematic front view. The home appliance 34 is embodied as a home chiller appliance.

(10) In the present embodiment the home appliance 34 is embodied as a refrigerator. The home appliance 34 could further in particular be embodied as a wine cooler, a climate cabinet, an ice-box, a freezer and/or a refrigerator-freezer combination.

(11) The home appliance 34 comprises a home appliance device 10. The home appliance device 10 is embodied as a home chiller appliance device.

(12) In FIG. 1 the home appliance device 10 is shown in an installation position. The home appliance device 10 is installed on a base 38. The base 38 defines a substantially horizontal plane.

(13) The home appliance device 10 comprises an appliance body 14. The appliance body 14 partly defines an appliance housing. The appliance body 14 is installed substantially upright on the base 38. The appliance body 14 is part of the system 36.

(14) The appliance body 14 defines partly a storage space 42. The appliance body 14 comprises walls 44, 46, 48, 50. The walls 44, 46, 48, 50 delimit the storage space 42. The appliance body 14 has two lateral walls 44, preferably opposite each other. The appliance body 14 has a rear wall 46. The appliance body 14 has a bottom wall 48. The appliance body 14 has a top wall 50, preferably opposite the bottom wall 48.

(15) The home appliance device 10 comprises at least one insert 52. In the present case the home appliance device comprises six inserts 52. It is conceivable that the home appliance device may comprise a deviating number of inserts 52 as deemed advantageous by someone skilled in the art. The home appliance device 10 may preferably comprise a combination of different embodiments of inserts 52, for example at least one insert 52 embodied as a shelf and at least one further insert 52 embodied as a bottle holder. For the sake of clarity, in the following only one insert 52 is given a reference numeral and is described in detail. The following description may be transferred to further inserts 52 accordingly.

(16) The home appliance device 10 comprises at least one appliance door 54. In the present case the home appliance device 10 comprises one appliance door 54. The appliance door 54 is connected to the appliance body 14. In a mounted state, the appliance door 54 is rotatably connected to the appliance body 14.

(17) In an installation position, the home appliance device 10 is located underneath the piece of furniture 16. The home appliance 10 comprises a bridging unit 12. The bridging unit 12 bridges a gap between the appliance body 14 and a part of the piece of furniture 16. In an installation position, the bridging unit 12 is located between the appliance body 14 and the part of the piece of furniture 16.

(18) Next to the home appliance device 10, a further piece of furniture 40 is arranged. The further piece of furniture 40 is part of the system 36. In an alternative embodiment the bridging unit 12 may for example bridge a gap between the appliance body 14 and a part of the further piece of furniture 40.

(19) The bridging unit 12 comprises one first bridging element 18 (cf. FIGS. 3 to 8). The first bridging element 18 is made of one piece. In an installation position, the first bridging element 18 is located in contact with the appliance body 14. The first bridging element 18 is mostly made of aluminum.

(20) The bridging unit 12 comprises a second bridging element 20 (cf. FIGS. 3 to 8). The second bridging element 20 is made of one piece. In an installation position, the second bridging element 20 is located in contact with the part of the piece of furniture 16. The second bridging element 20 is mostly made of plastic.

(21) In an assembled state, the second bridging element 20 partly engages into the first bridging element 18. The first bridging element 18 comprises one sectionally curved guiding slot 24. In an assembled state, the second bridging element 20 engages into the sectionally curved guiding slot 24 of the first bridging element 18.

(22) The second bridging element comprises a flexible connecting link 22. The connecting link 22 is guided in the sectionally curved guiding slot 24 of the first bridging element 18.

(23) The curved guiding slot 24 is curved in a direction 26 facing away from a front side of the appliance body 14. In an installation position, the curved guiding slot 24 is curved inwards. The curved guiding slot 24 is curved by substantially about 90.

(24) The first bridging element 18 comprises a substantially vertical guiding slot 28. In an installation position, the vertical guiding slot 28 is substantially vertical to the base 38. The vertical guiding slot 28 is, in an assembly position, located above the curved guiding slot 24.

(25) Before entering the curved guiding slot 24, the connecting link 22 is guided in the vertical guiding slot 28 of the first bridging element 18. Therefore, the connecting link 22 is insertable in the vertical guiding slot 28.

(26) In the present embodiment, the connecting link 22 comprises four projections 30. The connecting link 22 comprises four flexible regions 32. The projections 30 are separated from each other by the flexible regions 32. Two neighboring projections 30 are separated from each other by one of the flexible regions 32.

(27) The first projection 30 of the connecting link 22 is separated from a further link 56 of the second bridging element 20 by one of the flexible regions 32. In an installation position, the further link 56 is located above the connecting link 22. The further link 56 is substantially rigid, in particular compared to the connecting link 22.

(28) When viewed in a viewing direction, the connecting link 22 mostly has a sawtooth-like profile. The further link 56 mostly has a sawtooth-like profile, when viewed in a viewing direction.

(29) In a method for bridging a gap between the appliance body 14 and the part of the piece of furniture 16 using the home appliance device 10, the flexible connecting link 22 of the second bridging element 20 is inserted into the sectionally curved guiding slot 24 of the first bridging element 18.

(30) In a first assembly step, the first bridging element 18 and the second bridging element 20 are positioned with respect to one another. For example, the second bridging element 20 may be located above the first bridging element 18 (cf. FIG. 3).

(31) In the following the case that the second bridging element 20 is moved with respect to the first bridging element 18 is considered. Alternatively and/or additionally the first bridging element 18 may be moved relative to the second bridging element 20.

(32) The second bridging element 20 is moved in a direction towards the first bridging element 18. The connecting link 22 is inserted into the vertical guiding slot 28 (cf. FIG. 6). The second bridging element 20 is moved further in the direction towards the first bridging element 18. The connecting link 22 is inserted into the curved guiding slot 24 (cf. FIG. 7).

(33) The extension by which the connecting link 22 is inserted into the curved guiding slot 24 depends on an extension of the gap between the appliance body 14 and the part of the piece of furniture 16. While the connecting link 22 is inserted into the curved guiding slot 24, the connecting link 22 is bent.

(34) The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: 10 Home appliance device 12 Bridging unit 14 Appliance body 16 Piece of furniture 18 First bridging element 20 Second bridging element 22 Connecting link 24 Curved guiding slot 26 Direction 28 Vertical guiding slot 30 Projection 32 Flexible region 34 Home appliance 36 System 38 Base 40 Further piece of furniture 42 Storage space 44 Wall 46 Wall 48 Wall 50 Wall 52 Insert 54 Appliance door 56 Further link