ADD-ON PIECE FOR FASTENING TO A PANEL ELEMENT
An add-on piece for fastening to a panel element includes a base body, a fastening element, and a guiding element and a mating guiding element which are configured to guide the fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element.
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 102022201501.0, filed Feb. 14, 2022, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an add-on piece for fastening to a panel element, a panel system having such an add-on piece and a cooking appliance having such a panel system.
In the prior art, for example in DE 10 2016 218 807 A1, two systems of panels in the case of cooking appliances are different. These two systems comprise on the one hand a so-called self-supporting switch front and on the other hand a so-called sandwich construction.
The self-supporting switch front has a base part that can consist of different materials, such as for example plastic, aluminum, steel or stainless steel and for example can be brushed, lacquered or polished. Positioning elements and fastening elements are integrated into the base part and said elements are used on the one hand for fastening and positioning the base part to a cooking appliance and on the other hand for fastening and positioning add-on pieces to the base part. The design freedoms in the case of a self-supporting switch front are limited, since on account of design requirements it is not possible for example to attach recessed switch handles. It is complex to assemble conventional add-on pieces on the base part, especially as their fastening is not to be visible and further design elements must be attached so as to cover the fastening. As a result, additional process steps, such as for example welding or adhering are necessary.
The sandwich construction is used in particular in the case of high value appliances having greater design requirements and for the use of recessible switch handles. Said sandwich construction has a panel carrier on which all add-on pieces are mounted and a design element that is fastened to the panel carrier. In the prior art, in other words for example in EP 2 390 403 A1, a wet adhesive is used for fastening to the panel carrier. Conventional add-on pieces are fastened to the panel carrier with the aid of complex fastening elements, such as for example screw connections, setting and bending plates, snap hooks or eyelets. In the publication EP 2650 613 A1, an add-on piece is fastened to the panel carrier by an adhesive. As a result, long drying times and high assembling costs are involved.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide an improved add-on piece for fastening to a panel element.
According to one aspect of the invention, an add-on piece for fastening to a panel element includes a base body, a fastening element, and a guiding element and a mating guiding element which are configured to guide the fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element.
Advantageously, the add-on piece can be pushed against the panel element during the assembling. As a result, the fastening element is moved away from the base body with the aid of the guiding element and the mating guiding element and engages in the panel element. The assembling of the add-on piece includes in this case only one assembling step i.e. pushing the add-on piece against the panel element. As a result, assembling of the add-on piece is simplified and assembling time is reduced when compared e.g. to an adhering process that requires applying the adhesive, precisely positioning the add-on piece on the panel element and holding the add-on piece in this position until the adhesive has hardened.
The configuration of the add-on piece renders it possible by way of example to fasten recessible add-on pieces to the panel element, in particular to a self-supporting switch front under high design requirements. These can be for example that the fastening of the add-on piece to the panel element is not visible or the add-on piece is connected to the panel element in a manner flush with the surface.
To ensure clarity, it is necessary to establish the definition of several important terms and expressions that will be used throughout this disclosure.
The term “panel element” is to be understood in particular to be a self-supporting switch front that has an, in particular single, base part, in particular a re-shaped metal part. The base part can have multiple positioning elements and fastening elements to which all the add-on pieces are fastened. Furthermore, the base part is sufficiently rigid in order to support one or multiple add-on pieces. The panel element can, advantageously, be used as a switch front.
The term “guiding element” is understood in particular to be a guiding rail on which the fastening element is mounted and is displaceable in a linear manner for assembling the add-on piece on the panel element.
The term “mating guiding element” is understood in particular to be a mating element that engages in the guiding rail or encompasses the guiding rail or is mounted in a linear manner on the guiding rail and is displaceable in a linear manner along the guiding rail.
The guiding element and the mating guiding element can have by way of example the same cross section profile, wherein “cross section” refers to a section that is perpendicular to the direction along which the relative movability (in particular displaceability) is provided (also referred to below as the “longitudinal direction”).
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the guiding element and the mating guiding element can be configured to guide in a pre-assembled state of the add-on piece to the base body the fastening element such that the fastening element is blocked in a releasable manner from moving away from the base body. In this way, it is advantageously achieved that the fastening element is already fastened to the base body prior to the actual assembling on the base body and it does not need to be held by a person or a robot during the assembling. As a result, the assembling costs can be reduced.
The term “pre-assembled state” is understood to be a state in which the fastening element is fastened to the base body with the aid of the guiding element and mating guiding element before the add-on piece is assembled on the panel element.
The term “blocked in a releasable manner” is understood in particular to mean a positive locking and/or non-positive locking connection that can be released by way of example in a non-destructive manner. In particular, the releasable connection is provided by an elastic latching connection.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, when the fastening element is engaged with the panel element in an assembled state of the add-on piece, the add-on piece is movable between the pre-assembled state and the assembled state by moving the fastening element away from the base body, with the fastening element being blocked in the assembled state from moving back to the base body. Advantageously, the fastening element can be blocked in a releasable manner from moving back to the base body in the assembled state.
This configuration of the add-on piece renders it possible to assemble the add-on piece on the panel element in only one single assembling step in which the add-on piece is pushed against the panel element. The base body is fixed to the add-on piece by preventing the fastening element moving back to the base body. By virtue of the movement being blocked in a releasable manner, it is possible for the add-on piece to be dismantled from the panel element, for example for repair purposes.
In the “assembled state”, the fastening element engages for example into a rail, a double folded edge or a cut out of the panel element. In the “assembled state”, the add-on piece can be fixed in six degrees of freedom to the fastening element.
The term “blocked in a releasable manner” is likewise here understood in particular to mean a positive-locking and/or non-positive locking connection that can be released by way of example in a non-destructive manner. In particular, the releasable connection is provided by an elastic latching connection. However, the releasability is optional here.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the movement away and/or the movement back of the add-on piece can be a displacement in a straight line. Of course, a “movement away” and/or “movement back” may also occur along a curve. The “movement back” occurs in the opposite direction to “movement away”.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the base body can be moved in an assembling direction towards the panel element for the assembling of the add-on piece so that the fastening element and/or one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element comes into contact with the panel element to cause the fastening element to move away from the base body. As a result, the add-on piece can be assembled on the panel element in a simple manner.
The term “assembling direction” is understood to be a direction in which the add-on piece is assembled on the panel element. The assembling direction is oriented in particular in a perpendicular manner with respect to the main extension plane of the panel element.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the guiding element can be a rail and the mating guiding element can have a profile that encompasses the rail. The rail can advantageously have a T-shaped cross section. The profile can have a C-shaped cross section.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the straight line and/or the rail is inclined with respect to the assembling direction. The incline can be by way of example between 10-80°, advantageously between 30-70°.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the guiding element and the mating guiding element can latch in a releasable manner with one another for releasably blocking the movement away and/or blocking the movement back or one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element can latch in a releasable manner with a further element. As a result, it is advantageously possible to achieve that the fastening element can be releasably locked with respect to the base body in the pre-assembled and/or assembled state, as described above.
Latchability can be provided for example by latching protrusions or protruding sections, which engage in receiving elements, such as for example mating latches, cut-outs, notches, or holes. An elastic embodiment of the latching protrusions or of the protruding sections renders it possible for the guiding element and mating guiding element to be released again.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, at least one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element can be fastened to the base body via a wedge.
The wedge can be inclined with respect to the assembling direction. The guiding element and the mating guiding element are preferably fastened to a surface (inclined surface) of the wedge that is facing away from the base body.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element and/or the wedge can be formed as one piece with the base body and/or the respective other one of the guiding element and mating guiding element can be formed as one piece with the fastening element. A one piece embodiment eliminates the need for further assembling steps for fastening the guiding element and the mating guiding element and/or the wedge to the base body.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the fastening element can include a first fastening element which is guided by the guiding element and mating guiding element with respect to the base body, and a second fastening element, with the first and second fastening elements being arranged on opposite sides of the base body. The add-on piece further includes a further guiding element and a further mating guiding element configured to guide the second fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the second fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element, with the first and second fastening elements moving away from the base body in opposite directions.
As a result, it is advantageously achieved that the first and second fastening elements can be brought into engagement simultaneously with the panel element using only one assembling step. Furthermore, the use of two fastening elements renders possible a secure fastening in six degrees of freedom.
The first fastening element can come into engagement by way of example with a rail or a double folded edge of the panel element. The second fastening element can come into engagement by way of example with one or multiple cut-outs that are arranged on a single folded edge of the panel element.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the base body can be formed from two half shells that are connected to one another. A design of the base body from two half shells renders it possible in a simple manner to produce the base body from two injection molded parts. The half shells can be clipped together via latching protrusions, which are arranged on the one half shell, and mating latches which are arranged on the other half shell.
According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the base body can have a display facility, in particular a display, an operating element, in particular a switch or a switch receptacle, by way of example a receptacle for a recessible rotary knob, a positioning facility for positioning the panel element with respect to a carcass of the cooking appliance, a communication facility, in particular a WLAN module, a loud speaker facility and/or other fastenings to the appliance, in particular a steam hinge.
Furthermore, the at least one add-on piece can be a steam module or a steam hinge. These facilities are advantageously provided when the cooking appliance includes an apparatus for generating steam for the cooking process. The steam module comprises in particular a controller for the above mentioned apparatus. The steam hinge is a hinge for this apparatus.
According to another aspect of the invention, a panel system includes a panel element and an add-on piece, wherein the add-on piece can be fastened or is fastened to the panel element through engagement of the fastening element of the add-on piece in the panel element.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a cooking appliance, in particular a cooker or baking oven, includes a panel system as described above. In this case, the panel system is assembled on an appliance carcass.
Further possible implementations of the invention include also combinations, which are not explicitly mentioned, of features or embodiments that have been previously described or are to be described below with respect to the exemplary embodiments. In this case, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the invention.
Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the subordinate claims and of the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. Furthermore, the invention is explained in detail with the aid of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures.
Like or like-functioning elements are provided with the same reference characters in the figures unless otherwise stipulated.
The cooking appliance 1 comprises on the front side a door 5. The door 5 can be opened in order to reveal access to a cooking compartment in the interior of the cooking appliance 1. The panel element 4 of the panel system 2 is arranged above the door 5. Moreover, the panel system 2 has by way of example two recessible rotary knobs 6. The rotary knobs 6 can be moved between a first and a second position respectively. In the first position, as illustrated in
A first connecting element 12 and a second connecting element 13 are provided on the panel element 4. In this case, the first connecting element 12 is configured in accordance with the exemplary embodiment as a rail. The rail 12 is produced by a double folded edge of the metal plate from which the panel element 4 is manufactured. The metal plate can be by way of example a steel or stainless steel metal plate. As an alternative, the panel element 4 can also be manufactured from plastic. In this case, the panel element 4 is produced as an injection molded part together with the double folded edge. The rail 12 extends along an upper longitudinal side 14 of the panel element 4, said upper longitudinal side being provided in the vertical direction H.
Moreover, the panel element 4 comprises a single folded edge 15 which in relation to the vertical direction H extends along the upper longitudinal side 16 of the panel element 4. The single folded edge 15 is manufactured in the same manner as the double folded edge as one piece with the panel element 4. In a similar manner to the double folded edge, the single folded edge 15 is likewise produced from the metal blank that is used for manufacturing the panel element 4 (or injection molding), and especially by being bent out of the main extension plane E. Whereas the single folded edge 15 extends in a perpendicular manner to the main extension plane E, the double folded edge or rail 12 comprises two sections 17, 18. The first section 17 extends likewise in a perpendicular manner with respect to the main extension plane E. The section 18, which is in turn folded over with respect to the section 17, extends in a plane parallel to the main extension plane E.
The second connecting element 13 is configured in the form of multiple cut-outs in the single fold edge 15. The shape of the cut-outs can be by way of example circular, square, rectangular, round, oval or in any other shape.
Furthermore,
In order to fix the panel element 4 in the width direction B to the carcass 3 (cf.
Furthermore,
The rail 31 is formed as one piece with the first housing part 25. The mating guiding element 34 is formed as one piece with the first fastening element 27. The rail 31 can be formed by way of example in lieu of the mating guiding element 34 as one piece with the first fastening element 27. The mating guiding element 34 can be formed by way of example in lieu of the rail 31 as one piece with the first housing part 25.
The guiding element 36 is inclined at the same angle as the inclined section 37 with respect to the assembling direction M. Furthermore, the inclined section 37 has two cut-outs 38a, 38b. The shape of the cut-outs 38a, 38b can be by way of example circular, square, rectangular, round, oval or in another shape.
The profile of the mating guiding element 39 corresponds in this case to the profile of the guiding element 36. The mating guiding element 39 can by way of example also be arranged in lieu of the guiding element 36 on the surface of the inclined section 37 that is facing away from the base body 24. The guiding element 36 can be arranged for this purpose by way of example in lieu of the mating guiding element 39 on the second fastening element 28. The mating guiding element 39 and the guiding element 36 can also have other profiles, by way of example the mating guiding element 39 can encompass the guiding element 36 inside and/or outside. The guiding element 36 can by way of example also encompass the mating guiding element 34 inside and/or outside.
The guiding element 36 is formed as one piece with the second housing part 26. The mating guiding element 39 is formed as one piece with the second fastening element 28. The guiding element 36 can be formed in an alternative embodiment by way of example in lieu of the mating guiding element 39 as one piece with the second fastening element 28. The mating guiding element 39 can be formed by way of example in lieu of the guiding element 36 as one piece with the second housing part 26. The side of the second fastening element 28 that is remote from the mating guiding element 39 has two latching protrusions 40.
Prior to the switch receptacle 23 being mounted on the panel element 4, the first and the second fastening element 27, 28 are attached to the base body 24 in a pre-assembled state which is described below. The first fastening element 27 is pushed onto the rail 31 so far until the latching protrusion 35 latches in the cut-out 33a that is arranged in the assembling direction M closer to the panel element 4. If the latching protrusion 35 latches in the cut-out 33a, the first fastening element 27 is located in a first position with respect to the base body 24. The latching protrusion 35 latches in a releasable manner in the cut-out 33a in such a manner that it is only possible for the first fastening element 27 to move away from the base body 24 in the guiding direction F. In contrast, a movement back of the first fastening element 27 in the opposite direction to the guiding direction F is blocked.
In a similar manner thereto, the second fastening element 28 is pushed onto the guiding element 36. If the latching protrusion 41 latches in the cut-out 38a, which is arranged closer to the panel element 4 in the assembling direction M, the second fastening element 28 is located in a first position with respect to the base body 24. The latching protrusion 41 latches in a releasable manner in the cut-out 38a in such a manner that the second fastening element 28 can only move away from the base body 24 in the guiding direction F. In contrast, a movement back of the second fastening element 28 in the opposite direction to the guiding direction F is blocked. As a result, the first and second fastening element 27, 28 are prevented from falling off the base body 24, in particular during the assembling. Furthermore, it is not necessary for the first and second fastening element 27, 28 to be held by a worker or robot during the assembling. As a result, the assembling of the switch receptacle 23 is simplified.
Starting from the pre-assembled state,
After the first and second fastening element 27, 28 come into contact with the panel element 4 (cf.
The inclined section 37 protrudes beyond the second fastening element 28, as is illustrated in
In a further embodiment, in lieu of the wedge 32, an inclined section (not illustrated) is arranged, which is configured in an elastic bendable manner so that as said inclined section is being bent towards the base body 24 the latching protrusion 35 of the first fastening element 27 becomes disengaged from the cut-out 33b. As a result, the latching protrusions 35 and 41 can be simultaneously released from the cut-outs 33b 38b and the first and second fastening element 27, 28 can be simultaneously dismantled.
Advantageously, the connecting elements 12, 13 described here and the first and second fastening element 27, 28 are all arranged on the rear side 11 of the panel element 4 so that these are not visible to the user who is operating the cooking appliance 1 in the proper manner. In addition, as is apparent in
Fundamentally, the assembling described here of the switch receptacle 23 and the pre-assembling of the first and second fastening element 27, 28 on the add-on piece 23 can be performed manually or automatically. In lieu of or in addition to the connecting elements 12, 13 described here and the first and second fastening element 27, 28, it is also possible to use non-releasable types of connections, for example clinching.
In the present description, the add-on piece is described using the example of a switch receptacle 23. Further add-on pieces can be a WLAN module, a sound module, a display 10 or the like.
Although the present invention has been described with the aid of exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in numerous ways.
Claims
1. An add-on piece for fastening to a panel element, said add-on piece comprising:
- a base body;
- a fastening element; and
- a guiding element and a mating guiding element which are configured to guide the fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element.
2. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the guiding element and the mating guiding element are configured to guide in a pre-assembled state of the add-on piece the fastening element such that the fastening element is blocked in a releasable manner from moving away from the base body.
3. The add-on piece of claim 2, wherein, when the fastening element is engaged with the panel element in an assembled state of the add-on piece, the add-on piece is movable between the pre-assembled state and the assembled state by moving the fastening element away from the base body, with the fastening element being blocked in the assembled state from moving back to the base body.
4. The add-on piece of claim 3, wherein in the assembled state the fastening element is blocked in a releasable manner from moving back to the base body.
5. The add-on piece of claim 3, wherein the fastening element is displaced in a straight line, when moving away from the base body and/or moving back to the base body.
6. The add-on piece of claim 5, wherein the straight line is inclined with respect to an assembling direction.
7. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the base body is movable in an assembling direction towards the panel element for assembling the add-on piece so that the fastening element and/or one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element comes into contact with the panel element to cause the fastening element to move away from the base body.
8. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the guiding element is a rail and the mating guiding element has a profile that encompasses the rail.
9. The add-on piece of claim 8, wherein the rail is inclined with respect to an assembling direction.
10. The add-on piece of claim 3, wherein the guiding element and the mating guiding element are configured in one of two ways, a first way in which the guiding element and the mating guiding element latch in a releasable manner with one another for releasably blocking the fastening element to move away and/or block the fastening from moving back, a second way in which the guiding element and the mating guiding element latch in a releasable manner with a further element.
11. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element is fastened to the base body via a wedge.
12. The add-on piece of claim 11, wherein one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element and/or the wedge is formed as one piece with the base body and/or the other one of the guiding element and the mating guiding element is formed as one piece with the fastening element.
13. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the fastening element comprises a first fastening element which is guided by the guiding element and mating guiding element with respect to the base body, and a second fastening element, with the first and second fastening elements being arranged on opposite sides of the base body, and further comprising a further guiding element and a further mating guiding element configured to guide the second fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the second fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element, with the first and second fastening elements moving away from the base body in opposite directions.
14. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the base body is formed from two half shells that are connected to one another.
15. The add-on piece of claim 1, wherein the base body comprises a display facility in particular a display, an operating element, in particular a switch or a switch receptacle, a receptacle for a recessible rotary knob, a positioning facility for positioning the panel element with respect to a carcass of the cooking appliance, a communication facility, in particular a WLAN module, a loud speaker facility and/or other fastenings to the appliance, in particular a steam hinge.
16. A panel system, comprising:
- a panel element; and
- an add-on piece comprising a base body, a fastening element, and a guiding element and a mating guiding element which are configured to guide the fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element.
17. The panel system of claim 16, and further comprising a rotary knob, said add-on piece configured as a switch receptacle for receiving the rotary knob.
18. A cooking appliance, comprising a panel system, said panel system comprising a panel element, and an add-on piece which comprises a base body, a fastening element, and a guiding element and a mating guiding element which are configured to guide the fastening element with respect to the base body such that during assembling of the add-on piece on the panel element, the fastening element moves away from the base body and comes into engagement with the panel element for fastening the add-on piece to the panel element.
19. The cooking appliance of claim 18, constructed in a form of a cooker or baking oven.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 24, 2023
Publication Date: May 25, 2023
Inventor: Iris Costenoble (Waging a. See)
Application Number: 18/100,603