Built-in kitchen appliance

Abstract

A built-in appliance designed for being embedded in a furniture cabinet ( 110 ) having a furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) swiveling about an axis, the appliance comprising an appliance cabinet ( 105 ) and an appliance door ( 150 ) swiveling about an axis parallel to the swiveling axis of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ). A coupling member ( 210 ) is provided for mechanically coupling the appliance door ( 150 ) to the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) such that opening of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) causes the appliance door ( 150 ) to be opened, and closing of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) causes the appliance door ( 150 ) to close, the coupling member comprising a flexible central portion ( 401 ) and a first and a second opposite lateral portions ( 402, 403 ) and being configured to be attached to the outside of the appliance door ( 150 ) along the first lateral portion ( 402 ), and to the inside of the furniture cabinet door ( 150 ) along the second lateral portion ( 403 ).

1 . A built-in appliance designed for being embedded in a furniture cabinet ( 110 ) having a furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) swiveling about an axis, the appliance comprising an appliance cabinet ( 105 ) and an appliance door ( 150 ) swiveling about an axis parallel to the swiveling axis of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ), characterized by comprising a coupling member ( 210 ) for mechanically coupling the appliance door ( 150 ) to the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) such that opening of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) causes the appliance door ( 150 ) to be opened, and closing of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) causes the appliance door ( 150 ) to close, the coupling member comprising a flexible central portion ( 401 ) and a first and a second opposite lateral portions ( 402 ,  403 ) and being configured to be attached to the outside of the appliance door ( 150 ) along the first lateral portion ( 402 ), and to the inside of the furniture cabinet door ( 150 ) along the second lateral portion ( 403 ). 
     
     
         2 . The built-in appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible central portion ( 401 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) is made of silicon, rubber or felt. 
     
     
         3 . The built-in appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first and a second opposite lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) are more rigid than the flexible central portion ( 401 ). 
     
     
         4 . The built-in appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible central portion ( 401 ) is formed by a flexible body ( 434 ) and the first and second opposite lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) are totally formed by rigid members ( 435 ), attached or fixed to lateral sides of the flexible body ( 434 ). 
     
     
         5 . The built-in appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the rigid members ( 435 ) extend along the two opposite longer sides ( 405 ) of the flexible body ( 434 ). 
     
     
         6 . The built-in appliance of  claim 3 , wherein both the central portion ( 401 ) and the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) are formed by a flexible body ( 434 ), and wherein the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) have rigid members ( 435 ) embedded in the flexible body ( 434 ), such embedded rigid members ( 435 ) defining reinforcing parts for locally reinforcing the coupling member ( 210 ). 
     
     
         7 . The built-in appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the rigid members ( 435 ) extend along two opposite longer sides ( 405 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ). 
     
     
         8 . The built-in appliance of  claim 6  or  7 , wherein the coupling member ( 210 ) is fabricated by moulding of material, preferably injection moulding, over-moulded on the rigid members ( 435 ). 
     
     
         9 . The built-in appliance of  claim 3 , wherein both the central portion ( 401 ) and the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) are formed by a flexible body ( 434 ), and wherein the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) further comprise U-shaped rigid members ( 435 ) enclosing the first and second lateral portions of the flexible body ( 434 ). 
     
     
         10 . The built-in appliance of  claim 9 , wherein edges of the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) fit by interference into the U-shaped rigid members ( 435 ). 
     
     
         11 . The built-in appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the coupling member ( 210 ) is made of a single flexible body ( 434 ) and wherein the central portion ( 401 ) thereof is loaded with a substance adapted to provide more flexibility to the material of the flexible body, thereby the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) are more rigid than the central portion ( 401 ) of the coupling member ( 201 ). 
     
     
         12 . The built-in appliance of  claim 1 , wherein both the central portion ( 401 ) and the lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) have a height in the range from 10 cm to 60 cm, preferably 15-30 cm, a length in the range from 50 cm to 70 cm and a thickness in the range from 0.5 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The built-in appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) is attached on or close to a lateral free edge of the refrigerator door ( 150 ), preferably around the edge between a front surface ( 215 ) of the refrigerator door ( 150 ) and a side ( 220 ) of the refrigerator door ( 150 ), and the opposite lateral portion ( 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) is attached to an inner side of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) in a position where it does not overlap with the lateral portion ( 402 ) attached to the refrigerator door when the two doors are closed. 
     
     
         14 . The built-in appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second lateral portions ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) is attached to an inner side of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ) in a position close to a lateral free edge of the furniture cabinet door ( 125 ), where it partially or totally overlaps with the opposite lateral portion ( 402 , 403 ) of the coupling member ( 210 ) when the two doors are closed.