KITCHEN FURNITURE

[0001] The present invention relates to a kitchen furniture where a cooktop is placed on the counter thereof.

[0002] In kitchen furnitures the cooktop can be placed by opening a housing on the counter. The user prefers the cooktop embedded in the housing because the cooktop does not have the problem of sliding on the counter and the problem of dirt accumulation between the counter and the cooktop. However, the cooktop occupies space on the counter

unnecessarily when not in use and decreases the usable area of the counter for the user. At the same time, the top surface of the counter gets dirty being always open and cleaning the dust and dirt collected on the sides of particularly the heaters becomes difficult. In the state of the art covers are provided that are closed over the cooktop. However, these covers, since closed over the cooktop, occupy space by forming a protrusion over the area occupied by the cooktop on the counter. This results in the user not being satisfied with the kitchen furniture.

[0003] The kitchen furniture realized in order to attain the aim of the present

invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a cooktop disposed in a housing opened on the counter and a movement mechanism that moves the cooktop towards inside of the housing by being actuated when the cooktop is not be used. The kitchen furniture furthermore comprises a cover that is placed in a chamber disposed under the counter in the first position. The movement mechanism brings the cover over the cooktop in the second position after the cooktop is placed under the housing. Thus, the cooktop is moved downwards when not in use and the cover conceals the cooktop thereunder by being changed from the first position to the second position.

[0004] When the movement mechanism is actuated again, the cover is provided to change to the first position by going into the chamber and the cooktop to be usable by rising up.

[0005] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism is energized by at least one button disposed on the counter and controlled by the user.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism has a threaded path on the side of the cooktop, at least one shaft suitable for moving in the threaded path, at least one gear providing the shaft to rotate and move the cooktop in the vertical direction and a first motor that energizes the gear. Thus, when the movement mechanism is actuated, the motor rotates the gear and the gear rotates the shaft thereby providing the cooktop to move as the shaft rotates in the threaded path.

[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism

comprises a toothed rack on the lower surface of the cover, a gear providing the cover to move between the first position and the second position by pushing the toothed rack in the horizontal direction and a second motor that energizes the gear.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first motor is operated a little after the cover is changed to the second position. Thus, the cooktop is provided to rise up and to raise the cover also and the cover to become the same level with the counter.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one protrusion shaped stopper is disposed on the sides of the cover. While the cover is in the second position and being raised upwards, the stopper impacts the lower surface of the counter and prevents the cover from projecting outwards from the counter.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, two shafts are disposed on two sides of the cooktop. Two gears are situated at the lower sides of the shafts. The movement mechanism comprises a belt between two gears so that the other gear also rotates simultaneously while the gear actuated by the first motor is rotating. Consequently, when the first motor is actuated, the gears rotate simultaneously and the shafts provide the cooktop to be moved from both sides simultaneously in the vertical direction.

[001 1] By means of the movement mechanism of the present invention, the

cooktop is placed into the housing and is covered by the cover. Thus, the cooktop can be concealed under the cover when not in use and the cover can be used as the continuation of the counter.

[0012] A kitchen furniture realized in order to attain the aim of the present

invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0013] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a kitchen furniture when the cooktop is in the first position.

[0014] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the movement mechanism in an

embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of a kitchen furniture when the cooktop is in the second position.

[0016] Figure 4 - is the schematic view of the cover when in the second position..

[0017] Figure 5 - is the view of detail A in Figure 1.

[0018] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Kitchen furniture

2. Counter

3. Housing

4. Opening

5. Chamber

6. Cover

7. Movement mechanism

8. Button

9. First motor

10. , 1 10., 210. Gear

1 1. Threaded path

12. , 1 12. Shaft

13. Second motor

14. Toothed rack

15. Stopper

16. Belt

[0019] A kitchen furniture (1) comprises a counter (2), a housing (3) disposed on the counter (2) suitable for placing the cooktop (c) therein, an opening (4) providing access into the housing (3), a chamber (5) disposed under the counter (2) and near the housing (3), a cover (6) that is inside the chamber (5) in the first position and that closes the opening (4) by coming over the housing (3) in the second position and a movement mechanism (7) that moves the cover (6) between the first and second position and moves the cooktop (c) upwards and downwards inside the housing (3).

[0020] The cooktop (c) is placed inside the housing (3) which is disposed on the counter (2). When the cooktop (c) is at the upper side of the housing (3) food can be cooked thereon (Figure 1 ). In the meantime, the cover (6) is inside the chamber (5) in the first position. When the cooktop (c) is not in use, the cooktop (c) is moved in the downward direction by actuation of the movement mechanism (7) and goes down into the housing (3) (Figure 2). The opening (4) is situated at the upper side of the cooktop (c) that comes to a level lower that the counter (2) inside the housing (3). The cover (6) closes the opening (4) by being changed to the second position by the movement mechanism (7) (Figure 3). Thus, the cooktop (c) seats inside the housing (3) such as to be accessible by the user when the cooktop (c) will be used, goes into the housing (3) and is concealed under the cover (6) that is brought over the housing (3) when not in use. Thus, the cooktop (c) is protected from external factors when not in use and is prevented from getting dirty.

[0021] When the cooktop (c) is desired to be used while the cover (6) is in the second position, the movement mechanism (7) is actuated again, changing the cover (6) to the first position and afterwards moves the cooktop (c) upwards to be available for use.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the kitchen furniture (1)

comprises at least one button (8) disposed on the counter (2), providing energy to be supplied to the movement mechanism (7) by being actuated by the user (Figures 1 , 2, 3 and 5).

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooktop (c) moves

downwards inside the housing (3) when the user presses the button (8) once and when pressed the second time, the cover (6) changes to the second position. When the user presses the button (8) again while the cover (6) is in the second position, the cover (6) changes to the first position and the cooktop (c) rises upwards upon pressing the second time.

[0024] In another embodiment of the present invention, the consecutive movements of the cooktop (c) and the cover (6) are realized by pressing the button (8) once. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the kitchen furniture (1 ) comprises separate buttons (8) for the movements of the cooktop (c) and the cover (6).

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism (7) comprises at least one first motor (9), a gear (10) that rotates when the first motor (9) is operated, the threaded path (1 1 ) disposed on at least one side of the cooktop (c), at least one screw shaped shaft (12, 1 12), one end installed to the gear (10) so as to rotate together with the gear (10), the other end installed rotatably to the threaded path (1 1), and that moves the cooktop (c) in the vertical direction by rotating together with the gear (10) (Figure 5). When the user presses the button (8), the first motor (9) is energized and rotates the gear (10). The shaft (12) rotated in the clockwise direction by the gear (10) provides the cooktop (c), whereto the shaft (12) is installed like a screw, to move in the downward direction. When the cooktop (c) is desired to be changed to the initial position, the first motor (9) rotates in the reverse direction by being energized and provides the cooktop (c) to rise up on the shaft (12) by providing the shaft (12) to rotate counterclockwise.

[0026] The movement mechanism (7) furthermore comprises at least a second motor (13), a gear (1 10) that rotates by operation of the second motor (13) and a toothed rack (14) disposed on the lower surface of the cover (6), that moves the cover (6) in the horizontal direction between the first position and the second position by being actuated by the gear (1 10) (Figures 4 and 5). When the cooktop (c) is on the base of the housing (3), the gear (1 10) starts to rotate by the second motor (13) being energized. The toothed rack (14) moves in the horizontal direction by being actuated with the gear (1 10) and provides the cover (6) ,whereto it is fastened, to change to the second position. Thus, the cover (6) closes over the cooktop (c) and increases safety by protecting the heaters from external factors and also prevents access of children to the heaters.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism (7) actuates the first motor (9) while the cover (6) is in the second position, providing the cooktop (c) to rise upwards some amount, the cover (6) to push from below and the cover (6) to come to the same level with the counter (2) by rising up (Figure 4). The cover (6) that is in the first position when the cooktop (c) is not in use, changes to the second position by moving in the horizontal direction as the second motor (13) is actuated. However, the cover (6) stays below the counter (2) level when in this position. Therefore, the first motor (9) is energized again thereby providing the cooktop (c) to rise up and to push the cover (6) from below for bringing to the same level with the counter (2). Thus, the cover (6) is provided to entirely fill in the opening (4) evacuated by the cooktop (c) and the upper surface thereof to be aligned with the counter (2). When the cover (6) is desired to be changed to the first position again, the cooktop (c) is lowered by energizing the first motor (9), the cover (6) aligns with the chamber (5) and the toothed rack (14) is seated on the gear (1 10). Thus, the cover (6) comes to the position of entering the chamber (5) by the second motor (13) being energized.

[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cover (6) comprises at least one stopper (15), extending sideways from the edge thereof and getting caught to the lower side of the counter (2) while rising up together with the cooktop (c) and preventing the cover (6) from going out of the opening (4) (Figure 4). While the cooktop (c) pushes the cover (6) from below, the stopper (15) impacts the counter (2) when the cover (6) comes to the same level with the counter (2). Consequently, the first motor (9) ejecting the cover (6) from the opening (4) by operating more and the cover (6) being at a higher level than the counter (2) is prevented.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the movement mechanism (7) comprises two shafts (12, 1 12) on two sides of the cooktop (c), a second gear (210) disposed at the end of the shaft (1 12) away from the first motor (9) and at least one belt (16) that transmits the rotational movement of the gear (10) actuated by the first motor (9) to the other gear (210) (Figures 4 and 5). The gears (10, 210) that rotate the shafts (12, 1 12) are fastened to each other by the belt (16) so that the shafts (12, 1 12) disposed at the threaded paths (1 1 , 1 1 1 ) on two sides of the cooktop (c) rotate simultaneously. Thus, when the first motor (9) is energized, the shafts (12, 1 12) move the cooktop (c) from both sides in the vertical direction in a balanced manner.

[0030] By means of the movement mechanism (7) of the present invention, the cooktop (c) is moved downwards in the opening (4) when not in use and the cover (6) inside the chamber (5) is provided to be closed over the cooktop (c). The cover (6) closing over the opening (4) can be used as the counter (2). Thus, the cooktop (c) is concealed under the counter (2) when in the passive position and the usable area of the counter (2) is

broadened.

[0031] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the

embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.