DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a deployable kitchen system, configured for assuming a minimal encumbrance configuration when not in use in order to save space.

Background of the invention

Nowadays, there is a tendency to exploit space in an intensive way, so often houses are smaller compared to the houses of the past. As a consequence of this, the space available for the various home environments has been reduced more and more.

This problem is particularly felt for the kitchen environment, as it is the busiest house room during the day. Furthermore, the kitchen is to be equipped with a lot of furniture items and appliances, which take a lot of space.

Furthermore, where there is not enough space in the house, often one single room is used as both kitchen and living environment. In this case, a further problem - in addition to the lack of space - is to have kitchen appliances at sight when the room is used as living.

Summary of the invention

The technical problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of providing a kitchen system configured for solving the drawbacks above mentioned with reference to the prior art.

The problem is solved by a deployable kitchen system according to claim 1 .

Preferred features of the invention are recited in the dependent claims.

The deployable system according to the present invention is aimed at providing a kitchen apt to receive kitchen furniture items and appliances, which is configured for transforming from a minimal encumbrance configuration to a maximum encumbrance configuration.

When not in use, the deployable kitchen system assumes the configuration of minimal encumbrance (rest configuration) in order to save space, which is substantially a compact configuration.

In particular, the kitchen system comprises a main back wall module and at least one operative, lateral module. The lateral module is configured to house furniture or appliance items, and to this purpose is provided with means for energy supplying such items.

According to a preferred embodiment, the system comprises two lateral modules or "wings", which can be selectively deployed and retracted, even independently from each other. According to the rest configuration, the lateral wing(s) is(are) retracted, in particular in abutment on the back wall module.

The actuation of the wings is preferably automated, and can be controlled by remote electronic devices.

Advantageously, according to a preferred aspect of the invention, furniture items and appliances received therein are hidden at sight when the kitchen system is in the minimal encumbrance configuration. To this aim, a preferred embodiment of the system comprises an upper covering portion which can be actuated for realizing a totally hidden configuration of the kitchen system.

When is to be used, the system can be activated for passing to a deployed configuration; in particular, the activation is performed by automated means which deploys the lateral wing(s) and, if present, retracts the upper covering portion. Further advantages achieved by means of preferred embodiments of the claimed invention are described in the following.

Brief description of the drawings

Reference will be made to the Figures of the annexed drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a top view of a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of a kitchen system according to the present invention in a deployed configuration;

- Figure 2 shows a front view of the kitchen system of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 shows a side view of the kitchen system of Figure 1 ;

- Figures 4A to 4H show a sequence of prospective views of the system of Figure 1 passing from a minimal encumbrance configuration to a maximum encumbrance configuration;

Figure 5 shows a front prospective view of the kitchen system of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 6 shows a top prospective view of the kitchen system of Figure 1 .

The above-mentioned Figures are to be meant exclusively by way of example and not for limitative purposes.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to Figure 1 , a deployable kitchen system configured for receiving kitchen furniture items and appliances 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is globally denoted by 10.

The deployable kitchen system 10 is configured for passing from a minimal encumbrance configuration, or rest configuration, to a deployed configuration of maximum encumbrance. More specifically, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at said minimal encumbrance configuration the kitchen furniture items and appliances are hidden, allowing saving of space when the kitchen is not in use, whereas at said maximum encumbrance configuration the items and appliances are accessible to the user.

The kitchen system 10 comprises a main back wall module 2 and at least one lateral operative module 3 or "wing" connected thereto, which can be selectively deployed and retracted in order to realize said maximum and minimal encumbrance configuration, respectively. The lateral operative module 3 is preferably arranged laterally with respect to the back wall module 2.

The back wall module 2 is configured to be abutted onto a vertical wall of an environment hosting the deployable kitchen system. As shown in Figure 2, the back wall module 2 presents an overall wall configuration, having a first direction of main development H, horizontal in use, and a second direction of main development V, vertical in use, that is orthogonal with respect to the floor of the hosting environment. In particular, direction V is substantially orthogonal to direction H.

The back wall module 2 is configured for housing, preferably at dedicated seats, one or more kitchen items, in particular a sink, a waste compactor, a composter, a UVA washing system and /or a wok cooking system.

With reference to Figure 3, the lateral operative module 3 is configured for housing electrically-powered kitchen apparatuses 1000, and has an operative direction of main development L.

The lateral module 3 is connected to said back wall module 2 by rotary connection means 41 , arranged at terminal lateral portion thereof. The first rotary connection means 41 comprises a hinge 40 having a rotation axis A parallel to the second direction of main development V.

By means of said rotary connection means 41 , the lateral module 3 is rotatable between a minimal encumbrance configuration and a deployed configuration.

In the minimal encumbrance configuration of the deployable kitchen system 10 the lateral module 3 is drawn close to said back wall module 2, with direction L substantially parallel to direction H.

In such configuration the lateral module 3 is retracted, in particular in abutment on the back wall module 2. Preferably, the back wall module 2 comprises for each lateral module 3 a respective seat 7 shaped for matching with an internal surface 6 of said lateral module 3.

In the deployed configuration, the lateral module 3 is rotated at an angle with respect to said back wall module 2. In particular, the lateral module 3 is rotated at an angle of about 90° with respect to the back wall module 2 in the deployed configuration, that is direction L being orthogonal to direction H and direction V, as shown in the example view of Figure 1.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lateral module 3 is configured for housing electronic appliances 1000, such as an extractable smoke suction hood. Preferably, said lateral module 3 is configured to further house an oven, a dishwasher, a cooking plate and/or a plate for infrared cooking. Furthermore, the lateral module can present a planar bearing surface to have a meal thereon. Preferably, the system 10 comprises electrical power supply means 5, apt to connect to an external electrical power source and configured to power the electrically-powered kitchen apparatuses 1000 housed in the lateral module 3.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the attached Figures, the kitchen system 10 comprises two lateral modules 3, in particular opposite to each other with respect to said back wall module 2. With reference again to Figure 1 , the kitchen system 10 in top view is substantially U-shaped at the deployed configuration, the lateral modules 3 being the U arms.

According to the preferred embodiment herein described, the kitchen system 10 can further comprise a retractable upper covering portion 9 of the back wall module 2, as shown in Figure 3.

The upper covering portion 9 is preferably connected at the top of the back wall module 2 by means of second rotary connection means 42, the configuration being such that the upper covering portion 9 respectively retracts and deploys by rotating with respect to said back wall module 2.

In particular, the second rotary connection means 42 comprises a hinge 40 having at least a rotation axis B parallel to said first direction of main development H and preferably orthogonal to the second direction of main development V or to the rotation axis A of rotary connection means 41 between the operative module 3 and the back wall module 2.

The kitchen system 10 is configured to realize a totally hidden configuration (Figure 4A) when the upper covering portion 9 is in a deployed configuration and the lateral modules 3 are in the minimum encumbrance configuration, and to realize an open configuration when the upper covering portion 9 is in a retracted configuration and the lateral modules 3 are in a deployed configuration (Figure 6).

In particular, the upper covering portion 9 comprises a plurality of sub-portions 90 substantially laminar shaped and arranged according to a bellow configuration. In order to realize the retracted configuration, preferably the sub- portions 90 are packed in a minimum encumbrance configuration at the top of the back wall module 2.

When in the deployed configuration, the upper covering portion 9 has a substantially planar configuration, presenting two directions of main development corresponding to the first and second direction of main development H, V (Figure 5). In particular, starting from the deployed configuration, the covering portion 9 is retractable according to the second direction of main development V.

At said totally hidden configuration shown in Figure 4A, a first external surface 16 of the lateral module 3 is arranged to be coplanar to an external surface 99 of said upper covering portion 9. The configuration is such that the first and second external surfaces 16, 99 realize a substantially continuous external surface 900 covering the back wall module 2 and having two directions of main development corresponding to the first and second direction of main development H, V of the back wall module 2.

The passage from the minimum encumbrance (totally hidden configuration) to the deployed (open configuration) is shown in the sequence of Figures 4A to 4H.

The actuation of the modules 3 and/or the upper covering portion 9 is preferably automated, and can be controlled by remote electronic devices, as will be described in the following.

In particular, whit reference to Figure 3, the system 10 comprises automated moving means 8 of the first and/or second rotary connection means 41 , 42 and a control unit 78 of said automated moving means 8. Preferably, the control unit 78 is configured an programmed for adjusting the rotation of each of the lateral modules 3 and/or the upper covering portion 9 independently of each other.

Furthermore, the system can comprise presence detection means arranged at said lateral module 3, denoted by 101 in Figure 1 . The presence detection means 101 is connected to the central unit 78, in order to implement the movement of the lateral modules 3 safely for the user. In fact, if the presence detection means detects an obstacle, the control unit interrupts actuation of the moving means 8.

In particular, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the moving means 8 comprises double belt electric drive with electronic control stabilizer and relative safety equipment, and/or electronic locking system.

The moving means 8 can further comprise a carrying system of the lateral operative module 3 with an extruded self-supporting aluminum wall profile system. The moving means 8 preferably comprises electronically-controlled motorized rotary plate and relative safety equipment, electronic locking system, end-stroke and electrified joint. Further, it can comprises carrier system with self-supporting extruded aluminum extruded profile system fixed to the floor and wall. Preferably, the composition can be completed with adjacent modular columns.

In order to allow a remote control of the kitchen configuration by a user for application in the field of home automation or domotics, the control unit 78 is connectable to remote electronic devices, e.g. a smart phone or a personal computer, preferably by the Internet network. The present invention has been described so far with reference to preferred embodiments, which are intended to be combined if compatible. It is intended that there may be other embodiments which refer to the same inventive concept and fall within the scope of the appended claims.