A piece of furniture in which a washing machine can be positioned.

Abstract

piece of furniture (1) into which a washing machine can be placed, at least comprehensively: two essentially vertical side walls (3), a substantially horizontal floor wall (4), a substantially horizontal ceiling wall (5), and a substantially horizontal support (6) which is arranged between the floor wall (4) and the ceiling wall (5), wherein the side walls (3) are placed on the bottom wall (4), wherein the support (6) is attached at a distance above the floor wall (4), creating a storage space (15) between the floor wall (4) and the support (6), wherein a locking element (24) is provided which is arranged on a front side of the support (6), wherein the locking element (24) is formed by an L-shaped metal strip having an upright leg (17) extending in front of the support (6) and a horizontal leg (25) extending below the support (6), and wherein the horizontal leg (25) is attached to the support (6) by a number of fastening elements (26).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a piece of furniture in which a washing machine can be placed, comprising two substantially vertical side walls, a substantially horizontal bottom wall, a substantially horizontal ceiling wall and a substantially horizontal support for the washing machine, which is arranged between the bottom wall and the ceiling wall.

[0002] Such a piece of furniture is known as a washing machine cabinet and is sometimes also referred to as a washing machine cabinet. The base, top, side panels, and support of such a washing machine cabinet are generally made of a high-quality, usually wood (fiber)-based pressed board material. Since a washing machine can vibrate during use, the piece of furniture is subject to high levels of stress.

[0003] The object of the invention is to improve the known piece of furniture of the type mentioned in the introduction. In particular, the object of the invention may be to improve the strength of the known piece of furniture.

[0004] For this purpose, a piece of furniture according to the features of claim 1 is proposed. Advantageous or preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0005] The proposal is for a piece of furniture of the type mentioned in the introduction, in which the side panels are placed on the base wall. Placing the side panels on the base wall, rather than next to and against the base wall as in conventional designs, creates a load-bearing structure that transfers this load to the base wall without the need for mounting elements between the side panels and the base wall to concentrate the load. Distributing the load over a larger area of ​​the base wall results in less pressure for the same load, preventing damage to the piece of furniture, even if the load is so high that it would be caused by conventional designs.

[0006] The piece of furniture is equipped with a locking element located on the front of the support. This locking element prevents a washing machine placed on the support from slipping off the plate due to vibrations and consequently falling off. The locking element is essentially L-shaped and has an upright leg, which also provides additional rigidity.

[0007] In one embodiment of the furniture, the base wall is provided with means for aligning the base wall to a base surface. By positioning the furniture horizontally, the furniture, including the washing machine, remains balanced despite the vibrations caused by the washing machine. If the furniture is not positioned horizontally, it may move, which could lead to damage to the furniture and / or the washing machine.

[0008] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the means for aligning the base wall to a level surface are height-adjustable feet. Since the feet are height-adjustable, each foot can be set to a height that results in a horizontal base wall.

[0009] In one version of the furniture piece, the height-adjustable feet are either covered with plastic or made of plastic. By using plastic or being made of plastic, the feet dampen vibrations in the piece of furniture and prevent it from sliding on the base, thus preventing damage and limiting noise.

[0010] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the side walls are provided with mounting means arranged close to a side which is located at the rear when the piece of furniture is in use and is referred to as the back. By providing the piece of furniture with mounting means close to a back, the piece of furniture can be mounted to a back wall to substantially compensate for horizontal forces. A horizontal force acting on the piece of furniture higher than the base surface can cause the piece of furniture to shift and / or tip over, which can result in noise and / or damage to the piece of furniture and / or the washing machine. By arranging the mounting means at a position higher than the support and lower than the top panel, these horizontal forces can be transferred to the back wall.

[0011] In one embodiment of the furniture, the mounting elements are furniture brackets or corner stiffeners covered with a soft material. The use of furniture brackets or corner stiffeners creates a strong connection between the back panel and side panels, capable of absorbing horizontal forces. Vibrations caused by the washing machine are dampened by the soft material, thus protecting a potentially fragile back panel from such vibrations.

[0012] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the support is attached at a distance above the floor wall, creating a storage space between the floor wall and the support. The distance can be more than 40 centimeters and is preferably on the order of 50 centimeters, with the upper surface of the support approximately 55 centimeters above the base surface. If the support is placed higher than the floor wall, the washing machine is easier for the user, who then has to bend down less to load and unload the washing machine, and additional storage space is created under the support. Furthermore, this placement allows the support, which is attached to the side walls on opposite sides, to act as a brace, giving the piece of furniture additional rigidity and stability.

[0013] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, one or more support means for transferring vertical forces are arranged between the base wall and the support. By arranging support means between the base wall and the support, vertical forces can be effectively transferred from the support to the base wall without placing significant stress on the side walls.

[0014] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the one or more support means between the base wall and the support are plate-shaped and arranged substantially parallel to the side walls and / or the rear side. If the support means has a plate-like shape, the vertical forces are distributed over a relatively large area, while only a small portion of the storage space is occupied by the support means.

[0015] In one version of the furniture, the storage space between the floor panel and the support is equipped with a drawer. Equipping the storage space with a drawer creates a lockable storage space. Since a drawer can be loaded from above and the storage space is located near the floor, the user has easy access.

[0016] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, at least the support is protected against moisture, in particular to prevent damage, for example, by paint, a coating, or an otherwise waterproof layer. Other parts of the piece of furniture can also be protected against moisture in a similar way. Protecting parts of the piece of furniture from moisture extends the lifespan of the piece of furniture because moisture can impair the strength of parts of the furniture, for example, through rust or rot. It is sensible to protect primarily those parts that are most likely to be exposed to moisture and have a load-bearing function.

[0017] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, this is partially achieved by providing the support with a cover plate, in particular a metal cover plate, on its upper side. By equipping the support with a (metal) cover plate, the plate material of the support is protected from moisture, while at the same time the support made of plate material and metal is strong enough to bear the load of the washing machine. The additional weight of the metal cover plate provides additional resistance to vibrations. The metal cover plate itself should also be protected from moisture, for example, by a coating or other surface treatment. Instead of metal, a fiber-reinforced plastic can be used as the material for the cover plate. Such a plastic is also strong and rigid and can resist moisture well.

[0018] The cover plate (like the securing element) can be provided with upright legs on the sides, which prevents moisture from penetrating the plate material of the side walls and / or the support means.

[0019] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the support has a length that, measured from the front of the support to the back of the support, is less than the depth of the piece of furniture, so that the support leaves a space at the back. Leaving space between the support and the back wall creates space for cables that need to be routed from the machine to lower connection points. A recess can be made in the side walls of the piece of furniture for cables that need to be connected next to and outside the piece of furniture. In this case, the piece of furniture can also be placed a few centimeters away from the back wall. This can be achieved by choosing a suitable length and / or a suitable position for the mounting equipment.

[0020] In one embodiment of the piece of furniture, the front and / or back are at least partially open. If the front and / or back are left partially open, the washing machine and door can be easily accessed from the front. At the back, an area that has been left open can provide space for cables. The use of less material (especially at the back because it is not visible) saves material costs. Because the support provides strength and rigidity, both the front and back can be left open without significantly compromising the stability of the piece of furniture.

[0021] In one embodiment of the furniture, an extension is placed on top of the furniture, with side walls and a front panel, which are essentially in the same plane as the side walls and front panel of the washing machine cabinet, positioned on the ceiling wall. Placing an extension above the washing machine cabinet creates additional (optionally lockable) storage space. Because the storage space is located at a high height, it is difficult for children to reach and is therefore suitable for cleaning supplies that must be kept out of reach of children. The furniture thus leads to a more efficient use of floor space.

[0022] In one embodiment of the cabinet, the ceiling wall is provided with a ventilation opening. Hot air can flow through the ventilation opening. This keeps the washing machine cool, and fire safety is increased. The position of the ventilation opening in the ceiling wall is advantageous because hot air flows upwards. If a top unit is placed on top of the washing machine cabinet, this top unit should always have a locally indented back panel so that the flow of hot air from the ventilation opening is not blocked.

[0023] In another embodiment of the piece of furniture, the base wall and / or the side walls and / or the ceiling wall are connected to each other with steel mounting elements. The use of steel mounting elements results in a more rigid construction than is possible, for example, with aluminum mounting elements, as is common in furniture. The stronger connections ensure that parts of the piece of furniture remain more tightly connected, even if one or more parts vibrate due to the washing machine. By avoiding these vibrations, damage to the piece of furniture is prevented.

[0024] In addition, an advantageous method for manufacturing a piece of furniture as described above is provided here. This method comprises at least the following steps: providing the horizontal base wall, placing the vertical side walls on the base wall, arranging the support between the side walls and at a distance above the base wall, and placing the ceiling wall at a distance above the support.

[0025] Vertical supports can be placed on the base wall after the base wall has been provided and before the side walls are in place. The beam is also placed on the supports. In this way, the base wall, supports, and beam can form a subframe, and the side walls can then be firmly connected to this subframe.

[0026] The invention will be explained in more detail using a number of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a piece of furniture according to a first embodiment, Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a piece of furniture according to another embodiment, comprising mounting means and height-adjustable feet and support means, Fig. 3 schematically shows a partial cross-sectional view of a side wall and the support with a metal cover plate provided with upright legs and a securing element, Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of another embodiment with a washing machine and an attachment therein, and Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the carrier, the cover plate and the securing element in a longitudinal sectional view.

[0027] Fig. Figure 1 shows that a piece of furniture 1 for accommodating a washing machine 2 comprises a base wall 4 on which side walls 3 are placed. This is therefore a significant difference from conventional pieces of furniture, in which the side walls are attached to the end surfaces of the base wall. Mounting the side walls 3 on the base wall 4 results in a significantly stronger and more rigid construction of the piece of furniture 1.

[0028] A support 6 for the washing machine 2 is arranged between the side walls 3 and firmly connected to them.

[0029] A ceiling wall 5 is placed on the side walls 3.

[0030] In this example, the support 6 is arranged at a distance from the floor wall 4, whereby a storage space 15 is created between the floor wall 4 and the support 6.

[0031] The storage space 15 is provided here with a drawer 9. In this embodiment, the side walls 3 are attached to the ceiling wall 5, the support 6, and the floor wall 4 by means of steel mounting elements 7, which ensure particularly high rigidity and strength in the connections between the various parts.

[0032] The ceiling wall 5 is also provided with a ventilation opening 10 for discharging the hot air generated during use of the washing machine 2.

[0033] Fig. 2 shows that the storage space between the bottom wall 4 and the support 6 in this example is provided with a sliding device 13 for the drawer 9.

[0034] The bottom wall 4 is also provided with height-adjustable feet 11, and the side walls 3 are provided with fastening devices 8 near the back.

[0035] The support means 12, on which the carrier 6 is placed, are located on top of the base wall 4 in this embodiment. The support means 12 here take the form of vertical wall sections, two of which run parallel to the side walls 3 and are connected to them, while the third vertical wall section forms a rear wall of the storage space 15 beneath the carrier 6. The carrier 6 thus rests on the support means 12 at three of its edges. Together, the support means 12, the side walls 3, and the carrier 6 form a frame that is both stable and rigid.

[0036] Fig. 3 shows one of the two side walls 3 and the support 6 in detail. It can be seen that the support 6, which can be made of, or is made of, a high-quality wood material, is provided on its upper side with a cover plate 16 made of metal or a fiber-reinforced plastic. The cover plate has an upright leg 17 and upright side edges 18. These upright legs protect the surrounding structure from the penetration of moisture that could escape from the washing machine 2. Furthermore, the upright leg 17 prevents the washing machine 2 from falling off the support 6 due to vibrations. The cover plate 16 also has a downwardly curved end edge 19 that protects the corresponding side of the support 6 from the effects of moisture.

[0037] The support 6 has a length calculated from its front to its back and is smaller than the depth of the piece of furniture 1, leaving a space 14 between the back of the support 6 and the back of the piece of furniture 1. This space can be used to pass through supply lines.

[0038] Fig. Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the washing machine cabinet 1 with a top 20 placed on the ceiling wall 5. The top 20 is provided with side walls 21 that lie in the same plane as the side walls 3 of the washing machine cabinet 1, and with a front, defined here by a door 22, that lies in the same plane as the front of the washing machine cabinet.

[0039] The unit therefore has the same external dimensions as the washing machine cabinet, in this example a width of 67 centimeters and a depth of 65 centimeters. These are not standard dimensions for a piece of furniture, but they provide the necessary interior space for the second washing machine.

[0040] The top 20 also has a conventional construction with side walls 21 attached to both sides of the (not visible) floor wall and the ceiling wall. However, the rear wall (not visible here) of the top can be slightly offset relative to the rear of the side walls 20 to allow hot air from the washing machine to escape.

[0041] Otherwise, in this example it can be seen that the washing machine 2 is actually placed in the washing machine cabinet 1.

[0042] A gap 23 is left between the washing machine 2 and the ceiling wall 5 through which the warm air can also escape.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement of the piece of furniture 1, in which the support 6 is covered by a plate 16 having a downwardly curved edge 19 not only at the rear but also at the front. In this embodiment, the securing element 24 is formed by an L-shaped metal strip having an upright leg 17 extending in front of the support 6 and the curved edge 19 of the cover plate 16, and a horizontal leg 25 extending below the support 6. This horizontal leg 25 is attached to the support 6 by a number of fastening elements 26, e.g., screws.

[0044] Although this application repeatedly refers to a washing machine, the piece of furniture can also be used to house a tumble dryer, a washing machine / combination machine or a washer-dryer.

[0045] Although the invention has been explained above with reference to a number of embodiments, it is obvious that these can be varied in many ways.

[0046] The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

[1] Piece of furniture (1) in which a washing machine can be placed, comprising at least: two essentially vertical side walls (3), a substantially horizontal floor wall (4), a substantially horizontal ceiling wall (5), and a substantially horizontal support (6) arranged between the floor wall (4) and the ceiling wall (5), wherein the side walls (3) are placed on the bottom wall (4), wherein the support (6) is mounted at a distance above the bottom wall (4), whereby a storage space (15) is created between the bottom wall (4) and the support (6), wherein a securing element (24) is provided which is arranged on a front side of the support (6), wherein the securing element (24) is formed by an L-shaped metal strip with an upright leg (17) extending in front of the support (6) and a horizontal leg (25) extending below the support (6), and wherein the horizontal leg (25) is fastened to the support (6) by a number of fastening elements (26). [2] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fastening elements (26) are screws. [3] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom wall (4) is provided with means for arranging the bottom wall (4) straight to a base surface. [4] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 3, wherein the means for arranging the bottom wall (4) straight to a base surface are height-adjustable feet, wherein the height-adjustable feet are optionally either provided with plastic or made of plastic. [5] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side walls (3) are provided with mounting means (8) arranged near a rear side. [6] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means (8) are furniture brackets or corner stiffeners provided with a soft material. [7] Piece of furniture according to claim 6, wherein one or more support means (12) for transmitting vertical forces are arranged between the bottom wall (4) and the support (6). [8] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 7, wherein the support means (12) are plate-like and are arranged substantially parallel to the side walls (3) and / or the back. [9] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of claims 1, 6 and 8, wherein the storage space (15) is provided with a drawer (9). [10] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the support (6) is protected against moisture. [11] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (6) is provided on its upper side with a cover plate (16), in particular a metal cover plate. [12] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (6) has a length which, measured from the front of the support (6) to the back of the support (6), is less than the depth of the piece of furniture (1). [13] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part of the front and / or back is open. [14] Piece of furniture (1) according to claim 13, wherein at least a part of both the front and the back is open. [15] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ceiling wall (5) is provided with a ventilation opening (10). [16] Piece of furniture (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom wall (4) and / or the side walls (3) and / or the ceiling wall (5) are connected to one another by mounting means (8) made of steel.

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