Weatherproof outdoor kitchen

Abstract

Weatherproof outdoor kitchen, comprising a kitchen unit (2) in which a work unit (10) is integrated, and a protective module (3) made of a weather-resistant material and movable between a protective position covering the work unit (10) of the kitchen unit (2) and an opening position releasing the work unit (10), wherein the protective module (3) is designed as a protective box with an open or openable receiving side (3a) with which the protective module (3) can be moved over the kitchen unit (2) to be placed in the protective position.

Description

The invention relates to a weatherproof outdoor kitchen equipped with a kitchen unit in which a work unit is integrated. Weatherproof outdoor kitchens are well-known, consisting either of individual, separately designed kitchen units or of kitchen units with several interconnected pieces. These outdoor kitchens all share the characteristic of being made from a weatherproof material capable of withstanding moisture and temperature fluctuations. However, there is a risk that the material will undergo an accelerated aging process over time, which occurs significantly faster compared to indoor kitchens. Consequently, the lifespan of outdoor kitchens is limited. Another disadvantage is the integrated work units, such as cooktops or sinks, which are typically not weatherproof and must be protected after use, usually with a tarpaulin cover. The invention is based on the objective of creating a weatherproof outdoor kitchen with simple design measures, characterized by high weather resistance and improved usability. This problem is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. The dependent claims specify advantageous further developments. The weatherproof outdoor kitchen according to the invention comprises a kitchen unit with an integrated work unit and a protective module made of a weatherproof material. The kitchen unit and the protective module form a single, integrated unit. The protective module, made of a robust and weather-resistant material, is slidable between a protective position covering the work unit of the kitchen unit and an open position releasing the work unit. The protective module is designed as a protective box with an open or openable receiving side, allowing the protective module to be slid over the kitchen unit to be moved into the protective position. This design offers several advantages. Firstly, the kitchen unit's work surface can be protected from the elements after use by moving the protective module from the open position (with the work surface exposed) to the closed position (where the work surface is covered). It can be advantageous for the protective module to cover the entire top of the kitchen unit in its closed position. Conversely, for use when opening the outdoor kitchen, the protective module can be moved from the closed position (with the work surface covered) to the open position (with the work surface exposed). Moving the protective module can be done easily by hand. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the protective module itself can be used as a piece of furniture, both in the protected position and in the open position. In the protected position, the protective module is located wholly or partially above the kitchen cabinet and protects, in particular, the work unit integrated into the kitchen cabinet. In this position, the top of the protective module serves as a shelf or storage surface. In the open position, with the work unit exposed, the protective module is located wholly or partially next to the kitchen cabinet. The top of the protective module can also be used as a shelf or storage surface in this position, in addition to any existing shelf or storage surface on the kitchen cabinet. In a preferred embodiment, the protective module has an open receiving side, allowing it to be slid over the kitchen cabinet. Alternatively, an opening flap or door on the receiving side is also possible; this opens when the module is moved into the protective position and closes when the module is in the open position. In any case, it is advantageous for the protective module to remain connected to the kitchen cabinet even in the open position. In an advantageous embodiment, the protective module is mounted on rollers so that it can be moved. This allows the protective module to be moved on the rollers during the transition between the protective and open positions without having to lift it. The movement is preferably linear along a straight axis, although pivoting or circular movements of the protective module are also possible. For mobility on casters, the protective module is advantageously equipped with a pair of casters on its side facing away from the kitchen cabinet. On the side facing the kitchen cabinet, a preferred embodiment features a rail guide via which the protective module is coupled to the cabinet. The rail guide is located, in particular, with one rail section on the top of the kitchen cabinet and a corresponding rail section on the inside of the protective module, the rail sections on the kitchen cabinet and the protective module interlocking to allow for sliding movement. Generally, a single protective module is sufficient for a kitchen unit. However, it can be advantageous to have a protective module on each of two opposite sides of the unit, with an open or openable mounting side. This allows the respective protective module to be slid over a work unit of the kitchen unit to be moved into the protective position. The protective modules are adjusted in opposite directions between the open and protected positions. This design has the advantage that even relatively long kitchen units, which may have more than one work unit, can be protected from the elements using the protective modules. In this case, it can be useful for each protective module to cover at least one work unit when in the protected position. In the case of two protection modules, it is advantageous for the two protection modules to be mirror images of each other. They can be the same length or of different lengths. In another advantageous embodiment, the kitchen unit features a housing made of a weather-resistant material. Specifically, the housing of the kitchen unit is made of the same weather-resistant material as the protective module. This weather-resistant material allows parts of the housing to remain exposed to the environment even when the protective module is in its protective position, without the risk of premature aging. Additional design features and constructions are possible in this embodiment, for example, the protective module could have an open back, exposing the back of the kitchen unit, which is made of weather-resistant material, when in its protective position.In the open position, where the protective module exposes the work unit, the module itself can be used as a counter. The open back of the module allows for the storage of objects or the placement of legs for a person sitting in front of it. In this way, the back of the module is also usable. Advantageously, in the open position, the open back of the module abuts the kitchen cabinet laterally, so that the open back of the module is at least almost completely exposed. The work unit integrated into the kitchen furniture includes, for example, a cooktop, a work surface, and / or a sink. In principle, all the various work units needed in a kitchen are suitable, as they are often not weatherproof and therefore need to be protected after use in an outdoor kitchen. This includes appliances and equipment such as refrigerators, dishwashers, cooktops, teppanyaki grills, ovens, steam cookers, wine coolers, etc. A carrier board with a mineral coating is particularly suitable as a weatherproof or weather-resistant material for the protective module and, if applicable, the kitchen furniture. The carrier board could be, for example, a recycled polyurethane (PUR) board, perhaps 20 mm thick. The mineral coating is, for example, 1 to 3 mm thick and may, for aesthetic reasons, contain a layer of real metal iron. Further advantages and practical embodiments can be found in the further claims, the description of the figures, and the drawings. The figures show: Fig. 1 in an exploded view of an outdoor kitchen with a kitchen unit including a work area and a protective module; Fig. 2 the outdoor kitchen in a perspective view from the front with the protective module in the open position; Fig. 3 the outdoor kitchen from Fig. 2 with the protective module in the protective position, in which the work area of ​​the kitchen unit is completely covered by the protective module; Fig. 4 the outdoor kitchen in a perspective view from the rear with the protective module in the open position; Fig. 5 the outdoor kitchen from the rear with the protective module in the protective position; Fig. 6 an enlarged view with an open folding compartment of the kitchen unit; Fig. 7 an outdoor kitchen in a variant embodiment with two mirror-symmetrically arranged, equally sized protective modules on opposite sides of the kitchen unit; Fig. 8 the outdoor kitchen from Fig.Fig. 7 with the two protective modules in protective position, Fig. 9 an outdoor kitchen in a variant with two opposing protective modules of different sizes, Fig. 10 the outdoor kitchen from Fig. 9 with the two protective modules in protective position, Fig. 11 an outdoor kitchen in a variant with a cooktop as a working unit, Fig. 12 an outdoor kitchen in a variant with a grill as a working unit. In the figures, identical components are labelled with the same reference symbols. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5 show a first embodiment of a weatherproof outdoor kitchen 1, comprising a kitchen unit 2 and a protective module 3. The kitchen unit 2 has a housing 4 with two base cabinets 5 and doors 6. In the side area of ​​the housing 4, compartments 7 are arranged one above the other, accessible from the rear (Fig. 4) via openings 8, and can be used, for example, to store bottles. A hinged compartment 9 is located at the top side of the kitchen unit 2, which can be folded down to open it. A work unit 10, designed as a sink in the illustrated embodiment, is integrated into the kitchen cabinet 2. A two-part rail section 11 is arranged along the front side near the floor, and another two-part rail section 12 is arranged along the rear side in the upper area of ​​the cabinet housing 4. The rail sections 11 and 12 form part of a rail guide for the protective module 3, which is guided with its front lower edge in the lower rail section 11 and with its rear, upwardly offset lower edge in the upper rail section 12. The protective module 3 is designed as a protective box. The protective module 3 can be moved laterally along the rail guide over the side edge of the kitchen cabinet 2 and shifted between the open position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and the protective position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In the protective position of the protective module 3, the top of the kitchen cabinet 2, including the work unit 10, is covered by the protective module 3, whereas in the open position, the top of the kitchen cabinet 2 is exposed. The protective module 3 is equipped on its side facing away from the kitchen cabinet 2 with a pair of rollers 13. These rollers support the protective module 3 and allow it to be moved between the open and protected positions with minimal sliding force. In a section perpendicular to the direction of movement, the protective module has an approximately L-shaped profile. The front of the protective module 3 extends almost to the floor, while the rear is angled only slightly downwards. The lower edges at the front and rear of the protective module 3 form part of the aforementioned rail guide and are guided in the rail sections 11 and 12 of the kitchen cabinet 2. The side 3a of the protective module 3 facing the kitchen cabinet 2 is open and forms a receiving side 3a, which allows the protective module to be moved over the kitchen cabinet from the open to the protected position.The opposite side 3b of the protection module 3 is closed. Since the rear side of the protective module 3 extends only slightly downwards from the top edge of the protective module and is otherwise open, as can be seen in particular in Fig. 4, a space covered by the protective module 3 is accessible in the open position, which serves to store objects or to place the legs of a person sitting on a seat in front of the protective module 3. The protective module 3 is made of a weatherproof material. The housing 4 of the kitchen unit 2 is also advantageously made of a weatherproof material, which can be the same material as that of the protective module 3. In the protected position, the work unit 10 is completely covered by the protective module 3 and is therefore protected from the elements. In the open position, the work unit 10 is exposed and can be used. In Fig. 6, the folding compartment 9 is shown in the open, unfolded position. In the closed position (Fig. 2), the folding compartment 9 is folded up so that the side surface of the folding compartment 9 is vertical and the working area on the work unit 10 is not affected. Figures 7 and 8 show the outdoor kitchen 1 in an embodiment with two mirror-symmetrically arranged, equally sized protective modules 3 on opposite sides of the kitchen unit 2, which is longer than in the first embodiment and is equipped with a total of four doors 6 on the front for closing base cabinets. The two protective modules 3 can be adjusted in opposite directions between the open and closed positions. In the closed position shown in Figure 8, the end faces of the protective modules 3 abut each other and completely cover the kitchen unit 2 on both the top and the front. Figures 9 and 10 show a variant embodiment that essentially corresponds to the embodiment described above, in which the outdoor kitchen 1 is also provided with two protective modules 3 on opposite sides of the kitchen unit 2. However, the two protective modules 3 are of different sizes; they differ in length. The protective module 3 located on the left in the view shown in Figures 9 and 10 is approximately twice as long as the protective module 3 located on the right. In the closed position, the protective modules 3 abut each other at their ends and enclose the inner kitchen unit 2. Fig. 11 shows an outdoor kitchen 1, the kitchen furniture 2 is equipped with a hob as a work unit 10. In Fig. 12, the kitchen furniture 2 of the outdoor kitchen 1 is equipped with a grill as a working unit 10. In the illustrated embodiments, the protective module 3 can be made of a carrier board with a mineral coating, for example, a 20 mm thick recycled PUR carrier board with a 1 to 3 mm mineral coating, which may optionally contain a layer of real metal iron. The kitchen furniture 2 can be made of the same material or, alternatively, of a different material.

Claims

Weatherproof outdoor kitchen, comprising a kitchen unit (2) in which a work unit (10) is integrated, and a protective module (3) made of a weather-resistant material and movable between a protective position covering the work unit (10) of the kitchen unit (2) and an opening position releasing the work unit (10), wherein the protective module (3) is designed as a protective box with an open or openable receiving side (3a) with which the protective module (3) can be moved over the kitchen unit (2) to be placed in the protective position. Outdoor kitchen according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective module (3) is designed to be movable on rollers (13). Outdoor kitchen according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective module (3) is equipped with a pair of rollers (13) on its side facing away from the kitchen furniture (2). Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the protective module (3) is coupled to the kitchen furniture (2) via a rail guide (11, 12). Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a protective module (3) with an open or openable receiving side (3a) is arranged on each of two opposite sides of the kitchen furniture (2), with which the respective protective module (3) can be moved over a working unit (10) of the kitchen furniture (2) to be brought into the protective position. Outdoor kitchen according to claim 5, characterized in that the two protective modules (3) are designed in a mirror-symmetrical manner. Outdoor kitchen according to claim 5, characterized in that the two protective modules (3) have different lengths. Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a housing (4) of the kitchen furniture (2) is made of a weather-resistant material. Outdoor kitchen according to claim 8, characterized in that the housing (4) of the kitchen furniture (2) is made of the same weather-resistant material as the protective module (3). Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the protective module (3) has an open back, wherein the back of the kitchen furniture is exposed in the protective position. Outdoor kitchen according to claim 10, characterized in that the open rear of the protective module (3) in the open position connects laterally to the kitchen furniture (2). Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the working unit (10) comprises a hob, a worktop and / or a sink. Outdoor kitchen according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the protective module (3) is made of a carrier plate with a mineral coating.

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