PROCEDURE FOR BUILT-IN INSTALLATION OF A COOKTOP

Description

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled: “Procedure for the flush-mounted installation of a hob” by: Beko Europe Management Srl, nationality Italian, Via Varesina 204, 20156 Milan MI Designated Inventors: ALLEGREZZA Gianluca; MATTIONI Giancarlo; PERTICARÀ Giuseppino; DI MAURO Nicola Filed on: July 29, 2024 DESCRIPTION TEXT Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a process for the built-in installation of a hob in a worktop. More specifically, the invention relates to a procedure for the built-in installation of a hob cooking flush with a worktop. Background Modern hobs generally include a glass ceramic panel under which is placed a body that houses one or more heating elements. In a radiant type hob, the elements heating elements are electrical resistances, while in a plane Induction cooking the heating elements are coils capable of generating a magnetic field. The arrangement of the heating elements defines one or more cooking zones on the glass ceramic panel, which also features a user interface for the selection and control of cooking zones. The user interface interacts with a control unit and control of the heating elements, which is arranged in the body that houses the heating elements. In a gas hob the heating elements are instead of the burners protruding from their respective openings drilled into the surface of the glass-ceramic panel. In this case the hob body houses the gas supply pipes to the individual burners and the related control taps, whose knobs protrude from other openings made in the surface of the glass ceramic panel. To install a built-in hob in a countertop of work, on the latter is typically obtained an opening suitable for housing the body of the top cooking. The panel is placed on the work surface glass ceramic, which is generally wider than the body and acts as a cap over the opening of the worktop. The hob body is anchored under the hob work using special fastening means, such as for example brackets and screws, or arms with elements snap elastic bands. This way only the panel in glass ceramic protrudes from the worktop, while the body, generally bulkier in the vertical direction, it is hidden under it. To prevent the passage of solid particles such as dust and food residues, or fluids such as, for example, water, detergents or liquids cooking under the worktop, the perimeter of the panel in glass ceramic it is generally sealed by means of special adhesives resistant to typical high temperatures of cooking processes, such as adhesives of the type silicone. Built-in installations are becoming more and more popular in which the glass ceramic panel of a hob is placed flush with the work surface, thus resulting substantially coplanar to it. As in a traditional built-in installation, the body of the hob is housed in the opening made in the worktop, while the glass ceramic panel rests on a lowered portion of the latter obtained around at the opening. Built-in installations flush with the worktop are increasingly widespread because they maximize the space of work available to a user. In fact, when the hob is not in operation, a user has to its disposal a larger work surface, which it even becomes the entire surface of the worktop plus that of the glass ceramic panel in the case of hobs radiant and induction cooking. Built-in installations flush with the worktop they are also highly appreciated from a technical point of view aesthetic, thanks to the clean and sober lines and the shapes of glass-ceramic panels. Similarly to the built-in installations of the type traditional ones discussed above, even in the case of the Flush installations require sealing the perimeter of the glass ceramic panel to prevent the passage of fluids and solid particles below a plane of work. In fact, the glass-ceramic panel is typically inserted with play in the lowered portion of the plane work to take into account dimensional tolerances, defining a perimeter cavity with respect to it through which fluids and particles can pass solid. The use of sealing adhesives for installations worktop wire is widely known in the industry and example described in patent publications DE3150450A1 and EP0036190A1. The use of is also known gaskets made of silicone materials, such as described in patent publication EP2144012A1. The use of sealing adhesives is generally preferred to the gaskets, because they guarantee a better sealing against the ingress of fluids thanks to the fact that they are injected in a fluid state and can easily fill all the space available before the phase of crosslinking. However, sealing adhesives require the use of special injection tools and good manual skills by an operator, and have a time of cross-linking for a few hours, thus preventing the use of a hob immediately after its installation. Furthermore, due to the strong adhesive power, it is extremely difficult to completely remove a sticker cross-linked sealant for removing a worktop from a hob in case of repair or to replace it. When removing a sealant sticker there is also a high risk of cross-linked damage and / or scratching of surrounding surfaces of the worktop and the glass ceramic panel of the hob due to the tools used, typically the blade of a utility knife or screwdriver. The gaskets allow for immediate use of a hob after installation, they are much easier to be installed with respect to sealing adhesives and also to be removed in case of repair or replacement. However, depending on the shape and tolerances of manufacturing, they do not always guarantee a complete filling of the cavity and therefore a perfect seal to the passage of solid particles and fluids. Summary of the invention The technical problem posed and resolved by this The invention is therefore to provide a process for the built-in installation of a hob flush with a work plan that allows you to overcome the inconveniences above mentioned with reference to the prior art. This problem is solved by a device according to claim 1. Preferred Features of the Present Invention are the subject of dependent claims. In the process according to the invention, the sealing of the perimeter of the glass ceramic panel is performed using a substrate that acts as a support element filling, such as a gasket, a strip and similar, topped with a heat-resistant sealing adhesive high temperatures typical of cooking processes, such as for example a silicone-type adhesive. More specifically, in the perimeter cavity that surrounds the glass ceramic panel is initially a substrate is inserted, which is placed in contact with the lowered portion of the worktop. The element of filling has a height less than the depth of the cavity, thus operating as an element of filling that allows injection into the cavity a layer of sealing adhesive. This layer overlaps the substrate completely filling the gap up to the level of the adjacent surfaces of the worktop and the glass ceramic hob. At the end of the installation, the cavity perimeter is thus partially filled by the substrate and partially from the adhesive layer sealant. The substrate remains hidden under the layer of sealing adhesive. The installation procedure according to this invention combines the ease of use of a substrate with the sealing power of the adhesives, ensuring the same level of tightness and the same continuity surface of an exclusively adhesive seal. In case of removal of a hob from its respective work surface, the layer of adhesive, thinner than in the case of a traditional type of sealing, it can be removed easily using a tool such as the tip of a utility knife or the end of a paper clip sheets and grabbing with it the substrate which, pulled vertically, drags the layer of adhesive with it overlying. Other benefits, features and ways to use of the present invention will be evident from the following detailed description of some forms of realization, presented for illustrative purposes and not limiting. Brief description of the figures Reference will be made to the figures in the drawings attachments, in which: - figure 1 is an exploded perspective view that shows a hob during installation to recessed into a worktop; - Figures 2, 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing consecutive stages of sealing of the hob; - figure 5 shows the hob installed in the work plan; - Figures 6 and 7 show consecutive phases of the removal of the seal between the hob and the work plan. Detailed description of preferred forms of realization With initial reference to figure 1, a modern 100 hob generally includes a panel in glass ceramic 110 under which a body 120 is placed which houses one or more heating elements (not shown). For illustrative and non-limiting purposes, hereinafter reference will be made to a radiant type hob or induction, in which the heating elements are electrical resistors capable of emitting a flow of energy thermal, or coils capable of generating a magnetic field. In both cases the glass ceramic panel is completely flat with no elements protruding from it and the arrangement of heating elements in the body 120 defines one or more zones on the 110 glass ceramic panel cooking, which are typically identified by graphic combinations of lines (not shown). On the 110 glass ceramic panel it is typically There is a user interface (not shown) for the selection and control of heating elements that define the cooking zones. The user interface interacts with a control and pilot unit heating elements which is housed in the body 120. As is known, to install a built-in hob 100 in a 200 work plan, on the latter it is typically a 210 opening is made suitable for housing the body 120 of the hob 100. In the case of a flush installation, that is substantially coplanar to the work surface 200, opening 210 is surrounded by a portion 220 of the plane of work which is appropriately lowered to receive and accommodate the panel with perimeter clearance 110 glass ceramic hob 100. As shown in the cross-section of Figure 2, the cross-section profile of the worktop 200 it is thus shaped like a step and the depth of the lowered portion 220 is substantially the same, in particular greater than or equal to the thickness of the panel in glass ceramic 110 of the hob 100. In this way, the surface of the worktop 200 and that of the panel in glass ceramic 110 are substantially aligned. To ensure perfect coplanarity between the panel in glass ceramic 110 and the worktop 200 are known different solutions. In the illustrated embodiment, under the glass ceramic panel 110 are applied some spacers 111, for example a plurality of feet in silicone rubber. The body 120 of the hob 100 is anchored underneath the worktop 200 using special means of fixing, for example of 300 arms with elements snap elastics. The body anchoring 120 under the worktop 200 blocks the hob 100 in the vertical direction. Always referring to figure 2, between the panel in glass ceramic 110 and the lowered portion 220 is present a perimeter gap 230 determined by the play between the perimeter of the lowered portion 220 and that of the 110 glass ceramic panel of the 100 hob. A for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, this gap 230 typically has a width between 1 and 5 mm and a depth between 3 and 15 mm, suitable for compensating the manufacturing tolerances of the panels in glass ceramic. To prevent the passage of solid particles such as dust and food residues, or fluids such as, for example, water, detergents or cooking liquids under the hob work 200, glass ceramic panel 110 must be sealed along its perimeter. The sealing is made by filling the cavity 230 with a material sealant. According to the present invention, the gap 230 is sealed using a substrate topped with a sealing adhesive, such as a silicone adhesive. With reference to figure 3, in the gap perimeter 230 a substrate is initially inserted 400, for example a polymeric material extrusion such as for example a gasket made of resistant silicone material at the high temperatures that characterize the processes of cooking. The substrate 400 is placed in contact with the lowered portion 220 of the worktop 200. The substrate 400 therefore constitutes an element of filling of the gap 230, which defines a first barrier to the passage of fluids and solid particles. The 400 substrate has a lower height than the cavity depth 230, for example between 50% and 75% of the cavity depth. This allows for the injection of a 230 mm thick layer into the cavity. layer 410 of a sealing adhesive which, as shown in figure 4, overlap the substrate 400 by filling the gap 230 up to the level of the worktop 200 and of the previously aligned 110 glass ceramic hob, and thus creating a perfect surface continuity. At the end of the installation the cavity 230 It is thus partially filled by the substrate 400 and partially from the sealing adhesive layer 410. As shown in figure 5 the substrate 400 remains hidden underneath the 410 layer of sealing adhesive. According to a further aspect of the invention, the substrate 400 may consist of one or more layers of filling, such as one or more extruded elements in polymeric material used to establish the level of sealing desired before injecting the adhesive layer 410, and therefore before the final sealing. Such extruded elements can be for example gaskets in silicone material. The installation solution described above presents several advantages. When installing a 100 cooktop in a worktop 200, in fact, the use of the substrate 400 facilitates the filling phase of the cavity 230, because it is a quick and simple operation that does not require the use of specific tools. Additionally, the addition of the sealing adhesive layer 410 above the substrate 400 involves the use of an amount of adhesive lower than that required for a seal traditional, while still guaranteeing the same level of durability to the passage of fluids and solid bodies, as well as the same coplanarity and continuity of the adjacent surfaces of the 110 glass ceramic panel of the 100 hob and of the worktop 200. The smaller amount of adhesive used for the sealing of the 230 cavity reduces the time of cross-linking, allowing you to use the hob 100 well before a sealed installation traditional type adhesive. Additional advantages of the installation process described above are linked to any needs for removing the hob 100 from the worktop 200 for replace it with a new one or in case of repair. The smaller amount of sealing adhesive allows for the removing the 410 layer much more easily than to a traditional situation in which everything the gap 230 is filled with adhesive. In fact, the area of the gripping surfaces is smaller. Therefore there are no risk of damage and / or scratching of surfaces of the 200 worktop and the 110 glass ceramic panel of the 100 hob. Furthermore, as shown schematically in figure 6, using a simple tool such as a blade of a utility knife or the end of a paper clip is it is possible to pierce the 410 sealing adhesive layer and grasp the substrate 400. As shown in figure 7, pulling the substrate 400 vertically so once grasped, it can be pulled out manually from the cavity 230 and with it remove the entire layer 410 of sealing adhesive. It will be understood that the installation procedure is collection according to the present invention can be equally applied with the same advantages also with gas hobs having a body closed by a panel in glass ceramic. The present invention has been described so far with reference to its preferred embodiments. It is from to understand that other forms of may exist realizations that pertain to the same inventive core, defined by the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. Procedure for the flush-mounted installation of a hob in a worktop, called process including the following phases: i) provide a cooktop (100) comprising includes a glass ceramic panel (110) under the which is arranged a body (120) that houses one or more heating elements; ii) provide a work plan (200); iii) obtain in said work plan (200) an opening (210) suitable for receiving the body (120) of said hob (100) and a lowered portion (220) suitable for housing with perimeter clearance of the glass ceramic panel (110) of the hob (100), wherein said lowered portion (220) surrounds said opening (210); iv) insert the body (120) of the hob (100) in the opening (210) obtained in the worktop (200) and place the glass ceramic panel (110) on the lowered portion (220), called perimeter game defining around the glass ceramic panel (110) a perimeter cavity (230); v) providing a substrate (400) configured to be inserted in the perimeter cavity (230), called substrate (400) having a lower height than to the depth of the perimeter cavity (230); vi) insert the substrate (400) into the gap perimeter (230) abutting the lowered portion (220); vii) inject a sealant adhesive in the perimeter cavity (230) overcoming the substrate (400) up to the level of the worktop (200) and the glass ceramic panel (110) of the hob cooking (100).

2. Installation procedure according to the claim 1, wherein the depth of the portion lowered (220) is greater than or equal to the thickness of the glass ceramic panel (110) of the hob (100).

3. Installation procedure according to the claim 2, further comprising a step of alignment of the upper surface of the panel in glass ceramic (110) of the hob (100) with the surface of the worktop (200), called phase of alignment being performed before phase vi) of Insertion of the substrate (400) into the cavity perimeter (230).

4. Installation procedure according to the claim 3, wherein said alignment step is carried out by means of a plurality of spacers (111) applied between the glass ceramic panel (110) of the hob cooking (100) and the lowered portion (220) of the cooking surface work (200).

5. Installation procedure according to one of the previous claims, wherein the substrate (400) comprises one or more layers made of a material of filling.

6. Installation procedure according to the Claim 5, wherein the substrate (400) comprises one or multiple extruded elements in polymeric material.

7. Installation procedure according to the claim 5 or 6, wherein the substrate (400) comprises one or more silicone gaskets.