Patent Description:
From <CIT>, an arrangement of a cooking plate mounted in an opening of a kitchen worktop with a component box having side walls facing the opening edges of the kitchen worktop is known. In order to fix the cooktop to the opening of the kitchen worktop and centre it inside the same, the cooking plate has elastic spacing elements fixed to the side walls of the box and contacting the edges of the kitchen worktop in the mounted position of the cooking plate in the opening of the kitchen worktop, thereby exerting a force against them to fix the plate and centre it in the opening.

From <CIT> an arrangement of a drop-in stove assembled into a mounting opening formed on a countertop such as a cooking table is known. The drop-in stove is held in position by positioning brackets which press against the inner peripheral edge of the mounting opening.

From <CIT> a gas stove is known which is mounted in a mounting opening of a top plate of a cabinet. The gas stove is held in the mounting opening by force which is applied to the peripheral edge of the mounting opening and which is exerted by adjusting screws.

From <CIT> a stove is known which is mounted in an opening of a table. The stove is fixed to the table by engaging with the table's mounting opening using wedge-like engaging bodies which are screwed into fixing position.

The object of the invention consists in providing a cooking plate that can be installed into an opening of a kitchen worktop in an easier manner.

This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

A "kitchen worktop" is understood to be the horizontal surface into which the cooking plate can be introduced, normally in a kitchen. The worktop is usually a sheet having a thickness sufficient to support the weight of what is going to be arranged on it, normally bigger than <NUM> and smaller than <NUM>. It can be made of wood, stone, laminated wood, synthetic materials o any material used to that effect into which a cut has been made to open the opening into which the kitchen plate is to be installed.

A "component box" is understood to be the volume containing the functional components of the appliance, such as burners, gas taps, gas-collecting pipes and an igniter in a gas cooking plate, or the electronics, ventilation and inductors in an induction cooking plate. The box can be of a metal and/or plastic sheet made in one or several pieces and comprises a base and side walls rising in a substantially perpendicular manner relative to the base. The at least one resting fin is connected to a side wall and, preferably, a resting fin extends from each side wall. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one resting fin is formed in one piece with the side wall or is fixed to it and extends from the top perimeter of the side wall in parallel to the resting surface, being able to rest on this surface when the cooking plate is mounted in the opening. The resting fins can be on a side wall or on several of the resting walls of the cooking plate. The resting fins are present preferably on all the side walls so they rest on the surface of the kitchen worktop and distribute in this manner the weight of the component box, or they are at least present on two opposite side walls.

The opening is usually rectangular like the base of the component box and has necessarily a bigger surface than that of the component box so that this can be fitted into the opening. In this manner, the cooking plate can be installed into an opening existing in the kitchen worktop of a bigger size than the component box and provided that at least two resting fins remain resting on the top surface of the kitchen worktop, preferably two opposite resting fins. That is to say, when a user replaces his/her cooking plate from the kitchen by one having a component box smaller than the previous one, it is of the user's interest to position it in the opening, normally centred in it while keeping the same distance from the side walls to the opening edge.

The positioning device of the kitchen plate is an element or set of elements acting to adjust the position of the cooking plate in the opening, in particular with respect to the opening edges. The positioning device consists at least of a limiter.

A limiter is considered to be any element that can be used to limit the movement of the plate relative to the opening edge when it is mounted in the opening, blocking the movement of the plate towards the opening edge.

With this configuration of the invention, it is possible to install the cooking plate into an already existing worktop's opening having a bigger size than the component box of the plate and to block the movement of the component box of the cooking plate inside the opening.

To allow the limiter to comply with its spacing function with respect to the opening edge, it is preferred that the at least one limiter is arranged on the resting fin, since the resting fin rests on the surface of the kitchen worktop and is in contact with the edge.

In order to block the movement of the cooking plate in two directions in its position mounted in the opening, at least two limiters are provided limiting the minimum distance from at least two side walls of the component box to a respective edge of the opening.

In a simplified, resistant and low-cost construction, the material of the component box and of at least a resting fin is a sheet and is made in one piece of shaped sheet.

According to the invention, the at least one limiter is made on the at least one resting fin.

In a first alternative of the invention, the at least one limiter is made as at least a flange arranged at the perimeter of the resting fin that can be folded downwards according to the direction of installation of the cooking plate, thereby fixing the minimum distance to the side wall of the component box. The flange is arranged preferably on the centre of the resting fin or, to give more stability, there can be two flanges arranged near the edges of the fin or there can be also a sole flange having a width slightly smaller than the width of the opening. The flange is folded once the size of the opening has been determined.

In a second alternative of the invention, the at least one limiter is made as at least an inner die-cutting points of the resting fin that can be folded downwards according to the direction of installation of the cooking plate, thereby fixing the minimum distance to the side wall of the component box. The die-cutting point is arranged preferably on the centre of the resting fin or, if there are two, spaced apart from one another towards the edge of the fin and at the same distance to the wall of the box. Both in this alternative and the previous one, it is advantageous to have limiters on opposite fins of the box so as to limit the distance to opposite edges of the opening.

In another embodiment which is not part of the invention. the at least one limiter is made as at least an additional piece that can be moved and blocked, thereby fixing the minimum distance to the side wall of the component box with the same aim as in the previous embodiments. This type of limiter can be an L-shaped piece that is guided over the resting fin with its long arm and whose short arm is contacted by the opening edge, thereby limiting the minimum distance to this.

For an adequate aesthetic and functional construction, the cooking plate has a top sheet that is mounted onto the component box and covers the at least one resting fin and can rest at least in part directly on the resting surface. This top sheet can be metallic or of tempered glass or ceramic glass usual in cooking plates. The heating zones are arranged on it. This top sheet covers the resting fins and the resting fins are in contact with the lower face of this top sheet, preferably joined to it. In the embodiment of the limiter as an additional piece, this can be connected to the lower face of this top sheet.

In an additional aspect of the invention, an installation process of a cooking plate according to the invention into an opening of a resting surface is proposed comprising the steps of determining the distance between opposite opening edges, adjusting the limiters at a desired distance, and mounting the cooking plate into the opening.

The invention is described in the following taking the following figures as a reference:.

<FIG> show the cooking plate <NUM> of the invention in a premounted position in the opening <NUM> over the kitchen worktop <NUM>. The kitchen plate has a component box <NUM> with a base <NUM> and side walls <NUM>. Resting fins <NUM> extend from the top perimeter of the side walls <NUM> and are provided to rest on the top surface of the kitchen worktop <NUM>. The cooking plate <NUM> is provided to be installed into an opening <NUM> having a rectangular perimeter observed from above in the kitchen worktop <NUM>. In this case, a resting fin <NUM> projects from each side wall <NUM> and can rest on the surface of the kitchen worktop <NUM> in its installation position.

The cooking plate <NUM> from <FIG> is the same one and can be installed in kitchen worktops <NUM> with openings <NUM> of a different size. The distance between two of the opposite side walls <NUM> of the box <NUM> is "L". In <FIG>, the opening <NUM> has a rectangular shape and a distance "d" between two of its opposite edges <NUM> being slightly bigger than the distance "L", a difference amounting to <NUM> to <NUM>. In <FIG>, the distance between two of its opposite edges <NUM> is "D", significantly bigger than distance "L" and distance "d". The distance between the other two opposite edges <NUM> of the openings <NUM> from <FIG> are substantially identical and slightly bigger than the distance between the other two side walls <NUM> of the component box <NUM>. In particular, in <FIG>, the surface of the opening <NUM> is slightly bigger than the section surface of the component box <NUM> cut by the plane formed by the surface of the kitchen worktop <NUM> and, in <FIG>, the surface of the opening <NUM> is significantly bigger than the section surface of the component box <NUM> cut by the plane formed by the surface of the kitchen worktop <NUM>. <FIG> shows in a top perspective view the kitchen plate from <FIG> with its top sheet <NUM> with its cooking zones, in a pre-installation position over the opening <NUM> of the kitchen worktop <NUM>.

<FIG> show in a detailed manner one of the resting fins <NUM> of the kitchen plate <NUM> having a positioning device <NUM> formed by three limiters <NUM> made in the form of die-cutting points inside the surface of the resting fin <NUM> arranged at a different distance to the side wall <NUM> of the component box <NUM>. In <FIG>, limiters <NUM> in the form of die-cutting points are not folded. Therefore, virtually the entire resting fin <NUM> could rest in a plane manner on the surface of the kitchen worktop <NUM>, the side wall <NUM> being adjacent to the edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM>. In <FIG>, one of the die-cutting points <NUM> is folded down in the mounting direction of the plate <NUM>. Therefore, when the kitchen plate is installed into the opening <NUM>, the limiter <NUM> projecting downwards defines a minimum distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM>. On a side spaced apart from the resting fin <NUM>, there can be other limiters <NUM> (not shown) being part of the positioning device <NUM> to define even better the minimum distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM>. Furthermore, on the other side of the component box <NUM>, there can be another resting fin <NUM> having more limiters <NUM> being part of the positioning device <NUM> to define the minimum distance from the opposite side wall <NUM> to the opposite side wall <NUM>.

<FIG> shows another embodiment of the invention in which the limiters <NUM> of the positioning device <NUM> are made in a similar manner to those from <FIG>. In this case, they are arranged on the perimeter of the resting fins <NUM> and can be folded downwards in the direction of installation of the cooking plate <NUM>. In the figure, two limiters <NUM> are shown being arranged on one of the resting fins <NUM> spaced apart from one another to better define the minimum distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM>. To reduce the distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM>, the limiters <NUM> can be folded at a distance closer to the side wall <NUM>. As it has been explained in the previous embodiment, on the opposite resting fin <NUM> (not shown) there can be more limiters <NUM> than can be folded down to limit the minimum distance.

<FIG> shows another embodiment which is not of the invention in which the limiters <NUM> of the positioning device <NUM> are made as additional pieces connected to the lower face of the resting fin <NUM> having relative movement. In the figure, two limiters <NUM> are shown being arranged on one of the resting fins <NUM> spaced apart from one another to better define the minimum distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM>. To reduce or increase the distance from the side wall <NUM> to the edge <NUM>, the ends of the limiters <NUM> are displaced and fixed at the desired distance from the side wall <NUM>. As it has been explained in the previous embodiments, on the opposite resting fin <NUM> (not shown) there can be more limiters <NUM> identical to these ones or any one from those of the previous embodiments to limit the minimum distance.

That is to say, any of these types of limiters can be used on the same cooking plate, on the same resting fin or on opposite resting fins. There can be limiters on a resting fin or on the four resting fins, and they can be adjusted having different distances to the side walls in order to place the cooking plate relative to the opening in the most convenient manner for the installer.

Claim 1:
A cooking plate (<NUM>) mountable into an opening (<NUM>) of a resting surface (<NUM>), in particular of a surface of a kitchen worktop, wherein the cooking plate (<NUM>) comprises:
a component box (<NUM>) for housing functional components of the cooking plate (<NUM>), which has a base (<NUM>) and side walls (<NUM>),
wherein at least one of the side walls (<NUM>) is connected to a resting fin (<NUM>) that can rest on the resting surface (<NUM>) in a mounted state of the cooking plate (<NUM>) in the opening (<NUM>), and
a positioning device (<NUM>) with at least a limiter (<NUM>) limiting the minimum distance from the side wall (<NUM>) to an opening edge (<NUM>) in the mounted state of the cooking plate (<NUM>) in the opening (<NUM>),
wherein the limiter (<NUM>) is adjustable in at least two fixed positions for limiting the minimum distance from the side wall (<NUM>) of the component box (<NUM>) to the edge (<NUM>) of the opening (<NUM>),
characterized in that the at least one limiter (<NUM>) is made on at least a resting fin (<NUM>),
wherein at least a limiter (<NUM>) is made as at least a flange arranged at the perimeter of the resting fin (<NUM>) that can be folded downwards according to the direction of installation of the cooking plate (<NUM>), thereby fixing the minimum distance to the side wall (<NUM>) of the component box (<NUM>) or
wherein at least one limiter (<NUM>) is made as at least an inner die-cutting point of the resting fin (<NUM>) that can be folded downwards according to the direction of installation of the cooking plate (<NUM>), thereby fixing the minimum distance to the side wall (<NUM>) of the component box (<NUM>).