GB2192127A - Kitchen unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A kitchen unit comprises a free standing enclosure (10) including at least a sink (26), a worktop (25) and one cupboard (28), the enclosure (10) having at least one door (15-18) which when opened gives free access to the enclosure (10), and when closed gives the appearance of a wardrobe, so that a kitchen can be quickly and economically provided in for examples single room or bedsit, or elsewhere where there is inadequate room to provide a separate kitchen. The unit may also be provided with a microwave oven in a space 33, a rack 38, strip lights, a water heater, drawers 32, and cupboards 30, 35, 36, 37. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Kitchen unit Description of invention This invention relates to a kitchen unit.

According to one aspect of the invention I provide a kitchen unit comprising a free standing enclosure including at least a sink, a worktop and one cupboard, the enclosure having at least one door which when opened gives free access to theenclosure.

Thus a kitchen can be quickly and economically provided in for example a single room or bedsit, or elsewhere where there is inadequate room to provide a separate kitchen. When the or each door is closed the kitchen would be hidden from view, and if the or each door were suitably constructed, the kit chenunitcould bemadetoappearto beacupboard or wardrobe.

Because the unit is free standing,the unit can be removed with otherfurniture, although of course any plumbing or other connections would need to be disconnected.

Preferablythe unit has at leasttwo doors so that the doors require minimum space when opened.

The enclosure may be generally rectangular in plan view and the worktop may extend substantially for the entire length of the longest side of therectangle. The door may be provided along the longest side of the rectangle opposite to the worktop. The worktop may also extend across at least a major portion ofthewidth ofthe enclosure.

Thus when the doors are closed, the enclosure in plan view, takes up very little extra space than just the worktop.

The sink may be provided in the worktop and the cupboardorcupboardsovertheworktop or beneath the worktop as required.

One or more drawers may also be provided, and the unit may have a cooking appliance such as a stove or preferably, a microwave oven.

Water may be supplied to taps for use in the sink through hoses which may be connected to releasable plumbing fittings such as washing machine taps provided in the room in which the unit is located. An electric lead may be plugged into a socketofthe room, to enable power to be fed to the unit to provide light, and powerforthe cooking appliance, where provided, and if desired for a water heater.

Preferably the unit is less than ten foot long (3 metres) and more preferably less than six foot long (1.8 metres). Further, the unit may be less than ten foot high (3 metres) and preferably less high than seven foot (2 metres). The unit may be less than three foot wide (one metre) and more preferably less than two foot (0.6 metres) wide.

The enclosure may have a floor, or preferably a floor frame with-the worktop, and if desired the cupboard, and where appropriate cooking appliance etc.

supported on thefloorframe.

Where cupboards are provided abovetheworktop for substantially the entire length oftheworktop, and the unit is not substantially wider than the worktop, no ceiling need be provided, but if desired, where less cupboards are provided, orwherethecupbo- ards are less wide than the worktop, or only provided beneath the worktop, a ceiling may be provided.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a kitchen unit in accordance with the invention, with doors of the kitchen unit in a closed condition.

Figure2 is a front view ofthe kitchen unit of Figure 1, but with the doors in an open condition.

Referring to the drawings, a kitchen unit comprises an enclosure 10which is ofgenerally rectangular cross section in plan view. The enclosure comprises a floor 11, side walls 12a,12b,a ceiling 13, and aback- wall indicated at 14. There is nofrontwall, butthe enclosure is closed at the front, at least as shown in Figure 1, byfourdoors indicated at 15,16,17, and 18.

The doors 15,16,17,18, are provided in two pairs, door 16 being hinged to door 15 by hinges 19, whilst door 15 is itself hinged via hinges 20 to side wall 12a.

Similarly, but oppositely, door 17 is hinged to door 18 by hinges 21 and door 18 is hinged to sidewall 12b via further hinges 22.

The hinges are arranged so that when the doors are opened, door 16 can be folded back flat against door 14, and similarly door 17 can be folded flat against door 18 as shown in Figure 2.

Within the enclosure 10 is a worktop 25 which extends from one side wall 1 2a of the enclosure to the other side wall 126 and has a width substantially equal to the total width W of the enclosure.

The worktop may comprise a wooden, laminate or other surface as required, preferably having a finish or coating to facilitate easy cleaning.

Provided in theworktop is a sink 26which has atap 27 that water may be put into the sink 26.

The tap 27 is connected by hoses 27 (not shown) which extend outwardly from the rear side 14 ofthe enclosure and can be connected to releasable plumbing fittings such as washing machine taps.

Of course if desired, more permanent plumbing connections could be provided, in conventional manner.

Beneath the worktop, beneath the sink 26, is a cupboard 28 which is closed by a door 29, in which an outlet of the sink is located, the outlet being plumbed in conventional manner. Afurther cupboard 30 with two doors 31 is also provided beneath worktop 25.

Two drawers 32 are a Iso provided, the cu pboard 30 and drawers 32 being either side of cupboard 28.

Above cupboard 30 is a space 33 for example for a cooking appliance such as a microwave oven, and below the drawers 32 is a space 34 which may be used for exampleto house a rubbish bin orthelike.

Above the worktop 25, three further cupboards 35,36 and 37 are provided, each closed by doors. The cupboards extend from a position above the worktop 25 uptotheceiling 13. Liketheworktop,thecupboards 35,36 and 37 together extend along the entire length of the longest side of the rectangular unit, and over substantially the entire width Wthereof.

Attached to side wall 1 2b is a rack 38 comprising three trays which extend inwardlyofside 12b in which items such as cutlery can be placed.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the floor of the unit is provided by a frame 40, on which the cupboards 30,28 and the worktop 25 rest. If desired the floor may comprise a platform orthe like.

Thus the unit loins free standing and if desired may be provided on castors orthe like to facilitate movement ofthe unit when not in use.

Beneath the cupboards 35,36,37, strip lights may be provided, and power may be provided to these lights and to the microwave oven or other cooking appliance where provided via a lead which again ex tendsfrom the rearwall 14 of the enclosure and may be plugged intoanyconvenientsocketwithin a room in which the unit is placed.

If desired, a water heater may be provided, for example in cupboard 28, to heat water forthetap 27.

It will be appreciated from Figure 1 thatwhen the doors 15to 18 are closed, that the unit resembles a cupboard such as a wardrobe whereas when the doors are opened, free access is provided to the inside of the enclosure.

Thus the kitchen unit is for particular use in small living areas such as single rooms or bedsits, in which there is inadequate room to provide a separate kitchen room. The unit may be removed by releasing the releasable plumbing connections and other connections where provided, along with otherfurniture in the living space.

Various modifications may be made to the unit without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

For example, cupboards need not be provided both above and belowtheworktop 25, and where cupbo- ards are provided above the worktop, these not ex tend forthe entire length L of the unit and forsubstantiallythe entire width W of the unit as indicated.

A cooking appliance need not be provided if not required and drawers need not be provided, although these are desirable.

In the present example, the unit has a maximum length I preferably less than ten foot (3 metres) and more preferably less than sixfoot(1.8 metres). Preferablythe width W of the unit is less than three foot (one metre) and more preferably two foot or less (0.6 metres).

The overall height h of the unit is preferably not greaterthan ten foot(thrne metres) and more preferably less than seven foot (two metres) so that the unit can be used in the majority of buildings where ceilings are commonly about7ft.6in. (2.3 metres) in height.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, our a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverseformsthereof.

Claims (25)

1. A kitchen unit comprising a free standing enclosure including at least a sink, a worktop and one cupboard, the enclosure having at least one door which when opened gives free access to the enclosure.

2. A unit according to claim 1 wherein when the or each door is closed the kitchen is hidden from view.

3. A unit according to claim 1 or claim 2wherein the preach door is constructed so that the kitchen unit appears two be a cupboard orwardrobe.

4. A unit according to any one of claims 1 to3 wherein the unit has at least two doors so thatthat doors require minimum space when opened.

5. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the enclosure is generally re ctangularin plan view.

6. A unit according to claim 5 wherein the worktop extends substantiallyforthe entire length of the longest side of the rectangle.

7. A unit according to claim 6 wherein the worktop extends across at least a major portion of the width of the structure.

8. A unit according to claim 5 or claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the door is provided along the longest side of the rectangleoppositetotheworktop.

9. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sink is provided in the worktop.

10. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cupboard or cupboards are provided over or beneath the worktop.

11. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more drawers are provided.

12. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a the unit has a cooking appliance.

13. A unit according to claim 12 wherein the cooking appliance is a microwave oven.

14. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein water is supplied to taps for use in the sink through hoses which are connected to plumbing fittings provided in the room in which the unit is located.

15. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an electric lead is plugged into a socket of the room, to enable power to be fed to the unit to provide light, and powerforthe cooking appliance, where provided, and if desired for a water heater.

16. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the unit is less than ten foot long (3 metres).

17. A unit according to claim 16wherein the unit is less than six foot long (1.8 metres).

18. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the unit is less than ten foot high (3 metres).

19. A unit according to claim 18wherein the unit is less high than seven foot high (2 metres).

20. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the unit is less than three footwide (one metre).

21. A unit according to claim 20 wherein the unit is less than two foot (0.6 metres) wide.

22. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wheein the enclosure has a floor or a floor frame with theworktop, and the cupboard, and where appropriate cooking appliance supported on thefloororfloorframe.

23. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a ceiling is provided.

24. A kitchen unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown intheac- companying drawings.

25. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed hereinandlorshown intheac- companying drawings.