WO1993008435A1

WO1993008435A1 - Adapter plate for monolithic refrigeration units of refrigeration chambers, and monolithic unit including said plate

Info

Publication number: WO1993008435A1
Application number: PCT/EP1992/002396
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Ronda; Abramo De Angelis
Original assignee: Sicaf S.R.L.
Priority date: 1991-10-25
Filing date: 1992-10-19
Publication date: 1993-04-29
Also published as: ITVI910167A0; ITVI910167A1; IT1253129B

Abstract

An adapter plate (5), for monolithic refrigeration units (1) for refrigeration chambers and the like, of the type including a compressor assembly (2) which is mounted outside the compartment to be refrigerated (V) and is rigidly connected to an evaporator assembly (3) arranged inside the compartment. The plate has a planar vertical panel (6) which can be removably associated with the compressor assembly (2). The panel is shaped so as to sealingly close a hole (F) defined in the sidewall (P) of the refrigeration compartment (V) for the passage of the evaporator assembly (3) during its installation within the chamber. Through the adapter plate (5), the monolithic unit (1) can be installed both astride the upper edge of the sidewall (P) of the chamber and in a plug-like manner through a hole (F) for the passage of the evaporator (3).

Description

ADAPTER PLATE FOR MONOLITHIC REFRIGERATION UNITS OF

REFRIGERATION CHAMBERS, AND MONOLITHIC UNIT INCLUDING SAID PLATE The present invention relates to an adapter plate for

monolithic refrigeration units for refrigeration chambers and the like, and to a monolithic refrigeration unit which comprises said plate. As is known, conventional monolithic refrigeration units of the above described type comprise a compressor assembly which is mounted outside the refrigeration chamber and is

associated with an evaporator assembly. The evaporator is arranged inside the chamber by means of connecting brackets constituted for example by members with a U-shaped transverse cross-section. The side wall of the chamber is crossed by the connecting brackets, and the crossing area is thermally insulated in order to avoid dispersions and reductions in overall efficiency.

A problem of these known monolithic units is linked to the methods for installing them in chambers or compartments to be refrigerated, depending on whether chambers have to be assembled or are already completed.

In fact, if the covering of the chamber has not yet been manufactured, it is possible to mount the monolithic

refrigeration unit simply by placing it astride the upper edge of the side wall of the chamber and by arranging the connecting brackets in adapted oomplementari lv shaped slots formed along the edge. After anchoring the compressor assembly to the outer wall of the chamber, the crossing slots are sealed in a conventional manner in order to ensure the thermal insulation of the unit. In this case, the brackets for passing through the monolithic unit are visible from outside, and so this type of monolithic unit is technically known as "brace-mounted" due to its particular configuration.

If, on the contrary, the monolithic unit must be installed in an already-finished chamber, for example for replacing the old refrigeration system with a new one, then it is no longer possible to arrange the brackets of the monolithic unit astride the edge of the side wall, nor would it be

economically convenient to disassemble part of the chamber in order to follow this installation procedure. In this case it is necessary to form a crossing hole in the side wall of the chamber proximate to its upper part. The dimensions of the hole must allow the passage of the evaporator unit so that it protrudes inside the chamber.

In order to follow this installation procedure, it is

necessary to use a monolithic unit wherein the evaporator assembly forms a monolithic body and is blended without discontinuities with the frame of the compressor assembly, so as to sealingly close the crossing hole defined in the wall of the chamber. This type of monolithic unit is defined as "plug-mounted" due to the particular function of its

evaporator unit. It is therefore evident that, according to the type of chamber available, it is necessary to use one of the two types of monolithic unit. This entails higher production, storage and installation costs. The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the problems described above by providing a simple and economical system for adapting a standard monolithic unit to the different installation conditions. A further object, of the present invention is to directly provide the user with the adaptation system, as an accessory of the standard monolithic unit.

A further object is to provide a standard monolithic unit which can be converted, when required, into the "brace-mounted" or "plug-mounted" type according to the situation so as to reduce storage and management costs on the part of dealers. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by an adapter plate for monolithic refrigeration unit for refrigeration chambers and the like, of the above described type, as described in the

accompanying claims.

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred but not

exclusive embodiment of an adapter plate and of a monolithic unit according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an adapter plate according to the invention, which can be coupled to a conventional monolithic unit; Fig. 2 is a partially sectional side view of a monolithic unit which is installed on the side wall of a refrigeration chamber and includes the adapter plate of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional top view, taken along the horizontal plane III-III of Fig. 2.

With reference to the above figures, a conventional

monolithic unit, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, generally comprises a compressor assembly 2 which can be installed outside a refrigeration compartment V and an evaporator assembly 3 which protrudes inside said

compartment.

The two assemblies 2 and 3 are mutually coupled by rigid connecting brackets 4, which are normally constituted by II-shaped profiled elements, and by means of pipes and electric power supply cables, not shown in the drawings, for the circulation of the refrigeration fluid. According to the invention, there is an adapter plate, generally designated by the reference numeral 5, which can be removably coupled to the compressor assembly 2 at the surface thereof which faces the wall P of the refrigeration

compartment. In particular, the adapter plate 5 can be formed by a panel 6 made of insulating material which has the general shape of a parallelepiped whose thickness s is considerably less than the distance d between the compressor assembly 2 and the evaporator assembly 3 and is preferably less than the

thickness a of the wall P of the compartment to be

refrigerated.

The main front cross-section of the panel 6 is substantially identical to the front cross-section of the evaporator assembly 3. Cavities 7 for the passage of the connecting brackets 4 are provided at the upper corners, and

recesses 8 are formed at the lower corners for purposes which will be specified hereinafter.

Lateral wings 9 are provided along the lateral edges of the panel 6 and constitute sealing lips intended to abut against the outer surface of the wall P and to provide the connection to appropriate stiffening uprights 10 of the adapter plate.

Said uprights 10 and 11 are constituted by plates of strong sheet metal and have, at their lower ends, wings 12 and 13 which are folded horizontally and are arranged in the

recesses 8 of the panel 6 for supporting the plate 5 and the entire monolithic unit. The uprights are provided with holes 14 for the passage of screws 15, for connection to the compressor assembly 2, and with holes 16 for the passage of log bolts 17, or other equivalent elements, for anchoring to the wall P of the chamber. Conveniently, the upper ends of the uprights 10 and 11 have passages 18 and 19 shaped so as to allow the crossing of the brackets 4. For the sake of completeness in description, it is noted that the panel 6 made of insulating material may be provided by injecting polyurethane foam in an appropriate mold,

optionally covered with a layer of sealing resin or with a shell of semirigid plastic. Furthermore, at the lateral wings 9 and-, along the edges of the panel it is possible to arrange a preformed gasket 20, or a layer of sealing compound, for the optimum insulation of the plate.

The adapter plate 5 can be provided as an accessory of the monolithic unit, for example by connecting it to the

compressor assembly, from which it can be disconnected simply by unscrewing the screws 15.

During installation, if the chamber is still being

manufactured, i.e. does not have the top covering, the adapter plate 5 is removed from the compressor assembly 2 and the brackets 4 can be arranged in adapted slots defined on the upper edge of the side wall P. If the chamber is completely assembled, after providing a hole F in the side wall P the monolithic unit can be

installed by passing the evaporator assembly 3 through the hole F so that the adapter plate 5 snugly enters said hole and abuts, by means of the lateral wings 9, against the corresponding edges of the hole F so as to allow the anchoring of the plate and of the monolithic unit by means of the log bolts 17.

From what has been described above, it is evident that the adapter plate 5 allows the user to simply and economically convert a standard "brace-mounted" monolithic unit into a "plug-mounted" one by coupling or not coupling said plate to the compressor assembly. In practice it has been observed that the adapter plate and the monolithic unit which includes it achieve the intended aim and all of the objects, and in particular that said plate allows to adapt the standard monolithic unit, of the brace-mounted type, to the various installation conditions

according to the contingent requirements.

The adapter plate and the monolithic unit according to the invention are susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the

inventive concept defined in the accompanying claims. All the details and the materials may be replaced with technical equivalents without abandoning the scope of the invention.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. Adapter plate, particularly for monolithic refrigeration units of refrigeration chambers and the like, of the type which comprises a compressor assembly (2) mounted outside the compartment to be refrigerated (V), said compressor assembly being rigidly connected to an evaporator assembly (3)

arranged inside said compartment, said plate (5) being characterized in that it comprises a substantially planar vertical panel (6) which can be removably associated with the compressor assembly (2) so that it is aligned with the evaporator assembly (3), said panel (6) being shaped so as to sealingly close a hole (F) defined in the side wall (P) of the refrigeration compartment (V) for the passage of the evaporator assembly (3) during its installation within said chamber.

2. Adapter plate according to claim 1, characterized in that said panel (6) is substantially planar and has a main cross-section which is identical to that of the evaporator assembly (3).

3. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness (s) of said panel (6) is less than that (a) of the side wall (P) of the chamber or the like.

4. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said panel (6) has a pair of lateral wings (9) along its vertical edges and at its

outward-facing surface, said wings being adapted to abut against the outer surface of the wall (P).

5. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has anchoring means for the removable connection of said panel (6) both to the side wall of the chamber and to said compressor assembly in a position which is substantially aligned with said evaporator assembly.

6. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said anchoring means comprises at least one pair of vertical uprights (10, 11), said upright being associated with the outer surface of said compressor assembly (2), on one side, and with the lateral wings (9) of said panel, on the other side, by means of screws (15, 17).

7. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said uprights (10, 11) are metal plates, said plates being wider than said wings (9) and having a length approximately equal to the leight of said panel (6).

8. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower end portions of said uprights are folded so as to form said horizontal wings (12, 13), said wings being inserted in corresponding seats (8) formed in the lower edge of said panel, said wings being adapted to support said monolithic unit during installation.

9. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end portions (18, 19) of said uprights are conveniently shaped so as to allow the passage of the brackets (4) for connection between the compressor assembly and the evaporator assembly.

10. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said panel (6) is made of polyurethane foam possibly covered by a shell made of a semirigid plastic or metallic material.

11. Adapter plate according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a preformed gasket or a layer of sealing material (20) interposed between the wings of the panel and the wall of the chamber or the like, as well as between the edges of the panel and those of the passage hole for the evaporator assembly.

12. Monolithic refrigeration unit (1) for refrigeration chambers and the like, comprising a compressor assembly (2) arranged outside a refrigeration compartment (V) and rigidly associated with an evaporator assembly (3) by means of connecting brackets (4), said evaporator assembly being arranged inside the refrigeration compartment, characterized in that it has an adapter plate (5) according to one or more of the preceding claims, which is removably associated with said compressor assembly (2) and is adapted to allow the installation of said monolithic unit both astride the upper edge of the side wall (P) of the chamber and in a plug-like manner through a hole (F) for the passage of the evaporator.