Patent Publication Number: US-9423171-B2

Title: Modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/599,900, filed Jun. 5, 2007, which claims priority on International Application No. PCT/EP2005/051633, filed Apr. 13, 2005, which claims priority on Italian Application No. MI2004A000737, filed Apr. 14, 2004. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance in accordance with the introduction to the main claim. In particular, it relates to the structure of a refrigeration and/or freezer appliance or the like, and to its components, which are such as to render the structure sectional and adaptable to the most varied requirements. 
     As known to the expert of the art, known refrigeration appliance structures are formed from a plurality of panels and profile bars joined together by screw means or by injected insulating material (foam) made to expand between said panels and profile bars; the same insulating material maintains the panels and profile bars joined together. This involves considerable assembly times and high costs in terms of the labour required to handle a large number of pieces and to properly assemble them. 
     A first problem derives from the fact that the means for coupling the various module components together are such that once the refrigeration or freezer appliance has been assembled, it cannot be easily disassembled. 
     In addition, alignment between the various module components, for example in the case of assembly by means of foam, is particularly critical and must be delegated to expert qualified, and hence costly, personnel possibly using templates or support jigs. 
     Moreover, the structure of such refrigerators, being based on a number of structural parts joined together to form a frame, does not present good structural rigidity as the connections between the various panels are delegated merely to the injected insulating material. 
     In addition, the joining together of various structural parts typically results in a worsening of the thermal insulation of the cabinet, as the connections between the various panels introduce material continuity between the external environment and the interior of the refrigerated compartment, resulting in poorer insulation characteristics than commonly used expanded materials, hence giving rise to thermal bridges which increase heat transfer between the external environment and the thermally insulated compartment. 
     DE 1911903 describes a horizontal modular refrigerator cabinet consisting of a plurality of U-shaped structural modules of rigid foamed material disposed horizontally side by side such that the side walls of each U-shaped module define the upper and lower walls of the refrigerator cabinet. The refrigeration compartment is closed frontally by doors and laterally by flat panels of the same material with which the modules are made. The said patent does not provide details of how such flat panels are fixed to the ends of the U-shaped modules, which are abuttingly joined to each other. Moreover, such a type of cabinet is suitable more for commercial use (bars, beer houses, etc.) than for domestic use, as the U-shaped elements define a sort of refrigerated counter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance according to one embodiment of the invention includes a base module, a cabinet module comprising U-shaped front and rear plates defining a structure with an open top, bottom, and front, with the front and rear plates spaced from each other to define therebetween a U-shaped insulation compartment with upper and lower edges, an insulation module received within the U-shaped insulation compartment, a bottom closure wall module, a top closure wall module, and a door hingedly coupled to the base module and the cabinet module to selectively close the open front of the cabinet module. 
     A modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance according to another embodiment of the invention includes a base module, a first cabinet module comprising U-shaped front and rear plates defining a structure with an open top, bottom, and front, with the front and rear plates spaced from each other to define therebetween a first U-shaped insulation compartment with upper and lower edges, an insulation module received within the first U-shaped insulation compartment, a second cabinet module arranged vertically with the first cabinet module and comprising U-shaped front and rear plates defining a structure with an open top, bottom, and front, with the front and rear plates spaced from each other to define therebetween a second U-shaped insulation compartment with upper and lower edges, an insulation module received within the second U-shaped insulation compartment, a bottom closure wall module, a top closure wall module, and a door hingedly coupled to the base module and the cabinet module to selectively close the open front of the cabinet module. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWLINGS 
       Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic exploded view of a modular refrigerator of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic view of a modular refrigerator of the present invention showing a first and second cabinet module; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of details of the refrigerator of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 2A and 3A  are enlarged perspective views of details of  FIGS. 2 and 3  respectively; 
         FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  are perspective views of details of the refrigerator of  FIG. 1  assembled; 
         FIGS. 6, 7A, 7B  are enlarged views of a detail of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are rear perspective views of a refrigerator of the invention, showing a conduit-like element in a pre-assembly configuration and respectively in an assembled configuration mounted on the rear wall of the refrigerator; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a first variant of a detail of the assembled modular refrigerator; 
         FIG. 11  is a section on the line XI-XI of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a further variant of the assembled modular refrigerator of the invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a section on the line XIII-XIII of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a further variant of the modular refrigerator of the invention, in which the thermal bridges are further reduced; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic view of a different embodiment of the refrigeration appliance of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an air duct to be used in the refrigerator according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of two elements of the refrigerator according to the invention, in which the air duct of  FIG. 16  is used. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The figures show a modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance indicated overall by 1. It comprises a base module  2  for containing the components  2 A necessary to obtain the refrigeration effect within the appliance, and in particular a compressor, a condenser and a cooling fan with respective drive motor. These components  2 A are of conventional type and will therefore, not be further described. 
     The base module  2  presents a lower plate  3  from which a pair of lateral walls  4   a ,  4   b  branch, on the flat top  5   a ,  5   b  of which means  6   a  are provided for its connection to other corresponding modules, which will be described hereinafter. Said connection means in  FIG. 1  consist of guides  6   a  of inverted double L shape. The particular shape of these guides gives them slight elasticity, which is very useful for improving the seal when coupled to a corresponding counter-guide  6   b . These counter-guides  6   b  are facingly present on both the lower and upper sides of the branches  7   a ,  7   b  of a first reversible U-shaped profile bar  7 . The counter-guides  6   b  and their arrangement are well visible in  FIG. 2A ; they are substantially T-shaped, the guides  6   a  sliding within them with slight interference. The connection is particularly stable in that it utilizes the said elasticity of the inverted L-shaped profile bar of the guides  6   a , the connection being perfectly sealed. 
     The U-shaped profile bar  7 , of cross-section symmetrical about the axis “a” of  FIG. 2A , presents further guide slots  8 . The guide slots  8 , also double given the symmetry of the U-shaped profile bar, are formed of first outer flanges  8   a , exceeding second inner flanges  8   b  in length. The slots act as a seat for two panels  9 , which will be described in detail hereinafter. 
     As is evident in  FIG. 1 , the first U-shaped profile bar  7  is mounted from the front onto the base module  2  by sliding the guides  6   a  of the base module  2  within the counter-guides  6   b  of the bottom of the U-shaped profile bar  7 . Identical panels  9  are slid within the upper and lower guide slots  8 , before mounting the U-shaped profile bar  7  on the base module  2 . The panels  9  are hence well secured and, together with the inner walls of the U-shaped profile bar  7  and the wall  11  of a second U-shaped profile bar  10  (described hereinafter), form a compartment which when injected with insulating material, for example foamed polyurethane, forms the bottom panel  41  of the refrigeration appliance compartment. 
     The second U-shaped profile bar  10 , shown in its entirety in  FIG. 3  (and in detail in  FIG. 3A ), presents, on the upper surface of two lateral branches  10   a, b , guides which are totally similar to those presented by the base module  2  and already described. On the third branch  10   c , which joins the lateral branches together, there is a wall  11  of height at least equal to the height of the U-shaped profile bar  7 . The second U-shaped profile bar  10  also laterally presents further seats  12  for a front plate  13  and a rear plate  14  inserted head-on into said seats  12 . 
     In the illustrated example, the front plate  13  is a bent enamelled metal sheet, presenting a rear part  13   a , two side parts  13   b  disposed as the sides of a U, and two front parts  13   c  bent at a right angle to the side parts  13   b . This front plate  13  will form the interior of the refrigeration appliance compartment. 
     The rear plate  14  presents only a rear part  14   a  and two side parts  14   b , which also form a U cross-section. This rear plate will form the rear and side exterior of the appliance. 
     In assembly, the front plate  13  and rear plate  14  are positioned face to face and inserted head-on into the seats  12  of two second U-shaped profile bars  10 , one disposed upperly and one lowerly. Between the profile bars and plates there is thus created a U-shaped compartment which when filled with foamed insulating material  15  consolidates the structure. The combination forms an insulated U-shaped module  16  which is structurally very rigid. 
     The U-shaped module  16  is then joined to the base module  2 , specifically to the first U-shaped profile bar  7  already mounted on the base module  2  and fixed to it by means of the guides  6   a.    
     The top  40  of the refrigeration appliance is formed by again using a first U-shaped profile bar  7 , identical to that already described, in which a panel  9  is lowerly inserted and an upper panel  18  is upperly inserted carrying lower guides  6   a  for engagement with the U-shaped profile bar  7 .  FIG. 4  shows this connection in detail, and highlights the compartment  19  which is to be filled with insulating material. In this latter, and specifically in the panel  9  or flat module, one or more holes  20  can be provided to allow passage of electric cables or conduits for refrigerant fluid via suitably provided channels  21 . 
     A refrigerator has so far been described formed from a single U-shaped module  16  mounted on a base  2  (via an interposed bottom panel  41 ) and closed upperly by a top  40 , as shown in  FIG. 1A , however, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B  which shows a first, upper cabinet  16 ′ and a second lower cabinet  16  having parts corresponding to those of cabinet  16 , the modular refrigerator of the invention can be formed from several superposed U-shaped modules  16 ,  16 ′ joined together at flat joining and stiffening panels such as intermediate closing panel  41 ′ similar to the bottom panel  41 , i.e. provided with the same counter-guides  6   b  described with reference to the bottom panel  41  and to the top  40  and labeled as  6   b ′. In this manner, each U-shaped module  16 ,  16 ′ can be rapidly mounted on the underlying module by using the flat joining and stiffening panels  41 ,  41 ′. 
     In the base module  2  a seat  22  is provided in each side wall  4   a ,  4   b  for housing a hinge module  23 . The hinge module  23  lowerly presents a dovetail profile  23   a  to slidingly engage a corresponding profile  22   a  of the seat  22 . The hinge module is locked in the seat  22  by an elastic tang (not visible) acting on its base. 
     The hinge module, which can be mounted on the right or left depending on the direction of opening of the door  27 , presents a pin  24  housed in holes  25 ′ or  25 ″. The pin is housed in the holes  25 ′ or  25 ″ depending on the direction of opening of the refrigeration appliance door  27 . The pin  24  is fixed by bayonet insertion using a lever  26  removably applicable to the pin  24 . 
     When in use, the refrigerator door  27  is hence hinged lowerly about the pin  24  and upperly by conventional inserts fixed for example to the upper U-shaped profile bar  7 . 
     In a different embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7A , B, only a single hole is provided to house the pin  24 . The lever  26  for manipulating the pin  24  can be seen in these figures. 
     By joining together the aforedescribed components, an adaptable modular refrigerator is formed, the described components giving it the maximum degree of flexibility. 
     A different embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  in which a channel  124  is connected vertically to the rear of the U-shaped module  16 , and to the bottom and top panels  41  and  40  respectively. Cables  125  and/or pipes  126  pass through the channel  124 . The method of connecting the channel  124  to the refrigerator cabinet is not shown in the drawings, but can be by traditional fixing systems (snap-insertion, gluing, welding). 
     In the variant shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  the top panel  40  (or an intermediate flat element in the case of several superposed U-shaped modules) is provided with an internal conduit  21  to connect the rear wall of the cabinet, provided with the channel  124 , to the cell interior. In this configuration the channel  124  acts to convey refrigerated air from the base module  2  to the cell and vice versa. Again in this configuration, the channel can instead act as a simple passage for the circuit pipes and electric cables. In a similar manner, in the variant shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , preinstalled cables  122  and/or pipes  123  are run inside channels  121  provided in the top panel  40  (or in an intermediate flat element in the case of several superposed modules) and can then be connected to the rest of the electrical/electronic circuit, and in particular to the cables and pipes ( 125 ,  126 ) mounted in the channel  124  using suitable connectors (not shown). 
     In a different embodiment of the modular refrigeration appliance, shown in  FIG. 14 , the bars  7 ,  10  on which the guides and counter-guides  6   a  and  6   b  are provided present suitable discontinuities  101  in their constituent materials. By interrupting the continuity of these materials the thermal bridges between the external environment and the thermally insulated compartments are minimized. 
     In a different embodiment of the modular refrigeration appliance, shown in  FIG. 15 , the connection means consisting of guides  6   a  and counter-guides  6   b  can be replaced by couplings  30  snap-cooperating with suitable seats  31  provided in the first and second U-shaped profile bar  10  and in the upper panel  18 , for the rest they being entirely similar to those already described. 
     The couplings  30  present a substantially flat elongate body  32  from which there symmetrically extend, both lowerly and upperly, pairs of elastic appendices  33  provided with facilitated-engagement teeth  34  to engage said seats  31 . Once engaged in the seats  31 , these couplings  30  are incorporated into the foamed insulating material injected into the compartments of the framework, hence rendering the connection between the different modular parts very stable. 
     Instead of using a channel  124  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) connected to the rear side of the U-shaped module  16 , it is possible to use an internal air duct  130  as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . The duct  130  conveys the refrigerated air to the cavities and drives air inside each cavity. Moreover the duct  130  is a device that integrates all the needed function inside each cavity, i.e. to convey and drive air into the cavity, to generate light inside the cavity, and to sense one or more physical entity inside the cavity (e.g. temperature, humidity, odor, etc.). The duct  130  is provided with a main channel  130   a  and with an auxiliary side channel  130   b . The main channel  130   a  is connected to a seat  132  of the bottom panel  41  and to a seat (not shown) of the top panel. The seat  132  is then connected (on its lower side) to the base module  2  where refrigerated air is driven to such seat. 
     In the auxiliary side channel  130   b  there are provided wires  134  for connecting an electronic control board  136  that communicates with the base module  2  through a bus connection. The sensors (not shown) are connected to the electronic control board  136  and a connector  138  is provided in the auxiliary channel  130   b  for fast connection (only one of such connectors  138  is shown in  FIG. 16 ). The control board  136  drives also electrical dampers or valves  140  placed in a corresponding aperture  142  of the channel  130   a  for adjusting the flow of cold air to the cavity. 
     Another function of the air duct  130  is to support a fan (not shown) associated with the aperture  142 , and to support lamps  144  (for instance LED, OLED, electroluminescent polymers etc.). The use of the air duct  130  allows a very easy and fast assembly of a modular refrigerator according to the invention. Moreover the duct  130  can be used in a modular architecture since it presents standard interfaces (mechanical and electrical) to one of the structural module of the refrigerator and hence can be differentiated among the product range to better follow customer needs. Moreover the duct  130  (and all components integrated therein) can be easily disassembled and replaced in case of failure or in case of upgrade. 
     Various embodiments have been described, however others can be conceived using the same inventive concept.