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 s 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 oomplementar 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 "bracp-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 refrigerat on 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.