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Title:
IMPROVED ENGINE MOUNTING AND ASSEMBLY OF MODULAR REFRIGERATION ENGINE TO A CABINET OF A REFRIGERATION APPLIANCE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/060503
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present invention provides a refrigeration engine assembly (10) including a compressor (14), evaporator (34), condenser (16) and associated tube connections and control systems said assembly including an insulated panel (32) located between the evaporator (34) and the remainder of said assembly, said insulated panel (32) being adapted to seal with one or more surfaces of a cabinet, to thermally isolate a hot side of the assembly from a cold side thereof, and thereby forming a floor portion and or wall portion of a refrigeration cabinet. The insulated panel (32) can have a generally L-shaped overall configuration prior to insertion into, and assembly with, a cabinet. The present invention also provides for an appliance having a refrigeration engine (10) or a self contained refrigeration engine (10) as described.

Inventors:
SANDERS PHILIP (AU)
SUSSMILCH ROBERT (AU)
DAUGHERTY ANDREW (AU)
THOMAS SANOSH (AU)
THIPHASAK PICHET (AU)
CHITRE ROHIT (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/AU2010/001561
Publication Date:
May 26, 2011
Filing Date:
November 19, 2010
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS PTY LTD (AU)
SANDERS PHILIP (AU)
SUSSMILCH ROBERT (AU)
DAUGHERTY ANDREW (AU)
THOMAS SANOSH (AU)
THIPHASAK PICHET (AU)
CHITRE ROHIT (AU)
International Classes:
F25D19/00; F25D23/00
Domestic Patent References:
WO2009019884A12009-02-12
Foreign References:
US20090000316A12009-01-01
US20060042275A12006-03-02
DE1601935A11971-03-04
JP2004239456A2004-08-26
US5347827A1994-09-20
JPH04227454A1992-08-17
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
BORG, Keith, Joseph et al. (1 Market StreetSydney, New South Wales 2000, AU)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A refrigeration engine assembly including a compressor, evaporator, condenser and

associated tube connections and control systems said assembly including an insulated panel located between the evaporator and the remainder of said assembly, said insulated panel being adapted to seal with one or more surfaces of a cabinet, to thermally isolate a hot side of said assembly from a cold side thereof, and thereby forming a floor portion and or wall portion of a refrigeration cabinet.

2. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panel is predominately a floor portion.

3. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panel is predominately a rearward portion.

4. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said panel is of a straight Z or L shaped construction.

5. A refrigeration engine assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said evaporator or said condenser is oriented in said assembly in a transport position relative to said panel.

6. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said evaporator and or said condenser can be rotated from said transport position to an in use position before installation into said cabinet.

7. A refrigeration engine assembly claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said panel includes on sides thereof mounting means such as protrusions, tracks or channels, to engage formations on said cabinet in which said assembly will be assembled.

8. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said cabinet includes at least one support rail to engage one or more surfaces of said panel.

9. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said cabinet or said panel includes at least one sealing means to seal said panel to said cabinet.

10. . A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein mounting means to mount said assembly into said cabinet includes means to force said panel into sealing engagement with said cabinet by means of the movement of said assembly into said cabinet.

1 1. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in the preceding claim wherein said cabinet includes a support rail with a sealing means thereon and said panel includes engagement means to engage a formation on said cabinet whereby pushing said assembly into said cabinet, so that at the end of the travel of said assembly into said cabinet, said engagement means and formation cooperate to force a surface of said panel to engage said sealing means to thereby seal said panel to said cabinet.

12. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said mounting means such as tracks or channels include a projection so that said panel will engage a formation on said cabinet to force sealing of said panel with respect to said cabinet or to lock the panel and cabinet together.

13. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said panel has two tracks or channels per side and said cabinet has two formations per side to engage respective tracks or channels.

14. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said assembly includes a base plate and said cabinet includes a base support means so that as said assembly moves into said cabinet said base plate engages said base support means to assist the support of said assembly in said cabinet.

15. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said panel is manufactured from metallic panel members forming a generally hollow panel member which is subsequently filled with insulating foam or expanding insulating foam.

16. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said panel is manufactured from metal backed insulation foam material with a groove being

- cut therein to allow formation of bend of said panel or form an angle in the final panel and then reinforcing and covering said panel,

17. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said panel includes sides formed from heat

insulative side caps having tracks or channels therein.

18. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said formation on said cabinet are lugs

projecting therefrom which are either formed integrally with the cabinet or added to the cabinet.

19. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said assembly moves into engagement with said cabinet in a front to rear direction.

20. A refrigeration engine assembly wherein said assembly moves into engagement with said cabinet in a rear to front direction.

21. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a base plate is included to receive one or more components of said assembly, said base plate including at least one wheel set.

22. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed iri claim 21 wherein there are provided

sufficient wheels on said base so that said base will adequately support said engine assembly and allow said engine assembly to be rolled on the flat surface.

23. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claims 21 or 22 wherein said wheels are part of the wheel set of a cabinet, once said engine assembly is assembled in said cabinet.

24. A refrigeration assembly as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein said wheel sets are height adjustable.

25. A refrigeration engine assembly including a base to mount components of said assembly, wherein said base includes at least one wheel means or assemblies which act as an appliance wheel set once said engine assembly has been mounted in a cabinet.

26. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claim 25, wherein said at least one wheel means has its axis of rotation height adjustable relative to said base or said cabinet.

27. A refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 26 wherein one of, or both of, a condenser and an evaporator of said engine assembly are rotatable between a transport or storage orientation and an assembly orientation.

28. A self contained refrigeration engine assembly including a compressor, evaporator

condenser, an interface to separate hot and cold engine areas, associated tubing, controls, fans and the like, said assembly having a generally L-shaped overall configuration prior to insertion into, and assembly with, a cabinet.

29. A self contained refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claim 28 wherein one or both of said condenser and evaporator are arranged in a first orientation for transport or storage of said engine assembly, and rotated to a second orientation prior to assembly in a cabinet, said second orientation giving said assembly said generally L-shaped overall configuration.

30. A self contained refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claims 28 or 29, wherein said interface is one of: a planar panel, a Z-shaped panel or an L-shaped panel.

31. A self contained refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claims 28 to 30 wherein one or more posts supports said interface above said base to which said compressor is mounted.

32. A self contained refrigeration engine assembly as claimed in claims 28 to 31 wherein a base, provided to mount said compressor thereon, engages a base support in a cabinet to which said engine assembly is assembled.

33. An appliance having a refrigeration engine or a self contained refrigeration engine as claimed in,any one of the preceding claims.

34. An appliance as claimed in claim 33, wherein the appliance is one or more of the

following: a refrigerator, a freezer, a combination freezer/refrigerator, a wine cooler; a wine cabinet, a pantry, side by side refrigerator/freezer, a multi door and or under-bench or under- counter refrigerator or freezer, and a combination freezer, fridge and wine cooler/cabinet.

Description:
Improved Engine Mounting and Assembly of Modular Refrigeration Engine to a

Cabinet of a Refrigeration Appliance

Field of the invention

[001] The present invention relates to refrigeration engine assemblies such refrigeration engine assemblies being able to be utilised in refrigerators, freezers, combination freezer/refrigerators, whether top or bottom mount, wine coolers, wine cabinets, pantries, side by side refrigerator/freezers, multi door and or under-bench or under-counter refrigerators, and combination freezer, fridge and wine cooler/cabinet combinations and similar appliances for domestic and commercial and other uses.

Background of the invention

[002] In the manufacture of refrigeration appliances, like many other industries, there is a need to reduce transport costs as well as manufacturing and assembly costs.

[003] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.

Summary of the invention

[004] The present invention provides a refrigeration engine assembly including a compressor, evaporator, condenser and associated tube connections and control systems the assembly including an insulated panel located between the evaporator and the remainder of the « assembly, the insulated panel being adapted to seal with one or more surfaces of a cabinet, to thermally isolate a hot side of the assembly from a cold side thereof, and thereby forming a floor portion and or wall portion of a refrigeration cabinet.

[005] The panel can be predominately a floor portion. Alternatively the panel can be predominately a rear portion, or both a floor and rear portion of the cabinet.

[006] The panel can be of a straight, Z, or L shaped construction.

[007] The evaporator or the condenser or both can be oriented in the assembly in a transport position relative to the panel.

[008] The evaporator and or the condenser or both can be rotated from the transport · position to an in use position before installation into the cabinet. [009] The panel can include on sides thereof mounting means such as protrusions,

, tracks or channels, to engage formations on the cabinet in which the assembly will be assembled.

[010] The cabinet can include at least one support rail to engage one or more surfaces of the panel.

[011] The cabinet or the panel, or both, can include at least one sealing means to seal the panel to the cabinet.

[012] Mounting means to mount the assembly into the cabinet can include means to force the panel into sealing engagement with the cabinet by means of the movement of the assembly into the cabinet.

[013] The cabinet can include a support rail with a sealing means thereon and the panel includes engagement means to engage a formation on the cabinet whereby pushing the assembly into the cabinet, so that at the end of the travel of the assembly into the cabinet, the engagement means and formation cooperate to force a surface of the panel to engage the sealing means to thereby seal the panel to the cabinet.

[014] The mounting means, such as tracks or channels, can include a projection so that the panel will engage a formation on the cabinet to force sealing of the panel with respect to the cabinet or to lock the panel and cabinet together.

[015] The panel preferably has two tracks or channels per side and the cabinet has two formations per side to engage respective tracks or channels.

[016] The present invention also provides a refrigeration engine assembly wherein the assembly includes a base plate and the cabinet includes a base support means so that as the assembly moves into the cabinet the base plate engages the base support means to assist the support of the assembly in the cabinet.

[017] The panel can be manufactured from metallic panel members forming a generally hollow panel member which is subsequently filled with insulating foam or expanding insulating foam.

[018] The panel can be manufactured from metal backed insulation foam material with a groove being cut therein to allow formation of bend of the panel or form an angle in the final panel and then reinforcing and covering the panel. ^

[019] . The panel can include sides formed from heat insulative side caps having tracks or channels therein. [020] The formation on the cabinet is preferably lugs projecting therefrom which are either formed integrally with the cabinet or added to the cabinet. ·

[021] The assembly can move into engagement with the cabinet in a front to rear direction.

[022] The assembly can move into engagement with the cabinet in a rear to front direction. .

[023] A base plate can be included to receive one or more components of the assembly, the base plate including at least one wheel set.

[024] There can be provided sufficient wheels on the base so that the base will adequately support the engine assembly and allow the engine assembly to be rolled on the flat surface.

[025] The wheels can be such that they become part of the wheel set of a cabinet, once the engine assembly is assembled in the cabinet.

[026] The wheel sets are preferably height adjustable.

[027] The present invention also provides a refrigeration engine assembly including a base to mount components of the assembly, wherein the base includes at least one wheel means or assemblies which act as an appliance wheel set once the engine assembly has been mounted in a cabinet.

[028] The at least one wheel means can have its axis of rotation height adjustable relative to the base or the cabinet.

[029] One of, or both of, a condenser and an evaporator of the engine assembly can be rotatable between a transport or storage orientation and an assembly orientation.

[030] The present invention further provides a self contained refrigeration engine assembly including a compressor, evaporator condenser, an interface to ' separate hot and cold engine areas, associated tubing, controls, fans and the like, the assembly having a generally reshaped overall configuration prior to insertion into, and assembly with, a cabinet.

[031 ] One or both of the condenser and evaporator are arranged in a first orientation for transport or storage of the engine assembly, and rotated to a second orientation prior to assembly in a cabinet, the second orientation giving the assembly the generally L-shaped overall configuration. [032] The interface can be one of: a planar panel, a Z-shaped panel or an L-shaped panel.

[033] One or more posts can support the interface above the base to which the compressor is mounted.

[034] A base, provided to mount the compressor thereon,- can engages a base support in a cabinet to which the engine assembly is assembled.

[035] The present invention also provides an appliance having a refrigeration engine or a self contained refrigeration engine as described above.

[036] The appliance can be one or more of the following: a refrigerator, a freezer, a combination freezer/refrigerator, a wine cooler; a wine cabinet, a pantry, side by side refrigerator/freezer, a multi door and or under-bench or under-counter refrigerator or freezer, and a combination freezer, fridge and wine cooler/cabinet.

Brief description of the drawings

[037] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[038] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a refrigeration engine assembly showing the generally L-shaped configuration and a Z-shaped interface panel;

[039] Figure 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

[040] Figure 3 illustrates a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

[041 ] Figure 4 illustrates a right side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

[042] Figures 5 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

[043] Figures 6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the components of the Z- shaped engine interface panel of Figure 1 ;

[044] Figure 7 illustrates a side view of the interface end caps of Figure 6;

[045] Figure 8 illustrates a detail of a portion of Figure 7;

[046] Figure 9 illustrates the detail of Figure 8 as a line drawing;

[047] Figure 10 illustrates a front perspective view showing the mounting of the engine assembly in a front to rear direction; · [048] Figure 11 shows the engine assembly of Figure 1 and its interaction with the sealing and supporting rails mounted on the cabinet;

[049] Figure 12 illustrates a cross section through the base and base support utilised when assembling the engine assembly of Figure 1 into a cabinet;

[050] Figure 13 illustrates the assembly of Figure 1 in a transport position wherein the evaporator is parallel to the base for transport purposes;

[051] Figure 14 illustrates a front perspective view of another refrigeration engine assembly;

[052] Figure 15 illustrates a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure 14;

[053] Figure 16 illustrates a rear perspective view showing the engine assembly of

Figure 14 being moved in a rear to front direction relative to the cabinet during the assembly;

[054] Figure 17 is a section through the engine assembly of figure 14;

[055] Figure 18 and 18A illustrate a detail of the engine mounting and sealing gasket with respect to the cabinet in cross section;

[056] Figure 19 illustrates a front perspective view of the cabinet with the engine assembly mounted therein;

[057] Figure 20 shows a partial side view of the engine cabinet support rail and sealing mechanism;

[058] Figure 21 illustrates a front view of the components of Figure 20;

[059] Figure 22 illustrates a part front elevation showing the engine assembly sealing with cabinet wall;

[060] Figure 23 is a partial detail of the figure of Figure 22;

[061] Figure 24 illustrates the engine assembly in a transport position showing the condensenxotated relative to the L-shaped interface;

[062] Figure 25 illustrates the condenser rotated to an in use orientation relative to the

L-shaped interface panel ready for assembly into a cabinet; and

[063] Figure 26 illustrates a construction method of the interface panels from composite foam metal panels. Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments

[064] Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a self contained and or modular refrigeration engine assembly 10 for use in such household cold appliances utilised in refrigerators, freezers, combination freezer/refrigerators, whether top or bottom mount, wine coolers, pantries, side by side refrigerator/freezers, multi door and or under-bench or under-counter refrigerators, and combination freezer, fridge and wine cooler combinations and similar appliances for domestic and commercial and other uses, which have an openable cabinet. Whilst the invention can be applied to all these types of appliances the following discussion of embodiments will be restricted to a refrigerator or freezer individual unit or combination units thereof.

[065] The fully charged refrigeration engine assembly 10 includes a base plate 12 on which is mounted a compressor 14, a control box 23, a condenser 16, a drain pan 18 and interface supports 20, 22 at the front of the engine assembly and interface supports 24, 26 and 28 at the middle and rear end of the engine assembly 10.

[066] The assembly 10 also includes a condenser fan 30, a Z shaped engine interface 32 oh which is mounted an evaporator 34 which has a downwardly extending drainpipe 36 to conduct condensate to the drain pan 18 at the front of the assembly 10. The evaporator 34 is located in its own drain pan 38. Appropriate tubing and control mechanism and systems are also provided in the engine assembly 10 but for the purposes of clarity of illustration have not then indicated in these drawings.

[067] The engine interface 32 is preferably of a shape described as Z shape, that is, two generally horizontal sections and a generally vertical intermediate section. The Z shape is required due to the height requirements of the compressor 14 at the rear of the assembly 10. If the compressor 24 were not as high a single planar angled interface relative to the horizontal base could be provided which may provide for a greater amount of space in the assembled cabinet.

[068] The interface 32 is best illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, once mounted to a cabinet 40 will provide or form the bottom or lower most surface of the cabinet whether that be for freezer space or refrigeration space.

[069] The interface 32 as illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 is made from sheet metal upper panel 42 of Z shape configuration, a similarly shaped lower panel 44, with polymeric front end cap 46 and rear end cap 48 also being provided. In Figure 6 the panels 48 and 46 and 42 and 44 are all shown as separate panels, however, if made from heat insulative material they could be made from a single piece of sheet material folded at the appropriate fold lines to produce the general shape with only one open edge remaining to be closed to achieve the construction of the upper and lower and front and rear sides of the engine interface 32.

[070] As is illustrated in Figure 6 the sides of the engine interface 32 are closed by polymeric ends caps 50 on the right side and 52 on the left side. The ends caps 50 and 52 have tracks or channels 54 and 56 therein which are oriented at an angle relative to the surfaces of the upper arid lower panels 42 and 44 but are also angled relative to the horizontal plane when mounted in the cabinet 40. As illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 the tracks 54 and 56 each terminate with a protrusion 58 which serves both a locking function and a seal force engagement function as will be described later.

[071] The interface end caps 50 and 52 are preferably manufactured from polymeric material and as mentioned previously the formations 54 and 56 can be either channels as in the illustrated embodiment or formed from cut outs in order to reduce the amount of plastic material. However, the most preferred option is that they are closed channels whereby the internal portions of the interface 32 can be filled with an expanding and or insulation foam so as to insulate the cold portion of the cabinet at its base from the refrigeration engine assembly 10 and its hot surfaces such as compressor and condenser which will run at higher temperatures in operation.

[072] The engine assembly 10, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, shows the assembly 10 in the ready to install orientation into the cabinet 40 as illustrated in Figure 10. However for purposes of transportation to reduce the volume of the engine assembly 10, the evaporator 34 as illustrated in Figure 13, by means of bending its tube connections with the rest of the engine assembly, is rotated to a transport position whereby the*plane of the evaporator 34 is rotated so as to decrease the overall height for transport and storage purposes. When assembly is required with a cabinet the evaporator 34 can be rotated to the in-use position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[073] In order to effect the movement or rotation of the evaporator from a transport to an in use ready to assemble position, the tube connections between the evaporator and the rest of the invention are preferably by means of aluminium tubing whereby such rotations, if kept to a minimum, say no more than 2 or 3 rotations, the tubings structural integrity will not be compromised. Whereas utilisation of other materials such as copper or the like, may have an only one rotation limit because any more than one rotation may cause cracking of the tubing.

[074] Illustrated in Figure 10 and 11 is the means to mount the engine assembly of

Figure 10 into the cabinet 40. The cabinet has on each of its side panels 60, two lugs 62 which project out of the plane of the internal faces of the panels 60. There is also provided an engine support rail 64 which is secured to either side of the cabinet 60 which has its rear portion 66 (for mounting adjacent to the lower edge of the cabinet rear panel) joining the support rails 64. The upper edge 68 of the lower segment of the support rail 64, the front face of the upright section being in the region of 70, and the upper edge of the upper section 72 each have a sealing surface thereon and a gasket to effect this seal. The rear portion 66 has vertical gasket surfaces 74 and the horizontal gasket surface 76 to engage the rear end cap 48 of the interface 32.

[075] By means of the interaction of the lugs 62 with the tracks 54 and 56 in the end caps 50 and 52 of the interface 32, as the engine assembly 10 is pushed and guided into the cabinet 40 with the lugs engaging the tracks. As the engine assembly 10 is pushed further back into the cabinet 40 the lugs force the interface to move in a rearward and downward with respect to the support rails 64 and the respective sealing surfaces 68, 72. Once the interface 32 has been pushed into the cabinet 40 to a sufficient degree that the rear vertical surface of the interface 32 has engaged the vertical seals 70, the locking protrusions 58 will engage the lugs 62 to lock the interface 32 into this position.

[076] Adjacent in the lower most edge of the cabinet 40 is also included an engine support rail 80 as illustrated in cross section in Figure 12 which is of a "C" type cross section. The rail 80 is engaged by the base plate 12 as the interface 32 is partway through its engaging movement. By this means the support rail 64 together with the lower engine support rail 80 is supporting the engine assembly 10 at several locations. By means of. inserting a screw 82 through the support rail 80 and base plate 12 the engine 10 will not be able to be removed out of its sealing engagement with the support rails 64 and the cabinet 40, thereby forming cabinet base surface 32.40 with the evaporator 34 being located within the insulated fridge or freezer compartment.

[077] The cabinet 40 of Figure 10, has a rear panel 61, to the lower edge of which is mounted rear portion 6 of the support rail 64. The lower edge together with panels 60, define a rear opening 40.1 which is closed off from the cold section of the cabinet 40, when interface 32 is sealed in its final assembled location.

[078] Illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 is another embodiment of a fully charged or self contained or modular engine assembly 100, which has some similarities with assembly 10, with like parts being like numbered.

[079] The engine 100 differs from the engine 10 in that an L shape interface 132 is provided instead of a Z shape interface. Also provided is an evaporator fan 104 at the upper edge of the interface 132 and air return ducts 102 built on to the interface 132 as well. In the assembly of the engine assembly 10 and cabinet 40 of Figure 10 an evaporator fan and ducting are features built into the cabinet and interact with the engine assembly 10.

[080] Another notable difference between the assembly 100 and the assembly 10 is that the assembly 100 does not provide an extensive lower floor surface of the assembled cabinet, such surfaces being in the cabinet 40 of Figure 16 at the time of assembly of the engine 00 to the cabinet 40.

[081] As can be better seen from Figure 16 the L shape interface 132 is supported b rearwardly located support or posts 26 together with a single forward post 22.

[082] As can been seen from Figure 14 the engine assembly 100 includes the evaporator fan 104 which is arranged at an angle to the rear wall of the L shape interface 132. If the engine 100 were mounted into a single purpose cabinet i.e. a refrigerator or a freezer, then the evaporator fan would not preferably be at an angle as illustrated in Figure 14, but perpendicularly mounted relative to the fear wall so that the axis of rotation of the fan would be in the vertical direction not, angled to the vertical as is illustrated. However for a multi function cabinet, such as a cabinet which has both a freezer and a refrigerator section, the angled orientation is preferred.

[083] Surrounding a periphery of the L shape interface 132 are end caps 50 which have a mitred and bevelled sealing surface 200 which extends vertically along the sides of the L shape interface 132, across the top, and along an inclined portion towards the front of the L shape interface and along the front edge of the L shape interface. The mitred sealing surface 200, which is formed in the end caps of the L shape interface, will engage an EPDM gasket 220 mounted to the wall of the cabinet 40 as is illustrated in detail in Figures 17, 18 and 18 A. In Figure 18 the EPDM gasket 220 which is mounted in the cabinet will compress as the L shape interface 132 engages the gasket by means of surface 200 and until such time as the L shape interface 132 is pushed completely into engagement with the cabinet.

[084] The L-shaped interface 132 engages a similarly shaped periphery of opening 40.1 in the rear panel 61 of the cabinet 40 which bridges the side panels 60 of cabinet 40. Adjacent the periphery of opening 40.1 is mounted the seal or gasket 220, which is engaged by the mitred or bevelled sealing faces 200.

[085] As illustrated in Figures 18A, 20 and 21 the engine sealing bracket 210 which is mounted to the cabinet 40 includes a perpendicular support surface 212 which engages a mating shoulder 214 on the interface end cap 50. As can be seen from Figure 20 the engine sealing bracket 210 in the region of formation 212, has an angled sealing gasket portion 216. Further it will be noticed from Figures 20 and 21 that at the base of the cabinet is the rearwardly mounted base plate support rail 80. Upon the engagement in a rear to front direction of the engine assembly 100 into the cabinet 40, part way through this engagement the base plate 12 will , engage the base plate support rail 80 as the sealing surface 200.1 moves closer to the gasket 220 in the region of section 216 by further entering and engaging engine assembly 100 and the cabinet 40. The angular nature of the sealing gasket 216 and the surface 200.1, (approx 10° to the horizontal) will cause a greater sealing to occur at these locations. However as the size of gasket is such that there would is a degree of compression by the mitred sealing surface 200 and 200.1 , continued engagement of the L shape interface 132 with the engine sealing bracket 210 will cause the seal to engage all the way around the L shape interface 132. k

[086] To secure the engine assembly 100 into the cabinet 40 in this embodiment one or two screws (machine or self tapping) are simply inserted through the base plate support rail 80 and into base plate 12 of the assembly 100.

[087] As can be seen in Figure 23 there is provided a interface retaining clip 230 as part of the engine sealing bracket 210 which is formed as a biased cantilever on the end of the bracket 210, so that as the end cap 50 engages the clip 230 the mitred sealing surface 200 will push the clip out 230 of the way whilst the end cap 50 continues further movement into the cabinet. Once the end cap has passed a predetermined distance, indicating that the L shape interface 132 is in its correct position, the clip 230 will be biased into place and lock the end cap 50 and thus the L shape panel 132, in position in the cabinet 40. It is proposed that there will be three such clips per long vertical side of the L shape interface 132 and three along the top edge thereof, providing a total of 9 clips.

[088] As is illustrated in Figure 17 that the tubing of the evaporator passes into and out of the internal sections of the interface 132. This is visible because the foam filling of the interface 132 is removed for the purpose of illustration.

[089] Further, it will be noticed from Figures 24 and 25, that only the rear edge of the base plate 12 includes wheels 300, but, if required the front of the base plate 12 can have also one or two more wheels to provide a wheeled platform or support.

[090] The L shape interface 132 is constructed in much same manner as the Z shape interface 32 of assembly 10 is constructed. That is there is a front and rear L shaped metal panels 42 and 44, which are joined together by two L shaped side end caps 50 and an upper rear and lower front edge end cap 50 which engage with the termini of the side L shaped end caps 50. As is illustrated in Figure 17 the condenser tubes pass into and out of the vertical portion of the L shape interface 132 however all these are foamed into place by expanding and/or insulative foam, which secures them all in place.

[091] Whilst the description of the construction of the interfaces 32 and 132 of the previous embodiments is for a hollow construction with foam insulation being utilised. If desired, as in Figure 26, metal backed foam 500 can be used to produce the basic shape of the L and or Z construction by an appropriate angled groove 502 such as a 90 degree groove being milled in the foam, to allow the outside metal to be bent through that angle to form a right angle 504, or other angle as is required. It may then require another sheet of metal and polymeric end caps placed thereon to insulate from conduction between the inner and outer plates.

[092] In order that the outboard faces of the interface 132 do not transmit to the inboard faces, by means of conduction, the heat which exists on the outside of the cabinet, it is the use of polymeric end caps in the construction of the interfaces of these embodiments which ensures that , the inboard faces do not receive heat by conduction from the outboard faces.

[093] As in the assembly 10 described previously the engine 100 has aluminium tubing connecting the condenser 16 to the rest of the engine. In the embodiment of Figure 14 the drain pan 18 beneath the condenser 16 is manufactured so that it lies generally parallel to the rear vertical face of the engine interface 132 as is illustrated in Figure 24 for the purposes of packaging and transport to the assembly location.

[094] As illustrated in Figures 25 the drain pan 18 and condenser 16 can be rotated through approximately 90° to an orientation which is appropriate for the assembly into the cabinet.

[095] With each of the assemblies 100, 10 previously described it will be noted that the base plates of each include in the case of assembly 100 two rear mounted wheels 300 and one front mounted wheel 302. By having a three point wheeled ground engagement the engine assembly 10 is stable when rolled on flat surfaces. Whereas in regards to the L shape interface engine assembly 100 it has only two rearward wheel sets 300, but if required, additional wheel sets can be added.

[096] The wheel sets 300 and 302 of assemblies 10 and 100, once those assemblies are mounted into a cabinet 40, will be the rear and or intermediate wheel sets of the appliance ultimately formed. For this purpose, the wheel sets 300 and 302 can be height adjustable so as to accommodate uneven floors at the appliance's ultimate destination.

[097] It will be noted that both assemblies 10 and 100 have a generally overall L-shaped configuration, so that the assembly 10, 100 will occupy as little as possible space from the finished cabinet.

[098] While protruding lugs 62 are most preferred, a track system, mounted to the cabinet of Figure 10 could be used with protrusions on end caps 50, instead of the other way around as in Figure 10.

[099] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

[0100] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.