Modular Refrigeration And/Or Freezer Appliance

Abstract

A modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance comprising at least one U-shaped module ( 16 ) which can be fitted to other modules to define, together with closure walls and at least one frontal door, a thermally insulated compartment, said U-shaped module ( 16 ) being installable vertically, there being provided, in correspondence with said closure walls ( 40, 41 ), reversible connection means ( 6 a, 6 b, 30 ) between the U-shaped modules ( 16 ) or between said U-shaped module and other modular components ( 2 ) of the refrigeration appliance.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . A modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance comprising: 
 a U-shaped module having a rear part connected to pair of opposing side parts and an open top, bottom, and front;    a top closure wall closing the open top of the U-shaped module;    a bottom closure wall closing the open bottom of the U-shaped module;    a door adapted to selectively close the open front of the U-shaped module, wherein the U-shaped module, the top closure wall, the bottom closure wall, and the door define a thermally insulated compartment; and    a reversible connector between the U-shaped module and at least one other module of the appliance.    
   
   
       20 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the top and bottom closure walls comprises horizontal flat panels provided with an opening which enable energy, cables, pipes, liquids and gases to pass.  
   
   
       21 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the reversible connector comprises a rectilinear profiled guide and a corresponding counter-guide.  
   
   
       22 . The appliance of claim  21 wherein the guide comprises an inverted double L shape.  
   
   
       23 . The appliance of  claim 21  wherein the counter-guide comprises a T shape.  
   
   
       24 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the at least one other module comprises at least one of the top closure wall, the bottom closure wall, and a base module.  
   
   
       25 . The appliance of  claim 24  wherein the at least one other module comprises the base module having a lower part and a pair of parallel lateral walls extending perpendicularly from the lower part and having a flat top with a portion of the reversible connector.  
   
   
       26 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the top and bottom closure walls comprises a U-shaped profile bar and at least two spaced-apart panels, wherein the U-shaped profile bar and the panels define a compartment containing insulating material.  
   
   
       27 . The appliance of  claim 26  wherein the U-shaped profile bar comprises guide slots that receive the panels.  
   
   
       28 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the U-shaped module comprises a pair of spaced-apart plate-like parts received by seats in the top and bottom closure walls to define a compartment for insulating material.  
   
   
       29 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the top closure wall comprises a U-shaped profile bar coupled to a lower panel and an upper panel, wherein the U-shaped profile bar and the upper and lower panels define a compartment containing insulating material, and the upper panel comprises a connector for connection to the U-shaped profile bar.  
   
   
       30 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the at least one other module comprises a seat and a hinge module removably received in the seat, wherein the seat and the hinge module comprise cooperating couplers.  
   
   
       31 . The appliance of  claim 30  wherein the cooperating couplers comprise dovetail-shaped guides.  
   
   
       32 . The appliance of  claim 30  wherein the door comprises a hinge pin, and the hinge module includes holes to receive the hinge pin.  
   
   
       33 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the reversible connector comprises couplings between the U-shaped module and at least one other module.  
   
   
       34 . The appliance of  claim 19  wherein the U-shaped module and the other module comprise at least one discontinuity at the reversible connector.  
   
   
       35 . The appliance of  claim 19 , further comprising an air duct provided on the U-shaped module and coupled to the top and bottom closure walls.  
   
   
       36 . The appliance of  claim 35  wherein the air duct includes at least one controlled aperture configured to feed refrigerated air into the thermally insulated compartment.  
   
   
       37 . The appliance of  claim 36  wherein the air duct further comprises an electronic circuit coupled to a control unit of the appliance, sensors linked to the electronic circuit, and illumination sources.  
   
   
       38 . A modular refrigeration and/or freezer appliance comprising: 
 at least two U-shaped modules, each U-shaped module having a rear part connected to a pair of opposing side parts and an open top, bottom, and front, with the at least two U-shaped modules arranged vertically;    a top closure wall closing the open top of the uppermost U-shaped module;    a bottom closure wall closing the open bottom of the bottom most U-shaped module;    a door adapted to selectively close the open fronts of the at least two U-shaped modules, wherein the at least two U-shaped modules, the top closure wall, the bottom closure wall, and the door define at least one thermally insulated compartment; and    a reversible connector between the U-shaped modules.    
   
   
       39 . The appliance of  claim 38  wherein the reversible connector comprises a rectilinear profiled guide and a corresponding counter-guide.  
   
   
       40 . The appliance of claim  39 wherein the guide comprises an inverted double L shape.  
   
   
       41 . The appliance of  claim 39  wherein the counter-guide comprises a T shape.  
   
   
       42 . The appliance of  claim 38  wherein at least one of the top and bottom closure walls comprises a U-shaped profile bar and at least two spaced-apart panels, wherein the U-shaped profile bar and the panels define a compartment containing insulating material.  
   
   
       43 . The appliance of  claim 42  wherein the U-shaped profile bar comprises guide slots that receive the panels.  
   
   
       44 . The appliance of  claim 38  wherein the at least two U-shaped modules comprise a pair of spaced-apart plate-like parts received by seats in the top and bottom closure walls to define a compartment for insulating material.  
   
   
       45 . The appliance of  claim 38  wherein the top closure wall comprises a U-shaped profile bar coupled to a lower panel and an upper panel, wherein the U-shaped profile bar and the upper and lower panels define a compartment containing insulating material, and the upper panel comprises a connector for connection to the U-shaped profile bar.  
   
   
       46 . The appliance of  claim 38  wherein the reversible connector comprises couplings between the at least two U-shaped modules.  
   
   
       47 . The appliance of  claim 38 , further comprising an air duct provided on at least one of the U-shaped modules and coupled to at least one of the top and bottom closure walls.  
   
   
       48 . The appliance of  claim 38 , further comprising an intermediate closure wall between the at least two U-shaped modules, and the reversible connector couples the at least two U-shaped modules to the closure wall.