Split hybrid insulation structure for an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10088220-B2
Application number	US-201615254519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

An insulation structure for an appliance includes a first vacuum insulated structure having a top and downward sides extending from the top and defining a lower connection surface. A second vacuum insulated structure having a bottom and upward sides extending from the bottom and defining an upper connection surface, and an intermediate insulation structure having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface engages the lower connection surface of the first vacuum insulated structure to define the first insulated interior, wherein the bottom surface engages the upper connection surface of the second vacuum insulated structure to define the second insulated interior, and wherein the intermediate insulation structure includes an appliance utility path within which at least one utility for the appliance is disposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance comprising:
a first vacuum insulated structure having a first plurality of continuous sides that are free of internal apertures therethrough;
an intermediate insulation structure having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein one of the first and second surfaces receives a first engagement surface of the first vacuum insulated structure to define a first insulated interior, and wherein the intermediate insulation structure includes an appliance utility path within which at least one utility for the appliance is disposed, and wherein the appliance utility path is in communication with the first insulated interior, the first insulated interior having an open front that is selectively accessible via an operable panel; and
an outer wrapper and an inner liner that cooperate to surround the first vacuum insulated structure and the intermediate insulation structure and further define an interstitial space that is distal from the first insulated interior, wherein the first vacuum insulated structure at least partially separates the interstitial space from the first insulated interior, and wherein the appliance utility path places the interstitial space in communication with the first insulated interior via the intermediate insulation structure, wherein the appliance utility path includes a path that traverses around the first engagement surface of the first vacuum insulated structure from a first opening to a second opening, the first and second openings being defined within a common surface of the first and second surfaces of the intermediate insulation structure, wherein a rear portion of the intermediate insulation structure includes an interstitial portion, wherein one of the first and second surfaces within the interstitial portion defines a boundary of the interstitial space, and wherein the appliance utility path communicates with the interstitial space through the interstitial portion of the intermediate insulation structure.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second vacuum insulated structure having a second plurality of continuous sides that are free of internal apertures therethrough, wherein a second engagement surface of the second vacuum insulated structure engages the other of the first and second surfaces of the intermediate insulation structure to define a second insulated interior, and wherein the appliance utility path places the interstitial space in communication with the second insulated interior via the intermediate insulation structure.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the appliance utility path includes a plurality of conduits that extends through portions of the intermediate insulation structure, wherein first and second conduits of the plurality of conduits are in communication with the first and second insulated interiors, respectively.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the appliance utility path includes at least one conduit that extends through portions of the intermediate insulation structure, wherein the at least one conduit is in communication with the first insulated interior, and wherein the first vacuum insulated structure is free of direct engagement with the appliance utility path.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate insulation structure includes an internal mullion volume and an insulating material disposed within the internal mullion volume, and wherein the internal mullion volume is free of a vacuum.

6. The appliance of claim 5 , wherein the insulating material is a foamed-in insulation, and wherein at least one of an ice maker and a water filter are disposed within the internal mullion volume and are at least partially surrounded by the foamed-in insulation.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the interstitial space includes a machine compartment.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one utility for the appliance includes one or more of an electrical system, a refrigeration system, a water system and an air handling system.

9. An insulation structure for an appliance, the insulation structure comprising:
an upper vacuum insulated structure that at least partially defines a first insulated interior having an open bottom defined by a lower engaging surface, the first insulated interior defining a first open front;
a lower vacuum insulated structure that at least partially defines a second insulated interior having an open top defined by an upper engaging surface, the second insulated interior defining a second open front, wherein the first and second insulated interiors are selectively accessible via the respective first and second open fronts;
an intermediate insulation structure disposed between the upper and lower vacuum insulated structures and engaging the lower and upper engaging surfaces to further separate and define the first and second insulated interiors, the intermediate insulation structure extending at least a full depth of the first and second insulated interiors and defining an internal mullion that fully separates the first and second insulated interiors;
an outer wrapper that is set apart from at least one sidewall of at least one of the upper and lower vacuum insulated structures to define an interstitial space, the interstitial space being further defined by the intermediate insulation structure, and wherein the intermediate insulation structure includes an appliance utility path extending from the interstitial space to each of the first and second insulated interiors via the intermediate insulation structure.

10. The insulation structure of claim 9 , wherein the upper and lower vacuum insulated structures are free of apertures extending through any sidewall that defines the upper and lower vacuum insulated structures.

11. The insulation structure of claim 9 , wherein the intermediate insulation structure includes an internal mullion volume and an insulating material disposed within the internal mullion volume, and wherein the internal mullion volume is free of a vacuum.

12. The insulation structure of claim 11 , wherein the insulating material is a foamed-in insulation, and wherein at least one of an ice maker and a water filter are disposed within the internal mullion volume and are at least partially surrounded by the foamed-in insulation.

13. The insulation structure of claim 9 , wherein the appliance utility path includes a plurality of conduits that extends through portions of the intermediate insulation structure, wherein first and second conduits of the plurality of conduits are in communication with the first and second insulated interiors, respectively, and wherein the upper and lower vacuum insulated structures are free of direct engagement with the appliance utility path.

14. The insulation structure of claim 9 , wherein at least one utility for the appliance is disposed within the interstitial space and the appliance utility path, the at least one utility including at least one of an electrical system, a refrigeration system, a water system and an air handling system.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Alshourbagy Mohamed
• Olivani Andrea
• Osborn Ian

Classifications

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F25D23/08

  Parts formed wholly or mainly of plastics materials · CPC title

• F25D2400/40

  Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring · CPC title

• F25D2323/121

  the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser · CPC title

• F25D23/061 Primary

  with conduit means · CPC title