Increased vacuum port area for achieving faster vacuum evacuation time in vacuum insulated structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085690-B2
Application number	US-201716303549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

An outer wrapper that defines a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls and includes an inner liner. A trim breaker seals the outer wrapper to the inner liner to define an insulation space. A single vacuum port is disposed on each of the top wall, the bottom wall, and the first and second side walls. A plurality of vacuum ports is disposed on the rear wall. An insulative material is disposed between the outer wrapper and the inner liner. A filter media is disposed proximate each vacuum port such that air can be drawn from the insulation space past the filter media and through each vacuum port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance comprising:
an outer wrapper defining a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls;
an inner liner;
a trim breaker sealing the outer wrapper to the inner liner to define an insulation space;
a single vacuum port disposed on each of the top wall, the bottom wall, and the first and second side walls;
a plurality of vacuum ports disposed on the rear wall;
an insulative material disposed between the outer wrapper and the inner liner; and
a filter media disposed proximate each of the plurality of vacuum ports such that air can be drawn from the insulation space past the filter media and through each of the plurality of vacuum ports.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of vacuum ports is disposed proximate a corner defined by the outer wrapper.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outer wrapper and the inner liner are formed from a metallic material.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter media is formed from one of a sintered metal, a porous plastic, and a fiberglass material.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the rear wall includes a vacuum port disposed proximate each of four corners of the rear wall.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the rear wall includes a vacuum port disposed proximate a central portion of the rear wall.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inner liner and the outer wrapper form an appliance cabinet having a forward opening, and wherein on at least one of the bottom wall, the top wall, and the first and second side walls, the vacuum port is disposed adjacent the forward opening.

8. An appliance comprising:
an outer wrapper defining a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls;
an inner liner sealed to the outer wrapper to define an insulation space;
a vacuum port disposed on each of the top wall, the bottom wall, the rear wall, and the first and second side walls;
an insulative material disposed between the outer wrapper and the inner liner; and
a filter media disposed proximate each of the vacuum ports such that air can be drawn from the insulation space past the filter media and through each of the vacuum ports to maintain a negative pressure in the insulation space.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the vacuum ports is disposed proximate a corner defined by the outer wrapper.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the outer wrapper and the inner liner are formed from a metallic material.

11. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the filter media is formed from one of a sintered metal, a porous plastic, and a fiberglass material.

12. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the rear wall includes a vacuum port disposed proximate each of four corners of the rear wall.

13. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the rear wall includes a vacuum port disposed proximate a central portion of the rear wall.

14. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the inner liner and the outer wrapper form an appliance cabinet having a forward opening, and wherein on at least one of the bottom wall, the top wall, and the first and second side walls, the vacuum port is disposed adjacent the forward opening.

15. A method of making an appliance comprising:
forming an outer wrapper defining a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls;
forming an inner liner;
sealing the outer wrapper to the inner liner to define an insulation space;
forming a vacuum port in each of the top wall, the bottom wall, the rear wall, and the first and second side walls;
inserting an insulative material between the outer wrapper and the inner liner; and
positioning a filter media proximate each of the vacuum ports such that air can be drawn from the insulation space past the filter media and through each of the vacuum ports.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming at least one of the vacuum ports proximate a corner defined by the outer wrapper.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming the outer wrapper and the inner liner from a metallic material.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
forming the filter media from one of a sintered metal, a porous plastic, and a fiberglass material.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
positioning a vacuum port proximate each of four corners of the rear wall.

20. The appliance of claim 19 , further comprising:
forming the rear wall to include a vacuum port proximate a central portion of the rear wall.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Naik Abhay
• Shannigrahi Subrata
• Frattini Gustavo

Classifications

• B01D46/58

  connected in parallel · CPC title

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• B01D2279/00

  Filters adapted for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours specially modified for specific uses · CPC title

• F25D23/062 Primary

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• F16L59/065

  using vacuum (F16L59/075 takes precedence) · CPC title