Vacuum insulated refrigerator structure with feature for controlling deformation and improved air withdrawal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448355-B2
Application number	US-202117146546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2021
Priority date	Jan 12, 2021
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A vacuum insulated structure includes a first cover member of a stamped unitary sheet defining a perimeter portion positioned at a first planar level and a reinforcing member formed in the interior sheet extending to a second planar level spaced axially outward and disposed radially inward of the perimeter portion. The vacuum insulated structure also includes a second cover member and a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween. The insulating cavity is a sealed cavity having a vacuum drawn therefrom, and the first reinforcing member is configured to reduce deformation of the first cover member in at least an area adjacent the reinforcing member and to define a portion of a path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during a vacuum draw process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum insulated structure, comprising:
a first cover member of a stamped unitary sheet defining a perimeter portion positioned at a first planar level and a deformation control member formed in the unitary sheet extending to a second planar level spaced axially outward and disposed radially inward of the perimeter portion;
a second cover member; and
a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween, wherein the insulating cavity is a sealed cavity having a vacuum drawn therefrom, and further wherein the deformation control member is configured to reduce deformation of the first cover member in at least an area adjacent the deformation control member and to define a portion of a path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during a vacuum draw process.

2. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 1 , wherein the deformation control member is configured as a first rib defining an open interior portion extending axially outward of an inner surface of the first cover member, the first rib extending along an axis disposed at an angle of between 15° and 40° with respect to an edge of the cover member comprising the perimeter portion.

3. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 2 , wherein the axis of the first rib is disposed at about 30° with respect to the edge.

4. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 3 , wherein the first rib is one of a plurality of ribs comprising a first group of ribs extending in a first direction and a second group of ribs extending in a second direction oriented between 80° and 100° relative to the first direction.

5. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs defines an open interior portion extending axially outward of an interior surface of the first cover member such that the plurality of ribs define further respective portions of the path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during the vacuum draw process.

6. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 1 , further including an insulating material disposed within the insulating cavity, wherein:
the path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during the vacuum draw process facilitates removal of air from within the insulating material.

7. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 6 , wherein the first deformation control member is a stepped area defined by a stepped segment of the first cover member extending to the second planar level from the first planar level, the vacuum insulating structure further including:
a mesh material layer received in the stepped area and configured to maintain the insulating material out of the portion of the air flow path defined within the stepped area.

8. The vacuum insulated structure of claim 7 , further including an air permeable member adhered between a portion of the mesh material layer and a portion of an interior surface of the first cover member.

9. A refrigerator, comprising:
a first cover member of a stamped unitary sheet defining a perimeter portion positioned at a first planar level and a deformation control member formed in the unitary sheet extending to a second planar level spaced axially outward and disposed radially inward of the perimeter portion, the deformation control member being configured as a first rib defining an open interior portion extending axially outward of an inner surface of the first cover member, the first rib extending along an axis disposed at an angle of between 15° and 40° with respect to an edge of the cover member comprising the perimeter portion;
a second cover member; and
a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween, wherein the insulating cavity is a sealed cavity having a vacuum drawn therefrom, and further wherein the first deformation control member is configured to reduce deformation of the first cover member in at least an area adjacent the first rib.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the open interior portion of the first rib defines a portion of a path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during a vacuum draw process.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the first rib is one of a plurality of ribs comprising a first group of ribs extending in a first direction and a second group of ribs extending in a second direction oriented between 80° and 100° relative to the first direction, each of the plurality of ribs defining respective, interconnected open interior portions to further define the path for air flow.

12. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the axis of the first rib is disposed at about 30° with respect to the edge of the cover member comprising the perimeter portion.

13. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein:
the first cover member is a side wall of an outer wrapper of the refrigerator;
the second cover member is an inner liner disposed inward of the outer wrapper; and
the thermal bridge surrounds an opening to an inner cavity of the refrigerator defined by the inner liner, the refrigerator further including at least one door operably closing the opening.

14. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein:
the first cover member is a side wall of an outer wrapper of the refrigerator;
the second cover member is a unitary structural portion of the outer wrapper that defines a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall of the outer wrapper, the second cover member being coupled to the first cover member along bottom, rear, and side edges of the perimeter portion; and
the thermal bridge interconnects the first cover member and the second cover member between a front edge of the first cover member and both a top-front edge and a bottom-front edge of the second cover member.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the second cover member defines a stepped area defined by a stepped segment of the second cover member within at least one of the rear wall and the top wall.

16. A refrigerator, comprising:
a first cover member of a stamped unitary sheet defining a perimeter portion positioned at a first planar level and a deformation control member formed in the unitary sheet extending to a second planar level spaced axially outward and disposed radially inward of the perimeter portion, the deformation control member being configured as a stepped area defined by a stepped segment of the first cover member extending to the second planar level from the first planar level;
a second cover member;
a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween;
an insulating material disposed within the insulating cavity; and
a mesh material layer received in the stepped area;
wherein:
the insulating cavity is a sealed cavity having a vacuum drawn therefrom;
the first deformation control member is configured to reduce deformation of the first cover member in at least an area adjacent the deformation control member and to define a portion of a path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during a vacuum draw process; and
the mesh material layer is configured to maintain the insulating material out of the portion of the air flow path defined within the stepped area.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , further including an air permeable member adhered between a portion of the mesh material layer and a portion of an interior surface of the first cover member.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the st

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ekshinge Sunil S
• Harikrishnasamy Arunkumar
• Hunter Lynne F
• Krishna Sai B
• Naik Abhay

Classifications

• F25D2201/126

  of cellular type · CPC title

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F25D23/00 Primary

  General constructional features (F25D21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D23/062 Primary

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• F25D23/065

  Details · CPC title