Vacuum adiabatic body and refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598476-B2
Application number	US-201916977583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

A vacuum adiabatic body includes a heat exchange pipeline and a sealing plug. The heat exchange pipeline includes at least two pipelines which pass through a first plate and a second plate to allow a refrigerant to move between inner and outer spaces. The sealing plug allows the heat exchange pipeline to pass through a first point of the first plate and a second point of the second plate without contacting a third space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
at least one main body having a vacuum adiabatic body to define at least one first space configured to store items; and
a door configured to open or close the main body to allow access to the first space from a second space,
a compressor provided in a machine room and configured to compress a refrigerant;
a condenser provided in the second space and configured to condense a compressed refrigerant;
an expansion device configured to expand the condensed refrigerant;
an evaporator provided in the first space and configured to evaporate the expanded refrigerant to dissipate heat; and
at least one refrigerant pipe configured to connect to the evaporator and including a first pipe and second pipe that contact with each other to be heat-exchanged,
wherein the vacuum adiabatic body includes:
a first plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for the first space;
a second plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for the second space;
a third space provided between the first and second plates and configured to be a vacuum space;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates defining the third space;
an opening provided in at least one of the first plate or the second plate and through which the first and second pipes pass; and
a sealing plug surrounding at least a portion of the first and second pipes and coupled to the first plate or the second plate at the opening, and

wherein a contact surface of the first and second pipes comprises a first part located in the opening, a second part located in the first space, and a third part located in the second space.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the sealing plug supports the first and second pipes, and an outer surface of the sealing plug is supported by the first plate or the second plate at the opening.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a third plate configured to seal the third space so as to maintain a vacuum state of the third space.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the third plate comprises a conductive resistance sheet having a thin plate shape.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the sealing plug comprises:
a block supported by at least one of the first plate or the second plate; and
a sealer provided in a gap between the block and the third plate.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the block is inserted into an internal space provided by the third plate.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing plug seals between the first space and the second space to prevent cold air of the first space from flowing out of the first space.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the sealing plug comprises:
a first block supported by the first plate; and
a second block supported by the second plate, the second block being coupled to the first block.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , further comprising an adhesive configured to couple the first block to the second block and seal the first space and the second space.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the first block and the second block are screw-coupled to each other.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein a sealer is provided between the first block and the second block to surround the first and second pipes.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first block or the second block includes a first partial block and a second partial block that are formed separately and are coupled to each other to surround the first and second pipes.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat resistance sheet configured to reduce heat transfer between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first pipe comprises an inlet pipe through which the refrigerant is introduced into the evaporator and the second pipe comprises an outlet pipe through which the refrigerant is discharged from the evaporator, and the inlet and outlet pipes are heat-exchanged with each other.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing plug is made of a material having a thermal conductivity less than that of each of the first plate and the second plate.

15. A vacuum adiabatic body comprising:
a first plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for a first space and having a first opening;
a second plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for a second space and having a second opening;
a third space provided between the first and second plates and configured to be a vacuum space;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates;
a heat resistance sheet configured to reduce heat transfer between the first plate and the second plate;
at least one refrigerant pipe passing through the first and second openings to allow a refrigerant to move between the first space and the second space, the at least one refrigerant pipe including a first pipe and second pipe that contact with each other to be heat-exchanged; and
a sealing assembly surrounding the first and second pipes and configured to seal the first and second openings so as to prevent fluid communication between the first space and the second space,
wherein a contact surface of the first and second pipes comprises a first part located in the opening, a second part located in the first space and a third part located in the second space.

16. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15 , wherein the sealing assembly includes a first block supported by the first plate and a second block supported by the second plate, the first and second blocks being made of a material having a thermal conductivity less than that of each of the first plate and the second plate.

17. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15 , wherein the first and second openings face each other.

18. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises:
a third plate member configured to seal the third space; and
a block supported by at least one of the first plate or the second plate and made of a material having a thermal conductivity less than that of each of the first plate and the second plate.

19. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15 , further comprising a sealant provided between the first and second openings, the sealant configured to be curable after a predetermined time elapses.

20. A refrigerator comprising:
at least one main body having a vacuum adiabatic body to define at least one first space configured to store items; and
a door configured to open or close the main body to allow access to the first space from a second space,
a compressor provided in a machine room to compress a refrigerant;
a condenser provided in the second space to condense a compressed refrigerant;
an expansion device configured to expand the condensed refrigerant;
an evaporator provided in the first space and configured to evaporate the expanded refrigerant to dissipate heat; and
a refrigerant pipe configured to connect to the evaporator,
wherein the vacuum adiabatic body includes:
a wall having a first plate and a second plate facing each other in a first direction to create a third space configured to be a vacuum space;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates;
an opening provid

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jung Wonyeong
• Youn Deokhyun
• Lee Jangseok

Classifications

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25D23/068 Primary

  Arrangements for circulating fluids through the insulating material · CPC title

• Y10T428/231

  Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum · CPC title

• F25D23/06 Primary

  Walls (F25D23/08 takes precedence; containers with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title