Processes for making a super-insulating core material for a vacuum insulated structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11674632-B2
Application number	US-202217747079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2022
Priority date	Mar 7, 2017
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure includes disposing glass spheres within a rotating drum. A plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the glass spheres. A binder material is disposed within the rotating drum. The glass spheres and the at least one binder material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the binder material is mixed during a first mixing stage with the glass spheres. A first insulating material is disposed within the rotating drum. The binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres are mixed to define an insulating base. A second insulating material is disposed within the rotating drum. The secondary insulating material is mixed with the insulating base to define a homogenous form of the super-insulating material, wherein the first and second insulating materials occupy substantially all of the interstitial spaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming an insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
disposing glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the glass spheres;
disposing at least one binder material within the rotating drum;
rotating the glass spheres and the at least one binder material within the rotating drum, wherein the at least one binder material is mixed with the glass spheres during a first mixing stage to partially occupy the plurality of interstitial spaces;
disposing a first insulating material within the rotating drum;
mixing the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres to define an insulating base;
disposing a second insulating material within the rotating drum; and
mixing the second insulating material with the insulating base to define a homogenous form of a super-insulating material, wherein the first and second insulating materials occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the plurality of interstitial spaces.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres includes second and third mixing stages.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second mixing stage is a low-speed mixing stage and the third mixing stage is a high-speed mixing stage.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of mixing the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres includes a fourth mixing stage, the fourth mixing stage including manually mixing the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres to at least partially define the insulating base, wherein manual mixing provides engagement between the insulating base and air surrounding the insulating base.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fourth mixing stage includes mixing and visually inspecting the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres for approximately 30 minutes.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of mixing the at least one binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres includes a crushing stage that takes place after the fourth mixing stage, wherein the crushing stage serves to define the insulating base.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing the at least one binder material within the rotating drum includes disposing a resin-based binding material and a hardening agent within the rotating drum.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the homogenous form of the super-insulating material is defined by coated glass spheres that are each below a predetermined insulating particle size.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the super-insulating material is a free flowing and pourable insulating material.

10. A method for forming an insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
disposing glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the glass spheres;
disposing a binding material within the rotating drum;
mixing the glass spheres and the binding material during a first mixing stage to define an adhering base material, wherein the plurality of interstitial spaces between the glass spheres are partially occupied by the binding material;
disposing a first insulating material within the rotating drum;
mixing the adhering base material with the first insulating material to define an aggregate material;
crushing the aggregate material during a crushing stage to define an insulating base;
disposing a second insulating material within the rotating drum; and
mixing the second insulating material with the insulating base to define a homogenous form of a super-insulating material, wherein the first and second insulating materials occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the plurality of interstitial spaces.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of mixing the adhering base material and the first insulating material includes second and third mixing stages.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second mixing stage is a short-term mixing stage and the third mixing stage is a long-term mixing stage.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
mixing the aggregate material during an inspected mixing stage, wherein the inspected mixing stage exposes substantially each surface of the aggregate material to air within the rotating drum.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the inspected mixing stage includes manually mixing the aggregate material for approximately 30 minutes.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the homogenous form of the super-insulating material is defined by coated glass spheres that are each below a predetermined insulating particle size.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the super-insulating material is a pourable free flowing insulating material.

17. A method for forming an insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
disposing hollow glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the hollow glass spheres;
disposing a wax-based binder material within the rotating drum;
mixing the hollow glass spheres and the wax-based binder material within the rotating drum, wherein the wax-based binder material is mixed during a first mixing stage with the hollow glass spheres to partially occupy the plurality of interstitial spaces and define an adhering base material;
disposing a first insulating material within the rotating drum;
mixing the adhering base material with the first insulating material to define an insulating base;
disposing a second insulating material within the rotating drum; and
mixing the second insulating material with the insulating base to define a homogenous form of a super-insulating material, wherein the first and second insulating materials occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the plurality of interstitial spaces.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of mixing the adhering base material and the first insulating material includes second and third mixing stages.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second mixing stage is a low-speed mixing stage and the third mixing stage is a high-speed mixing stage.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the homogenous form of the super-insulating material is defined by coated glass spheres that are each below a predetermined insulating particle size, and wherein the super-insulating material is a pourable free flowing insulating material.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Deka Lakshya J
• Ernat Nicole M

Classifications

• F16L59/028 Primary

  Compositions for or methods of fixing a thermally insulating material · CPC title

• Y02B80/10

  Insulation, e.g. vacuum or aerogel insulation · CPC title

• F16L59/065 Primary

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

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title