Servicing assembly for an insulated structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11788280-B2
Application number	US-202217865674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2022
Priority date	Nov 20, 2019
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An insulated structure comprises a first panel and a second panel coupled to the first panel. The first and second panels define an insulating cavity therebetween. A port is defined by the second panel. The port is an opening into the insulating cavity. A connector is coupled to the second panel. A tube is coupled to the connector and extends parallel along the second panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming an insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
coupling a first panel to a second panel to define a structural enclosure;
defining a port in the structural enclosure;
coupling a connector to the port;
positioning an attachment portion of a servicing tube within an aperture of the connector, the servicing tube including a stepped portion that is positioned between the attachment portion and a repeated-use maintenance portion;
expressing gas from within the structural enclosure using the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube, wherein the attachment portion and the repeated-use maintenance portion are positioned parallel with a surface of the structural enclosure; and
crimping a servicing end of the repeated-use maintenance portion to seal the structural enclosure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a unique servicing space is defined between the repeated-use maintenance portion and the surface of the structural enclosure.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
monitoring internal air pressure of the structural enclosure using a pressure sensor; and
communicating the internal air pressure to a controller.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
communicating an increase in the internal air pressure from the controller to a user interface.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the servicing tube is covered by a servicing cap, and wherein the pressure sensor is attached to the connector.

6. A method for servicing an insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
cutting a crimped end of a servicing tube of a vacuum insulated structure, the servicing tube including a stepped portion that is positioned between that is coupled with the vacuum insulated structure and a repeated-use maintenance portion wherein the attachment portion and the repeated-use maintenance portion are positioned parallel with an outer surface of the vacuum insulated structure;
admitting gas into an insulating cavity of the vacuum insulated structure via the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube;
expressing the gas from the insulating cavity via the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube; and
crimping an end portion of the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube to seal the insulating cavity.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a unique servicing space is defined between the repeated-use maintenance portion and the outer surface of the vacuum insulated structure.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:
monitoring internal air pressure of the vacuum insulated structure using a pressure sensor; and
communicating the internal air pressure to a controller.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
communicating an increase in the internal air pressure from the controller to a user interface.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the servicing tube is attached to the vacuum insulated structure via a servicing cap, and wherein the pressure sensor and the attachment portion of the servicing tube are attached to the servicing cap.

11. A method for servicing an insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:
sensing an increased internal air pressure within an insulating cavity of a vacuum insulated structure;
cutting a crimped end of a servicing tube of the vacuum insulated structure, the servicing tube including a stepped portion that is positioned between an attachment portion that is coupled with the vacuum insulated structure and a repeated-use maintenance portion;
admitting gas into the insulating cavity of the vacuum insulated structure via the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube;
evacuating the gas from the insulating cavity via the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube, wherein the attachment portion and the repeated-use maintenance portion are positioned parallel with an outer surface of the vacuum insulated structure; and
crimping a portion of the repeated-use maintenance portion of the servicing tube to seal the insulating cavity.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of sensing the increased internal air pressure is performed by a pressure sensor that is coupled with the servicing tube.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pressure sensor is in communication with a controller, and wherein the controller communicates the increased internal air pressure to a user interface.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the user interface is on an appliance that houses the vacuum insulated structure.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a unique servicing space is defined between the repeated-use maintenance portion and the outer surface of the vacuum insulated structure.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Allard Paul B
• Beckner Jeffrey
• Ekshinge Sunil S
• Naik Abhay
• Navalgund Manjunathraddi
• Nunes Rafael D
• Pathak Sanjesh Kumar

Classifications

• E04B1/803 Primary

  with vacuum spaces included in the slab · CPC title

• A47L15/4209

  Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation · CPC title

• F24C15/34

  Elements and arrangements for heat storage or insulation · CPC title

• F25D23/063

  formed by an assembly of panels · CPC title

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title