Vacuum assisted and heated auger feeder for achieving higher packing efficiency of powder insulation materials in vacuum insulated structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828402-B2
Application number	US-202217876024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 26, 2017
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An auger feeder includes a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall where the inner hopper wall includes an air permeable surface. A space is positioned between the inner and outer hopper walls. A heater is coupled to an outside edge of the inner hopper wall or a n outside edge of the outer hopper wall while a feed screw is positioned along an inside edge of the inner hopper wall. The auger feeder additionally includes an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port that is positioned in the outer hopper wall. The auger feeder also includes an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auger feeder comprising:
a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall coupled with and spaced from the inner hopper wall to define a space therebetween, wherein the inner hopper wall includes an air permeable surface;
a heater coupled to the hopper for heating contents of the hopper;
a feed screw positioned along an inside edge of the inner hopper wall;
an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port positioned in the outer hopper wall; and
an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.

2. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the aperture exit is configured to couple to a vacuum insulated structure.

3. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the contents include a filler insulation material.

4. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to the bottom.

5. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to an upper portion of the hopper.

6. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the heater is coupled to an outside edge of the inner hopper wall.

7. The auger feeder of claim 1 , wherein the heater is coupled to an outside edge of the outer hopper wall.

8. A method for drying and loading a filler insulation material into a vacuum insulated structure, the method comprising:
loading the filler insulation material to a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall spaced from the inner hopper wall to define a space therebetween;
mixing the filler insulation material with a feed screw disposed in the hopper;
heating the filler insulation material via a heater coupled with the hopper;
applying a first vacuum to the filler insulation material via an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port positioned on the outer hopper wall; and
loading the filler insulation material into the vacuum insulated structure through an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
removing an auger feeder and applying a second vacuum to a loading port of the vacuum insulated structure.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
sealing the loading port to form the vacuum insulated structure.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
vibrating the vacuum insulated structure as dry and degassed filler insulation material is loaded through the aperture exit and the loading port.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to the bottom.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to an upper portion of the hopper.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the evacuator is in fluid communication with the filler insulation material via the space and the air permeable surface.

15. An apparatus for drying and loading a filler insulation material into a vacuum insulated structure comprising:
a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall coupled with and spaced from the inner hopper wall defining a space therebetween, wherein the inner hopper wall includes an air permeable surface;
a heater coupled to an outside edge of the inner hopper wall or an outside edge of the outer hopper wall;
an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port positioned in the outer hopper wall; and
an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to a lower portion of the hopper.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the inner hopper wall is joined with the outer hopper wall adjacent to an upper portion of the hopper.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the heater is coupled to the outside edge of the inner hopper wall.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the heater is coupled to the outside edge of the outer hopper wall.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a feed screw positioned in the hopper for mixing the filler insulation material.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Naik Abhay
• Nigam Ashish

Classifications

• F16L59/065 Primary

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

• F25D23/062 Primary

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• B32B2307/304

  Insulating · CPC title

• B32B2509/10

  Refrigerators or refrigerating equipment · CPC title

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title