Vacuum adiabatic body and refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11959693-B2
Application number	US-201917043333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2018
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A vacuum adiabatic body includes a first plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for a first space, a second plate configured to define at least a portion of a wall for a second space having a temperature different from that of the first space, and a support configured to maintain the third space. The support includes a coupling mechanism by which a first support plate and a second support plate are coupled to each other and integrated with each other and a seating mechanism configured to maintain a gap between the first support plate and the second support plate at points at which the first support plate and the second support plate contact each other. The seating mechanisms are spaced apart from the coupling mechanism.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum adiabatic body comprising:
a first plate
a second plate;
a vacuum space provided between the first plate and the second plate;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates, the support being disposed next to or adjacent to the first plate and including:
a first support plate configured to support the first plate;
a second support plate configured to support the second plate;
at least one coupling mechanism configured to secure the first support plate to the second support plate and including a first bar extending from the second support plate, and a coupling protrusion protruding from the first support plate; and
a plurality of seating mechanisms configured to maintain a distance between the first support plate and the second support plate and including a second bar extending from the second support plate, and a recess formed in the first support plate,
wherein the first bar is coupled to the coupling protrusion to not allow the first bar to be separable from the coupling protrusion, and the second bar is seated on the recess to allow the second bar to be separable from the recess.

2. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1 , wherein a number of seating mechanisms is greater than that of the at least one coupling mechanism.

3. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling protrusion includes another recess configured to receive the bar.

4. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1 , wherein the first support plate comprises a plurality of first partial support plates that are aligned horizontally,
wherein the at least one coupling mechanism includes a plurality of coupling mechanisms, and the positions of the coupling mechanisms are provided at vertexes of the plurality of first partial support plates.

5. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 4 , wherein the coupling mechanisms are provided at all vertexes of the first partial support plates that are provided below the second support plate and at all vertexes of the second support plate that are provided above the first support plate.

6. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1 , at least one of the first support plate or the second support plate comprises at least two partial support plates, and at least two coupling mechanisms are integrated with each other to form a coupling frame configured to couple the at least two partial support plates to each other.

7. A refrigerator comprising:
a main body having an internal space configured to store items; and
a door to open or close the main body to allow access to the internal space,
wherein at least one of the door or the main body comprises a vacuum adiabatic body, the vacuum adiabatic body including:
a first plate;
a second plate;
a vacuum space provided between the first plate and the second plate;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates, the support being disposed next to or adjacent to the first plate,

wherein the support includes:
a first support plate configured to support the first plate;
a second support plate configured to support the second plate;
a plurality of coupling mechanisms configured to maintain a distance between the first support plate and the second support plate and secure the first support plate and the second support plate to each other; and
a plurality of seating mechanisms configured to add structural rigidity to the support and maintain an alignment of the first and second plates.

8. A vacuum adiabatic body comprising:
a first plate
a second plate;
a vacuum space provided between the first plate and the second plate;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first plate and the second plate, the support being disposed next to or adjacent to the first plate and including:
a first support plate in contact with the first plate in the space, the first support plate including a plurality of bars protruding in the first direction; and
a second support plate in contact with the second plate in the space, the second support plate having a plurality of recesses,

wherein the recesses include a set of first recesses having a first width and a set of second recesses having a second width different from the first width.

9. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 8 , wherein the bars include a set of first bars and a set of second bars, the first bars configured to be fitted inside the first recesses, respectively, and the second bars configured to be aligned with the second recesses, respectively.

10. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 8 , wherein an inner surface of the second recess is inclined outward from a bottom to a top.

11. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 9 , wherein the first recesses are formed in a coupling boss protruding from the second support plate toward the first support plate, the first bars have a first end configured to be inserted into the first recesses and a second end, and the first support plate is formed with a pressing opening configured to receive and support the second ends of the first bars.

12. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 11 , wherein the first end of the first bar is formed with threads, and an inner surface of the first recess is formed with threads such that the first bar screws into the first recess of the coupling boss.

13. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first support plate or the second support plate comprises a plurality of partial support plates provided on a same plane, and the plurality of bars are provided at vertexes of the plurality of partial support plates.

14. The vacuum adiabatic body of claim 8 , wherein the second recess is formed in a protrusion that protrudes from the second support plate.

15. The vacuum adiabatic body of claim 9 , wherein the second recess is formed to be depressed downward in the second support plate, the first recess is formed in a protrusion that protrudes from the second support plate, and a length of the each of the second bars is longer than a length of the first bar.

16. The vacuum adiabatic body of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the first bars has a truncated cone shape, the pressing opening is formed to have a truncated cone shape, an inner surface of the pressing opening supports an outer surface of the second end of the first bars, and a top of the second end of the first bars has a height less than a top of the first support plate such that the second end of the first bars does not protrude beyond the first support plate.

17. The vacuum adiabatic body of claim 5 , wherein the second support plate comprises a plurality of second partial support plates, wherein the coupling mechanisms are provided at all vertexes of the second partial support plates that are provided above the first support plate.

18. A vacuum adiabatic body comprising:
a first plate
a second plate;
a vacuum space provided between the first plate and the second plate;
a support configured to maintain a distance between the first and second plates, the support being disposed next to or adjacent to the first plate, including:
a first support plate configured to support the first plate;
a second support plate configured to support the second plate;
at least one coupling mechanism configured to secure the first support plate to the second support plate at at least one position; and
a plurality of seating mechanisms configured to maintain a distance between the first support plate and the

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Sol
• Nam Hyeunsik
• Jung Wonyeong
• Youn Deokhyun

Classifications

• F16L59/135

  Hangers or supports specially adapted for insulated pipes · CPC title

• F25D23/065 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F16L59/02

  Shape or form of insulating materials, with or without coverings integral with the insulating materials · CPC title

• F16L59/065 Primary

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

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title