Insulated door assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049784-B2
Application number	US-202318199471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2023
Priority date	Dec 17, 2019
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A vacuum insulated door for an appliance includes an outer wrapper that defines an evacuation port, An inner liner is coupled to the outer wrapper defining an insulating cavity therebetween. A base is coupled to the outer wrapper adjacent to the evacuation port. A servicing tube has a connecting end and a servicing end. The servicing tube is in fluid communication with the insulating cavity via the evacuation port. The connecting end is coupled to the base. A handle has first and second ends coupled to the outer wrapper and a center portion therebetween spaced-apart from the outer wrapper. The first end is coupled to the outer wrapper proximate the evacuation port. The servicing tube extends along an inner surface of the handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum insulated appliance, comprising:
a cabinet including:
an outer wrapper; and
an inner liner coupled to the outer wrapper; and

a door operably coupled to the cabinet, wherein the door includes:
an outer wrapper defining an evacuation port;
an inner liner coupled to the outer wrapper of the door, wherein the outer wrapper of the door and the inner liner of the door define an insulating cavity therebetween;
an evacuation port assembly coupled to the outer wrapper of the door, wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a servicing tube in fluid communication with the insulating cavity via the evacuation port for evacuating fluid from the insulating cavity; and
a handle coupled to the outer wrapper of the door over the evacuation port assembly.

2. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein an insulation cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner of the cabinet.

3. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein the servicing tube extends at an acute angle relative to an exterior surface of the outer wrapper of the door.

4. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein a channel is defined on an inner side of the handle, and wherein the servicing tube extends into the channel.

5. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein the evacuation port assembly is disposed adjacent to an end of the handle.

6. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein insulation materials are disposed in the insulating cavity, and wherein an at least partial vacuum is defined in the insulating cavity.

7. The vacuum insulated appliance of claim 1 , wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a base disposed at least partially within the insulating cavity.

8. A refrigeration appliance, comprising:
a cabinet; and
a door operably coupled to the cabinet, wherein the door includes:
an outer wrapper defining an evacuation port;
an inner liner coupled to the outer wrapper, wherein an insulating cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner; and
an evacuation port assembly coupled to the outer wrapper, wherein the evacuation port assembly is in fluid communication with the insulating cavity via the evacuation port, and wherein the evacuation port assembly defines an evacuation path for evacuating fluid from the insulating cavity to define an at least partial vacuum therein; and

a handle coupled to the outer wrapper over the evacuation port assembly.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8 , wherein a first end of the handle is vertically aligned with a second end of the handle.

10. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9 , wherein the first end is coupled to the outer wrapper proximate to the evacuation port.

11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9 , wherein the handle includes a sloping portion between the first end and a center portion of the handle, wherein a first acute angle is defined between the sloping portion and an exterior surface of the outer wrapper.

12. The refrigeration appliance of claim 11 , wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a servicing tube, and wherein a second acute angle is defined between the exterior surface and the servicing tube, and further wherein the first acute angle is the same as the second acute angle.

13. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8 , wherein the handle defines an inner groove, and wherein the evacuation port assembly is disposed at least partially within the inner groove.

14. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8 , wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a base coupled to the outer wrapper, a connector coupled to the base, and a servicing tube coupled to the connector.

15. The refrigeration appliance of claim 8 , wherein the handle at least partially obscures the evacuation port assembly.

16. An appliance, comprising:
a cabinet; and
a door operably coupled to the cabinet, wherein the door includes:
a structural wrapper defining an insulating cavity therein, wherein the structural wrapper defines an evacuation port that is in fluid communication with the insulating cavity;
an evacuation port assembly coupled to the structural wrapper adjacent to the evacuation port, wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a servicing tube in fluid communication with the insulating cavity via the evacuation port; and
a handle coupled to the structural wrapper proximate to the evacuation port.

17. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the servicing tube extends along an inner surface of the handle.

18. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the cabinet includes:
an outer wrapper; and
an inner liner coupled to the outer wrapper, wherein an insulation cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner.

19. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein an end of the handle is disposed proximate to the evacuation port assembly.

20. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the servicing tube defines an evacuation path from the insulating cavity to define an at least partial vacuum in the insulating cavity.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ekshinge Sunil S

Classifications

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• E06B2003/26321

  with additional prefab insulating materials in the hollow space · CPC title

• E05F11/54

  for doors · CPC title

• Y02B40/00

  Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers · CPC title

• F24C15/02

  Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges · CPC title