Refrigerator cabinet with a trim breaker and vacuum insulated panel associated with the trim breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320577-B2
Application number	US-202318112375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2023
Priority date	Feb 21, 2023
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A cabinet for a refrigerator includes: (a) a first inner liner defining a first cavity; (b) a second inner liner defining a second cavity; (c) an outer wrapper at least partially surrounding the first inner liner and the second inner liner; (d) a trim breaker coupling the outer wrapper, the first inner liner, and the second inner liner together, the trim breaker comprising (i) a first opening into the first cavity, (ii) a second opening into the second cavity, and (iii) a transition portion extending between the first opening and the second opening, the transition portion comprising a forward portion and a rear portion; and (e) a vacuum insulated panel disposed proximate the rear portion of the transition portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cabinet for a refrigerator comprising:
a first inner liner defining a first cavity;
a second inner liner defining a second cavity;
an outer wrapper at least partially surrounding the first inner liner and the second inner liner;
a trim breaker coupling the outer wrapper, the first inner liner, and the second inner liner together, the trim breaker comprising (i) a first opening into the first cavity, (ii) a second opening into the second cavity, and (iii) a transition portion extending between the first opening and the second opening, the transition portion comprising a forward portion and a rear portion; and
a vacuum insulated panel disposed proximate the rear portion of the transition portion;
wherein, the trim breaker, the outer wrapper, the first inner liner, and the second inner liner together define an insulating cavity that has a reduced pressure compared to atmospheric pressure, and
wherein, the vacuum insulated panel is disposed outside of the insulating cavity.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum insulated panel comprises a forward side, and
the forward side of the vacuum insulated panel abuts the rear portion of the transition portion of the trim breaker.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum insulated panel is vertically oriented.

4. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum insulated panel includes a liner with a forward side and a rear side that is separated from the forward side by a space to form a cavity within the liner, and
the cavity of vacuum insulated panel has an air pressure that is less than atmospheric pressure.

5. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the first inner liner is disposed above the second inner liner,
the insulating cavity is at least partially defined by a space between a bottom wall of the first inner liner and a top wall of the second inner liner, and
the vacuum insulated panel is disposed elevationally below the space and separated from the insulating cavity by only the trim breaker.

6. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the trim breaker comprises a vertical wall system with a wall having (i) a forward surface positioned to contact a seal of a door to be associated with the cabinet, and (ii) a rear surface at least partially defining the insulating cavity.

7. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the trim breaker further comprises:
a vertical wall system contiguous with the first opening, the second opening, and the transition portion between the first opening and the second opening;
a first inner wall that extends rearward from the vertical wall system and around the first opening, the first inner wall transitioning to a first inner slot that accepts an edge of the first inner liner to couple the first inner liner and the trim breaker;
a second inner wall that extends rearward from the vertical wall system and outside the second opening, the second inner wall transitioning to a second inner slot that accepts an edge of the second inner liner to couple the second inner liner to the trim breaker, wherein the second inner wall includes (i) a portion that runs parallel to the first inner wall and (ii) opposing sections at the transition portion that extend from the second opening toward the portion that runs parallel to the first inner wall; and
a receiving portion formed by (i) the opposing sections of the second inner wall, (ii) the portion of the second inner wall that runs parallel to the first inner wall, and (iii) the rear portion of the transition portion; and

the vacuum insulated panel is nested within the receiving portion of the trim breaker.

8. The cabinet of claim 7 , wherein
the first opening of the trim breaker is disposed above the second opening of the trim breaker,
the first inner liner is disposed above the second inner liner,
the first inner wall includes a portion that is disposed horizontally and proximate the transition portion of the trim breaker,
the portion of the second inner wall that runs parallel to the first inner wall is parallel to the portion of the first inner wall that is disposed horizontally proximate the transition portion of the trim breaker, and
the vacuum insulated panel is disposed under the portion of the second inner wall that runs parallel to the first inner wall and between the opposing sections of the second inner wall that are disposed at the transition portion of the trim breaker.

9. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the transition portion of the trim breaker is positioned to be disposed between a seal of a door and the vacuum insulated panel.

10. The cabinet of claim 1 further comprising:
a non-vacuum insulation material disposed directly rearward of the vacuum insulated panel.

11. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum insulated panel is positioned to insulate the second cavity, and
the second cavity bounds a storage compartment that is to be maintained at a temperature less than or equal to 0° C.

12. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the outer wrapper comprises an exterior surface that faces toward an external environment.

13. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the trim breaker comprises a vertical wall system comprising a wall with (i) a forward surface positioned to face a seal of a door, and (ii) a recess into the wall positioned and sized to accept a heat loop configured to reduce condensation on the cabinet.

14. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein
the cabinet further comprises a cover attached to the trim breaker that encloses the recess and separates the heat loop from an external environment.

15. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein
the trim breaker comprises a plastic.

16. A cabinet for a refrigerator comprising:
a first inner liner defining a first inner cavity, the first inner liner comprising an edge;
a second inner liner defining a second inner cavity disposed below the first inner cavity, the second inner liner comprising an edge;
an outer wrapper at least partially surrounding the first inner liner and the second inner liner;
a trim breaker coupling the outer wrapper, the first inner liner, and the second inner liner together to form an insulating cavity having an air pressure that is lower than atmospheric pressure, the trim breaker defining a first opening into the first cavity and a second opening into the second cavity, and the trim breaker comprising (i) a first inner slot receiving the edge of the first inner liner and (ii) a second inner slot receiving the edge of the second inner liner; and
a vacuum insulated panel disposed within the second cavity at least partially under the second inner slot of the trim breaker with the second inner slot disposed between the insulating cavity and the vacuum insulated panel,
wherein, the trim breaker is shaped and disposed to be rearward of both (i) a seal of a door providing selective access into the first inner cavity and (ii) a seal of a second door providing selective access into the second inner cavity, and
wherein, the trim breaker is further disposed to be between the seal of the second door and the vacuum insulated panel.

17. The cabinet of claim 16 , wherein
the vacuum insulated panel is vertically oriented and disposed rearward of, below, and adjacent to the trim breaker.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Sarma Abinash
• Chhajed Rahul Subhash
• Shannigrahi Subrata
• Patil Vishal Jaywantrao

Classifications

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F25D23/087

  Sealing strips · CPC title

• F25D2400/04

  Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion · CPC title

• F25D23/085 Primary

  Breaking strips · CPC title