Umbilical for pass through in vacuum insulated refrigerator structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752818-B2
Application number	US-201514978843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A method of routing utility lines in a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes forming a shell and an elongated umbilical comprising an elongated impervious sleeve and a core structure defining at least two elongated internal passageways extending lengthwise along the umbilical. The method includes sealingly connecting a first end of the sleeve to the shell at a first opening, and sealingly connecting a second end of the sleeve to the shell at a second opening. A vacuum is formed in an internal cavity of the shell. Utility lines are routed through at least one of the elongated internal passageways whereby portions of the utility lines are disposed inside the umbilical, and opposite ends of the utility lines extend out of the opposite ends of the umbilical.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of routing utility lines in a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure, the method comprising:
forming a shell having an internal cavity, the shell having at least first and second openings to the internal cavity;
forming an elongated non-linear umbilical having at least one bend, the umbilical comprising an elongated impervious sleeve and an elongated core structure disposed inside the sleeve, wherein the core structure defines at least two elongated internal passageways extending lengthwise along the umbilical, surrounding the core structure;
sealingly connecting a first end of the sleeve to the shell at the first opening;
sealingly connecting a second end of the sleeve to the shell at the second opening;
forming a vacuum in the internal cavity of the shell; and
routing utility lines through the at least two elongated internal passageways whereby portions of the utility lines are disposed inside the umbilical, and opposite ends of the utility lines extend out of opposite ends of the umbilical.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the vacuum insulated refrigerator structure comprises a refrigerator door including a dispensing unit that is accessible from an outer side of the refrigerator door, wherein the dispensing unit is configured to dispense at least one of ice and liquid water;
the utility lines include at least one water line that is connected to the dispensing unit, and at least one electrical line that is connected to the dispensing unit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the shell includes a liner having a peripheral edge that is sealed to a peripheral edge of a wrapper.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the liner is formed by thermoforming a sheet of polymer or by bending sheet metal;
the wrapper is formed by bending the sheet metal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve has cylindrical inner and outer surfaces.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve has rectangular inner and outer surfaces.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve has elliptical inner and outer surfaces.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve comprises an impermeable polymer material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sleeve comprises a metal material.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the elongated core structure comprises a foam material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the elongated core structure comprises a polymer material.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the sleeve is sealingly connected to the shell at the first opening by an adhesive.

13. The method of claim 12 , including:
providing a fitting;
utilizing the fitting to sealingly connect the first end of the sleeve to the shell.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the sleeve is welded and/or glued to the shell.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the elongated core structure is inserted into the sleeve before the first and second ends of the sleeve are sealingly connected to the shell.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the shell comprises a liner and a wrapper that are interconnected around a perimeter of the vacuum insulated refrigerator structure during assembly to form a substantially impervious structure;
the first and second ends of the sleeve are sealingly connected to the shell before the liner and wrapper are assembled.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the utility lines are inserted into the elongated internal passageways of the core structure before the first and/or second ends of the sleeve are connected to the shell.

18. A vacuum insulated refrigerator structure comprising:
an airtight shell defining an internal vacuum cavity;
a tubular umbilical member defining an elongated non-linear internal space having at least one bend, and having a central portion disposed in the internal vacuum cavity, and opposite end portions that are sealingly connected to the airtight shell, each opposite end portion having an opening that permits access to the elongated internal space from outside of the airtight shell;
an elongated internal core structure disposed within the elongated internal space and having opposite ends disposed adjacent the openings at the opposite ends of the tubular umbilical member, the internal core structure having at least first and second elongated internal passageways;
first and second utility lines disposed in the first and second elongated internal passageways, respectively, and having opposite ends extending out of the openings at the opposite ends of the tubular umbilical member.

19. The vacuum insulated refrigerator structure of claim 18 , wherein:
the tubular umbilical member comprises a multi-layer polymer material including a barrier layer that is substantially impervious to at least one gas.

20. The vacuum insulated refrigerator structure of claim 18 , including:
porous filler material disposed in the vacuum cavity.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Naik Abhay

Classifications

• F25D2201/1262

  with open cells · CPC title

• F25D2400/40

  Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• H02G1/00

  Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines · CPC title

• F16L7/00

  Supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves, e.g. for enabling pipes or cables to be inserted or withdrawn from under roads or railways without interruption of traffic (sleeves for supporting pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points F16L3/01) · CPC title