Whirlpool Corporation

David B Kirby

Nihat O Cur

John A Nelson

Phalguni S Roy

Giorgio Giudici

Luigi Martinella

John L Wuepper

Terry L McGath

Richard W Kruck

John L Deaner

Allen C Schmaltz

Omer N Cur

Patrick J Barry

Otfried W Heybey

William S White

Beat D Stocker

A vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet comprises an evacuation system for evacuating an insulation space of the cabinet when pressure inside such space is higher than a predetermined value. It comprises a sensor device having an insulation reference element located on one side of said insulation space and temperature sensors for assessing the differences of temperature across the insulation space) and across the insulation reference element, such sensor device being suitable for providing the evacuation system with a signal related to the ratio of the above differences of temperature.

Vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet and method for assessing thermal conductivity thereof

A vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet comprises an evacuation system for evacuating an insulation space of the cabinet when pressure inside such space is higher than a predetermined value. The cabinet presents sensor means comprising a temperature sensor and a heater both located within the insulation space and a control system for activating the heater according to a predetermined heating cycle and for receiving a signal from the temperature sensor, such control system being able to provide the evacuation system with a signal related to the insulation level within the insulation space.

A vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet comprises a substantially gas-tight container that is filled with a porous core and a gas absorber that communicates with said container and is filled with a gas adsorbent material. Between the container and the gas absorber there is provided a valve adapted to close the communication between the container and the gas absorber, and a heater is provided for heating the gas absorber in order to evacuate gases when the valve is closed.

Vacuum insulated refrigerator cabinet and method for evacuating the gas-tight insulated wall thereof

A getter system is provided for use with an evacuated container such as a vacuum insulation panel. The getter system has a first, activated getter material capable of gettering at least a first gas or vapor and a second, different gas or vapor. The getter system also has a second, activated getter material capable of gettering the first, but not the second, gas or vapor. Finally, the getter system includes packaging for the first and second getter materials, such that the first and second getter materials may be placed together within a single compartment of the evacuated container and the second getter material will be more readily exposed to the first gas or vapor than the first getter material. In this manner, the first getter material will be protected from the first gas or vapor even though it is already activated.

Getter system for vacuum insulation panel

There is disclosed herein a refrigerant container in the form of a bag, or pouch, made from two sheets of multi-layer barrier film material which are heat sealed adjacent their edges to form a closed pouch which has an interior space. The bag may be connected to an access valve provided in a line of a sealed refrigeration system for capturing the refrigerant therefrom. The barrier film material is specially formulated to prevent outward permeation of a refrigerant and to prevent inward permeation of air. A valve system is provided for filling and emptying the bag.

Method and apparatus for recovering refrigerants from home refrigeration

A method of verifying the integrity of the walls and seals of a sealed container is provided in which a low molecular weight gas is introduced into the interior of the container before the container is sealed. After sealing, the container either alone, or in batches with others, is placed into a chamber which is evacuated of gases to a pressure level below that interior of the container and is evacuated of the low molecular weight gas to a partial pressure below that which the gas has within the container. Subsequently the gas within the chamber is sensed to determine whether the rate of increase of the low molecular weight gas in the chamber exceeds a predetermined rate.

Method and apparatus for testing vacuum insulation panel quality

A method for assembling a vacuum insulation panel is provided which includes the steps of: loading a quantity of microporous powder into a gas permeable pouch; pressing the pouch into a desired form; sealing the pouch; heating the powder to a temperature elevated above standard room temperature; inserting the pouch into a gas impermeable bag while the pouch and powder remain at the elevated temperature; evacuating gases from the powder pouch while it is at the elevated temperature; evacuating gases from the bag; and sealing the gas evacuated bag with the gas evacuated pouch therein to form a vacuum insulation panel. The heating of the powder may occur only just before insertion of the pouch into the bag, or may occur both before the powder is loaded into the pouch as well as just before insertion of the pouch into the bag. Further, a trace amount of Helium (at a pressure of approximately 1 mm Hg) may be put into the bag before it is sealed in order to permit testing of the sealed panel for leaks.

Vacuum panel assembly method

A thermoformed vacuum insulation container is provided for use in a vacuum insulation panel. The container is preformed to have a receptacle area for receiving a quantity of microporous insulation material as well as a peripheral ledge area. The microporous insulating material is isolated by a porous sheet material which is either sealed to the ledge area covering the receptacle area, or completely bounds the microporous insulation material in the form of a pouch or sack. An impermeable layer is sealed to the ledge area following evacuation of the receptacle area and microporous insulation material of gases and moisture in order to complete the evacuated panel.

Thermoformed vacuum insulation container

A getter structure is provided which can be handled for relatively short periods of time in open atmosphere and yet provides prolonged gettering action over relatively long periods of time when utilized in a sealed compartment. The getter structure has a thin flexible substrate upon which a getter material is applied. A barrier layer is applied to the getter material to prevent rapid reaction by the getter material with the atmosphere. The substrate or barrier layer is semi-permeable and is selected to provide the desired degree of permeation of the layer to the getter material to result in the action described. Such a getter structure is useful in a vacuum insulation panel, particularly in a getter system in a multiple compartment panel where different getter materials are utilized in different compartments so as to maximize the effectiveness of the use of the getter materials, while minimizing the cost of the getter materials required to provide the desired degree of gas gettering.

Getter structure for vacuum insulation panels

A refrigeration appliance having a vacuum insulation system wherein a combination of vacuum thermal insulating panels and polyurethane foam provide the thermal insulating properties as well as structural support. The panels are to be spaced apart from one another with a space between the cabinet and appliance liner so that the foam will lock the panels in place. Also the panels are to be spaced from the corners of the cabinet to permit the foam to flow into the corners. The panels can be applied directly to the cabinet or they can be spaced between the cabinet and liner, held by spacers. In either case, an adhesive is used to hold the liners in position prior to introduction of the foam.

Vacuum insulation system for insulating refrigeration cabinets

A vacuum insulation panel having flexible gas impermeable walls formed in multiple substantially adjacent compartments. A thermal break may advantageously be provided around the perimeter to prevent conduction of heat from a warmer side of the panel to a colder side, which thermal break can be easily constructed by utilizing webs of gas impermeable material with the foil carried thereon such that the foil has a width somewhat less than the width of the film and with two separate pieces of the firm rotated at 90.degree. to one another to provide a continuous area void of the foil. Multiple compartments are utilized to enhance the long term thermal characteristics of the panel by 'protecting' the vacuum characteristics of at least one of the compartments by surrounding it with additional evacuated compartments. This results in a very minimal gas pressure gradient across the internal walls forming the internal compartment to minimize gas and vapor permeation into it thus greatly enhancing the lifetime of the panel. Further, this permits strategic placing of gettering materials such that gettering materials absorbing certain gases can be placed in the outer compartments and other gettering materials absorbing different gases can be placed in the internal compartments to enhance the lifetime of the panel.

Multi-compartment vacuum insulation panels

There is disclosed herein a refrigerant container in the form of a bag, or pouch, made from two sheets of multi-layer barrier film material which are heat sealed adjacent their edges to form a closed pouch which has an interior space. The bag may be connected to an access valve provided in a line of a sealed refrigeration system for capturing the refrigerant therefrom. The barrier film material is specially formulated to prevent outward permeation of a refrigerant and to prevent inward permeation of air. A valve stem is provided for filling and emptying the bag.

A method of molding an element from liquid synthetic resin wherein liquid resin is introduced into a mold cavity through a first gate and liquid resin is concurrently introduced into the mold cavity through a second gate with portions of the resin received through each of the gates meeting at a joint interface. The resin in the second gate is caused to solidify sooner than the resin in the first gate so that the leading surface of the resin received through the first gate projects into a leading surface portion of the resin received through the second gate during the mold packing operation to provide an enlarged weld line area and improved strength in the joint. Apparatus for carrying out this method includes structure for causing the temperature in the gate of one of the resin streams to be different from that of the temperature in the gate of the other of the resin streams as a result of preselected characteristics of the respective gates through which the resin streams are passed. In an illustrated embodiment, a first gate passage may have a different cross-sectional configuration than that of a second gate passage so that the resin in the first gate may be cooled or heated to a different degree than the resin in the second gate, through differences in the heat transfer characteristics of the walls defining the respective passages. Alternatively, the first and second gate structure materials may have different thermal diffusivities. Further alternatively, the flow through the first gate may be terminated prior to the termination of flow through the second gate. In an illustrated embodiment, the invention is employed in an injection molding apparatus having more than two gate structures.

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St. Joseph Township, MI, United States of America

David B Kirby