Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Management Emea S.r.l.

Lakshya J Deka

Abhay Naik

Paul B Allard

Jerry M Visin

Lynne F Hunter

Hua Liu

Gustavo Frattini

Eric J Dherde

Mohamed Alshourbagy

Alberto Regio Gomes

Rameet Singh Grewal

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak

Lorraine Joan Westlake

Dustin Michael Miller

Andrea Olivani

Eric J Vasko

Giulia Marinello

Nicole M Ernat

Berhanu Allo

Diptesh Mukherjee

Karen J Querfurth

Tao Liu

Yen-Hsi Lin

Ashish Nigam

Shayta Roy

Jon M Anthony

Lisa R Schneider

An appliance includes a metallic outer wrapper having sidewalls, a wrapper backwall and a machine wall. At least one metallic inner liner has liner walls and a liner backwall, wherein the metallic outer wrapper and the at least one metallic inner liner are coupled together at a trim breaker to define a structural cabinet having a hermetically sealed interior cavity defined between the metallic outer wrapper and the at least one metallic inner liner. The trim breaker defines a front face of the structural cabinet. At least one trim breaker conduit extends through the wrapper and liner backwalls wherein the trim breaker conduit defines a conduit through the structural cabinet, and wherein the structural cabinet is hermetically sealed at the trim breaker conduit.

Structural cabinet for an appliance incorporating unitary metallic boxes

An appliance includes an outer wrapper, an inner liner, a trim breaker having a wrapper channel that receives a wrapper edge of the outer wrapper and a liner channel that receives a liner edge of the inner liner, and an insulation material disposed within an insulating cavity defined therebetween. A multi-component thermal encapsulation material defines pre-mix, application and sealing states. The pre-mix state is defined by the distinct components of the thermal encapsulation material being separated from one another, the application state defined by the distinct components combined together into an uncured state of the thermal encapsulation material, and the sealing state defined by the thermal encapsulation material disposed within the wrapper and liner channels and surrounding the wrapper and liner edges, respectively, in the sealing state that defines a hermetic seal between the trim breaker and the outer wrapper and the inner liner.

Encapsulation system for a thermal bridge breaker-to-metal liner

A low-density insulating material for use in a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes a plurality of microspheres that includes a plurality of leached microspheres. Each leached microsphere has an outer wall and an interior volume. The outer wall has a hole that extends through the outer wall and to the interior volume. A binder engages outer surfaces of the plurality of leached microspheres, wherein the binder cooperates with the plurality of leached microspheres to form at least one microsphere aggregate. The interior volume of each leached microsphere defines an insulating space that includes an insulating gas. The insulating space of each leached microsphere is at least partially defined by the binder.

Microsphere-based insulating materials for use in vacuum insulated structures

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure includes disposing glass spheres within a rotating drum. A plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the glass spheres. A binder material is disposed within the rotating drum. The glass spheres and the at least one binder material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the binder material is mixed during a first mixing stage with the glass spheres. A first insulating material is disposed within the rotating drum. The binder material, the first insulating material and the glass spheres are mixed to define an insulating base. A second insulating material is disposed within the rotating drum. The secondary insulating material is mixed with the insulating base to define a homogenous form of the super-insulating material, wherein the first and second insulating materials occupy substantially all of the interstitial spaces.

Processes for making a super-insulating core material for a vacuum insulated structure

A method for forming a vacuum insulated structure using a prepared core material includes preparing a powder insulation material defining a bulk density, pre-densifying the powder insulation material to form a pre-densified insulation base, crushing the pre-densified insulation base into granular core insulation to define a core density of the granular core insulation, disposing the granular core insulation having the core density into an insulating cavity defined within an insulating structure and expressing gas from the interior cavity of the insulating structure to further densify the granular core insulation to define a target density. The granular core insulation defines the target density disposed within the insulating structure defines the vacuum insulation structure, wherein the target density defines a density in the range of from approximately 80 grams per liter to approximately 350 grams per liter.

Method for preparing a densified insulation material for use in appliance insulated structure

An appliance includes an outer wrapper, an inner liner, a trim breaker having a channel that receives at least one of a wrapper edge of the outer wrapper and a liner edge of the inner liner, and a composite encapsulation system that hermetically seals an insulating cavity defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner. The composite encapsulation system includes a base adhesive and an outer adhesive, wherein the base adhesive defines a structural adhesive component and the outer adhesive defines a sealing adhesive component.

Multi-layer encapsulation system for joint sealing of vacuum insulated cabinets

An insulating structure for an appliance includes an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein an insulating cavity is defined therebetween. A plurality of hollow nano-spheres are disposed within the insulating cavity, wherein each of the hollow nano-spheres includes a diameter in the range of from approximately 50 nanometers to approximately 1000 nanometers and has a wall that defines the internal space, and wherein the wall of each hollow nano-sphere has a thickness that is in a range of from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 100 nanometers. A fill material is disposed in the insulating cavity and wherein the fill material is disposed in the space defined between the plurality of hollow nano-spheres, and wherein the fill material includes at least one of powdered silica, granulated silica, other silica material, aerogel and insulating gas.

Super insulating nano-spheres for appliance insulation and method for creating a super insulating nano-sphere material

A method for forming a super-insulating material for a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes disposing hollow glass spheres within a rotating drum, wherein a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined between the hollow glass spheres. An anchor material is disposed within the rotating drum. The hollow glass spheres and the anchor material are rotated within the rotating drum, wherein the anchor material is mixed with the hollow glass spheres to partially occupy the interstitial spaces. A silica-based material is disposed within the rotating drum. The silica-based material is mixed with the anchor material and the hollow glass spheres to define a super-insulating material, wherein the silica-based material attaches to the anchor material and is entrapped within the interstitial spaces. The silica-based material and the anchor material occupy substantially all of an interstitial volume defined by the interstitial spaces.

Processes for making a super-insulating core for a vacuum insulating structure

A refrigerator includes a wrapper having an opening with a front edge. A liner includes an opening and a front edge. A thermal bridge interconnects the wrapper and the liner to form a vacuum insulated cavity therebetween. The thermal bridge includes an outwardly opening channel and first and second inwardly opening channels. The front edge of wrapper is received in the first inwardly opening channel, and the front edge of the liner is received in the second inwardly opening channel. The second inwardly opening channel is inset relative to the first inwardly opening channel on the thermal bridge. A conduit is disposed within the outwardly opening channel and is configured to circulate a heated medium. The wrapper and liner are contemplated to be comprised of conductive materials, such sheet metal, while the thermal bridge is comprised of a thermally resistant material, such as a polymeric material.

Vacuum insulated structure with thermal bridge breaker with heat loop

An insulation system for an appliance includes a first vacuum insulated structure having a first set of sidewalls that define a first refrigerating compartment, a second vacuum insulated structure having a second set of sidewalls that define a second refrigerating compartment and a medial insulation structure having a rigid perimeter wall. The rigid perimeter wall includes a front portion that defines at least one hinge support adapted to support an appliance door. The rigid perimeter wall defines an insulating cavity that is filled with an insulating material. The first vacuum insulated structure engages a first edge of the perimeter wall and the second vacuum insulated structure engages a second edge of the perimeter wall.

Double cabinet vacuum insulated refrigerator with a structural foamed mullion

A vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes an outer wrapper having a first opening and a first edge extending around the first opening. A liner has a second opening and second edge extending around the second opening. The liner is disposed inside the wrapper with the first and second edges being spaced apart to form a gap therebetween. An insulating thermal bridge extends across the gap, and an airtight vacuum cavity is formed between the wrapper and the liner. The thermal bridge includes elongated first and second channels having sealant disposed therein, and the first and second edges are disposed in the first and second channels, respectively. Porous core material may be disposed in the vacuum cavity.

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Mishawaka, IN, United States of America

Lakshya J Deka