Whirlpool Corporation

Sunil S Ekshinge

Abhay Naik

Sanjesh Kumar Pathak

Paul B Allard

Jeffrey P Beckner

Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy

Lynne F Hunter

Alberto Regio Gomes

Gustavo Frattini

Rafael Dutra Nunes

Omkar Sunil Mithari

Sai B Krishna

Manjunathraddi Navalgund

Karen J Querfurth

Kaito Choy

Sanket Vivek Phalak

Dustin Michael Miller

Eric J Dherde

Giulia Marinello

Caroline Paiva Torres

Abinash Sarma

Gregory Edward Bauman

Michael A Fiori

Jose Guizoni, Jr

Chad Eric McCray

Wesley J Aurand

A vacuum insulated appliance includes a cabinet with an outer wrapper and an inner liner coupled to the outer wrapper. A vacuum insulated cavity is defined between the outer wrapper and the inner liner. A trim breaker is coupled to the outer wrapper and the inner liner and seals the vacuum insulated cavity. An evacuation port is defined by the outer wrapper. An insulation powder is disposed in the vacuum insulated cavity. An open-cell foam is coupled to at least one of an inner surface of the outer wrapper and an inner surface of the inner liner. The open-cell foam defines a first plurality of pores that define a first plurality of airflow paths in fluid communication with the vacuum insulated cavity and the evacuation port for evacuating air from the vacuum insulated cavity, through the first plurality of airflow paths, and through the evacuation port.

Feature for accelerating evacuation of a vacuum insulated structure

A pressure sensor hub for a vacuum-insulated structure includes: (a) a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor including a sensing element and an electrical connector extending from the sensing element; (b) a printed circuit board including conductive pads that are exposed, each of the conductive pads in electrical communication with a different portion of the electrical connector of the pressure sensor; and (c) a body that supports the pressure sensor and the printed circuit board.

Pressure sensor hub for a vacuum-insulated structure

A door assembly for an appliance includes a wrapper operably coupled with a liner to define an insulation cavity therebetween. An attachment assembly operably couples to the liner and defines a slot. A storage assembly couples with the attachment assembly. The storage assembly includes a bin. The storage assembly further includes a bracket operably coupling the bin to the attachment assembly via a retention feature. The bracket includes a support member defining a groove extending between ends of the bracket. The storage assembly further includes a rim extending from the bin and engaging the groove to secure the bin to the bracket.

Storage assembly for an appliance

A method of measuring pressure includes the steps of (1) providing a vacuum cabinet with a storage compartment and an insulating space, and three temperature sensors; (2) sensing a first temperature level of an interior wall of the storage compartment; (3) sensing an ambient temperature level within the storage compartment; (4) sensing a second temperature level of an exterior wall of the storage compartment; (5) calculating an overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) using the ambient temperature level, the first temperature level, and a convective heat transfer coefficient for the interior wall of the storage compartment; (6) calculating a temperature differential between the second and first temperature levels; (7) determining a conductivity level (K) using the temperature differential, the overall heat transfer coefficient (Q) and a thickness of the insulating space; and (8) determining a pressure level (P) within the insulating space using the conductivity level (K).

Vacuum insulated appliance with pressure monitoring

An insulated structure for an appliance includes a plurality of walls, a cavity defined by the plurality of walls, and an aperture defined by one of the plurality of walls. The aperture is employed in evacuating the cavity to establish a less-than-atmospheric pressure within the cavity. A base structure is coupled to an interior surface of the one of the plurality of walls that defines the aperture. The base structure is aligned with the aperture. A pressure sensor is received by the base structure. The base structure and the pressure sensor together define a pressure-sensing assembly.

Insulated structure for an appliance

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.

Insulated door assembly

A door assembly includes a structural wrapper defining an insulating cavity. The structural wrapper defines a sensor port. A sensor assembly is coupled to an outer surface of the structural wrapper proximate to the sensor port. The sensor assembly includes a connector having a base coupled to a housing. The base is coupled to the structural wrapper. The connector defines an interior in fluid communication with the insulating cavity. A pressure sensor is disposed within the housing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a pressure within the insulating cavity. At least one plate is disposed at an open end of the housing. The pressure sensor includes sensor pins that extend through the at least one plate.

Sensor assembly for vacuum insulated structure

An insulated structure includes a door that has a liner and a wrapper. The liner defines at least one channel. At least one attachment feature is disposed within the at least one channel defined by the liner and coupled to the door. The at least one attachment feature includes a body that has a plurality of apertures that are defined along a length of the body. A bin is operably coupled to the door via the at least one attachment feature. The bin includes a coupling feature that extends through at least one of the plurality of apertures that are defined by the body.

Attachment assembly for an insulated door

An insulated structure comprises a first panel and a second panel coupled to the first panel. The first and second panels define an insulating cavity therebetween. A port is defined by the second panel. The port is an opening into the insulating cavity. A connector is coupled to the second panel. A tube is coupled to the connector and extends parallel along the second panel.

Servicing assembly for an insulated structure

A vacuum insulated structure includes a first panel having an inner surface defining an area. The first panel includes a vacuum port. A trim breaker interconnects the first panel with a second panel in an air-tight manner to define a vacuum cavity therebetween. A first filter member is disposed on and substantially covers the area of the inner surface of the first panel and the vacuum port of the first panel. A second filter member substantially covers the first filter member to define a channel therebetween. The channel includes an area commensurate with the area of the inner surface of the first panel. The first panel may also include a mesh member covered by a filter member to define a channel therebetween to improve evacuation time using the channel to evacuate the vacuum cavity.

Vacuum insulated structure with filter features in a vacuum cavity

A vacuum insulated structure including a first cover member of a stamped unitary sheet defining a perimeter portion positioned at a first planar level and first rib formed in the unitary sheet extending to a second planar level spaced axially outward and disposed radially inward of the perimeter portion, a second cover member, and thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween. The insulating cavity is a sealed cavity having a vacuum drawn therefrom, and the first rib defines a first portion of a path for air flow out of the sealed cavity during a vacuum draw process.

Vacuum insulated refrigerator structure with feature for controlling deformation and improved air withdrawal

An appliance includes a panel having a raised landing outwardly extending from a first surface of the panel. A vacuum port is disposed on the raised landing. A system of channels is disposed over the first surface of the panel and outwardly extends therefrom. The system of channels substantially covers the first surface of the panel. The first surface of the panel is covered with a filter member that covers the system of channels. The raised landing, and vacuum port thereof, is fluidically coupled to the system of channels at multiple connecting locations.

Growing community of inventors

Pune, India

Sunil S Ekshinge