Filling ports for insulated structures incorporated within an appliance
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsGustavo Frattini, Abhay Naik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An appliance includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner that form a structural cabinet having an insulating cavity defined between the inner liner and the outer wrapper. An elliptical insulation port is defined within the outer wrapper, wherein the elliptical insulation port is configured to allow passage of a cylindrical insulation conduit when the insulation conduit is positioned at an oblique angle relative to the structural cabinet. An insulation material is disposed within the insulating cavity. A sealing cap covers the elliptical insulation port, wherein the sealing cap includes a protrusion that extends at least partially into the insulating cavity.
Claims20
An insulated structure for an appliance comprising:
- an outer structure that defines an insulating cavity within the outer structure;
- an insulation port defined within the outer structure, wherein the insulation port is defined by a perimetrical flange that extends perpendicularly from an aperture defined within the outer structure;
- an insulation material that is disposed within the insulating cavity;
- and
- a sealing cap that covers the insulation port, wherein the sealing cap includes a protrusion that extends at least partially into the insulating cavity, wherein the insulation port and the sealing cap cooperate to define a bracket receptacle, wherein an inner surface of the perimetrical flange receives the sealing cap, wherein the sealing cap includes a vacuum port that extends through the sealing cap.
An insulated structure comprising:
- an outer structure having an interior surface that defines an insulating cavity therein, wherein an insulation port is defined within the outer structure;
- and
- a sealing cap that covers the insulation port, wherein the sealing cap includes a protrusion that extends at least partially through the insulation port to define a bracket receptacle, wherein the sealing cap includes a vacuum port that extends through the sealing cap within the bracket receptacle.
An insulated structure for an appliance comprising:
- an outer structure having an interior surface that defines an insulating cavity therein;
- an insulation port defined within the outer structure;
- a sealing cap that covers the insulation port, wherein the sealing cap includes a protrusion that extends at least partially into the insulating cavity, wherein the insulation port and the sealing cap cooperate to define a bracket receptacle;
- a vacuum port that extends through the sealing cap, wherein the vacuum port is sealed to define an at least partial vacuum within the insulating cavity;
- and
- a hinge bracket that is disposed within the bracket receptacle and conceals the sealing cap and the insulation port from view.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.