Vacuum insulated door structure and method for the creation thereof

A refrigerator having a vacuum insulated door structure, the refrigerator comprising:

• an insulative first wall member having a first perimetrical edge, a first inner facing surface and a first outer facing surface, wherein the first wall member comprises at least four offset sidewalls defining a first wall opening distal from at least a portion the first perimetrical edge, and wherein the at least four offset sidewalls extend substantially orthogonally from the first wall opening to a first back wall, wherein the at least four offset sidewalls and the first back wall include a first wall offset;
• an insulative perimetrical flange having a first lip and a second lip, wherein the first lip is coupled to the first wall member proximate the first perimetrical edge;
• an insulative second wall member having a second inner facing surface, a second outer facing surface, and a second perimetrical edge coupled to the perimetrical flange proximate the second lip, wherein the second wall member comprises at least four inner side walls defining a second wall opening distal from at least a portion of the second perimetrical edge, and wherein the at least four inner sidewalls extend from the second wall opening toward the first wall member to a second back wall, wherein the at least four inner sidewalls and the second back wall include a second wall offset disposed proximate the first wall opening;
• an insulative tubular member having first and second conduit ends, an inner conduit surface, and an outer conduit surface, wherein the first conduit end is coupled to the first wall member proximate a first wall conduit opening defined by the first wall offset and the second conduit end is coupled to the second wall member proximate a second wall conduit opening defined by the second wall offset, and wherein the inner conduit surface provides a fluid communication between the first wall outer facing surface and the second wall outer facing surface, and wherein the first and second wall members, the perimetrical flange, and the tubular member form a door structure;
• a barrier layer comprising a hermetic barrier film and a heat sealing layer disposed on at least a portion of the first and second wall members, the perimetrical flange, and the tubular member;
• and
• a cavity insulation material disposed within a cavity volume defined by the inner facing surface of the first wall member, the inner facing surface of the second wall member, the perimetrical flange, and the outer conduit surface, wherein the cavity volume is hermetically sealed and is configured to maintain an at least partial vacuum within the cavity volume.

A method for creating an integral vacuum insulated door structure comprising the steps of:

• providing a first wall member having a first perimetrical edge, at least four outer sidewalls that extend substantially perpendicular from the first perimetrical edge to a perimetrical lip, a barrier layer having a hermetic barrier film and a heat sealing layer, a first inner facing surface, and a first outer facing surface, wherein the first wall member comprises at least four offset sidewalls defining a first wall opening distal from at least a portion the first perimetrical edge, and wherein the at least four offset sidewalls extend substantially orthogonally from the first wall opening to a first back wall, wherein the at least four offset sidewalls and the first back wall include a first wall offset;
• providing a second wall member having a second inner facing surface, a second outer facing surface, and a second perimetrical edge disposed proximate the perimetrical lip, wherein the second wall member comprises at least four inner sidewalls defining a second wall opening distal from at least a portion of the second perimetrical edge, a barrier layer having a hermetic barrier film and a heat sealing layer, and wherein the at least four inner sidewalls extend from the second wall opening toward the first wall member to a back wall, wherein the at least four sidewalls and the back wall define a second wall offset;
• providing a tubular member having first and second conduit ends, an inner conduit surface and an outer conduit surface, wherein the first conduit end is disposed to a first wall conduit opening defined by the first wall member and the second conduit end is disposed to a second wall conduit opening defined by the second wall offset, and wherein the inner conduit surface provides a fluid communication between the first wall outer facing surface and the second wall outer facing surface;
• disposing a cavity insulation material within a cavity volume defined by the inner facing surface of the first wall member, the inner facing surface of the second wall member, and the outer conduit surface;
• hermetically sealing the cavity volume;
• and
• extracting gas from the cavity volume via at least one port disposed on the first wall member proximate a port opening defined by the first wall member, wherein the cavity volume is configured to maintain an at least partial vacuum within the cavity volume.