Vacuum insulated structures
AssigneeConcept Group LLC
InventorAarne H. Reid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article includes walls defining an insulating space therebetween and a vent forming an exit for gas molecules during evacuation of the space. A distance separating the walls is variable in a portion adjacent the vent such that gas molecules are directed towards the vent imparting a greater probability of molecule egress than ingress such that deeper vacuum is developed without requiring getter material. The variable-distance portion may be formed by converging walls. Alternatively, a portion of one of the walls may be formed such that a normal line at any location within that portion is directed substantially towards a vent opening in the other wall.
Claims7
An insulated article comprising:
- a first wall bounding an interior volume;
- a second wall spaced at a distance from the first wall to define an insulating space therebetween, the first and second walls provided by first and second tubes substantially concentric with each other, the first and second tubes being elongated and flexible;
- and
- a vent communicating with the insulating space to provide an exit pathway for gas molecules from the space, the vent being sealable for maintaining a vacuum within the insulating space following evacuation of gas molecules through the vent,
- the distance between the first and second walls being variable in a portion of the insulating space adjacent the vent such that gas molecules within the insulating space are directed towards the vent by the variable-distance portion of the first and second walls during the evacuation of the insulating space, the directing of the gas molecules by the variable-distance portion of the first and second walls imparting to the gas molecules a greater probability of egress from the insulating space than ingress thereby providing a deeper vacuum without requiring a getter material within the insulating space.
An insulated article comprising:
- a first wall bounding an interior volume;
- a second wall spaced at a distance from the first wall to define an insulating space therebetween, the first and second walls provided by first and second tubes arranged substantially concentrically;
- and
- a vent communicating with the insulating space to provide an exit pathway for gas molecules from the space, the vent being sealable for maintaining a vacuum within the insulating space following evacuation of gas molecules through the vent,
- the distance between the first and second walls being variable in a portion of the insulating space adjacent the vent such that gas molecules within the insulating space are directed towards the vent by the variable-distance portion of the first and second walls during the evacuation of the insulating space, the directing of the gas molecules by the variable-distance portion of the first and second walls imparting to the gas molecules a greater probability of egress from the insulating space than ingress thereby providing a deeper vacuum without requiring a getter material within the insulating space,
- wherein the first and second tubes are flexible, the article further comprising a layer disposed between the first and second tubes having relatively low thermal conductivity compared to the first and second tubes to limit thermal shorting caused by direct contact between the first and second tubes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.