Vacuum insulation panel

A vacuum insulation panel (VIP), comprising:

• first and second planar walls that are structurally coupled to allow formation of a vacuum cavity between the first and second planar walls, wherein the first planar wall comprises a first plurality of pillars aligned in a first general direction, wherein the second planar wall comprises a second plurality of pillars aligned in a second general direction;
• a first plurality of tensile elements that comprises fibers;
• a second plurality of tensile elements that comprises fibers;
• and
• a plurality of interlocking pairs of interconnectors;
• wherein the second plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the second plurality of pillars and the plurality of interlocking pairs interconnectors, wherein the first plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the first plurality of pillars and the plurality of interlocking pairs of interconnectors, wherein the first plurality of tensile elements comprises a first plurality of thermally insulating filaments and the second plurality of tensile elements comprises a second plurality of thermally insulating filaments at an intermediate location between the first and second planar walls;
• wherein a heat flow path proceeds from the first planar wall and subsequently along a pillar of the first plurality of pillars, a thermally insulating filament of the first plurality of thermally insulating filaments, a thermally insulating filament of the second plurality of thermally insulating filaments, and a pillar of the second plurality of pillars to the second planar wall;
• wherein the first and second pluralities of tensile elements serve to structurally support the first and second planar walls against external pressure contemporaneous with tension on the first and second pluralities of tensile elements, wherein the first and second pluralities of tensile elements and the first and second pluralities of pillars are located in the vacuum cavity between the first and second planar walls.

A process, comprising the steps of:

• structurally coupling first and second walls of a vacuum insulation panel (VIP) to allow formation of a vacuum cavity between the first and second walls, wherein the first wall comprises a first plurality of pillars aligned in a first general direction, wherein the second wall comprises a second plurality of pillars aligned in a second general direction;
• coupling a first plurality and a second plurality of tensile elements with the first and second pluralities of pillars and a plurality of interlocking pairs of interconnectors to structurally support the first and second walls against external pressure contemporaneous with tension on the first and second pluralities of tensile elements, wherein the first and second pluralities of tensile elements and the first and second pluralities of pillars are located in the vacuum cavity between the first and second walls;
• wherein the first plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the first plurality of pillars and the plurality of interlocking pairs of interconnectors, wherein the first plurality of tensile elements comprises fibers, wherein the second plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the second plurality of pillars and the plurality of interlocking pairs of interconnectors, wherein the second plurality of tensile elements comprises fibers, wherein the first plurality of tensile elements comprises a first plurality of thermally insulating filaments and the second plurality of tensile elements comprises a second plurality of thermally insulating filaments at an intermediate location between the first and second planar walls;
• wherein a heat flow path proceeds from the first wall and subsequently along a pillar of the first plurality of pillars, a thermally insulating filament of the first plurality of thermally insulating filaments, an interconnector of the first interconnectors, an interconnector of the second plurality of interconnectors, a thermally insulating filament of the second plurality of thermally insulating filaments, and a pillar of the second plurality of pillars to the second wall.