Vacuum insulated structure tubular cabinet construction
AssigneeWhirpool Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Kuehl, Axel Julio Ramm, Guolian Wu, James W. Kendall, Nihat Cur, Paul B. Allard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A refrigerator includes a vacuum insulated cabinet structure having side walls that are formed from a tube that has been folded/deformed into a structure having an “O” shape with vertically enlarged front and rear openings. The interior of the tube may be filled with silica powder or other filler, and a vacuum is formed within the tube. An insulated rear panel may be utilized to close off the rear opening of the vacuum insulated cabinet structure.
Claims19
A method of fabricating a vacuum insulated refrigerator housing, the method comprising:
- forming an elongated tube having opposite open ends defining a length therebetween, the elongated tube having a substantially uniform cross sectional shape along the length of the tube, wherein the elongated tube defines generally planar first and second oppositely-facing primary outer surfaces and first and second end surfaces extending between the first and second primary outer surfaces;
- deforming the tube along at least four fold lines to form at least four corners whereby portions of the first primary surface adjacent each corner are substantially orthogonal relative to one another;
- connecting the opposite ends of the tube to one another forming an airtight and continuous insulating space within the tube to form a refrigerator housing structure having horizontally spaced apart generally vertical side walls and vertically spaced apart generally vertical upper and lower side walls, wherein the refrigerator housing structure defines an internal space with vertically enlarged front and rear openings;
- forming a vacuum in the insulating space within the tube;
- attaching an insulated rear panel to the refrigerator housing structure to at least partially close off the enlarged rear opening.
A method of forming a vacuum insulated refrigerator housing, the method comprising:
- providing an elongated tube having opposite and open ends;
- positioning the opposite ends of the tube adjacent one another by deforming the tube;
- connecting the opposite ends together to form an airtight and continuous insulating space within the tube, and having spaced apart upright side walls and spaced apart upper and lower side walls extending between the upright side walls, wherein the refrigerator housing structure defines an internal space and enlarged front and rear openings,
- forming a vacuum in the airtight insulating space, and
- attaching an insulated rear panel to the refrigerator housing structure to at least partially close off the enlarged rear opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.