MULTI-LAYER INSULATION COMPOSITE MATERIAL HAVING AT LEAST ONE THERMALLY-REFLECTIVE LAYER WITH THROUGH OPENINGS, STORAGE CONTAINER USING SAME, AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20140053970A1
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US14/070,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/185
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/38 with thermal insulation vacuum bottles or the like A47J41/00 ; thermal insulation of domestic water storage heaters F24H1/182
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3823 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/026 Mattresses, mats, blankets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/027 Bands, cords, strips or the like for helically winding around a cylindrical object
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/029 layered
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/08 Means for preventing radiation, e.g. with metal foil
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/141 in which the temperature of the medium is below that of the ambient temperature rigid pipes of wood F16L9/006; vacuum insulation F16L59/065
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24182 Inward from edge of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24314 Slit or elongated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component

Abstract

In an embodiment, a multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material includes a first thermally-reflective layer and a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer. At least one of the first or second thermally-reflective layers includes a plurality of through openings configured to at least partially obstruct transmission therethrough of infrared electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength greater than a threshold wavelength. A region between the first and second thermally-reflective layers impedes heat conduction between the first and second thermally-reflective layers. Other embodiments include a storage container including a container structure that may be at least partially formed from such MLI composite materials, and methods of using such MLI composite materials.

Claims

1-63. -63. (canceled)

64. A method, comprising:

at least partially enclosing an object with multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material to insulate the object from a surrounding environment, the MLI composite material including at least one thermally-reflective layer having a plurality of through openings configured to at least partially obstruct transmission therethrough of infrared electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength greater than a threshold wavelength.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising maintaining the object at a temperature greater than that of a temperature of the surrounding environment for a period of time.

66. The method of claim 64, further comprising maintaining the object at a temperature less than that of a temperature of the surrounding environment for a period of time.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein at least partially enclosing an object with MLI composite material includes wrapping the MLI composite material around at least a portion of the object.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein at least partially enclosing an object with MLI composite material includes assembling sections made from the MLI composite material.

69. The method of claim 64, wherein at least partially enclosing an object with MLI composite material includes enclosing the object in a container structure that is at least partially formed from the MLI composite material.

70. The method of claim 64, wherein at least partially enclosing an object with MLI composite material includes placing the MLI composite material between incident electromagnetic radiation and the object.

71. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings are arranged in a substantially periodic pattern.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings are arranged in a substantially non-periodic pattern.

73. The method of claim 64, wherein:

the plurality of through openings include a first plurality of through openings and a second plurality of through openings;

the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes a first thermally-reflective layer having the first plurality of through openings, and a second thermally-reflective layer having the second plurality of through openings which are not positioned in substantial registry with the first plurality of through openings.

74. The method of claim 64, wherein:

the plurality of through openings include a first plurality of through openings and a second plurality of through openings;

the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes a first thermally-reflective layer having the first plurality of through openings, and a second thermally-reflective layer having the second plurality of through openings positioned in substantial registry with the first plurality of through openings.

75. The method of claim 64, wherein the threshold wavelength is related to an opening dimension of at least a portion of the plurality of through openings.

76. The method of claim 64, wherein the threshold wavelength is proportional to an opening dimension of at least a portion of the plurality of through openings.

77. The method of claim 64, wherein the threshold wavelength is about twice an opening dimension of at least a portion of the plurality of through openings.

78. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings are configured to at least partially allow transmission therethrough of visible electromagnetic radiation.

79. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings are configured to at least partially allow transmission therethrough of visible electromagnetic radiation over substantially the entire visible electromagnetic radiation spectrum.

80. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings are configured to at least partially allow transmission therethrough of visible electromagnetic radiation over only part of the visible electromagnetic radiation spectrum.

81. The method of claim 64, wherein the threshold wavelength is from about 1 μ

m to about 15 μ

m.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the threshold wavelength is from about 8 μ

m to about 12 μ

m.

83. The method of claim 64, wherein at least a portion of the through openings are slots.

84. The method of claim 64, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of through openings are configured to at least partially obstruct transmission of the infrared electromagnetic radiation therethrough having a selected polarization direction.

85. The method of claim 64, wherein:

the plurality of through openings include a first plurality of slots and a second plurality of slots; and

the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes a first thermally-reflective layer having the first plurality of elongated through slots, and a second thermally-reflective layer having the second plurality of elongated through slots oriented in substantially the same directional orientation as the first plurality of elongated through slots.

86. The method of claim 64, wherein:

the plurality of through openings include a first plurality of slots and a second plurality of slots; and

the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes a first thermally-reflective layer having the first plurality of elongated through slots, and a second thermally-reflective layer having the second plurality of elongated through slots oriented in a substantially different directional orientation than that of the first plurality of elongated through slots.

87. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings include:

a first plurality of elongated through slots; and

a second plurality of elongated through slots oriented in substantially the same directional orientation as the first plurality of elongated through slots.

88. The method of claim 64, wherein the plurality of through openings include:

a first plurality of elongated through slots; and

a second plurality of elongated through slots oriented in a substantially different directional orientation than that of the first plurality of elongated through slots.