Vacuum adiabatic body, fabrication method for the vacuum adiabatic body, porous substance package, and refrigerator

• US 10,876,786 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 12/29/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Wonyeong, Youn, Deokhyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Zec, Filip
• Application Number:
  US15/749,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7897 Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus B29C66/005 takes precedence; discharging moulded articles from moulds B29C37/0003
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/00145 Vacuum, e.g. partial vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/004 Preventing sticking together, e.g. of some areas of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72 characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2709/08 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/003 Cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0097 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7622 Refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/02 Shape or form of insulating materials, with or without coverings integral with the insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 59/065 using vacuum F16L59/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/006 Thermal coupling structure or interface
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/122 of loose fill type
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/14 using subatmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/062 defining a cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/064 formed by moulding, e.g. moulding in situ

Abstract

A vacuum adiabatic body, a method for fabricating a vacuum adiabatic body, a porous substance package, and a refrigerator including a vacuum adiabatic body and a porous substance package are provided. The vacuum adiabatic body may include a first plate, a second plate, a seal, a support, a heat resistance device, and an exhaust port. The support may include a porous substance and a film made of a resin material, the film configured to accommodate the porous substance therein. Accordingly, it may be possible to provide a vacuum adiabatic body through an inexpensive process.

Claims

1. A vacuum adiabatic body comprising:

a first plate that defines at least one portion of a first side of a wall adjacent to a first space having a first temperature;

a second plate that defines at least one portion of a second side opposite the first side of the wall, the second side adjacent to a second space having a second temperature different from the first temperature of the first space;

a seal that seals the first plate and the second plate to provide a third space that has a third temperature between the first temperature of the first space and the second temperature of the second space, the third space being in a vacuum state;

a support that supports the first and second plates and is provided in the third space;

a heat resistance device that reduces a heat transfer amount between the first plate and the second plate; and

an exhaust port through which a gas in the third space is exhausted,

wherein the support includes;

a porous substance; and

a film made of a resin material, the film shaped to accommodate the porous substance therein,

wherein the air exhausted from the exhaust port comprises an air from inside of the resin material.

2. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein the support is provided only with the porous substance and the film made of the resin material.

3. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein the film made of the resin material is provided in a single layer.

4. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein at least one hole is provided in the film.

5. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the film is 1 to 100 μ

m.

6. The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, further comprising a punching mechanism for puncturing the film.

7. A method for fabricating a vacuum adiabatic body, the method comprising:

accommodating a porous substance package in a vacuum state in an internal space of an environment closed from an exterior;

exhausting air from the internal space; and

releasing a porous substance in the porous substance package such that the entire pressure of the internal space is equalized,

wherein releasing the porous substance package includes providing a punching mechanism to release the porous substance.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the porous substance package comprises the porous substance and a film configured to accommodate the porous substance in an accommodation space therein, and

wherein, in the exhausting of the air, heat is applied, and the film is melted by the heat, thereby releasing the porous substance package into the accommodation space.

9. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body provided with an internal space in which goods are stored; and

a door provided to open and close the main body from an external space,

wherein, in order to supply a refrigerant into the main body, the refrigerator comprises;

a compressor that compresses the refrigerant;

a condenser that condenses the compressed refrigerant;

an expander that expands the condensed refrigerant; and

an evaporator that evaporates the expanded refrigerant,

wherein at least one of the main body and the door comprises a vacuum adiabatic body,

the vacuum adiabatic body comprising;

a first plate that defines at least one portion of an interior of a wall adjacent to the internal space having a first temperature;

a second plate that defines at least one portion of an exterior of the wall adjacent to the external space having a second temperature;

a seal that seals the first plate and the second plate to provide a vacuum space that has a third temperature between the first temperature of the internal space and the second temperature of the external space, the vacuum space being in a vacuum state;

a support that supports the first plate and the second plate, the support being provided in the vacuum space;

a heat resistance device that reduces a heat transfer amount between the first plate and the second plate; and

an exhaust port through which a gas in the vacuum space is exhausted,

wherein the vacuum space is provided with a porous substance package comprising a porous substance and a punctured film configured to accommodate the porous substance therein.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the porous substance is provided in the support.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the punctured film is made of PE, and the porous substance is made of glass wool.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein, when the vacuum adiabatic body is provided in the main body, at least three porous substance packages are provided in the vacuum space.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein a support bar is provided in the porous substance package.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the punctured film is provided in a single layer.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising a pin that protrudes from the punctured film to an inside of the vacuum space.