An insulation structure for an appliance includes a cabinet having an outer wrapper and an inner liner, with an insulating cavity defined therebetween. Insulating powder material is disposed substantially throughout the insulating cavity. An insulating gas is disposed within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating powder material is combined with the insulating gas and cooperatively defines a suspended state and a precipitated state. The suspended state is defined by the insulating gas in motion and the insulating powder being in an aeolian suspension within the insulating gas while in motion. The precipitated state is defined by the insulating gas being in a deposition state and the insulating powder being precipitated from the insulating gas and deposited within the insulating cavity.

An insulation structure for an appliance includes a cabinet having an outer wrapper and an inner liner, with an insulating cavity defined therebetween. A plurality of hollow insulating organic/inorganic spheres is disposed within the insulating cavity, wherein a secondary insulating volume is defined between the plurality of hollow insulating organic/inorganic spheres and an interior surface of the cabinet. The interior surface of the cabinet defines the insulating cavity. An insulating fill material is disposed within the secondary insulating volume, wherein the insulating fill material and the plurality of hollow insulating organic/inorganic spheres define a substantially uniform insulating material.

A method for forming an insulative member includes forming a wrapper for an insulating structure, the wrapper defining an insulating cavity. A predetermined amount of an insulating media is disposed into the insulating cavity, the insulating media having a pre-compaction density. The insulating media is modified to define a desired insulation density by applying a positive compression to and generating a negative compression within the insulating media during a simultaneous compression phase. At least the simultaneous compression phase is operated until the insulating media reaches a desired insulation density, the desired insulation density being greater than the pre-compaction density. The insulating cavity is sealed to maintain the desired insulation density of the insulation media within the insulating cavity to form the insulating structure.

A vacuum heat insulating body includes core material and outer packing material that vacuum-seals core material. Core material includes first heat insulating core material and second heat insulating core material having ventilation characteristics. Moreover, first heat insulating core material has ventilation resistance greater than the ventilation resistance of second heat insulating core material. First heat insulating core material is configured with an open-cell resin, and second heat insulating core material is configured with a fiber material or a powder material having ventilation resistance smaller than the ventilation resistance of the open-cell resin.

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes: an outer case forming an exterior of the refrigerator; an inner case disposed inside the outer case, forming a storage compartment therein, and having a communication hole formed through a side surface thereof; a partition supported by the inner case to partition the storage compartment, and including a heat insulator inlet at a position corresponding to the communication hole; and a heat insulator filled between the outer case and the inner case and filled into the partition through the heat insulator inlet, wherein the partition includes a first vertical partitioning wall disposed between the outer case and the inner case and having a height to limit a size of the heat insulator inlet.

Disclosed are a foaming material, a thermal insulation cabinet, and preparation methods therefor. The foaming material comprises 100 parts of a combined polyol, 10-30 parts of a foaming agent composition, and 120-150 parts of an isocyanate. In the present invention, the type of the polyol used in a foaming system is adjusted in order to increase the content of a polyester polyol and reduce the content of a polyether polyol, such that the compressive strength of the foaming material is significantly improved without increasing or changing the injection amount.

A low-density insulating material for use in a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes a plurality of microspheres that includes a plurality of leached microspheres. Each leached microsphere has an outer wall and an interior volume. The outer wall has a hole that extends through the outer wall and to the interior volume. A binder engages outer surfaces of the plurality of leached microspheres, wherein the binder cooperates with the plurality of leached microspheres to form at least one microsphere aggregate. The interior volume of each leached microsphere defines an insulating space that includes an insulating gas. The insulating space of each leached microsphere is at least partially defined by the binder.

A low-density insulating material for use in a vacuum insulated structure for an appliance includes a plurality of microspheres that includes a plurality of leached microspheres. Each leached microsphere has an outer wall and an interior volume. The outer wall has a hole that extends through the outer wall and to the interior volume. A binder engages outer surfaces of the plurality of leached microspheres, wherein the binder cooperates with the plurality of leached microspheres to form at least one microsphere aggregate. The interior volume of each leached microsphere defines an insulating space that includes an insulating gas. The insulating space of each leached microsphere is at least partially defined by the binder.

An insulation compaction device includes an insulating structure of an appliance and has an insulating media disposed within an insulating cavity. An operable piston selectively engages the insulating structure and operates to define a selected cavity volume of the insulating cavity and a selected insulation density of the insulating media. A valve is attached to the insulating structure and in a passive state releases gas from the insulating cavity to the exterior during operation of the operable piston. Selective operation of a pump mechanism places the valve in an active state to extract gas from the insulating cavity and define a cavity pressure of the insulating cavity that is less than an equalized pressure. The operable piston and the pump mechanism are at least one of sequentially and simultaneously operable to define a selected piston chamber environment defined by the selected cavity volume and the cavity pressure.

A vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes an outer wrapper having a first opening and a first edge extending around the first opening. A liner has a second opening and second edge extending around the second opening. The liner is disposed inside the wrapper with the first and second edges being spaced apart to form a gap therebetween. An insulating thermal bridge extends across the gap, and an airtight vacuum cavity is formed between the wrapper and the liner. The thermal bridge includes elongated first and second channels having sealant disposed therein, and the first and second edges are disposed in the first and second channels, respectively. Porous core material may be disposed in the vacuum cavity.