A thermal insulator, a vacuum insulation member, and a method of manufacturing a vacuum insulation member maintaining reliability and having an excellent thermal insulation property. The thermal insulator thermally insulates a thermal insulation target disposed on one surface side of a vacuum insulation member including a core and an outer covering member enclosing the core, from an outer region located on an other surface side of the vacuum insulation member. The vacuum insulation member includes a radiation prevention film configured to prevent or reduce radiation. The radiation prevention film is disposed between the core and the outer covering member and in a peripheral region on the other surface side.

The present invention concerns a method of producing an insulation product comprising a board of porous insulation material wrapped in a gas-impermeable foil, said method comprising the steps of providing a succession of porous insulation material boards on a first conveyor apparatus and feeding the boards on a second conveyor apparatus; providing wrapping foil and wrapping said foil to form a tube around the boards on said second conveyor apparatus, flushing the boards with an insulating gas, and sealing the wrapping foil at the ends of each board transverse to the direction of travel of the second conveyor apparatus.

A method and system for forming an insulation package for use in a vacuum insulated structure is provided. A slurry containing a liquid and an insulation material is formed. The slurry can be supplied to an envelope under vacuum, wherein the envelope is gas-permeable and permeable to the liquid. At least a portion of the liquid is drawn through the envelope and at least a portion of the insulation material is retained within the envelope to form an insulation package. One or more insulation packages can be disposed within an insulating cavity and the insulating cavity can be evacuated to decrease a pressure therein to form a vacuum insulated structure.

A composite heat insulating material made of a fibrous structure and an aerogel or a xerogel with improved convenience and heat insulation when the composite heat insulating material is placed in a case. The composite heat insulating material is formed by producing a composite having voids, forming a composite, and enclosing a low thermal conductivity gas, which is a gas having a thermal conductivity lower than that of air, in the voids.

A vacuum heat insulator includes core material (203), first member (201) having a box shape with opening (204), core material (203) being disposed in first member (201), and second member (202) that tightly closes opening (204). First member (201) includes first resin layer (21), second resin layer (22), and gas barrier layer (23), first resin layer (21) and second resin layer (22) being made of thermoplastic resin, gas barrier layer (23) being disposed between first resin layer (21) and second resin layer (22) and containing organic resin and scaly inorganic material. A content of the scaly inorganic material in gas barrier layer (23) is equal to or less than 14% by weight relative to a gross weight of gas barrier layer (23).

Disclosed herein are a vacuum insulation panel having an improved structure which may improve durability by minimizing a folding process, and a refrigerator including the same. The vacuum insulation panel includes a core material, a first outer skin material that is arranged to form an outer surface of the core material, a second outer skin material that has a gap and forms the other outer surface of the core material, and is disposed to face the first outer skin material, and a third outer skin material that is provided to connect the first outer skin material and the second outer skin material and to be variable in accordance with the gap.

A system for forming insulation packages includes a vessel configured to hold a slurry that includes a liquid and an insulation material. A supply conduit is coupled at a first end with the vessel and has a second end configured to couple with an envelope for selectively supplying the slurry from the vessel to an interior cavity of the envelope. A chamber is configured to selectively maintain a pressure within the chamber at a reduced pressure less than ambient pressure. The second end of the supply conduit is disposed within the chamber. A mold includes an inner mold liner that at least partially defines a cavity for retaining the envelope therein and an outer mold shell that at least partially surrounds the inner mold liner. The inner mold liner and the outer mold shell are gas-permeable and permeable to the liquid.

A refrigeration appliance has a refrigerator compartment container and an ice container for providing ice. The refrigerator compartment container delimits a refrigerator compartment. A receiving niche for receiving the ice container is formed in an exterior of the refrigerator compartment container. The receiving niche has an opening to the refrigerator compartment, wherein an opening of the ice container and the opening of the receiving niche are aligned flush with one another. The ice container has a container outer wall, a container inner wall and a thermal insulation, which is arranged between the container inner wall and the container outer wall.

An insulated cabinet structure includes an inner liner having a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment, and an external wrapper having a plurality of walls defining a refrigerator compartment receiving area. An insulation gap is formed between the walls of the inner liner and the walls of the external wrapper. A first insulation material is positioned on a wall of the external wrapper and extends outwardly into the insulation gap to partially fill the insulation gap. The first insulation material includes a renewable resource component having a particle size in a range from about 10 microns to about 25 microns. A second insulation material is disposed in the insulation gap, such that the first insulation material and the second insulation material together substantially fill the insulation gap.

A refrigerator configured to have enhanced energy efficiencies during the defrosting process, thus delivering excellent energy-saving performance. The refrigerator, includes: a cooler that produce a cold air; a defrosting heater that is placed under the cooler; a cooler cover that covers the cooler, an inlet-side space leading to the cooler, an outlet-side space extending from the cooler, and a connection space connecting the inlet-side space and the outlet-side space to one another; an inlet damper that opens and closes the inlet-side space; and a connection damper that opens and closes the connection space.