A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet having a sidewall with a passthrough opening through the sidewall. A resilient insulating member is disposed in the passthrough opening. The resilient insulating member includes flaps that form an airtight seal between the resilient insulating member and the passthrough opening. At least one utility line extends through an aperture in the resilient insulating member. The utility line may comprise fluid conduit, electrical line, or the like that operably connect one or more components through the sidewall of the cabinet.

An auger feeder includes a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall where the inner hopper wall includes an air permeable surface. A space is positioned between the inner and outer hopper walls. A heater is coupled to an outside edge of the inner hopper wall or a n outside edge of the outer hopper wall while a feed screw is positioned along an inside edge of the inner hopper wall. The auger feeder additionally includes an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port that is positioned in the outer hopper wall. The auger feeder also includes an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.

The present invention relates to open- and fine-celled rigid polyurethane foams which contain not only urethane groups (PUR) but also isocyanurate groups (PIR) and carbodiimide groups (CD) and to the use thereof in vacuum insulation panels.

A method of fabricating a refrigerator cabinet or door includes forming a wrapper and an inner liner. The method further includes forming a vacuum insulated core comprising a permeable core material that is disposed inside an impermeable envelope. A sheet of prefabricated compressible foam material is positioned between the vacuum insulated core between the inner door liner and/or the door wrapper. The prefabricated compressible foam material may be cut from a sheet of foam having substantially uniform thickness prior to fabrication of the refrigerator door. The foam compresses to accommodate differences in spacing between the vacuum insulated core and the door wrapper and/or the door liner.

A method of fabricating a vacuum insulated appliance structure includes molding a first layer of a first polymer material. A second layer of a second polymer material is molded to (e.g. over) at least a portion of the first layer, and a third layer of a third polymer material is molded to (e.g. over) at least a portion of the second layer to form a first component. At least one of the layers is impervious to one or more gasses. One or more additional components are secured to the first component to form a vacuum cavity. The vacuum cavity is filled with a porous material, and the vacuum cavity is evacuated to form a vacuum.

A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet having a sidewall with a passthrough opening through the sidewall. A resilient insulating member is disposed in the passthrough opening. The resilient insulating member includes flaps that form an airtight seal between the resilient insulating member and the passthrough opening. At least one utility line extends through an aperture in the resilient insulating member. The utility line may comprise fluid conduit, electrical line, or the like that operably connect one or more components through the sidewall of the cabinet.

A refrigerator includes a case body, an outer door, and an inner door disposed in front of the outer door. The outer door has a front door panel that forms a facade of the outer door. The front door panel includes a cover portion, and the cover portion projects, along a length or width direction, out of a heat-insulation portion that is of the outer door and that is configured to seal the opening. The outer door further includes a protecting plate, connected to a rear surface of the cover portion and faces the inner door. The refrigerator is provided with a good appearance on the premise that good cooperation between the inner door and the outer door is ensured.

A vacuum insulated appliance structure includes a molded first layer of a first polymer material. A second layer of a second polymer material is molded to (e.g. over) at least a portion of the first layer, and a third layer of a third polymer material is molded to (e.g. over) at least a portion of the second layer to form a first component. At least one of the layers is impervious to one or more gasses. One or more additional components are secured to the first component to form a vacuum cavity. The vacuum cavity is filled with a porous material, and the vacuum cavity is evacuated to form a vacuum.

A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

An auger feeder includes a hopper having an inner hopper wall and an outer hopper wall where the inner hopper wall includes an air permeable surface. A space is positioned between the inner and outer hopper walls. A heater is coupled to an outside edge of the inner hopper wall or a n outside edge of the outer hopper wall while a feed screw is positioned along an inside edge of the inner hopper wall. The auger feeder additionally includes an evacuator coupled to a vacuum port that is positioned in the outer hopper wall. The auger feeder also includes an aperture exit positioned at a bottom of the inner and outer hopper walls.