A vacuum insulated structure includes a first cover member of a unitary sheet member defining a perimeter portion, an outer frame portion defined radially inward of the perimeter portion, and an inner area surrounded and supported by the outer frame portion. The inner area defines a first planar level with a portion of the outer frame portion extending to a second planar level parallel to and spaced apart from the first planar level in an axial direction. The vacuum insulated structure further includes a second cover member of a unitary sheet and a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween. The outer frame portion deforms such that the inner area moves axially inward away from the second planar level under a force of the vacuum within the insulating cavity.

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 refrigerator includes a vacuum-insulated cabinet structure enclosing an insulating cavity and including an outer wrapper having a first side wall defining a perimeter, an outer frame portion defined radially inward of the perimeter, and an inner area surrounded and supported by the outer frame portion. The inner area initially defines a first planar level with at least a portion of the outer frame portion extending to a second planar level parallel to and spaced apart from the first planar level in an axially outward direction. The insulating cavity is sealed and has a vacuum drawn therefrom with the outer frame portion deformed such that the inner area is moved axially inward away from the second planar level under a force of the vacuum within the insulating cavity with at least the portion of the outer frame portion remaining at the second planar level.

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.

An insulated structure includes a plurality of walls and a cavity defined by the plurality of walls. A core material is disposed within the cavity. The core material includes particles with a diameter that is in a range of 80-1600 μm. The core material disposed within the cavity can have a density in a range of greater than 350 kg/m.sup.3 to 600 kg/m.sup.3. Methods of manufacturing the insulated structure also disclosed.

An insulation composition for an appliance is disclosed. The insulation composition includes a plurality of porous walled hollow glass microspheres. The porous walled hollow glass microspheres include a wall defining an interior cavity and an outer surface. The wall may further define a plurality of interconnected pores. The pores may be sized in a range of about 10-300 nm (100-3,000 Å) and fluidly couple an exterior space with the interior cavity.

A door body for a refrigeration appliance includes a main part and a frame surrounding the main part. The frame includes a housing with a cavity. The cavity is filled with an insulation material in contact with the main part. A door seal is mounted on a rear side of the housing and a seal strip is located between the housing and the main part. A refrigeration appliance including the door body is also provided.

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 method of fabricating a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes positioning a first barrier film in a female mold cavity. Porous filler material is positioned on the barrier film, and a second barrier film is positioned over the porous filler material. A male mold is brought into contact with the second barrier film to deform and compress the porous filler material into a 3D shape. A vacuum is formed between the first and second barrier films, and the first and second peripheral edge portions are sealed together to form a vacuum insulated core. The vacuum insulated core may be positioned between a liner and a wrapper to form an insulated refrigerator cabinet, door, or other vacuum insulated component.

A vacuum insulated structure includes a first cover member of a unitary sheet member defining a perimeter portion, an outer frame portion defined radially inward of the perimeter portion, and an inner area surrounded and supported by the outer frame portion. The inner area defines a first planar level with a portion of the outer frame portion extending to a second planar level parallel to and spaced apart from the first planar level in an axial direction. The vacuum insulated structure further includes a second cover member of a unitary sheet and a thermal bridge interconnecting the first cover member and the second cover member at the perimeter portions thereof to define an insulating cavity therebetween. The outer frame portion deforms such that the inner area moves axially inward away from the second planar level under a force of the vacuum within the insulating cavity.