Including Means To Relieve Thermal Stress Patents (Class 312/406.1)
  • Patent number: 11976875
    Abstract: A refrigerator has a shelf seating protrusion and a separate shelf seating member. The shelf seating protrusion is not formed at an approximate mid-point, height wise, of a storage space defined by an inner casing. The shelf seating member may be coupled to the inner casing to support a shelf assembly. An arrangement of the shelf seating protrusions and the shelf seating member is configured to reduce deformation and cracking of the inner casing due to thermal impact in a manufacturing process or when items are stored on the shelf assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jun Yeong Kim, Hyung Kyu Park, Jae Seok Jang
  • Patent number: 11313606
    Abstract: A refrigerator that includes: a storage space configured to be cooled by a refrigeration cycle cooling system; a wall defines a boundary of the storage space; a low temperature case that is arranged adjacent to a portion of a first surface of the wall; a thermoelectric element module (TEM) assembly that is configured to supply cool air to the low temperature case; and a TEM accommodating part that protrudes from the first surface of the wall and that accommodates the TEM assembly, wherein the low temperature case includes an opening through which the TEM accommodating part is inserted, and wherein a sealant is provided between the low temperature case and the wall to couple the low temperature case to the first surface of the wall is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yoo Min Park, Myeongha Yi, Jinho Son
  • Patent number: 10907888
    Abstract: A method of making a liner for an appliance is provided. The method includes mixing a polymeric capping layer precursor and a pigment additive to form a color capping layer. The method also includes extruding a polymeric base resin to form a polymeric base layer at a base layer formation temperature. The method further includes laminating the polymeric base layer and the color capping layer to form the liner at about the base layer formation temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent D. Csapos, Mario J. Godinho, Muhammad Khizar
  • Patent number: 10852054
    Abstract: A refrigerator having an improved structure configured to increase the energy efficiency includes a main body provided with an inner case and an outer case, a storage compartment formed inside of the inner case, an insulation material provided between the inner case and the outer case to insulate the storage compartment and a flange having the anisotropy having different heat resistance distribution to insulate the storage compartment, together with the insulation material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Soo Kim, Choong Hyo Jang, Keon Kuk
  • Patent number: 10500818
    Abstract: A modular element for a thermally insulated construction such as a freezer construction or a heated construction, wherein the modular element is a thermally insulated structural element comprising an inner cladding, an outer cladding and an insulating layer located between the inner cladding and the outer cladding. The modular element is configured with the insulating layer placed adjacent to the inner cladding prior to assembly of said modular element in a modular construction. Further, the inner cladding of the modular element is adapted to be joined to an inner cladding of the modular construction along at least a substantial part of at least one edge with the insulating layer of the modular element maintained intact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: LTV.STÅL
    Inventor: Lan Trung Vo
  • Publication number: 20150076984
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a body having a storage space. The body includes an inner case having the storage space, an outer case having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case to house the inner case, a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case, a supporting portion provided to contact with the outside surface of the inner case and the inside surface of the outer case to maintain a spaced state of the vacuum space, and a dewing preventive unit adjacent to the supporting portion for preventing dewing from taking place at the outer case by suppressing surface temperature drop of the outer case caused by cold conducted from the inner case to the outer case through the supporting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Wonyeong JUNG, Myungryul LEE, Sung JHEE
  • Publication number: 20150030800
    Abstract: A vacuum heat insulating material having an improved structure to prevent the heat bridge phenomenon while improving the durability thereof, and a refrigerator having the same, the vacuum heat insulating material including a core material in a vacuum state, a sealing layer surrounding the core material, an inner layer covering the sealing layer, and having a first side and a second side connected to the first side, a protective layer located at an outside of the inner layer, a first blocking layer having at least one portion located between the first side of the inner layer and the protective layer, and a second blocking layer having at least one portion located between the second side of the inner layer and the protective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Sung JUNG, Seung Hoon KAL, Seung Jin OH, Choong Hyo JANG, Sung Hun HONG
  • Patent number: 8905502
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a pressure adjustment device that passes through an inner case and an outer case such that the inside and outside of the refrigerator communicate with each other, and the pressure adjustment device is opened and closed according to opening and closing of a door so as to remove a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, thereby facilitating opening of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jubaeg Kim
  • Publication number: 20140346942
    Abstract: A refrigerator uses a vacuum heat insulation material. The refrigerator includes a door including a space part having a predetermined volume and a housing having a hole to allow communication between inner and outer sides of the space part. The space part includes, as a core material, an open cell polyurethane foam formed by a foam material injected via the hole to fill the space part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Soyoon KIM, Jaehyun SOH
  • Patent number: 8857931
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a body having a storage space. The body includes an inner case having the storage space, an outer case having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case to house the inner case, a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case, a supporting portion provided to contact with the outside surface of the inner case and the inside surface of the outer case to maintain a spaced state of the vacuum space, and a dewing preventive unit adjacent to the supporting portion for preventing dewing from taking place at the outer case by suppressing surface temperature drop of the outer case caused by cold conducted from the inner case to the outer case through the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Wonyeong Jung, Myungryul Lee, Sung Jhee
  • Publication number: 20140097735
    Abstract: The present utility model patent describes a novel construction arrangement introduced in a refrigerator that is free of snapping sounds. To that end, at least one film (5) made of flexible material, which is specifically disposed between at least one contact interface defined between at least one substantially flat face (21) of at least one internal housing (2) and at least one substantially flat face (41) of at least one thermal insulating layer (4) is provided. As a result, the construction arrangement introduced in a refrigerator provides at least one substantially flat face (21) of at least one internal housing (2) originally free of physical contact with its respective substantially flat face (41) of at least one thermal insulating layer (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Whirlpool S.A.
    Inventors: Gustavo Lazzaris De Bona, Jorge Luis Fagundes Dias, Gustavo L. Bastos, Rafael Rogora Kawano, Mariana Rassweiler Bruno
  • Publication number: 20130257257
    Abstract: A method to form a vacuum insulated cabinet including forming a first basin having a first basin flange extending from a first basin opening and comprising a front surface, and forming a second basin having a second basin flange extending away from a second basin opening and comprising a rear surface. A barrier film and a heat sealing layer are disposed onto the first and second basins. The front surface of the first basin flange is disposed to the rear surface of the second flange to form a core cavity volume between the first and second basins. A core cavity material is disposing within the core cavity volume. The first and second basin flanges are sealed together, and gas is extracted from the core cavity volume through at least one port. The core cavity volume is hermetically sealed to form a vacuum insulated cabinet structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nihat Cur, Guolian Wu
  • Patent number: 7866773
    Abstract: An improved refrigerator door is provided with a metal outer panel and upper and lower plastic end caps installed on top and bottom edges of the door. The caps include grooves to receive flanges on the edges of the panel, thereby mounting the caps to the panel. The caps include plugs for receipt in a vertical channel in the panel. A bushing is snap fit into the upper cap without the use of hardware fasteners. Electric wires and a water line extend downwardly through the bushing to an ice and water dispenser in the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Scott W. Leimkuehler, Chris R. McElvain, Chad J. Rotter
  • Patent number: 7762634
    Abstract: A vacuum heat insulation material has a covering material which is a lamination body including a sealant layer, a metal foil layer, a first plastic film layer, and a second plastic film layer which are laminated in this order from inside to outside via adhesive layers. When a foreign body is pierced into the vacuum heat insulation material, the propagation of breakage caused by the piercing is blocked somewhere inside the lamination body, thereby preventing the formation of through-pinholes. This results in the provision of a high-quality vacuum heat insulation material with excellent long-term insulation performance by using a covering material excellent in gas barrier properties and pinhole resistance to the piercing of minute foreign bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohisa Tenra, Masamichi Hashida, Kazuo Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20100127608
    Abstract: In a casing structure for a container refrigerator which includes an outer casing and an inner casing between which a thermal barrier is formed, a structure is provided in which a foaming agent for forming the thermal barrier can be prevented from leaking and operation time and manufacturing cost can be reduced. On an inner side surface (30a) of a flange (34) of the outer casing (30), a rib (34c) is formed so as to be engaged with an outer peripheral edge (35b) of the inner casing (35) when the foaming agent (38) is foamed in a foaming space (V) between the outer casing (30) and the inner casing (35). A sealant (40) is provided in a gap between the outer peripheral edge (35b) of the inner casing (35) and the inner side surface (30a) of the outer casing (30) and/or in part of the gap on a side of the foaming space (V).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kitamura, Hirofumi Hirade
  • Patent number: 6568773
    Abstract: Refrigerator including a cold air duct fitted in a space stuffed with an insulating material between an inner case and an outer case of the refrigerator having a triangular section in a part facing the inner case for preventing deformation of the inner case in foaming of the insulating material, thereby preventing deformation of the inner case caused by late foaming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Il Yoong Park
  • Patent number: 6335074
    Abstract: A thermal insulation panel exhibits little or no warping due to temperature differences between different portions of the panel. The panel comprises insulation material and an envelope for encapsulating the insulation material. The envelope comprises a base member and a cover member. The cover member is supported by the base member in a floating and sealing engagement with the base member. The cover member can slide relative to the base member to compensate for differential thermal expansion effects on the respective base member and cover member. In an alternative embodiment the cover member is adapted to be exposed to a temperature significantly below the temperature to which the base member is exposed. The cover member is formed of a metal having a low coefficient of thermal expansion to compensate for differential thermal expansion effects in the respective base member and cover member. The cover member and the base member are joined to provide the envelope with a hermetic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Hall Gasteyer, III, Gary Dee Lang
  • Patent number: 6257684
    Abstract: A heat insulation wall has two outer surface layers disposed at a distance from one another; the outer surface layers have a contour and are at least substantially vacuum-tight. The heat insulation wall has a connecting profile which extends along the contour, connects the two outer surface layers in a vacuum-tight fashion, and encloses, together with the two outer surface layers, an evacuable space. The connecting profile is composed of a plurality of profile sections. An evacuable thermal insulation material is filled in the evacuable space. A support element is fastened to the outer surface layers and serves as a bearing for the profile sections. The profile sections are supported on the support element and are connected to the support element in a vacuum-tight fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Haus-geraete GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Hirath, Markus Schütte