Abstract: The present invention relates to a prefabricated structure providing fluid-tight and thermo-insulated walls for a heat-insulated confinement container such as a fluid-tight reservoir for storage and/or transport of a very low temperature fluid. Said structure (1) comprised of an internal flexible and fluid-tight barrier (2), a heat insulation system (4) and an external wall (3) forming support for the structure (1), is characterized in that distribution walls (53) integral with the external wall (3) are fixed to the latter particularly by means of screws or the like (35) arranged facing holes (435) drilled in an external insulation layer (43) at a distance from the joints (63) between plates (43a) forming said layer, a fluid-tight connector (80) being sealingly arranged in each of the holes (435) and joints (63). The invention applies to the construction of structures forming fluid-tight reservoirs, for example for tankers which transport cryogenic liquids such as methane tankers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming refrigerated display cases with both convex and concave curved case sections utilizing a single outer modular member for forming the outer canopy and tank portions of both convex and concave curved sections as well as an inner modular member useful for forming canopy and tank sections of both concave and convex refrigerated display case sections.

Abstract: A shelf ladder reinforcement member is provided for use with a refrigerator having a thin liner which defines an interior compartment and in which a shelf ladder is to be secured for supporting shelves. The shelf ladder reinforcement member has a length greater than a width and has end portions with flat faces of a width substantially the same as the width of the member and intermediate portions having a flat face with a width less than the width of the member. A central portion may also be provided with a flat face having a width substantially the same as the width of the member with the first, second and third flat faces adjoining each other in a coplanar fashion.The shelf ladder reinforcement member has side walls which are angled away from the flat faces to strengthen and reinforce the member. The side walls at the first and third flat faces extend away from the flat faces by an angle of approximately 270.degree.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is disclosed comprising a metallic cabinet case having a door opening in the front, a metallic cabinet liner mounted on the inside and thermal insulation separating the cabinet case and liner. A door is hingedly connected to the front of the cabinet case and adapted to swing over the door opening. A plastic cabinet thermal breaker is mounted between the metallic cabinet case and the metallic cabinet liner and frames the opening. A removable metallic breaker cap snaps on and covers the outside of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker except for a front facing portion of the plastic thermal breaker. A plastic door thermal breaker is mounted along the outer edge of the inside of the door and has an outwardly extending compressible portion which is adapted to press against the front portion of the plastic cabinet thermal breaker when the door is closed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a refrigeration cabinet comprising an interior liner, a foam insulation derived from an HHC blowing agent and an outer wall. The interior liner comprises a styrene-based inner layer, an adhesive layer, and a barrier layer. The adhesive layer comprises an ethylene copolymer grafted with an anhydride or carboxylic acid moiety, and a styrene-based polymer or copolymer. The barrier layer comprises an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.

Abstract: An air treatment plant for foodstuffs includes an elongate trough (29) for the foodstuffs, a heat exchanger (35), a fan assembly (39) for circulating air on a path through the heat exchanger, through the trough, and back through the heat exchanger, a housing (1) having a housing bottom (7), and side walls (2, 3) with modular units (11) extending transversely to the trough. Each one of the modular unite includes an insulation layer (19), a water-impermeable inner layer (20), and two submodules (12, 13). Each has a respective submodule bottom with a respective bottom panel (15, 16) and a side-wall panel (17, 18) forming part of side walls (2, 3). One or more elongate, separate second bottom panels (14) interconnect the first bottom panels (15, 16) of the two submodules. Upper sides of the bottom panels (15, 16) of the submodules slope downwards toward at least one of the second bottom panels (14).

Abstract: An insulated panel for a domestic or household appliance is formed by a process in which two sheets of plastic material are extruded from a co-extrusion die and moved directly into a die thermoforming fixture. When the open die members are closed, the edges of the two sheets are sealed together to form a hollow panel and the walls of the panel are forced outwardly to conform to the shape of the die members. After the hollow panel is trimmed it is moved to a foam machine preferably while still contained in the thermoforming fixture so that foam insulation is inserted into the hollow panel while the walls of the panel are supported by the die members so that these walls are not deformed while the foam insulation is added.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is provided with a plastic liner, the inside wall of the refrigerator, which is resistant to chemical degradation by fluorocarbons. Freon and Freon substitutes used as blowing agents for foaming the insulation contained between an outer metal cabinet and on the inside wall of the refrigerator can cause blistering, cracking, and sometimes dissolution of materials used to form the plastic liner which is the inside wall of the refrigerator. There is provided a plastic liner which is resistant to those blowing agents and particularly to those blowing agents which are partially halogenated and tend to be more aggressive than Freon. The plastic liner wall maintains impact strength and toughness after exposure to fluorohydrocarbons conventionally employed in refrigerator units for in situ polyurethane foam production.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a barrier film, being a thermoplastic linear polyolefin resin, to protect a styrenic resin sheet which constitutes the inner liner wall of an insulative cabinet wall of, for example, a refrigeration appliance unit from attack by the halogen-containing blowing agents present in the insulative polyurethane foam found within the cabinet wall. Preferred thermoplastic linear polyolefin resins are linear low density polyethylene.

Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus cabinet has an outer shell and an inner liner to define an insulation space therebetween. The shell has a deck including an enlarged opening. A conduit extends downwardly along a rear wall of the liner, with a distal end extending through the deck opening. A foil access cover is adhered to the deck about the opening to cover the opening, with the conduit extending outwardly from the space. A body of foamed-in-place insulation is provided in the space, with the access cover sealing the deck opening to prevent leakage of the foamed-in-place insulation.

Abstract: An appliance cabinet such as a refrigerator cabinet is formed of sheet steel which is textured by coining along one surface and provides a substantially smooth surface on the opposite side. The coining operation results in shallow, projecting irregularities on the substantially smooth side of the sheet steel. Non-textured cabinets are formed by bending and joining the sheet steel to form a cabinet shell having the textured side of the sheet steel on the inside and a substantially smooth surface of the sheet steel on the outside. When a finished paint coating is applied to the substantially smooth side, a leather-like surface appearance results. When the sheet steel is bent and formed into a shell for a cabinet with the textured side on the outside, a textured cabinet results. By forming both types of cabinets from the same sheet steel, manufacturing savings result because only one type of sheet steel must be procured and inventoried.

Abstract: A mullion assembly includes a mullion rail and hot gas tube for preventing condensation on the mullion of a refrigerator/freezer. The mullion rail is rollformed of steel and includes complementary channels for retaining refrigerator and freezer liners. One of the channels includes an additional formed portion to accept and positively retain a hot gas tube in surface contact with a rear surface of a front wall of the mullion rail to provide acceptable heat transfer from the tube to the steel along the entire length of the mullion rail.

Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus cabinet has an outer shell and an inner liner to define an insulation space therebetween. There is an opening through a wall of the liner and opening into the insulation space. An opening through a wall of the shell opens into the insulation space. A wiring harness is provided in the insulation space. The wiring harness comprises a pair of electrical plug-in connectors and a plurality of conductors extending therebetween, one connector being received in the liner wall opening and the other connector being received in the shell wall opening. Foamed-in-place insulation is provided in the insulation space, the connectors sealing the liner wall opening and the shell wall opening to prevent leakage of the foamed-in-place insulation.

Abstract: An assembly for introducing electric conductors into the interior of a refrigerator through the liner. The liner is formed with a circular opening and a plurality of notches extending outwardly of the opening. A grommet has a central body portion with a circular cross-section encompassing the conductors. An annular flange and a plurality of mounting lugs project outward from the body. Each lug includes a locking portion spaced from the flange slightly more than the thickness of the liner and a connecting section joined to the flange. The grommet is mounted with its central body portion received in the opening in the liner and with the grommets received through the notches and rotated to capture a portion of the liner between the locking portion of the lugs and the flange.

Abstract: An opening/closing device of a door for a refrigerator or the like will open/close the door member at a desired side, namely, at the right side or at the left side, without requiring a movable operating handle. The device is simple in construction, has a high adiabatic efficiency, and can be easily incorporated in the door member. Therefore, no special mechanism is necessary in the door member and no structural change is required inside the door member.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is provided with a plastic liner, the inside wall of the refrigerator, which is resistant to chemical degradation by fluorocarbons. Freon and Freon substitutes used as blowing agents for foaming the insulation contained between the outer metal cabinet and the inside wall of the refrigerator can cause blistering, cracking, and sometimes dissolution of materials used to form the plastic liner, which is the inside wall of the refrigerator. There is now provided a plastic liner which is resistant to those blowing agents and particularly to those blowing agents which are partially halogenated and tend to be more aggressive than Freon. The plastic liner wall maintains impact strength and toughness after exposure to fluorohydrocarbons conventionally employed in refrigerator units for in situ polyurethane foam production.

Abstract: An insulated panel for a domestic or household appliance is formed by a process in which two sheets of plastic material are extruded from a co-extrusion die and moved directly into a die thermoforming fixture. When the open die members are closed, the edges of the two sheets are sealed together to form a hollow panel and the walls of the panel are forced outwardly to conform to the shape of the die members. After the hollow panel is trimmed it is moved to a foam machine preferably while still contained in the thermoforming fixture so that foam insulation is inserted into the hollow panel while the walls of the panel are supported by the die members so that these walls are not deformed while the foam insulation is added.

Abstract: An insulated cabinet wall structure for a refrigeration apparatus includes an outer wall defining an inner surface and a plastic liner defining an outer surface. A laminated film is adhered to the liner sheet outer surface, the film comprising in laminated sequence an inner adhesive film layer for adhering to the liner sheet outer surface, a film of high elongation material, an additional adhesive film layer, and an outer barrier film layer. A foamed-in-place insulation is firmly bonded to the outer wall inner surface and the laminated film barrier film layer, the barrier film layer both preventing stress cracking of the liner and diffusion of insulation foam blowing agents from the insulation to the liner sheet.