IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,117,235
Granted Patent B2
US 12,117,235 · App. 17/620,086 · Granted Oct 15, 2024

Vacuum adiabatic body and refrigerator

Inventors: Bongjin Kim (Seoul, KR); Hyeunsik Nam (Seoul, KR); Deokhyun Youn (Seoul, KR); Jaehyun Bae (Seoul, KR); Jangseok Lee (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
F25D23/067F25D11/02F25D23/028F25D23/063F25D23/087F25D2201/12F25D2201/14
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,117,235
App. No.
17/620,086
Granted
Oct 15, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a vacuum adiabatic body. The vacuum adiabatic body includes an outer case made of a metal material, which is thicker than a plate providing a vacuum space. The vacuum space provides two extension modules that extend in directions different from each other. Accordingly, a refrigerator door may be improved in adiabatic performance.

Claims (58)

1. A refrigerator door comprising:

a vacuum adiabatic body including:

a first plate;

a second plate;

a sheet configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to provide a vacuum space between the first plate and the second plate; and

a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space; and

an outer case configured to contact the second plate and including a metal material, the outer case being thicker than at least a portion of at least one of the first plate or the second plate,

wherein the vacuum adiabatic body includes at least two sections extending in different directions and including a first section and a second section, and

wherein each of the first section and the second section includes the first plate, the second plate and the vacuum space.

2. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the outer case is thicker than each of the first plate and the second plate.

3. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , further comprising an inner cover coupled to the outer case, the inner case including a non-metal material and being provided at a side of the first plate.

4. The refrigerator door according to claim 3 , wherein a foam adiabatic material is provided in a space between the inner cover and the outer case.

5. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the first section extends in a first direction, and the second section extends from the first section in a second direction.

6. The refrigerator door according to claim 5 , wherein the vacuum adiabatic body includes a plurality of the supports, and at least one of the supports is provided separately for each of the first and second sections.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the second plate of the first section defines an exterior surface of the door.

8. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body having an accommodation space and an opening configured to allow access to the accommodation space; and

a door configured to open and close the opening to the accommodation space,

wherein the door includes:

an outer case including a metal material, the outer case corresponding to an outside of the door;

an inner cover on which a gasket is seated and which includes a nonmetal material to reduce heat transfer from the outer case, the inner cover corresponding to an inside of the door; and

a vacuum adiabatic module provided between the outer case and the inner cover, the vacuum adiabatic module including a first plate and a second plate, which are provided to define a vacuum space therein, and

wherein

at least one of the first plate or the second plate has a thickness less than that of the outer case,

the vacuum adiabatic module includes a first section extending in a first direction and a second section extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and

at least a portion of the first section defines an exterior surface of the door.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , further comprising a cool air passage extending through an inner space defined by the vacuum adiabatic module.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the at least a portion of the first section defines a front surface of the door, and at least a portion of the second section extends along a side surface of the door.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein a foam adiabatic material surrounds the second section to allow the second section to be covered by the foam adiabatic material.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the vacuum adiabatic module is a single body in which the second section extends from the first section.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the vacuum adiabatic module further includes a third section extending from an end of the second section.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein

the second plate contacts the outer case, and

a foam adiabatic material provided outside the second plate.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the inner cover extends to form a portion of a wall defining the accommodation space.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the second section defines the exterior surface of the door.

17. A refrigerator comprising:

a main body having an accommodation space and an opening configured to allow access to the accommodation space; and

a door configured to open and close the opening to the accommodation space,

wherein the door includes:

an outer case including a metal material, the outer case corresponding to an outside of the door;

an inner cover on which a gasket is seated and which includes a nonmetal material to reduce heat transfer from the outer case, the inner cover corresponding to an inside of the door; and

a first adiabatic module and a second adiabatic module, which are positioned between the outer case and the inner cover,

wherein the first adiabatic module includes:

a first plate;

a second plate;

a sheet configured to seal the first plate and the second plate to provide a vacuum space between the first plate and the second plate; and

a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space,

wherein the second adiabatic module is provided to have an adiabatic degree less than that of the first adiabatic module and contacts the inner cover,

wherein the first adiabatic module includes a first section and a second section that extend in different directions,

wherein the first section defines an exterior surface of the door, and

wherein the second adiabatic module surrounds the second section and is covered by at least one of the outer case or the inner cover.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first plate or the second plate has a thickness less than that of the outer case.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the first section of the first adiabatic module defines a front surface of the door,

at least a portion of the second section of the first adiabatic module extends along a side surface of the door, and

the first adiabatic module includes a single body in which the second section extends from the first section.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein an ice maker is positioned in an inner space defined by the first section and the second section of the first adiabatic module.

21. The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein a cool air passage is positioned in an inner space defined by the first section and the second section of the first adiabatic module.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: KIM, BONGJIN; NAM, HYEUNSIK; YOUN, DEOKHYUN; BAE, JAEHYUN; LEE, JANGSEOK
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 058533/0109 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0082727 · Jul 9, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220307759A1 · Sep 29, 2022