Granted Patent B2

US 12,202,175 · App. 18/311,277 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Inventors: Abhay Naik (Stevensville, MI); Lakshya J. Deka (Mishiwaka, IN)

Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation

B29C43/006B01F27/953B29C70/58B29K2105/04B29K2105/165B29K2105/251B29K2503/08B29K2509/00B29K2995/0015B29K2995/0063B29L2031/7622

Abstract

Claims (23)

1. A method of preparing a core material for installation into an insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:

blending a plurality of insulating components to form a powder insulation material having a bulk density, wherein the insulating components include at least one of silica powder, aerogel powder, insulating fibers, insulating spheres, perlite, rice husk ash, diatomaceous earth and at least one opacifier;

pre-densifying the powder insulation material using a roller compactor to form a pre-densified insulation base;

crushing the pre-densified insulation base using a separate roller compactor to further densify the powder insulation material and to define adhered granules of a granular core insulation having a core density, wherein the adhered granules are adhered particles of the powder insulation material; and

coating the adhered granules of the granular core insulation with a binder to increase a compressive strength of the adhered granules and to define the granular core insulation to be a flowable material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bulk density is defined by a density within a range of from approximately 30 grams per liter to approximately 150 grams per liter.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the core density defines a density in a range of from approximately 80 grams per liter to approximately 350 grams per liter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder used in coating the adhered granules includes at least one of cellulose, wax, polyethylene glycol, gelatin, starch, polyvinyl alcohol, polymethacrylate, graphite and sodium silicate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the granular core insulation is mixed with an additive, wherein the additive includes at least one of insulating glass spheres and additional amounts of the powder insulation material, pearlite, rice husk ash, diatomaceous earth, at least one binder, at least one opacifier and glass fiber.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-densified insulation base is combined in a blending operation in a blending apparatus having an intensifier mechanism for performing the blending operation.

7. A method of preparing a core material for installation into an insulated structure, the method comprising steps of:

blending a plurality of insulating components to form a powder insulation material having a bulk density, wherein the insulating components include at least one of silica powder, aerogel powder, insulating fibers, insulating spheres, perlite, rice husk ash, diatomaceous earth and at least one opacifier;

pre-densifying the powder insulation material using a roller compactor to form a pre-densified insulation base;

crushing the pre-densified insulation base using a separate roller compactor to further densify the powder insulation material and to define adhered granules of a granular core insulation having a core density, wherein the adhered granules are adhered particles of the powder insulation material; and

coating the adhered granules of the granular core insulation with a binder to increase a compressive strength of the adhered granules and to define the granular core insulation to be a flowable material;

disposing the granular core insulation into a cavity of an insulating structure having an outer wrapper and an inner liner; and

sealing the cavity of the insulating structure to contain the granular core insulation therein.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of:

expressing gas from within the insulating structure to form a vacuum insulated structure.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of:

disposing an additive within the cavity of the insulating structure, wherein the additive includes an insulating gas.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the insulating gas includes at least one of argon, neon, carbon dioxide, xenon, and krypton.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the core density of the granular core insulation is equivalent to a target density for a vacuum insulated structure, wherein the step of expressing gas is substantially free of compression of the granular core insulation, and wherein the step of expressing gas further densifies the granular core insulation to be compressed from the core density to a target density, wherein the target density is different than the core density.

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)