Vacuum insulation panels and method for making same

Abstract

A method of forming an insulation panel with an insulating core sealed within an envelope. The envelope formed from a single sheet of highly flexible material with a pair of opposing edge portions sealed together contiguously along the entire respective lengths thereof to form a sleeve with a single and two open ends. The sleeve may be folded to define sides. A longitudinal pleat may be formed in at least one of the sides of the envelope. One open end is sealed to form an envelope and a core of insulation material is inserted. The remaining open end is sealed and the envelope is evacuated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vacuum insulation panel made by a process comprising steps of: 
 providing a core portion from a quantity of insulation material, said core portion shaped as a generally rectangular polyhedron with a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing side surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces;    sealing together 2 opposing margins of a rectangular sheet of flexible material to form a sleeve having a pair of opposing open ends, only one longitudinal seam, and presenting a longitudinal axis therethrough, each open end having a periphery, said sleeve adapted to closely conform to the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the core portion when the core portion is inserted therein;    forming at least one pair of inwardly directed opposing creases in the sleeve, said creases being oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and dividing the periphery of each open end into a top portion and a bottom portion;    sealing one of the open ends of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward;    inserting core portion of insulation material into the sleeve through the remaining open end, said core portion positioned with substantially all of one of the end surfaces of the core portion confronting the inner surface of the sealed end of the sleeve;    sealing the remaining open end of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward, thereby forming an envelope enclosing the core portion;    evacuating the envelope to a predetermined amount of vacuum, thereby causing the envelope to closely conform to essentially all surfaces of the core portion.    
     
     
         2 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is a metalized polymer film.  
     
     
         3 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is a polyester laminate.  
     
     
         4 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material has thermally insulating properties.  
     
     
         5 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein the core portion is formed from open-celled polystyrene foam.  
     
     
         6 . The panel of  claim 1 , wherein said insulation panel has at least one aperture defined therethrough, said at least one aperture being formed by process steps of: 
 forming an aperture through the core portion extending through the top and bottom surfaces, said aperture having a periphery and an inwardly facing surface;    forming a pair of opposing apertures in the sleeve portion, said apertures aligned with the aperture in the core portion, each aperture having a periphery smaller than the periphery of the aperture in the core portion; and    joining and sealing together the peripheries of the pair of opposing apertures in the sleeve so that the sleeve substantially conforms with the inwardly facing surface of the aperture in the core portion.    
     
     
         7 . A vacuum insulation panel made by a process comprising steps of: 
 forming a plurality of elongate core portions from a quantity of insulation material, said core portions shaped as regular elongate polyhedrons with a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing side surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces, each core portion presenting a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the side surfaces;    sealing together opposing margins of a rectangular sheet of flexible material to form a sleeve having a pair of opposing open ends and presenting a longitudinal axis therethrough, each open end having a periphery;    forming at least one pair of inwardly directed opposing creases in the sleeve, said creases being oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and dividing the periphery of each open end into a top portion and a bottom portion;    sealing one of the open ends of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward;    inserting the core portions into the sleeve through the remaining open end, said core portions positioned adjacent side-to-side with the longitudinal axis of the core portions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, and with substantially all of the side surface of the innermost core portion confronting the inner surface of the sealed end of the sleeve;    sealing the remaining open end of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward, thereby forming an envelope enclosing the plurality of core portions;    evacuating the envelope to a predetermined amount of vacuum, thereby causing the envelope to closely conform to essentially all surfaces of the core portions.    
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the side surfaces of each core portion are positioned at an angle with respect to the top and bottom surfaces.  
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the sum of the angles of the side surfaces for all core portions in said plurality equals 360 degrees.  
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible material is a metalized polymer film.  
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible material is a polyester laminate.  
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible material has thermally insulating properties.  
     
     
         13 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the core portion is formed from open-celled polystyrene foam.  
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein said insulation panel has at least one aperture defined therethrough, said at least one aperture being formed by process steps of: 
 forming an aperture through at least one of the core portions extending through the top and bottom surfaces, said aperture having a periphery and an inwardly facing surface;    forming a pair of opposing apertures in the sleeve portion, said apertures aligned with the aperture in the core portion, each aperture having a periphery smaller than the periphery of the aperture in the core portion; and    joining and sealing together the peripheries of the pair of opposing apertures in the sleeve so that the sleeve substantially conforms with the inwardly facing surface of the aperture in the core portion.    
     
     
         15 . A process for making a vacuum insulation panel comprising steps of: 
 forming a core portion from a quantity of insulation material, said core portion shaped as a rectangular polyhedron with a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing side surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces;    sealing together opposing margins of a rectangular sheet of flexible material to form a sleeve having a pair of opposing open ends and presenting a longitudinal axis therethrough, each open end having a periphery, said sleeve adapted to closely conform to the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the core portion when the core portion is inserted therein;    forming at least one pair of inwardly directed opposing creases in the sleeve, said creases being oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and dividing the periphery of each open end into a top portion and a bottom portion;    sealing one of the open ends of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward;    inserting the core portion into the sleeve through the remaining open end, said core portion positioned with substantially all of one of the end surfaces of the core portion confronting the inner surface of the sealed end of the sleeve;    sealing the remaining open end of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward, thereby forming an envelope enclosing the core portion;    evacuating the envelope to a predetermined amount of vacuum, thereby causing the envelope to closely conform to all surfaces of the core portion.    
     
     
         16 . A process for making a vacuum insulation panel comprising steps of: 
 forming a plurality of elongate core portions from a quantity of insulation material, said core portions shaped as regular elongate polyhedrons with a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing side surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces, each core portion presenting a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the side surfaces;    sealing together opposing margins of a rectangular sheet of flexible material to form a sleeve having a pair of opposing open ends and presenting a longitudinal axis therethrough, each open end having a periphery;    forming at least one pair of inwardly directed opposing creases in the sleeve, said creases being oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and dividing the periphery of each open end into a top portion and a bottom portion;    sealing one of the open ends of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward;    inserting the core portions into the sleeve through the remaining open end, said core portions positioned adjacent side-to-side with the longitudinal axis of the core portions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, and with substantially all of the side surface of the innermost core portion confronting the inner surface of the sealed end of the sleeve;    sealing the remaining open end of the sleeve by sealing together the top and bottom portions of the periphery in a flanged seam with the creases folded inward, thereby forming an envelope enclosing the plurality of core portions;    evacuating the envelope to a predetermined amount of vacuum, thereby causing the envelope to closely conform to essentially all surfaces of the core portions.    
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a vacuum insulation panel comprising the steps of: 
 providing a laminate sheet with two opposing edge portion;    joining the two edge portions defining a seam thereby forming a sleeve with only one seam and two open ends;    sealing one of the two open ends to form an envelope with a closed end;    inserting a core of insulation material into the open end until it abuts against the closed end;    sealing the open end and evacuating the envelope.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of providing 2 pairs of outward folds after joining the edge portions.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of providing an inward fold within each of the pairs of outward folds.