Polymer trim breaker having gas-blocking flakes and an epoxy coating

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an inner liner, an outer wrapper and a trim breaker that extends between the inner liner and the outer wrapper to define an insulated structural cabinet. The trim breaker includes a plurality of gas-blocking flakes, wherein each gas-blocking flake includes a longitudinal axis that extends substantially parallel with an elongated surface of the respective gas-blocking flake. The longitudinal axis and the elongated surface of each corresponding gas-blocking flake is oriented to be substantially parallel with a portion of an outer surface of the trim breaker located near the respective gas-blocking flake.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming a trim breaker, the method comprising steps of:
 disposing gas-blocking flakes into a polymer material to form an injection molding material;   forming a mold that defines a forming cavity, wherein the mold includes a plurality of gating structures;   injecting the injection molding material into the mold via the plurality of gating structures; and   directing a flow of the injection molding material into the mold, wherein the plurality of gating structures produce the flow of the injection molding material that is parallel with an interior surface that defines the forming cavity, wherein the flow of the injection molding material produces an aligned configuration of the gas-blocking flakes that is parallel with the interior surface of the forming cavity to define the trim breaker.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disposing an epoxy coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the trim breaker.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing mica particles into the polymer material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing glass particles into the polymer material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes combining the gas-blocking flakes and the polymer material to form a homogenous mixture. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes combining the gasblocking flakes into one of a polymer network and a silica-based material to form the injection molding material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of directing the flow of the injection molding material into the mold includes selectively operating at least one gating structure of the plurality of gating structures of the mold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of gating structures are positioned to promote the flow of the injection molding material that is parallel with the interior surface that defines the forming cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aligned configuration of the gas-blocking flakes is characterized by a longitudinal axis of each gas-blocking flake being oriented parallel with an adjacent interior surface of the forming cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of disposing the gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing the gas-blocking flakes in a range of from approximately 10 percent to 40 percent by volume of the injection molding material. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming a trim breaker, the method comprising steps of:
 disposing gas-blocking flakes into a polymer material to form an injection molding material;   injecting the injection molding material into a mold via a plurality of gating structures;   directing a flow of the injection molding material into the mold, wherein the plurality of gating structures produce the flow of the injection molding material that is parallel with an interior surface that defines a forming cavity, wherein the flow of the injection molding material produces an aligned configuration of the gas-blocking flakes that generally orients a longitudinal axis of each gas-blocking flake of a plurality of gas-blocking flakes to be parallel with the interior surface of the forming cavity to define the trim breaker; and   disposing an epoxy coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the trim breaker.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing at least one of mica particles and glass particles into the polymer material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes combining the gasblocking flakes and the polymer material to form a homogenous mixture. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes combining the gasblocking flakes into one of a polymer network and a silica-based material to form the injection molding material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of directing the flow of the injection molding material into the mold includes selectively operating at least one gating structure of the plurality of gating structures of the mold. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of disposing the gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing the gas-blocking flakes in a range of from approximately 10 percent to 40 percent by volume of the injection molding material. 
     
     
         17 . A method for forming a trim breaker, the method comprising steps of:
 disposing gas-blocking flakes into a polymer material to form an injection molding material wherein the gas-blocking flakes and the polymer materials are formed into one of a polymer network and a silica-based material to form the injection molding material;   injecting the injection molding material into a mold via a plurality of gating structures of the mold; and   directing a flow of the injection molding material into the mold, wherein the plurality of gating structures produce the flow of the injection molding material that is parallel with an interior surface that defines a forming cavity, wherein the flow of the injection molding material produces an aligned configuration of the gas-blocking flakes that generally orients a longitudinal axis of each gas-blocking flake of a plurality of gas-blocking flakes to be parallel with the interior surface of the forming cavity to define the trim breaker; and   disposing an epoxy coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the trim breaker.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing one of mica particles and glass particles into the polymer material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of disposing gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes combining the gas-blocking flakes and the polymer material to form a homogenous mixture. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of disposing the gas-blocking flakes into the polymer material includes disposing the gas-blocking flakes in a range of from approximately 10 percent to 40 percent by volume of the injection molding material.