Vacuum Insulation Panel Sealing to Prevent Poor Foil Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of vacuum thermal insulation panels faces issues with poor welding due to metal outer wrapping materials adhering to welded portions, which can lead to incomplete sealing and reduced thermal insulation performance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving covering the core material with a metal foil and performing pressure-reduction sealing steps to prevent debris from adhering to the welded areas, using a cover and metal foil with specific properties such as low water absorption and surface irregularities to enhance vacuum integrity and reduce the likelihood of poor welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the core material is left uncovered during the covering step, then the manufacturing process is simpler and faster, but debris from the core material adheres to the welded portion of the metal foil causing poor welding
Solution Approach 1:
A cover is placed over the core material before the covering step with metal foil begins. This preliminary action prevents debris from the core material from adhering to the metal foil during welding, thereby ensuring welding quality without significantly complicating the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The cover acts as an intermediary barrier between the core material and the metal foil. It prevents direct contact between debris from the core material and the metal foil surface, eliminating the adhesion problem while allowing the manufacturing process to proceed efficiently
2Reliability
If the core material is completely covered with a cover before the covering step, then the welding quality is improved by preventing debris adhesion, but the device complexity increases due to additional covering and sealing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is placed on the core material before the metal foil covering step, performing the protective function in advance. This preliminary action simplifies the overall process by preventing the need for complex debris removal or cleaning steps after welding
Solution Approach 2:
The cover serves as a simple intermediary component that effectively prevents debris adhesion. Its straightforward design and integration into the existing process minimize the increase in device complexity while reliably improving welding quality
3Reliability
If pressure reduction sealing is performed after the welding step, then the vacuum integrity is improved, but the risk of cover expansion increases due to pressure differential
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is installed and secured on the core material before the pressure reduction sealing step. This preliminary installation ensures the cover is properly positioned and attached, preventing expansion or displacement when vacuum pressure is applied
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is designed with specific local properties (material selection, thickness, attachment method) at critical areas to resist expansion forces. This localized quality enhancement maintains structural integrity while allowing vacuum sealing to improve overall vacuum integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method significantly reduces the occurrence of poor welding and enhances the thermal insulation performance of vacuum thermal insulation panels by ensuring complete sealing and efficient pressure reduction, while also lowering operating costs.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing step of sealing an opening portion of the outer wrapping material by welding in a state in which a pressure of the inner space of the outer wrapping material wrapping the core material is 1 Pa or less
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing a vacuum thermal insulation panel capable of reducing the occurrence probability of poor welding of a metal outer wrapping material. The method of producing the vacuum thermal insulation panels 100, 100A to 100 D, 101, 101A according to the present invention includes a “covering step of covering a core material 110 or 110B with a metal foil 130 or 131” and a “welding step of welding a metal foil portion on an outer side of the core material”, and the core material is at least partially covered with a cover 120, 120A, or 120D at a timing when the covering step is to be started. Note that when the entire surface of the core material is covered with the cover, it is preferable to reduce the inside of the cover to seal the cover before the covering step, and when a part of the core material is covered with the cover, it is preferable to simultaneously reduce a pressure inside the metal foil and a pressure inside the cover to seal the metal foil.