Appliance door with vacuum insulated outer door

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an insulated cabinet structure and a cooling system. A door assembly includes a perimeter structure that is movably mounted to the insulated cabinet structure and an outer door that is movably mounted to the perimeter structure whereby the outer door can be moved between open and closed positions relative to the perimeter structure when the perimeter structure is in its closed position The outer door may comprise a vacuum insulated structure including porous core material disposed in a cavity of the outer door.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 an insulated cabinet structure defining a refrigerated interior space having an access opening that permits user access to the refrigerated interior space;   a cooling system that is configured to cool the refrigerated interior space;   a door assembly that selectively closes off at least a portion of the access opening;   wherein the door assembly includes a perimeter structure that is movably mounted to the insulated cabinet structure for movement between open and closed positions, the perimeter structure defining an outer perimeter and a door opening through a central portion of the perimeter structure to provide access to the refrigerated interior space when the perimeter structure is in a closed position, wherein the perimeter structure includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner that is secured to the outer wrapper to define a ring-shaped cavity, extending around the perimeter structure between the outer perimeter of the structure and the door opening, and wherein the ring-shaped cavity is filled with closed-cell foam insulation to form a rigid structure, wherein the perimeter structure includes oppositely facing inner and outer surfaces defining a first thickness;   wherein the door assembly further includes at least one shelf supported by the perimeter structure, and wherein the shelf has an upwardly opening U-shape in cross section to support jugs of milk thereon, and wherein the shelf is disposed in the door opening;   wherein the door assembly further includes a vacuum insulated outer door that is movably mounted to the perimeter structure whereby the outer door can be moved between open and closed positions relative to the perimeter structure when the perimeter structure is in its closed position to selectively close off at least a portion of the door opening without moving the least one shelf, wherein the vacuum insulated outer door includes inner and outer layers that are spaced apart to define a cavity, and wherein the cavity defines a vacuum, and wherein the inner and outer layers have outer surfaces defining a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is significantly greater than the second thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the perimeter structure is generally ring-shaped.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the door opening is quadrilateral, and wherein the outer door has a quadrilateral perimeter that is smaller than the quadrilateral door opening and the vacuum insulated door is disposed inside the door opening.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one shelf extends horizontally across the door opening.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the at least one shelf defines opposite ends that are fixed to the perimeter structure.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the perimeter structure defines a ring-shaped inner side face that sealingly engages the insulated cabinet structure around the access opening, and a ring-shaped outer side face; and   wherein the outer door sealingly engages the outer side face around the door opening.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer layer of the outer door comprises sheet metal, and the inner layer of the outer door comprises a polymer liner having a perimeter that is secured to a perimeter of the sheet metal of the outer layer.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the outer door includes a core panel disposed between the sheet metal outer layer and the polymer liner, wherein the core panel comprises porous core material disposed inside an airtight sheet of material forming an envelope.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the core panel is adhesively bonded to at least one of the sheet metal and the polymer liner.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the sheet metal is sealingly connected to the polymer liner to define an airtight vacuum cavity therebetween, and including porous core material disposed between the sheet metal and the polymer liner.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the insulated cabinet structure further defines an insulated freezer compartment having a freezer opening, wherein the cooling system is configured to maintain the freezer compartment at or below freezing; and including:   a freezer door movably mounted to the insulated cabinet structure for movement between open and closed positions to selectively close off the freezer opening, wherein the freezer door includes a vacuum insulated panel structure.   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the freezer door includes a ring-shaped perimeter structure defining a freezer door opening therethrough and having non-porous foam insulation disposed within the perimeter structure; and   wherein the freezer door includes an outer freezer door comprising a vacuum insulated panel, wherein the outer freezer door is movably mounted to the perimeter structure of the freezer door to selectively close off the freezer door opening.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator door of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the vacuum insulated outer door is pivotably mounted to the perimeter structure and rotates about a vertical axis.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator door of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the door opening includes horizontally juxtaposed first and second portions;   the vacuum insulated outer door comprises a first vacuum insulated outer door that closes off the first portion of the door opening when in its closed position; and including:   a second vacuum insulated outer door movably mounted to the perimeter structure for movement between an open position and a closed position in which the second vacuum insulated outer door closes off the second portion of the door opening.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator door of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the vacuum insulated outer door is pivotably mounted to the perimeter structure and rotates about a horizontal axis between its open and closed positions.   
     
     
         17 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 an insulated cabinet structure defining a refrigerated interior space having an access opening that permits user access to the refrigerated interior space;   a door assembly that selectively closes off at least a portion of the access opening;   wherein the door assembly includes a perimeter structure that is movably mounted to the insulated cabinet structure for movement between open and closed positions, the perimeter structure defining a first outer perimeter and a door opening through a central portion of the perimeter structure, wherein the door opening is significantly smaller than the access opening, wherein the perimeter structure includes an outer wrapper and an inner liner that is secured to the outer wrapper to define a ring-shaped cavity extending around the perimeter structure between the outer perimeter of the structure and the door opening, and wherein the ring-shaped cavity is filled with closed-cell foam insulation;   wherein the door assembly further includes at least one shelf supported by the perimeter structure, and wherein the shelf is disposed in the door opening;   wherein the door assembly further includes a vacuum insulated outer door that is movably mounted to the perimeter structure whereby the outer door can be moved between open and closed positions relative to the perimeter structure when the perimeter structure is in its closed position to selectively close off at least a portion of the door opening, wherein the vacuum insulated outer door defines a second perimeter that is significantly smaller than the first perimeter.   
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 17  wherein:
 the perimeter structure includes at least one shelf extending across the door opening. 
 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the perimeter structure defines a vertical outer side face, and includes a handle on the outer side face.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the vacuum insulated outer door defines a second vertical outer side face, and includes a handle on the second vertical outer side face.   
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator door of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the inner and outer layers of the vacuum insulated door are planar, and wherein the vacuum insulated door is constructed without shelves.