Patent ID: 7968159

Claim:
A vacuum insulation panel (VIP), comprising: first and second walls that are structurally coupled to allow formation of a vacuum cavity between the first and second walls, wherein the first wall comprises a first plurality of pillars aligned in a first general direction, wherein the second wall comprises a second plurality of pillars aligned in a second general direction; and a first plurality of tensile elements that comprises fibers; a second plurality of tensile elements that comprises fibers, wherein the second plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the second plurality of pillars and the first plurality of tensile elements; wherein the first plurality of tensile elements directly touches only the first plurality of pillars and the second plurality of tensile elements; wherein the first and second pluralities of tensile elements serve to structurally support the first and second walls against external pressure contemporaneous with tension on the first and second pluralities of tensile elements, wherein the first and second pluralities of tensile elements and the first and second pluralities of pillars are located in the vacuum cavity between the first and second walls.