Refrigerator having panel assembly covering opening of outer plate of door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10342363-B2
Application number	US-201615340056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator is characterized by enabling at least a part of a refrigerator door to be selectively transparent by a user's operation, such that the user sees through an inside of the refrigerator while the refrigerator door is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage chamber defined therein; and
a door connected to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage chamber, the door comprising:
an outer plate having a first opening defined therethrough;
a door liner having a second opening defined therethrough that faces the first opening of the outer plate;
a panel assembly configured to cover the first opening of the outer plate and the second opening of the door liner, wherein the outer plate, the door liner, and the panel assembly define an insulation space in which an insulating material is filled; and
a support frame that is provided in the insulation space, that is provided proximal to the first opening of the outer plate, and that is configured to connect the outer plate with the panel assembly, the support frame being in contact with the insulating material, wherein the panel assembly of the door comprises:
a front panel that defines a front outer appearance of the door;
an insulating panel provided on a rear side of the front panel; and
a spacer arranged between the front panel and the insulating panel and configured to maintain a space between the front panel and the insulating panel, and

wherein the support frame of the door comprises:
a first support portion that is configured to be in contact with a rear surface of the front panel; and
a second support portion that is configured to be in contact with the outer plate of the door,
wherein the first support portion of the support frame is positioned closer to an interior of the storage chamber than a rear surface of the outer plate of the door.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second support portion is in contact with a rear surface of the outer plate of the door.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the front panel of the panel assembly of the door is made of glass, and the outer plate of the door is made of metal.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the insulation material surrounds the support frame and is in contact with a side surface of the panel assembly and a rear surface of the outer plate of the door.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a groove is formed in the first support portion of the support frame of the door, and a heater is configured to be received in the groove.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein:
a bezel area is provided on a rim of the front panel of the panel assembly of the door, the bezel area configured to limit penetration of light therethrough, and
the heater is positioned in the bezel area.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the outer plate of the door comprises a bent part that is bent along a circumference of the first opening of the outer plate, and
wherein the support frame of the door comprises an insertion part in which the bent part is configured to be received.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein a projection is formed on the support frame of the door, and
wherein a hole is formed on the bent part of the outer plate of the door, into which the projection of the support frame of the door is inserted in a state in which the bent part is accommodated in the insertion part of the support frame.

9. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the front panel of the panel assembly of the door is positioned within an area defined by the bent part of the outer plate of the door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the insertion part is provided in a space defined between the first support portion and the second support portion.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein a hole is formed in the support frame of the door, and configured to receive therethrough the insulating material into the insertion part of the support frame of the door, filling the insulation space defined by the door liner, the outer plate, and the panel assembly.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the support frame of the door further comprises a third support portion facing a rear surface of the outer plate of the door, and
wherein the third support portion and the first support portion of the support frame are offset with respect to each other in a front-rear direction of the door.

13. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door liner defines a sensor opening therethrough, the sensor opening arranged at a rear surface of the door liner and through which a sensor is configured to be inserted to contact the front panel.

14. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage chamber defined therein; and
a door connected to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage chamber, the door comprising:
an outer plate having an opening defined therethrough, and defining a first surface of the door;
a panel assembly configured to cover the opening of the outer plate;
a door liner that, together with the outer plate and the panel assembly, define an insulation space therebetween in which an insulating material is filled; and
a support frame that is provided within the insulation space, that is provided proximal to the opening of the outer plate, and that connects the outer plate and the panel assembly of the door, the support frame being in contact with the insulating material,

wherein the panel assembly of the door comprises:
a front panel that defines a front outer appearance of the door;
an insulating panel provided on a rear side of the front panel; and
a spacer arranged between the front panel and the insulating panel that is configured to maintain a space between the front panel and the insulating panel,

wherein the support frame of the door comprises:
a first support portion arranged to face the front panel of the panel assembly of the door; and
a second support portion that extends from the first support portion and that is configured to be in contact with the outer plate of the door, and

wherein the first support portion of the support frame of the door is positioned behind a front surface of the outer plate of the door, and the front surface of the outer plate defines the same plane as a front surface of the panel assembly.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the front panel of the panel assembly of the door is made of glass,
wherein the outer plate of the door is made of metal, and
wherein the support frame of the door is made of plastic.

16. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the first support portion contacting the front panel extends along a first direction, and the second support portion contacting the outer plate extends along a second direction, with the first direction and the second direction being angled with respect to each other.

17. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the outer plate of the door comprises a bent part that is bent along a circumference of the opening of the outer plate of the door, and
wherein the second support portion of the support frame is in contact with the bent part of the outer plate.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein the first support portion of the support frame is in contact with a rear surface of the front panel of the panel assembly of the door.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein the front panel of the panel assembly of the door is in contact with the bent part of the outer plate of the door.

20. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the door liner defines a sensor opening therethrough, the sensor opening arranged at a rear surface of the door liner and through which a sensor is configured to be inserted to contact the front panel.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Jisu
• Choi Taehoon

Classifications

• G02B27/144

  using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity (G02B27/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01H1/00

  Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F25D27/005

  combined with control means · CPC title

• F25D27/00

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F25D31/005

  Combined cooling and heating devices · CPC title