Lighting device and cooking appliance including lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408464-B2
Application number	US-201815918610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Mar 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A lighting device and a cooking appliance including a lighting device are disclosed herein. The lighting device may include a light source installed outside a cavity where a through hole is formed, the light source including a light emitting diode (LED), a light tube installed outside the cavity to be connected to the light source and receiving light emitted from the LED via a light incidence surface that diffuses the light in an area where the through hole is formed, a transmissive cover installed on the cavity to cover the through hole to transmit the light diffused in the light tube toward inside of the cavity, and a supporter installed outside the cavity to support the light source such that it is spaced apart from the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device comprising:
a light source comprising a light emitting diode (LED), the light source being configured to be installed outside of a cavity adjacent a through hole that connects an inside and outside of the cavity;
a light tube installed outside the cavity and connected to the light source, wherein a first portion of the light tube is provided outside the cavity such that the first portion of the light tube is exposed to the inside of the cavity via the through hole, and wherein the light emitted from the LED is received via a light incidence surface of the light tube facing the LED and is diffused at an area where the through hole is formed;
a transmissive cover installed in the cavity to cover the through hole and to transmit the light diffused from the light tube into the cavity; and
a supporter installed outside the cavity to support the light source such that the light source is spaced apart from the cavity, wherein the supporter comprises a coupling portion that fixes the supporter outside the cavity, and a supporting portion extended in a vertical direction from the coupling portion that supports the light source such that the light source is spaced apart from the coupling portion in the vertical direction, wherein the light source further comprises a substrate on which the LED is mounted to face the light tube, and wherein the supporter further comprises a through passage that forms a passage that penetrates the supporter in a lateral direction between the coupling portion and the substrate.

2. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the through hole is located on a side of the cavity, wherein a plate is provided above the cavity with a predetermined distance therebetween, and wherein the supporter is installed on the plate.

3. The lighting device of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the plate protrudes in the lateral direction from the side of the cavity where the through hole is formed, wherein the supporter and the light source are installed on the portion of the plate that protrudes from the side wall of the cavity in the lateral direction, and wherein the light tube penetrates the portion of the plate in the vertical direction at an outer side of the cavity in the lateral direction and is coupled with the supporter on the plate.

4. The lighting device of claim 2 , wherein the supporter further comprises a fixing portion that fixes the light tube such that the light incidence surface faces the LED, wherein the fixing portion comprises a supporting boss extended in the vertical direction from the coupling portion and a fitting hole that penetrates the coupling portion and the supporting boss in the vertical direction, and wherein the light tube is inserted into the supporting boss via the fitting hole such that the light tube is fixed to the supporter at a position where the light incidence surface faces the LED.

5. The lighting device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a packing portion made of an elastic material provided outside the light tube, wherein the packing portion is inserted into the supporting boss via the fitting hole to fix the light tube to the supporter.

6. The lighting device of claim 5 , wherein the packing portion is made of a silicone rubber material.

7. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the light tube is formed in a rod shape having a length extending in the vertical direction, and wherein the lighting device further comprises a shielding cover installed between the supporter and the transmissive cover such that the shielding cover covers the light tube to block the light from diffusing out of the light tube between the supporter and the transmissive cover.

8. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises:
a substrate on which the LED is mounted to face the light tube; and
a heat sink provided on a top face of the substrate that dissipates heat from the LED and the substrate.

9. A lighting device comprising:
a light source comprising a light emitting diode (LED), the light source being configured to be installed outside of a cavity adjacent a through hole that connects an inside and outside of the cavity;
a light tube installed outside the cavity and connected to the light source, wherein a first portion of the light tube is provided outside the cavity such that the first portion of the light tube is exposed to the inside of the cavity via the through hole, and wherein the light emitted from the LED is received via a light incidence surface of the light tube facing the LED and is diffused at an area where the through hole is formed;
a transmissive cover installed in the cavity to cover the through hole and to transmit the light diffused from the light tube into the cavity;
a supporter installed outside the cavity to support the light source such that the light source is spaced apart from the cavity; and
a rear cover installed on the cavity to cover the through hole and coupled with the transmissive cover via the light tube.

10. The lighting device of claim 9 , wherein a reflecting portion is provided on a face of the rear cover facing the transmissive cover to reflect the light diffused from the light tube toward the transmissive cover.

11. The lighting device of claim 9 , wherein a lower portion of the lighting tube is fitted between a pair of fitting ribs provided on a bottom face of the rear cover.

12. A cooking appliance, comprising:
a cavity in which a cooking chamber is formed;
a heater that generates heat that heats the cooking chamber;
a light installation area comprising a through hole that penetrates the cavity to connect an inside and outside of the cavity; and
a lighting device installed at the light installation area that illuminates the cooking chamber, wherein the lighting device comprises:
a light source installed outside the cavity and comprising a light emitting diode (LED) that emits light;
a light tube installed outside the cavity that connects to the light source, wherein at least a portion of the light tube is provided at a space outside the cavity, which is exposed to the inside of the cavity via the through hole, and wherein the light emitted from the LED is received via a light incidence surface of the light tube facing the LED and is diffused in an area where the through hole is formed;
a transmissive cover installed at the light installation area to cover the through hole, wherein the transmissive cover transmits the light diffused from the light tube into the cavity; and
a supporter installed outside the cavity to support the light source such that the light source is spaced apart from the cavity, wherein the light installation area comprises a recessed portion of a side surface of the cavity in which the through hole is formed.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 12 , wherein the transmissive cover does not protrude into the cooking chamber from an inner side surface of the cavity from an inner side surface of the light installation area.

14. A cooking appliance, comprising:
a cavity in which a cooking chamber is formed;
a heater that generates heat that heats the cooking chamber;
a light installation area comprising a through hole that penetrates the cavity to connect an inside and outside of the cavity; and
a lighting device installed at the light installation area that illuminates the cooking chamber, wherein the lighting device comprises:
a light source installed outside the cavity and comprising a light emitting diode (LED) that emits light;
a light tube installed outside the cavity that connects to the light source, wherein at least a portion of the light tube is provided at a space ou

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Dong Yeol
• Choi Sungho

Classifications

• F21V3/049

  Patterns or structured surfaces for diffusing light, e.g. frosted surfaces · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V7/05

  plane · CPC title

• G02B6/0001

  specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00) · CPC title

• F24C15/008 Primary

  Illumination for oven cavities · CPC title