Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460859-B2
Application number	US-202318515910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2023
Priority date	Aug 26, 2021
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an outer case forming the exterior of a main body, an inner case disposed inside the outer case to form a storage compartment, an upper duct including an upper outlet to discharge cold air downward toward the storage compartment, and disposed in the inner case to form an upper flow path to supply cold air to the upper outlet, a rear duct including a rear flow path configured to guide the cold air to the upper flow path, and a rear outlet configured to discharge cold air from the rear flow path into the storage compartment, a light emitting diode (LED) module coupled to the upper duct to emit light toward the storage compartment and including a plurality of LEDs, and a reflective cover disposed on a rear side of the storage compartment to be coupled to the rear duct and reflecting light from the LED module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
an outer case; an inner case disposed inside the outer case to form a storage compartment; an upper duct including an upper outlet disposed on an upper portion of the storage compartment to discharge cold air downward toward the storage compartment, and disposed in the inner case to form an upper flow path to supply the cold air to the upper outlet; a rear duct including a rear flow path configured to guide the cold air to the upper flow path, and a rear outlet configured to discharge cold air from the rear flow path into the storage compartment to cool the storage compartment; a light emitting diode (LED) module coupled to the upper duct to emit light toward the storage compartment and including a plurality of LEDs arranged in a lateral direction; and a reflective cover disposed on a rear side of the storage compartment so as to be coupled to the rear duct and configured to reflect light from the LED module toward the storage compartment, wherein light emitted from the LED module toward the reflective cover is reflected by the reflective cover toward the storage compartment.

2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the LED module is installed in the upper duct at an angle to allow the plurality of LEDs to emit light in a downwardly inclined direction toward the reflective cover.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the upper duct includes an inclined surface inclined in a downwardly direction toward a rear side to reflect light from the plurality of LEDs toward the storage compartment.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , further comprising:
a lower cover coupled to a lower side of the upper duct such that the LED module is disposed between the upper duct and the lower cover, and a light guide panel coupled to the lower cover to diffuse light emitted from the plurality of LEDs and reflected from the inclined surface.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the light guide panel is inclined upwardly toward a rear side thereof.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the LED module includes a base extending in the lateral direction to allow the plurality of LEDs to be arranged in the lateral direction, and wherein the base is installed in the upper duct at an angle to allow the plurality of LEDs to emit light in a downwardly inclined direction toward the reflective cover.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the upper duct includes a module coupling portion disposed on a rear side of the upper outlet, the module coupling portion including a recess that is recessed in an upwardly direction in the storage compartment, and
wherein an upper end of the base is inserted into the recess.

8 . The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the module coupling portion further includes a module support portion located adjacent to the recess and extending downward, and
wherein the module support portion supports a lower end of the base.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 7 , further comprising a lower cover configured to cover a lower side of the module coupling portion,
wherein the lower cover includes a guide wall arranged to guide the cold air discharged from the upper outlet, and a partition wall spaced apart from the guide wall to form a receiving groove in which a lower end of the base is received.

10 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the LED module is a first LED module, and
the refrigerator further includes a second LED module coupled to the upper duct to be spaced apart from the first LED module in the lateral direction, wherein the second LED module includes a plurality of LEDs arranged in the lateral direction.

11 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the reflective cover includes a glass material.

12 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third LED modules provided on both sides of the storage compartment to emit light toward the storage compartment and wherein the plurality of third LED modules include a plurality of LEDs arranged in a horizontal direction.

13 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the rear duct includes:
a front cover provided on a rear side of the reflective cover and including a cold air supply port configured to supply cold air to the upper duct; a middle cover provided on a rear side of the front cover and configured to guide cold air to the upper duct and the cold air supply port; a rear cover coupled to a rear side of the middle cover to form the rear flow path, wherein the rear flow path is configured to guide cold air to the upper duct and the cold air supply port; and a blower fan disposed on the middle cover and configured to blow cold air into the rear flow path.

14 . A refrigerator, comprising:
a main body; a storage compartment formed in the main body and having a front opening; a door configured to open and close the front opening; an evaporator configured to generate cold air; a rear duct including a rear flow path configured to guide cold air generated by the evaporator, and a rear outlet configured to discharge the cold air from the rear flow path into the storage compartment to cool the storage compartment; an upper duct provided in the storage compartment, and including an upper flow path connected to the rear flow path and an upper outlet configured to discharge the cold air from the rear flow path in a direction downward toward the storage compartment; a first light emitting diode (LED) module coupled to the upper duct to emit light in a direction toward the storage compartment and including a plurality of first LEDs arranged in a lateral direction; a second LED module coupled to the upper duct to be spaced apart from the first LED module in the lateral direction and including a plurality of second LEDs arranged in the lateral direction; a plurality of third LED modules arranged on both sides of the storage compartment and including a plurality of third LEDs arranged in a horizontal direction to emit light in a direction toward the storage compartment; and a reflective cover disposed on a rear side of the storage compartment, wherein the reflective cover is coupled to the rear duct and configured to reflect light from the first LED module, the second LED module, and the plurality of third LED modules toward the storage compartment, wherein light emitted from the first LED module, the second LED module and the plurality of third LED modules toward the reflective cover is reflected by the reflective cover toward the storage compartment.

15 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the first LED module and the second LED module are installed in the upper duct at an angle to allow the plurality of first LEDs and the plurality of second LEDs to emit light in a downwardly inclined direction toward the reflective cover.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein
the first LED module includes a base extending in the lateral direction to allow the plurality of first LEDs to be arranged in the lateral direction, and wherein the base is installed in the upper duct at an angle to allow the plurality of first LEDs to emit light in a downwardly inclined direction toward the reflective cover.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the upper duct includes an inclined surface that is inclined in a downwardly direction toward a rear side to reflect light from the plurality of first LEDs, the plurality of second LEDs and the plurality of third LEDs toward the storage compartment.

18 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the upper duct includes a module coupling port

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• You Youngmin
• Song Jinyoung
• Bae Ilsung
• Yang Byungkwan

Classifications

• F25D2327/00

  Lighting arrangements not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F25D2317/0665

  from the top · CPC title

• F25D17/062

  in household refrigerators · CPC title

• F21V9/00

  Elements for modifying spectral properties, polarisation or intensity of the light emitted, e.g. filters (coloured shades F21V1/00; elements characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502) · CPC title

• F21V33/00

  Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title