Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334158-A1
Application number	US-201515110206-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 7, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body; a storage room formed in the inside of the main body; a door including a front plate which is made of a steel material and in which a plurality of through holes forming a predetermined shape are formed, the door configured to open or close the storage room; a display unit disposed in the inside of the door, and including a display member in which a display element having a shape corresponding to the plurality of through holes and facing the plurality of through holes is formed; and an input member separated from the display unit, and configured to receive an operation command for operating the refrigerator.

First claim

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a main body; a storage room formed in the inside of the main body; a door including a front plate which is made of a steel material and in which a plurality of through holes forming a predetermined shape are formed, the door configured to open or close the storage room; a display unit disposed in the inside of the door, and including a display member in which a display element having a shape corresponding to the plurality of through holes and facing the plurality of through holes is formed; and an input member separated from the display unit, and configured to receive an operation command for operating the refrigerator.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit further comprises a display cover installed in the rear surface of the front plate, and configured to form accommodation space for accommodating the display member behind the plurality of through holes.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the door further comprises a upper cap forming the upper surface of the door, the upper cap having an inlet hole through which the display member enters the accommodation space.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the display cover has an open front part so that light emitted from the display member is irradiated towards the plurality of through holes

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the display unit further comprises a front cover positioned between the display member and the rear surface of the front plate,
the front cover having a plurality of connection holes corresponding to the plurality of through holes.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the front cover includes a cover guide part at both sides, and
the cover guide part guides the display member so that the display member is closer to the front cover at the lower portion of the cover guide part.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the front plate is rounded to protrude forward so that the front surface of the front cover has a shape corresponding to the front plate.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the input member is disposed in another door which is different from the door in which the display unit is disposed.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control the refrigerator according to the operation command received from the input member; and a connection member configured to transfer an electrical signal for the operation command generated by the input member to the controller, wherein the connection member is connected to the controller located outside the door through a hinge coupled with the door in which the input member is disposed.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined shape of the plurality of through holes includes at least one of a picture, a letter, a figure, and a symbol.

11 . A refrigerator comprising:
a main body; a storage room formed in the inside of the main body; a door configured to open or close the storage room, and having a front part in which a plurality of through holes forming a predetermined shape are formed; a display unit disposed behind the plurality of through holes in the inside of the door, and including a display member configured to display information of the refrigerator; and an input unit configured to receive an operation command for operating the refrigerator, wherein the display unit further comprises a display cover installed in the inside of the door to form accommodation space in which the display member is disposed.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the display cover has an open front part, and forms the accommodation space behind the plurality of through holes.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the door comprises:
a front plate forming front and side surfaces of the door, having a front part in which the plurality of through holes are formed, and made of a steel material; a rear plate coupled with a rear part of the front plate, and forming a rear surface of the door; an upper cap coupled with a upper part of the front plate; and a lower cap coupled with a lower part of the front plate.

14 . The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein the front plate is rounded to protrude forward.

15 . The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the display unit further comprises a front cover disposed between the front plate and the display unit, the front cover having a plurality of connection holes corresponding to the plurality of through holes.

16 . The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the front cover has a front part corresponding to the front plate.

17 . The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the front cover includes a cover guide part at both sides, and
the cover guide part guides the display member so that the display member is closer to the front cover at the lower portion of the cover guide part.

18 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined shape of the plurality of through holes includes at least one of a picture, a letter, a figure, and a symbol.

19 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the input member is disposed in another door which is different from the door in which the display unit is disposed.

20 . The refrigerator according to claim 19 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control the refrigerator according to the operation command received from the input member; and a connection member configured to transfer an electrical signal for the operation command generated by the input member to the controller, wherein the connection member is connected to the controller located outside the door through a hinge coupled with the door in which the input member is disposed.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Joo Sun Hwan
• Park Jong Sun

Classifications

• F25D29/005 Primary

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• F25D25/021

  combined with trays · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• F25C5/22

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title