Refrigerator and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191746-A1
Application number	US-201715399307-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage space, a main door for opening and closing the cabinet, the main door defining an opening part that is in communication with the storage space, a sub-door rotatably mounted on the main door and configured to open and close the opening part, a panel assembly forming a front surface of the sub-door and made of a half glass material, a detection device provided to the sub-door and configured to detect a user's operation, and a door lighting unit provided to the main door and configured to, based on the sub-door being closed, turn on and off according to a signal from the detection device to allow selective viewing of an inside of the opening part through the panel assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space; a main door rotatably mounted to the cabinet and configured to open and close the cabinet, the main door defining an opening part that is in communication with the storage space; a sub-door rotatably mounted on the main door and configured to open and close the opening part; a panel assembly forming a front surface of the sub-door and made of a half glass material; a detection device provided to the sub-door and configured to detect a user's operation; and a door lighting unit provided to the main door and configured to, based on the sub-door being closed, turn on and off according to a signal from the detection device to allow selective viewing of an inside of the opening part through the panel assembly.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door lighting unit is provided on an upper end of the opening part.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the main door comprises:
an out plate forming an outer shape; a door liner forming a rear surface; and a door frame connecting between the out plate and the door liner and forming an inner side surface of the opening part.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the door lighting unit is mounted between the door frame and the door liner.

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the door lighting unit comprises:
a lamp case having a round surface that defines a recessed space and having a curvature in an inner side surface thereof and being opened so that light may pass through one surface intersecting with the round surface; a lamp PCB disposed on the inner side of the lamp case facing the round surface and on which a plurality of LEDs emitting light toward the round surface are disposed; and a lamp cover configured to shield an opening of the lamp case and exposed to the opening part so that the light reflected from the round surface passes through to an inside of the refrigerator.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the lamp case is disposed between a door liner forming a rear surface of the door and a door frame forming an inner side surface of the opening part.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein an end portion of the door frame is extended to cover a part of the lamp cover, and the door frame is extended to a vertical extension line of the lamp PCB to cover the lamp PCB when viewed from the outside.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein a case installation part extended to outside is formed on both opened ends of the lamp case, and the case installation part is bonded on an inner side surface of the door liner and the door frame.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is a knock detection device provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly and configured to detect a knocking operation of the panel assembly by the user.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein a bezel that is configured to not transmit light is provided on an edge of the rear surface of the panel assembly, and the knock detection device is disposed in an area within the bezel.

11 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly comprises:
a front panel forming a front surface of the sub-door and including a half mirror that is selectively transparent, the half mirror being configured to reflect some of the light and transmit some of the light; a plurality of insulation panels spaced apart from the front panel and formed of transparent tempered glass; and a cudgel positioned between the front panel and insulation panel and between the plurality of insulation panels, the cudgel being configured to provide separation and sealing between the front panel and insulation panel and between the plurality of insulation panels.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the front panel forms an entire front surface of the sub-door, and the insulation panel covers a smaller area than the front panel and is disposed in an inner side area of the front panel.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the detection device is disposed on an edge of the front panel.

14 . A lighting unit of a refrigerator comprising:
a lamp case having a round surface that defines a recessed space inside the refrigerator and having a curvature in an inner side surface thereof and being opened so that light may pass through one surface intersecting with the round surface; a lamp PCB disposed on the inner side of the lamp case facing the round surface and on which a plurality of LEDs emitting light toward the round surface are disposed; and a lamp cover configured to shield an opening of the lamp case and exposed to a wall of the inside of the refrigerator, such that the light reflected from the round surface passes through to the inside of the refrigerator.

15 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the lamp case comprises:
a recessed part formed to be recessed and forming a lamp PCB installation part in which the round surface and the lamp PCB are mounted; and a case installation part extended from both ends of an opened surface of the recessed part and fixed to be bonded to a rear surface of the inside of the refrigerator.

16 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein a cover insertion groove that is stepped is provided in the case installation part, and both ends of the lamp cover are fixed to be inserted into a space of the cover insertion groove and the wall of the inside of the refrigerator.

17 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein an inner side surface of the lamp cover includes a film or a coating that is configured to diffuse light.

18 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the lamp cover is injection-molded in a state in which an additive for diffusing light is added.

19 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 14 , a part of the wall of the inside of the refrigerator in which the lighting unit is mounted is extended to cover a part of the lamp cover, and the wall of the inside of the refrigerator is extended to a vertical extension line of the lamp PCB to cover the lamp PCB when viewed from the outside.

20 . The lighting unit of the refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the lighting unit is a main lighting unit provided on a wall of a refrigerator compartment or a freezer compartment.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Seo Hyunwoo

Classifications

• F21V33/0044

  Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• H05B47/12

  by detecting audible sound · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title