Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191747-A1
Application number	US-201715466606-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2013
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is disclosed a refrigerator; a lighting device provided in the storage chamber, a first door rotatably coupled to the case to open and close the storage chamber, an auxiliary storage chamber provided in the first door, a second door, a front panel formed of a transparent material, an evaporation treatment unit evaporated on an overall back surface of the front panel to transmit lights partially, a variable transparency film attached to a back surface of the evaporation treatment unit provided in the front panel to get transparent when the power is supplied, a frame unit with an opening having a corresponding size to an opening provided in the first door, an insulation panel distant from the front panel, a power supply unit for supplying an electric power to the variable transparency film and the lighting device, a proximity sensor provided in the second door to sense a user's approaching.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a first storage area and a second storage area therein, the first storage area provided at a lateral side of the second storage area, the refrigerator configured to maintain the first storage area at a first operating temperature and the second storage area at a second operating temperature that is higher than the first operating temperature; a light emitting unit configured to emit light toward the second storage area; a first door configured to open and close the first storage area; a second door configured to open and close the second storage area, the second door comprising:
a frame unit having a hole formed therein;
an outer case defining a front frame and an inner liner defining a back surface of the second door;
an insulating material filled in a space formed between the outer case and the inner liner; and
a front panel configured to form a front appearance of the second door and formed of a transparent material and provided in the hole;
a sensor configured to detect whether a user is within a predetermined distance from the refrigerator; and a control unit configured to control the light emitting unit to enable a user to see an inside of the second storage area selectively through the hole due to transmitting of the light inside the second storage area through the front panel of the second door, wherein the control unit is configured to control the light emitting unit to enable the user see the inside of the second storage area selectively through the hole when the sensor senses the user within the predetermined distance from the refrigerator.

2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising an insulation panel formed of a transparent material and provided in the hole and behind the front panel of the second door.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising an insulation space provided between the front panel and the insulation panel of the second door.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a door switch to sense whether a door is opened or not,
wherein the control unit is configured to operate the light emitting unit when the door switch senses the door is opened.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the light emitting unit to have a dimming effect.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the light emitting unit comprises:
a first light emitting part configured to emit light to the second storage area; and a second light emitting part configured to emit light to a door storage part.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the second light emitting part is arranged closer to the second door than the first light emitting part.

8 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to turn off the second light emitting part and turn on the first light emitting part when the second door is opened during operation of the second light emitting part.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a treatment portion that is provided in a rear surface of the front panel of the second door and that is configured to transmit light partially.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Seo Woonkyu
• Jung Soonho
• Park Jinhee

Classifications

• F25D23/025

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• F25D2323/023

  Door in door constructions · CPC title

• F21V33/0044

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

• A47F3/0478

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title