Refrigerator and home appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023014764-A1
Application number	US-202217863722-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2022
Priority date	Jul 13, 2021
Publication date	Jan 19, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet and a door. The door includes a door body in which an insulating material is filled and a panel assembly detachably mounted on the door body. The panel assembly includes a panel which is configured to define a front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted, a back cover configured to define a rear surface of the panel assembly, a lower bracket configured to define a bottom surface of the panel assembly, and a lighting device mounted on the lower bracket to emit light to the panel. A bracket opening through which the lighting device is accessible is defined in the lower bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage space, and a door configured to open and close the storage space, and the door including a door body in which an insulating material is filled, and a panel assembly detachably mounted on the door body, wherein the panel assembly comprises:
a panel which is configured to form a front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted;
a back cover configured to form a rear surface of the panel assembly;
a lower bracket configured to form a bottom surface of the panel assembly; and
a lighting device mounted on the lower bracket to emit light to the panel,
wherein a bracket opening through which the lighting device is accessible is formed in the lower bracket.

2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket opening is opened toward the door body.

3 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the lower bracket protrudes below the panel, and
the lighting device is further disposed below a lower end of the panel.

4 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a light supporter configured to support the lighting device from a lower side is provided on the lower bracket, and
the light supporter is accessible through the bracket opening.

5 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the bracket opening has a size corresponding to a size of the light supporter, and
the lighting device is accessible through the bracket opening in a state of being mounted on the light supporter.

6 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the light supporter is exposed through the bracket opening, and
the back cover is configured to cover the bracket opening so that the light supporter is restricted to the lower bracket.

7 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the light supporter is made of a metal material and is in contact with the back cover to transfer heat of the lighting device to the back cover.

8 . The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein the light supporter comprises:
a first supporting portion configured to support the lighting device; and a second supporting portion extending from the first supporting portion to be in contact with the back cover.

9 . The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein a substrate support protruding to support a lower side of the substrate is disposed on the first supporting portion, and
a substrate accommodation groove configured to accommodate a rear end of the substrate is defined in the second supporting portion.

10 . The refrigerator according to claim 7 , wherein a cover bent portion that is bent forward is disposed on a lower end of the back cover, and
the cover bent portion is inserted into the bracket opening to be in contact with the first supporting portion.

11 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a light guide plate configured to guide the light emitted from the lighting device to the panel is disposed behind the panel,
wherein the lighting device comprises: a substrate mounted inside the lower bracket; and a light source mounted on the substrate to emit the light to an end of the light guide plate.

12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein a light guide plate support protruding backward and passing through the plurality of light sources is disposed on a front surface of the lower bracket, and
the light guide plate support further protrudes from a top surface of the light source to support a lower end of the light guide plate.

13 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein a cover portion extending upward to prevent the light source from being exposed is disposed on the bracket, and
an upper end of the cover portion further extends upward from an upper end of the light source and a lower end of the panel.

14 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein a guide protrusion protruding backward to be in contact with a front of the light source is disposed on the bracket, and
in the state in which the guide protrusion and the light source are in contact with each other, the light source is aligned vertically below a lower end of the light guide plate.

15 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly further comprises:
a support member disposed on each of both side surfaces of the panel assembly to extend vertically between the panel and the light guide plate; and an upper bracket configured to define a top surface of the panel assembly, wherein the upper bracket is mounted on a top surface of the support member, and the lower bracket is mounted on a lower end of the support member.

16 . The refrigerator according to claim 15 , wherein the panel assembly comprises a back cover configured to define a rear surface of the panel assembly,
upper and lower ends of the back cover are coupled to the upper bracket and the lower bracket by a screw, respectively, and the back cover is configured to cover the bracket opening in the state of being coupled to the upper bracket and the lower bracket.

17 . The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein the support member is continuously disposed from a left end of the panel assembly to a right end of the panel assembly and is made of a material through which light is transmitted.

18 . The refrigerator according to claim 17 , wherein the support member comprises:
a planar front surface portion on which the panel is mounted; and a side surface portion which protrudes backward from each of both left and right ends of the front surface portion and on which the light guide plate is mounted.

19 . The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein a bracket insertion space opened vertically is defined in each of upper and lower ends of the side surface portion, and
each of the upper bracket and the lower bracket is inserted into the bracket insertion space.

20 . The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein each of both left and right ends of the back cover is supported by the side surface portion.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Song Seongmin

Classifications

• F25D27/00 Primary

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F25D23/02

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

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F25D2400/18

  Aesthetic features · CPC title

• F25D11/00

  Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators · CPC title