Home appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025189208-A1
Application number	US-202519054542-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2025
Priority date	Nov 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 12, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An appliance includes a cabinet in which a storage space is defined and a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes a door body and a panel assembly mounted on a front surface of 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 lighting device configured to allow the panel to shine with a set color, a back cover configured to define a rear surface of the panel assembly, and a panel holder configured to fix the panel assembly to the door body. The panel holder includes a base fixed inside the panel assembly and a holder protrusion protruding from the base to pass through the back cover and coupled to the door body when the panel assembly is mounted.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage space; and a door comprising a door body configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space and a panel assembly detachably disposed at the door body, wherein the panel assembly comprises:
a lighting device configured to output light,
a panel that defines a front surface of the door and is configured to transmit the light with a set color,
a light guide plate disposed rearward relative to the panel and configured to guide the light emitted from the lighting device,
a back cover that defines a rear surface of the panel assembly and is configured to cover the light guide plate,
a panel holder protruded toward the door body, and
a mounting member disposed coupled on a back surface of the panel and configured to couple with both side ends of the light guide plate, and
wherein a portion of the panel holder is coupled to the mounting member and is another portion of the panel holder is passed through the back cover to be coupled to the door body.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the panel holder comprises:
a base coupled with the light guide plate inside of the panel assembly, and a holder protrusion that protrudes from the base, the holder protrusion passing through the back cover and being coupled to the door body.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the mounting member that accommodates ends of the light guide plate and the base.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the base is in contact with a rear surface of the light guide plate, and
wherein the base and the light guide plate are inserted into the mounting member.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the mounting member comprises:
a front portion that is disposed between the panel and the light guide plate and supports the panel; and a side portion that extends rearward from an end of the front portion and is coupled to one of the ends of the light guide plate, and wherein the panel holder is disposed at the side portion.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the mounting member is capable of transmitting light therethrough, and
wherein the front portion is provided in a plate shape having a size corresponding to the panel to support the rear surface of the panel.

8 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the panel holder is one of a plurality of panel holders disposed along both side portions of the mounting member.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the side portion has a space to be inserted both ends of the light guide plate and the panel holder.

10 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the side portion comprises:
a first part that extends rearward from the end of the front portion and defines a side surface of the panel assembly; and a second part that extends laterally inward from an end of the first part to thereby define a space that accommodates the light guide plate and the panel holder.

11 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the side portion further comprises a third part that is disposed between the first part and the second part and defines a step between the first part and the second part, and
wherein the mounting member defines:
a first insertion space that receives the light guide plate at a position between the front portion and the third part, and
a second insertion space that receives the base at a position between the second part and the third part.

12 . A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet that defines a storage space; and a door comprising a door body configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space and a panel assembly detachably disposed at the door body, wherein the panel assembly comprises:
a panel that defines a front surface of the door, and
a panel holder protruded toward the door body,
wherein the door body comprises:
a door liner defining a rear surface of the door body,
a body plate defining a front surface of the door body and disposed to face a rear surface of the panel assembly,
a cap decoration defining top and bottom surfaces of the door body,
a side decoration defining both left and right surfaces of the door body,
an insulator filled in an internal space defined by coupling the body plate, the door liner, the side decoration, the cap decoration, and
a holder case disposed inside the door body and coupled to an end of the panel holder inserted through a plate opening formed at the body plate, and
wherein a portion of the holder case is supported to the side decoration and an another portion of the holder case coupled to the body plate.

13 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the side decoration includes a supporting portion protruding at a side surface to be coupled to a side end of the body plate, and
wherein the supporting portion is away from a front end of the side decoration, and the portion of the holder case is supported by the supporting portion.

14 . The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the holder case comprises:
a case body that defines a front surface of the holder case and is in contact with the body plate and the side decoration, the case body defining a holder accommodation portion recessed into the case body; and a pair of case restriction portions that protrude from an inside of the case body toward a back cover of the panel assembly, and wherein the pair of case restriction portions are spaced apart from each other and receive a holder protrusion of the panel holder therebetween.

15 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the case body includes:
a front surface support portion disposed to be stepped backward, and supported by the supporting portion of the side decoration, and a side surface support portion bent backward from an extending end of the front surface support portion, and supported by the side surface of the side decoration.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the case body comprises a case fixing portion configured to be hooked in a case fixing hole defined in the body plate, and
wherein, when the case fixing portion is coupled to the case fixing hole, the front surface support portion and the side surface support portion are in contact with the side decoration.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the panel holder is provided in plurality along both the left and right sides of the panel assembly, and
wherein the holder case is provided in plurality along both the left and right sides of the body plate as corresponding positions to the panel holder.

18 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the body plate is made of a metal material, and
wherein upper and lower ends of the body plate are connected with the cap decoration, both side ends of the body plate are connected with the cap decoration.

19 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the side decoration is further protruded forward relative to the body plate and is in contact with both side ends of the panel assembly.

20 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the panel assembly includes a back cover that defines a rear surface of the panel assembly, and
wherein the panel holder passes through the back cover and protrudes toward the door body.

21 . The refrigerator of claim 20 , wherein the panel assembly includes:
a lighting device configured to output light; and a light guide plate disposed between the panel and the back cover and configured to guide the light emitted from the lighting device to the panel, wherein the back cover covers

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Song Seongmin

Classifications

• F25D2400/18

  Aesthetic features · CPC title

• F25D27/00

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21W2131/305

  for refrigerators · CPC title

• E06B2003/7049

  Specific panel characteristics · CPC title