CN-121986290-A - Refrigerator with a refrigerator body

CN121986290ACN 121986290 ACN121986290 ACN 121986290ACN-121986290-A

Abstract

The refrigerator includes a storage compartment, an openable door provided in the storage compartment, and a display provided in the door and including an electric heating material and a light scattering material, wherein the display may be configured to emit heat from the storage compartment to an outside of the storage compartment based on a first voltage applied to the electric heating material and the light scattering material being lower than a designated voltage, and may be configured to reduce scattering of light incident on the display based on a second voltage applied to the electric heating material and the light scattering material being higher than the designated voltage.

Inventors

Jin Yingnu
JIN MINXIU
Xu Zhunyou
ZHENG SHENGZHEN

Assignees

三星电子株式会社

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241230
Priority Date: 20240111

Claims (12)

1. A refrigerator, comprising: A storage room; a door provided on the storage chamber and configured to be opened and closed, and A display provided on the door and including an electrothermal material and a light scattering material, Wherein the display is configured to release heat from the storage chamber to the outside of the storage chamber by a change in the electric heating material based on application of a first voltage that is less than a specified voltage to the display, and configured to reduce scattering of light incident on the display by a change in the light scattering material based on application of a second voltage that is greater than the specified voltage to the display.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a display layer, Wherein the display layer comprises: A first transparent substrate; A first transparent electrode disposed on the first transparent substrate; A second transparent electrode disposed on the first transparent electrode; A second transparent substrate disposed on the second transparent electrode, and A variable layer disposed between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode and including the electrothermal material and the light scattering material, Wherein in a heat release state in which the temperature of the electrocaloric material is raised, the display is configured to release heat to the outside of the storage chamber upon determining that the voltage applied to the varying layer is the first voltage, and in a transparent state in which the light scattering material is oriented, the display is configured to reduce scattering of light incident on the display upon determining that the voltage applied to the varying layer is the second voltage.
3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the display layer comprises a plurality of display layers, Wherein the plurality of display layers includes: A first display layer, and A second display layer in contact with the first display layer and disposed farther from the storage chamber than the first display layer, Wherein the display is configured to, in the heat release state, Transferring heat within the first display layer to the second display layer based on applying the first voltage to the changing layer of the first display layer and removing the voltage from the changing layer of the second display layer, and Based on removing the voltage from the changing layer of the first display layer and applying the first voltage to the changing layer of the second display layer, heat in the storage chamber is transferred from the storage chamber to the first display layer and heat in the second display layer is transferred to an exterior of the storage chamber and an exterior of the display.
4. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein in the heat release state of the display, the display is configured to release heat from the varying layer to an outside of the storage chamber by increasing the temperature of the electric heating material based on application of the first voltage to the varying layer and by decreasing the temperature of the electric heating material based on removal of the first voltage from the varying layer, and In the heat release state of the display, repeating the applying and removing of the first voltage to and from the varying layer.
5. The refrigerator of claim 4, further comprising a drive device comprising an actuator configured to move the varying layer into contact with the first transparent electrode or the second transparent electrode.
6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the first transparent electrode is closer to the storage chamber than the second transparent electrode, and The refrigerator further comprises at least one processor comprising processing circuitry configured, individually and/or collectively, to control the driving means to bring the changing layer into contact with the second transparent electrode based on the application of the first voltage to the changing layer, and to control the driving means to bring the changing layer into contact with the first transparent electrode based on the removal of the first voltage from the changing layer, in the heat release state of the display.
7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein at least one processor is configured, individually and/or collectively, to apply the second voltage to the varying layer in a transparent state of the display.
8. The refrigerator of claim 5, further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect whether a user is proximate the refrigerator, Wherein at least one processor is configured, individually and/or collectively, to apply the first voltage or the second voltage to the varying layer in response to receiving information about user proximity from the sensor.
9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein at least one processor is configured, individually and/or collectively, to apply the second voltage to the varying layer to control the display to be in the transparent state based on the user approaching the refrigerator.
10. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the second transparent substrate is disposed farther from the storage chamber than the first transparent substrate, Wherein the display layer comprises: a barrier wall disposed between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode to form a space in which the variable layer is movable; an inert gas provided between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode; A first heat transfer member including a heat conductive material disposed at one side of the first transparent substrate within a first specified distance from the storage chamber and configured to transfer heat from the storage chamber to the display layer, and A second heat transfer member including a heat conductive material disposed at one side of the second transparent substrate within a second designated distance greater than the first designated distance from the storage chamber and configured to release heat from the display layer to the outside of the storage chamber.
11. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the display layer comprises a plurality of display layers, Wherein the plurality of display layers includes: a first display layer; a second display layer configured to receive heat from the first display layer and disposed farther from the storage chamber than the first display layer; A third display layer configured to receive heat from the second display layer and disposed farther from the storage room than the second display layer, and A fourth display layer configured to receive heat from the third display layer and disposed farther from the storage chamber than the third display layer, Wherein the display is configured to release heat received from the storage chamber to the first display layer and to the outside of the storage chamber through the second, third and fourth display layers.
12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein in the heat release state of the display, the display is configured to: Based on applying the first voltage to the second display layer and the fourth display layer and removing the voltage from the first display layer and the third display layer, Heat is transferred from the interior of the storage compartment to the first display layer, Transferring heat from the second display layer to the third display layer, and Heat is released from the fourth display layer to the outside of the storage chamber.

Description

Refrigerator with a refrigerator body Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator including a display. Background A refrigerator is a home appliance including a main body having a storage chamber, a cool air supply device provided to supply cool air to the storage chamber, a door provided to open and close the storage chamber, and to store food in a fresh state. In recent years, a display (or window) may be provided in a door of a refrigerator to allow a user to check a state of a storage room, run a plurality of applications, and perform an internet of things (IoT) function without opening the door. However, since heat is transferred into the storage chamber through the display provided in the door, the energy efficiency of the refrigerator may be reduced or it may be difficult to control the haze (and/or transmittance) of the display. Disclosure of Invention Technical problem Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigerator including a display capable of cooling a storage chamber. Technical proposal Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigerator including a display having adjustable haze. According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a storage chamber, a door provided on the storage chamber and configured to be opened and closed, and a display provided on the door and including an electrothermal material and a light scattering material, wherein the display is configured to release heat from the storage chamber to an outside of the storage chamber by a change in the electrothermal material based on a first voltage applied to the display that is less than a specified voltage, and to reduce scattering of light incident on the display by a change in the light scattering material based on a second voltage applied to the display that is greater than the specified voltage. According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a main body, a door pivotally coupled to the main body, and a window provided on the door, the window including a first window layer and a second window layer farther from an inside of the main body than the first window layer, wherein the window is configured to transfer heat inside the first window layer to the second window layer based on applying and removing a voltage to and from the first window layer, and transfer heat inside the main body to the first window layer and transfer heat inside the second window layer to an outside of the main body and an outside of the window based on removing a voltage from and applying a voltage to the second window layer. According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes a main body, a door pivotally coupled to the main body, and a window provided on the door and including a light scattering material, wherein the light scattering material is oriented (aligned) based on an application of a voltage to the light scattering material, and scattering of light incident on the window is reduced, and haze of the window is reduced. Drawings The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a front view of a refrigerator according to various embodiments; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to various embodiments; fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; fig. 5 is a table showing operating voltage ranges of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a refrigerator according to various embodiments; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments; Fig. 11A, 11B, 11C and 11D are diagrams illustrating a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments, and Fig. 12 is a graph regarding a display in a refrigerator according to various embodiments. Detailed Description The various example embodiments described in this disclosure and shown in the drawings are merely illustrative and are not intended to represent all aspects of the disclosure so that various equivalents and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. In addition, in the drawings, like reference numerals denote like elements or components having substantially the same functions. The terminolo