US-20260126240-A1 - REFRIGERATOR

US20260126240A1US 20260126240 A1US20260126240 A1US 20260126240A1US-20260126240-A1

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space, and a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes a panel assembly including a front panel that defines a front surface of the door and is made of a transparent material, and a rear panel disposed behind the front panel and made of a transparent material, a door liner that defines a rear surface of the door and a liner opening shielded by the rear panel, an insulating material filled into a space between a perimeter of the panel assembly and the door liner, a lighting device configured to illuminate a space behind the door, and a light case coupled to the door liner. The light case connects the rear panel to the door liner, blocks an inflow of the insulating material, and defines a recess space accommodating the lighting device.

Inventors

Younghun SON

Assignees

LG ELECTRONICS INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260106
Priority Date: 20230113

Claims (15)

1 . A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet having a storage space; and a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, wherein the door comprises: a panel assembly including (i) a front panel that defines a front surface of the door and is formed of a transparent material, and (ii) a rear panel disposed rearward relative to the front panel and made of a transparent material, a door liner that defines a rear surface of the door, a door basket mounted on the door liner, a lighting device extending in a vertical direction between the rear panel and the door basket and configured to illuminate the door basket and a rear space defined rearward relative to the door, a first connector provided at the lighting device, a light case that is disposed at the door liner and defines a recess space accommodating the lighting device, and a second connector disposed inside the light case and configured to couple to the first connector, wherein the lighting device is configured to be detachably mounted inside the light case based on coupling the first connector to the second connector in the light case, wherein the light case further defines an opening that is provided between the rear panel and the door liner and configured to expose the recess space and to provide access to the lighting device in the recess space, and wherein the lighting device includes a reflective surface inclined toward the door basket to reflect light toward the door basket.
2 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting device comprises: a substrate connected with the first connector; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed at the substrate; a light frame that supports the substrate and defines a first open surface; and a light cover that covers the first open surface of the light frame and is configured to transmit light emitted from the LEDs, and wherein the reflective surface is provided on the light frame.
3 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the light cover further covers the opening of the light case.
4 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface that are spaced apart from each other and face each other, and wherein the substrate disposed between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface.
5 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the light frame further defines a second open surface that is covered by the substrate.
6 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the first reflective surface is positioned forward of the second reflective surface, and wherein an inclination of the second reflective surface relative to the rear panel is greater than an inclination of the first reflective surface relative to the rear panel.
7 . The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the first reflective surface is disposed adjacent to the panel assembly and is parallel to the rear panel, and wherein the second reflective surface is disposed farther from the panel assembly than the first reflective surface and is inclined with respect to the rear panel.
8 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the LEDs comprise red-green-blue (RGB) LEDs and are configured to emit light having one or more colors selected by a user.
9 . The refrigerator according to claim 2 , wherein the lighting device is detachably mounted to the light case through an opening of the door liner and an opening of the light case, and wherein the first connector is disposed on one surface of the substrate corresponding to a mounting direction of the lighting device.
10 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door further comprises a protrusion that is disposed at the door liner and protrudes rearward relative to the rear panel, and wherein the light case is disposed inside the protrusion.
11 . The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the front panel comprises a see-through portion that allows the rear space to be visible from an outside of the door, wherein the protrusion is one of protrusions that are disposed at sides of the see-through portion, and wherein the lighting device is one of lighting devices that are disposed at the protrusions, respectively, the lighting devices being configured to emit light toward each other.
12 . The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein each of the protrusions defines: a basket mounting portion configured to mount the door basket; and a light opening defined at the door liner that accommodates one of a pair of light cases, and wherein the basket mounting portion and the lighting opening are defined at surfaces of the protrusions that face each other.
13 . The refrigerator according to claim 10 , wherein the light case comprises: an accommodation portion recessed from the light case and accommodating the lighting device; a plurality of first supporters that are arranged along the accommodation portion and protrude from the light case, the plurality of first supporters being configured to support an inner surface of the protrusion; and a second supporter that extends along the accommodation portion and protruding to contact with the panel assembly to support the panel assembly.
14 . The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein a connecting portion is recessed on the accommodation portion to accommodate the second connector, and wherein the first connector is connected to the second connector inside the accommodation portion.
15 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the door basket is one of a plurality of door baskets that are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction, and wherein the lighting device extends through the plurality of door baskets in the vertical direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/392,154, filed on Dec. 21, 2023, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0005424, filed on Jan. 13, 2023, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. In general, refrigerators are home appliances for storing foods at low temperature in an inner storage space covered by a refrigerator door. Here, the inside of the storage space is cooled using cool air that is generated by being heat-exchanged with a refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle to store the foods in an optimal state. Such refrigerators tend to increase more and more in size and provide multi-functions due to the trends of change of dietary life and high quality, and accordingly, refrigerators provided with various structures and convenience devices in consideration of user convenience are brought to the market. A refrigerator, in which a portion of a refrigerator door has a structure that is capable of being seen therethrough, a light inside the refrigerator is turned on/or to selectively see the inside of the refrigerator from the outside of the refrigerator door, is being developed. SUMMARY Embodiments provide a refrigerator having a structure in which a lighting device is easily mounted so that the inside of the refrigerator is capable of being seen. Embodiments also provide a refrigerator, in which an outer appearance of a door is improved, and insulation performance of the door is secured. Embodiments also provide a refrigerator having a structure of a lighting device for illuminating a long viewing window. In one embodiment, a refrigerator includes: a cabinet having a storage space; and a door configured to open and close the storage space, wherein the door includes: a panel assembly comprising a front panel configured to define a front surface of the door and made of a transparent material, and a rear panel disposed behind the front panel and made of a transparent material; a door liner configured to a rear surface of the door and having a liner opening shielded by the rear panel; an insulating material filled into a space between a perimeter of the panel assembly and the door liner; a lighting device configured to illuminate a space behind the door; and a light case which is coupled to the door liner and in which the lighting device is mounted, wherein the light case is configured to connect the rear panel to the door liner so as to block an inflow of the insulating material and define a recess space in which the lighting device is accommodated. A protrusion that protrudes backward rather than the rear panel and is filled with the insulating material may be disposed on the door liner, and the light case may be provided inside the protrusion. A transparent see-through portion through which a rear space of the door is seen, and an opaque bezel portion around the see-through portion may be disposed on the front panel, and the light case may be disposed on the bezel portion. The protrusion may be disposed at each of both sides of the see-through portion, and the lighting device may be configured to emit light in direction facing each other. The protrusion may be disposed along at least one side of the see-through portion. The protrusion may be provided in a pair, which are spaced apart from each other to extend vertically, and a basket mounting portion to which a door basket is coupled and a light opening in which the light case is mounted may be provided on/in facing inner surfaces of the protrusion. The light opening may be defined by cutting an end of the door liner, be in contact with a rear panel of the rear panel, and extend vertically along the protrusion. The lighting device may be provided between the basket mounting portion and the rear panel. The door basket may be provided vertically in plurality, and the lighting device may extend to pass through the plurality of door basket. The light case may include: an accommodation portion opened to be exposed through the door liner and recessed so that the lighting device is accommodated; a first supporter provided in plurality along the accommodation portion and protruding to support an inner surface of the protrusion; and a second supporter extending along the accommodation portion and protruding in a direction opposite to the first support, and in contact with the panel assembly. A connecting portion that is more recessed so that an electric wire connected to the lighting device and a connector are disposed may be disposed on the accommodation portion, and the lighting device may be connected to the connector inside the accommodation portion. The first supporter may include: a contact portion that is in contact with the inner surface of the protrusion to extend up to an end of the protrusion; and a partition portion extending from