KR102691443B1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet; A door that opens and closes the cabinet and forms an opening; a panel assembly that shields the opening and forms a transparent portion; A light is provided further inside the compartment than the panel assembly and illuminates the storage space behind the door so that the inside of the compartment can be seen through the transparent part. The panel assembly includes: a transparent front panel forming a front surface; a display provided on the back of the front panel; a light guide plate spaced apart from the display; a display light that irradiates light toward an end of the light guide plate; A rear panel formed of a transparent material and spaced apart from the front panel to form an insulating space that accommodates the display, the light guide plate, and the display light, wherein the light transmits light from the outside of the light guide plate to a rear area of the light guide plate. It is characterized in that it is arranged to irradiate at an angle between the back and the light guide plate in a direction parallel to the light guide plate.

Description

Refrigerator { Refrigerator }

The present invention relates to refrigerators.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that allows food to be stored at low temperatures in an internal storage space shielded by a door. To this end, refrigerators are designed to keep stored food in optimal condition by cooling the inside of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with the refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle.

Recently, refrigerators are gradually becoming larger and more multi-functional in accordance with changes in eating habits and the trend of higher quality products, and refrigerators equipped with various structures and convenience devices are being released to ensure user convenience and efficient use of internal space. .

The storage space of the refrigerator can be opened and closed by a door. Refrigerators can be classified into various types depending on the arrangement of the storage space and the structure of the door that opens and closes the storage space.

Typically, refrigerators have a problem in that the food inside cannot be checked unless the door is opened. In other words, the door must be opened to check whether the desired food is stored in the space inside the cabinet or in a separate storage space provided in the door. Additionally, if the exact location of food storage is not known, the opening time or number of times the door is opened may increase, and at this time, there is a problem that unnecessary leakage of cold air may occur.

Recently, in order to solve this problem, a refrigerator has been developed in which a part of the refrigerator door is transparent so that the inside of the refrigerator can be seen, as disclosed in U.S. Patent US6059420.

However, such refrigerators have a problem in that they only allow the interior to be visible and cannot output information in an area that shows the interior of the refrigerator or display a screen while making the interior of the refrigerator visible at the same time.

The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of outputting information to the door and having a transparent portion capable of seeing the interior.

The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can clearly visualize the inside of the refrigerator through the transparent unit while enabling a display to be clearly output through the transparent unit.

The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that prevents the transparency performance of the transparent unit from being deteriorated due to the diffusion plate provided in the transparent unit becoming opaque.

An embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator that allows the configuration around the transparent assembly to be shielded with a bezel of the minimum width by adjusting the width of the bezel in a state of high medial visualization and non-visualization of the high medial side through a transparent unit. Do it as

The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can variably adjust the size of the transparent area according to the state of the transparent area through a combination of a bezel that is displayed in a fixed state and a bezel that outputs variable output.

The purpose of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the width of a bezel for shielding a configuration around a transparent assembly can be varied depending on the state of the transparent assembly.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet; A door that opens and closes the cabinet and forms an opening; a panel assembly that shields the opening and forms a transparent portion; A light is provided further inside the compartment than the panel assembly and illuminates the space behind the door so that the inside of the compartment can be seen through the transparent unit. The panel assembly includes: a transparent front panel forming a front surface; a display provided on the back of the front panel; a light guide plate spaced apart from the display; a display light that irradiates light toward an end of the light guide plate; A rear panel formed of a transparent material and spaced apart from the front panel to form a space for receiving the display, the light guide plate, and the display light, wherein the light is installed in a direction parallel to the light guide plate or in a direction perpendicular to the light guide plate. It is characterized in that it is arranged at a set angle.

The light guide plate may include a light diffuser that scatters light induced into the light guide plate.

The light guide plate includes a resin layer formed of a transparent resin material; It is formed on the surface of the resin layer facing the display and may include a diffusion layer containing the light diffusion agent.

The diffusion layer can be formed to have a thickness of 40㎛ to 60㎛.

The light diffuser is formed of several micro to nano-sized particles, and can be formed of silica, titanium dioxide, alumina, acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, silicone resin, etc.

The light can be arranged in a vertical direction equal to the length of the door on the left and right sides of the light guide plate, and the display light can be arranged in a horizontal direction on the top and bottom of the light guide plate.

The light may be a door light provided on the back of the door.

The light may be an interior light provided in the cabinet.

The light includes a door light provided on the back of the door; It includes an interior light provided inside the cabinet, and the interior light is turned on together with the door light to illuminate the interior of the cabinet.

The light emitting surface of the door light can be arranged at any angle between an angle parallel to the light guide plate and an angle directed backwards perpendicular to the light guide plate.

The light-emitting surface of the interior light may be formed at an arbitrary angle between a first set angle toward the rear and a second set angle toward the front based on a position parallel to the light guide plate, and the first set angle is It is possible that it can be formed larger than the second set angle.

The light includes a light emitting member through which light is irradiated; a light case in which the light emitting member is accommodated; It is possible to include a light cover that shields the opening of the light case and transmits light emitted from the light emitting member.

The light emitting member may be arranged to radiate light from a direction parallel to the light guide plate toward a rear portion perpendicular to the light guide plate.

A shielding portion extending behind the light guide plate and blocking light from the light emitting member toward the light guide plate may be formed on one side of the light case.

On the inner surface of the light case facing the light emitting member, a reflective portion may be formed to be inclined or rounded so that light emitted from the light emitting member is reflected and passes through the light cover.

The light extends in a direction crossing the light guide plate, and may further include a shielding portion that blocks light from the light emitting member to the light guide plate.

The door includes: a main door that opens and closes the cabinet, and a door-side storage space is formed in the main door opening; It is possible to include a sub-door that opens and closes the door-side storage space in front of the main door, and is provided with the panel assembly to allow the door-side storage space to be transparent.

The light can be mounted on the inner side of the main door opening.

The light can be mounted on a protrusion that protrudes from the rear of the sub door and is inserted into the inner side of the main door.

The opaque first bezel is formed around the panel assembly, is output in the same color as the first bezel on the display, and includes an opaque second bezel having a predetermined width at an end of the first bezel. It is possible.

It is possible for the second bezel to be output when the inside of the stomach is visible through the transparency unit, and not to be output when the inside of the stomach is not visible through the transparency unit.

The transparent portion may be defined as an inner area of the second bezel when the second bezel is output, and may be defined as an inner area of the first bezel when the second bezel is not output.

The panel assembly is provided with a plurality of spacers supporting between the front panel, the rear panel, and the light guide plate, and the first bezel has a width from the outer edge of the front panel to a position corresponding to the end of the plurality of spacers. It is possible to be formed to have.

It is possible that the width of the second bezel can be variably adjusted.

The panel assembly is provided with a plurality of spacers supporting the space between the front panel, the rear panel, and the light guide plate, is output in an opaque color along the circumference of the display, and has a third bezel that shields at least the coupling portion of the spacer. It is possible that the width of the third bezel becomes wider when the light is turned on and narrows when the light is turned off.

The following effects can be expected from the refrigerator according to the proposed embodiment.

In the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the interior of the refrigerator can be selectively visualized by selectively switching between transparent and opaque of the viewing portion, and the user can check the interior without opening the door, which is expected to increase convenience of use and reduce power consumption. You can.

In addition, the screen can be output through the transparent unit, and the transparent unit can be switched between internal inspection and screen output according to the user's intention, which can be expected to improve convenience of use.

In addition, the light guide plate provided in the panel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention may exclude opaque elements such as a reflective layer and a pattern in order to enable transparency inside the cabinet. If opaque elements such as reflective layers and patterns are omitted, the entire light guide plate cannot shine brightly evenly, and shadows may occur in some areas. However, if a light diffuser is included in the light guide plate, even in this structure, the light guide plate can maintain uniform brightness on the entire surface due to the light diffuser, and even when the display screen is output, no shadows are generated on the display and the light diffuser maintains uniform brightness. It is possible to provide a structure that allows for transparency while maintaining the same brightness while maintaining screen output performance.

In particular, in order to check the inside of the cave through the transparent unit, the inside of the cave, that is, the door light and/or the inside light, must be turned on. At this time, the light from the door light and/or the inside light is directly directed to the light guide plate containing the light diffuser. By having a structure that prevents irradiation, the light guide plate can prevent its transparency from being reduced due to the inflow of light.

Therefore, when the entire screen has uniform brightness when outputting the display using the light diffuser and the inside of the cupboard is visualized, the decrease in transparency of the light guide plate due to light irradiated from the door light and/or the light inside the cupboard is minimized. The inner side can be clearly seen.

Additionally, a first bezel is formed around the panel assembly to shield elements such as spacers formed along the periphery of the panel assembly. In addition, since the second bezel can be output through the display, there is an advantage in that components coupled along the periphery of the panel assembly can be effectively shielded even when the user is looking at the transparent unit while positioned to the side.

In addition, the second bezel can expand the opaque area around the panel assembly by outputting only when the inside of the camera is transparent, and effectively expands the circumference of the panel assembly when the user looks at the transparent unit from various general use positions. can be shielded. Additionally, the second bezel may become opaque or may not be output while the screen is being displayed, thereby making it appear to the user that the area of the transparent unit has been expanded, or the area that can actually display the screen may be expanded. There is an advantage to doing this as much as possible.

Additionally, the width of the second bezel displayed by the display can be varied depending on the situation, and thus has the advantage of providing an optimal viewing area depending on the usage condition.

Additionally, without forming a physical first bezel on the panel assembly, the perimeter of the transparent panel assembly may be made opaque using only a virtual third bezel output by the display. Therefore, a separate work process for forming the first bezel becomes unnecessary, which can be expected to improve productivity and reduce manufacturing costs.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an interior light mounted on the inner case of the refrigerator.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4' of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a diagram showing another example of an interior light.
Figure 6 is a perspective view with the sub door of the refrigerator open.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main door of the refrigerator open.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sub door viewed from the front.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the sub door viewed from the rear.
Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the sub door.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the panel assembly.
Figure 14 is a partial perspective view showing the arrangement of the display cable of the panel assembly.
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the top of the panel assembly.
Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of a light guide plate constituting the transparent panel.
17 and 18 are diagrams showing a manufacturing apparatus for the light guide plate.
Figure 19 is a diagram showing another example of the light guide plate manufacturing apparatus.
Figure 20 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing method of the light guide plate.
Figure 21 is a diagram showing another example of a light guide plate.
Figure 22 is a schematic block diagram of the flow of control signals for the display and lights of the refrigerator.
Figure 23 is a diagram schematically showing the lighting status of the door light and interior light of the refrigerator.
Figure 24 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement of the display light, door light, and interior light.
Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21' of Figure 20.
Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the main door and sub door.
Figure 27 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 22.
Figure 28 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 22.
Figure 29 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of a door light.
Figure 30 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of a door light.
Figure 31 is a perspective view of another example of a sub-door equipped with a door light.
32 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a refrigerator equipped with a door light.
Figure 33 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main door and sub door.
Figure 34 is an enlarged view of part C of Figure 29.
Figure 35 is an enlarged view of portion D of Figure 29.
Figure 36 is a diagram showing a state in which the inner side of the cave can be seen through the panel assembly.
Figure 37 is a diagram showing a state in which a screen is output through the panel assembly.
Figure 38 is a partial cross-sectional view of a state in which the second bezel is output according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 39 is a front view of the door in a state where the second bezel is output.
Figure 40 is a partial cross-sectional view of a state in which the second bezel is not output according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 41 is a front view of the door in a state in which the second bezel is not output.
Figure 42 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the output state of the third bezel in another example of the panel assembly.
Figure 43 is a front view of the door in a state where the third bezel is output.
Figure 44 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 45 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 46 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail along with the drawings. However, the present invention cannot be said to be limited to the embodiments in which the idea of the present invention is presented, and other inventions that are regressive or other embodiments included within the scope of the present invention can be easily developed by adding, changing, or deleting other components. can be suggested.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator.

As shown in the drawing, the external appearance of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be formed by a cabinet 10 forming a storage space and a door opening and closing the storage space.

The interior of the cabinet 10 may be divided into upper and lower sections by a barrier (11 in FIG. 6), and a refrigerating compartment 12 may be formed at the top of the cabinet 10 and a freezer compartment at the bottom of the cabinet 10. (13) can be formed.

Additionally, a control unit 14 may be formed on the upper surface of the cabinet 10 to control the overall operation of the refrigerator 10. The control unit 14 may be configured to control electrical components for cooling operation of the refrigerator 10 as well as selective viewing and screen output of the transparency unit 21.

The door may be composed of a refrigerator door 20 and a freezer door 30. The refrigerating compartment door 20 may be configured to open and close the open front surface of the refrigerating compartment 12 by rotating it, and the freezer compartment door 30 may be configured to open and close the open front surface of the freezing compartment 13 by rotating it.

Additionally, the refrigerating compartment door 20 may be provided with a left and right pair so that the refrigerating compartment 12 is shielded by the pair of doors. Additionally, the freezer compartment door 30 may be provided with a left and right pair so that the freezer compartment 13 can be opened and closed by the pair of doors. Of course, the freezer compartment door 30 may be configured to be withdrawn in a drawer type as needed, and may be configured as one or more.

Meanwhile, in an embodiment of the present invention, a bottom freeze type refrigerator in which the freezer compartment 13 is provided at the bottom is described as an example, and a refrigerator in which a pair of doors are rotated to open and close a single space is applied as an example. , the present invention can be applied to all types of refrigerators equipped with doors, regardless of the shape of the refrigerator.

In addition, recessed handle grooves 201 and 301 may be formed at the bottom of the refrigerating compartment door 20 and the top of the freezer compartment door 30. A user can open and close the refrigerating compartment door 20 or the freezer compartment door 30 by inserting his or her hand into the handle grooves 201 and 301.

Meanwhile, the door on at least one side may be formed to allow visibility into the interior of the compartment. The refrigerating compartment door 20 may be provided with a transparent portion 21, which is an area capable of seeing the storage space on the back of the door and/or the interior space. The transparent portion 21 may form at least a portion of the front of the refrigerating compartment door 20. The transparent part 21 can be selectively transparent or opaque depending on the user's manipulation, and the food stored in the container can be accurately identified through the transparent part 21.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, the transparent part 21 is formed in the refrigerator compartment door 20 as an example, but the transparent part 21 is formed in the freezer compartment door 30 according to the structure and shape of the refrigerator. ) may also be provided on various other types of refrigerator doors, including.

In addition, the meaning of the interior or interior of the interior shown by the transparent unit 21 is at least one of the storage space of the door 20 formed in the door 20 or the storage space defined by the cabinet 10. It can be defined as referring to .

In addition, the definition of transparent and opaque of the transparent portion 21 does not mean a completely transparent state and a completely opaque state, but a state in which the inner side of the high space is relatively more visible, a state in which the inner side of the high side is relatively brighter, and a state in which the inner side of the high side is relatively brighter. It means a state in which the medial side is less visible or a state in which the medial side of the arch is relatively darker.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an interior light mounted on the inner case of the refrigerator. And, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4' of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawing, the inner case 102 may form the inner surface of the storage space. Additionally, the barrier 11 is formed in the inner case 102 to divide the storage space into the refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 13.

A groove or protrusion shape necessary for mounting the storage member 131 may be formed on the inner wall of the inner case 102. Additionally, the inner case 102 may be equipped with an interior light 80 capable of illuminating the interior of the storage space.

A case opening 102a for mounting the interior light 80 may be formed on the inner wall of the inner case 102. The case opening 102a may be opened at a position where the interior light 80 is mounted, may be formed on both left and right sides or the upper and lower surfaces of the inner case 102, and may be arranged to face the inside of the interior. Therefore, it can be configured to illuminate the inside of the cupboard by the light emitted from the cupboard light 80.

Although not shown, the interior light 80 may be provided not only inside the refrigerator compartment 12 but also inside the freezer compartment 13 to illuminate the freezer compartment 13.

The case opening 102a may be disposed in the front half of the inner surface of the inner case 102. When the opening signal of the doors 20 and 30 is input, the open area of the refrigerating compartment 12 or the freezer compartment 13 can be brightened.

In addition, the interior light 80 turns on together with the door light 57 when looking at the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior of the interior. It is also possible to make the food stored in the storage space inside the cabinet more clearly visible.

In addition, the interior light 80 and the case opening 102a extend long in the up and down or left and right directions to provide an amount of light sufficient to illuminate the storage space inside the interior. The size of the case opening 102a may be smaller than the size of the interior light 80, and may be formed to be the same as or smaller than the light cover 83 constituting the interior light 80, so that the light Only the cover 83 is exposed and the remaining part of the interior light 80 is obscured by the inner case 102.

Additionally, the outer surface of the light cover 83 exposed through the case opening 102a may form the same plane as the inner case 102. That is, the outer surface of the light cover 83 and the inner surface of the inner case 102, which are exposed to the inside, are formed so as not to be stepped from each other, so that the exterior can be seen neatly, and the light cover 83 and the case opening Parts other than the bond line between the perimeters of (102a) are not exposed.

The interior light 80 may include light cases 81 and 82 that form an overall appearance, and a light cover 83 coupled to the light cases 81 and 82. In addition, the interior light 80 can be mounted on the inner case 102 in an assembled state, and at least the light cases 81 and 82 are mounted on the inner case 102 through the case opening ( It would also be possible to insert and assemble the light cover 83 through 102a).

That is, the light cases 81 and 82 among the interior lights 80 are first mounted on the inner case 102, the foaming liquid is injected into the cabinet 10 to form the insulation material 103, and then the light case 102 is first installed. It can be configured to complete assembly of the interior light 80 by assembling the cover 83.

Accordingly, when servicing is required after installation of the interior light 80, service can be easily performed by removing only the light cover 83 from the inside of the interior of the interior without having to detach the entire interior light 80.

The light cases 81 and 82 include a main case 82 that forms a recessed space for accommodating the light emitting member 84, and is coupled to the main case 82 to secure one side of the light cover 83 and It may be composed of a shielding sub case 81. The main case 82 and the sub case 81 may be in close contact with the outer surface of the inner case 102 while being coupled to each other.

The light case (81, 82) is composed of a combined structure of the main case (82) and the sub case (81), so that the light case (81, 82) has a structure for combining the recessed space of the light case (81, 82) and the light cover (83). can be easily molded.

Looking at this in more detail, the main case 82 may be injection-molded from a plastic material and is combined with the sub case 81 to form the light cases 81 and 82. Additionally, the main case 82 may be entirely composed of a main peripheral portion 823 and a recessed portion 821.

The recessed portion 821 is recessed to form a space in which the light emitting member 84 can be accommodated, and is formed inside the main peripheral portion 823 to define the recessed space. Additionally, a reflective surface 821a that is inclined or rounded may be formed on the inner surface of the recessed portion 821. The reflective surface 821a is intended to reflect the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 so that it can pass through the light cover 83, and may be subjected to painting, coating, or deposition treatment to increase the reflective effect. You can.

The reflective surface 821a is limited to a position facing one end where the light emitting member 84 is mounted and is formed round or inclined to guide light toward the light emitting portion 831 of the light cover 83. Of course, the reflective surface 821a may also be formed on the entire inside of the recessed portion 821.

A cover receiving portion 822 extending in the vertical direction may be formed at one end of the recessed portion 821. The cover receiving portion 822 is recessed to accommodate the end 833 of the light cover 83 so that the end 833 of the light cover 83 can be fixed and supported. Additionally, a coupling portion 824 may be formed on the other end of the recessed portion 821 facing the cover receiving portion 822. A protrusion 824a that is locked with the protrusion 813 of the sub case 81 is formed in the coupling portion 824 so that the main case 82 and the sub case 81 can be coupled to each other.

The sub case 81 is placed at one end of the main case 82 and is combined with the main case 82 to form the light cases 84 and 82. The sub case 81 may include a shielding part 814 in contact with the inner case 102, an external extension part 811 extending from the back of the shielding part 814, and an internal extension part 812. You can. And, the coupling part 824 of the main case 82 is inserted between the external extension part 811 and the internal extension part 812 so that the main case 82 and the sub case 81 are coupled to each other. make it possible

The shielding portion 814 forms a surface in contact with the inner surface of the inner case 102 and may extend toward the case opening 102a. The shielding portion 814 may be adhered to the inside of the inner case 102 by an adhesive member 85. Meanwhile, the shielding portion 814 may extend further toward the cabinet opening 102a than the light emitting member 84 and prevents the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 from being directly irradiated toward the inside of the cabinet. do.

In particular, the shielding portion 814 can minimize light emitted from the light emitting member 84 from being directly directed toward the direction in which the panel assembly 60 of the sub door 50 is located. That is, some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 may be directed to the light guide plate 64, and the shielding portion 814 is disposed in an area through which light directed to the light guide plate 64 passes, so that the light emitting member 84 ) can be prevented from being directly directed to the light guide plate 64.

Accordingly, although the light guide plate inside the panel assembly 60 brightens the storage space inside the storage space by the light emitted from the light emitting member 84, it is possible to prevent the light guide plate 64 from becoming opaque.

Meanwhile, the shielding portion 814 is in contact with the step portion 832 formed on the upper surface of the light cover 83 to maintain the light cover 83 in a fixed state and at the same time expose the light emitting member 84 to the outside. It can be shielded to prevent it from happening.

The shielding portion 814 may not be formed as a component of the light cases 81 and 82, and the inner case 102 formed at a corresponding position may be defined as the shielding portion. That is, one side of the inner case 102 corresponding to the space between the light emitting member 84 and the cabinet opening 102a becomes a shielding part, so that some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 passes through the light guide plate 64. By blocking direct irradiation towards the light guide plate 64, the light directed to the light guide plate 64 can be minimized.

The light cover 83 may be mounted on the light cases 81 and 82, and may be formed to transmit light emitted from the light emitting member 84 to the inside of the cupboard. Additionally, a light emitting member 84 that irradiates light may be coupled to the light cover 83.

The light cover 83 and the light emitting member 84 can be coupled to each other, and the light cover 83 and the light emitting member 84 can be mounted or removed from the light cases 81 and 82 while being coupled to each other. It can be.

The light emitting member 84 may be disposed in a position facing the reflective surface 821a of the depression 821 and may radiate light toward the reflective surface 821a. Accordingly, the light passing through the light cover 83 becomes light reflected from the reflective surface 821a, so that the interior light 80 can emit light in the form of surface light.

Additionally, the light emitting member 84 may be disposed in a direction crossing the light guide plate 64. That is, the light emitting member 84 may be located rearward with respect to the light guide plate 64 and may be arranged to face the rear. Accordingly, most of the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 is directed backward with respect to the light guide plate 64, and the light directed to the light guide plate 64 can be minimized. In addition, light directly irradiated toward the light guide plate 64 can be shielded by the shielding portion 814.

The light emitting member 84 may have a structure in which a plurality of LEDs 842 are mounted on the PCB 841, and a plurality of LEDs 842 may be arranged continuously along the longitudinal direction of the light cover 83. there is. The light emitting member 84 may not be fixed to the light cover 83 but may be fixedly mounted on the light cases 81 and 82.

The LED 842 includes a light-emitting surface 842a through which light is irradiated, and the light-emitting surface 842a may be arranged to be parallel to the light guide plate 64 and face the rear, and thus, It can be seen that most of the light emitted from the LED 842 is directed backward with respect to the light guide plate 64.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing another example of an interior light.

As shown in the drawing, the interior light 80 may include a light case 81, a light emitting member 84, and a light cover 83. The light case 81 is formed on both sides with a peripheral portion 823 that is adhered to the back of the inner compartment by an adhesive member 85, and a depression 821 is formed in the center of the peripheral portion 823. A space in which the light emitting member 84 can be accommodated is formed.

In addition, a cover receiving portion 822 into which both ends 833 of the light cover 83 are inserted may be formed on the periphery of the light case 81. Accordingly, in a state where the light case 83 is fixed to the side wall of the receptacle, the light emitting member 84 is accommodated inside the recess 821 and the light cover 83 is mounted to form the recess 821. and may have a structure capable of shielding the light emitting member 84.

At this time, the light emitting member 84 may be formed in a direction facing the light cover 83 and is directed toward the light emitting portion 831 of the light cover 83 exposed to the outside of the inner case 102. Light can be irradiated. Accordingly, the light cover 83 can emit light and illuminate the inside of the cave.

Meanwhile, even if the light emitting member 84 is disposed in a direction facing the light cover 83, it is mounted in the recessed portion 821 and is located further outside the interior space, and thus the light emitting member 84 The light emitted from the light emitting surface 842a, which is the surface from which the light is emitted, spreads at a predetermined angle, and some of this light, that is, the light directed toward the rear side of the door 50, can be blocked. Accordingly, the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 is not actually emitted directly toward the light guide plate 64.

Taking this into consideration, the depression depth of the depression 821 is set to a depth that prevents the light from the light emitting member 84 from being directly irradiated to the light guide plate 64. For example, it is 10 mm ~ 10 mm based on the inner case 102. There may be a depression of about 30mm.

Meanwhile, in addition to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, the light emitting member 84 is arranged to have various angles in a range where the light emitted from the light emitting member 84 is not directly irradiated toward the light guide plate 64. It may be configured to reveal the medial aspect of the hilum.

Figure 6 is a perspective view with the sub door of the refrigerator open. And, Figure 7 is a perspective view with the main door of the refrigerator open.

As shown in the drawing, among the pair of refrigerating compartment doors 20, the refrigerating compartment door 20 on the right side (as seen in FIG. 6) may be configured to be dually opened and closed. In detail, the refrigerating compartment door 20 located on the right side includes a main door 40 that opens and closes the refrigerating compartment 12, and an opening formed in the main door 40 that is rotatably disposed on the main door 40 ( It may be composed of a sub door 50 that opens and closes 41).

The main door 40 may be formed to have the same size as the refrigerator compartment door 20 on the left (as seen in FIG. 1) of the pair of refrigerator compartment doors 20, and has an upper hinge 401 and a lower hinge 402. It is rotatably mounted on the cabinet 10 to open and close at least part of the refrigerating compartment 12.

Also, an opening 41 of a predetermined size is formed in the main door 40. A door basket 431 may be mounted on the back of the main door 40, including the inside of the opening 41. At this time, the size of the opening 41 may be formed to occupy most of the front surface of the main door 40 except for a portion of the circumference of the main door 40.

In addition, a main gasket 45 is provided around the rear surface of the main door 40 to prevent cold air from leaking out of the interior space of the cabinet 10 when the main door 40 is opened and closed.

The sub door 50 is rotatably mounted on the front of the main door 40 to open and close the opening 41. Therefore, the opening 41 can be exposed by opening the sub door 50.

The size of the sub door 50 may be the same as that of the main door 40 and may be configured to shield the entire front of the main door 40. In addition, when the sub door 50 is closed, the main door 40 and the sub door 50 are coupled and can be configured to have the same size and shape as the refrigerating compartment door 20 formed on the left side. . Additionally, a sub gasket 503 is provided on the back of the sub door 50 to seal the gap between the main door 40 and the sub door 50.

The sub door 50 is provided with a panel assembly 60 in the center that allows selective viewing of the interior and simultaneously outputs a screen. Therefore, even when the sub door 50 is closed, the inside of the opening 41 can be selectively viewed and images can also be output. The transparent portion 21 may be defined as a portion on the sub door 50 where the inside of the cupboard is visible and may be referred to as a visualization area. Also, the transparent portion 21 may not necessarily match the entire panel assembly 60.

The panel assembly 60 may be configured to selectively change its state to transparent or opaque according to user manipulation. Therefore, it becomes transparent only in the state desired by the user to make the interior visible, and in other states it can remain opaque. Additionally, it may be possible to output a screen with the panel assembly 60 being transparent or opaque.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the panel assembly 60 is configured to shield the open portion of the sub door 50, but depending on the shape of the door, it can be used as one door, such as the door 20 on the right side of the refrigerating compartment 12. Even when it is configured as a door, an opening is formed in the door 20 and the door 20 can be installed to shield the opening. In other words, it should be noted that the panel assembly 60 can be applied to any type of door that has an opening penetrating the door, regardless of the shape of the refrigerator and the shape of the door.

The sub door 50 is provided with a sub upper hinge 501 and a sub lower hinge 502 at the top and bottom, respectively, and can be rotatably mounted on the front of the main door 40. Additionally, the sub door 50 may be provided with an opening device 59, and the main door 40 corresponding to the opening device 59 may be provided with a locking unit 42. Accordingly, the sub door 50 can be maintained in a closed state by combining the opening device 59 and the locking unit 42, and the opening device 59 and the locking unit 42 can be maintained by manipulating the opening device 59. When the locking unit 42 is released, the sub door 50 may be opened relative to the main door 40.

Additionally, a damping device (504 in FIG. 9) may be provided at the bottom of the sub door 50. The damping device 504 is installed on the sub door 50 adjacent to the sub lower hinge 502 to alleviate the impact when the heavy sub door 50 is closed by the panel assembly 60. It can be located at the bottom and side edges of .

Meanwhile, a storage case 43 may be provided on the back of the main door 40. A plurality of door baskets 431 may be placed in the storage case 43, and a case door 432 may be provided in the storage case 43.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sub door viewed from the front. And, Figure 9 is a perspective view of the sub door seen from the rear. And, Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the sub door.

As shown in the drawing, the sub door 50 includes an out plate 51 forming the exterior, a door liner 56 mounted spaced apart from the out plate 51, and the out plate 51 and the door liner ( It may include a panel assembly 60 mounted on the opening of the sub door 56) and an upper cap deco 54 and a lower cap deco 55 that form the upper and lower surfaces of the sub door 50, and the combination of these structures. The appearance can be formed by.

The out plate 51 forms the front exterior and part of the peripheral surface of the sub door 50 and may be made of a plate-shaped stainless material. The out plate 51 may be configured to form part of the exterior including the front of the sub door 50. Additionally, the out plate 51 may be formed of the same material as the front surfaces of the refrigerating compartment door 20 and the freezer compartment door 30. The front surface of the out plate 51 may be subjected to various surface treatments such as anti-fingerprint coating, hairline, coating or film attachment to implement color or pattern.

The out plate 51 may include a front portion 512 that forms the front exterior and a side portion 513 that forms the exterior of the side exposed to the outside. Additionally, the plate opening 511 is formed in the center of the front portion 512, and the plate opening 511 may be formed to be shielded by the panel assembly 60. In addition, since the inside of the refrigerator can be seen through the panel assembly 60 that shields the plate opening 511, the inside of the plate opening 511 can be referred to as the transparent portion 21.

The front portion 512 may be formed to have a curvature that decreases overall from the center side of the refrigerator 1 to the outside. The front portion 512 may be formed to have a round shape corresponding to the front of the adjacent refrigerating compartment door 20, and the overall front exterior of the refrigerator 1 can be seen in three dimensions.

Additionally, a plate bending portion 514 bent backward may be formed on the peripheral surface of the plate opening 511. The plate bent portion 514 is formed along the circumference of the plate opening 511, and may extend a predetermined length so that it can be inserted and fixed into the support frame 70, which will be described in detail below. Accordingly, the plate opening 511 may be defined by the plate bending portion 514.

The side portions 513 bent backward may be formed at both ends of the front portion 512. The side portion 513 may form the appearance of the side of the sub door 50. Additionally, the end of the side portion 513 may also be bent inward and coupled to the door liner 56. Additionally, the top and bottom of the front portion 512 may also be bent inward and coupled to the upper cap deco 54 and the lower cap deco 55.

Meanwhile, the top and bottom of the out plate 51 may also be bent and combined with the upper cap deco 54 and the lower cap deco 55. Accordingly, the out plate 51 can form the exterior of the sub door 50 by combining the door liner 56, the upper cap deco 54, and the lower cap deco 55.

The door liner 56 forms the rear surface of the sub door 50, and a liner opening 561 is formed in the area where the panel assembly 60 is disposed. Additionally, a sub gasket 503 may be installed on the rear surface of the door liner 56 to airtighten the space between the sub door 50 and the main door 40.

Additionally, door lights 57 may be provided on both sides of the liner opening 561. The door light 57 is configured to illuminate the back of the sub door 50 and the rear of the panel assembly 60. The door light 57 may be called a light, and the light may include the door light 57 as well as other lights that are provided inside the storage space and can illuminate the interior.

When the door light 57 is turned on, the inside of the storage case 43 becomes brighter, and therefore the inside of the compartment becomes brighter than the outside of the compartment, thereby illuminating the rear space of the sub-door 50 through the panel assembly 60. Visualization becomes possible.

The door lights 57 may be arranged on both sides of the panel assembly 60 to face each other. As for the mounting position of the door light 57, various arrangements may be possible as long as sufficient brightness can be obtained at the rear of the sub door 50. The door light 57 can be turned on by mainly brightening the inside of the home to make the inside of the home visible through the transparent unit 21. At this time, the light of the door light 57 is not directed toward the light guide plate 64. Thus, it can be configured to prevent the transparent portion 21 from being blurred by the light emission of the light guide plate 64. The structure and arrangement of the door light 57 will be discussed in more detail below.

Additionally, the opening device 59 may be mounted on the door liner 56. The opening device 59 includes an operating member 591 exposed at the bottom of the sub-door 50, a rod 592 extending from the operating member 591, and a locking member 593 protruding from the rear of the door liner 56. ) may be configured to include. By manipulating the operating member 591 by the user, the rod 592 moves the locking member 593 so that the sub door 50 is selectively restrained to the main door 40, and the sub door 50 can be selectively restrained to the main door 40. It becomes possible to operate the opening and closing of the door 50.

The upper cap deco 54 forms the upper surface of the sub door 50 and is coupled to the top of the out plate 51 and the door liner 56. The upper surface of the upper cap deco 54 is opened to form a deco opening 542 communicating with the space above the panel assembly 60, and is shielded by the deco cover 543. Additionally, a PCB mounting portion 543a is formed on the decor cover 543, so that PCBs 602, 603, and 604 for operating electrical components inside the panel assembly 60 and the sub-door 50 can be mounted. The PCBs 602, 603, and 604 may be configured in the form of at least one module, and may be provided in a closed space above the sub door 50.

At this time, the space above the sub door 50 may be divided back and forth by the upper part of the support frame 70, and an insulating material 531a is disposed in the front space and the PCBs 602, 603, and 604 are disposed in the rear space. It could be deployed. The structure of the upper space of the sub door 50 may be referred to in FIG. 35 below.

The lower cap deco 55 forms the lower surface of the sub door 50 and is coupled to the lower end of the out plate 51 and the door liner 56.

The panel assembly 60 may be disposed between the out plate 51 and the door liner 56. Additionally, the panel assembly 60 may be configured to shield the plate opening 511 and the door liner opening 561. Additionally, the panel assembly 60 can be selectively manipulated by the user into any one of transparent, translucent, opaque, and screen output states.

Accordingly, the user can not only selectively see the inner space of the sub door 50 through the panel assembly 60, but also view the screen output through the panel assembly 60.

Of course, the panel assembly 60 may not include the display 62 for screen output, and the only difference between the panel assembly 60 without the display 62 is that it does not output the screen. It may have the same external structure as the panel assembly 60 equipped with the display 62, and have a structure for fixing and supporting the panel assembly 60 and preventing condensation from occurring on the surface of the panel assembly 60. Structures for prevention, etc. may be equally applicable.

A support frame 70 is mounted around the plate opening 511 of the out plate 51 to support the panel assembly 60. The panel assembly 60 can be fixedly mounted on the out plate 51 by the support frame 70, and in particular, the front of the out plate 51 and the front of the panel assembly 60 are on the same extension line. It can be arranged so that the front of the sub door 50 has a sense of unity.

The support frame 70 has a frame opening 701 formed in the center, and the frame opening 701 is formed to be somewhat smaller than the size of the plate opening 511, so that the panel assembly 60 can be seated. will be provided. Additionally, the frame opening 701 may be formed smaller than the size of the front panel 61 and larger than the rear panel 65. Accordingly, when the panel assembly 60 is mounted, the rear panel 65 may sequentially pass through the plate opening 511 and the frame opening 701 and be seated on the door liner 56.

In addition, the support frame 70 may have a coupling structure with the out plate 51, and the ends of the out plate 51 and the panel assembly 60 can be mounted in close contact with each other. Therefore, when the sub door 50 is viewed from the front, the end of the out plate 51 and the periphery of the panel assembly 60 are in close contact with each other, so that the gap between them is barely visible or can be seen in the form of a line. The front exterior appears to be continuous and has a sense of unity.

Meanwhile, a first bezel 611 may be formed around the panel assembly 60 to prevent light from being transmitted and to shield the coupling structure around the panel assembly 60. The first bezel 611 may be made of black to completely shield the interior, and may be formed to have a predetermined width. Accordingly, the inner area of the first bezel 611 may be defined as the transparent portion 21. Also, the portion of the support frame 70 that supports the periphery of the panel assembly 60 is located in the area of the first bezel 611 and may be hidden from view from the outside.

Below, we will look at the structure of the panel assembly in more detail.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a panel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly. And, Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the panel assembly.

As shown in the drawing, the panel assembly 60 may be sized to shield the plate opening 511 and the liner opening 561 on the inside of the sub door 50. Also, by forming the transparent portion 21, the space inside the cupboard can be selectively visualized and a screen can be output.

The panel assembly 60 is composed of a plurality of panels formed in a plate shape, and each panel may be configured to be spaced apart at regular intervals by at least one or more spacers. The panel assembly 60 may be composed of at least a front panel 61 and a rear panel 65 that form the front and back surfaces, and a spacer connecting the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65. It may have a structure in which additional panels and spacers are further provided in the internal space formed by the spacers. Additionally, a vacuum or insulating gas may be injected into a portion of the space formed by the spacer and the panels to provide an insulating structure inside the panel assembly.

Looking at the panel assembly 60 in more detail with reference to the drawings, the panel assembly 60 includes a front panel 61 and a rear panel 65 that form front and back surfaces, and the front panel 61 and The outer shape may be formed by the outer spacer 67 connecting the rear panels 65.

In addition, a display 62 and a light guide plate 64 may be disposed between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65, and a first spacer to support the display 62 and the light guide plate 64 ( 63) may be further provided, and a display light 68 may be provided to irradiate light to the light guide plate 64.

Looking at this in more detail, the front panel 61 forms the front exterior of the panel assembly 60 and may be made of a transparent glass material (eg, blue glass). Of course, the front panel 61 may be made of another material that allows internal transparency and allows touch input.

In addition, a film may be disposed on the back of the front panel 61 to selectively transmit light and appear transparent or opaque depending on whether the light inside the cabinet or the light provided on the sub door 50 is turned on or off. There will be.

The front panel 61 may be formed to have a size corresponding to the size of the plate opening 511 and may be formed to be larger than the size of the frame opening 701. Accordingly, the front panel 61 can be supported on its circumference by the support frame 70. In addition, when the panel assembly 60 is mounted, the end of the front panel 61 may contact the end of the plate opening 511, and a space between the plate opening 511 and the front panel 61 may be formed. It is possible to prevent space from forming.

In detail, the front panel 61 may be formed with a front protrusion 613 that protrudes further outward than the rear panel 65. Due to the structural characteristics of being inserted and mounted in front of the out plate 51, the front protrusion 613 may protrude further than the rear panel 65 and the outer spacer 67 in both the up, down, left, and right directions. Accordingly, the front panel 61 forming the front of the panel assembly 60 extends further outside the frame opening 701 and can be stably supported by the support frame 70, and the outer spacer ( The rear panel 65, including 67), may be inserted into the frame opening 701.

Additionally, the support frame 70 and the outer spacer 67 of the panel assembly 60 may be fastened to each other using a separate coupling structure or a coupling member 78 such as a screw. Therefore, when the panel assembly 60 is mounted, the front protrusion 613 can be supported by the support frame 70, and at the same time, the support frame 70 is coupled to the outer spacer 67 to reduce the weight. The heavy panel assembly 60 can maintain a stable fixed mounting state even when the sub door 50 is opened and closed.

Meanwhile, a first bezel 611 may be formed around the front or back of the front panel 61. The first bezel 611 can be formed by printing in an opaque color such as black, and the components such as the outer spacer 67, the first spacer 63, and the support frame 70 are not visible from the outside. . The first bezel 611 may be formed to have a width from the outer edge of the front panel 61 to at least the first spacer 63, defines the transparent portion 21, and includes the outer spacer ( 67), the first spacer 63, and the support frame 70.

A touch sensor 612 may be disposed on the back of the front panel 61. The touch sensor 612 may be formed on the back of the front panel 61 using a printing method and may be configured to detect a user's touch operation of the front panel 61. Of course, the touch sensor 612 may be capable of using various other methods for inputting input by touching the front panel 61, such as a film adhesive method rather than a printing method.

A touch cable 601 connected to the touch sensor 612 may be provided at the top of the front panel 61. The touch cable 601 may be composed of a flexible film-type cable such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible print cable or flexible print circuit board (FPC), and a printed circuit may be installed on the touch cable 601. It may be printed to form at least a portion of the touch PCB 603. Additionally, the touch cable 601 may be configured to be connected to the touch PCB 603 provided above the sub door 50.

The touch cable 601 is connected to the touch sensor 612 and may extend upward. Additionally, the touch cable 601 is configured to have wiring disposed on a base of a resin material such as a film, and may extend upward along the back of the front panel 61. The touch cable 601 may be formed to have a thin thickness and a wide width, like a sheet, and may be configured to be flexibly bent.

Additionally, the touch cable 601 may be of a film type and have a structure in which its end can be easily inserted into the connector of the touch PCB 603 when connected to the touch PCB 603. To this end, the touch cable 601 may be bent multiple times, and the end of the touch cable 601 may be formed to face the connector on the touch PCB 603. Additionally, the touch cable 601 is bent to be disposed along the wall of the inner space of the sub-door 50, enabling efficient spatial arrangement within the sub-door 50.

Additionally, not only the touch cable 601 but also the display cable 605 and display light cable 606 may be formed to have the same structure. The cables 601, 605, and 606 formed in this flat cable shape can all extend to the top of the panel assembly 60 and can be efficiently placed on the thin and wide sub door 50. do. In addition, it is possible to provide a simple connection structure with the PCBs 602, 603, and 604 disposed above the sub door 50.

Meanwhile, the display 62 may be provided on the back of the front panel 61. The display 62 may be composed of an LCD module that outputs a screen, and may be transparent so that it can be seen through when the screen is not output.

A source board 621 may be provided on one side of the left and right sides of the display 62. The source board 621 is for screen output of the display 62 and can be connected to the display 62 in an assembled state. Additionally, the source board 621 may also partially include a flexible film-type cable structure.

Additionally, the width of the source board 621 may be smaller than the thickness of the panel assembly 60, and the panel assembly 60 may be bent during the assembly process. At this time, the source board 621 may be disposed between the outer spacer 67 and the first spacer 63, and the outer spacer 67 may be positioned perpendicular to the front panel 61. ) can be in contact with the inner side of the.

Additionally, the source board 621 can be connected to a display cable 605, and the display cable 605 can be connected to the T-CON board 602 at the top of the sub door 50. .

In detail, when the source board 621 is placed behind the display 62, there is a possibility that it will be exposed to the outside through the transparent portion 21 due to the transparent nature of the display 62. Additionally, when the source board 621 has a structure that protrudes laterally, there is a problem in that the size of the sub door 50 increases.

Accordingly, the source board 621 may be formed at a peripheral end of the display 62 and provided between the outer spacer 67 and the first spacer 63. Additionally, the source board 621 may be formed to a corresponding size so as not to deviate from the area of the outer spacer 67 while being in close contact with the outer spacer 67 .

Meanwhile, the source board 621 may be composed of two upper and lower boards, and each may be connected to a pair of display cables 605. Like the touch cable 601, the display cable 605 may have a flexible and flat structure and can be freely bent.

The display cable 605 extends along the peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60, penetrates the sealant 608 forming the peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60, and extends to the outside of the panel assembly 60. It can be.

Additionally, the display cable 605 may be bent to extend along the circumferential surface of the panel assembly 60 and may be bent so that its end may extend upward over the panel assembly 60 . Therefore, it can be combined with the Ticon board 602 above the sub door 50.

Meanwhile, both ends of the display 62 may be supported by the first spacer 63. The first spacer 63 may be formed in a bar shape extending from the top to the bottom of the display 62 and may be made of aluminum.

The light guide plate 64 is located behind the display 62, and can be spaced a predetermined distance away from the display 62 by the first spacer 63. At this time, there may be a difference in the sense of depth of the screen output from the display 62 depending on the position of the light guide plate 64.

The light guide plate 64 is used to diffuse or scatter light emitted from the display light 68, and may be formed of various materials. For example, it may be made of a transparent polymer material such as acrylic. The light guide plate 64 is configured to illuminate the display 62 from the rear when the display light 68 is turned on. To this end, the light guide plate 64 may be formed in a plate shape of the same size or slightly larger than that of the display 62, and the display light 68 is positioned at positions corresponding to the top and bottom of the light guide plate 64. may be provided. The structure of the light guide plate 64 will be discussed in more detail below.

The rear panel 65 may be disposed behind the light guide plate 64. The rear panel 65 forms the back of the panel assembly 60 and may be larger than the light guide plate 64 and smaller than the front panel 61. Additionally, the rear panel 65 may be formed larger than the liner opening 561 and may shield the liner opening 561.

Meanwhile, the perimeter of the rear panel 65 may protrude further outward than the outer spacer 67 to form a rear panel protrusion 651. The rear panel protrusion 651 has a protruding portion that can be seated on the door liner 56 when the panel assembly 60 is mounted, and is a space that can be filled with the sealant applied around the circumference of the sub-door 50. can be formed.

The rear panel 65 may be made of low-ε glass for insulation. Accordingly, the rear panel 65 can prevent cold air inside the refrigerator from being transferred to the outside through the panel assembly 60.

A pair of second spacers 66 may be provided between the rear panel 65 and the light guide plate 64. The second spacer 66 may be formed in the shape of a rectangular frame formed along the circumference of the light guide plate 64, and is attached to the light guide plate 64 and the rear panel 65 to be connected to the light guide plate 64 and the rear panel 65. The rear panel 65 can be maintained at a certain distance. Additionally, an insulating glass 69 may be provided between the pair of second spacers 66. The insulating glass 69 can be used to partition between the light guide plate 64 and the rear panel 65. Additionally, an insulating layer may be formed between the insulating glass 69 and the rear panel 65. Of course, if necessary, a structure in which the insulating glass 69 is not provided and the light guide plate 64 and the rear panel 65 are fixed by a single second spacer 66 may also be possible.

Meanwhile, the rear panel 65 and the insulation panel 69 are supported by the second spacer 66, and an adhesive member 661 is disposed on the second spacer 66 to maintain the rear panel 65. and the insulation panel 69 can be maintained attached to the second spacer 66. And, with this structure, the rear panel 65 and the insulation panel 69 can be firmly coupled to each other, and an airtight space for insulation can be created between them.

In addition, the light guide plate 64 is supported between the insulation panel 69 by the second spacer 66 and between the front panel 61 by the first spacer 63. You can. At this time, a support member 662 may be provided on one surface of the second spacer 66 and one surface of the first spacer 63 that are in contact with the light guide plate 64.

The support member 662 allows the light guide plate 64 to maintain a gap between the insulating panel 69 and the front panel 61, and may be formed of compressible silicone or resin material, and the light guide plate 64 It may be configured to be supported in a simple contact state without being adhered to (64). In other words, the support member 662 can be adhered to the first spacer 63 and the second spacer 66, but remains in simple contact or pressurized support with the light guide plate 64.

The light guide plate 64 may expand or contract by the light emitted from the display light 68 and the heat generated during the operation of the display 62, thereby responding to the bending or deformation of the light guide plate 64. In order to maintain the support state, the first spacer 63 and the second spacer 66 support the light guide plate 64 in a simple support state through the support member 662 rather than by adhesion.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the spacers (63, 66, and 67) all have different structures, but are used to support the gap between neighboring panels (61, 65) or light guide plates (64), such as rods. Various forms may be possible, such as a shape or a form that accommodates a moisture absorbent inside.

Additionally, an insulating panel 69 and a light guide plate 64 are provided between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65. At this time, the insulating panel 69 and the light guide plate 64 are provided between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65. It is a plate-shaped member provided between the and rear panel 65 and may be provided alone or together, and may also be called a middle panel. At least one middle panel may be provided, and if a see-through portion capable of seeing the interior can be formed, the middle panel may not be provided between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65.

The gap between the front panel 61 and the light guide plate 64 is maintained at a fixed distance for screen output on the display 62. Additionally, the distance between the light guide plate 64 and the rear panel 65 may be determined depending on the thickness of the sub door 50 or the overall thickness of the panel assembly 60. That is, by adjusting the thickness of the second spacer 66, the overall thickness of the panel assembly 60 can be determined and mounted according to the specifications of the sub door 50.

Meanwhile, the rear panel 65 may be placed adjacent to the door light 57, and the distance between the display 62 and the door light 57 varies depending on the position of the rear panel 65. can be decided. The door light 57 can illuminate the space behind the panel assembly 60, making it possible to visualize the storage space.

While the rear panel 65 is attached to the second spacer 66, the outer end of the rear panel 65 may extend further outward than the second spacer 66. In addition, the outer spacer 67 is mounted on the outer end of the rear panel 65, so that the rear panel 65 and the front panel 61 can be fixed to each other.

The outer spacer 67 may be formed in a rectangular frame shape, and the outer spacer 67 connects the back of the front panel 61 and the front of the rear panel 65 and simultaneously forms the panel assembly ( 60) can be formed.

In detail, the outer spacer 67 forms a circumference of the outer portion of the panel assembly 60 and has a structure that connects the front panel 61 to maintain a certain gap.

By combining the outer spacer 67, the space between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65, that is, the space inside the outer spacer, can be completely airtight. Additionally, the interior of the outer spacer 67 may be further airtightened by the sealant 608 applied around the outer spacer 67.

Inside the space sealed by the outer spacer 67, the display 62 and the light guide plate 64 may be spaced apart in the front-back direction, and a first spacer 63 is provided to maintain the gap between the light guide plates 64. And a second spacer 66 may also be provided in the inner space of the outer spacer 67.

Of course, an additional insulating panel 69 may be provided inside the outer spacer 67 or a multi-layer glass structure may be provided, and all of these structures may be installed inside the space formed by the outer spacer 67. can be provided.

That is, the overall appearance of the panel assembly 60 is formed by the front panel 61, the rear panel 65, and the outer spacer 67, and the remaining components are all provided inside the outer spacer 67. It becomes possible. Accordingly, the multi-layer panel structure can be completely airtight by sealing only the space between the outer spacer 67 and the front panel 61 and rear panel 65.

In particular, even when a plate-shaped structure including a light guide plate 64 is further provided inside the outer spacer 67, only the outermost spacer 67 is adhered to the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65. If so, the airtight structure of the panel assembly 60 can be completed. This airtight structure can maintain the minimum sealing point even in a multi-layer structure made of multiple panels including the light guide plate 64.

Accordingly, the possibility of external air flowing into the panel assembly or internal condensation due to moisture permeation can be minimized. In addition, when the interior of the outer spacer 67 is vacuumed or gas for insulation is injected, an insulation layer can be formed throughout the multi-layer structure inside the panel assembly 60, thereby further improving insulation performance. there is.

Ultimately, by arranging the panel assembly 60 inside the sub-door 50, it is possible to see through the interior of the room and output the screen, and it is also possible to complete the insulation structure in a multi-layer panel structure with the minimum sealing point, thereby improving insulation performance. can be secured.

In addition, an insulating panel is provided in the area between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65 that is airtight by the outer spacer 67, and the insulating panel 69 is provided between the rear panel 65 and the second panel 65. They are spaced apart in an airtight state by the spacer 66, making it possible to form a vacuum insulation layer.

Therefore, primary insulation is possible through the airtight structure of the outer spacer 67, the front panel 61, and the rear panel 65, and the second spacer 66, the insulation panel 69, and the rear panel 65 ), the airtight structure enables additional insulation, and ultimately the panel assembly 60 can have a double insulation structure, and the insulation of the entire panel assembly 60 is greatly improved, effectively insulating the inside of the cabinet. It becomes possible.

Additionally, a space in which the display light 68 can be mounted can be provided on the inner surface of the outer spacer 67. Display lights 68 may be mounted on the top and bottom of the outer spacer 67, respectively, and the light guide plate 64 is positioned between the display lights 68 disposed on the top and bottom of the outer spacer 67. can be located

Accordingly, the light irradiated through the display light 68 can be directed to the end of the light guide plate 64 and can move along the light guide plate 64 to cause the light guide plate 64 to emit light from the entire surface. .

Meanwhile, the display light 68 located at the inner top and bottom of the panel assembly 60 may be connected to the display light cable 606. The display light cable 606 may be formed in a flexible and flat shape like the touch cable 601 and the display cable 605.

The display light cable 606 is connected to the display light 68 mounted inside the outer spacer 67 and may extend to the outside of the panel assembly 60.

Additionally, the display light cable 606 may extend along the periphery of the transparent display 62 so as not to be exposed through the transparent display 62. Additionally, the display light cable 606 may extend upward while being in close contact with the back of the rear panel 65, and if necessary, may be bent while being adhered to the back of the rear panel 65 to connect the sub door. (50) It can be connected to the upper docking PCB 604.

At this time, the display light cable 606 extends in close contact with the peripheral surface of the rear protrusion 651 of the rear panel 65, so that it passes through the panel assembly 60 when viewed from the outside of the sub door 50. will not be exposed.

Sealant 608 may be applied around the outer spacer 67. The sealant 608 may be applied to form a circumferential surface of the panel assembly 60 and forms a circumferential surface between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65.

The sealant 608 seals the panel assembly 60 to prevent air from entering the panel assembly 60, and may be made of polysulfide (also called thiokol) material. Of course, if necessary, it may also be made of other sealant materials such as silicone or urethane that can directly contact the foaming liquid injected to form the insulating material 531.

The sealant 608 allows the outer spacer 67, the front panel 61, and the rear panel 65 to remain coupled, and at the same time, the connection portion of each component is completely sealed to prevent moisture or moisture from entering. It can be prevented. Additionally, the sealant 608 is a portion directly contacted with the foaming liquid during molding of the insulation material 531 and can protect the perimeter of the panel assembly 60.

Additionally, the sealant 608 allows cables 601, 605, and 606 connected to the touch sensor 612, display panel 62, and display light 68 inside the panel assembly 60 to enter and exit. That is, the sealant 608 blocks the outer surface of the cables 601, 605, and 606 when the cables 601, 605, and 606 extend outward through the peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60, so that water or water enters the space where the cables 601, 605, and 606 enter and exit. It can block moisture from entering.

In addition, on the peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60 where the sealant 608 is applied, a spacer protrusion 672 forming a space filled with the sealant 608 and a heater mounting portion 673 on which the heater 532 is mounted may be formed to protrude, and may be configured to fill the space between the spacer protrusion 672 and the heater mounting portion 673 with the sealant 608. A more detailed structure of the spacer protrusion 672 and the heater mounting portion 673 will be described again below.

Figure 14 is a partial perspective view showing the arrangement of the display cable of the panel assembly.

As shown in the figure, the display cable 605 is connected to the source board 621 and extends upward, extends along the side circumference of the panel assembly 60, and is then connected to the Ticon board 602. You can.

The display cable 605 may be connected to the source board 621 inside the panel assembly 60, and may be connected to the outer spacer 67 through between the rear panel 65 and the outer spacer 67. can be guided to the outside of .

In detail, a cable connection portion 605a may be formed on the display cable 605. The cable connection portion 605a may be introduced into the inside of the panel assembly 60 into the space between the rear panel 65 and the end of the outer spacer 67, and into the inside of the transparent display 62. It can be connected to the source board 621 in space.

The cable connection portion 605a is guided to the outer surface of the panel assembly 60 through a gap between the adhesive member 671 that bonds the rear panel 65 and the outer spacer 67 and the sealant 608. It can be. Accordingly, the display cable 605 can be guided to the outside by passing around the airtight panel assembly 60.

The adhesive member 671 may also be provided between the front panel 61 and the end of the outer spacer 67. The adhesive member 671 may be formed to be thin so that heat generated from the outer spacer 67 can be sufficiently transferred to the front panel 61. Of course, the outer spacer 67 may be coupled to the front panel 61 in another way without being bonded to it by the adhesive member 671. In this case, the outer spacer 67 is directly connected to the front panel 61. It may have a structure that allows heat transfer through contact.

In this state, the display cable 605 may extend upward in a bent state to contact the outer surface of the panel assembly 60 to which the sealant is applied, and may be bent again to be connected to the Ticon board 602. You can. That is, the display cable 605 may be extended to be connected to the Ticon board 602 while exposed to the outside of the panel assembly 60.

In addition, the sealant 608 may be exposed to the outer surface of the panel assembly 60 in a applied state, and the spacer protrusion 672 and the heater mounting portion 673 may be exposed between the sealant 608. It can be configured so that Therefore, the panel assembly 60 can be mounted on the door 50 in an assembled state, and the panel assembly 60 is fixed in a state in which the panel assembly 60 is mounted on the door 50. It is possible to install the heater 532 or connect the installed heater 532.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the top of the panel assembly.

As shown in the drawing, the sealant 608 may be applied to the outermost peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60. The sealant 608 is applied between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65 and may be configured to cover the outside of the outer spacer 67.

The panel assembly 60 can be mounted on the door 50 with the sealant 608 applied, and has a structure supported by the support frame 70. Therefore, if the sealant 608 does not have a uniform surface, misassembly or defects may occur due to interference with the support frame 70 or other neighboring components when assembling the panel assembly 60. there is a problem.

In particular, when the gap between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65 is long, it is not easy to uniformly apply the sealant 608, and the surface is biased to one side or has irregularities in localized areas. This may be formed.

To prevent this problem, a spacer protrusion 672 and a heater mounting portion 673 may be formed on the outer surface of the outer spacer 67. The spacer protrusion 672 and the heater mounting portion 673 are arranged side by side at a distance from each other and may protrude to the same height. Additionally, the space between the front panel 61 and the rear panel 65, the spacer protrusion 672, and the heater mounting portion 673 can be filled with the sealant 608 at a uniform height.

After applying the sealant 608, the outer surface of the spacer protrusion 672 may be exposed to the peripheral surface of the panel assembly 60. Additionally, a plurality of fastening holes 672a may be formed on the exposed outer surface of the spacer protrusion 672. A coupling member such as a screw that is fastened to the panel assembly 60 is fastened to the fastening hole 672a.

Additionally, a heater groove 673a may be formed on the outer surface of the heater mounting portion 673 into which the heater 532 is inserted and mounted from the outside. In addition, the heater groove 673a is formed to be exposed to the outside, so that when the panel assembly 60 is mounted on the door 50, the heater 532 is installed in the exposed heater groove 673a. It can be installed.

Meanwhile, the outer spacer 67 may be made of a metal material, and in particular, may be made of an aluminum material with excellent heat transfer performance. Accordingly, when the heater 532 generates heat, heat can be transferred to the front panel 61 through the outer spacer 67. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent condensation from occurring on the front surface of the front panel 61.

The light guide plate 64 may be spaced apart from the rear of the display 62 and may be located at a position corresponding to the display light 68. The display light 68 is positioned above and below with the light guide plate 64 in between, and can radiate light to the end of the light guide plate 64.

The display light 68 includes a substrate 681 fixed to the outer spacer 67, and a plurality of LEDs 682 disposed on the substrate 681 and arranged at regular intervals along the light guide plate 64. It can be included. Since the display light 68 illuminates the display 62 from the rear of the display 62, it can generally be called a backlight, and various structures that can irradiate light toward the end of the light guide plate 64 may be possible. there is.

The light guide plate 64 is configured so that the light incident on the end of the light guide plate 64 is guided evenly to the entire surface of the light guide plate 64 and is irradiated toward the entire surface of the display 62 in the front. The light guide plate may be injection molded from a transparent plastic material such as acrylic (PMMA), and is made transparent to allow transparency through the light guide plate 64. The light guide plate 64 can provide sufficient brightness so that the display 62 can display clearly, and can have uniform brightness in the entire area, while maintaining appropriate transparency. It can be formed in any thickness.

Unlike the backlight structure of a general display panel, the light guide plate 64 must be able to see through the rear area of the light guide plate 64, so the light guide plate 64 is provided with a separate reflective sheet or pattern to increase the transparency of the light guide plate. Configurations that may cause degradation are not deployed.

However, in a structure that is not placed on a reflective sheet or pattern to enable transparency through the light guide plate 64, it is difficult to achieve uniform brightness on the entire surface of the light guide plate 64, and there is shading on the side farther from the display light 68 than on the side closer to the display light 68. It can happen. Due to the shading of the light guide plate 64, a problem of shading occurring on the screen output from the display 62 may also occur.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the light diffuser 643 is added to the light guide plate 64, so that when light is irradiated to the light guide plate 64 without the reflective layer or pattern of a general light guide plate, the entire light guide plate 64 is brightened evenly. It is structured so that it can be

Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of a light guide plate constituting the transparent panel.

Referring to the drawing, a light diffuser is added to the light guide plate 64 so that light flowing into the light guide plate 64 and reaching the light diffuser 643 may be scattered. Due to the light diffuser 643 evenly distributed over the entire area of the light guide plate 64, the light guide plate 64 has uniform brightness over the entire area, so that the display 62 appears with even brightness without shadows. can do.

In other words, the problem of realizing uniform brightness of the entire light guide plate 64, which occurs when the light guide plate 64 is configured to have a structure capable of clearly seeing through, can be solved through the light diffuser 643.

The light diffuser 643 can be added to acrylic, which is the main material of the light guide plate 64, when molding the light guide plate 64, and thus can be evenly distributed over the entire area of the light guide plate 64. In addition, the light diffuser 643 may be particles made of a transparent material capable of scattering light, such as silica (silicon dioxide), titanium dioxide, alumina (aluminum oxide), acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, silicone resin, etc. .

The light guide plate 64 must be able to maintain a transparent state when the display light 68 is not turned on, and therefore the light diffuser 643 may have a size of several micrometers or less, preferably nano-sized. , can be evenly distributed throughout the interior of the light guide plate 64.

Through this structure, when the display 62 is operated and the display light 68 is turned on, the entire light guide plate 64 illuminates with uniform brightness, and the entire screen of the display 62 is bright and bright. You can see it clearly.

On the other hand, when the user wants to see through the storage space inside the refrigerator, the display 62 and the display light 68 are turned off, and the interior light 80 or the door light 57 is turned on to view the storage space inside the refrigerator. This can be visualized.

At this time, when the light irradiated from the interior light 80 or the door light 57 is directed to the light guide plate 64, the light guide plate 64 has significantly reduced transparency due to light scattering due to the light diffuser 643. Falling problems may occur. thus. The interior light 80 or the door light 57 should not irradiate light directly toward the light guide plate 64, and this structure will be discussed in more detail below.

17 and 18 are diagrams showing a manufacturing apparatus for the light guide plate.

17 and 18, the manufacturing apparatus 1000 of the light guide plate 64 includes a first storage tank 1010 in which acrylic monomers, which are the main material of the light guide plate 64, are stored, and a light diffuser 643. A second storage tank 1020 in which is stored is included. The acrol monomer may be stored in a liquid form in the first storage tank 1010, and the light diffuser 643 may be stored in a powder form in the second storage tank 1020.

The light diffuser 643 may be composed of at least one of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2). Additionally, the particle size of the light diffuser 643 may be 70 μm to 100 μm. If the particle size of the light diffuser 643 is larger than 100 μm, sparkling may occur and mixing with the acrylic monomer may not occur well.

The manufacturing apparatus 1000 includes a first supply line 1031 extending from the first storage tank 1010 to the agitator 1040 and a second supply line extending from the second storage tank 1020 to the agitator 1040. Line 1035 is included.

The acrylic monomer may be supplied to the stirrer 1040 through the first supply line 1031, and the light diffuser 643 may be supplied to the stirrer 1040 through the second supply line 1035. there is. The light diffuser 643 may be dispersed in the acrylic monomer.

Based on the weight of the total material of the acrylic monomer and the light diffuser 643, the weight ratio of the light diffuser 643 may be within a range of about 0.1 to 0.5%.

The stirrer 1040 is equipped with an impeller 1042, and the acrylic monomer in which the light diffuser 643 is dispersed can be mixed by the operation of the impeller 1042. Therefore, the light diffuser 643 can be evenly distributed in the acrylic monomer. At this time, the temperature condition for stirring in the stirrer 1040 is room temperature (about 25°C), and the rotation speed of the impeller 1042 can be set to 60 to 120 RPM.

The materials mixed in the stirrer 1040, that is, the acrylic monomer and the light diffuser 643, move to the injection device 1050 through the third supply line 1045, and the injection device 1050 injects the materials into a plate. It can be injected into the interior of the assembly 1060.

The plate assembly 1060 includes an upper plate 1061 and a lower plate 1063, and a spacer 1065 that separates the upper plate 1061 and the lower plate 1063.

The upper plate 1061 and the lower plate 1063 include glass plates. Since the upper and lower plates 1061 and 1063 that make up the frame of the material are made of glass, the surface of the light guide plate manufactured can be smooth, and since the glass is made of light weight, manufacturing convenience is increased and the price can be low.

An injection hole 1062 for injection of material may be formed in the upper plate 1061.

The spacer 1065 is placed on the edge of the lower plate 1063 and extends upward, and the upper plate 1061 can be seated on the upper side of the spacer 1065. An internal space in which the material can be placed can be formed inside the plate assembly 1060 by the spacer 1065, the lower plate 1063, and the upper plate 1061.

The thickness of the light guide plate 64 to be manufactured can be determined by the amount of material injected from the injection device 1050.

Meanwhile, the plate assembly 1060 can be placed on the roller 1070 and moved in the direction in which the roller 1070 rotates. In detail, when the injection of material into one plate assembly 1060 located adjacent to the injection device 1050 is completed, the one plate assembly 1060 moves and the other plate assembly 1060 is located adjacent to the injection device 1050. You can move to the location and receive the ingredients.

Through the injection device 1050, the plate assembly 1060 in which the material has been completely injected can be introduced into the curing tank 1080. For example, the curing tank 1080 may include a water tank in which water (W) is stored.

A plurality of the plate assemblies 1060 may be stacked and placed in the curing tank 1080. A plurality of support plates 1085 are provided inside the curing tank 1080, and the plate assembly 1060 can be placed on the support plate 1085.

The temperature of water (W) stored in the curing tank 1080 is about 50 to 60°C. The material injected into the plate assembly 1060 reacts with the water and hardens, and the hardening time is about 5 hours. Then, the hardened material can be separated from the upper plate 1061 and the lower plate 1063 after heat treatment and manufactured as a light guide plate.

Another embodiment is proposed.

In the above manufacturing apparatus 1000, the upper and lower plates constituting the plate assembly have been described as being made of glass plates. However, differently from this, the upper and lower plates may be made of metal plates. For example, the metal plate may be made of steel, copper, or aluminum.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing another example of the light guide plate manufacturing apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 19, the light guide plate manufacturing apparatus 1000a includes a curing tank 1080a equipped with a UV lamp 1090. A plurality of plate assemblies 1060 having materials injected from the injection device 1050 described in FIG. 17 may be stacked and placed in the curing tank 1080a. The plate assembly 1060 may be supported by a support plate 1085.

The UV lamp 1090 is disposed on the inner surface of the curing tank 1080a and can irradiate UV light toward the plate assembly 1060. In this process, the material injected into the plate assembly 1060 may be hardened.

For example, a plurality of UV lamps 1090 are provided, and the plurality of UV lamps 1090 are aligned in the vertical direction on both sides of the curing tank 1080a, and a plate located in the center of the curing tank 1080a UV light may be irradiated toward the assembly 1060.

Since the upper plate 1061 and lower plate 1063 constituting the plate assembly 1060 are composed of glass plates, ultraviolet rays irradiated from the UV lamp 1090 can pass through the glass plate and easily cure the material. You can.

Figure 20 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing method of the light guide plate.

17 to 20, the acrylic monomer stored in the first storage tank 1010 and the light diffuser 643 stored in the second storage tank 102 are supplied to the stirrer 1040, and the light diffuser ( 643) can be dispersed in the acrylic monomer (S11).

The materials supplied to the stirrer 1040, that is, the acrylic monomer and the light diffuser 643, can be evenly mixed by the action of the impeller 1042 provided in the stirrer 1040. Then, the mixed materials can be supplied to the plate assembly 1060. Material may be filled in the internal space formed by the upper plate 1061, lower plate 1063, and spacer 1065 (S12).

Once the material is filled in the plate assembly 1060, the plate assembly 1060 can be placed into a curing tank. For example, the plate assembly 1060 can be put into the water tank 1080 shown in FIG. 18, and a curing process can be performed using water stored in the water tank 1080.

As another example, the plate assembly 1060 can be put into the curing tank 1080a shown in FIG. 19, and the curing process can be performed by the UV lamp 1090 provided in the curing tank 1080a. (S13).

When the hardening process is performed, a heat treatment process may be performed on the plate assembly 1060. The heat treatment temperature is about 110°C, and the heat treatment time may be about 2 hours. By the heat treatment process, residual stress existing in the hardened material can be reduced (S14).

After performing the heat treatment process, a cooling process may be performed. The cooling process can be performed by natural cooling at room temperature, and the cooling time can be about 2 hours (S15).

After performing the cooling process, the upper and lower plates 161 and 153 and the spacer 165 are separated from the plate assembly 106, and thus the material can be obtained as the light guide plate 64 (S16).

A protective film can be attached to the light guide plate 64, and cutting processing can be performed to fit the required size (S17, S18).

Additionally, a polishing process may be performed to smooth the surface of the light guide plate 64, and a process to inspect for defects may be performed. Through this process, the light guide plate 64 in which the light diffuser 643 is evenly distributed can be easily manufactured (S19, S20).

Meanwhile, other types of light guide plates may be applied to the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 21 is a diagram showing another example of a light guide plate.

As shown, the light guide plate 64 may have a structure in which a diffusion layer 642 containing the light diffuser 643 is formed on the surface of the resin layer 641.

The light guide plate 64 may be injection molded from a transparent plastic material such as acrylic (PMMA), and is formed to be transparent so that transparency can be achieved through the light guide plate 64.

Additionally, a diffusion layer 642 may be formed on the front surface facing the display 62. The diffusion layer 642 is formed by coating the entire surface of the resin layer 641 with a paint containing the light diffuser 643, or is formed in a film shape including the light diffuser 643 and then applied to the resin layer ( 641) may be formed to be adhered to the front surface.

Meanwhile, the diffusion layer 642 containing the light diffuser 643 may be provided in a form in which the resin layer 641 is completely adhered, fused, or applied. In this case, the diffusion layer 642 and the resin layer 641 ) can have a structure that completely contacts each other without generating bubbles at the interface.

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent light heading from the resin layer 641 to the diffusion layer 642 from being refracted in the air layer at the interface. That is, light moving along the resin layer 641 passes through the resin layer 641 and is directed to the diffusion layer 642 without changing the angle, thereby preventing loss due to refraction.

In addition, the resin layer and the diffusion layer have a structure in which they are completely adhered to each other, so that no layer is visible when viewed from the front, thereby preventing the transparency of the light guide plate 64 from being reduced. On the other hand, if the resin layer 641 and the diffusion layer 642 are not completely adhered to each other, and a fine air layer or gap is created between the interfaces, the transparency of the light guide plate 64 itself may be affected, and the There is a problem in that transparency decreases when the inner side of the cave is viewed through the panel assembly 60.

In general, in the structure of a light guide plate, due to problems with deformation such as expansion and contraction of the light guide plate, a separate sheet for reflection or a separate sheet for diffusion is provided in a form that is not glued to the surface of the light guide plate but is simply placed on it. However, in the present invention, In the embodiment, for the above reasons, the diffusion layer 642 is configured to completely adhere to the surface of the resin layer 641 so that no air layer or minute gap is formed.

Meanwhile, the diffusion layer 642 is located on the front side of the resin layer 641 to enable effective irradiation of light toward the display 62, as well as the internal light provided behind the light guide plate 64. (80) or the door light 57 makes it possible to minimize the opacity of the light guide plate 64.

Additionally, the diffusion layer 642 may be formed to have a thickness of 40㎛ to 60㎛.

If the thickness of the diffusion layer 642 is too thin, the entire light guide plate 64 cannot be uniformly illuminated, resulting in a problem of shadowing on the light guide plate 64, that is, the thickness of the diffusion layer is 40㎛ or less. When formed thinly, when light is irradiated to the light guide plate 64 to illuminate the display 62, the amount of the light diffuser 643 distributed in the diffusion layer 642 is relatively small and the light guide plate 64 is exposed to light. (64) It becomes impossible to illuminate the entire screen uniformly, which deteriorates the quality of the output screen of the display 62. Accordingly, the thickness of the diffusion layer 642 may be formed to be at least thicker than 42㎛.

In addition, when the thickness of the diffusion layer 642 is too thick, the amount of the light diffuser 643 is too large and the door light 57 that illuminates the inside of the refrigerator is turned on, the light guide plate ( There is a problem that the transparency of 64) may be reduced. In addition, if the thickness of the diffusion layer 642 is too thick, the volatilization time of the solvent constituting the diffusion layer 642 takes a long time, and cracks may occur during the drying process or the resin layer 641 may be damaged during operation of the refrigerator 1. There is a problem of separation from the. In addition, even when the light guide plate 64 expands, contracts, or bends, if the thickness of the diffusion layer 642 is too thick, the diffusion layer 642 may be peeled off or a space may be created, which may reduce the performance of the light guide plate 64. This deterioration problem may occur. Therefore, the diffusion layer 642 can be molded to a thickness of 60㎛ to prevent peeling or cracking of the diffusion layer 642 while securing the appropriate amount of light.

Meanwhile, a light diffuser 643 may be included in the resin layer 641 as well as the diffusion layer 642 within the range in which the transparency of the light guide plate 64 is not reduced, and may be provided in the light guide plate 64. You will be able to maximize the amount of light available.

Figure 22 is a schematic block diagram of the flow of control signals for the display and lights of the refrigerator. And, Figure 23 is a diagram schematically showing the lighting status of the door light and interior light of the refrigerator. And, Figure 24 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement of the display light, door light, and interior light. And, Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21-21' of Figure 20.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 is operated by the control unit 90 when the user operates the operation input unit 92, and the display 62, the display light 68, the interior light 80, and the door light ( 57) operations can be controlled. The control unit 90 may include the control unit 14 described above, and may be provided separately from the control unit 14.

In addition, the manipulation input unit 92 is for user manipulation input and may include the touch sensor 612 of the panel assembly 60 or a separate manipulable switch, a microphone capable of voice recognition, and various sensors. When the user operates, a manipulation signal is transmitted to the control unit 90 so that the display 62, the display light 68, the door light 57, and the interior light 80 are operated.

In order to see the inside of the cave through the panel assembly 60, the user first manipulates the manipulation input unit 92, and the door light 57 and or the inside light 80 that illuminate the inside of the cave according to the user's operation are used. It may light up.

That is, when the door light 57 and the interior light 80 are turned on to brighten the interior of the interior, the interior of the interior is visible through the panel assembly 60. At this time, the rear door light 57 adjacent to the panel assembly 60 may be turned on. In particular, it would be more effective for the door light 57 to be turned on to visualize the door-side storage space formed behind the sub-door 50. Of course, when the interior light 80 is turned on, the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12 may be visualized.

Meanwhile, when the door light 57 is turned on, it may be arranged to face rearward, at least parallel to or intersecting the light guide plate 64 provided in the panel assembly 60.

In detail, the door light 57 illuminates the storage space inside the refrigerator so that the interior of the refrigerator can be seen more clearly through the panel assembly 60. However, when the light emitted from the door light 57 or the interior light 80 is directed directly toward the light guide plate 64, the light guide plate 64 emits light due to the light diffuser 643 included in the light guide plate 64. There is a problem that this may be achieved and the transparency of the light guide plate 64 may be reduced. Therefore, in order to make the inside of the cupboard more visible through the panel assembly 60, the decrease in transparency of the light guide plate 64 must be minimized.

To this end, the door light 57 may have an arrangement and structure that does not irradiate light directly toward the light guide plate 64.

The door light 57 is provided on the sub-door 50 and may be arranged behind the light guide plate 64 to illuminate the door-side storage space formed in the refrigerating compartment door.

The door light 57 may be configured to illuminate the door-side storage space provided in the refrigerating compartment door 20 on the right side without directing light toward the light guide plate 64. The door lights 57 may be placed on both sides of the light guide plate 64 and may be placed in directions facing each other.

At this time, the light emitted from the door light 57 may be emitted toward the inside of the home within a set angle γ range. At this time, the set angle γ may be any angle between an angle parallel to the light guide plate 64 and an angle looking toward the rear of the light guide plate 64. That is, the door light 57 may be arranged to face a direction parallel to the light guide plate 64, or may be arranged to face the rear perpendicular to the light guide plate 64, and the light guide plate 64 and It may be arranged to have any angle between a parallel position and a perpendicular position.

Since the door light 57 only needs to illuminate the door-side storage space provided on the back of the refrigerating compartment door 20, not the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12, it focuses on illuminating a relatively narrow area compared to the interior light 80. It can be configured to do so. In addition, this limitation of the irradiation angle prevents light from being irradiated directly toward the light guide plate 64, thereby preventing the viewing area from being blurred by the light guide plate 64 in a situation where the user wishes to see through the inside of the cave. .

The interior lights are provided on both left and right walls inside the refrigerating compartment 12, and can be turned on to illuminate the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12.

The interior light 80 may turn on when the refrigerating compartment door 20 is opened and the door switch 91 detects this. In addition, the interior light 80 may be turned on so that the interior of the refrigerator can be visualized through the transparent unit 21 even when the refrigerating compartment door 20 is closed.

Of course, if necessary, both the door light 57 and the interior light 80 may not be provided, and only one of the door light 57 and the interior light 80 may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 23 , the interior light 80 may be arranged in various ways within a range that prevents light from the interior light 80 from being directly irradiated to the light guide plate 64 when turned on.

In detail, the interior light 80 may be arranged in parallel with the light guide plate to face the inside of the interior, and if necessary, may be formed to have a predetermined angle rearward with respect to the light guide plate 64. there is. At this time, the first set angle (α) formed by the light emitting surface of the interior light 80 with the light guide plate 64 may be an angle between approximately 0° and 90°, and is approximately 45° to effectively illuminate the interior of the interior. The angle of will be appropriate.

Of course, the interior light 80 may be arranged to face forward if it does not irradiate light directly toward the light guide plate 64.

That is, the interior light 80 may be arranged to face forward at a set angle with respect to the light guide plate 64. If the angle toward the light guide plate 64 is too large, the light inside the receptacle may be irradiated directly toward the light guide plate 64. Therefore, the light from the light inside the receptacle 80 is not directly irradiated to the light guide plate 64. The light emitting surface of the interior light 80 may be arranged to face a second set angle β with respect to the light guide plate 64.

At this time, it is preferable that the second setting angle (β) of the interior light 80 facing forward is formed to be smaller than the first setting angle α of the interior light 80 facing backward, and is approximately 30°. By irradiating forward at a smaller angle, the medial aspect of the hilum can be illuminated.

Meanwhile, with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25, the relationship between the display light 68, the door light 57, and the interior light 80 will be examined.

As shown, the display light 68 may be provided inside the panel assembly 60 and may be disposed at the top and bottom of the light guide plate 64. The display light 68 is arranged along the horizontal direction, which has a relatively short length compared to the vertical direction, but the entire light guide plate 64 can be brightened evenly by the light diffuser 643 of the light guide plate 64, so that the display (62) It is also possible to provide a screen with uniform brightness without shadows.

Additionally, the door light 57 may be disposed somewhat rearward than the panel assembly 60 and may be configured to illuminate the door-side storage space disposed on the back of the door 50.

The door light 57 may be arranged in the vertical direction of the door 50, that is, on both left and right sides based on the light guide plate 64, and may extend from the top to the bottom of the panel assembly 60. The door light 57 is arranged long up and down to evenly illuminate the entire area of the storage space on the door side, and can provide enough brightness to enable identification of the inside of the door through the panel assembly 60 from the outside of the door. .

That is, the display light 68 is arranged above and below the light guide plate 64 and extends in the horizontal direction, and the door light 57 is arranged on the left and right and extends in the vertical direction.

Meanwhile, in order to effectively illuminate the door-side storage space behind the door 50, the door light 57 is preferably placed at a set distance D1 corresponding to the rear end of the door 50, and this arrangement Through this, the storage space on the door side can be clearly seen from the outside of the cabinet.

In addition, the door light 57 may be placed relatively close to the rear of the panel assembly 60, and if it is structurally placed at an angle toward the front, there is a very high possibility that light will be irradiated directly to the light guide plate 64. high. Accordingly, the door light 57 may be arranged to be parallel to the light guide plate 64 or face somewhat backward to minimize direct incident light on the light guide plate 64.

On the other hand, the interior light 80 may be disposed further rearward than the door light 57, and is preferably placed at a set distance D2 corresponding to a point inside the interior of the interior. On the other hand, the distance between the interior light 80 and the light guide plate 64 is relatively greater, and in this arrangement, the light emitted even though the interior light 80 is directed somewhat toward the front where the door 50 is disposed. It may not be pointed directly at the light guide plate 64.

Meanwhile, the interior light 80 may further include a rear interior light 80 provided on the rear wall of the refrigerating compartment 12. The rear door light 57 can be turned on only when the opening of the refrigerating compartment door 20 is detected by the door switch 91, and is not turned on when the refrigerating compartment door 20 is closed, so that the light guide plate Light can be prevented from being irradiated toward (64).

When the light emitted from the door light 57 and/or the interior light 80 is within a set angle, the light emitted from the door light 57 illuminates the storage space on the sub-door 50 side and the light guide plate ( Since it is not facing toward 64), the inside of the cave can be clearly visualized through the transparent portion 21 by illuminating the inside of the cave while maintaining the transparency of the panel assembly 60.

Hereinafter, the more specific structure of the door light 57 will be examined in more detail with reference to the drawings in connection with the operation of the refrigerator 1.

Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of the main door and sub door. And, Figure 27 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 26. And, Figure 28 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 26.

As shown in the drawing, when the locking member 593 of the opening device 59 is inserted into the latch hole 421, the sub door 50 is maintained in a closed state, and in this state, the sub door 50 is maintained in a closed state. The door light 57 remains turned off. The open/closed state of the sub door 50 can be sensed through a separately provided door switch 91.

When the door light 57 is turned off, as shown in FIG. 1, the rear space of the sub door 50 becomes dark and the inside of the door is not visible through the transparent portion 21. Accordingly, when the sub door 50 is closed and there is no separate operation, the door light 57 can remain turned off so that the inside is not visible through the transparent portion 21.

In this state, the user can cause the door light 57 to turn on by touching the front panel 51 or manipulating the manipulation input unit 92. When the door light 57 is turned on, the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 can illuminate the rear area of the sub door 50, and when the interior light 80 is turned on, the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12 can be revealed, and the inner side of the cave can be visualized through the transparency unit 21, as shown in FIG. 32 or FIG. 35.

Meanwhile, looking at the structure of the door light 57 in more detail with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28, the door light 57 includes a light emitting member 572 and a light case 571 in which the light emitting member 572 is accommodated. ), and may include a light cover 573 that shields the light case 571 and transmits the light of the light emitting member 572.

In detail, the light case 571 may be provided on both sides of the rear panel 65 and may extend from the top to the bottom of the rear panel 65. In addition, the light case 571 may be disposed further outside than the left and right ends of the transparent unit 21, and can illuminate the area behind the panel assembly 60 corresponding to the transparent unit 21. .

The light case 571 may be inserted into the door liner 56 protruding on both sides behind the rear panel 65. Accordingly, the light case 571 may have a structure that is fixedly mounted by the rear panel 65 and the door liner 56.

The light case 571 may be open on one side, and an accommodating space 571a in which the light emitting member 572 may be accommodated may be formed therein. The opening of the light case 571 may be located between the door liner 56 and the rear panel 65 and may be shielded by the light cover 573. Accordingly, the light cover 573 can be exposed while shielding the space between the rear panel 65 and the end of the door liner 56, and can be configured to substantially transmit light.

Meanwhile, the front of the light case 571 may be formed in a flat shape to be in contact with the rear panel 65. Additionally, a reflective portion 571b may be formed at one end of the light case 571 to be rounded toward the top of the light cover 573. The reflection portion 571b is formed to have a predetermined curvature and can reflect light emitted from the light emitting member 572 so that it can pass through the light cover 573. The inner surface of the reflection part 571b, that is, the surface of the reflection part 571b facing the inside of the receiving space 571a, may be subjected to surface treatment such as coating or deposition to reflect light.

Additionally, a shielding portion 571c extending rearward toward the light cover 573 may be formed at one end of the light case 571 where the opening is formed. The shielding portion 571c is intended to block some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 from going directly toward the light guide plate 64, and extends to the rear where it intersects the rear panel 65 by a predetermined height. It can be.

Additionally, the light emitting member 572 may be composed of a PCB 572a and an LED 572b, and the LED 572b may be arranged to face the rear where it intersects the light guide plate 64. The light emitted from the light emitting member 572 is reflected through the reflector 571b and can pass through the light cover 573.

One side of the LED 527b to which light is emitted from the light emitting member 572, that is, the light emitting surface 572c, may be arranged parallel to the light guide plate 64 and may be arranged to face the reflecting surface 571a. You can. Accordingly, most of the light emitted from the light-emitting surface 572c is irradiated toward the reflective surface 571a and passes through the light cover 573.

The light cover 573 may be configured to have a fine pattern on its surface, to be coated for diffusion, or to have the cover itself contain a diffusion agent, and to be activated by light that is diffused in the process of passing through the light cover 573. The light cover 573 may emit light in the form of surface light. Additionally, the light cover 573 may be positioned on the same line as the shielding portion 571c of the light case 571 and the end of the door liner 56 to provide a sense of unity.

Since the direction in which the light from the light emitting member 572 is irradiated is toward the rear where it intersects the light guide plate 64, it is possible to primarily prevent light from being irradiated directly toward the light guide plate 64, and secondarily to prevent the light from being radiated directly toward the light guide plate 64. The portion 571c can block some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 from reaching the light guide plate 64. In addition, the light cover 573 emits light in the form of surface light passing through the light cover 573, thereby brightening the storage space behind the sub door 50 and emitting light from the light emitting member 572 through the light guide plate 64. By preventing light from being directed directly, the transparency of the light guide plate 64 can be prevented from being reduced.

Meanwhile, in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, various other examples of the door light may be possible in addition to the examples described above, and these will be examined with reference to the drawings.

Figure 29 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of a door light.

As shown in the drawing, another example of the door light 57 includes a light case 571 and a light cover 573 of the same structure as the above-described example.

The light case 571 may be fixedly mounted between the rear panel 65 and the door liner 56, and may form the reflector 571b and the shield 571c. Additionally, the light cover 573 is mounted on the opening of the light case 571 to allow light emitted from the light emitting member 572 to pass through.

Meanwhile, the light emitting member 572 may be disposed inside the light case 571 in a somewhat inclined form toward the rear of the sub door 50. That is, the light-emitting surface 572c, from which light is irradiated from the LED 572b of the light-emitting member 572, has an angle that intersects the light guide plate 64, and may be arranged to be inclined somewhat toward the rear. In addition, most of the light emitted from the LED 572b is emitted between the inside and rear of the sub door 50, and may be configured not to be emitted directly to the light guide plate 64.

Accordingly, part of the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 is reflected by the reflector 571b to illuminate the rear of the sub door 50, and part of the light transmits through the light cover 573 and illuminates the sub door 50. (50) The rear can be illuminated.

In addition, some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 directed toward the light guide plate 64 can be shielded by the shielding portion 571c, and direct irradiation of light to the light guide plate can be prevented. In this structure, even when the door light 57 is turned on, light is directly irradiated to the light guide plate 64, thereby preventing the light guide plate 64 from emitting light and reducing transparency.

Figure 30 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of a door light.

As shown in the drawing, another example of the door light 57 includes a light case 571 and a light cover 573 of the same structure as the examples described above.

The light case 571 may be fixedly mounted between the rear panel 65 and the door liner 56, and may form the reflector 571b and the shield 571c. Additionally, the light cover 573 is mounted on the opening of the light case 571 to allow light emitted from the light emitting member 572 to pass through.

Meanwhile, the light emitting member 572 may be placed inside the light case 571 and in a direction facing the light cover 573. In addition, the light emitting surface 572c, from which light is irradiated from the LED 572b of the light emitting member 572, may be arranged at an angle perpendicular to the light guide plate 64. In addition, the light-emitting surfaces 572c of the LEDs 572b provided in the door lights 57 on both left and right sides are positioned to face each other. At this time, most of the light emitted from the LED 572b may be emitted toward the inside of the sub door 50 in a direction facing each other.

Additionally, the light emitting member 572 may be disposed at least at the same height as the shielding portion 571c. Therefore, among the light emitted from the light emitting member 572, the light emitted beyond the shielding portion 571c illuminates the rear area of the sub door 50, and the light emitted toward the light guide plate 64 illuminates the light emitted from the light guide plate 64. It can be shielded by the shielding portion 571c.

Accordingly, some of the light emitted from the light emitting member 572 directed toward the light guide plate 64 is shielded by the shielding portion 571c and is prevented from being directly emitted toward the light guide plate 64. There will be. In this structure, light is not directly irradiated to the light guide plate 64 even when the door light 57 is turned on, thereby preventing the light guide plate 64 from emitting light and reducing transparency due to direct irradiation of light. .

Figure 31 is a perspective view of another example of a sub-door equipped with a door light.

As shown in the drawing, another example of a door light 57 may be mounted on a door liner 56 that protrudes rearward from the door light 57 along the circumference of the panel assembly 60.

The door liner 56 forms the rear surface of the sub door 50 and includes an opening that is shielded by the panel assembly 60. Additionally, a liner protrusion 562 may be formed along the perimeter of the opening of the door liner 56.

Additionally, a door light 57 may be mounted on the lid protrusion 562. The door light 57 may have the same structure as in the above-described embodiment and includes a light cover 573. The light cover 573 is disposed on both sides of the liner protrusion 562, and transmits light and emits light according to the operation of the door light 57.

The light cover 573 radiates light toward the rear of the panel assembly 60, that is, the light guide plate 64, and thus can illuminate the space behind the sub-door 50, and the panel assembly Through (60), the medial side of the hilum can be seen.

At this time, the door light 57 is structurally unable to irradiate light directly toward the light guide plate 64, and therefore the light guide plate 64 is maintained in a transparent state so that the light visible through the transparent portion 21 is not visible. The inner space can be clearly seen.

32 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a refrigerator equipped with a door light.

As shown in the figure, another example door light 57 may be mounted on the main door 40 that is shielded by the sub door 50. The door light 57 may have the same structure as any one of the door lights of FIGS. 28 to 30, and only the mounting position may be located on the main door 40.

In detail, the sub door 50 shields the opening of the main door 40, and the door light 57 may be mounted on both sides of the opening of the main door 40. The door lights 57 are arranged in opposite directions to illuminate the opening area of the main door 40.

At this time, since the door light 57 may have the same structure as any one of the door lights of FIGS. 28 to 30, among the light emitted from the door light 57, it is irradiated toward the light guide plate 64. Light can be blocked or minimized.

Therefore, when light is irradiated by the operation of the door light 57, the door-side storage space behind the sub-door 50 is illuminated, and the door-side storage space is clearly visible from the outside through the transparent portion 21. You can see it clearly. In addition, it is possible to prevent light from being irradiated directly toward the light guide plate 64, thereby preventing the light guide plate 64 from emitting light and reducing transparency.

Figure 33 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main door and sub door. And, Figure 34 is an enlarged view of portion C of Figure 33. And, Figure 35 is an enlarged view of portion D of Figure 33.

As shown in the figure, when the user operates the front panel 61 on the front of the refrigerator 1 or operates the operation input unit 92, the display light 68 turns on and the display ( 62) is turned on, allowing the panel assembly 60 to display screen output as shown in FIG. 33. At this time, the operation of the front panel 61 may be input at a specific location, number of touches, or pattern. Of course, if necessary, it may be possible to detect the user's operation using a separate physical button or sensor.

The display 62 can output a screen for displaying and operating the status of the refrigerator, and can output various screens such as the Internet, output using an external video output input device, and information on stored food.

In detail, the display light 68 disposed at the top and bottom of the light guide plate 64 along with the display 62 may be turned on by a user's manipulation. When the display light 68 is turned on, the light guide plate 64 can diffuse and reflect the light of the display light 68 and irradiate the light with uniform brightness toward the front display 62.

Light is irradiated from the rear of the display 62 toward the display 62 by the light guide plate 64, and at the same time, the display 62 outputs a screen based on the input image information. Therefore, the user can check the clearly displayed screen through the transparent unit 21.

In particular, since the light guide plate 64 contains a light diffuser 643, the light induced into the light guide plate 64 can be diffused to uniformly illuminate the entire light guide plate 64. That is, a separate reflective sheet or pattern is not formed on the back of the light guide plate 64, so that high-interior viewing is possible without light being irradiated, and the light is irradiated by the display light 68. In this case, the light guide plate 64 can be brightened evenly over the entire surface.

In addition, the operation of the display 62 or the door light 57 is controlled by PCBs 602, 603, and 604, such as the Ticon board 602 or the docking PCB 604 on the upper part of the sub door 50. It can be. And, these PCBs 602, 603, and 604 can be placed in the rear space of the sub door 50, which is partitioned by the barrier 711 that forms the top of the support frame 70. In addition, the space in front of the sub door 50 partitioned by the barrier 711 can be filled with an insulating material 531a, thereby preventing condensation from forming on the front upper part of the sub door 50. .

Meanwhile, when both the display light 68 and the door light 57 are turned on, the screen is output through the display 62 and the internal space through the transparent unit 21, that is, the sub door ( 50) The rear space can also be selectively transparent.

That is, when the display light 68 and the display 62 are turned on and information is output through the transparent unit 21, and the door light 57 is turned on to illuminate the space inside the cave, the space inside the cave is These can be shown together. Accordingly, the user may be able to check information through the display 62 while looking inside the cabinet, or input and process information by manipulating the display 62.

The display light 68 and the door light 57 may be arranged in directions that intersect each other. The display light 68 may be placed further forward than the door light 57, and may be provided above and below the light guide plate 64 to irradiate light to the top and bottom of the light guide plate 64. Additionally, the door light 57 may be placed further rear than the display light 68, and is disposed on both left and right sides of the light guide plate 64 to irradiate light into the rear space of the light guide plate 64. It illuminates the storage space on the door side.

Looking at the light guide plate 64 as a reference, display lights 68 can be placed at the top and bottom, and door lights 57 can be placed on both left and right sides, thereby defining the light guide plate 64 and the area behind the light guide plate 64. It can be configured to illuminate evenly.

Figure 38 is a partial cross-sectional view of a state in which the second bezel is output according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 39 is a front view of the door in the state where the second bezel is output. And, Figure 40 is a partial cross-sectional view of a state in which the second bezel is not output according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, Figure 41 is a front view of the door in a state where the second bezel is not output.

As shown in the drawing, a first bezel 611 may be formed around the front panel 61 that forms the front of the panel assembly 60.

The first bezel 611 is formed to be opaque to conceal the components attached to the circumference of the panel assembly 60, and has a sufficient width to prevent the components connected to the periphery of the panel assembly 60 from being visible. It can be formed as follows.

However, if the width of the first bezel 611 is excessively wide, the area of the transparent part 21 provided inside the panel assembly 60 becomes narrow, and the area of the transparent part 21 is narrow. If it is lost, the inconvenience in use increases and the appearance is poor.

The first bezel 611 may be formed to have a predetermined width at the outer end of the front panel 61, and the end L1 of the first bezel 611 is located on the periphery of the panel assembly 60. It may extend to the same level as or somewhat further inward (right side in FIG. 38) than the end L3 of the innermost component (eg, the second spacer 66) among the components coupled to.

When the first bezel 611 has this width, when the panel assembly 60 is viewed from the front, a first spacer coupled to the circumference of the panel assembly 60 by the first bezel 611 Components such as (63), the second spacer 66, etc., and their combined structures are obscured and cannot be seen.

However, the user does not always look at the viewing unit 21 from the exact center of the panel assembly 60, and in some cases, it may be located somewhat to the side away from the panel assembly 60, such as at the center of the refrigerator 1. The perspective unit can be viewed. In this case, there is a problem that components coupled to the panel assembly 60 by the first bezel 611 may be exposed through the transparent portion 21. Accordingly, a second bezel 622 may be provided to shield the remaining area not shielded by the first bezel 611.

While the first bezel 611 is formed to be exposed on the front panel 61 by printing, etc., the second bezel 622 may be configured to be output through the display 62 as needed. . Accordingly, the second bezel 622 is not formed physically, such as by printing or gluing, but is formed by screen output of the display 62, so it can be called a virtual bezel. In addition, the second bezel 622 may be formed in the same color as the first bezel 611 so that it can be seen as one piece with the first bezel 611 when printing, and may be black for excellent hiding performance. It may be formed in a series of colors or in other colors so dark that internal transparency is impossible.

The second bezel 622 may be formed to have a predetermined width W2 at an end of the first bezel 611 or slightly outside (left side in FIG. 38) of the end of the first bezel 611. . The end L2 of the second bezel 622 may extend to a position where components coupled to the periphery of the panel assembly 60 are not visible when the user looks from the center of the refrigerator 1. Accordingly, when the second bezel 622 is output, the perimeter of the panel assembly 60 can be obscured by the width of the first bezel 611 and the second bezel 622.

In addition, the area of the transparent unit 21 may be defined by the first bezel 611 or defined by the first bezel 611 and the second bezel 622 depending on the screen output state of the transparent unit 21. You can. Since the second bezel 622 is configured to be output by the display 62, it can be set to various widths depending on the user's settings.

For example, when the transparent portion 21 becomes transparent and the inside of the cave is viewed through the transparent portion 21, the panel assembly 60 becomes transparent so that not only the inner side of the cave is visible but also the panel assembly 60. Since even the portion combined with the perimeter can be seen, the second bezel 622 can be output as shown in FIG. 34.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 39, the perimeter of the panel assembly 60 can be shielded by the first bezel 611 and the second bezel 622, and the transparent portion 21 is formed by the second bezel 622. ) can be defined as the inner area of . In this state, even if the user looks at the transparent unit 21 from the center of the refrigerator 1, that is, on the side of the transparent unit 21, the inner circumference of the panel assembly 60 is extended. It can be obscured by the second bezel 622.

And, in a state where the transparent portion 21 is opaque, that is, when the display 62 is turned off or the transparent portion 21 becomes opaque and the inside is not visible, the display 62 is displayed as shown in FIG. 40. The second bezel 622 is not output. In addition, as shown in FIG. 41, even when an image or video is output through the display 62 without seeing the inside through the transparent unit 21, the display 62 outputs the second bezel 622. won't do it.

In this state, since the transparent portion 21 has already become opaque, the inside of the panel assembly 60 is not clearly visible through the transparent portion 21 even if the second bezel 622 is not printed. The second bezel 622 is not output.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 41, the circumference of the panel assembly 60 is shielded only by the first bezel 611, and the transparent portion 21 can be defined as the inner area of the first bezel 611. . In addition, the transparent portion 21 in FIG. 41 is wider than the transparent portion 21 in the state shown in FIG. 39, and therefore, when the transparent portion 21 is opaque, the transparent portion 21 becomes opaque. It may appear expanded. In addition, by operating the display 62, the transparent unit 21 can output a screen in a wider area, thereby improving ease of use and appearance.

Figure 42 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the output state of the third bezel in another example of the panel assembly. And, Figure 43 is a front view of the door in the state where the third bezel is output.

As shown in the drawing, another example of the panel assembly 60 may include a front panel 61, a rear panel 65, an insulation panel 69, and a light guide plate 64. A display 62 may be placed on the back of the front panel 61, and the light guide plate 64 is maintained at an appropriate distance from the display 62 by the first spacer 63.

In addition, a second spacer 66 is provided between the light guide plate 64 and the insulation panel 69 and between the insulation panel 69 and the rear panel 65 to separate the rear panel 65 and the insulation panel ( An insulating space may be formed between 69) and/or between the insulating panel 69 and the light guide plate 64. Additionally, a sealant 68 is applied around the panel assembly 60 to make the interior of the panel assembly 60 airtight.

Although not shown, display lights 68 may be provided at both ends of the light guide plate 64, and a touch sensor film may be attached to the front panel 61.

The display 62 and the light guide plate 64 may be formed in sizes corresponding to the front panel 61, and therefore, when the display 62 operates, screen output is possible on the entire front panel 61. It can be.

Accordingly, the display may output a third bezel 623 around the display 62. The perimeter of the front panel 61 is transparent, and no printed or attached physical bezel, such as the first bezel 611 of the above-described embodiment, is formed, and only the output of the third bezel 623 is displayed. This allows the perimeter of the panel assembly 60 to be obscured.

Since the third bezel 623 is output by the operation of the display 62 like the second bezel 622 in the above-described embodiment, it can be called a virtual bezel and can be output in black. The third bezel 623 can be varied to have various widths.

For example, as shown in FIG. 42, when the screen is output through the display 62 or the transparent portion 21 is opaque, the third bezel 623 is the front panel 61. It may extend from one end to a predetermined distance and may have a predetermined width (W3). At this time, the ends (L4, L4') of the third bezel 623 are the innermost components among the internal components of the panel assembly 60 (e.g., the first spacer 63 or the second spacer 66). It is located further inside the panel assembly 60 so that the internal components of the panel assembly 60 are hidden when the user looks at the transparent unit 21 from the front.

Also, as shown in FIG. 43, even when the screen is being output through the display 62, the third bezel 623 can be formed to have a minimum width that can cover the internal components of the panel assembly 60. Therefore, the transparent unit 21 is defined by expanding it to the maximum, and the screen can be output through the transparent unit 21.

When the inside is viewed through the transparent portion 21, the transparent portion 21 may become transparent, and at this time, the peripheral components of the panel assembly 60 can be seen, so that the display 62 displays the display 62. 3 It is possible to print by further increasing the width of the bezel 623. Also, when the width of the third bezel 623 increases, the components surrounding the panel assembly 60 are not visible even when viewed through the transparent portion 21 from the side.

Meanwhile, when the refrigerator 1 is capable of detecting the user's location, the panel assembly ( The circumferential configuration of 60) can be obscured, and the size of the transparent portion 21 can be defined as an optimal size according to the situation.

Meanwhile, the present invention is capable of various embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments, and is characterized in that the doors of the above-described embodiments can be applied to refrigerators of various structures.

The following embodiments differ only in the location and size of the door, and since the structure of the door in the above-described embodiments can be applied, the same reference numerals are used and the detailed description is omitted.

Figure 44 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention is formed by a cabinet 10 in which a storage space is formed and a plurality of doors 20, 30, and 50 that open and close the storage space. You can. Inside the cabinet 10, a first storage space 12 and a second storage space 13 may be partitioned upward and downward. Additionally, the first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be controlled to different temperatures and, for example, may be composed of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be configured to be opened and closed by a pair of doors 20, 30, and 50, respectively.

A pair of doors 20 and 50 that open and close the first storage space 12 may be rotatably mounted on the cabinet 10. In addition, the pair of doors 50,50 is composed of a door 20 that shields the left side of the first storage space 12 and a door 50 that shields the right side of the first storage space 12. You can.

The door 50 includes a transparent portion capable of selectively viewing the interior, and the transparent portion may be formed by a panel assembly 60. Meanwhile, the configuration of the door 50 may be the same as any one of the above-described embodiments, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the door 50 and/or the first storage space 12 may be further equipped with a light, and when the light is turned on, the panel assembly 60 becomes transparent to allow the interior space to be seen. Also, when the light is turned off, the panel assembly 60 becomes opaque, making it impossible to see through the interior space.

Figure 45 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be formed by a cabinet 10 in which a storage space is formed and a pair of doors 30 and 50 that open and close the storage space. there is. Inside the cabinet 10, a first storage space 12 and a second storage space 13 may be divided to the left and right. Additionally, the first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be controlled to different temperatures and, for example, may be composed of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be configured to be opened and closed by a single door 30 and 50, respectively.

The pair of doors 30 and 50 may be rotatably mounted on the cabinet 10. In addition, the pair of doors 30 and 50 will be composed of a door 30 that shields the second storage space 13 on the left and a door 50 that shields the first storage space 12 on the right. You can.

The door 50 includes a transparent portion capable of selectively viewing the interior, and the transparent portion may be formed by a panel assembly 60. Meanwhile, the configuration of the door 50 may be the same as any one of the above-described embodiments, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the door 50 and/or the first storage space 12 may be further equipped with a light, and when the light is turned on, the panel assembly 60 becomes transparent to allow the interior space to be seen. Also, when the light is turned off, the panel assembly 60 becomes opaque, making it impossible to see through the interior space.

Figure 46 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be formed by a cabinet 10 in which a storage space is formed and a pair of doors 30 and 50 that open and close the storage space. there is. Inside the cabinet 10, a first storage space 12 and a second storage space 13 may be partitioned upward and downward. Additionally, the first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be controlled to different temperatures and, for example, may be composed of a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The first storage space 12 and the second storage space 13 may be configured to be opened and closed by a single door 30 and 50, respectively.

The pair of doors 30 and 50 may be rotatably mounted on the cabinet 10. In addition, the pair of doors 30 and 50 may be composed of a door 50 that shields the first storage space 12 and a door 30 that shields the second storage space 13.

The door 50 includes a transparent portion capable of selectively viewing the interior, and the transparent portion may be formed by a panel assembly 60. Meanwhile, the configuration of the door 50 may be the same as any one of the above-described embodiments, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the door 50 and/or the first storage space 12 may be further equipped with a light, and when the light is turned on, the panel assembly 60 becomes transparent to allow the interior space to be seen. Also, when the light is turned off, the panel assembly 60 becomes opaque, making it impossible to see through the interior space.

In this way, the present invention can be applied to all types of refrigerators equipped with a door that can shield at least part of the storage space, regardless of the type of refrigerator.

Claims (30)

cabinet;
A door that opens and closes the cabinet and forms an opening;
a panel assembly that shields the opening and forms a transparent portion;
A light is provided further inside the compartment than the panel assembly and illuminates the space behind the door so that the inside of the compartment can be seen through the transparent unit,
The panel assembly is,
Forming the front, a transparent front panel;
a display provided on the back of the front panel;
a light guide plate spaced apart from the display;
a display light that irradiates light toward an end of the light guide plate; and
It includes a rear panel formed of a transparent material and spaced apart from the front panel to form a space where the display, the light guide plate, and the display light are accommodated,
The light guide plate includes a light diffuser that scatters light induced into the light guide plate. delete According to claim 1,
The light guide plate is,
A resin layer formed of a transparent resin material;
A refrigerator comprising a diffusion layer formed on a surface of the resin layer facing the display and containing the light diffusion agent. According to claim 3,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the diffusion layer is formed to a thickness of 40㎛ to 60㎛. According to claim 3,
The light diffuser is formed of several micro to nano-sized particles,
A refrigerator characterized by being made of silica, titanium dioxide, alumina, acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, silicone resin, etc. According to claim 1,
The light is arranged in the same vertical direction as the length of the door on the left and right sides of the light guide plate,
A refrigerator, wherein the display light is arranged horizontally above and below the light guide plate. According to claim 1,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the light is a door light provided on the back of the door. According to claim 1,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the light is an interior light provided in the cabinet. According to claim 1,
The light is
a door light provided on the back of the door;
It includes an interior light provided inside the cabinet,
The refrigerator, wherein the interior light turns on together with the door light to illuminate the interior of the interior. According to clause 9,
The refrigerator, wherein the light emitting surface of the door light is disposed at an arbitrary angle between an angle parallel to the light guide plate and an angle directed rearward perpendicular to the light guide plate. According to claim 10,
The light emitting surface of the interior light is,
It may be formed at an arbitrary angle between a first set angle toward the rear and a second set angle toward the front based on a position parallel to the light guide plate,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the first set angle can be formed larger than the second set angle. cabinet;
A door that opens and closes the cabinet and forms an opening;
a panel assembly that shields the opening and forms a transparent portion;
A light is provided further inside the compartment than the panel assembly and illuminates the space behind the door so that the inside of the compartment can be seen through the transparent unit,
The panel assembly is,
Forming the front, a transparent front panel;
a display provided on the back of the front panel;
a light guide plate spaced apart from the display;
a display light that irradiates light toward an end of the light guide plate; and
It includes a rear panel formed of a transparent material and spaced apart from the front panel to form a space where the display, the light guide plate, and the display light are accommodated,
The light is
a light emitting member that irradiates light in a direction away from the light guide plate, based on a direction parallel to the light guide plate;
a light case in which the light emitting member is accommodated; and
A refrigerator comprising a light cover that shields the opening of the light case and transmits light emitted from the light emitting member. According to claim 12,
The refrigerator, wherein the light emitting member is arranged to emit light in a direction parallel to the light guide plate toward a rear portion perpendicular to the light guide plate. According to claim 12,
A refrigerator, characterized in that a shielding part is formed on one side of the light case, extending behind the light guide plate, and blocking light from the light emitting member toward the light guide plate. According to claim 12,
A refrigerator, characterized in that an inclined or rounded reflection part is formed on the inner surface of the light case facing the light emitting member so that the light emitted from the light emitting member is reflected and passes through the light cover. According to claim 12,
The light is
A refrigerator extending in a direction crossing the light guide plate and further comprising a shielding portion that blocks light from the light emitting member to the light guide plate. The method of claim 1 or 12,
The door is
a main door that opens and closes the cabinet, and a door-side storage space is formed in the main door opening;
A refrigerator comprising a sub-door that opens and closes the door-side storage space in front of the main door, and is provided with the panel assembly to allow the door-side storage space to be transparent. According to claim 17,
The refrigerator, characterized in that the light is mounted on the inner side of the main door opening. According to claim 17,
The refrigerator is characterized in that the light is mounted on a protrusion that protrudes from the rear of the sub door and is inserted into the inner side of the main door. The method of claim 1 or 12,
An opaque first bezel is formed around the panel assembly,
A refrigerator comprising an opaque second bezel that is output in the same color as the first bezel on the display and has a predetermined width at an end of the first bezel. According to claim 20,
The refrigerator, wherein the second bezel is output when the inside of the cupboard can be seen through the transparent unit, and is not output when the inside of the cupboard is not visible through the transparent unit. According to claim 20,
The perspective unit,
When the second bezel is output, it is defined as the inner area of the second bezel,
A refrigerator, characterized in that it is defined as an inner area of the first bezel when the second bezel is not output. According to claim 20,
The panel assembly is provided with a plurality of spacers supporting the space between the front panel, the rear panel, and the light guide plate,
The refrigerator, wherein the first bezel is formed to have a width from an outer edge of the front panel to a position corresponding to the ends of the plurality of spacers. According to claim 20,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the width of the second bezel can be variably adjusted. The method of claim 1 or 12,
The panel assembly is provided with a plurality of spacers supporting the space between the front panel, the rear panel, and the light guide plate,
It is output in an opaque color along the circumference of the display and includes at least a third bezel that shields the coupling portion of the spacer,
A refrigerator, characterized in that the width of the third bezel becomes wider when the light is turned on and becomes narrower when the light is turned off. In a method of manufacturing a refrigerator including a light guide plate provided on the refrigerator door,
Mixing a light guide plate material by stirring a powdered light diffuser into a liquid acrylic monomer;
injecting the mixed light guide plate material into an inlet of a plate assembly;
curing the plate assembly; and
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator including the step of heat treating the hardened plate assembly. According to claim 26,
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator wherein the plate assembly includes a glass plate. According to claim 26,
The light diffuser includes:
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator containing at least one material of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) having a particle size in the range of 70μm to 100μm. According to claim 26,
In the step of curing the plate assembly,
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator including the step of putting the plate assembly into a water tank storing water. According to claim 26,
In the step of curing the plate assembly,
A method of manufacturing a refrigerator including the step of putting the plate assembly into a curing tank equipped with a UV lamp.

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