# US 10,119,751 B2 · Door in door refrigerator having illuminated see-through feature and control method therefor

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- Number: US 10,119,751 B2
- Document ID: US10119751B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/399,161
- Filed: 2017-01-05
- Published: 2017-07-06
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-05
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Kwanghyun Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119751B2

## CPC

- F25D 27/005: {combined with control means}
- A47F 3/0434: {Glass or transparent panels}
- B29C 44/18: Filling preformed cavities {(B29C44/1204 takes precedence)}
- F21V 3/00: Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses (with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506)
- F21V 19/003: {Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources}
- F21V 23/0442: {activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors}
- F25D 11/02: with cooling compartments at different temperatures
- F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042})
- F25D 23/028: {Details}
- F25D 29/005: {Mounting of control devices}
- G03B 29/00: Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects (combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03)
- H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
- H05B 47/16: by timing means
- F21W 2131/305: for refrigerators
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F25D 2201/126: of cellular type
- F25D 2323/021: French doors
- F25D 2323/023: Door in door constructions
- F25D 2323/024: Door hinges
- F25D 2327/00: Lighting arrangements not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- F25D 2400/36: Visual displays
- F25D 2400/361: Interactive visual displays
- F25D 2700/00: Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor
- F25D 2700/04: Sensors detecting the presence of a person
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)
- A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet forming a storage space, a main door that opens and closes the storage space while defining an opening part that is in communication with the storage space, a sub-door mounted to the main door and configured to open and close the opening part, the sub-door including a panel assembly for allowing selective viewing of an inside of the opening part, a detection device for detecting an operation of a user, a lighting unit inside the refrigerator that turns on based on user operation to allow selective viewing of the inner side of the opening part, and a display unit inside the refrigerator at a position corresponding to the panel assembly that becomes visible and displays an operation state of the refrigerator when the lighting unit turns on.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage chamber therein;
a lighting device arranged inside the storage chamber and configured to illuminate an interior of the storage chamber; and
a door connected to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage chamber, the door comprising:
a door frame having an opening defined therethrough;
a panel assembly configured to close the opening defined through the door frame, the panel assembly comprising:
a front panel;
an insulating panel arranged on a rear side of the front panel; and
a spacer configured to maintain a space between the front panel and the insulating panel,
a display unit adjacent to the opening of the door frame and on a rear side of the panel assembly in a state in which the panel assembly closes the opening defined through the door frame, the display unit comprising a manipulation button and a display configured to show state information; and
a sensor that is provided in the panel assembly of the door and that is configured to detect an operation of a user; and
at least one processor configured to control at least one of the lighting device inside the storage chamber or the display unit by:
activating the lighting device and the display unit based on a determination that the operation of the user is detected by the sensor of the panel assembly in a state in which the door is closed,
wherein in a state in which the lighting device and the display unit are activated, the interior of the storage chamber and the state information of the display are visible through the panel assembly of the door from an outside of the refrigerator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit based on a first period of time having elapsed since a most recent time at which the display unit was activated.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the lighting unit together with the display unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit after the display unit has been activated and before a second period of time elapses since a most recent time at which the display unit was activated, and based on a determination that the operation of the user is detected through the sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a proximity detector, a knock sensor, or a touch sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:
a door switch configured to detect an opening and a closing of the door,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is opened.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the lighting device in the storage chamber together with the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is opened.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is closed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the panel assembly is configured to fit inside the door frame in a state in which the panel assembly closes the opening defined through the door frame.

### Claim 10

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage chamber therein;
a lighting device arranged inside the storage chamber and configured to illuminate an interior of the storage chamber;
a first door connected to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage chamber, the first door comprising a first door frame having a first opening defined therethrough;
a second door configured to open and close the first opening defined through the first door frame, the second door comprising:
a second door frame having a second opening defined therethrough that corresponds to the first opening of the first door frame; and
a panel assembly configured to cover the second opening defined through the second door frame, and through which, in a state in which the first door and the second door are closed and the lighting device is activated, the interior of the storage chamber is visible through both the first opening and the second opening from an outside of the refrigerator,
wherein the panel assembly of the second door comprises:
a front panel that defines a front surface of the second door;
an insulating panel that is arranged on a rear side of the front panel; and
a spacer configured to maintain a space between the front panel and the insulating panel of the panel assembly of the second door;
a display unit mounted in the first opening of the first door and arranged on a rear side of the panel assembly of the second door in state in which the second door is closed, the display unit comprising a control button and a display configured to show state information;
a sensor arranged in the panel assembly of the second door and configured to detect an operation of a user; and
at least one processor configured to control at least one of the lighting device inside the storage chamber or the display unit by:
activating the lighting device and the display unit based on a determination that the operation of the user is detected by the sensor of the panel assembly in a state in which the first door and the second door are closed,
wherein in a state in which the lighting device and the display unit are activated, the interior of the storage chamber and the state information of the display are visible through the panel assembly of the second door from an outside of the refrigerator.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit after the display unit has been activated and based on a first period of time having elapsed since a most recent time at which the display unit was activated.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the lighting device together with the display unit after the display unit has been activated and based on the first period of time having elapsed since the most recent time at which the display unit was activated.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit after the display unit has been activated, and before a second period of time elapses since a most recent time that the display unit was activated, and based on a determination that the operation of the user is detected through the sensor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, further comprising:
a door switch configured to detect an opening and a closing of the second door,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the second door is opened.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the lighting device together with the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the second door is opened.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the second door is closed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
in a state in which the display unit is activated, control the display unit to display a temperature and a function of the storage chamber that have previously been set.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the display unit is detachably mounted on the first door frame and within the first opening defined through the first door frame.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a microphone configured to detect a sound wave,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
based on a signal detected by the sensor, detect whether a knock input is applied on the front panel of the panel assembly of the second door; and
based on a determination that the knock input is applied on the front panel of the panel assembly of the second door, activate the lighting device and the display unit.

### Claim 20

A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage chamber therein;
a lighting device arranged in the storage chamber and configured to illuminate an interior of the storage chamber;
a door connected to the cabinet and configured to open and close the storage chamber, the door having an opening defined therethrough,
wherein the door comprises a panel assembly configured to close the opening defined through the door, the panel assembly comprising:
a front panel;
an insulating panel arranged on a rear side of the front panel; and
a spacer configured to maintain a space between the front panel and the insulating panel of the panel assembly of the door;
a display unit mounted in the opening defined through the door and arranged on a rear side of the panel assembly of the door in a state in which the panel assembly closes the opening defined through the door, the display unit comprising a control button and a display configured to show state information;
a sensor arranged adjacent to the front panel of the panel assembly, and configured to detect whether a user contacts the front panel; and
at least one processor configured to control at least one of the lighting device or the display unit according to a detection result of the sensor by:
activating the lighting device and the display unit in a state in which the door is closed, and based on the sensor detecting a first signal indicating that the user contacts the front panel; and
deactivating the lighting device and the display unit in a state in which the lighting device is activated, and based on the sensor detecting a second signal indicating that the user contacts the front panel,
wherein in a state in which both the lighting device and the display unit are activated, the interior of the storage chamber and the state information of the display are visible through the panel assembly of the door from an outside of the refrigerator.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The refrigerator of claim 20, wherein the door further comprises:
a door frame through which the opening of the door is defined,
wherein the display unit is detachably mounted on the door frame and within the opening defined through the door frame.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The refrigerator of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit in a state in which the display unit is activated, and before the second signal is detected that indicates the user contacts the front panel, and based on a first period of time having elapsed since a most recent time at which the display unit was activated.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The refrigerator of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the lighting device together with the display unit in the state in which the display unit is activated, and before the second signal is detected that indicates the user contacts the front panel, and based on the first period of time having elapsed since the most recent time at which the display unit was activated.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The refrigerator of claim 20, further comprising:
a door switch configured to detect an opening and a closing of the door,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is opened.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The refrigerator of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
activate the lighting device together with the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is opened.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The refrigerator of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
deactivate the display unit based on the door switch detecting that the door is closed.