# US 11,079,166 B2 · Refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,166 B2 - Document ID: US11079166B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/798,057 - Filed: 2020-02-21 - Published: 2020-08-27 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-22 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Jongchan Choe; Hyoungjun Park; Sanghun Cho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079166B2 ## CPC - F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) - F25D 23/028: {Details} - F25D 23/061: {with conduit means} - F25D 23/065: {Details} - F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21) - F25D 29/005: {Mounting of control devices} - G09G 3/2096: {Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a flat panel (suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/006; specific for a CRT G09G1/167)} - F25D 2327/001: Lighting arrangements on the external side of the refrigerator, freezer or cooling box - F25D 2400/36: Visual displays - F25D 2400/40: Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring - 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) - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator. In the refrigerator according to an embodiment, an outer spacer supporting a display is grounded with a ground, and electromagnetic waves transmitted from the outer spacer is charged to the outside. Therefore, the electromagnetic waves can be prevented as acting on a display image as a noise. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet; a door configured to open and close the cabinet, the door having an opening formed therethrough; a light provided on the cabinet or the door; and a display assembly that covers the opening of the door, wherein the display assembly comprises: a front panel and a rear panel; an outer spacer provided between the front panel and the rear panel and configured to define an insulation space between the front panel, the rear panel, and the outer spacer; a display provided within the insulation space; and a connector provided at the outer spacer, the connector being configured to discharge electromagnetic waves being transferred to the outer spacers to outside of the display assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a source board attached to the outer spacer, the source board including a ground terminal, wherein the connector is electrically coupled to the ground terminal of the source board. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the connector comprises a conductive tape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the conductive tape is attached to the outer spacer and the ground terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the outer spacer comprises: a bottom spacer provided below the display assembly; a top member provided above the display assembly; and a side spacer provided at each lateral side of the display assembly and configured to connect the top spacer to the bottom spacer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the source board is attached to an inner surface of at least one of the side spacers, and wherein the conductive tape is attached to the ground terminal of the source board and the inner surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the source board comprises: a board main body attached to an inner surface of at least one of the side members; and a circuitry provided on the board main body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, further comprising an insulation tape attached to the circuitry, wherein the conductive tape is attached to the insulation tape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the source board further comprises at least one grounding line connected to the ground terminal, the grounding line being printed on the source board, and wherein the conductive tape is attached to the grounding line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a ground cable connected to a ground, wherein the ground cable is electrically coupled to the outer spacer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigerator of claim 10, further comprising a screw screwed into the connector, and wherein the screw is configured to fix the ground cable to the outer spacer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a screw inserter that protrudes from the ground cable, wherein the screw penetrates through the screw inserter and is screwed into the outer spacer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: at least one printed circuit board (PCB) provided outside the outer spacer, wherein the connector comprises a connection cable electrically connected with the at least one PCB and the outer spacer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the at least one PCB comprises a plurality of PCBs, which comprises: a timing controller (T-CON) board configured to adjust a timing of an image signal input to the display; a touch PCB electrically connected with a touch sensor attached to the display; and a docking PCB connected with a main controller provided on the cabinet, wherein the connection cable is connected to a ground terminal of the T-CON board, a ground terminal of the touch PCB, or a ground terminal of the docking PCB. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the connection cable includes a screw fastened to the outer spacer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the connector is connected to one point of the outer spacer, and wherein the connector is in contact with the ground terminal of the source board. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises: a main door that defines an opening; and a sub door pivotably attached to a front of the main door and configured to open or close the opening of the main door, wherein the display assembly is installed on the sub door. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a light provided on the cabinet or the door, wherein the display assembly is configured to implement any one mode of: a transparent mode in which the light is turned on, and an inside of the storage space is visible through the display assembly; an opaque mode in which the light is turned off and the inside of the storage space is hidden; and a display mode in which the light is turned off and the display operates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein the display assembly further comprises a backlight provided at a rear of the display, wherein, when the display assembly is in the transparent mode or the opaque mode, the backlight is turned off, and when the display assembly is in the display mode, the backlight is turned on.