# US 11,079,171 B2 · Refrigerator with surround illumination feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,171 B2 - Document ID: US11079171B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/309,359 - Filed: 2016-10-26 - Published: 2019-10-10 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-26 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Giulia Marinello; Alberto R. Gomes; Lynne F. Hunter; Julia B. Burke; Daniel Chow; Abhay Naik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079171B2 ## CPC - F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21) - F25D 23/066: {Liners} - F25D 23/085: {Breaking strips} - F21W 2131/305: for refrigerators - F25D 11/02: with cooling compartments at different temperatures - F25D 2323/021: French doors - F25D 2400/18: Aesthetic features - 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) - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS ## Abstract A refrigerator includes a vacuum insulated cabinet and a surround lighting feature. The vacuum insulated cabinet includes a liner disposed within a wrapper, which are interconnected by a thermal bridge to form a vacuum cavity therebetween. A wall covering assembly includes a top wall disposed adjacent to and spaced-apart from a top wall of the liner. The wall covering assembly also includes a rear wall disposed adjacent to and spaced-apart from a rear wall of the liner. In assembly, the liner and the wall covering assembly cooperate to define a refrigerator compartment. A cavity is formed between liner and the wall covering assembly. A surround lighting assembly is disposed around an opening into the refrigerator compartment and is powered by a wiring system concealed by the wall covering assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator, comprising: a vacuum insulated cabinet having a liner disposed within a wrapper, wherein the liner and wrapper are interconnected by a thermal bridge to form a vacuum cavity therebetween, and further wherein the liner includes an outer surface aligned with an outer surface of the thermal bridge; a wall covering assembly having a top wall disposed adjacent to and spaced-apart from a top wall of the liner and a rear wall disposed adjacent to and spaced-apart from a rear wall of the liner, wherein the liner and the wall covering assembly cooperate to define a refrigerator compartment; a cavity formed between the liner and the wall covering assembly; and a lighting assembly disposed around an opening into the refrigerator compartment, wherein the lighting assembly is powered by a wiring system concealed by the wall covering assembly, wherein the lighting assembly includes an outer layer through which light is emitted into the refrigerator compartment, and further wherein the outer layer includes an outer surface aligned with the outer surface of the thermal bridge and the outer surface of the liner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cavity includes a first portion disposed between the rear wall of the liner and the rear wall of the wall covering assembly, and a second portion disposed between the top wall of the liner and the top wall of the wall covering assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the wiring system includes a first end coupled to the lighting assembly, and a second end coupled to a power source disposed behind the wall covering assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the vacuum insulated cabinet includes a gap disposed between portions of the liner and the thermal bridge along a front portion of the refrigerator compartment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the lighting assembly is disposed in the gap between the liner and thermal bridge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the lighting assembly includes a light guide having a body portion coupled to the refrigerator compartment. ### Claim 7 A refrigerator, comprising: a liner having a plurality of walls defining a compartment, and a front edge defining an opening into the compartment, wherein the liner further includes a transverse portion that is inwardly angled and positioned between the compartment and the front edge of the liner; a thermal bridge having a coupling portion coupled to the front edge of the refrigerator liner; an outwardly opening channel disposed between the transverse portion of the liner and the coupling portion of the thermal bridge; and a lighting assembly received in the outwardly opening channel, wherein the lighting assembly is substantially disposed around an entirety of the opening into the compartment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the lighting assembly includes a light guide having a body portion coupled to the compartment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the liner includes an outer surface aligned with an outer surface of the thermal bridge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the lighting assembly includes an outer surface aligned with the outer surface of the thermal bridge and the outer surface of the liner. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the lighting assembly is disposed on an outer layer through which light is emitted into the compartment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, including: a wall covering assembly disposed within the compartment; and a power source electrically coupled to the lighting assembly and concealed by the wall covering assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, including: one or more doors operable between open and closed positions relative to the compartment, wherein the lighting assembly illuminates the compartment when one of the one or more doors is in the open position. ### Claim 14 A refrigerator, comprising: a refrigerator liner having a quadrilateral front edge and an outer surface; a thermal bridge having an outer surface and a coupling portion coupled to the front edge of the refrigerator liner, wherein a channel is formed between the outer surface of the refrigerator liner and the outer surface of the thermal bridge, and further wherein the outer surface of the refrigerator liner is aligned with the outer surface of the thermal bridge; and a lighting assembly received in the channel, wherein the lighting assembly is substantially disposed around an opening into a refrigerator compartment defined by the refrigerator liner, and further wherein the lighting assembly includes an outer surface disposed in a same plane as the outer surface of the thermal bridge and the outer surface of the liner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the lighting assembly includes first and second side portions interconnecting upper and lower portions, and further wherein the refrigerator liner includes first and second sidewalls interconnecting top and bottom walls, wherein the lighting assembly first and second side portions of the lighting assembly are disposed along the first and second sidewalls of the refrigerator liner, respectively, and further wherein the upper and lower portions of the lighting assembly are disposed along the top and bottom walls of the refrigerator liner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the lighting assembly includes a light guide.