# US 12,215,850 B2 · Home appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,850 B2 - Document ID: US12215850B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/993,685 - Filed: 2022-11-23 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-23 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Junggyu Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215850B2 ## CPC - F21V 33/0044: {Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners} - F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) - F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21) - G02B 6/0091: {of the light source relative to the light guide (G02B6/0021 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/0095: {Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like} - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A home appliance includes a cabinet defining a storage space and a door including a door body to open and close the storage space, and a panel assembly mounted on a front surface of the door body. The panel assembly includes a panel defining an outer appearance of a front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted, a light guide plate provided behind the panel to guide light toward the panel, a lighting device including a plurality of LEDs irradiating light having a set color toward the light guide plate and a substrate on which the LEDs are mounted, and a bracket on which the lighting device is mounted. A substrate protrusion, which protrudes toward a front surface of the door body and to which a wire is connected, is disposed on the substrate, and the bracket includes one or more support portions supporting the substrate protrusion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A home appliance comprising: a cabinet in which a storage space is defined; and a door including a door body configured to open and close the storage space, and a panel assembly mounted on a front surface of the door body, wherein the panel assembly includes: a panel configured to define an outer appearance of a portion of a front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted; a light guide plate provided behind the panel and configured to guide the light toward the panel; a lighting device including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to irradiate the light toward the light guide plate, and a substrate on which the LEDs are mounted; and a bracket on which the lighting device is mounted, and wherein: the substrate incudes a substrate protrusion configured to be electrically connected to a wire, and the bracket includes at least one support configured to support the substrate protrusion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the substrate includes an LED mounting region which is provided at a position facing an end of the light guide plate and on which the plurality of LEDs are provided, and the substrate protrusion protrudes from the LED mounting region to pass through a rear surface of the panel assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein the at least one support is configured to support the LED mounting region and the substrate protrusion together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein the at least one support is configured to: extend from a lower side of the substrate so as to extend along the LED mounting region; and support a bottom surface of the LED mounting region and a side end of the substrate protrusion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein the at least one support includes a lower support which protrudes to support a lower side of the substrate and by which the substrate protrusion is spaced apart from a bottom of the bracket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein the lower support includes: a support portion groove recessed to receive the LED mounting region so as to restrict a movement of the substrate in a front and rear direction; and a support portion protrusion protruding to support a side end of the substrate protrusion so as to restrict a movement of the substrate in a left and right direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein the lower support portion is configured to restrict the substrate that is in contact with a stepped portion between the LED mounting region and the substrate protrusion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein the support further include an upper support extending downward from an upper side of the lower portion and in contact with a top surface of the substrate to restrict a vertical movement of the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein the support includes an upper support extending downward from an upper side of the substrate to restrict a top surface of the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The home appliance according to claim 9, wherein the upper support includes: a vertical extension extending downward toward the top surface of the substrate; and a horizontal extension extending a bent angle from a lower end of the vertical extension to contact the top surface of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The home appliance according to claim 10, wherein the vertical extension extends downward from an area corresponding to the substrate protrusion, and the horizontal extension portion extends up to the LED mounting region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The home appliance according to claim 10, wherein the horizontal extension passes between two of the LEDs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The home appliance according to claim 2, wherein the bracket includes a protrusion guide extending backward to accommodate the substrate protrusion, wherein the protrusion guide is provided on a rear surface of the bracket, and wherein the protrusion guide protrudes backward to pass through a rear surface of the panel assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The home appliance according to claim 13, wherein the support includes: a lower support protruding upward from a first side of the protrusion guide and is configured to space the substrate protrusion apart from a bottom surface of the protrusion guide; and a side support protruding from a second side of the protrusion guide toward the lower support to restrict a side end of the substrate protrusion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The home appliance according to claim 14, wherein the side support includes: a first support surface extending along a top surface of the LED mounting region to restrict the LED mounting region; and a second support surface extending along a top surface of the substrate protrusion to restrict the substrate protrusion, and wherein the first support surface further protrudes than the second support surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The home appliance according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of soldering pads configured to be connected to the wire are provided on the substrate protrusion, wherein the plurality of soldering pads are provided on top and bottom surfaces of the substrate, respectively, and wherein the LEDs are mounted on a top surface of the LED mounting region, and at least one of an element for driving the LEDs or an element for signal processing is mounted on a bottom surface of the LED mounting region. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the bracket includes: a bracket front surface configured to define a front surface of the bracket and extend more upward than the LED; a bracket bottom surface which extends backward from a lower end of the bracket front surface and on which the lighting device is mounted; and a light guide plate support protruding backward from the front surface to support a lower end of the light guide plate, wherein the light guide plate support extends to pass between two of the plurality of LEDs so as to restrict a top surface of the substrate, and wherein the support portion protrudes upward from the bracket bottom surface to restrict a lower side of the substrate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the panel assembly further includes a transmission member which is made of a light transmitting material and on which the panel and the light guide plate are mounted, wherein the transmission member includes: a front surface wall configured to partition the panel and the light guide plate from each other and having a front surface on which the panel is mounted; and a side surface wall protruding backward from left and right ends of the front surface wall to restrict sides of the light guide plate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The home appliance according to claim 18, wherein the transmission member has opened upper and lower ends, and the bracket is inserted and mounted in the opened lower end of the transmission member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The home appliance according to claim 19, wherein the panel assembly includes: an upper bracket inserted into the opened upper end of the transmission member; and a back cover provided behind the transmission member and configured to connect to the upper bracket and the bracket so as to define a rear surface of the panel assembly, wherein a cover opening through which the substrate protrusion is exposed is defined in the back cover. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the substrate protrusion protrudes toward a front surface of the door body.