Refrigerator
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorSangmyung Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method to control a refrigerator includes changing a transparent display assembly to be in a first or transparent state allowing an inner space of the refrigerator to be visible through the transparent assembly, a second or opaque state so as to conceal the inner space, and a third or a display state to display information on a display of the transparent assembly. The transparent display assembly includes a front panel, a rear panel, an outer spacer configured to maintain a first distance between the front panel and the rear panel, a display provided on a rear surface of the front panel, a light guide plate spaced apart from the display, and a first spacer configured to support the light guide plate and to maintain a second distance between the display and the light guide plate.
Claims20
A refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet having a storage space;
- a light configured to illuminate the storage space;
- a main door configured to open and close the storage space and having an opening;
- and
- a sub-door configured to open and close the opening of the main door, the sub-door including:
- a panel assembly provided at a front surface of the sub-door;
- an outer plate provided at a side surface of the sub-door;
- a door liner provided at a rear surface of the sub-door and having a door liner opening;
- an upper cap deco provided at an upper surface of the sub-door;
- a lower cap deco provided at a lower surface of the sub-door;
- a first space defined by the door liner, the panel assembly, the outer plate, the upper cap deco and the lower cap deco;
- and
- an insulation material provided in the first space,
- wherein the panel assembly includes:
- a front panel provided at the front surface of the sub-door;
- a rear panel provided at the door liner opening of the door liner, the front and rear panels including a glass material;
- an outer spacer provided between the front panel and the rear panel;
- a second space defined by the outer spacer, the front panel and the rear panel;
- and
- a sealant provided at an outer surface of the outer spacer,
- wherein an inert gas is injected into the second space through an injection hole of the outer spacer, the injection hole being covered by the sealant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.