# US 12,760,958 B2 · Refrigerator with passage for a water pipe and electrical wire between cabinet and door > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,958 B2 - Document ID: US12760958B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/722,024 - Filed: 2022-12-09 - Published: 2025-02-27 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-21 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Sanggyun Lee; Younseok Lee; Yongwon Dong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760958B2 ## CPC - F25D 23/028: {Details} - E05D 11/0081: {for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing} - E05Y 2900/31: for refrigerators - F25D 2323/024: Door hinges - 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) - E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00) - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A refrigerator including a cabinet including a storage space; a door configured to open or close the storage space and including an electric component; a hinge device configured to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet; a water pipe extending from the cabinet and connected to the door; and a wire configured to electrically connect a component in the door and the cabinet to each other. The door includes a door opening which is disposed at a position spaced apart from a center of rotation by the hinge device and through which the water pipe and the wire pass, and a guide disposed inside of the door and aligned with the door opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet comprising a storage space; a door configured to open or close the storage space, the door comprising an electric component; a hinge device configured to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet; a water pipe that extends from the cabinet into the door; and a wire configured to electrically connect a component in the door to the cabinet, wherein the door comprises: a door opening which is located at an upper side of the door and disposed at a position spaced apart from a rotation center of the hinge device and through which the water pipe and the wire pass; and a guide disposed inside of the door and aligned with the door opening, wherein the guide comprises a wire withdrawal portion at an upper portion thereof adjacent the door opening through which the wire extends, and wherein the wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion is electrically connected to the electric component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the water pipe and at least a portion of the wire having passed through the door opening are located inside the guide and extend downward therein. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door further comprises a dispenser configured to discharge at least one of water or ice, and wherein the guide extends downward from the door opening so as to guide the water pipe toward the dispenser. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) unit including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of elements installed on the PCB, and wherein the wire comprises: a first connection wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion and is connected to the PCB unit; and a second connection wire connected to the PCB unit and connected to the electric component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) unit including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of elements installed on the PCB, and wherein the wire comprises: a first connection wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion and is connected to the PCB unit; and a third connection wire connected to the PCB unit, inserted into the guide through the wire withdrawal portion, and connected to the electric component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises: a printed circuit board (PCB) unit including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of elements installed on the PCB; and a frame on which the PCB unit is mounted, and wherein the door opening is formed in the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the frame comprises a front wall and a rear wall spaced apart from the front wall, and wherein the PCB is installed on the rear wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the rear wall comprises a PCB mounting portion protruding in a direction away from the front wall, and wherein the PCB is mounted on the PCB mounting portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the frame comprises a recessed portion in which the hinge device is installed, and wherein the door opening is formed at a bottom of the recessed portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the frame further comprises a connection wall connecting a lower side of the front wall to a lower side of the rear wall, and wherein a wire hole through which the wire passes is formed in the connection wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises a frame and first and second side frames connected to the frame, and wherein the door opening is located closer to the first side frame than the second side frame. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the wire withdrawal portion extends from the guide toward the second side frame. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises: an ice-making compartment in which an ice maker that generates ice is located, wherein a printed circuit board (PCB) unit is connected to the wire, and wherein the wire withdrawal portion and the PCB unit are located higher than a top surface of a wall forming the ice-making compartment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the door comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, and first and second side frames connected to the upper frame and the lower frame, wherein the door opening is formed in the upper frame, and the guide extends from the upper frame side to the lower frame side, and wherein the PCB unit to which the wire is connected is installed in on the upper frame. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the door comprises a dispenser configured to dispense at least one of water or ice, and first and second side frames, wherein the door opening is located closer to the first side frame than the second side frame, wherein at least a portion of the door opening is disposed to overlap the dispenser in a vertical direction, and wherein a portion of the guide is bent toward the first side frame. ### Claim 16 A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet comprising a storage space; a door configured to open or close the storage space, the door comprising an electric component; a hinge device configured to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet; a water pipe that extends from the cabinet into the door; and a wire configured to electrically connect a component in the door to the cabinet, wherein the door comprises: a door opening which is disposed at a position spaced apart from a rotation center of the hinge device and through which the water pipe and the wire pass; and a guide disposed inside of the door and aligned with the door opening, wherein the guide comprises a wire withdrawal portion through which the wire extends, wherein the wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion is electrically connected to the electric component, wherein the door comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) unit including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of elements installed on the PCB, and wherein the wire comprises: a first connection wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion and is connected to the PCB unit; and a third connection wire connected to the PCB unit, inserted into the guide through the wire withdrawal portion, and connected to the electric component. ### Claim 17 A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet comprising a storage space; a door configured to open or close the storage space, the door comprising an electric component; a hinge device configured to rotatably connect the door to the cabinet; a water pipe that extends from the cabinet into the door; and a wire configured to electrically connect a component in the door to the cabinet, wherein the door comprises: a door opening which is disposed at a position spaced apart from a rotation center of the hinge device and through which the water pipe and the wire pass; and a guide disposed inside of the door and aligned with the door opening, wherein the guide comprises a wire withdrawal portion through which the wire extends, wherein the wire that extends through the wire withdrawal portion is electrically connected to the electric component, wherein the door comprises: an ice-making compartment in which an ice maker that generates ice is located, wherein a printed circuit board (PCB) unit is connected to the wire, and wherein the wire withdrawal portion and the PCB unit are located higher than a top surface of a wall forming the ice-making compartment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the door comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, and first and second side frames connected to the upper frame and the lower frame, wherein the door opening is formed in the upper frame, and the guide extends from the upper frame side to the lower frame side, and wherein the PCB unit to which the wire is connected is installed in the upper frame.