Panel assembly, refrigerator, and home appliances

An appliance comprising:

• a cabinet that defines an inner space;
• and
• a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the inner space, the door comprising (i) a frame that defines an opening and (ii) a panel assembly that covers the opening,
• wherein the panel assembly comprises:
• a first panel made of a glass material,
• a second panel spaced apart from the first panel and made of a glass material,
• a third panel that is made of tinted glass and that defines a front surface of the door,
• a plurality of spacers disposed between the first panel and the second panel and configured to maintain a gap between the first panel and the second panel,
• a sealing member disposed between the first panel and the second panel and configured to seal a space defined between the first panel and the second panel,
• an exhaust hole defined in at least one of the first panel or the second panel and configured to allow air to be exhausted from the space defined between the first panel and the second panel to create a vacuum in the space defined between the first panel and the second panel, and
• a cover member configured to cover the exhaust hole,
• wherein the third panel comprises:
• a first area configured to transmit light, and
• a printed layer disposed at a second area outside of the first area, the printed layer being configured to restrict light transmission and facing the exhaust hole and the sealing member.

A refrigerator comprising:

• a cabinet that defines an inner space;
• and
• a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the inner space, the door comprising (i) a frame that defines an opening, (ii) a panel assembly that covers the opening, and (iii) an insulation material provided between the frame and the panel assembly,
• wherein the panel assembly comprises:
• a first panel made of a glass material,
• a second panel spaced apart from the first panel and made of a glass material,
• a sealing member disposed between the first panel and the second panel and configured to seal a space defined between the first panel and the second panel,
• an exhaust hole defined in at least one of the first panel or the second panel and configured to allow air to be exhausted from the space defined between the first panel and the second panel to create a vacuum in the space defined between the first panel and the second panel, and
• a cover member configured to cover the exhaust hole,
• wherein the second panel extends in a first direction and covers a portion of the insulation material such that the insulation material overlaps with the second panel in a front-rear direction orthogonal to the first direction, and
• wherein a length of the portion of the insulation material covered by the second panel in the first direction is greater than a thickness of the panel assembly in the front-rear direction.