# US 2024/0200853 A1 · Home appliance and method of manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0200853 A1 - Document ID: US20240200853A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/529,936 - Filed: 2023-12-05 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kyunghwan LEE; Minkyung Lee; Youngdeog Koh; Kwangjoo Kim; Choongkeon Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200853A1 ## CPC - F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21) - F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) - F25D 23/028: {Details} - G02F 1/133512: {Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix (G02F1/136209 takes precedence)} - G02F 1/1339: Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells - G02F 1/13452: {Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels} - G02F 1/167: by electrophoresis - G02F 1/1677: Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices - G02F 1/1685: Operation of cells; Circuit arrangements affecting the entire cell - G09G 3/344: {based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices (electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167)} - F25D 2400/18: Aesthetic features - G02F 2201/503: Arrangements improving the resistance to shock - 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) - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract A home appliance, includes: a main body; and a door configured to open and close the main body, the door including a door body and a door panel disposed on one side of the door body. The door panel includes: a light-transmissive panel disposed on the one side of the door body, the light-transmissive panel being configured to allow light to pass through; an electrophoretic film disposed between the light-transmissive panel and the door body; a protective plate disposed between the electrophoretic film and the door body, the protective plate being configured to protect the electrophoretic film; and a sealing member disposed along an edge portion of the light-transmissive panel extending outwardly from an edge of the electrophoretic film and an edge of the protective plate, the sealing member being configured to cover the edge of the electrophoretic film and the edge of the protective plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A home appliance, comprising: a main body; and a door configured to open and close the main body, the door including a door body and a door panel disposed on one side of the door body; wherein the door panel comprises: a light-transmissive panel disposed on the one side of the door body, the light-transmissive panel being configured to allow light to pass through; an electrophoretic film disposed between the light-transmissive panel and the door body; a protective plate disposed between the electrophoretic film and the door body, the protective plate being configured to protect the electrophoretic film; and a sealing member disposed along an edge portion of the light-transmissive panel extending outwardly from an edge of the electrophoretic film and an edge of the protective plate, the sealing member being configured to cover the edge of the electrophoretic film and the edge of the protective plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the sealing member is configured to cover a rear surface of the edge portion of the light-transmissive panel facing the door body, and an end surface of the electrophoretic film, the end surface of the electrophoretic film facing outward from the edge of the electrophoretic film in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the edge portion of the light-transmissive panel faces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the edge of the electrophoretic film extends outwards from the edge of the protective plate, and wherein the sealing member is configured to cover a rear surface of the edge of the electrophoretic film facing the door body and an end surface of the protective plate, the end surface of the protective plate facing outward from the edge of the protective plate in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the edge of the electrophoretic film faces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the sealing member comprises: a first sealing member configured to cover an end surface of the electrophoretic film and a rear surface of the edge of the electrophoretic film facing the door body, the end surface of the electrophoretic film facing outward from the edge of the electrophoretic film in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the edge of the electrophoretic film faces, and a second sealing member configured to cover an end surface of the protective plate a rear surface of the edge of the protective plate facing the door body, the end surface of the protective plate facing outward from the edge of the protective plate in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the edge of the protective plate faces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The home appliance of claim 4, wherein the second sealing member is coupled to the first sealing member, the second sealing member being disposed between at least a portion of the first sealing member and the door body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The home appliance of claim 1, further comprising at least one processor configured to output a driving signal of the electrophoretic film, wherein the electrophoretic film comprises a first electrode layer electrically connected to the at least one processor and adjacent to the light-transmissive panel, and a second electrode layer disposed opposite to the first electrode layer and adjacent to the protective plate, wherein the door panel further comprises a connector electrically connecting the at least one processor and the electrophoretic film, the connector comprising a first terminal connected to the first electrode layer and a second terminal connected to the second electrode layer, and wherein the connector is attached to the second electrode layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The home appliance of claim 6, wherein the protective plate comprises a connector opening disposed between at least a portion of the connector and the door body, the connector opening being configured to expose the at least the portion of the connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The home appliance of claim 7, wherein the connector opening extends from the edge of the protective plate toward an inside of the edge of the protective plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The home appliance of claim 6, wherein the electrophoretic film further comprises an electrophoretic layer comprising a color cell configured to accommodate charged particles having colors, the electrophoretic layer being disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and wherein the first electrode layer comprises a first terminal connecting portion provided on a rear surface of the first electrode layer facing the door body to connect to the first terminal, wherein each of the electrophoretic layer and the second electrode layer includes a stepped portion that steps inwardly from an edge of the first terminal connecting portion to allow the first terminal to connect to the first terminal connecting portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the door panel further comprises a light blocking layer configured to block propagation of light and to cover a rear surface of the edge portion of the light-transmissive panel facing the door body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The home appliance of claim 10, wherein the light blocking layer is disposed between the light-transmissive panel and the sealing member. ### Claim 12 A method of manufacturing a home appliance, the method comprising: coupling a light-transmissive panel to one surface of an electrophoretic film such that an edge of the light-transmissive panel is positioned outwardly from an edge of the electrophoretic film, coupling a protective plate to an other surface of the electrophoretic film such that an edge of the protective plate is positioned inwardly from the edge of the electrophoretic film, and sealing an end surface of the electrophoretic film and an end surface of the protective plate by forming a sealing member on a first sealing area disposed along the edge of the electrophoretic film and a second sealing area disposed along the edge of the protective plate, the end surface of the electrophoretic film facing outward from the edge of the electrophoretic film in a direction different from a direction in which the other surface of the electrophoretic film faces, and the end surface of the protective plate facing outward from the edge of the protective plate in a direction different from the direction in which the other surface of the electrophoretic film faces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the sealing member on the first sealing area and the second sealing area comprises: forming a first sealing member on the first sealing area so as to seal the end surface of the electrophoretic film, and after forming the first sealing member, forming a second sealing member on the second sealing area so as to seal the end surface of the protective plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining the first sealing area by detecting a boundary between the light-transmissive panel and the electrophoretic film, and determining the second sealing area by detecting a boundary between the electrophoretic film and the protective plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the first sealing area and the determining the second sealing area comprises: photographing rear surfaces of the light-transmissive panel, the electrophoretic film, and the protective plate; determining vertices at the edge of the electrophoretic film based on the photographed image; determining the first sealing area based on the vertices at the edge of the electrophoretic film; determining vertices at the edge of the protective plate based on the photographed image, and determining the second sealing area based on the vertices at the edge of the protective plate. ### Claim 16 A home appliance, comprising: an electrophoretic display (EPD) panel forming an exterior of the home appliance; and a base on which the EPD panel is mounted; wherein the EPD panel comprises: a light-transmissive panel disposed on one side of the base, the light transmissive panel being configured to transmit light, an electrophoretic film disposed between the light-transmissive panel and the base, a protective plate disposed between the electrophoretic film and the base, the protective plate being configured to protect the electrophoretic film, and a sealing member; wherein the electrophoretic film comprises: a pair of electrode layers, and an electrophoretic layer comprising a color cell configured to flowably accommodate first charged particles having a first color, and second charged particles having a second color, the second color being different than the first color, the second charged particles having a charge different than that of the first charged particles, the electrophoretic layer being disposed between the pair of electrode layers; and wherein the sealing member covers (i) an edge portion on a rear surface of the light-transmissive panel facing the base, (ii) a cut surface of the electrophoretic film, (iii) an edge portion of a rear surface of the electrophoretic film, and (iv) a cut surface of the protective plate, the cut surface of the electrophoretic film facing outward from an edge of the electrophoretic film in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the light-transmissive panel faces, and the cut surface of the protective plate facing outward from an edge of the protective plate in a direction different from a direction in which the rear surface of the electrophoretic film. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The home appliance of claim 16, wherein the sealing member comprises: a first sealing member configured to cover the cut surface of the electrophoretic film, the edge portion of the rear surface of the light-transmissive panel, and the edge portion of the rear surface of the electrophoretic film; and a second sealing member configured to cover the cut surface of the protective plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The home appliance of claim 17, wherein the second sealing member is coupled to the first sealing member, the second sealing member being disposed between at least a portion of the first sealing member and the base. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The home appliance of claim 16, wherein the door panel further comprises a light blocking layer configured to block propagation of light and to cover the edge portion on the rear surface of the light-transmissive panel facing the base. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The home appliance of claim 19, wherein the light blocking layer is disposed between the light-transmissive panel and the sealing member.