WO2024205122A1 - Home appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a home appliance comprising: a cabinet forming a storage space; and a door for opening or closing the cabinet, wherein the door comprises a door body for opening or closing the storage space and a panel assembly which is mounted on the door body and forms the exterior of the front surface of the home appliance, wherein the panel assembly comprises a panel which forms the front surface of the panel assembly and through which light may pass, and a lighting device that radiates light so that the light passes through the panel from the rear of the panel, wherein the lighting device comprises a plate-shaped substrate arranged at the rear of the panel to face the rear surface of the panel; and a plurality of LEDs provided at set intervals on the front surface of the substrate, wherein a diffusion member is provided between the LEDs and the panel so that light radiated from the LEDs is diffused and passes through the panel.

Description

Home appliances

The present invention relates to a home appliance capable of outputting a color or screen set through the front panel of a door.

In general, home appliances are placed indoors and can be placed so as to be in harmony with the surrounding space. In addition, in order to further improve the appearance of these home appliances, a panel forming the appearance can be provided on the front of the home appliance.

For example, refrigerators are being developed with structures that vary the appearance of the front surface to match the environment in which they are placed, the surrounding furniture, or other home appliances, and this trend is being implemented across home appliances.

U.S. Patent No. 8,789,900 discloses a structure in which a decorative panel forming an exterior appearance is mounted on the front of a refrigerator door, and the decorative panel is configured to be detachable so that the exterior appearance of the front of the door can be formed according to the user's preference.

However, in a refrigerator with this type of structure, if the user wants to change the appearance, the entire decorative panel must be removed and replaced, and there is a problem in that the decorative panel before replacement can no longer be used.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a home appliance in which a diffusion member can be easily arranged in a panel assembly.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a home appliance having a simple structure of a panel assembly that outputs a screen and whose manufacturing cost can be reduced.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a home appliance in which a screen output through a panel assembly has uniform brightness overall and output quality can be guaranteed.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a home appliance that allows a user to check the output status of an image of a terminal through the terminal before displaying it on a panel of the home appliance.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a home appliance comprises: a cabinet forming a storage space; and a door opening and closing the cabinet, wherein the door comprises a door body opening and closing the storage space, and a panel assembly mounted on the door body to form a front exterior of the home appliance, wherein the panel assembly comprises a panel forming a front surface of the panel assembly and capable of transmitting light, and a lighting device irradiating light from a rear surface of the panel to transmit the panel, wherein the lighting device comprises: a plate-shaped substrate arranged from the rear surface of the panel to face the rear surface of the panel; a plurality of LEDs provided at set intervals on the front surface of the substrate; and a diffusion member may be provided between the LEDs and the panel to diffuse light irradiated from the LEDs and transmit the panel.

The above substrate is formed in a size corresponding to the size of the panel, and a plurality of the LEDs can be continuously arranged in the vertical and left-right directions on the substrate.

The above diffusion member may include a lens portion that is recessed and formed at a position corresponding to a plurality of the LEDs to accommodate the LEDs, and a connecting portion that connects between the lens portions and is supported on the front surface of the substrate.

The above lens portion protrudes more than the connecting portion and can be formed in a convex shape so that the irradiation angle of light emitted from the LED increases.

The above diffusion member is formed of a material that allows light to pass through, and is formed to have a size corresponding to the substrate so as to be able to shield all of the plurality of LEDs.

A plurality of the above diffusion members are combined with each other to form a size corresponding to the size of the substrate, and can shield all of the plurality of LEDs.

The above diffusion member can be formed into a rectangular shape with equal length and width.

A plurality of the diffusion members are combined with each other to form a size slightly smaller than the size of the substrate, and when the diffusion members are mounted, the LEDs at positions corresponding to the diffusion members are shielded, and the LEDs formed at the edge of the substrate can be exposed from further outside than the diffusion members.

A plurality of the diffusion members are arranged along the edge of the substrate, and the LEDs formed at the edge of the substrate are shielded by the diffusion members, and the LEDs between the diffusion members can be exposed.

The above diffusion member is formed in a number corresponding to the number of the LEDs and is mounted on the substrate to independently shield the LEDs.

The open rear surface of the diffusion member is in contact with the substrate to accommodate the LED, and the front surface of the diffusion member is formed in a convex shape so that the center protrudes forward, thereby allowing the irradiation angle of the LED to be increased.

The above diffusion member is formed in a transparent state that allows the light to pass through, and is thicker than the thickness of the LED, so that it can shield the entire front surface of the substrate including the LED.

The above substrate may be formed of a transparent film or sheet, and the diffusion member may be formed of a transparent resin material.

The above diffusion member can be formed of an insulating material.

The above substrate may be formed in white, and the above diffusion member may be formed of a translucent resin material to allow light to pass through.

The above diffusion member can be formed by adding a diffusion agent.

The above panel assembly may include a mounting member on the front side to which the panel is mounted and on both ends to which ends of the substrate are fixed.

The above-mentioned mounting member is formed of a transparent material that allows light to pass through, and light irradiated from the LED can penetrate through the diffusion member, mounting member, and panel as a shield.

The above-mentioned mounting member and the above-mentioned diffusion member can be spaced apart from each other.

The above panel assembly includes a back cover that shields the substrate from the rear and forms a rear surface of the panel assembly, and the back cover can be formed of a metal material.

The home appliance according to the proposed embodiment can be expected to have the following effects.

A panel assembly of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a diffusion member to increase the irradiation angle of light irradiated from the LED, thereby ensuring the output quality seen through the panel, and allowing the entire surface of the panel to appear with uniform brightness.

In particular, the diffusion member can be mounted on the substrate and has a structure that shields the LED, so that assembly workability can be excellent and a simple mounting structure can be provided.

In addition, there is an advantage in that the manufacturing cost can be reduced by minimizing the total number of LEDs placed by mounting the above diffusion member.

In addition, the size of the air gap can be reduced through the arrangement of the diffusion member, and thus, there is an advantage in that the thickness of the panel assembly can be slimmed down. In addition, there is an advantage in that the overall thickness of the door can be prevented from increasing and the insulation performance can be maintained.

In addition, the quality of the image seen through the panel can be improved by the absence of diffusion, and there is an advantage in that output quality that satisfies the user can be provided even with an appropriate number of LEDs.

In addition, the screen output through the door can be set and reviewed through the user device, so that even if the screen output through the refrigerator is different from the original image, advance information about this can be provided, and there is an advantage of improved convenience of use.

Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerator among home appliances according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door open.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the above door.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the door body and panel assembly constituting the door.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly.

Figure 6 is a partial plan view of a lighting device, which is one component of the panel assembly.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing an example of the lighting device.

Figure 9 is a plan view showing another example of the lighting device.

Figure 10 is a plan view showing another example of the lighting device.

Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 13 is a drawing showing the operating state of the lighting device according to the second embodiment.

Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 15 is a partial plan view of a lighting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 17 is a partial perspective view of a lighting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 19 is a drawing showing the operating state of a lighting device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 20 is a drawing comparing the operating states of the lighting device according to the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 are drawings showing the output state of a panel assembly according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the control signal flow of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 24 to 26 are front views showing the output status of each pitch of the entire refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 27 is a diagram showing the difference in resolution by pitch of the original image.

Figure 28 is a drawing showing a state in which the image of Figure 27 is output through a refrigerator door.

Figure 29 is a drawing sequentially showing the refrigerator door image output process using a user device.

Figure 30 is a drawing schematically showing a panel control state of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments in which the idea of the present invention is presented, and other regressive inventions or other embodiments included within the scope of the idea of the present invention can be easily proposed by adding, changing, deleting, etc. other components.

Before explanation, the direction is defined. In an embodiment of the present invention, the direction toward the door based on the cabinet shown in FIG. 2 can be defined as front, the direction toward the cabinet based on the door can be defined as rear, the direction toward the floor surface on which the refrigerator is installed can be defined as downward, and the direction away from the floor surface can be defined as upward.

And, below, a number of embodiments of the present invention are described, and the configurations of each embodiment may be combined or substituted in whole or in part.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator among home appliances according to the first embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door open.

As illustrated, a refrigerator (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may have an exterior formed by a cabinet (10) forming a storage space and a door (20) for opening and closing the storage space of the cabinet (10).

For example, the cabinet (10) may form a storage space divided into upper and lower sections, with a refrigerator (11) formed at the upper section and a freezer (12) formed at the lower section. The refrigerator (11) may be called an upper storage space, and the freezer (12) may be called a lower storage space.

The above door (20) may be configured to open and close the refrigerator (11) and the freezer (12), respectively. The door (20) may include a refrigerator door (201) for opening and closing the refrigerator (11), and a freezer door (202) for opening and closing the freezer (12). In addition, the refrigerator doors (201) may be arranged in a pair on the left and right sides, and each refrigerator door (201) may partially open and close the refrigerator (11). In addition, the freezer doors (202) may be arranged in a pair on the left and right sides, and may respectively open and close the freezer (12) partitioned into the left and right sides. The refrigerator door (201) may be referred to as an upper door since it is provided at the upper part of the cabinet (10), and the freezer door (202) may be referred to as a lower door since it is provided at the lower part of the cabinet (10).

The above door (20) can be rotatably mounted on the cabinet (10) by being connected by a hinge device (204, 205, 206), and can open and close the refrigerator (11) and freezer (12) respectively by rotation.

In this embodiment, for the convenience of explanation and understanding, a refrigerator having a structure in which a refrigerator compartment (11) is arranged at the top and a freezer compartment (12) is arranged at the bottom is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the shape of the refrigerator and can be applied to all types of refrigerators equipped with doors.

Meanwhile, the door (20) forms the front exterior of the refrigerator (1) when closed, and can form the exterior of the refrigerator (1) seen from the front when the refrigerator (1) is installed.

The door (20) above may have a structure in which the front side can be selectively illuminated, and may be configured to shine with a set color or brightness. Accordingly, the user can manipulate the front side color or brightness of the door (20) to change without separating or disassembling the door (20), and can change the overall appearance of the refrigerator (1).

Hereinafter, the structure of the door (20) will be examined in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the refrigerator door (201), and other doors may also have the same structure with only differences in the mounting position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the door. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the door body and panel assembly constituting the door separated.

As illustrated, the door (20) may include a door body (40) that forms the overall shape of the door (20) and opens and closes the storage space, and a panel assembly (30) that forms the front exterior of the door (20).

The door body (40) may include a body plate (41) forming the front and a door liner (42) forming the rear. In addition, the door body (40) may include a side deco (44) forming left and right sides of the door body (21). The side deco (44) may extend in the vertical direction, and an upper end may be combined with an upper cap deco (43) and a lower end may be combined with a lower cap deco (45). In addition, the door body (40) may further include an upper cap deco (43) and a lower cap deco (45) forming the upper and lower surfaces of the door body (40).

That is, the exterior of the door body (40) can be formed by the body plate (41), the door liner (42), the side deco (44), the upper cap deco (43), and the lower cap deco (45). In addition, the space inside the door body (40) formed by the combination of the body plate (41), the door liner (42), the side deco (44), the upper cap deco (43), and the lower cap deco (45) can be filled with an insulating material.

And, a structure for mounting the panel assembly (30) may be provided on the front of the door body (40). For example, an upper mounting portion (431) coupled with the upper rear surface of the panel assembly (30) may be formed on the front of the upper cap deco (43). And, a lower mounting portion (451) coupled with the lower rear surface of the panel assembly (30) may be formed on the front of the lower cap deco (45). And, a side mounting portion (411) coupled with the left and right rear surfaces of the panel assembly (30) may be further formed on the front of the door body (40).

The upper mounting portion (431), lower mounting portion (451), and side mounting portion (411) may have a detachable coupling structure with the panel assembly (30). That is, the panel assembly (30) may be detachable from the door body (40) in an assembled state.

The above panel assembly (30) is formed in a plate shape and can form the front exterior of the door (20) when mounted on the front of the door body (40). The panel assembly (30) forms the front exterior of the door (20) and therefore can be called a door panel, and can also be called an exterior panel because it forms the front exterior of the refrigerator (1).

The above panel assembly (30) may have a structure that can be detachably mounted from the door body (40) for service and maintenance. At this time, the panel assembly (30) can be detached from the door body (40) in an assembled module state.

The panel assembly (30) can form a substantial front appearance of the door (20) with its front surface exposed forward when mounted on the door body (40). That is, the color of the front appearance of the door (20) can be determined by the color of the front surface of the panel assembly (30). In addition, the entire front surface of the panel assembly (30) can be configured to shine in a color designated by the user, and the front surface color of the door (20) can be expressed in various ways by changing to various colors selected by the user when the door (20) and the panel assembly (30) are mounted. In addition, the panel assembly (30) can also transmit information to the user in the form of a picture, text, image, video, etc. through a screen output.

Below, the structure of the panel assembly (30) will be examined in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly. And, Fig. 6 is a partial plan view of a lighting device, which is a component of the panel assembly. And, Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated in the drawing, the panel assembly (30) may include a panel (31) and a lighting device (36).

The above panel (31) forms the front of the panel assembly (30) and may be formed of a glass material. In addition, the panel (31) may be formed of another material that allows light to pass through. In addition, a layer for expressing color or texture may be further formed on the panel (31). Accordingly, even when the lighting device (36) is turned off, a specific color and texture may be expressed.

The lighting device (36) irradiates light from the rear of the panel (31), and the arrangement of the lighting device (36) can be said to be a direct structure. The panel assembly (30) may further include the back cover (39).

In addition, the panel assembly (30) may further include the mounting member (32). The mounting member (32) may form the front portion (321), the side portion (322), the rear portion (323), and the receiving portion (324) so that the lighting device (36) may be mounted. In addition, the upper bracket (34) and the lower bracket (35) may be mounted on the upper and lower portions of the mounting member (32).

The above lighting device (36) may include a plate-shaped substrate (361) and a plurality of LEDs (362) arranged on the front surface of the substrate (361).

At this time, the substrate (361) can be configured in various forms in which the LED (362) can be mounted and supported. The left and right sides of the substrate (361) can be inserted into the inner side of the receiving portion (324) formed on the left and right sides of the mounting member (32), and at least a portion of both ends of the substrate (361) can be in contact with the inner side of the receiving portion (324) to prevent the substrate (361) from moving.

The LED (362) above is configured to be able to irradiate light of various colors. For example, the LED (362) may be configured as an RGB LED. In addition, the LED (362) may be configured as a micro LED. The LED (362) may be arranged in multiple pieces at set intervals, and may have an irradiation angle that can uniformly illuminate the panel (31) so that the panel (31) shines with uniform brightness and no shading occurs.

The lighting device (36) above has an advantage in that as the number of LEDs (362) increases, the pitch interval becomes narrower, and a brighter and clearer screen output is possible from the panel assembly (30). However, considering the overall size of the door (20) of the refrigerator (1), there is a problem of increased cost and decreased productivity due to an increase in the manufacturing process when densely arranging the LEDs (362).

Therefore, the design of the lighting device (36) is required so that the problem of the light source being visible on the front side of the door (20) does not occur and so that uniform brightness and appropriate screen output performance can be achieved.

For example, when a lighting device (36) having an LED pitch as in the drawing above is applied to a panel assembly (30) and the air gap (G) between the panel (31) and the LED (362) is designed to be 5 mm, the light source size (S) is small, so a gap between the light source sizes (S) occurs on the front side of the panel (31), and as a result, there is a problem in that the area illuminated by the light source, i.e., the LED (362), appears as a spot shape.

In order to prevent such problems, when the air gap (G) between the panel (31) and the LED (362) is increased to increase the size of the light source (S), the ends of the light source sizes (S) can be prevented from touching each other and the light source can be prevented from appearing as a spot shape. In other words, the entire front surface of the panel (31) can be seen with uniform brightness.

However, if the air gap (G) is increased, the thickness of the entire door (20) in the front-back direction becomes thicker. In addition, if the thickness of the door (20) is maintained, there is a problem in that the thickness of the door body (40), i.e., the thickness of the insulation material, becomes thinner by the amount that the air gap (G) increases.

Accordingly, in order to increase the light source size (S) while maintaining the thickness of the air gap (G) so that the ends of the light sources come into contact with each other, a diffusion member (33) may be further provided in the lighting device (36). The diffusion member (33) may cover the plurality of LEDs (362) from the front to diffuse the light irradiated from the LEDs (362). The diffusion member (33) may be called a lens module or lens member.

In addition, the diffusion member (33) can prevent the LED (362) from coming into contact with the front structure, while also allowing the light irradiated from the LED (362) to be evenly irradiated toward the panel (31).

The above diffusion member (33) may be formed of a material that allows light to pass through, and may be formed of a transparent or translucent material. Accordingly, light irradiated from the LED (362) may pass through the diffusion member (33) and be directed to the panel (31). In addition, the diffusion member (33) may include an additive material, such as a diffusion agent, for diffusing light irradiated from the LED (362), and the light directed to the panel (31) may be diffused to allow the panel (31) to shine evenly.

The lighting device (36) may further include a diffusion member (33). The diffusion member (33) may be placed between the panel (31) and the substrate (361). In addition, the diffusion member (33) may be mounted on the front surface of the substrate (361). The diffusion member (33) may be formed in a plate shape that comes into contact with the substrate (361). In addition, the diffusion member (33) may be mounted on the mounting member (32) and fixed within the panel (31). For example, the diffusion member (33) may be slid-in and inserted into the mounting member (32) while overlapping the substrate (361).

In detail, the diffusion member (33) may include a number of lens parts (331) formed corresponding to positions corresponding to the plurality of LEDs (362), and a connecting part (332) that connects the plurality of lens parts (331) and comes into contact with the substrate (361).

The lens part (331) can accommodate an LED (362) therein. In addition, the lens part (331) can be formed in a convex lens shape so that the light of the LED (362) can be transmitted and diffused. The shape of the lens part (331) can be changed in various ways to control the diffusion of light. In addition, the lens part (331) has an open rear surface so that it can accommodate the LED (362) when the diffusion member (33) is mounted on the substrate (361).

The above connecting portion (332) can form the overall shape of the diffusion member (33) and can form a surface that comes into contact with the front surface of the substrate (361). That is, the connecting portion (332) can be formed in a flat shape and can be folded over the substrate (361). The connecting portion (332) can connect between the lens portions (331). Accordingly, the plurality of lens portions (331) can have a structure in which they are formed on the plate-shaped connecting portion (332).

Accordingly, when assembling the panel assembly (30), the plate-shaped diffusion member (33) can be mounted by aligning the lens portion (331) and the LED (362), and can have a structure in which the entire LED (362) is shielded at once by the diffusion member (33). Accordingly, it can be effectively mounted on the substrate (361) constituting the door (20) having a large surface area.

The above diffusion member (33) can be mounted on the mounting member (32) while being secured to the substrate (361). That is, the diffusion member (33) and the lighting device (36) can be inserted into the receiving portion (324) of the mounting member (32) in a combined state. The left and right ends of the diffusion member (33) and the lighting device (36) can be restrained by the side portion (322).

The back cover (39) can be combined while the lighting device (36) is mounted on the mounting member (32). The back cover (39) can shield the entire rear surface of the lighting device (36) and forms the rear surface of the panel assembly (30).

And, the upper and lower ends of the peripheral portion (392) of the back cover (39) are coupled with the upper bracket (34) and the lower bracket (35), and the left and right ends of the peripheral portion (392) of the back cover (39) can be mounted so as to be in contact with the rear portion (323) of the mounting member (32). Therefore, by mounting the back cover (39), the overall combined structure of the mounting member (32), the upper bracket (34), the lower bracket (35), the lighting device (36), and the diffusion member (33) constituting the panel assembly (30) can be completed.

It is preferable that the back cover (39) be formed of a metal material to maintain the overall strength of the panel assembly (30). When the back cover (39) is formed of a metal material and the back cover (39) is in direct contact with or adjacent to the substrate (361), an insulating member (38) may be provided on the front surface of the back cover (39).

Meanwhile, the diffusion member (33) may be formed as a single configuration corresponding to the size of the substrate (361). In addition, the diffusion member (33) may be formed in various sizes to configure the lighting device.

Below, another example of the lighting device (36) is described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing an example of the lighting device.

As illustrated, the lighting device (36) includes a diffusion member (33a), and the diffusion member (33a) may be composed of at least one module. Accordingly, a plurality of diffusion members (33a) may be combined on one substrate (361) to cover the LED (362) of the substrate (361).

In particular, the diffusion member (33a) is standardized and can be combined and mounted on the substrate (361) of various sizes. In addition, by standardizing the diffusion member (33a) into a relatively small unit size, the possibility of damage to the diffusion member (33a) that is very large during transport and handling can be reduced.

For example, the diffusion member (33a) may be configured in a rectangular plate shape, and each diffusion member (33a) may be formed smaller than the size of the substrate (361). In addition, a plurality of the diffusion members (33a) may be combined with each other to shield the entire front surface of the substrate (361).

For example, the diffusion member (33a) may be composed of a first diffusion member (331a), a second diffusion member (332a), a third diffusion member (333a), and a fourth diffusion member (334a). At this time, each of the diffusion members (33a) may be formed to have the same size. That is, the diffusion member (33a) may be formed to have a size that divides the substrate (361) into four equal parts. In addition, the diffusion member (33a) may be formed to have a square shape with equal length and width. In this case, the diffusion member (33a) may be mounted regardless of directionality, and there is an advantage in that it is easier to mount a combination of multiple diffusion members (33a).

Accordingly, the lighting device (36) can be configured by mounting the diffusion members (33a) on substrates (361) of various sizes through a combination of the diffusion members (33a) having unit sizes. In particular, when the size of the door (20) is large, the substrate (361) can be shielded by using a plurality of diffusion members (33a), and the diffusion members (33a) of the same size can be easily mounted regardless of the mounting order or position.

In addition, if the size of the door (20) is large and the entire plate-shaped diffusion member (33a) is injected at once, there may be a problem in which it is difficult to combine with the substrate (361) due to shrinkage deformation. However, this problem can be fundamentally prevented by combining and mounting a plurality of the diffusion members (33a).

Figure 9 is a plan view showing another example of the lighting device.

As illustrated, the diffusion member (33b) may shield a portion of the entire front surface of the substrate (361). That is, among all the LEDs (362) mounted on the substrate (361), some of the LEDs (362) may be shielded by the diffusion member (33b), and some of the LEDs (362) may not be shielded.

For example, the diffusion member (33b) may be composed of a first diffusion member (331b), a second diffusion member (332b), a third diffusion member (333b), and a fourth diffusion member (334b). In addition, each of these diffusion members (33b) may be formed to be smaller than the size of the substrate (361) divided into four equal parts. In addition, each of these diffusion members (33b) may be formed to have the same size.

A plurality of the above diffusion members (33b) can be mounted so as to be in contact with each other. In addition, the diffusion members (33b) may not shield the LED (362) arranged along the edge of the substrate (361) when mounted on the substrate (361).

Accordingly, the light irradiated from the LED (362) placed at the edge of the substrate (361) passes directly through the panel (31) without passing through the lens part (331). Accordingly, the brightness of the edge of the panel (31), which is structurally relatively dark, can be compensated for to be brighter, and the edge of the door (20) can be prevented from appearing dark.

Figure 10 is a plan view showing another example of the lighting device.

As illustrated, the diffusion member (33c) may be composed of multiple pieces and may be arranged along the edge of the substrate (361).

For example, the diffusion member (33c) may be composed of four members: a first diffusion member (331c), a second diffusion member (332c), a third diffusion member (333c), and a fourth diffusion member (334c). In addition, the first diffusion member (331c) may be arranged along the upper end of the substrate (361), the second diffusion member (332c) and the third diffusion member (333c) may be arranged along the left and right ends of the substrate (361), and the fourth diffusion member (334c) may be arranged along the lower end of the substrate (361).

The above diffusion member (33c) can simultaneously shield a plurality of LEDs (362), and can shield one row of LEDs (362) in the horizontal or vertical direction. Therefore, when all of the above diffusion members (33c) are mounted, only the LEDs (362) arranged along the edge among all LEDs (362) of the substrate (361) can be diffused by the lens unit (331).

By arranging the diffusion member (33c) in this manner, the screen in the central portion of the door (20) can be further emphasized. In addition, the edge area of the door (20), which may appear uneven, can be made to appear with uniform brightness.

Meanwhile, the present invention may have various other embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments. Other embodiments of the present invention may have the same configuration except for some configurations. Therefore, in order to prevent duplication of description, the same configurations are indicated using the same drawing symbols and the detailed description thereof may be omitted. In addition, other embodiments of the present invention described below will be described with a focus on configurations that are different from the above-described embodiments.

Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to the second embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 13 is a drawing showing the operating state of the lighting device according to the second embodiment.

As shown in the drawing, the door (20) of the refrigerator (1) according to the second embodiment may include a door body (40) and a panel assembly (30). The front of the panel assembly (30) may shine in various colors, and characters or pictures may be output.

The above panel assembly (30) can form the entire exterior of the front of the door (20) and can output the exterior color of the front of the door (20). In addition, it is possible to output picture characters, etc. through the panel assembly (30).

The above panel assembly (30) may include a panel (31) and a lighting device (36). The panel (31) may be formed of a material that allows light to pass through.

The lighting device (36) irradiates light from the rear of the panel (31), and the arrangement of the lighting device (36) can be said to be a direct structure. In addition, the panel assembly (30) can further include a back cover (39) forming the rear surface.

In addition, the panel assembly (30) may further include a mounting member (32) for fixing the lighting device (36). The mounting member (32) may be formed of a transparent material that allows light to pass through. In addition, the mounting member (32) may be provided with an additive that diffuses light during molding, or may be provided with a pattern, coating, etc. so that the light passing through the mounting member (32) may be diffused to evenly illuminate the front panel.

For example, the mounting member (32) may form the front part (321), the side part (322), the rear part (323), and the receiving part (324) so that the lighting device (36) may be mounted. The upper bracket (34) and the lower bracket (35) may be mounted on the upper and lower ends of the mounting member (32).

The lighting device (36) may include a plate-shaped substrate (361) and LEDs (362) arranged at regular intervals on the substrate. The LEDs (362) may be arranged in multiples at regular intervals on the entire surface of the substrate (361). The LEDs (362) may be arranged so that the panel (31) may light up with a uniform brightness and no shading may occur, thereby uniformly illuminating the panel (31).

The number of LEDs (362) arranged in the panel assembly (30) can be determined according to the arrangement interval (pitch) of the LEDs (362). That is, as the number of LEDs (362) increases, the pitch interval becomes narrower, and there is an advantage in that a brighter and clearer screen output is possible from the panel (31). However, considering the overall size of the door (20) of the refrigerator (1), there is a problem of increased cost and decreased productivity due to an increase in the manufacturing process when densely arranging the LEDs (362).

Therefore, the design of the lighting device (36) is required so that the problem of the light source being visible on the front side of the door (20) does not occur and so that uniform brightness and appropriate screen output performance can be achieved.

For example, the LED (362) may be composed of an RGB LED that irradiates light of various colors, and may be composed of a 2020 size LED. In addition, a plurality of the LEDs (362) may be arranged to have a pitch (P1) of 15 mm. In addition, the distance between the mounting member (32) and the diffusion member (33d), that is, the air gap (G1), may be configured to be approximately 3.6 mm. Meanwhile, in such an arrangement, if the diffusion member (33d) is omitted, the pitch (P1) between the LEDs (362) may be large and the air gap may be small, which may cause a problem in that the light source appears as a spot shape.

In order to prevent such problems, the lighting device (36) may further include a diffusion member (33d). The diffusion member (33d) may be mounted on the substrate (361). The number of diffusion members (33d) may correspond to positions corresponding to the plurality of LEDs (362). The diffusion member (33d) may cover the plurality of LEDs (362) from the front to diffuse the light irradiated from the LEDs (362). For example, the diffusion member (33d) may be formed in a convex lens shape so that the light from the LEDs (362) may be transmitted and diffused. The shape of the lens may be variously changed to control the diffusion of light. In addition, the diffusion member (33d) may have an open rear surface to accommodate the LEDs (362) when mounted on the substrate (361).

Accordingly, when the LED (362) is turned on, the light irradiated from the LED (362) is diffused by the diffusion member (33d) and directed toward the panel (31), so that the spot of the light source on the panel (31) is not visible to the outside and the panel (31) can exhibit uniform brightness overall.

The above diffusion member (33d) is provided in front of the substrate (361) and prevents the LED (362) from coming into contact with the front structure, while allowing light irradiated from the LED (362) to be evenly irradiated toward the panel (31).

The above diffusion member (33d) may be formed of a material that allows light to pass through. Accordingly, light irradiated from the LED (362) may pass through the diffusion member (33d) and be directed to the panel (31). Each of the diffusion members (33d) may be formed with the same shape so that light irradiated from the LED (362) may be uniformly irradiated toward the panel (31).

The above diffusion member (33d) is supported on the substrate (361) and can form a space in which the LED (362) is accommodated. For example, the rear side of the diffusion member (33d) may be open so that a space in which the LED (362) is accommodated may be formed inside. In addition, the front side of the diffusion member (33d) may be formed in a shape in which the center is convex, like a hen's. Accordingly, light irradiated from the LED (362) may be refracted while passing through the diffusion member (33d) and may be evenly irradiated toward the panel (31). The diffusion member (33d) may be called a lens module, an LED cap, a lens cap, a cap, etc.

The above panel assembly (30) may further include a supporter (363). The supporter (363) is provided between the mounting member (32) and the substrate (361) and allows the mounting member (32) and the lighting device (36) to maintain a set gap. That is, the air gap (G1) can be maintained by the supporter (363). In addition, the supporter (363) can prevent the mounting member (32) and the diffusion member (33d) from coming into contact with each other and the screen output to the front of the panel (31) from being output normally.

The supporter (363) may be formed integrally with the mounting member (32) or the substrate (361). When the supporter (363) is formed integrally with the substrate (361), the supporter (363) may be viewed as a component of the lighting device (36). Of course, the supporter (363) may be formed as a separate component and mounted on the mounting member (32) or the substrate (361).

The supporter (363) may be placed in the space between the diffusion member (33d), and both ends may be in contact with the front surface of the substrate (361) and the back surface of the mounting member (32), respectively. At this time, the length of the supporter (363) may be formed longer than the distance between the mounting member (32) and the substrate (361). Therefore, even in a usage environment where the door (20) is opened and closed or a user presses the panel (31), the mounting member (32) and the diffusion member (33d) may be prevented from coming into contact with each other.

The supporter (363) may be provided in multiple numbers on the front surface based on the substrate (361). In addition, the supporter (363) may extend to cross the multiple diffusion members (33d). In addition, the supporter (363) may be formed of a transparent material or a material that allows light transmission so as not to block the light irradiated from the LED (362).

It is preferable that the back cover (39) be formed of a metal material to maintain the overall strength of the panel assembly (30). When the back cover (39) is formed of a metal material and the back cover (39) is in direct contact with or adjacent to the substrate (361), an insulating material may be provided on the front surface of the back cover (39).

Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 15 is a partial plan view of a lighting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the door (20) of the refrigerator (1) according to the third embodiment of the present invention may include a door body (40) and a panel assembly (30). The front of the panel assembly (30) may be illuminated in various colors, and characters or pictures, etc. may be output.

And, the panel assembly (30) may include the panel (31) and a lighting device (36a). The panel (31) forms the front of the panel assembly (30) and may be formed of a material that allows light to pass through. And, a lighting device (36a) that irradiates various colored lights toward the panel (31) may be provided at the rear of the panel (31).

The above panel assembly (30) may further include a mounting member (32) on which the lighting device (36a) and the panel (31) are mounted. In addition, the panel assembly may further include the back cover. In addition, the panel assembly (30) may further include an upper bracket (34) and a lower bracket (35).

The above lighting device (36a) may include a plate-shaped substrate (361a) and LEDs (362) arranged at regular intervals on the substrate (361a).

The substrate (361a) may be formed of a film or sheet material. In addition, the substrate (361a) may be formed of a film or a thin sheet material and configured in a flexible form. In addition, the substrate (361a) may be formed of a transparent material. The substrate (361a) may be formed to have a thin thickness, and may make the overall thickness of the panel assembly (30) thin and secure an air gap (G2) inside the panel assembly (30).

The LEDs (362) may be arranged in multiple numbers at regular intervals on the substrate (361a). For example, the LEDs (362) in the drawing above may be configured as RGB LEDs that emit light of various colors, and may be configured as 2020 size LEDs. In addition, the plurality of LEDs (362) may be arranged to have a pitch (P2) of 6 mm. In addition, the distance between the mounting member (32) and the diffusion layer (364a), that is, the air gap (G2), may be configured to be approximately 6 mm.

The lighting device (36a) may include a diffusion layer (364a). The diffusion layer (364a) may be formed to shield the front surface of the substrate (361a) on which the LED (362) is mounted, and may be formed of a resin material that allows light to pass through, i.e., a synthetic resin material. Therefore, the diffusion layer (364a) may be referred to as a resin layer or a resin layer. The diffusion layer (364a) may be formed in a transparent state without any other color being added. The diffusion layer (364a) may be referred to as a diffusion member.

The above diffusion layer (364a) may be formed by applying resin to the substrate (361a) on which the LED (362) is mounted. At this time, the thickness of the diffusion layer (364a) may be thicker than the thickness of the LED (362). That is, when the thickness from the substrate (361a) to the LED (362) is 1 mm, the thickness from the substrate (361a) to the diffusion layer (364a) may be formed to be 2 mm. Accordingly, a plurality of the LEDs (362) may all be shielded by the diffusion layer (364a).

The above diffusion layer (364a) may be formed in a flat shape with a uniform front surface. In addition, if necessary, the diffusion layer (364a) may further form a diffusion part with a protruding part corresponding to the LED (362). The diffusion part is formed in a shape like a lens so that the light passing through the diffusion layer (364a) can be further diffused or its straightness can be improved. The diffusion part may be formed in a number corresponding to positions corresponding to a plurality of LEDs (362).

In addition, an additional coating or surface treatment for light diffusion may be performed on the front surface of the diffusion layer (364a) to further improve the diffusion performance of light passing through the diffusion layer (364a). In addition, a diffusion agent may be further added to the diffusion layer (364a) to further improve the diffusion performance of light.

In addition, an additive with high electrical resistance may be further added to the diffusion layer (364a) to insulate the LED (362) and the substrate (361a). Accordingly, the LED (362) and the substrate (361a) can be protected from static electricity generated from the door (20) and malfunction can be prevented.

The above diffusion layer (364a) may be combined with the substrate (361a) on which the LED (362) is mounted in a separately molded state.

Meanwhile, the present invention may have various other embodiments in addition to the above-described embodiments. Another embodiment of the present invention is that the substrate and the diffusion layer of the lighting device have colors, and thus the pitch of the light source can be arranged narrower. Another embodiment of the present invention may be the same as the other embodiment of the present invention described above except for a part of the lighting device configuration. Therefore, the detailed description of the same configuration is omitted, and reference can be made to the above-described embodiments.

Fig. 17 is a partial perspective view of a lighting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a door according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. And, Fig. 19 is a drawing showing the operating state of a lighting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the door (20) of the refrigerator (1) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention may include a door body (40) and a panel assembly (30). In addition, the panel assembly (30) may include a panel (31) and a lighting device (36b). In addition, the panel assembly (30) may further include a mounting member (32) on which the lighting device (36b) and the panel (31) are mounted. In addition, the panel assembly (30) may further include the back cover (39), the upper bracket (34), and the lower bracket (35).

The lighting device (36b) may include a plate-shaped substrate and LEDs (362) arranged at regular intervals on the substrate (361b). The substrate (361b) may be formed in a plate shape, and the front surface on which the LEDs (362) are mounted may be formed in white. That is, the substrate (361b) may be formed opaquely, and may be formed in white to increase reflectivity. Accordingly, some of the light of the LEDs (362) may be reflected forward from the front surface of the substrate (361b).

The LEDs (362) above may be arranged in multiple units at regular intervals on the substrate (361b). For example, the LEDs (362) in the drawing above may be configured as RGB LEDs that emit light of various colors, and may be configured as 3535 size LEDs. In addition, the plurality of LEDs may be arranged to have a pitch (P3) of 8 mm. In addition, the distance between the mounting member (32) and the diffusion layer (364b), that is, the air gap (G3), may be configured to be approximately 5 mm.

At this time, the pitch (P3) of the LED (362) may be larger than the LED pitch (P2) of the other embodiments described above. Accordingly, the number of LEDs (362) constituting the lighting device (36b) may be reduced. In addition, in order to prevent a decrease in brightness and a phenomenon in which a spot of a light source becomes visible that may occur due to an increase in the pitch (P3) of the LED (362), the size of the LED (362) may be increased, and the light reflection and diffusion performance may be increased by using the substrate (361b) and the diffusion layer (364b). Accordingly, the output quality through the panel (31) may be guaranteed even when the pitch (P3) of the LED (362) increases.

The lighting device (36b) may include a diffusion layer (364b). The diffusion layer (364b) may be formed to shield the front surface of the substrate (361b) on which the LED (362) is mounted. In addition, the diffusion layer (364b) may be formed of a resin material that allows light to pass through, that is, a synthetic resin material. Therefore, the diffusion layer (364b) may also be called a resin layer or a resin layer. In addition, the diffusion layer (364b) may also be called a diffusion member.

The diffusion layer (364b) may be formed to be translucent. That is, the diffusion layer (364b) may be formed to be more opaque than the diffusion layer (364a) of the above-described embodiment. The diffusion layer (364b) becomes translucent so that light can be more diffused during the process of transmitting light, and for this purpose, an additive may be added to the diffusion layer (364b). For example, the additive may be a diffusion agent. In addition, the diffusion layer (364b) may be formed to be translucent white and may be combined with the color of the substrate (361b), and may be more effective in reflecting and diffusion of light.

Accordingly, when the LED (362) is turned on, the light irradiated from the LED (362) passes through the diffusion layer (364b), and some of the light is reflected by the front surface of the substrate (361b) and can pass through the diffusion layer (364b). At this time, the light can be further diffused in the process of passing through the diffusion layer (364b), and an effect that appears as if the distance between the LEDs (362) is narrowed can be exhibited. Accordingly, the light passing through the diffusion layer (364b) is evenly irradiated to the entire surface of the panel (31), and the entire panel (31) can be made to shine evenly and evenly. And, as shown in the drawing above, due to diffusion by the reflection and diffusion layer (364b) of the substrate (361b), the color around the LED (362) can appear as a color more similar to the color of the LED (362), and the panel can output a uniform color overall.

FIG. 20 is a drawing comparing the operating states of the lighting device according to the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention.

*With reference to the drawings, the operation states of the lighting device (36a) according to the third embodiment and the lighting device (36b) according to the fourth embodiment will be compared and described in detail.

In the lighting device (36a) of the third embodiment of the present invention, if the diffusion layer (364a) is formed transparently, when the LED (362) is operated to express a color (green), the light irradiated from the LED (362) can be irradiated to the panel (31) by transmitting through the diffusion layer (364a). At this time, the light irradiated from the LED (362) can be diffused by the diffusion layer (364a), and thus the spot of the LED (362) cannot be seen through the panel (31). In particular, the light irradiated from the LED (362) can pass through the transparent diffusion layer (364a) to output the clearest color (green) from the panel (31). (Part A of FIG. 20)

Meanwhile, when the diffusion layer (364a) is formed transparently and the distance of the air gap becomes small, the spot of the LED (362) may become visible, and to prevent this, a diffusion plate (365) may be further placed in front of the diffusion layer (364a). When the diffusion plate (365) is placed, it is possible to ensure that the spot of the LED (362) is not visible, but the lightest color (green) may be output from the panel (31). (Part C of FIG. 20)

And, as in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, when the diffusion layer (364b) is formed to be semitransparent, when the LED (362) is operated to express a color (green), the light irradiated from the LED (362) can be irradiated to the panel by transmitting the diffusion layer. At this time, even though the pitch of the LED (362) is arranged larger due to the light reflection from the white substrate (361b) and the light diffusion from the diffusion layer (364b), the spot of the LED (362) is not visible from the panel (31). Therefore, the color (green) set in the panel (31) can be output by the light irradiated from the LED (362). (Part B of FIG. 20)

Below, the output status of panel assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention will be examined with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 are drawings showing the output state of a panel assembly according to embodiments of the present invention.

As illustrated, the panel assemblies (30) according to the embodiment of the present invention can minimize the exposure of the spot of the LED (362) to the panel (31) by applying the pitch of the LED (362) in various ways, and enable the entire panel (31) to shine with a uniform color and output set characters or images.

In detail, as shown in (c) of FIG. 21 and (c) of FIG. 22, the embodiment of the present invention can be formed so that the pitch (P1) of the LED (362) is the largest at 15 mm. In addition, the diffusion member (33) or diffusion layer (364a) diffuses the light of the LED (362), so that the panel (31) appears to have a uniform color while arranging the smallest number of the LEDs (362), and output of identifiable characters and images is possible.

And, as in (a) of FIG. 21 and (a) of FIG. 22, another embodiment of the present invention can be formed so that the pitch (P2) of the LED is the smallest at 6 mm. And, the transparent substrate (361a) and the transparent diffusion layer (364a) can allow the light of the LED (362) to be diffused and pass through the panel (31), and the clearest and brightest color can be displayed through the panel (31).

And, as in (a) of FIG. 21 and (a) of FIG. 22, in another embodiment of the present invention, the pitch (P3) of the LED (362) can be set to 8 mm, which is smaller than the embodiment of the present invention and larger than the other embodiments of the present invention. And, the opaque white substrate (362b) and the semitransparent diffusion layer (364b) can allow the light of the LED (362) to be reflected and diffused more and pass through the panel (31), and the expression color of the LED (362) can be displayed through the panel (31).

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the control signal flow of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the lighting device (36) is turned off, the front exterior color can be expressed by the color of the panel (31). Then, when the lighting device (36) is operated, the color of the panel (31) changes according to the color of the light irradiated from the lighting device (36), and the front exterior color of the door (20) can be expressed as a selected color.

At this time, the color of the light irradiated from the lighting device (36) and the color displayed through the panel (31) may be different from each other, and color correction may be performed by the control unit (38) of the remote device (2) or the refrigerator (1) itself.

The lighting device (36) above can be controlled and set via a remote device (2) located away from the refrigerator (1). For example, the remote device (2) can be a variety of devices capable of communication, such as a dedicated terminal, a mobile phone, a tablet, a portable PC, a desktop PC, a remote control, a Bluetooth speaker, etc. To this end, the control unit (38) can include a communication unit (386) capable of communicating with the remote device (2).

The user can operate and set the overall operating status of the lighting device (36), such as the operating time, operating conditions, light source emission color, output image, and text, through the operation of the remote device (2). For example, the simple operation and setting of the lighting device (36) may be possible through an application or dedicated program installed on the user's mobile phone (2). That is, the user can select a desired panel (31) color through the screen of a remote device (2), such as a mobile phone or terminal.

Additionally, the user can input a color through the control unit provided in the refrigerator (1) without using the remote device (2).

The above refrigerator (1) and remote device (2) can be connected to a server (3 in FIG. 30) in a network state, and therefore, the color of the panel (31) of the refrigerator (1) can be input through the server (3). In addition, the lighting device (36) can have various operation forms according to the user's settings, and the operation of the lighting device (36) can be controlled by the control unit (38).

For example, the lighting device (36) can be continuously turned on/off according to the user's on/off operation. In addition, it can be turned on at a designated time or set time interval input from the timer (385) to change the front color of the door (20).

And, the lighting device (36) can be operated according to the operating state of the refrigerator (1). For example, the lighting device (36) can be operated in a set manner according to the operating mode or state of the refrigerator (1) to change the color of the front surface of the door (20). Therefore, the user can intuitively know the operating state or mode of the refrigerator (1) through the color of the door (20).

And, the lighting device (36) can be operated according to the door switch (381). In detail, when the door (20) is open for a long time and a signal is not input from the door switch (381) for a set time or longer, the lighting device (36) can be operated to notify that the door (20) is open, so that the front surface of the door (20) can shine in a different color. And, the lighting device (36) can be repeatedly turned on and off to more effectively notify the user that the door (20) is open. Therefore, even if the user does not completely close the door (20) due to a mistake, the user can effectively notify through the color or color change of the front surface of the door (20).

In addition, the lighting device (36) may be operated according to the operation of the driving unit (382) for the operation of the refrigerator (1). For example, the driving unit (382) may be a compressor. In detail, if the control unit (38) determines that the compressor is operating abnormally or is malfunctioning, the lighting device (36) may be operated accordingly. That is, when the compressor is determined to be abnormal, the lighting device (36) may cause the front of the door (20) to light up in a set color or may be turned on and off repeatedly to inform the user of the abnormality.

And, the driving unit (382) can be configured in various ways, such as a defrosting heater, a deodorizing device, an ice maker, a water purifying device, etc., and the lighting device (36) can be operated in conjunction with the operation of these driving units (382). As another example, the lighting device (36) can be operated according to the amount of ice produced by the ice maker, and the status of the ice maker or the amount of ice produced can be indicated through the color of the door (20).

In addition, the lighting device (36) may be operated according to the temperature inside the room detected by the temperature sensor (383). For example, the lighting device (36) may cause the front of the door (20) to glow in a set color according to a set temperature range, thereby allowing the temperature status to be intuitively recognized. In addition, the lighting device (36) may cause the front of the door (20) to glow in a different color when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (383) goes out of the set range.

In addition, the lighting device (36) may be operated according to the detection sensor (384). For example, the detection sensor (384) may be a proximity sensor. In detail, when the proximity sensor detects the proximity of a user, the output of the lighting device (36) may be lowered to prevent glare to the user, thereby making the door (20) darker.

In addition, the lighting device (36) can shorten the color change cycle by the lighting device (36) or initiate a change when the proximity of a user is detected by the detection sensor, and can perform a set operation when the user approaches, such as by sequentially operating the LEDs (364) of the lighting device (36) to continuously change color.

As another example, the detection sensor (384) may be a light sensor. The brightness of the door (20) may be adjusted by controlling the operation of the lighting device (36) according to the light detected by the light sensor.

In addition, the lighting device (36) may be operated according to the status of not only the refrigerator but also other devices that are networked or can communicate with the refrigerator (1). For example, when the washing of a washing machine or dryer is completed, the door may light up in a color set by the operation of the lighting device (36) to inform the user of the status of the washing machine or dryer.

And, it may be possible for the lighting device (36) to operate and output a screen through the panel (31).

In detail, it may be possible to output characters, pictures, figures, images, or videos on the panel (31) through the on/off and/or colors of the LEDs (364) that are turned on, which constitute the lighting device (36). That is, the panel assembly (30) may function as an output device that displays a type of screen that can be expressed by the lighting device, and therefore, the panel (31) may also be called a screen or display.

For example, when a user selects characters, pictures, images, etc. to be output on the door (20) from a remote device (2) or an input unit, the control unit (38) can receive the information selected by the user. Then, the control unit (38) can transmit the received information to the lighting PC (368). The lighting PC (368) can control the lighting device (36) to output the characters, pictures, etc. selected by the user.

And, the operation of the lighting device (36) that outputs the screen can be set by the user through a program or application built into the remote device (2). Therefore, the user can freely output desired images, images, text, etc. on the panel (31) by operating the remote device (2) rather than directly operating the refrigerator (1), and there is an advantage in that information can be transmitted to the user through this.

In addition, the refrigerator (1) can be connected to a user's remote device (2) and server (3) via a network to communicate necessary information, and can display the information obtained through communication on the panel (31).

Figures 24 to 26 are front views showing the output status of the entire refrigerator door according to each pitch according to an embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figure 27 is a drawing showing the resolution difference of the original image according to each pitch. Also, Figure 28 is a drawing showing the state in which the image of Figure 27 is output through the refrigerator door.

As described above, the home appliance according to the embodiment of the present invention can output a screen desired by the user through the door (20). At this time, the image to be output can be set by the user, and the original image can be converted and output to fit the size of the refrigerator (1) or the size of the door (20).

For example, a user-specified screen can be output through a panel assembly (30) forming the front of the door (20) of the refrigerator (1). In addition, the configuration of the door (20) for screen output can be implemented by a panel assembly (30) structure like the embodiments described above.

That is, the lighting device (26) positioned at the rear of the panel (31) is configured as a direct-type structure, and screen output through the panel (31) can be possible by the operation of the RGB LED constituting the lighting device (26).

As shown in the drawing above, the output of the set image through the door (20) may be possible. The refrigerator (1) may be composed of a plurality of doors (201, 202), and the set image may be output through the plurality of doors (201, 202). At this time, the plurality of doors (201, 202) may each output a designated image, or as illustrated, one image may be output by the plurality of doors (201, 202).

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 24, the output image can be converted to a pitch set to match the entire front size expressed by the doors (201, 202) of the refrigerator (1), which is 1809 mm in vertical length and 893 mm in horizontal length. When the pitch of the LED is 6 mm, the output image can be converted to 148 pixels in horizontal length and 301 pixels in vertical length, and when the pitch is 15 mm, the output image can be converted to 59 pixels in horizontal length and 120 pixels in vertical length, and when the pitch is 20 mm, the output image can be converted to 44 pixels in horizontal length and 89 pixels in vertical length.

The quality, or resolution, of the image displayed through the door (20) can be determined by the pitch of the LEDs (362) arranged on the door (20). As the number of LEDs (362) arranged on the panel assembly of the door (20) increases and the pitch decreases, the resolution of the image output through the door (20) can increase.

However, as the number of LEDs (362) arranged in the panel assembly (30) increases, problems such as increased manufacturing costs, increased power consumption, and decreased productivity may occur. Therefore, it would be better to arrange a small number of LEDs (362) within a range that can output an image of appropriate quality through the door (20).

As shown in Fig. 24, when the arrangement of the LEDs (362) is designed at 6 pitches, the highest resolution image can be output through the door (20). And, as shown in Figs. 25 and 26, when the arrangement of the LEDs (362) is designed at 15 pitches and 20 pitches, an image with a relatively low resolution is output.

However, the door (20) of the refrigerator (1) has a structure in which light is diffused due to the arrangement of the aforementioned diffusion member (33) or diffusion layer (364a, 364b) due to the characteristics of its structure, and light diffusion can be achieved by a fine pattern structure such as imprinting of the panel (31) or diffusion member (33). In addition, surface treatment for implementing texture on the front surface of the panel (31) may be performed.

Due to this structure, the resolution difference due to the pitch difference of the LED (362) does not present a difference at a level that is clearly distinguishable to the user, as shown in FIGS. 24 to 26.

In detail, as shown in Fig. 27, when the original image (I1) is simply converted to 6 pitches and when it is converted to 20 pitches, the resolution itself shows a difference that can be perceived by the user due to the difference in pixels of the converted image (I2).

However, when the original image (I1) is converted to 6 pitches and output through the refrigerator door (20) and when it is converted to 20 pitches and output through the refrigerator door (20), the quality of the image seen through the refrigerator door (20) appears to be relatively small. Therefore, when the original image (I1) is converted to 15 pitches and output through the refrigerator door (20), the difference in the quality of the image output through the refrigerator door (20) may be so small that it is difficult to perceive.

Meanwhile, when a user provides an original image (I1) and wants to output it through a refrigerator door (20), he or she may be dissatisfied with the difference in the output result due to the structure of the refrigerator door (20).

Accordingly, in the process of the user manipulating the original image (I1) to be output to the refrigerator (1), the status of the output screen can be provided to the user in advance through the remote device (2), so that the user can anticipate the output image result and confirm it.

Figure 29 is a drawing sequentially showing the refrigerator door image output process using a user device.

As illustrated, the user can set the screen to be output on the refrigerator door (20) via a remote device (2). The remote device (2) may be a mobile phone. Then, the user's mobile phone can convert the original image (I1) provided by the user to be suitable for output via the refrigerator door (20), generate a converted image (I2), and then transmit it to the refrigerator (1) via communication.

In detail, the user can select and preview an image to be output through the refrigerator door (20) via the remote device (2) and then apply it to the refrigerator (1).

And, the image selected by the user can be converted within the remote device (2) and shown to the user. That is, the remote device (2) provides a preview of the state in which the image selected by the user is shown within the refrigerator (1), so that the user can anticipate the output result of the selected image.

In detail, when the user selects an output image, the remote device (2) converts the image to a resolution suitable for output on the refrigerator door (20) and outputs it through the display (2a) of the remote device (2). That is, an image converted to a resolution corresponding to the pitch of the LED (362) on the door (20) is provided to the user through the remote device (2), so that the user can confirm whether or not the image is suitable for output.

And, in the above remote device (2), a filter is applied to make the image with the changed resolution appear as if it were output from an actual refrigerator door (20).

At this time, the filter can be programmed so that the diffusion effect by the diffusion plate, lens, etc. provided inside the door (20) and the effect of the surface treatment formed on the surface of the door (20) can be already applied and visible. In particular, the filter allows even the space between the doors (20) due to the plurality of doors (20), the arrangement of the plurality of doors (20), the position of the handle, etc. to be visible through the remote device (2).

That is, in a state where the resolution of the image is converted, the output result shown on the actual refrigerator door (20) can be realistically shown through the remote device (2) through the application of the filter. The user can determine the final output after checking the result of the image output to the door (20) through the remote device (2) in advance. Accordingly, the difference between the image checked by the user and the output through the door (20) disappears, and the user can check the expected result.

Meanwhile, in the above remote device (2), the change in resolution of the original image (I1) and the application of the filter are described as being performed step by step, but the change in resolution of the original image and the application of the filter may be performed simultaneously in one step.

In addition, the user may provide an image to be output on the refrigerator door by using a PC or other home appliance instead of the remote device (2) such as a mobile phone. In this case, the image provided by the user may be processed by the server (3) and optimized for the refrigerator door (20). In addition, the image optimized by the server (3) may be displayed to the user as an expected output image by using the PC or other home appliance and then output through the refrigerator door (20).

Figure 30 is a drawing schematically showing a panel control state of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in the drawing, the home appliance according to the embodiment of the present invention may have an exterior formed by the panel assembly (30), and the exterior may be changed to a color set by the user according to the operation of the lighting device (36). The panel assembly (30) may have its exterior expressed in various colors by the light of the lighting device (36) irradiated from the rear of the panel (31), and may also be capable of outputting pictures, letters, images, and videos on the screen.

The above home appliance may be any one of a refrigerator (1), an air conditioner (5), a dishwasher (6), a clothes manager (7), a washing machine (8), or a cooking appliance (9), each of which may have a structure similar to the panel assembly (30) of the embodiments of the present invention so that the color of the front exterior may be freely changed.

And, by connecting to the server (3) or the home appliance through the user's remote device (2), the output status of the panel assembly (30) of the home appliance can be controlled to change the appearance of the home appliance.

For example, as in the embodiments described above, in the refrigerator (1), the panel assembly (30) may be provided on the front of the door (20) that opens and closes the cabinet (10). Then, the panel assembly (30) may be illuminated in a set color by a user setting, and the color of the front exterior of the refrigerator (1) may be changed.

As another example, the indoor unit of the air conditioner (5) may have a space formed inside a case (51, or cabinet) forming an exterior, in which a heat exchange device and a fan, etc. are provided. In addition, the front of the case (51) may be formed by a panel assembly (511). The panel assembly (511) may be configured with the same structure as the panel assembly (30) of the refrigerator (1) described above and may be illuminated.

Accordingly, the panel assembly (511) can be illuminated in a set color by user settings, and the front exterior color of the indoor unit of the air conditioner (5) can be changed to the set color.

As another example, the dishwasher (6) may have a space for dishwashing formed inside a case (61, or cabinet) forming an exterior. In addition, the front of the case (61) may be opened and closed by a door (62), and the front of the door (62) may be formed by a panel assembly (621). The panel assembly (621) may be configured with the same structure as the panel assembly (30) of the refrigerator (1) described above and may be illuminated.

Accordingly, the panel assembly (621) can be illuminated in a set color by user settings, and the front appearance color of the dishwasher (6) can be changed to the set color.

As another example, the clothing manager (7) may have a space formed inside a case (71, or cabinet) forming an exterior, in which clothing is stored. In addition, the front of the case (71) may be opened and closed by a door (72), and the front of the door (72) may be formed by a panel assembly (721). The panel assembly (721) may be configured with the same structure as the panel assembly (30) of the refrigerator (1) described above, and may be illuminated.

Accordingly, the panel assembly (721) can be illuminated in a set color by user settings, and the front appearance color of the clothing manager (7) can be changed to the set color.

As another example, the washing machine (8) or dryer may have a space for washing or drying formed inside a case (81, or cabinet) forming an exterior. And, the front of the case (81) may be opened and closed by a door (82). Meanwhile, the front of the case (81) may be formed by a panel assembly (811). The panel assembly (811) may be configured with the same structure as the panel assembly (30) of the refrigerator (1) described above and may be illuminated.

Accordingly, the panel assembly (30) can be illuminated in a set color by user settings, and the front appearance color of the washing machine (8) or dryer can be changed to the set color.

As another example, the cooking appliance (9) may have a space for cooking food formed inside a case (91, or cabinet) forming an exterior. In addition, the front of the case (91) may be opened and closed by a door (92), and the front of the door (92) may be formed by a panel assembly (921). The panel assembly (921) may be configured with the same structure as the panel assembly (30) of the refrigerator (1) described above and may be illuminated.

Accordingly, the panel assembly (921) can be made to glow in a set color by user settings, and the front appearance color of the cooking appliance (9) can be changed to the set color.

The home appliance according to the embodiment of the present invention has high industrial applicability because it can improve the output quality of the panel.

Claims (15)

Cabinets forming storage space; and Including a door for opening and closing the above cabinet, The above door includes a door body for opening and closing a storage space, and a panel assembly mounted on the door body to form the front exterior of the home appliance. The above panel assembly comprises a panel forming the front of the panel assembly and capable of transmitting light, and a lighting device irradiating light to transmit through the panel from the rear of the panel, The above lighting device, A plate-shaped substrate positioned at the rear of the panel so as to face the rear surface of the panel; Includes a plurality of LEDs provided at set intervals on the front surface of the above substrate; An electrical appliance in which a diffusion member is provided between the LED and the panel to allow light emitted from the LED to diffuse and pass through the panel. In paragraph 1, The above substrate is formed in a size corresponding to the size of the above panel, The above LED is a home appliance in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged continuously in the vertical and left-right directions on the above substrate. In paragraph 1, The above diffusion absence is, A lens part that is sunken and formed at a position corresponding to a plurality of the LEDs to accommodate the LEDs, An electrical appliance including a connecting portion that connects between the lens portions and is supported on the front surface of the substrate. In the third paragraph, An electrical appliance in which the lens portion protrudes more than the connecting portion and is formed in a convex shape so that the irradiation angle of light emitted from the LED increases. In the third paragraph, The above diffusion member is formed of a material that allows light to pass through, A home appliance formed in a size corresponding to the above substrate and shielding all of the above LEDs. In the third paragraph, A plurality of said diffusion members are combined with each other to form a size corresponding to the size of the substrate, An appliance that shields all of the above LEDs. In the third paragraph, A plurality of the above diffusion members are combined with each other to form a size slightly smaller than the size of the substrate, With the above diffusion member installed, The LEDs corresponding to the above diffusion member are shielded, A home appliance in which the LED formed on the edge of the above substrate is exposed from a side further outside than the above diffusion member. In the third paragraph, A plurality of said diffusion members are arranged along the edge of said substrate, The LEDs formed at the edge of the above substrate are shielded by the above diffusion members, The LEDs between the above diffusion members are exposed home appliances. In paragraph 1, A home appliance in which the above diffusion member is formed in a number corresponding to the number of the LEDs and is mounted on the substrate to independently shield the LEDs. In Article 9, The open rear surface of the above diffusion member is in contact with the substrate to accommodate the LED, An electrical appliance in which the front of the above-mentioned diffusion member is formed in a convex shape so that the center protrudes forward, thereby increasing the illumination angle of the LED. In paragraph 1, An electrical appliance in which the above-mentioned diffusion member is formed in a transparent state that allows the light to pass through, and is thicker than the thickness of the LED, thereby shielding the entire front surface of the substrate including the LED. In Article 11, An electrical appliance wherein the substrate is formed of a transparent film or sheet, and the diffusion member is formed of a transparent resin material. In Article 12, The above substrate is formed in white, A home appliance in which the above diffusion member is formed of a translucent resin material that allows light to pass through. In paragraph 1, The above panel assembly, The panel is mounted on the front side, and a mounting member is included to which the end of the substrate is fixed on both sides. An electrical appliance in which the above-mentioned mounting member is formed of a transparent material that allows light to pass through, so that light irradiated from the LED passes through the diffusion member, mounting member, and panel as a shield. In paragraph 1, The above panel assembly, A back cover is included that shields the substrate from the rear and forms the rear surface of the panel assembly. The above back cover is a home appliance formed of a metal material.

Images