Transparent display device

• US 10,297,178 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jongmin, An, Jaeho, Kim, Hyeonjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Giesy, Adam R.
• Application Number:
  US15/547,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20180025679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/005 with glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2023/0033 on refrigerated containers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/04 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/06 the advertising matter being combined with articles for restaurants, shops or offices on paper articles G09F23/10
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/005 Signs associated with a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2096 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a flat panel suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/006; specific for a CRT G09G1/167
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers

Abstract

A transparent display device attached to a predetermined product, displaying article information in the product, advertisement, etc. is disclosed. The transparent display device comprises a frame including an opening; a transparent display panel arranged at the opening; and a control module arranged in an area of the frame to control the transparent display panel, wherein the frame in which the transparent display panel and the control module are arranged is provided to cover a front surface of a predetermined product so as to form a door unit of the predetermined product, and is rotatably moved when the inside of the predetermined product is opened and closed.

Claims

1. A transparent display device comprising:

a frame including an opening;

a transparent display panel arranged at the opening;

a first transparent cover arranged at a front side of the transparent display panel and separated from the transparent display panel by a first interval to form a first air gap;

a second transparent cover arranged at a rear side of the transparent display panel and separated from the transparent display panel by a second interval to form a second air gap; and

a control module arranged in an area of the frame and configured to control the transparent display panel,

wherein the frame forms a door unit of a predetermined product,

wherein the door unit is configured to be hingedly moved to open or close the door unit to provide access to an inside of the predetermined product, and

wherein the first air gap is wider than the second air gap.

2. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes a front door frame having a first opening, and a rear door frame having a second opening, connected to the front door frame.

3. The transparent display device according to claim 2, wherein the first opening has an area different from that of the second opening.

4. The transparent display device according to claim 2, wherein the front door frame includes an extension frame extended toward the rear door frame and fastened into the rear door frame, the extension frame being provided with a line space through which a connection line passes.

5. The transparent display device according to claim 2, wherein the rear door frame is fastened into a buffer member arranged in a direction of the predetermined product.

6. The transparent display device according to claim 2, wherein the rear door frame includes at least one light source module arranged at one side facing the second opening, wherein a length of the light source is longer than a side length of the transparent display panel.

7. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein a first spacer for controlling an interval between the first and second transparent covers and an interval between the first transparent cover and the transparent display panel is arranged at corner areas of the first and second transparent covers, and a second spacer for controlling an interval between the second transparent cover and the transparent display panel is arranged at the corner area of the second transparent cover,

wherein the first spacer comprises a first support bar configured to control the interval between the first and second transparent covers and a second support bar configured to control the interval between the first transparent cover and the transparent display panel.

8. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the control module includes:

a first interface unit for receiving a signal from an external device;

a second interface unit for receiving a signal from a remote controller; and

a controller for controlling the transparent display panel in accordance with the signals received from the first and second interface units.

9. The transparent display device according to claim 8, wherein the control module further includes an audio output unit for outputting an audio signal processed from the controller.

10. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the control module controls luminance of the transparent display panel when the frame is rotatably moved to open and close the door unit to provide access to the inside of the predetermined product.

11. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the control module controls the transparent display panel to display information related to articles kept in the predetermined product.

12. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the control module controls the transparent display panel to simultaneously display a transmissive area where light is transmitted and a non-transmissive area where light is not transmitted.

13. The transparent display device according to claim 12, wherein the control module controls the transparent display panel to display information, which is related to articles kept in the predetermined product, on the non-transmissive area.

14. The transparent display device according to claim 12, wherein the control module controls the transparent display panel to display information, which is related to articles seen through the transmissive area among the articles kept in the predetermined product, on the non-transmissive area.

15. The transparent display device according to claim 1, further comprising a cover unit that includes a power supply for supplying a power source to the transparent display panel and the control module.

16. The transparent display device according to claim 15, wherein the cover unit is arranged to be spaced apart from the frame at a certain interval and is provided to a lower end of the predetermined product.

17. The transparent display device according to claim 15, wherein the cover unit is fixed to the lower end of the predetermined product when the frame is rotatably moved to open and close the door unit to provide access to the inside of the predetermined product.

18. The transparent display device according to claim 15, wherein the cover unit further comprises an audio output unit for outputting the audio signal processed from the controller.

19. The transparent display device according to claim 1, wherein the first transparent cover comprises a tempered glass material and the second transparent cover comprises an insulating material.

20. The transparent display device according to claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflection (AR) coating film formed on a front surface of the first transparent cover.