Refrigerator door and manufacturing method of the same

• US 10,508,856 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2019
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunki, Kim, Minchel, Park, Seungje, Park, Kihyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US16/426,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20190316830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: 362 92- 94
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/18 Aesthetic features
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices

Abstract

A refrigerator door and a manufacturing method of the same are disclosed. The refrigerator door includes a front panel that includes a first through hole and an input unit, a door liner, an upper cap decoration unit configured to seal an upper side of a first space defined between the front panel and the door liner, a frame attached to an inside of the front panel and defining a second space, a display assembly provided between the frame and the front panel and configured to emit light through the first through hole, and a touch sensor assembly provided between the frame and the front panel, the touch sensor assembly being fixed to a rear of the front panel at a position that corresponds to a location of the input unit. The upper cap decoration unit includes a communication hole for communicating with the second space and includes a cap cover.

Claims

1. A refrigerator door, comprising:

a front panel that is made of a steel material, that is disposed at a front side of the refrigerator door, and that defines a front appearance of the refrigerator door, the front panel defining a first through-hole and comprising an input unit;

a door liner that defines a rear appearance of the refrigerator door;

a frame disposed at a rear surface of the front panel;

a touch sensor assembly coupled to the rear surface of the front panel at a position corresponding to a location of the input unit;

a cover display configured to support the touch sensor assembly;

a frame display coupled to the cover display; and

a display unit that is coupled to the frame display, that is configured to emit light through the first through-hole,

wherein the cover display has a first portion configured to seat the touch sensor assembly and a second portion positioned between the front panel and the display unit.

2. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller disposed at the display unit and configured to receive and process signals generated at the touch sensor assembly.

3. The refrigerator door according to claim 2, wherein the second portion of the cover display defines a second through-hole configured to transmit light emitted from the display unit.

4. The refrigerator door according to claim 3, wherein the second through-hole is disposed rearward of the first through-hole and configured to allow light emitted from the display unit to be transmitted to a user through the second through-hole and the first through-hole in order.

5. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the cover display comprises a receiving unit recessed from the first portion of the cover display and configured to receive the touch sensor assembly.

6. The refrigerator door according to claim 5, wherein the receiving unit comprises an elastic member configured to support the touch sensor assembly.

7. The refrigerator door according to claim 3, wherein the display unit comprises:

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a light emitting diode (LED); and

a reflector that is disposed on a front surface of the PCB, the reflector defining a third through-hole configured to allow light emitted from the LED to pass therethrough.

8. The refrigerator door according to claim 7, wherein the controller is disposed at the PCB of the display unit.

9. The refrigerator door according to claim 7, wherein the third through-hole is disposed rearward of the second through-hole, and configured to allow light emitted from the LED to be transmitted to a user through the third through-hole, the second through-hole, and the first through-hole in order.

10. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the frame display is slidably coupled to the cover display.

11. The refrigerator door according to claim 10, wherein the cover display comprises a guide rail disposed at each of both sides of the cover display and configured to receive a side end of the frame display.

12. The refrigerator door according to claim 5, further comprising an electric wire that extends from the touch sensor assembly and that is configured to transmit a signal generated at the touch sensor assembly to the display unit,

wherein the receiving unit defines a fourth through-hole configured to allow the electric wire to pass therethrough and connect to the display unit.

13. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor assembly comprises:

a case;

a sensor unit that is disposed at the case and that is in contact with the rear surface of the front panel at a position corresponding to a rear side of the input unit; and

an adhesive member disposed between the sensor unit and the case.

14. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor assembly is disposed between the rear surface of the front panel and a front surface of the cover display in a front-rear direction, and

wherein the cover display is disposed between the cover display and the display unit in the front-rear direction.

15. The refrigerator door according to claim 14, wherein the frame display is disposed between the display unit and the frame in the front-rear direction, and

wherein the frame is disposed between the frame display and the door liner in the front-rear direction.

16. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a plate portion and a bracket portion that protrudes from each of both sides of the plate portion of the frame toward the rear surface of the front panel, and

wherein the bracket portion contacts the rear surface of the front panel.

17. The refrigerator door according to claim 16, wherein the frame and the front panel define an accommodation space between the rear surface of the front panel and the plate portion of the frame, the accommodating space being configured to accommodate the touch sensor assembly, the cover display, the display unit, and the frame display.

18. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the front panel, the touch sensor assembly, the cover display, the display unit, the frame display, the frame, and the door liner are arranged in order along a front-rear direction.

19. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, wherein the input unit forms a portion of the front panel and is flush with a front surface of the front panel.

20. The refrigerator door according to claim 19, wherein the first through-hole comprises a plurality of first through-holes that are spaced apart from the input unit.