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Refrigerator

  • US 10,619,909 B2
  • Filed: 12/11/2017
  • Issued: 04/14/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A refrigerator comprising:

  • a cabinet defining a storage space;

    a door configured to open and close the cabinet, the door including an outer plate that defines an opening;

    a light device provided in the cabinet or the door; and

    a transparent display assembly that covers the opening of the door and through which an inner space of the refrigerator is seen,wherein the transparent display assembly comprises;

    a front panel defining a portion of a front surface of the door,a touch sensor provided on a rear surface of the front panel and configured to recognize touch manipulation on the front panel,a rear panel defining a portion of a rear surface of the door,an insulation coating layer provided on a surface of the rear panel,an outer spacer provided between the front panel and the rear panel to provide a sealed space between the front panel and the rear panel,a display provided in the sealed space,a back light provided behind the display,a light guide plate spaced apart from the display and configured to guide light emitted from the back light to the display,an insulation panel provided between the light guide plate and the rear panel, anda first spacer provided on a rear surface of the insulation panel, the first spacer separating the insulation panel apart from the rear panel,wherein the light guide plate, the first spacer, and the insulation panel are provided in the sealed space between the front panel and the rear panel,wherein the first spacer is adhered to the insulation panel and the rear panel, and the insulation panel, the rear panel, and the first spacer defines an insulation space that is in a sealed state, andwherein the transparent display assembly is configured to have any one of a plurality of states, the plurality of states comprising;

    a transparent mode state in which the light device is turned on to allow the inner space of the refrigerator to be visible through the transparent display assembly, the display being configured to not operate based on the transparent display assembly being in the transparent mode state,an opaque mode state in which the light device is turned off to make the inner space of the refrigerator invisible through the transparent display assembly, the display being configured to not operate based on the transparent display assembly being in the opaque mode state, anda display mode state in which the light device is turned off and the back light is turned on, the display being configured to, based on the transparent display assembly being in the display mode state, operate and output a screen through the transparent display assembly.

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