Refrigerator having a decorative member capable of displaying humidity and method for fabricating the decorative member

• US 8,984,900 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Seok Jae, Kim, Young Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Cassey D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Kun Kai
• Application Number:
  US13/390,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 621/28, 621/29, 622/49, 622/64, 624/07, 624/08, 622/85, 622/87, 622/91, 623/31, 73/290.1, 73/290.2, 73/290.4, 116/200, 165/907, 165/104, 165/26
• US Class Current: 62/128
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/042 Air treating means within refrigerated spaces air conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/02 Detecting the presence of frost or condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2317/04131 Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/18 Aesthetic features
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices

Abstract

A decorative member of a refrigerator and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. A refrigerator includes a storage container provided in a storage chamber; and a decorative member provided in the storage container, the decorative configured to generate light refraction and guide a movement of condensate condensed in the storage container, and configured to be capable of displaying humidity inside the storage container according to the movement degree of condensate.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a storage container provided in a storage chamber; and

a decorative member provided in the storage container, the decorative member configured to generate light refraction and configured to be capable of displaying humidity inside the storage container according to the movement degree of condensate;

wherein the decorative member comprises a path part formed in a capillary tube shape to generate a capillary phenomenon moving the movement of the condensate, and wherein the decorative member is configured to guide a movement of condensate condensed in the storage container;

wherein the path part is configured to induce the refraction, and the decorative member further comprises;

a display plate comprising a plurality of path parts;

a partition plate provided in rear of the display plate to cover rear portions of the path parts; and

a transmitting part provided in a front portion of the display plate; and

wherein the decorative member comprises an accommodation part provided below the display plate to accommodate condensate condensed from the humidity inside the storage container.

2. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the path parts are arranged vertically, spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other in parallel.

3. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the path parts are formed concavely in a rear surface of the display plate to fill condensate or air therein.

4. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the path part has a semicircular cross section to have a predetermined curvature.

5. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the path part is 1-100/Ira to induce the capillary phenomenon and light refraction.

6. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the accommodation part comprises an accommodating groove accommodating dewdrops condensedly formed from the humidity and a wall surrounding the accommodating groove to prevent the dewdrops from overflowing.

7. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative member is provided to display humidity inside the storage container according to the height of condensate lifted upward along the path parts.

8. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorative member is provided in an upper portion of the front wall of the storage container.

9. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a humidity adjusting part provided in the storage container, the humidity adjusting part accommodating the moisture inside the storage container or discharging the accommodated moisture to adjust the humidity inside the storage container.

10. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the humidity adjusting part comprises:

an extended portion extended from a side wall of the storage container in a forward/rearward direction;

a plurality of projections projected from the extended portion downward, spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other; and

a plurality of accommodating spaces formed between the projections to accommodate the condensate.

11. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a transparent window for making visible the storage objects accommodated in the storage container.