Refrigerator and method for controlling the same

• US 9,510,696 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Eun Joo, Lee, Hang Bok
• Primary Examiner(s): ROERSMA, ANDREW MARK
• Application Number:
  US14/724,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20150260444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 312/405, 312/204, 312/405.1, 312/321.5, 312/296, 312/138.1, 312/116, 312/324, 362 92- 94, 527/841, 527/841.2, 527/841.3, 527/841.5, 527/841.6, 622/64, 624/47, 495/01, 49/70
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/02 with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/14 using subatmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/025 Secondary closures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/065 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/021 French doors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• 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 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/005 combined with control means

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator, which includes a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, and a door assembly. The freezing compartment is adjacent to the refrigerating compartment. The door assembly selectively opens the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. The door assembly includes a glass member defining a frontal exterior thereof and allowing an inside of the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment to be seen therethrough when the door assembly is closed, a deposition treated layer formed on a rear surface of the glass member to allow light to partially pass through the glass member, and a transparent plate spaced a predetermined distance from the glass member. Gas for insulation is injected in a space formed between the glass member and the transparent plate, and the space is sealed.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a cabinet defining a storage chamber of which a front surface is open;

a first receiving part disposed inside the storage chamber;

a sub door, comprising;

a frame coupled to a front portion of the cabinet;

at least one second receiving part comprising a receiving basket; and

an access opening formed in the frame;

a light emitting unit disposed in the frame of the sub door;

a main door which selectively opens or closes the access opening, the main door comprising;

an inner door part which is transparent;

an outer door part which is transparent and defines a front surface of the main door, the outer door part comprising;

a transparent plate;

a reflective lamination layer formed on a front surface of the transparent plate and configured to allow at least a portion of light emitted from the light emitting unit to be transmitted to an outside of the storage chamber;

a screening layer defined at an edge portion of a rear surface of the transparent plate; and

a viewing window defined in the transparent plate, an edge of the viewing window being defined by an inner edge of the screening layer; and

a door body of which a front surface contacts the screening layer of the outer door part and a rear surface contacts the inner door part to define a space inside the main door,

wherein a size of the outer door part is larger than a size of the inner door part.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a first handle projecting from a front surface of the frame and having a grasping groove which is recessed therein; and

a second handle defined at an edge of the main door and disposed in front of the first handle.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the second handle is defined at a lower edge of the main door.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the access opening comprises:

a first access opening; and

a second access opening defined below the first access opening,

wherein the access opening is partitioned by the first handle to define the first access opening and the second access opening.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the main door comprises:

a first door configured to selectively open or close the first access opening; and

a second door configured to selectively open or close the second access opening.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the second handle is defined at the first door.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1,

wherein the second receiving part comprises at least one basket.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7,

wherein the light emitting unit is disposed in an inner surface of a front border of the frame and is configured to emit light towards the second receiving part.

9. The refrigerator of claim 2 , further comprising an additional light emitting unit disposed in the grasping groove of the first handle and configured to illuminate the first handle in a dark indoor space.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising:

a first hinge configured to couple the sub door rotatably to the cabinet; and

a second hinge configured to couple the main door rotatably to the cabinet or to the sub door.