KR20230011148A - Refrigerator and home appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and home appliances. The home appliance includes: a cabinet with a storage space formed therein; and a door for opening and closing an open front surface of the cabinet. The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body so as to form a front exterior of the door. The door panel includes: a front plate which forms the front surface of the door panel and is made of a material capable of transmitting light; a light guide plate which is disposed to be spaced apart from the front plate and has a pattern capable of concentrating light in front of the door panel; a lighting device which is provided to be spaced apart from one surface of the light guide plate, and includes a light source which emits light to the light guide plate and a substrate on which the light source is disposed; a bracket having a space for accommodating the lighting device. The bracket includes a shielding part disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and formed in a direction in which the light source is arranged. The present invention prevents hot spots from appearing on the front of the door when the lighting device is turned on.

Description

Refrigerators and Home Appliances {REFRIGERATOR AND HOME APPLIANCE}

The present invention relates to refrigerators and home appliances.

In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that stores food at a low temperature in an internal storage space shielded by a refrigerator door, and cools the inside of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in a refrigerating cycle. It is configured to keep the stored food in an optimal condition.

Such refrigerators tend to become larger and more multifunctional in accordance with changes in eating habits and the trend of high-end products, and refrigerators equipped with various structures and convenient devices considering user convenience are being released.

In addition, structures for diversifying the appearance of the front surface of the refrigerator door are being opened to harmonize with the environment in which the refrigerator is placed or the surrounding furniture or home appliances.

U.S. Patent No. 8,789,900 discloses a structure in which a decorative panel forming an exterior is mounted on the front surface of a refrigerator door, and the exterior of the front door can be formed to suit the user's taste by being detachably configured.

However, in the refrigerator having such a structure, if the user wants to change the appearance, the entire decor panel must be separated and replaced, and the decor panel before replacement can no longer be used.

Chinese Patent No. 103250018 discloses a refrigerator in which a reflective layer and a transparent panel are provided on the front surface of the refrigerator door, and light emitting members having colors are mounted on both ends of the reflective layer so that the transparent panel can shine in a set color.

However, in the refrigerator having such a structure, there is a problem in that it is not possible to ensure that the light emitting member is stably maintained due to the use characteristics of the repeatedly opened and closed door.

In addition, since light emitting members are disposed at both left and right ends, there is a problem in that the transparent panel does not shine with an even brightness as a whole, and in particular, light cannot be transmitted to the side end bent for the arrangement of the light emitting member, which may cause a problem of appearing dark.

In addition, depending on the location of the user, the light emitting member may be exposed, resulting in a poor appearance. In particular, a relatively brightly shining hotspot area may be formed at a point where a light source constituting a light emitting member is provided, and an area between neighboring light sources may be displayed relatively dark. Exposure of such a hot spot area has a problem of deteriorating the aesthetics of the product appearance.

An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a home appliance and a refrigerator in which various appearances can be changed according to a user's taste without replacing a door panel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a home appliance and a refrigerator capable of having different colors when the lighting device is in an off state and an on state without disassembly and assembly of a door.

An object of the present invention is to provide a home appliance and a refrigerator with improved front appearances by preventing a hot spot area generated by a lighting device from being exposed to the front surface.

A home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet having a storage space; a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front exterior of the door, wherein the door panel forms a front surface of the door panel and is formed of a material capable of transmitting light. front plate; a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel; a lighting device spaced apart from one surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate and a substrate on which the light source is disposed; and a bracket in which a space for accommodating the lighting device is formed, wherein the bracket is disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and includes a covering portion formed along a direction in which the light source is arranged.

Inside the bracket, it is possible that a light supporter including a substrate support formed to support one surface of the substrate is provided.

The door panel forms a rear surface and includes a back cover made of a metal material, and the light supporter is made of a metal material and contacts the back cover to dissipate heat conducted from the lighting device.

The lighting device may be inserted into the bracket opening in a state of being mounted on the light supporter and mounted on the bracket.

The bracket may include a separation portion disposed between the light source and the covering portion to contact one surface of the light source and spaced apart from the light source and the covering portion at a set interval.

The substrate may be disposed between the substrate support part and the spacer so that a lower surface is supported by the light supporter and an upper surface is supported by the spacer.

The length h1 of which the shield part extends upward from the light source may be set in consideration of the irradiation angle θ1 of the light source and the length h2 of the forward distance of the shield part from the light source.

The length of the covering portion extending upward from the light source may be determined according to Equation 1 below.

h1 ≥ h2*tan(90-θ1/2) (Equation 1)

The shielding part may have a length h1 extending upward from the light source, which is 1.0 to 2.5 times the distance h3 between the adjacent light sources.

The lighting device may be provided to be spaced apart from the lower surface of the light guide plate, and an upper end of the covering portion may be positioned higher than a lower end of the light guide plate.

The light source may be provided below the lower end of the front plate.

The light guide plate support part protrudes rearward and passes between the plurality of light sources, and the light guide plate support part protrudes upward from the upper surface of the light source to support the lower end of the light guide plate.

The door panel may include a member disposed behind the front plate and coupled to the light guide plate so that the light guide plate and the front plate are spaced apart from each other.

The covering part may be positioned on the same plane as the member in contact with one side of the member.

A home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet having a storage space; a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front exterior of the door, wherein the door panel forms a front surface of the door panel and is formed of a material capable of transmitting light. front plate; a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel; a lighting device provided apart from an upper or lower surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate; and a covering portion disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and provided along a direction in which the light sources are arranged.

The light source may be provided below the lower end of the front plate.

An upper end of the shielding portion may be positioned higher than a lower end of the light guide plate.

The covering portion may have a length extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light sources are arranged to be greater than 5 mm and less than 10 mm based on the light source.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet having a storage space; a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front exterior of the door, wherein the door panel forms a front surface of the door panel and is formed of a material capable of transmitting light. front plate; a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel; a lighting device provided apart from an upper or lower surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate; and a covering portion disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and provided along a direction in which the light sources are arranged.

In the refrigerator according to the proposed embodiment, the following effects can be expected.

An embodiment of the present invention is provided with a shielding portion formed to cover a light source and a part of the light guide plate installed in the lighting device to prevent hot spots from appearing on the front surface of the door while the lighting device is turned on, thereby improving the appearance quality of the front surface of the door and improving user glare can be prevented.

The covering part is provided between the front plate and the light guide plate so that the front surface of the front plate is not covered by the covering part. Accordingly, the entire front surface of the door can be formed only with the front plate, which has an advantage of improving the appearance of the front surface of the door.

The covering portion may be formed to extend upward by a set length based on an upper end of the light source. In this case, the set length may be determined in consideration of an irradiation angle of the light source and a distance at which the light source is separated from the shielding portion. Through this, while minimizing the entire area of the shielding portion, it is possible to prevent hot spots from occurring in all viewing angles of the lower portion of the front plate viewed from the front.

In addition, the lighting device may be inserted into the open surface of the lower bracket and mounted on the lower bracket while the lower surface is supported by the light supporter. In addition, one side surface of the light source is disposed to be in contact with the spaced portion of the lower bracket, and the light source and the shield portion may be mounted in a state of being spaced apart from each other by a set distance. With this structure, there is an advantage in that assembly errors can be reduced and the mounting position of the light source can be maintained despite external influences such as repeated opening and closing operations of the door. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively prevent hot spots from being generated due to the flow of the light source due to repeated opening and closing operations of the door.

The covering part may be integrally formed with the lower bracket. In detail, the covering portion may be formed to extend upward from the lower surface of the lower bracket and may be provided between the front plate and the lighting device. Accordingly, a separate configuration for preventing hot spots from appearing on the front surface of the door is not required, and assembly workability and productivity of the panel assembly can be improved.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerator door.
4 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly disassembled from the front;
5 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly disassembled from the rear.
6 is a perspective view illustrating a combination of a lower bracket, a lighting device, and a light supporter, which are one component of the panel assembly.
7 is an exploded perspective view of a coupling structure of the lower bracket, the lighting device, and the light supporter as viewed from the rear.
8 is an exploded perspective view of a coupling structure of the lower bracket, the lighting device, and the light supporter as viewed from the rear.
9 is a perspective view of the lower bracket viewed from the front.
10 is a perspective view of the lower bracket viewed from the rear.
11 is a perspective view of the light supporter.
12 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a cross section in a state in which a lighting device and a light supporter are coupled to the lower bracket.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view cut away from XIII-XIII' of FIG. 2 .
14 is a cross-sectional view of a lower end of the panel assembly.
15 is a view showing a light emitting state according to the height of the shielding part in front of the door panel.
16 is a view showing a state in which a lighting device emits light in front of a door panel.
17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a light emitting state of the panel assembly.
18 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a door according to another embodiment of the present invention.
19 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a door according to another embodiment of the present invention.
20 is a front view showing the front appearance of the refrigerator in a state in which the lighting device is turned off.
21 is a front view showing the exterior of the front of the refrigerator in a state in which the lighting device is turned on.
22 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention.
23 is an exploded perspective view in which the panel assembly of the indoor unit is separated;
24 is a perspective view of a clothes management device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
25 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the clothes management device.
26 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
27 is an exploded perspective view in which the panel assembly of the washing machine is separated;
28 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to another embodiment of the present invention.
29 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the dishwasher.
30 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
31 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the cooking appliance.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with drawings. However, the present invention cannot be said to be limited to the embodiments in which the spirit of the present invention is presented, and other degenerative inventions or other embodiments included within the scope of the present invention can be easily made by adding, changing, or deleting other components. can suggest

Define direction before description. In an embodiment of the present invention, the direction toward the door is forward based on the cabinet shown in FIG. 1, the direction toward the cabinet is backward based on the door, and the direction toward the floor where the refrigerator is installed is downward, and away from the floor. The direction can be defined as upward.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be formed by a cabinet 10 forming a storage space and a door 20 opening and closing the storage space of the cabinet 10. there is.

For example, the cabinet 10 may form a storage space divided up and down, a refrigerating compartment may be formed at an upper portion, and a freezing compartment may be formed at a lower portion. The refrigerating compartment may be referred to as an upper storage space, and the freezing compartment may be referred to as a lower storage space.

The door 20 may be configured to open and close the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, respectively. For example, the door may be rotatably mounted on the cabinet, and may open and close the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, respectively, by rotation. Of course, the door may have a structure that is opened and closed by drawing in and out.

The door may include a refrigerating compartment door 201 opening and closing the refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment door 202 opening and closing the freezing compartment. The refrigerating compartment door 201 may be referred to as an upper door and the freezing compartment door 202 may be referred to as a lower door.

In addition, as for the refrigerating compartment door 201, a pair of a left refrigerating compartment door and a right refrigerating compartment door may be disposed side by side. The left refrigerating compartment door and the right refrigerating compartment door may independently rotate to open and close the refrigerating compartment. The left refrigerating compartment door and the right refrigerating compartment door may be disposed adjacent to each other and may have the same size.

Also, as for the freezer compartment doors 202, a pair of left freezer doors and right freezer doors may be disposed side by side. In addition, the left freezer door and the right freezer door are rotated independently to open and close the freezer compartment. The left freezer door and the right freezer door may be disposed adjacent to each other and may have the same size.

Of course, in this embodiment, for convenience of description and understanding, a refrigerator having a structure in which a refrigerating compartment is disposed at the top and a freezing compartment is disposed at the bottom is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the shape of the refrigerator and the door is provided. It can be applied to all types of refrigerators.

Meanwhile, the door 20 forms the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 in a closed state, and may form the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 in a state where the refrigerator 1 is installed.

The door 20 may have a structure in which the front surface may selectively emit light, and may be configured to emit light in a set color or brightness. Therefore, the user can change the color or brightness of the front surface of the door 20 without separating or disassembling the door 20, and can change the overall appearance of the refrigerator 1.

Hereinafter, the structure of the door 20 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

2 is a perspective view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerator door.

As shown, the door 20 may include a door body 40 forming the overall shape of the door 20 and a panel assembly 30 forming the front appearance of the door 20. . That is, the door 20 may be configured such that the panel assembly 30 is mounted on the front surface of the door body 40 .

The door body 40 may include a body plate 41 forming a front surface and a door liner 42 forming a rear surface. The body plate 41 may be formed of a metal material and may be formed in a plate shape having a size corresponding to that of the panel assembly 30 . Also, the door liner 42 may be formed of a plastic material and may form the shape of the rear surface of the door 20 .

The door body 40 may include side decorations 44 forming both left and right sides of the door body 21 . The side decor 44 may connect both left and right ends of the body plate 41 and both left and right ends of the door liner 42 .

Also, the door body 40 may include an upper cap deco 43 and a lower cap deco 45 forming upper and lower surfaces of the door body 40 . The upper cap deco 43 may be connected to an upper end of the side deco 44 , an upper end of the body plate 41 , and an upper end of the door liner 42 . Also, the lower cap deco 45 may be connected to a lower end of the side decor 44 , a lower end of the body plate 41 , and a lower end of the door liner 42 .

The exterior of the door body 40 may be formed by the body plate 41, the door liner 42, the side decoration 44, the upper cap decoration 43, and the lower cap decoration 45. And, the space inside the door body 40 formed by combining the body plate 41, the door liner 2, the side deco 44, the upper cap deco 43, and the lower cap deco 45 may be filled with a heat insulating material, and may have an insulating structure so that heat transfer is not made through the door 20 .

Meanwhile, a panel receiving space 410 opened to the front may be formed on the front surface of the door body 40 . That is, the front ends of the side deco 44, the upper cap deco 43, and the lower cap deco 45 may protrude forward more than the front surface of the body plate 41, and thus the body plate 41 A panel accommodating space 410 having an open front surface may be formed. The panel accommodating space 410 is formed to a size corresponding to that of the panel assembly 30 , into which the panel assembly 30 can be inserted. The circumference of the panel assembly 30 is supported by the circumference of the panel accommodating space 410, that is, the protruding parts of the side deco 44, upper cap deco 43, and lower cap deco 45 It can be.

The panel assembly 30 may be formed in a plate shape and may have a size corresponding to the front surface of the door body 40 . Therefore, when the panel assembly 30 is mounted on the front surface of the door body 40, the panel assembly 30 can form the front exterior of the door 20 by shielding the front surface of the door body 40. there is. Since the panel assembly 30 forms the front exterior of the door 20, it may be called a door panel, and since it forms the front exterior of the refrigerator 1, it may also be called an exterior panel.

In a state in which the panel assembly 30 is mounted on the door body 40 , the rear surface of the panel assembly 30 may be tightly fixed to the body plate 41 . Meanwhile, for the fixed mounting of the panel assembly 30, the lower end of the panel assembly 30 is engaged with the lower end of the lower cap deco 45, and the upper end of the panel assembly 30 is the upper cap deco ( 43), the panel assembly 30 can be firmly coupled to the door body 40. And, the panel assembly 30 may have a structure that can be installed and separated from the door body 40 for service and maintenance.

The front surface of the panel assembly 30 is exposed forward while being mounted on the door body 40, and may form a substantial front appearance of the door 20. In addition, the panel assembly 30 may be configured to emit light from the entire front surface and may be configured to emit light in various colors.

To this end, a lighting device 36 may be provided inside the panel assembly 30 . A wire (not shown) may be connected to the lighting device 36 to supply and control power. The wire is exposed to the outside from the rear surface of the panel assembly 30, and a connector (not shown) may be provided at an end of the wire.

And, although not shown in detail, a structure for supplying power to the lighting device 36 by being connected to the connector of the electric wire may be provided on the front surface of the door body 40 .

Hereinafter, the structure of the panel assembly 30 will be described in detail with reference to drawings.

4 is an exploded perspective view of the panel assembly disassembled from the front; 5 is an exploded perspective view of the disassembled panel assembly viewed from the rear.

As shown in the drawing, the panel assembly 30 includes a front plate 31 forming a front exterior, a lighting device 36 for radiating light so that the front plate 31 shines, and the lighting device 36 ), and a member 32 mounted on the light guide plate 33 and the front plate 31.

And. The panel assembly 30 may further include an upper bracket 34 forming an upper surface of the panel assembly 30 and a lower bracket 35 forming a lower surface of the panel assembly 30 . The upper bracket 34 and the lower bracket 35 may also be referred to as brackets.

Also, the lighting device 36 may be mounted on the lower bracket 35 . In addition, the panel assembly 30 may further include a back cover 39 forming a rear surface.

Looking at this in more detail, the front plate 31 may be formed in a rectangular plate shape and may be formed of a material capable of transmitting light. For example, the front plate 31 may be formed of a glass material such as blue glass, white glass, or deposited glass or other material capable of transmitting light such as ABS, PMMA, or PC. Also, the front plate 31 may be referred to as a transparent plate or an outer plate.

The front plate 31 may be transparent so that light reflected by the light guide plate 33 may pass through. In this case, transparency may be defined as the degree to which light reflected from the light guide plate is transmitted and irradiated to the outside.

Also, the front plate 31 may be formed to have a color, and may be formed to appear in a different color according to the operation or on/off state of the lighting device 36 . For example, a specific pattern or pattern may be printed on the front plate 31 to have a specific color. In addition, a film on which a pattern having a specific pattern or color is printed is attached to the front plate 31, surface treatment such as imprinting, nickname, or glass printing is performed on the front plate, or a specific color and texture are applied to the front plate 31. A coating or deposition layer may be formed to form the appearance of the front plate 31 .

In addition, the front plate 31 may be configured such that the light irradiated from the lighting device 36 is transmitted, but elements behind the front plate 31 are not reflected. That is, in the state in which the lighting device 36 is turned off, the components inside the panel assembly 30 are transmitted through the front plate 31 by the color of the front plate 31 itself. It can be prevented from appearing on the outside.

At this time, the front plate 31 may be formed to have a color of at least 0 or more brightness other than black in an off state. That is, in a state where the refrigerator 1 is installed, the front surface of the refrigerator 1 may be displayed in a color other than black, and the color of the front surface of the refrigerator may be changed according to the operation of the lighting device 36. there is.

The front plate 31 may be formed to correspond to the size of the front surface of the panel assembly 30 exposed to the outside. In detail, the front plate 31 may have the same size as the panel assembly 30 at the top and both left and right ends except for the bottom. Also, the lower end of the front plate 31 is located slightly higher than the lower end of the panel assembly 30, that is, the lower end of the lower bracket 35, but in a state where the panel assembly 30 is mounted, the lower cap An exposed portion of the lower bracket 35 may be shielded by the deco 45 . Accordingly, the entire front surface of the front plate 31 exposed to the outside when the panel assembly 30 is mounted may be formed by the front plate 31 .

Meanwhile, the front plate 31 may be larger than the light guide plate 33 . Also, the rear surface of the front plate 31 may be coupled to the front surface of the member 32 . Therefore, in a state where the front plate 31 is mounted on the member 32, there is no separate structure around the front plate 31, and the front plate 31 is the front surface of the panel assembly 30. shape the appearance.

The member 32 may be referred to as a support member since the panel 31 and the light guide plate 33 are attached thereto, and may also be referred to as a transmission plate since the member 32 is capable of transmitting light. ) Since it can form a structure including the side of the frame, it can also be called a frame. Hereinafter, the member 32 is referred to as a support member and will be described.

The light guide plate 33 may be located at a rear spaced apart from the front plate 31, and may be configured to guide light emitted from a lighting device 36 disposed below the light guide plate 33 forward. .

For example, the light guide plate 33 may be formed of a transparent polymer material such as acryl. In addition, a diffusion agent may be added to the light guide plate 33 to diffuse light incident on the light guide plate 33 or a pattern for light diffusion may be formed. Therefore, light can be transmitted to the front plate 31 by the light guide plate 33, and at this time, the pattern of the light guide plate 33 is set so that the entire front surface of the front plate 31 can shine with uniform brightness. It can be.

Also, the light guide plate 33 may be formed in the shape of the rectangular plate as a whole, and may be formed to be slightly smaller than the size of the front plate 31 . Further, the light guide plate 33 may be supported from the rear by the back cover 39 and may be fixed by the support member 32 while maintaining a predetermined distance from the front plate 31 .

Meanwhile, a support member 32 may be provided between the front plate 31 and the light guide plate 33 . The support member 32 is to which the light guide plate 33 and the front plate 31 are fixedly mounted, and in particular, the light guide plate 33 and the front plate 31 can be maintained at a predetermined distance.

The support member 32 may have a front surface supporting the front plate 31 and both side surfaces restraining both ends of the light guide plate 33 . The front surface of the support member 32 may be formed to be larger than or equal to the size of the light guide plate 33, and when the light guide plate 33 is mounted, the front surface of the support member 32 and the light guide plate 33 are mutually connected to each other. to maintain surface contact.

In detail, the support member 32 has a plate-shaped front portion 321 on which the front plate 31 is mounted, and a side portion formed at both left and right ends of the front portion 321 to which the light guide plate 33 is mounted ( 322) may be included. The front part 321 may be formed in a plate shape corresponding to the shape of the front plate 31 , and the front surface of the light guide plate 33 may be closely attached to the rear surface of the front part 321 . In addition, the side part 322 extends rearward from both left and right ends of the front part 321 and may be formed to restrain both left and right ends of the light guide plate 33 .

On the other hand, the support member 32 may be formed of a material capable of transmitting light, and the entirety may be formed by injection or extrusion in a single configuration. For example, the support member 32 may be formed of a material such as ABC, PC, or acrylic, and may allow light reflected from the light guide plate 33 to pass through the front plate 31 .

Also, the entire support member 32 may be formed of a transparent or translucent material, and the support member 32 itself may be formed to have a color. Accordingly, when viewed from the front of the panel assembly 30 , the color, texture, or shape of the front surface of the panel assembly 30 may be determined by the support member 32 . Further, the support member 32 may have corrosion or a pattern formed on the front surface through which light is transmitted, and the corrosion or pattern may appear when viewed from the front of the panel assembly 30 .

An upper bracket 34 may be provided at an upper end of the panel assembly 30 . The upper bracket 34 may form an upper surface of the panel assembly 30 . Also, the upper bracket 34 may be injection-molded with a plastic material, and may have a structure coupled to the support member 32 and a structure coupled to the back cover 39 .

The upper bracket 34 may be coupled to an upper end of the support member 32 and may extend from a left end to a right end of the upper end of the support member 32 . The upper bracket 34 may be exposed through the upper surface of the panel assembly 30 in a mounted state.

And, the back cover 39 may be coupled to the rear surface of the upper bracket 34 . The back cover 39 may be coupled to the back cover 39 by fastening screws. Also, the rear surface of the light guide plate 33 may be supported on the front surface of the upper bracket 34 . That is, when the back cover 39 is coupled, the upper bracket 34 may support the light guide plate 33 from the rear.

A lower bracket 35 may be provided at a lower end of the panel assembly 30 . The lower bracket 35 may form a lower surface of the panel assembly 30 . Also, the lower bracket 35 may be injection-molded of a plastic material, and may have a structure coupled to the support member 32 and a structure coupled to the back cover 39 .

The lower bracket 35 may be coupled to a lower end of the support member 32 and may extend from a left end to a right end of the lower end of the support member 32 . The lower bracket 35 may be exposed through the lower surface of the panel assembly 30 in a mounted state.

Also, the back cover 39 may be coupled to a rear surface of the lower bracket 35 . The back cover 39 may be coupled to the back cover 39 by fastening screws. Also, the rear surface of the light guide plate 33 may be supported on the front surface of the lower bracket 35 . That is, when the back cover 39 is coupled, the lower bracket 35 may support the light guide plate 33 from the rear.

Therefore, in the process of assembling the panel assembly 30, both left and right ends of the light guide plate 33 are fixed by the support member 32, and the upper and lower ends of the light guide plate 33 are connected to the upper bracket 34. It can be supported from the rear by the lower bracket 35.

Also, a lighting device 36 may be mounted on the lower bracket 35 . The lighting device 36 emits light for determining the color and brightness of the front surface of the panel assembly and is configured to emit light toward the light guide plate 33 . The lighting device 36 may be provided inside the lower bracket 35 and may be assembled together with the lower bracket 35 in a state of being mounted on the lower bracket 35 .

The back cover 39 forms a rear surface of the panel assembly 30 and may be combined with the upper bracket 34 and the lower bracket 35 . The back cover 39 may be formed of a metal material such as stainless or aluminum. Also, the back cover 39 may be formed in a size corresponding to that of the panel assembly 30 and may form the entire shape of the rear surface of the panel assembly 30 .

A rear surface of the light guide plate 33 may be supported from the rear by a cover protrusion 391 protruding from the center of the back cover 39 . Therefore, the light guide plate 33 has an overall stable support structure and can maintain a stable mounting state when the back cover 39 is mounted. Also, the upper bracket 34 and the lower bracket 35 may be provided at positions corresponding to upper and lower ends of the back cover 39 .

Both left and right ends of the cover circumferential portion 392 forming the circumference of the back cover 39 may come into contact with the side surface portion 322 of the support member 32, and the upper and lower ends of the cover circumferential portion 392 may be in contact with the upper bracket 34 and the lower bracket 35, respectively.

In addition, a plurality of screws 399 may be fastened along the top and bottom of the cover circumference 392, and the screws 399 penetrate the back cover 39 to secure the upper bracket 34 and the lower It is fastened to the bracket 35 so that the back cover 39 is fixedly mounted.

Hereinafter, a structure in which the lighting device is mounted on the lower bracket will be described in detail.

6 is a perspective view illustrating a combination of a lower bracket, a lighting device, and a light supporter, which are one component of the panel assembly. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower bracket, the lighting device, and the light supporter as viewed from the rear. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling structure of the lower bracket, the lighting device, and the light supporter as viewed from the rear. And, Figure 9 is a perspective view of the lower bracket viewed from the front. And, Figure 10 is a perspective view of the lower bracket viewed from the rear.

As shown in the drawings, the lower bracket 35 may have a length corresponding to the length of the panel assembly 30 in the left and right directions. Also, the lower bracket 35 may include a lower bracket front part 351, a lower bracket rear part 352, a lower bracket side part 353, and a lower bracket lower part 354 as a whole.

The lower bracket front part 351 may form the front shape of the lower bracket 35 and support the front plate 31 . In addition, a part of the lower bracket front part 351 may protrude downward from the front plate 31, and is inserted into the lower end of the door body 40, that is, the lower cap deco 45, so that the lower bracket ( 35) can be fixed.

The lower bracket front part 351 may include a bracket stepped part. The bracket stepped portion may include a first stepped portion 351a supporting the lower end of the front plate 31 and a second stepped portion 351b supporting the front plate 31 from the rear.

The first stepped portion 351a may be formed stepwise from the front side of the lower bracket front portion 351 to the rear, and the second stepped portion 351b may be formed upward from the rear end of the first stepped portion 351a. can be extended to When the front plate 31 is mounted, the sealant 313 may be applied to the second stepped portion 351b, and the front plate 31 may be firmly fixed.

Also, the upper end of the second stepped portion 351b may be coupled to the lower end of the support member 32, and thus the front surface of the second stepped portion 351b and the front portion 321 of the support member 32 ) can be located on the same plane.

The second stepped portion 351b supports the front plate 31 and simultaneously covers the lighting device 36 or a writing spot (also called a debt or hot spot) that may be generated by the writing device 36. exposure can be avoided.

That is, the second stepped portion 351b may protrude more upward than the upper end of the light source of the lighting device 36 and protrude to a set height to prevent the lighting device 36 from being exposed forward. . In addition, the second stepped portion 351b may cover an area that may be generated due to intensive light irradiation at the lower end of the light guide plate 33 and the lower end of the front plate 31 that are very close to the lighting device 36. Thus, the formation of a writing spot on the front plate 31 can be prevented. The second stepped portion 351b may be formed to be transparent or translucent, and may be formed to have a specific color if necessary. Accordingly, the second stepped portion 351b may be referred to as a shielding portion.

Meanwhile, the lower bracket side portion 353 forms a side surface of the lower bracket 35 and may protrude upward more than the lower bracket front portion 351 . The lower bracket side portion 353 may protrude upward from the second stepped portion 351b, and therefore, the stepped portion at the lower end of the side of the support member 32 may overlap the lower bracket front portion 351 and the lower bracket portion 351. It may be coupled to engage with the lower bracket side portion 353.

The lower bracket rear part 352 may be formed at the rear end of the lower bracket side part 353 . The lower bracket rear part 352 forms a rear surface of the lower bracket 35, and the lower bracket 35 may be fixedly mounted to the support member 32. Also, the lower bracket rear part 352 is formed parallel to the front plate 31 and the light guide plate 33 and may extend vertically. A rear portion of the lower bracket 35 may protrude upward more than the front portion 351 of the lower bracket and the side portion 353 of the lower bracket.

In addition, lower side portions 352b stepped forward may be formed at both left and right ends of the lower bracket rear portion 352 . The lower side portion 352b may be formed stepwise with the lower bracket rear portion 352 and may be positioned in front of the lower bracket front portion 351 .

The lower side portion 352b may be formed with a thickness corresponding to the width of the bracket insertion space 325 formed on one side of the support member 32, and extend from the bottom to the top of the bracket insertion space 325. Sliding can be inserted.

A plurality of lower bracket bosses 357 may be formed on the front surface of the lower bracket rear part 352 . The lower bracket boss 357 is for fastening the screw 399, and a lower bracket screw hole 356 into which the screw 399 is fastened may be formed in the center. The lower bracket screw hole 356 may be formed through the rear surface of the lower bracket 352 and may be formed at a position corresponding to the cover screw hole 397 . Accordingly, when the back cover 39 is mounted, the screws 399 may be fastened to sequentially pass through the cover screw hole 397 and the lower bracket screw hole 356 .

The lower bracket boss 357 protrudes forward and may protrude to a position in contact with the rear surface of the light guide plate 33 . Accordingly, when the lower bracket 35 is mounted, the protruding end of the lower bracket boss 357 can support the light guide plate 33 from the rear. That is, when the panel assembly 30 is assembled, the lower bracket 35 may support the upper end of the light guide plate 33 from the rear.

Meanwhile, a support rib 358 connecting a plurality of lower bracket bosses 357 may be formed on the front surface of the lower bracket rear portion 352 . A pair of support ribs 358 may be arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of lower bracket bosses 357 may be positioned between the pair of support ribs 358 .

In detail, the upper support rib 358 of the pair of support ribs 358 extends to connect the upper ends of the plurality of lower bracket bosses 357, and the lower support rib 358 of one pair The rib 358 may be formed to extend to connect lower ends of the plurality of lower bracket bosses 357 .

Also, the support rib 358 may protrude at the same height as the protruding height of the lower bracket boss 357 . Accordingly, when assembling the panel assembly 30 , the light guide plate 33 may be supported from the rear along with the lower bracket boss 357 .

Therefore, the lower bracket 35 can be coupled to and fixed to the lower end of the support member 32, and is fixed to the back cover 39 by the screw 399, so that the light guide plate 33 It is possible to restrict downward movement and form a shape of the lower surface of the panel assembly 30 .

Meanwhile, a bracket opening may be formed in the lower bracket rear portion 352 . The bracket opening 352a extends from the left end to the right end of the lower bracket rear part 352 and may be formed at a position facing the lower bracket front part 321 .

Also, the bracket opening 352a may be located below the support rib 358 . Also, the bracket opening 352a may be formed to open at a rear surface of a space in which the lighting device 36 is mounted. Also, the lower end of the bracket opening 352a may be located on the lower portion 354 of the lower bracket. Therefore, the lighting device 36 can be taken in and out through the bracket opening 352a, and the light supporter 37 supporting the writing device 36 can be taken in and out together. Also, the bracket opening 352a may be shielded by the back cover 39 .

The lower surface portion 354 of the lower bracket may form the lower surface of the lower bracket 35, and the lower portion of the lower bracket front portion 351, the lower portion of the lower bracket side portion 353, and the lower bracket rear portion 352 ) can be connected to the lower end of Also, the lower portion 354 of the lower bracket may form a bottom surface of a space in which the lighting device 36 is mounted.

A bracket rib 354a supporting the lighting device 36 or the light supporter 37 from below may be formed on the lower portion 354 of the lower bracket. The bracket rib 354a may extend backward from the lower bracket front part 351 and protrude upward to support the light supporter 37 on which the lighting device 36 is mounted.

Meanwhile, a light guide plate support part 355 protruding rearward may be formed on the front part 351 of the lower bracket. A plurality of light guide plate support parts 355 may protrude rearward at regular intervals along the lower bracket front surface part 351 .

In this case, the light guide plate support part 355 may extend to restrain the lighting device 36 from above. The light guide plate support part 355 and the lower surface part 354 of the lower bracket restrain the lighting device 36 in the upper and lower directions, thereby restricting the upward and downward movement of the lighting device 36 .

The upper surface of the light guide plate support part 355 may protrude to support the lower end of the light guide plate 33, and may protrude backward at a height corresponding to the first step part 351a of the bracket step part.

Meanwhile, a lighting device 36 may be provided inside the lower bracket 35 . The lighting device 36 may include a substrate 361 and a light source 362 . The substrate 361 may be formed in a plate shape that can be accommodated inside the lower bracket 35 and may extend from one end to the other end of the lower bracket 35 . Also, a plurality of light sources 362 may be continuously disposed on the substrate 361 at regular intervals.

The light source 362 may be disposed to emit light toward the lower end of the light guide plate 33 . Further, the substrate 361 may provide a space in which the light source 362 may be continuously disposed from the left end to the other end of the light guide plate 33 . In addition, the left and right ends of the substrate 361 come into contact with the lower bracket side part 353 inside the lower bracket 35 so that left and right flow may be restricted.

Also, the light source 362 may be disposed at a position biased forward with respect to the center of the substrate 361 . In this case, the position of the light source 362 may be vertically below the lower end of the light guide plate 33 , that is, a position facing the lower end of the light guide plate 33 .

Further, the circuit portion 363 of the substrate 361 may be concentrated at a position that is biased backward with respect to the center of the substrate 361 . The circuit part 363 operates the lighting device 36, and may be disposed at a position biased toward the rear so that the light source 362 may be disposed at a position facing the light guide plate 33.

The light source 362 may be composed of an LED, for example. And, the light source 362 may be composed of RGB LEDs capable of radiating light of various colors according to the control of the controller. That is, the light source 362 can emit light of various colors according to the control of the controller, and thus the front plate 31 can shine with the color set by the controller. In addition, the front exterior color of the refrigerator 1 can be determined according to the color of the front plate 31 .

On the other hand, the light source 362 may be composed of an LED emitting light of a specific color in addition to the RGB LED, or a plurality of LEDs emitting light of different colors may be configured in combination. For example, the plurality of light sources 362 may be composed of red, green, and blue LEDs and may be repeatedly arranged in sequence. In addition, the operations of the light sources 362 are combined according to the control of the controller so that the front plate 31 can shine in a desired color.

In addition, the light sources 362 may be mounted on the substrate 361 at regular intervals, and may be arranged in an appropriate number so that the front plate 31 may shine with a set luminance. For example, the light sources 362 may be disposed at intervals of 5.3 mm to 9.8 mm, more preferably 5.8 mm to 8.0 mm to reach the target luminance of the front plate 31, and the front plate 31 ), it is possible to realize uniform brightness with a luminance of 80% or more over the entire surface. Also, the distance between the light sources 362 may be smaller than the left and right widths of the light guide plate support part 355 so that the light guide plate support part 355 may be disposed between the light sources 362 .

Further, elements 364 protruding downward may be further provided on the lower surface of the substrate 361 .

Meanwhile, a light supporter 37 may be provided inside the lower bracket 35 . The light supporter 37 may support the lighting device 36 inside the lower bracket 35 . In addition, the light supporter 37 may dissipate heat generated from the lighting device 36 by conduction.

11 is a perspective view of the light supporter.

As shown in the drawing, the light supporter 37 may be formed of a metal material. For example, the light supporter 37 may be formed of an aluminum material having high thermal conductivity. The light supporter 37 may be extruded from a metal material to have the same cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction, and may be formed in a size that allows entry and exit through the bracket opening 352a.

The light supporter 37 may include a first supporting part 372 supporting the lighting device 36 and a second supporting part 371 in contact with the back cover 39 .

The first supporting part 372 may be disposed on the lower part 354 of the lower bracket 35 inside the lower bracket 35 . In this case, the lower surface of the first supporting part 372 may be disposed parallel to the lower surface of the lower bracket 354 and may have a width corresponding to that of the lower surface of the lower bracket 354 . The front end of the first supporting part 372 may extend to a position corresponding to the front end of the substrate and come into contact with the lower bracket front part 351 .

Also, the first supporting part 372 may be supported from below by the bracket rib 354a. In addition, substrate support parts 373 supporting the front and rear ends of the substrate 361 may be formed at the front and rear ends of the first supporting part 372 . The substrate support part 373 may be formed along the front and rear ends of the first supporting part 372 and may protrude upward. Therefore, the first supporting part 372 may have a structure in which it is directly supported along the substrate 361, and heat generated during operation of the lighting device 36 passes through the substrate support part 373 to the light supporter. (37) so that it can be conducted.

In addition, a supporter recessed portion 374 may be formed in the first supporting portion 372 . The supporter recessed part 374 may be recessed between the pair of substrate support parts 373, and when the substrate 361 is supported by the first supporting part 372, the lower surface of the substrate 361 A space for accommodating elements may be provided.

The second supporting part 371 may extend upward from the rear end of the first supporting part 372 . The second supporting part 371 may extend perpendicularly to the first supporting part 372 and the bottom part 354 of the lower bracket. Also, the second supporting part 371 may cover at least a portion of the bracket opening 352a in a state in which the light supporter 37 is mounted on the lower bracket 35 . Preferably, the second supporting part 371 may be formed in a corresponding size and shape to cover the bracket opening 352a.

Also, a substrate accommodating groove 375 may be formed at a lower end of the second supporting part 371 . The substrate accommodating groove 375 may be formed along the length direction of the second supporting part 371 and may be recessed to accommodate the rear end of the substrate 361 . In a state in which the substrate 361 is mounted on the light supporter 37 , the rear end of the substrate 361 may be in close contact with the inside of the substrate receiving groove 375 .

Also, the second supporting part 371 may extend upward and be exposed to the outside through the bracket opening 352a. In addition, the rear surface of the second supporting part 371 is formed in a flat shape, and when the back cover 39 is attached, it may come into surface contact with the back cover 39 . Therefore, the heat of the lighting device 36 conducted to the light supporter 37 can be transferred to the back cover 39 and can be dissipated through the back cover 39 .

Meanwhile, the lighting device 36 and the light supporter 37 may enter and exit through the bracket opening 352a in a state where the lower bracket 35 is mounted. Therefore, if only the back cover 39 that shields the bracket opening 352a is separated, the lighting device 36 and the light supporter 37 can be easily assembled and disassembled.

Meanwhile, in a state in which the lighting device 36 is turned on, a hot spot may appear in a position adjacent to the light source 362 in front of the panel assembly 30 . Such a hot spot may degrade the appearance quality of the front surface of the door 20 and give a user a glare.

In order to prevent such a hot spot from appearing in front of the door 20, the panel assembly 30 includes a shielding portion 351b formed in front of the light source 362 to partially block the light emitted from the light source 362. includes

Hereinafter, the covering part according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

12 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a cross section in a state in which a lighting device and a light supporter are coupled to the lower bracket. And, FIG. 13 is a perspective view cut away XIII-XIII' of FIG. 2 . 14 is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the panel assembly. And, FIG. 15 is a view showing a light emitting state according to the height of the shielding part in front of the door panel. 16 is a view showing a state in which the lighting device emits light in front of the door panel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the covering portion 351b may be provided between the front plate 31 and the lighting device 36 . In detail, the light source 362 installed in the lighting device 36 of the covering portion 351b may be provided below the lower end of the light guide plate 33 . The light source 362 emits light from below the light guide plate 33 toward the light guide plate 33, and the light reflected through the light guide plate 33 passes through the front plate 31, and the panel assembly 30 ) will shine brightly.

The covering portion 351b may be provided at a lower end of the panel assembly 30 equipped with the lighting device 36 . Also, the covering portion 351b may be formed of a material through which light irradiated from the light source 362 is not transmitted. That is, the covering portion 351b is not limited, but may be formed of at least an opaque plastic material other than a light-transmitting material.

The cover part 351b is provided in front of the position where the light source 362 is provided, so that the light of the light source 362 is directly transmitted from the front of the front plate 31 so that the light is in a point form more than the surroundings. It is possible to prevent a bright hot spot from occurring.

The covering portion 351b may be positioned between the front plate 31 and the light source 362 . The covering part 351b is disposed behind the front plate 31 so that when the panel assembly 30 is viewed from the front, the covering part 351b does not cover the front surface of the front plate 31. do. The covering portion 351b may not be exposed when viewing the panel assembly 30 from the front. That is, since the front surface of the front plate 31 can form the entire front surface of the panel assembly 30, an improved appearance can be provided.

Meanwhile, the covering portion 351b may be integrally formed with the lower bracket 35 . For example, the lower bracket 35 may include a cover portion 351b extending upward from the front end of the lower surface of the lower bracket 35 . Also, the covering portion 351b may be formed stepwise from the lower bracket front portion 351 to the rear. In this case, there is an advantage in simplifying assembly and workability compared to separately providing the covering portion 351b.

In detail, the lower bracket 35 includes a first stepped portion 351a formed to support the lower end of the front plate 31 . The first stepped portion 351a comes in contact with the lower end of the front plate 31 and is formed to support a portion of the load of the front plate 31 .

A lower end of the front plate 31 may be supported by the lower cap deco 45 and the lower bracket 35 . The lower capdeco 45 may be formed of an opaque material.

In this case, the lower end of the front plate 31 may be located above the upper end of the light source 362 . That is, the light source 362 may be positioned below the lower end of the front plate 31 . Through this, it is possible to prevent the light emitted from the light source 362 from being directly transmitted through the front plate 31 . In detail, the light generated from the light source 362 is reflected through the light guide plate 33 so that the entire front plate 31 can be uniformly illuminated. In addition, it is possible to prevent hot spots generated from the light source 362 at the lower end of the front plate 31 .

In addition, a second stepped portion 351b is formed to come into contact with a part of the rear surface of the front plate 31 and support the front plate 31 . The second stepped portion 351b is formed to block a part of the light emitted from the light source 362, and may serve as a blocking portion 351b.

An upper end of the second stepped portion 351b may be located above an upper end of the light source 362 . In addition, the upper end of the second stepped portion 351b may be located below the upper end of the side portion 353 of the lower bracket.

The second stepped portion 351b, in other words, the covering portion 351b may be formed to extend upward from the front end of the lower surface portion 354 of the lower bracket.

The support member 32 may be seated on an upper end of the covering portion 351b. The upper surface of the covering portion 351b may be formed to have a size corresponding to that of the lower surface of the support member 32 . The length of the cover part 351b in the front-rear direction is formed to a length corresponding to the length of the support member 32 in the front-back direction, so that the support member 32 is more stable on the upper surface of the cover part 351b. can be fitted with

Also, a lower end of the covering portion 351b may be disposed at a position corresponding to a portion of the light source 362 of the lighting device 36 . Also, an upper end of the shielding portion 351b may be disposed at a position corresponding to a lower end of the light guide plate 33 .

A spacer 351c may be formed at a rear of the cover part 351b so that the cover part 351b and the light source 362 are spaced apart at a set interval. The spacer 351c may be integrally formed with the lower bracket 35 and protrude in a direction where the light source 362 is provided.

The spacer 351c may be formed to contact one surface of the light source 362 while being disposed between the shielding portion 351b and the light source 362 .

In detail, the spacer 351c is formed to come into contact with the front surface of the light source 362, and maintains the mounted state of the light source 362 while maintaining the light source 362 in front of the cover part 351b and the light source. (362) can be spaced apart in the forward and backward directions.

Also, the spaced portion 351c may be formed to contact a portion of the substrate 361 . The substrate 361 may be disposed between the light supporter 37 and the spacer 351c. Also, the lower surface of the substrate 361 may be fixed by the substrate support part 373 and the upper surface may be fixed by the spacer part 351c. With this structure, in a state in which the lighting device 36 is mounted on the lower bracket 35, the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 361 are fixed to the substrate support 373 and the spacer 351c. will be able to maintain Therefore, it is possible to prevent the lighting device 36 from moving in the vertical direction.

The spaced portion 351c protrudes rearward from the lower bracket front portion 351 and is formed to come into contact with the light source 362 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the light source 362 from moving forward and backward in a state in which the lighting device 36 is mounted on the lower bracket 35 .

Thus, the light source 362 can maintain the distance between the shield 351b and the light guide plate 33 even when the door 20 is repeatedly opened and closed.

In detail, the lighting device 36 is inserted through the bracket opening 352a of the lower bracket 35 in a state of being mounted on the light supporter 37 and mounted on the lower bracket 35 . When the lighting device 36 is inserted into the lower bracket 35, one surface of the light source 362 is inserted and mounted until it comes into contact with one surface of the spaced part 351c, so that the spaced part 351c may guide the position where the light source 362 is disposed.

In addition, the substrate 361 is disposed between the spacer 351c and the light supporter 37, so that the flow of the substrate 361 can be restricted.

That is, in a state in which the lighting device 36 is mounted on the lower bracket 35, the substrate 361 is supported by the light supporter 37, and one surface of the light source 362 is separated from the separation portion 351c. placed in contact with the surface.

With this structure, the flow of the light source 362 can be restricted, and hot spots can be prevented from being exposed due to the flow of the light source 362 .

Meanwhile, in order to prevent hot spots from appearing, the length h1 of the shielding portion 351b should be set so that the light source 362 does not flow into the light guide plate 33 and directly irradiate the front plate 31. There is a need.

If the length of the shielding portion 351b extending upward from the top of the light source 362 is too short, a hot spot ((Hot-spot) is formed according to the angle viewed from the front of the front plate 31 may be exposed.

In addition, if the length of the cover part 351b extending upward from the top of the light source 362 is too long, it blocks the light reflected from the light guide plate 33, so that the lighting device 36 is turned on. When the lower part of the front plate 31 is compared with other parts, it may shine relatively darkly.

The length h1 of the cover part 351b extending upward from the light source 362 is the angle θ1 of the light source 362 and the distance between the cover part 351b and the light source 362. It can be determined by considering the distance h2.

In detail, the length h1 of the cover portion 351b extending upward from the light source 362 may be determined by Equation 1 below.

h1 ≥ h2*tan(90-θ _1/2 ) (Equation 1)

In this case, the light source 362 may have an irradiation angle θ1 of about 90 to 150°, preferably 120°.

When the shielding portion 351b is set to satisfy Equation 1, light directly irradiated from the light source 362 to the front plate can be effectively blocked.

In addition, the spacing between the shielding portion 351b and the light source 362 can be maintained constant by the spacing portion 351c.

Meanwhile, an upper end of the covering portion 351b may be located lower than an upper end of the lower bracket rear portion 352 . In detail, the covering portion 351b may be positioned below a position where the lower bracket boss 357 is formed.

Alternatively, the covering portion 351b may extend upward to a position corresponding to an upper end of the second supporting portion 371 of the light supporter 37 . The upper end of the covering part 351b may correspond to the upper end of the second supporting part 371 or may be located below the upper end of the second supporting part 371 .

For example, the cover portion 351b may have a length exceeding 5 mm extending upward from the top of the light source 362 . More specifically, the cover portion 351b is formed in a range of 8 to 11 mm in length extending upward from the upper end of the light source 362, preferably in a range of 7 to 15 mm, in the front of the front plate 31. It can effectively prevent hot spots from being exposed at all angles viewed from the camera.

In addition, a hot spot may appear due to a shaded section according to an interval between light sources. A dark section is generated between the light sources according to the irradiation angle (divergence angle) of the light sources. As the distance between the light sources is narrowed, the height of the dark section is reduced, and thus the height of the shaded portion may be reduced.

As an example, as shown in FIG. 15, when the height of the screen was changed in a state where the distance between adjacent light sources was 8.0 mm, the degree of appearance of hot spots was observed.

At this time, when the shielding portion 351b is not provided between the front plate 31 and the light guide plate 33, the lower end of the front plate 31 is positioned at an angle of 0 degrees, 40 degrees, 65 degrees, and 80 degrees from the front, respectively. , a hot spot shining brighter than the periphery was observed in the form of a dot at the lower end of the front plate 31 .

In addition, when the cover portion 351b is formed to be 5 mm, and the lower end of the front plate 31 is viewed from the front at angles of 0 degrees, 40 degrees, 65 degrees, and 80 degrees, respectively, at 40 degrees and 80 degrees A hot spot was observed.

On the other hand, when the cover portion 351b is formed to be 8 mm and the lower end of the front plate 31 is viewed from the front at angles of 0 degrees, 40 degrees, 65 degrees, and 80 degrees, respectively, hot spots are not observed. I was able to confirm.

That is, when the height of the shielding portion 351b is formed to exceed at least 5 mm, it is possible to prevent hot spots from occurring in the entire range of viewing angles when viewing the front plate 31 from the front.

Of course, if the height h1 of the shielding portion 351b is formed longer, the area of the light reflected from the light guide plate 33 is reduced, and thus, when the lighting device 36 is on, the front plate 31 There is a problem that the lower part of is relatively dark.

Also, the light guide plate 33 may be spaced apart from the light source 362 by a predetermined distance h3. For example, the light guide plate 33 may be spaced apart from the top of the light source 362 by about 0.1 to 1 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 0.4 mm.

More specifically, the distance h3 from the upper end of the light source 362 to the lower end of the light guide plate 33 is 0.1 to 1 mm, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 0.4 mm. It can be.

In addition, a plurality of light sources 362 may be disposed on the substrate 361 at regular intervals. The distance between the neighboring light sources 362 may be set in consideration of the height h1 of the shielding portion 351b.

For example, it is preferable to set the height h1 of the shielding portion 351b to be 1 to 2.5 times, preferably about 2 times the distance between the adjacent light sources 362 .

In other words, it is preferable to set the interval between the adjacent light sources 362 to be 0.3 to 0.7 times, or approximately 0.5 times, the height h1 of the shielding portion 351b in terms of preventing hot spot exposure.

This is because the hot spot may be exposed from the front of the door as light radiated from neighboring light sources is combined in the middle.

As a specific example, it is preferable to arrange the distance between the adjacent light sources 362 to be approximately 2 to 10 mm, more preferably within the range of 3 to 10 mm.

Within this range, the occurrence of the hot spot may be effectively prevented while minimizing the height of the covering portion 351b.

In this structure, as shown in FIG. 16 , the light directly irradiated to the front plate 31 from the lighting device 36 mounted at the lower end of the panel assembly 30 is blocked by the shielding portion 351b. In addition, the light emitted from the light source 362 is reflected through the light guide plate 33 and is transmitted through the front plate 31 to shine.

When the user looks at the panel assembly 30 from the front of the door 20, hot spots can be prevented from occurring at all angles at which the user looks at the panel assembly 30 by the cover part 351b. there will be

17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a light emitting state of the panel assembly.

Hereinafter, operations of the refrigerator 1 and the panel assembly 30 having the above structure will be described in more detail with reference to drawings.

When the lighting device 36 is turned on, the light emitted from the light source 362 is radiated to the lower end of the light guide plate 33 and may be diffused and reflected along the light guide plate 33 .

At this time, light guided by the light guide plate 33 may be forwardly reflected by the reflective layer 331 and transmitted through the front plate 31 to the outside. In addition, light is reflected also on the circumferential surface of the light guide plate 33 by the reflective member 332 disposed around the light guide plate 33, so that reflection efficiency inside the light guide plate 33 can be maximized.

All light guided through the light guide plate 33 by the reflection of the reflective layer 331 and the reflective member 332 is radiated forward, so that the entire front plate 31 shines brightly, and the front surface of the door 20 may shine with a set brightness or color.

Meanwhile, the lighting device 36 may be disposed at the lower end of the panel assembly 30, and the light source 362 may emit light upward. Also, the lighting device 36 may be fixed so as not to move inside the lower bracket 35 . Therefore, even when the door 20 is repeatedly opened and closed, the lighting device 36 can maintain an accurate position, and the light emitted from the light source 362 can be directed to the lower end of the light guide plate 33, It is possible to ensure that the front plate 31 shines with the set luminance.

In particular, the light guide plate 33 has a structure supported from below by its own weight, and thus, a set distance G can be maintained between the lower end of the light guide plate 33 and the upper end of the light source 362 . Accordingly, the light emitted from the light source 362 can be effectively incident on the lower end of the light guide plate 33, and the luminance of the front plate 31 can be guaranteed and uniform brightness can be provided.

The lighting device 36 may be located below the upper end of the lower bracket 35 . Also, a covering portion 351b may be provided between the front plate 31 and the lighting device 36 . The covering portion 351b may extend upward from an upper end of the light source 362 so as to conceal a portion of the lighting device 36 from the front. Accordingly, the covering portion 351b may prevent the lighting device 36 from being exposed when viewed from the front of the door 20 . In addition, the cover part 351b prevents a lighting spot (hot spot) from appearing at a position adjacent to the light source 362, thereby improving the appearance quality of the front surface of the door 20 and preventing a user's glare.

In detail, the cover part 351b is installed at a position adjacent to the position where the light source 362 is disposed, so that light at a position closest to the light source 362 is prevented from directly passing through the front plate 31 Thus, it is possible to prevent a hot spot from appearing at a position adjacent to the light source 362 .

In addition, the lighting device 36 is turned on so that the front surface of the door 20 can be brightly lit, and the front surface of the door 20 can be illuminated in a set color by the light emitted from the plurality of light sources 362. can In this case, the color of the front surface of the door 20 may be a different color or brightness from a color in a state in which the lighting device 36 is turned off.

18 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a door according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the above, it has been described that the covering portion 50a according to an embodiment of the present invention is formed integrally with the lower bracket 35 as an example, but is not limited thereto.

The covering portion 50a may also be formed as an independent structure separate from the lower bracket 35 .

For example, as shown in FIG. 18 , the covering portion 50a may be provided between the front plate 31 and the light guide plate 33 . The covering portion 50a may be formed in contact with the rear surface of the front plate 31 separately from the lower bracket 35 .

The covering part 50a may be mounted on an upper end of the lower bracket 35 .

The covering portion 50a may be provided in front of the support member 32 . The thickness of the cover portion 50a in the front-back direction corresponds to the thickness of the support member 32 in the front-back direction, or may be formed shorter than the thickness of the support member 32 in the front-back direction, but is limited thereto not. In this case, the covering portion 50a may be formed of an opaque plastic material.

Alternatively, the covering portion 50a may be formed of an adhesive tape and adhered to the rear surface of the front plate 31 .

When the length extending upward from the lower end of the front plate 31 is too long, the area transmitted from the light source 362 becomes small, and the lighting device 36 is turned on. A lower portion of the front plate 31 may be relatively dark. In addition, if the length of the cover part 50a extending upward from the bottom of the front plate 31 is too short, a hot spot is recognized in front of the front plate 31 by the light emitted from the light source 362 can

Accordingly, the length h1 of the upward extension of the cover portion 50a is greater than about 5 mm from the upper end of the light source 362, preferably greater than 5 mm and less than 10 mm.

A distance h2 at which the light source is separated from the shield may be a length that satisfies Equation 1 above.

In this case, it is preferable that the light guide plate be spaced apart from the light source 362 at an upward distance h3 of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

19 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a door according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 19, the covering portion 50b according to another embodiment of the present invention may be separately provided above the lower bracket 35.

The covering portion 50b may be provided between the front plate 31 and the light guide plate 33 . In detail, the covering portion 50b may be spaced apart from the front plate 31 to the rear and provided close to the light guide plate 33 . In this case, the covering portion 50b may be disposed on the rear surface of the support member 32 .

At this time, the support member 32 may further extend downward to an upper end of the lower bracket 35 . In addition, the covering portion 50b may be attached to and fixed to the rear surface of the support member 32 .

When the length extending upward from the lower end of the support member 32 is too long, the area transmitted from the light source 362 becomes small, and the lighting device 36 is turned on. A lower portion of the front plate 31 may be relatively dark. In addition, if the length of the cover part 50b extending upward from the bottom of the front plate 31 is too short, a hot spot is recognized in front of the front plate 31 by the light emitted from the light source 362 can

Accordingly, the length h1 of the upward extension of the shielding portion 50b is approximately greater than 5 mm from the upper end of the light source 362, preferably greater than 5 mm and less than 10 mm.

A distance h2 at which the light source is separated from the shield may be a length that satisfies Equation 1 above.

At this time, it is preferable that the distance h3 of the light guide plate upward from the light source 362 is approximately 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

In this way, when the cover part 50b is provided separately from the lower bracket 35, there is an advantage in that the separation and replacement work of the cover part 50b is easy.

Hereinafter, operations of the refrigerator 1 and the panel assembly 30 having the above structure will be described in more detail with reference to drawings.

20 is a front view showing the front appearance of the refrigerator in a state in which the lighting device is turned off. 21 is a front view showing the front appearance of the refrigerator in a state in which the lighting device is turned on.

As shown in the drawing, in the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the front surface of the door 20 may be illuminated by the operation of the lighting device 36 . In addition, the front surface of the door 20 may be turned on and off according to the control of the controller and may be illuminated in a color set to one of a plurality of colors.

The operation of the lighting device 36 may be performed by, for example, a control unit provided on one side of the refrigerator 1 and a user's manipulation of the control unit.

Also, the lighting device 36 may be operated and set through a remote device separate from the refrigerator 1 . These remote devices may be various devices capable of communication, such as dedicated terminals, mobile phones, tablets, portable PCs, desktop PCs, remote controls, and Bluetooth speakers.

The user can generally manipulate and set the operating state of the lighting device 36, such as the operating time, operating conditions, and emission color of the light source, through manipulation of the control unit or remote device.

In addition, the lighting device 36 is turned on so that the front surface of the door 20 can be brightly lit, and the front surface of the door 20 can be illuminated in a set color by the light emitted from the plurality of light sources 362. can In this case, the color of the front surface of the door 20 may be a different color or brightness from a color in a state in which the lighting device 36 is turned off.

For example, in a state in which the lighting device 36 is turned off, as shown in FIG. 17 , the front surface of the door does not shine, and the original color of the panel assembly 30 is displayed.

That is, the color of the front surface of the door 20 can be seen as the color of the front plate 31, and the texture and pattern formed on the front plate 31 can be seen. At this time, the color of the front plate 31 is a color whose brightness is greater than 0 and may be formed in a color other than black. The color of the front surface of the door 20 when the lighting device 36 is off may be referred to as a first color.

Accordingly, the front surface of the door 20 is shown in the color of the front plate 31, and at this time, the components inside the panel assembly 30 are displayed according to the color of the front plate 31. and becomes invisible from the outside.

In this state, the lighting device 36 can be turned on, and when the lighting device 36 is turned on, the front surface of the door 20 is illuminated in the color set by the controller.

For example, the control unit may instruct the front surface of the door 20 to shine in a second color different from the first color, and the lighting device 36 may control the light source 362 according to the control unit's instructions. It can be made to glow in 2 colors.

When the light source 362 shines in the second color, the second color light is transmitted through the front surface of the front plate 31 by the light reflected by the light guide plate 33, and the light of the door 20 The front surface, that is, the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 may have a second color.

Meanwhile, when the control unit instructs to change the color of the front surface of the refrigerator 1 while the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 is illuminated in the second color, the front surface of the door 20 is reset by the control unit. shine with color

Some of the doors 20 of the plurality of doors 20 forming the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 emit light or the plurality of doors 20 independently emit light to display the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 in a set color. may form.

Meanwhile, various other embodiments of the present invention may be possible in addition to the above-described embodiments. Another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a panel forming an exterior is applied to home appliances other than a refrigerator so that the exterior color of the home appliance can be changed. In other embodiments of the present invention, only the size and shape of the panel and the applicable target are different, and the structure of the panel is the same, and the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

And, in the embodiments to be described below, the configuration of the panel assembly is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and for the specific configuration, reference is made to the description and drawings of the above-described embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted so that the description is not duplicated. .

Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

22 is a perspective view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention. 23 is an exploded perspective view in which the panel assembly of the indoor unit is separated.

As shown in the drawings, an indoor unit 5 of an air conditioner according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a case 51 forming an external shape, and is mounted on the front surface of the case 51 to It may include a panel assembly 52 forming a front exterior.

Although not shown in detail, in general, the case 51 may accommodate components constituting a refrigeration cycle including a heat exchanger and a blowing fan therein, and one side of the case 51 has a suction port for sucking indoor air. A discharge port may be formed to discharge the heat-exchanged air into the room.

Meanwhile, a case edge 512 may be formed around the front surface 511 of the case. The case rim 512 may be formed to correspond to the shape of the panel assembly 52 and protrude forward from the front surface 511 of the case to form a panel receiving space 511a in which the panel assembly 52 is accommodated. can form

The case rim 512 includes a pair of side rims 512a forming both sides, an upper rim 512b connecting upper ends of the pair of side rims 512a, and a lower end of the pair of side rims 512a. It may include a lower rim (512c) connecting the.

The panel assembly 52 may form a front exterior of the indoor unit 5 and may be mounted on an inner surface of the panel accommodating space 410 . A peripheral surface of the panel assembly 52 may be supported by the case rim 512 . In particular, the lower end of the panel assembly 52 may be engaged with the lower rim 512c, and the upper end of the panel assembly 52 may be coupled with the upper rim 512b so that the panel assembly 52 is It may be fixedly mounted on the front of the case 51 .

The panel assembly 52 may have the same structure as the panel assembly 30 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, the front surface of the panel assembly 52 may shine in various colors under the control of the controller.

The panel assembly 52 includes a front plate 521 forming a front surface, a support member 522 on which the front plate 521 is mounted, and mounted on an upper end of the support member 522, and the panel assembly 52 ) may include an upper bracket 523 forming an upper surface and a lower bracket 524 mounted on a lower end of the support member 522 and forming a lower surface of the panel assembly 52 .

Also, although not shown, a light guide plate 33 may be mounted on the support member 522, and a lighting device 36 for radiating light to the light guide plate 33 may be provided on the lower bracket 524. Also, a back cover 39 may be provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly 52 .

In the indoor unit 5 having such a structure, as shown in the drawing, when the lighting device 36 is turned on, the entire front plate 521 is illuminated by the light emitted from the lighting device 36, and the lighting A front appearance of the indoor unit 5 may be formed in a color corresponding to the color of light emitted from the device 36 .

In addition, the operation of the lighting device 36 may be controlled according to the control of the control unit. Accordingly, the front plate 521 can shine in various colors, and accordingly, the front exterior of the indoor unit 5 can also be colored in various colors.

That is, the indoor unit 5 freely changes the exterior color of the front surface through the control of the lighting device 36 in a state in which the panel assembly 52 is assembled and mounted without replacing and mounting the panel assembly 52 . be able to change Therefore, the appearance of the indoor unit 5 can be changed according to surrounding furniture or environment, and the operation state can be intuitively expressed by changing the appearance of the indoor unit 5 according to the operation state of the indoor unit 5. may be

24 is a perspective view of a clothes management device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the clothes management device.

As shown in the drawing, the clothes management device 6 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a case 61 forming a clothes accommodating space and a door 62 opening and closing the front surface of the case 61. The appearance can be formed by

Although not shown in detail, in general, the case 61 has a clothes accommodating space in which clothes are accommodated, and a heat pump, a water tank, and a steam generator in a machine room formed separately from the clothes accommodating space, An air circulation fan or the like may be provided.

An outlet for discharging steam generated by the steam generator and dry air heated by a heat pump may be formed inside the clothes accommodating space, and a suction port for sucking air in the clothes accommodating space may be formed.

The door 62 may be rotatably mounted on the case 61 and may form a front appearance of the clothes management device 6 when the door 62 is closed. The door 62 may include a door body 63 that opens and closes the clothing accommodating space, and a panel assembly 64 mounted on the door body 63 to form a front surface of the door 62. there is.

A body plate 631 may be provided on the front surface of the door body 63 to form the front surface of the door body 63 . In addition, side decorations 632 extending in the vertical direction along both left and right ends of the door body 63 are provided, and both left and right sides of the door body 63 can be formed by the side decorations 632. . In addition, the upper surface of the door body 63 is formed by the upper cap deco 633 connecting the upper ends of the side decos 632 on both left and right sides, and connecting the lower ends of the side decos 632 on both left and right sides. The lower surface of the door body 63 may be formed by the lower cap deco 634 .

The side deco 632, the upper cap deco 633, and the lower cap deco 634 may protrude more than the front surface of the body plate 631, and the panel assembly 64 in front of the body plate 631 ) may be formed in the panel receiving space 631a.

The lower end of the panel assembly 64 is inserted into the lower cap deco 634 and the upper end is coupled to the upper cap deco 633 so that it can be fixedly mounted inside the panel accommodating space 631a. Also, the circumference of the panel assembly 64 may be supported by the side deco 632, the upper cap deco 633, and the lower cap deco 634.

Meanwhile, the panel assembly 64 may have the same structure as the panel assembly 30 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, the front surface of the panel assembly 64 may shine in various colors under the control of the controller.

The panel assembly 64 includes a front plate 541 forming a front surface, a support member 642 on which the front plate 541 is mounted, and mounted on an upper end of the support member 642, and the panel assembly 64 ) and a lower bracket 644 attached to the lower end of the support member 642 and forming the lower surface of the panel assembly 64.

Also, although not shown, a light guide plate 33 may be mounted on the support member 642 , and a lighting device 36 emitting light to the light guide plate 33 may be provided on the lower bracket 644 . Also, a back cover 39 may be provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly 64 .

In the clothes management device having such a structure, as shown in the drawing, when the lighting device 36 is turned on, the entire front plate 541 is illuminated by the light emitted from the lighting device 36, and the lighting device ( In 36), the front appearance of the clothing management device 6 may be formed in a color corresponding to the color of light irradiated thereon.

In addition, the operation of the lighting device 36 may be controlled according to the control of the control unit. Accordingly, the front plate 541 may shine in various colors, and accordingly, the front appearance of the clothes management device 6 may also be in various colors.

That is, the clothes management device 6 controls the lighting device 36 in a state in which the panel assembly 64 is assembled and mounted without replacing and mounting the panel assembly 64, and the clothes management device 6 ) You can freely change the exterior color of the front. Therefore, the appearance of the clothes management device 6 can be changed according to the surrounding furniture or environment, and the appearance of the clothes management device 6 can be changed according to the operating state of the clothes management device 6 to provide an intuitive view of the operating state. expression may be possible.

26 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to still another embodiment of the present invention. 27 is an exploded perspective view in which the panel assembly of the washing machine is separated.

As shown in the drawings, a washing machine 7 according to another embodiment of the present invention has a case 71 forming an external shape, and is mounted on the front surface of the case 71 to form a front appearance of the washing machine 7. It may include a panel assembly 73 that does.

Although not shown in detail, in general, the case 71 may contain a drum and a tub for storing laundry, a motor for rotating the drum, and the like, and the front surface of the case 71 communicates with the drum. An opening may be formed.

In addition, a control unit 711 for controlling operation of the washing machine 7 may be formed at an upper front end of the case 71 . The control unit 711 may include a plurality of buttons or knobs, and may include a display.

In addition, a door 74 for opening and closing the opening may be mounted on the front surface of the case 71 . The door 74 is rotatably mounted and may be formed to see through the inside of the drum in a closed state.

Meanwhile, a case edge 72 may be formed around the case front 712 . The case rim 72 may be formed to correspond to the shape of the panel assembly 73 and protrude forward from the front surface 712 of the case to form a panel receiving space 712a in which the panel assembly 73 is accommodated. can form

The case rim 72 includes a pair of side rims 721 forming both sides, an upper rim 722 connecting upper ends of the pair of side rims 721, and a lower end of the pair of side rims 721. It may include a lower edge 723 connecting the.

The panel assembly 73 may form a front exterior of the washing machine 7 and may be mounted inside the panel accommodating space 712a. A circumferential surface of the panel assembly 73 may be supported by the case rim 72 . In particular, the lower end of the panel assembly 73 can be engaged with the lower rim 723, and the upper end of the panel assembly 73 is coupled to the upper rim 722 so that the panel assembly 73 can It may be fixedly mounted on the front of the case 71 .

Meanwhile, a panel opening 735 may be formed in the panel assembly 73 . The panel opening 735 may be formed in a size corresponding to that of the door 74 and may be formed so that the door 74 penetrates when the panel assembly 73 is mounted. Accordingly, when the panel assembly 73 is mounted, the front surface of the door 74 may be exposed through the panel assembly 73 .

Compared to the panel assembly 30 of the above-described embodiment, the panel assembly 73 may have the same structure except for the panel opening 735, and therefore, the front surface of the panel assembly 73 may have the same structure as the control unit. Depending on the control, it can glow in various colors.

The panel assembly 73 includes a front plate 731 forming a front surface, a support member 732 to which the front plate 731 is mounted, and an upper end of the support member 732, and the panel assembly 73 ) may include an upper bracket 733 forming an upper surface and a lower bracket 734 mounted on a lower end of the support member 732 and forming a lower surface of the panel assembly 73 .

Also, although not shown, a light guide plate 33 may be mounted on the support member 732 , and a lighting device 36 emitting light to the light guide plate 33 may be provided on the lower bracket 734 . Also, a back cover 39 may be provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly 73 .

In the washing machine 7 having such a structure, when the lighting device 36 is turned on, the entire front plate 731 is illuminated by the light emitted from the lighting device 36, and the light emitted from the lighting device 36 A front exterior of the washing machine 7 may be formed in a color corresponding to the color of light.

In addition, the operation of the lighting device 36 may be controlled according to the control of the control unit. Accordingly, the front plate 731 may shine in various colors, and accordingly, the front appearance of the washing machine 7 may also be in various colors.

That is, the washing machine 7 controls the lighting device 36 in a state in which the panel assembly 73 is assembled and mounted without replacing and mounting the panel assembly 73. The front exterior color can be freely changed. Therefore, the appearance of the washing machine 7 can be changed according to the surrounding furniture or environment, and the appearance of the washing machine 7 can be changed according to the operating state of the washing machine 7 to intuitively express the operating state. may be

Meanwhile, although not shown, a dryer having the same external structure as the washing machine 7 may also have the same panel assembly structure. In addition, the structure of the panel assembly may be the same in a structure in which the dryer and the washing machine are stacked vertically and in a structure in which the dryer and the washing machine are vertically disposed in one case.

28 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to another embodiment of the present invention. 29 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the dishwasher.

As shown in the drawing, a dishwasher 8 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a case 81 forming a space in which dishes are accommodated and washed, and a door that opens and closes an open front surface of the case 81. The appearance can be formed by (82).

Although not shown in detail, in general, the case 81 has a washing space formed therein, and has a pull-out structure inside the washing space, a rack on which dishes are seated, and water for washing the dishes. A nozzle for spraying, a sump for supplying washing water, and a water tank may be provided.

The lower end of the door 82 may be rotatably mounted on the case 81, and may be configured to form the front appearance of the dishwasher 8 in a closed state of the door 82. The door 82 may include a door body 83 that opens and closes the washing space, and a panel assembly 84 mounted on the door body 83 to form a front surface of the door 82. .

A body plate 831 may be provided on the front surface of the door body 83 to form the front surface of the door body 83 . In addition, side decorations 832 extending in the vertical direction along both left and right ends of the door body 83 are provided, and both left and right sides of the door body 83 can be formed by the side decorations 832. . In addition, an upper cap deco 833 connecting the upper ends of the side decorations 832 on both left and right sides and a lower cap deco 834 connecting the lower ends of the side decorations 832 on both left and right sides may be included.

A handle 835 for opening and closing the door 82 may be recessed on the top of the door body 83 . Also, a control unit for manipulating the operation of the dishwasher 8 may be formed at an upper end of the door body 83 .

Meanwhile, the side deco 832, the upper cap deco 833, and the lower cap deco 834 may protrude more than the front surface of the body plate 831, and the panel assembly in front of the body plate 831 A panel accommodating space 831a in which 84 is accommodated may be formed.

The lower end of the panel assembly 84 is inserted into the lower cap deco 834 and the upper end is coupled to the upper cap deco 833 so that it can be fixedly mounted inside the panel accommodating space 831a. Also, the circumference of the panel assembly 84 may be supported by the side deco 832, the upper cap deco 833, and the lower cap deco 834.

Meanwhile, the panel assembly 84 may have the same structure as the panel assembly 30 of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, the front surface of the panel assembly 84 may shine in various colors under the control of the controller.

The panel assembly 84 includes a front plate 841 forming a front surface, a support member 842 on which the front plate 841 is mounted, and mounted on an upper end of the support member 842, and the panel assembly 84 ) may include an upper bracket 843 forming an upper surface and a lower bracket 844 mounted on a lower end of the support member 842 and forming a lower surface of the panel assembly 84 .

Further, although not shown, a light guide plate 33 may be mounted on the support member 842 , and a lighting device 36 emitting light to the light guide plate 33 may be provided on the lower bracket 844 . Also, a back cover 39 may be provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly 84 .

In the dishwasher having such a structure, when the lighting device 36 is turned on, the entire front plate 841 is illuminated by the light emitted from the lighting device 36, and the light emitted from the lighting device 36 The front appearance of the dishwasher 8 may be formed in a color corresponding to the color of .

In addition, the operation of the lighting device 36 may be controlled according to the control of the control unit. Accordingly, the front plate 841 may shine in various colors, and accordingly, the front appearance of the dishwasher 8 may also be in various colors.

That is, the dishwasher 8 controls the lighting device 36 in a state in which the panel assembly 84 is assembled and mounted without replacing and mounting the panel assembly 84 . ) You can freely change the exterior color of the front. Therefore, the appearance of the dishwasher 8 can be changed according to the surrounding furniture or environment, and the appearance of the dishwasher 8 can be changed according to the operating state of the dishwasher 8 to provide an intuitive view of the operating state. expression may be possible.

30 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance according to another embodiment of the present invention. 31 is an exploded perspective view of the door of the cooking appliance.

As shown in the drawing, the cooking appliance 9 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a case 91 forming a space in which food is accommodated and cooking is performed, and an open front surface of the case 91. The exterior may be formed by the door 92 that opens and closes.

Although not shown in detail, in general, a cooking space is formed inside the case 91, and a heater or a magnetron for cooking food may be provided inside the cooking space, and air circulation inside the cooking space may be provided. A fan or a turntable on which food is seated and rotated may be provided.

The door 92 may be rotatably mounted on the case 91 and may be configured to form a front appearance of the cooking appliance 9 in a closed state of the door 92 . The door 92 may include a door body 93 that opens and closes the cooking space, and a panel assembly 94 mounted on the door body 93 to form a front surface of the door 92. .

A body plate 931 may be provided on the front surface of the door body 93 to form the front surface of the door body 93 . In addition, side decorations 932 extending in the vertical direction along both left and right ends of the door body 93 are provided, and both left and right sides of the door body 93 can be formed by the side decorations 932. . In addition, the upper ends of the side decorations 932 on both left and right sides are connected, and the upper cap deco 933 forming the upper surface of the door body 93 and the lower ends of the side decorations 932 on both left and right sides are connected, , A lower cap deco 934 forming the lower surface of the door body 93 may be included.

A control unit for manipulating the operation of the cooking appliance 9 may be formed on an upper portion of the door body 93 . The control unit may include a display 936 and a knob 937 or a button for manipulation. Also, a viewing window 935 for viewing the cooking space may be formed at a substantially center of the door body 93 .

Meanwhile, the side deco 932, the upper cap deco 933, and the lower cap deco 934 may protrude more than the front surface of the body plate 931, and the panel assembly in front of the body plate 931 A panel accommodating space 931a in which 94 is accommodated may be formed.

The lower end of the panel assembly 94 is inserted into the lower cap deco 934 and the upper end is coupled to the upper cap deco 933 so that it can be fixedly mounted inside the panel accommodating space 931a. Also, the circumference of the panel assembly 94 may be supported by the side deco 932, the upper cap deco 933, and the lower cap deco 934.

Meanwhile, a plurality of panel openings 945 , 946 , and 947 may be formed in the panel assembly 94 . The panel openings 945, 946, and 947 include a display opening 946 formed in a position corresponding to the display 936 and a corresponding size, and a knob opening formed in a position corresponding to the knob 937 and having a corresponding size ( 947) and a viewing window opening 945 formed at a position corresponding to the viewing window 935 and having a corresponding size.

Accordingly, when the panel assembly 94 is mounted, the display 936, the knob 937, and the viewing window 935 may be exposed forward through the panel assembly 94.

Meanwhile, the panel assembly 94 may have the same structure as the panel assembly 30 of the above-described embodiment except for the panel openings 945 , 946 , and 947 . Therefore, the front surface of the panel assembly 94 is the control unit. Depending on the control, it can glow in various colors.

The panel assembly 94 includes a front plate 941 forming a front surface, a support member 942 on which the front plate 941 is mounted, and mounted on an upper end of the support member 942, and the panel assembly 94 ) may include an upper bracket 943 forming an upper surface and a lower bracket 944 mounted on a lower end of the support member 942 and forming a lower surface of the panel assembly 94 .

Also, although not shown, a light guide plate 33 may be mounted on the support member 942 , and a lighting device 36 emitting light to the light guide plate 33 may be provided on the lower bracket 944 . Also, a back cover 39 may be provided on a rear surface of the panel assembly 94 .

Also, a handle 95 for opening and closing the door 92 may be further provided on the front surface of the panel assembly 94 .

In the cooking appliance 9 having such a structure, when the lighting device is turned on, the entire front plate 941 is illuminated by the light emitted from the lighting device 36, and the light emitted from the lighting device 36 A front appearance of the cooking appliance 9 may be formed in a color corresponding to the color.

In addition, the operation of the lighting device 36 may be controlled according to the control of the control unit. Accordingly, the front plate 941 may shine in various colors, and accordingly, the front appearance of the cooking appliance 9 may also be in various colors.

That is, the cooking appliance 9 is controlled by the lighting device 36 in a state in which the panel assembly 94 is assembled and mounted without replacing and mounting the panel assembly 94 . ) can freely change the exterior color of the front side. Therefore, the exterior of the cooking appliance 9 can be changed according to the surrounding furniture or environment, and the exterior of the cooking appliance 9 can be changed according to the operating state of the cooking appliance 9 to provide an intuitive view of the operating state. expression may be possible.

Claims (20)

cabinets in which storage space is formed;
a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; Including,
The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front appearance of the door,
The door panel,
a front plate forming a front surface of the door panel and formed of a material capable of transmitting light;
a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel;
a lighting device spaced apart from one surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate and a substrate on which the light source is disposed; and
Including; a bracket in which a space for accommodating the lighting device is formed,
The bracket is
A home appliance comprising a covering portion disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and formed along a direction in which the light source is arranged.
According to claim 1,
A home appliance comprising a bracket opening opened to allow the lighting device to enter and exit at a rear portion of the bracket.
According to claim 2,
Inside the bracket,
A home appliance having a light supporter including a substrate support formed to support one surface of the substrate.
According to claim 3,
The door panel forms a rear surface and includes a back cover made of a metal material,
The light supporter is formed of a metal material, and is in contact with the back cover to dissipate heat conducted from the lighting device.
According to claim 3,
The lighting device is inserted into the bracket opening in a state of being mounted on the light supporter and mounted on the bracket.
According to claim 1,
The bracket is
A home appliance comprising a spacer disposed between the light source and the cover portion to contact one surface of the light source and spaced apart from the light source and the cover portion at a set interval.
According to claim 6,
The substrate is
It is disposed between the substrate support part and the spaced part,
A home appliance having a lower surface supported by the light supporter and an upper surface supported by the separation unit.
According to claim 1,
The length h1 of the covering portion extending upward from the light source is,
The home appliance set in consideration of an irradiation angle (θ1) of the light source and a distance (h2) of the shielding portion forward from the light source.
According to claim 8,
The length of the covering portion extending upward from the light source is determined according to Equation 1 below.
h1 ≥ h2*tan(90-θ _1/2 ) (Equation 1)
According to claim 1,
The covering part is formed such that a length (h1) extending upward from the light source is 1.0 to 2.5 times the distance (h3) between the neighboring light sources.
According to claim 1,
The lighting device is spaced apart from the lower surface of the light guide plate,
An upper end of the covering part is positioned higher than a lower end of the light guide plate.
According to claim 1,
The light source is provided below the lower end of the front plate.
According to claim 1,
The bracket protrudes rearward and has a light guide plate support portion passing between the plurality of light sources,
The light guide plate supporting part protrudes upward from the upper surface of the light source to support the lower end of the light guide plate.
According to claim 1,
The door panel,
A home appliance comprising a member disposed behind the front plate and coupled to the light guide plate so that the light guide plate and the front plate are spaced apart from each other.
According to claim 14,
The covering part is in contact with one side of the member and is located on the same plane as the member.
cabinets in which storage space is formed;
a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; Including,
The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front appearance of the door,
The door panel,
a front plate forming a front surface of the door panel and formed of a material capable of transmitting light;
a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel;
a lighting device provided apart from an upper or lower surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate; and
and a covering portion disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and provided along a direction in which the light source is arranged.
According to claim 16,
The light source is provided below the lower end of the front plate.
According to claim 16,
An upper end of the covering part is positioned higher than a lower end of the light guide plate.
According to claim 16,
The covering part,
A home appliance characterized in that a length extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light sources are arranged is greater than 5 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm based on the light sources.
a door opening and closing the open front of the cabinet; Including,
The door includes a door body and a door panel coupled to the door body to form a front appearance of the door,
The door panel,
a front plate forming a front surface of the door panel and formed of a material capable of transmitting light;
a light guide plate disposed apart from the front plate and having a pattern capable of condensing light toward the front of the door panel;
a lighting device provided apart from an upper or lower surface of the light guide plate and including a light source for radiating light to the light guide plate; and
A refrigerator comprising a shield disposed between the front plate and the light guide plate and provided along a direction in which the light source is arranged.

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