US 12,305,909 B2
Refrigerator
Sangmyung Lee, Seoul (KR); Hyuk Kwon, Seoul (KR); and Junghwan Kim, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/104,421.
Application 18/104,421 is a continuation of application No. 16/814,046, filed on Mar. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,614,268.
Application 16/814,046 is a continuation of application No. 15/837,678, filed on Dec. 11, 2017, granted, now 10,619,909, issued on Apr. 14, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2016-0169011 (KR), filed on Dec. 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175759 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F25D 23/02 (2006.01); A47F 3/00 (2006.01); A47F 3/04 (2006.01); F25D 29/00 (2006.01); F25D 11/00 (2006.01); F25D 27/00 (2006.01); G02F 1/133 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 23/02 (2013.01) [A47F 3/00 (2013.01); A47F 3/0434 (2013.01); F25D 29/005 (2013.01); A47B 2220/0077 (2013.01); C09K 2323/00 (2020.08); C09K 2323/03 (2020.08); F25D 11/00 (2013.01); F25D 27/005 (2013.01); F25D 2400/361 (2013.01); G02F 1/133 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space;
a control unit mounted on the cabinet;
a lighting module controlled by the control unit and configured to illuminate the storage space; and
a door configured to open and close the storage space, the door including:
a door liner defining a rear surface of the door; and
a panel assembly through which a user sees the storage space when the lighting module is turned on,
wherein the panel assembly includes:
a front panel made of a glass;
a rear panel spaced apart from the front panel and made of a glass, a length of the front panel in a lateral direction being greater than a length of the rear panel in the lateral direction:
a spacer provided between the front panel and the rear panel and having a gas injection hole in which a gas is injected into a sealed space, the sealed space being defined by the front panel, the rear panel and the spacer; and
a sealant coated on an outer surface of the spacer and configured to shield the gas injection hole of the spacer,
wherein the door liner includes a front part adhering to a circumference of the front panel, a side part defining a circumference of a side surface of the door and a rear part defining a circumference of the rear surface of the door and having a groove in which a gasket is mounted,
wherein the refrigerator further comprises a foaming solution injected into a space defined by the front part, the side part and the rear part of the door liner and the panel assembly such that the foaming solution is molded to an insulation material, the insulation material contacting the sealant and the door liner and configured to surround an outer surface of the sealant to fix the panel assembly on the door, and
wherein the door liner further includes a liner protrusion that extends from the rear part towards a rear side of the rear panel, and the lighting module is mounted in a space defined by the rear panel and the liner protrusion.