	US RE50,595 E1
	Refrigerator
Woonkyu Seo, Seoul (KR); Soonho Jung, Seoul (KR); and Jinhee Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed on May 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/749,874.
Application 17/749,874 is a continuation of application No. 15/963,614, filed on Apr. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,422,575, issued on Sep. 24, 2019.
Application 15/963,614 is a continuation of application No. 15/434,545, filed on Feb. 16, 2017, granted, now 9,976,799, issued on May 22, 2018.
Application 15/434,545 is a continuation of application No. 14/784,340, granted, now 9,696,085, issued on Jul. 4, 2017, previously published as PCT/KR2014/003509, filed on Apr. 22, 2014.
Application 17/749,874 is a reissue of application No. 16/443,963, filed on Jun. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,677,521, issued on Jun. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2013-0046832 (KR), filed on Apr. 26, 2013.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F25D 27/00 (2006.01); A47F 3/00 (2006.01); A47F 3/04 (2006.01); F21V 14/00 (2018.01); F21V 23/04 (2006.01); F21V 33/00 (2006.01); F21W 131/305 (2006.01); F21Y 115/10 (2016.01); F25D 11/02 (2006.01); F25D 23/02 (2006.01); F25D 23/04 (2006.01); F25D 23/06 (2006.01); F25D 29/00 (2006.01); H05B 47/115 (2020.01)

CPC F25D 27/005 (2013.01) [A47F 3/001 (2013.01); A47F 3/043 (2013.01); A47F 3/0434 (2013.01); A47F 3/0478 (2013.01); F21V 14/003 (2013.01); F21V 23/0442 (2013.01); F21V 23/0471 (2013.01); F21V 33/0044 (2013.01); F25D 11/02 (2013.01); F25D 23/02 (2013.01); F25D 23/025 (2013.01); F25D 23/028 (2013.01); F25D 23/04 (2013.01); F25D 23/065 (2013.01); F25D 27/00 (2013.01); F25D 29/005 (2013.01); F21W 2131/305 (2013.01); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08); F25D 2201/10 (2013.01); F25D 2201/12 (2013.01); F25D 2323/021 (2013.01); F25D 2323/023 (2013.01); F25D 2400/361 (2013.01); F25D 2700/04 (2013.01); H05B 47/115 (2020.01)]

16 Claims

12. A method for controlling a refrigerator, the method comprising:

detecting approach of a user to the refrigerator ~~via~~ [ with ] a proximity sensor [ of the refrigerator] ; and

[ based on a first door and a second door of the refrigerator being closed, ] turning on ~~at least one~~ [ a ] lighting device ~~inside~~ [ of ] the refrigerator in response to the detection of the approach of the user to the refrigerator such that an inside of the refrigerator is visible through ~~at least one~~ [ the second ] door of the refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator comprises:

a case having a storage chamber ~~; and~~ [ ,]

~~the at least one door rotatably coupled to the case and including a first door and a second door, wherein the first door comprises:~~

a first frame having a first hole, the second door covering the first hole and including:
a second frame having a second hole;

a front panel configured to cover the second hole of the second frame and formed of a transparent material; and

an insulation panel formed of a transparent material, the insulation panel being located behind the front panel;

the proximity sensor which is mounted on the second frame and configured to detect whether the user is within a predetermined distance from the refrigerator; and

at least one processor configured to operate the at least one lighting device to make viewable to the user the inner space of the storage chamber through the first and second holes of the first and second frames when the proximity sensor senses that the user is within the predetermined distance from the refrigerator, and wherein the proximity sensor is located closer to a first side surface of the second frame than a second side surface of the second frame

[ the lighting device configured to illuminate the storage chamber,

the first door configured to open and close the storage chamber, the first door being rotatably coupled to the case and defining a first hole,

a door basket coupled to the first door,

the second door configured to open and close the first hole, the second door being rotatably coupled to the first door or the case, and

a door switch configured to detect whether the first door is open or closed,

wherein the second door comprises:

a frame having a second hole defined therethrough,

a transparent front panel cnofigured to cover the second hole of the frame and having a first color,

a transparent insulation panel located in the second hole,

an opaque insulation material provided in the frame around the second hole,

the proximity sensor configured to detect whether the user is within a predetermined distance from the refrigerator, and

a control unit configured to operate the lighting device based on inputs from the proximity sensor and the door switch,

wherein the frame comprises:

an outer case that defines a front frame, and

an inner liner that defines a back surface of the door,

wherein the opaque insulation material is filled in a space defined between the outer case and the inner liner, and

wherein the transparent front panel overlaps the opaque insulation material in a horizontal direction, and

wherein a latch device is provided on one of the first door or the second door, and a hook member configured to selectively couple to the latch device is provided on the other of the first door or the second door] .