IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,235,039
Granted Patent B2
US 12,235,039 · App. 18/531,160 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Refrigerator

Inventors: Hyun Joo Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Yong Man Seo (Suwon-si, KR); In-Sung Hwang (Suwon-si, KR); Bok Hyun Jang (Suwon-si, KR); Tae Youl Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jeong Won Choi (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
F25D29/005F25D23/02F25D23/025F25D2323/023F25D2400/06F25D2400/361
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,235,039
App. No.
18/531,160
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerator may include a storage compartment, an inner door which comprises an opening having a size corresponding to a size of the storage compartment, a plurality of door guards, and an outer door which open and close the storage compartment, wherein the inner door comprises a control unit may control an internal environment of the storage compartment.

Claims (26)

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a body;

a storage compartment formed in the body;

a first door pivotably coupled with the body, the first door including:

a frame forming an opening,

a mounting portion on the frame, and

a supporting protrusion on the first door to a rear of the mounting portion;

a door bin supported on the first door by the supporting protrusion, and on which food is storable;

a control unit on the mounting portion, and including a display portion to display information of the storage compartment; and

a second door pivotable with respect to the first door and including a transparent or translucent portion,

wherein the first door and the second door are configured so that, while the first door and the second door are closed,

the door bin is visible from an outside of the refrigerator through the transparent or translucent portion and the opening, and

the display portion is visible from the outside of the refrigerator through the transparent or translucent portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises:

a circuit board including an operational portion; and

a housing that houses the circuit board and is coupled with the mounting portion.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the control unit comprises a cover covering the circuit board, the cover comprising a button portion for user input to the operational portion.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a wire connecting portion to connect a wire to the circuit board.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the transparent or translucent portion is provided to allow the food stored in the door bin to be visible from the outside of the refrigerator.

6. He refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control at least one of a temperature, humidity, smell, and lighting of the storage compartment in accordance with a received user input.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein

the frame comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, a left frame, and a right frame which form the opening, and

the mounting portion is on at least one of the upper frame, the lower frame, the left frame, and the right frame.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein

the first door comprises an inner panel, an outer panel forming an interposing space with the inner panel, and an insulator foamed in the interposing space, and

the control unit is disposed between the inner panel and the outer panel.

Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2015-0097318 · Jul 8, 2015 · national
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17900286 · Aug 31, 2022
Continuation 17238988 · Apr 23, 2021
Continuation 16569259 · Sep 12, 2019
Continuation 16202711 · Nov 28, 2018
Continuation 15204530 · Jul 7, 2016
Related Publication 20240102727A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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