Home appliance and refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a cabinet defining a storage space, a door configured to open and close the cabinet, and a detection device provided at a first surface of the door and configured to detect a target in front of the door or ambient brightness. A first portion of the detection device protrudes in a first direction from the door, and a second portion of the detection device is accommodated inside the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet defining a storage space;   a door configured to open and close the cabinet; and   a detection device provided at a first surface of the door and configured to detect a target in front of the door or ambient brightness,   wherein a first portion of the detection device protrudes in a first direction from the door, and a second portion of the detection device is accommodated inside the door.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the detection device includes:
 a detection member configured to detect a proximity of the target, and   a case disposed at a lower surface of the door, covering the detection member, and facing the lower surface of the door,   wherein the lower surface of the door defines an opening covered by the case, and   wherein a portion of the detection member protrudes downward from the opening.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the detection member is inclined with respect to the lower surface of the door, and   wherein a front end and a rear end of the detection member protrude downward, and the front end of the detection member protrudes at a greater distance than the rear end of the detection member.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the door is rotatably coupled to the cabinet by a hinge device,   wherein the detection member is provided at one side closer to the hinge device among left and right sides of the door, and   wherein a first side end among left and right ends of the detection member closer to the hinge device protrudes forward relative to a second side end farther from the hinge device.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the case includes:
 a case body covering the opening of the lower surface of the door, and 
 a detection member accommodation portion protruding downward from the case body and defining a recessed portion accommodating the detection member, 
   wherein the detection member accommodation portion includes:
 a front surface extending downward from the case body and accommodating a light receiving portion and a light emitting portion of the detection member, and 
 a lower surface extending from a lower end of the front surface toward the case body, and 
   wherein the detection member is supported by the front and lower surfaces of the detection member accommodation portion.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the front surface of the detection member is inclined toward a rear side with respect to the front surface of the door as the front surface of the detection member extends downward.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the case body provides a fixing portion to which a screw passing through the detection member is coupled based on the detection member being accommodated in the detection member accommodation portion.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the case body provides a printed circuit board (PCB) mounting portion extending upward, and   wherein the PCB mounting portion accommodates a PCB connected to the detection member.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the case body provides a light mounting portion defining an opening at a lower side and accommodating a door light configured to radiate downward, and   wherein the light mounting portion is coupled to a light cover made of a material capable of transmitting light and covering the door light.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the door includes:
 an upper door connected to the cabinet by a hinge device to be rotatable, and 
 a lower door disposed below the upper door, 
   wherein an upper end of the lower door provides a handle configured to open and close the lower door, and   wherein the detection device protrudes between the upper door and the lower door.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the door includes:
 an upper door configured to open and close an upper storage space, and 
 a lower door configured to open and close a lower storage space, 
   wherein the upper door includes:
 a door body, 
 a panel assembly coupled to the door body and defining a front outer appearance of the door, and 
 a door cover defining an upper surface of the door, and 
   wherein the detection device is mounted on the door cover.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the detection device includes:
 an illuminance sensor, 
 a sensor module mounting portion recessed downward from the door cover and accommodating the illuminance sensor, and 
 a sensor cover made of a material capable of transmitting light and covering an opening defined at the sensor module mounting portion. 
   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the sensor cover includes:
 a cover protrusion protruding upward from the door cover and accommodating an upper end portion of the illuminance sensor therein, and 
 a first inclined portion extending forward from the cover protrusion and inclined downward toward the front, and 
   wherein a detection portion of the illuminance sensor is configured to detect light entering through the first inclined portion.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the illuminance sensor is mounted in the sensor module mounting portion and inclined at a set angle.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the sensor module mounting portion includes:
 a body portion that has an upper surface defining an opening and recessed downward from the door cover and that accommodates the illuminance sensor, and 
   wherein the illuminance sensor is inclined backward and upward from a lower end of the body portion.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the door cover includes:
 a cover portion defining an upper surface of the upper door, and 
 a PCB mounting portion extending downward from a lower surface of the cover portion, 
   wherein a first side of the PCB mounting portion accommodates a sensor PCB, and   wherein an electric wire connected to the detection device is connected to the sensor PCB.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the door includes:
 a door body, 
 a panel assembly coupled to the door body and defining a front outer appearance of the door, 
   wherein the panel assembly includes:
 a front plate defining an outer appearance of a front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted, 
 a lighting device configured to irradiate the light, and 
 a controller configured to control an operation of the lighting device, and 
   wherein the controller is configured to control intensity of a light source of the lighting device based on an external illuminance value detected by the detection device.   
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet defining an upper storage space and a lower storage space;   an upper door configured to open and close the upper storage space; and   a lower door configured to open and close the lower storage space,   wherein the lower door includes:
 a door body, 
 an upper cap deco connected to an upper end of the door body and defining a portion of a front surface and an upper surface of the lower door, and 
 a detection device including a sensor module and configured to detect a target in front of the upper and lower doors or ambient brightness, 
   wherein the detection device is provided inside the upper cap deco, and   wherein the front surface of the upper cap deco defines a detection hole facing the sensor module.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the upper surface of the upper cap deco defines a sensor opening into which the sensor module is inserted, and   wherein the detection device includes:
 a cover covering the sensor opening, 
 a sensor device including an illuminance sensor or a proximity sensor, and 
 a member coupling the sensor device and the cover. 
   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the upper door includes a door body,   wherein each of the upper and lower doors includes:
 a panel assembly coupled to the door body and defining a front outer appearance of the door, 
   wherein the panel assembly includes:
 a front plate defining an outer appearance of the front surface of the door and through which light is transmitted, 
 a lighting device configured to irradiate the light, and 
 a controller configured to control an operation of the lighting device, and 
   wherein the controller is configured to, based on the detection device detecting that the target is within a predetermined distance from the upper and lower doors, adjust intensity of a light source of the lighting device.