Refrigerator

Abstract

Refrigerator ( 1 ) comprising: a self-supporting cabinet ( 2 ) which has a thermal-insulating structure and is internally provided with at least one, thermal-insulated storage cavity ( 3 ) adapted to accommodate perishable foodstuff; and an electrically-operated cooling system ( 7 ) which is at least partially accommodated inside the self-supporting cabinet ( 2 ) and is adapted to cool down the inside of said at least one inner storage cavity ( 3 ); a platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) that covers at least part of the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ), and has a light-conductive structure that allows the incident light to enter and travel by total internal reflection inside the same platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ); and an lighting assembly ( 21 ) which emits light on command, and is arranged within the inner storage cavity ( 3 ) so as illuminate at least part of the exposed front face of said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ); the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) being additionally structured so as to scatter, from its exposed front face, the light travelling inside itself by total internal reflection.

1 . Refrigerator ( 1 ) comprising: a self-supporting cabinet ( 2 ) which has a thermal-insulating structure and is internally provided with at least one, thermal-insulated storage cavity ( 3 ) adapted to accommodate perishable foodstuff; and an electrically-operated cooling system ( 7 ) which is at least partially accommodated inside the self-supporting cabinet ( 2 ) and is adapted to cool down the inside of said at least one inner storage cavity ( 3 );
 the refrigerator ( 1 ) being characterized by additionally comprising: a platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) which is located in front of at least part of the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ), and has a light-conductive structure that allows the incident light to enter and travel by total internal reflection inside the same platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ); and an lighting assembly ( 21 ) which emits light on command, and is arranged within the inner storage cavity ( 3 ) so as illuminate at least part of the exposed front face of said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ); the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) being additionally structured so as to scatter, from its exposed front face, the light travelling inside itself by total internal reflection.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) has an opaque rear face. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly ( 21 ) is adapted to direct the emitted light towards the exposed front face of the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ), so that at least part of said light can penetrate into the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) and then travel inside the same platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) by total internal reflection. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) comprises a plate of transparent or semi-transparent material ( 22 ) which has, on its front and/or rear face, at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) that causes a controlled, gradual escape of the light travelling inside said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ) by total internal reflection, through the front face of the same plate of transparent or semi-transparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) is incorporated into said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) is formed directly on surface of the front and/or rear face of said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) includes one or more surface sector/s of the plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ) having an increased rough profile. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) includes a multitude of micro cavities or indentations formed on surface of the front and/or rear face of said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) additionally comprises an opaque covering or coating ( 24 ) that covers the rear face of said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one light-scattering surface structure ( 23 ) is at least partially incorporated into said opaque covering or coating ( 24 ). 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein said opaque covering or coating ( 24 ) is a layer of opaque paint that coats the rear face of said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ). 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein said opaque paint has light-reflective properties. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein said plate of transparent or semi-transparent material ( 22 ) is a sheet of glass or a slab of light-conductive polymeric material. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) additionally has, on its exposed front face and/or on its rear face, logo/s, graphic symbol/s, aesthetical pattern/s and/or writings. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is structured so as to scatter the light travelling inside itself by total internal reflection, so as to form said one or more logo/s, graphic symbol/s, aesthetical pattern/s and/or writings. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein said one or more logo/s, graphic symbol/s, aesthetical pattern/s and/or writings are structured to scatter, through the exposed front face of the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ), the light travelling inside the same platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) in a different manner from the rest of the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ). 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ) is substantially rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ) has bevelled or rounded edges and/or the thickness of said plate of transparent or semitransparent material ( 22 ) ranges between 1 and 20 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein said lighting assembly ( 21 ) is located on at least one of the opposite lateral walls ( 26 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ). 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , wherein said lighting assembly ( 21 ) is located on both opposite lateral walls ( 26 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ). 
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 20 , wherein said lighting assembly ( 21 ) comprises a pair of separate electric lighting units ( 27 ) which emit light on command and are located each on a respective lateral wall ( 26 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ), preferably close to the access opening of the same cavity. 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is attached directly to the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ), so as to hide/conceal at least part of said rear wall ( 15 ). 
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , wherein the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is dimensioned so as to take up the whole width of the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ). 
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is attached to the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ) in detachable manner. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein said refrigerator includes an electrically-operated air-circulation assembly ( 10 ) which is located on the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ) and is structured/adapted to circulate the air in closed loop inside the same inner storage cavity ( 3 ); the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) being arranged to at least partially cover said electrically-operated air-circulation assembly ( 10 ). 
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator according to  claim 25 , wherein said air-circulation assembly ( 10 ) comprises: a platelike air-guide member ( 16 ) which is discrete from the self-supporting cabinet ( 2 ) and is rigidly attached to a rear wall ( 15 ) of said storage cavity ( 3 ); an air channel ( 18 ) that extends inside, or is at least partially delimited by, said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ) and directly communicates, at the ends, with the inside of said storage cavity ( 3 ); and an electrically-operated air-blowing device ( 17 ) which is placed along the air channel ( 18 ) and is adapted to generate/produce an airflow (f) that circulates in closed loop along the air channel ( 18 ) and the inner storage cavity ( 3 ); the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) being arranged over the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ). 
     
     
         27 . The refrigerator according to  claim 26 , wherein said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ) is attached to the rear wall ( 15 ) of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ) in detachable manner and/or the platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is attached to the platelike air-guide member ( 16 ) in detachable manner. 
     
     
         28 . The refrigerator according to  claim 26 , wherein said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ) is dimensioned to substantially completely cover the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ). 
     
     
         29 . The refrigerator according to  claim 26 , wherein the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ) is vertically divided into an upper and a lower sectors complementary to one another, and at least the upper sector of said exposed front face is substantially completely covered by said platelike light-scattering member ( 20 ). 
     
     
         30 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-operated cooling system ( 7 ) comprises a heat-pump assembly which is provided with at least one low-pressure heat exchanger ( 8 ) that cools down the inside of said inner storage cavity ( 3 ). 
     
     
         31 . The refrigerator according to  claim 30 , wherein said low-pressure heat exchanger ( 12 ) is located along the air channel ( 18 ) of said platelike air-guide member ( 16 ).