CN112710116A

CN112710116A - Refrigerator with a door

Info

Publication number: CN112710116A
Application number: CN202010743214.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 松山健一
Original assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Priority date: 2019-10-24
Filing date: 2020-07-29
Publication date: 2021-04-27
Also published as: JP2021067412A

Abstract

Provided is a refrigerator having a high degree of freedom in design. The refrigerator of the embodiment is provided with: a housing including a storage chamber; a door for closing the storage chamber in an openable and closable manner; and a self-luminous display panel including a display screen visually exposed on a surface of the door or inside the storage compartment.

Description

Refrigerator with a door

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.

Background

A refrigerator including a liquid crystal panel is known. However, with regard to the refrigerator, it is sometimes desired that the degree of freedom of design thereof is high.

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2005-61757

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a refrigerator with high design freedom.

The refrigerator of the embodiment is provided with: a housing including a storage chamber; a door for closing the storage chamber in an openable and closable manner; and a self-luminous display panel including a display screen visually exposed on a surface of the door or inside the storage compartment.

Effects of the invention

According to the refrigerator of the present embodiment, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the self-luminous display panel is high, and the degree of freedom of design is high.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the refrigerator shown in fig. 1 taken along the line F2-F2.

Fig. 3 is a front view of left and right refrigerating chamber doors of the refrigerator.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a right refrigerating chamber door of the refrigerator.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the right refrigerating compartment door shown in fig. 4, taken along the line F6-F6.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the first casing according to the first embodiment as viewed from above.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the second case according to the first embodiment as viewed from above.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the refrigerator.

Fig. 10 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

1. 1B, 1C, 1D … refrigerator; 5 … refrigerator main body; 10 … basket body; 11 … doors; 11Aa … left refrigerating chamber door; 11Ab, 11AbB, 11AbC, 11AbD … right refrigerator door; 16 … control board (control unit); 17 … power supply substrate; 18 … cover; 21 … upper wall; 27 … storage compartment; 27A … refrigerator compartment; a 30 … hinge; 31. 31D … display screen; a 32 … speaker; 33 … microphone; 34 … wireless terminal; 52 … front surface panel; 71. 71D … self-luminous panel; 71d … display surface; 72. 72B, 72C … panel control substrates; 81 … first shell; 82 … a second housing; 84 … an insulating material.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to structures having the same or similar functions. Further, a repetitive description of these structures may be omitted.

In this specification, the left and right sides are defined with reference to a direction in which a user standing from the front of the refrigerator views the refrigerator. Also, a side close to a user standing on the front side of the refrigerator as viewed from the refrigerator is defined as "front", and a side far away is defined as "rear". In the present specification, "widthwise direction" means the left-right direction in the above definition. In the present specification, the "depth direction" means the front-rear direction in the above definition. In the figure, the + X direction is the right direction, the-X direction is the left direction, the + Y direction is the rear direction, the-Y direction is the front direction, the + Z direction is the up direction, and the-Z direction is the down direction.

(first embodiment)

[1. integral Structure of refrigerator ]

A refrigerator 1 of a first embodiment is explained with reference to fig. 1 to 7. First, the overall structure of the refrigerator 1 will be explained. Here, the refrigerator 1 does not need to have all the structures described below, and several structures may be appropriately omitted.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator 1. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the refrigerator 1 shown in fig. 1 taken along the line F2-F2. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a casing 10, a plurality of doors 11, a plurality of shelves 12, a plurality of containers 13, a flow path forming member 14, a cooling unit 15, and a control board 16. In the present embodiment, the refrigerator main body 5 is formed by the above-described structure other than the plurality of doors 11.

The enclosure 10 includes, for example, an inner case 10a, an outer case 10b, and a foamed heat insulating material 10 c. The inner box 10a is a member forming the inner surface of the enclosure 10, and is made of, for example, synthetic resin. The outer box 10b is a member forming the outer surface of the housing 10, and is made of metal, for example. The outer box 10b is formed to be one step larger than the inner box 10a and is disposed outside the inner box 10 a. The foamed heat insulating material 10c is a foamed heat insulating material such as foamed polyurethane, for example, and is filled between the inner casing 10a and the outer casing 10 b. This provides the enclosure 10 with heat insulation.

As shown in fig. 1, the enclosure 10 has an upper wall 21, a lower wall 22, left and

right side walls

23, 24, and a rear wall 25. The upper wall 21 and the lower wall 22 expand substantially horizontally. The left and

right side walls

23, 24 rise upward from the left and right end portions of the lower wall 22 and are connected to the left and right end portions of the upper wall 21. The rear wall 25 rises upward from the rear end of the lower wall 22 and is connected to the rear end of the upper wall 21.

A plurality of storage chambers 27 are provided inside the enclosure 10. The plurality of storage compartments 27 include, for example, a refrigerating compartment 27A, a vegetable compartment 27B, an ice making compartment 27C, a small freezing compartment 27D, and a main freezing compartment 27E. In the present embodiment, refrigerating room 27A is disposed at the uppermost portion, vegetable room 27B is disposed below refrigerating room 27A, ice making room 27C and small freezing room 27D are disposed below vegetable room 27B, and main freezing room 27E is disposed below ice making room 27C and small freezing room 27D. However, the arrangement of storage compartment 27 is not limited to the above example, and for example, ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D may be arranged below refrigerating compartment 27A, main freezing compartment 27E may be arranged below ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D, and vegetable compartment 27B may be arranged below main freezing compartment 27E. The enclosure 10 has openings on the front surface side of the storage chambers 27 so that food can be taken in and out of the storage chambers 27.

The openings of the storage chambers 27 are openably and closably closed by the doors 11. The plurality of doors 11 include, for example, left and right refrigerating chamber doors 11Aa and 11Ab that close the opening of refrigerating chamber 27A, a vegetable chamber door 11B that closes the opening of vegetable chamber 27B, an ice making chamber door 11C that closes the opening of ice making chamber 27C, a small freezing chamber door 11D that closes the opening of small freezing chamber 27D, and a main freezing chamber door 11E that closes the opening of main freezing chamber 27E.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the left and right refrigerating chamber doors 11Aa, 11 Ab.

The left and right refrigerating compartment doors 11Aa and 11Ab are, for example, split doors. The left and right refrigerating compartment doors 11Aa and 11Ab are rotatably supported by the casing 10 by hinges 30. In the present embodiment, the width of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab in the lateral width direction is larger than the width of the left refrigerating compartment door 11Aa in the lateral width direction.

The hinge 30 rotatably supports the left and right refrigerating compartment doors 11Aa and 11Ab to the casing 10. The hinge 30 has: an upper hinge 30a that supports the upper portions of the left and right refrigerating compartment doors 11Aa and 11Ab, and a lower hinge 30b that supports the lower portions thereof.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1 and 3, the front surface of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab has a display screen 31 that is visually exposed. On the display screen 31, an image or video including characters and illustrations can be displayed on a self-light emitting panel 71 described later.

As shown in fig. 1 and 3, the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are provided at the door outer corner 39 of the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. The door outer corner 39 of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab is an outer edge of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab, preferably an end in the left or lower direction. Openings are provided in the vicinity of the portion where the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are provided in the front surface of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab to allow sound to easily pass through. The speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are connected to the control board 16 of the refrigerator main body 5 via a cable C3, and are controlled by the control board 16. The speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are examples of "means for conversation".

As shown in fig. 1, a wireless terminal 34 is assembled to the upper hinge 30a that supports the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. The wireless terminal 34 is incorporated in the upper hinge 30a in which a cavity region is arranged more than in other portions, thereby improving the wireless transmission/reception performance. The wireless terminal 34 is connected to the control board 16 of the refrigerator main body 5 via a cable C4.

On the other hand, the vegetable compartment door 11B, the ice-making compartment door 11C, the freezer compartment door 11D, and the main freezer compartment door 11E are, for example, drawer type doors. The vegetable compartment door 11B, the ice-making compartment door 11C, the freezer compartment door 11D, and the main freezer compartment door 11E are supported by rails 35 (only the rail 35 on the left is shown in the vegetable compartment 27B and the main freezer compartment 27E) so as to be extractable from the housing 10.

As shown in fig. 2, the enclosure 10 includes first and

second partitions

28 and 29. The first and

second partitions

28 and 29 are, for example, partitions extending in a substantially horizontal direction. First partition 28 is located between refrigerating compartment 27A and vegetable compartment 27B, and partitions refrigerating compartment 27A and vegetable compartment 27B. On the other hand, second partition 29 is located between vegetable compartment 27B and ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D, and partitions vegetable compartment 27B and ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D. In addition, no partition wall is provided between ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D and main freezing compartment 27E.

Shelf plates 12 are disposed in refrigerating compartment 27A.

The plurality of containers 13 includes: a refrigerating compartment container 13A (e.g., a chilling compartment container) disposed in the refrigerating compartment 27A; first and second vegetable chamber containers 13Ba and 13Bb disposed in the vegetable chamber 27B; an ice making compartment container (not shown) disposed in the ice making compartment 27C; a small freezing chamber container 13D disposed in the small freezing chamber 27D; and first and second main-freezer containers 13Ea, 13Eb disposed in main-freezer compartment 27E.

The flow path forming member 14 is disposed in the housing 10. The flow passage forming member 14 includes, for example, a first duct member 14A and a second duct member 14B. The first duct member 14A is provided along the rear wall 25 of the enclosure 10 and extends in the vertical direction. A first duct space S1, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, is formed between the first duct member 14A and the rear wall 25 of the enclosure 10. The first pipe member 14A has: a plurality of cold air outlet h1 opened in refrigerating room 27A; and a cold air return port h2 opened in the vegetable compartment 27B. The second duct member 14B is provided along the rear wall 25 of the enclosure 10 and extends in the vertical direction. A second duct space S2, which is a passage through which cold air (air) flows, is formed between the second duct member 14B and the rear wall 25 of the enclosure 10. The second pipe member 14B has: a plurality of cold air blow-out ports h3 that open into ice making compartment 27C and small freezing compartment 27D; and a cold air return port h4 opened in main freezer compartment 27E.

The cooling unit 15 includes: a first cooling unit 15A; a second cooling unit 15B; and a compressor 45.

The first cooling unit 15A includes, for example, a first cooler 41 and a first fan 42 which are respectively disposed in the first duct space S1. When the first fan 42 is driven, the air in the vegetable compartment 27B flows into the first duct space S1 from the cold air return port h2 and is cooled by the first cooler 41. Cold air cooled by first cooler 41 is blown out from a plurality of cold air outlet h1 toward refrigerating room 27A. As a result, cold air circulates through refrigerating room 27A and vegetable room 27B, and refrigerating room 27A and vegetable room 27B are cooled.

The second cooling unit 15B includes, for example, a second cooler 43 and a second fan 44 which are respectively disposed in the second duct space S2. When second fan 44 is driven, the air in main freezer compartment 27E flows into second duct space S2 from cold air return opening h4 and is cooled by second cooler 43. The cold air cooled by second cooler 43 is blown out from cold air outlet h3 toward ice making compartment 27C, small freezer compartment 27D, and main freezer compartment 27E. This causes air to circulate through ice making compartment 27C, small freezing compartment 27D, and main freezing compartment 27E, thereby cooling ice making compartment 27C, small freezing compartment 27D, and main freezing compartment 27E.

The compressor 45 is provided in a machine room at the bottom of the refrigerator 1, for example. The compressor 45 compresses the refrigerant gas for cooling the storage chamber 27. The refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor 45 is sent to the first and

second coolers

41 and 43 through a heat pipe or the like.

The control board (control unit) 16 collectively controls the entire refrigerator 1. For example, control board 16 controls driving of first fan 42, second fan 44, and compressor 45 based on detection results of temperature sensors provided in refrigerating compartment 27A, main freezing compartment 27E, and the like. As shown in fig. 2, the control board 16 is mounted on the upper wall 21 of the enclosure 10 together with the cover 18.

[2. Properties of Heat insulating materials ]

Here, the characteristics of the respective heat insulating materials ("vacuum heat insulating material", "foamed heat insulating material", and "specific heat insulating material") used in the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

The "Vacuum Insulation Panel" is also called a VIP (Vacuum Insulation Panel), and includes, for example, an outer package and a core member housed in the outer package, and is an Insulation Panel in which the inside of the outer package is decompressed. The core material is, for example, a fiber material such as glass wool or a porous body such as a foam.

The "foamed heat insulating material" is a foamed heat insulating material such as foamed polyurethane, for example. The foamed heat insulating material is injected into the door 11 in a fluid state, and is foamed by heating.

The "specific heat insulating material" is a heat insulating material containing aerogel, xerogel, or cryogel, and is an example of the "heat insulating member". In addition, "comprising an aerogel, xerogel, or cryogel" means "comprising more than 1 of an aerogel, xerogel, or cryogel. The aerogel, the xerogel, and the cryogel are low-density structures (dry gels), respectively. The "aerogel" is, for example, a porous substance obtained by replacing a solvent contained in the gel with a gas by supercritical drying. The "xerogel" is a porous substance obtained by replacing a solvent contained in the gel with a gas by evaporation drying. The "frozen gel" is a porous material obtained by replacing a solvent contained in the gel with a gas by freeze-drying.

[3. Structure of Right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab ]

[3.1 exterior component and gasket ]

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab shown in fig. 4, taken along the line F6-F6.

The right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab includes, for example, an outer member 50 and a gasket 55. The outer shell member 50 is formed in a box shape. The term "box-like" as used herein also includes a flat box-like shape. The outer frame member 50 includes, for example, a frame 51, a front plate 52, and a rear member 53.

The frame body 51 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The frame 51 includes an upper member 51a, a lower member 51b, a left member 51c, and a right member 51 d. The upper member 51a has a plate shape extending in the lateral width direction and the depth direction, and forms the upper surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The lower member 51b has a plate shape extending in the lateral width direction and the depth direction, and forms the lower surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The left member 51c has a plate shape extending in the vertical direction and the depth direction, and forms a left side surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The right member 51d has a plate shape extending in the vertical direction and the depth direction, and forms a right side surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The upper member 51a, the lower member 51b, the left member 51c, and the right member 51d are combined with each other to form the housing 51. The frame 51 is made of, for example, synthetic resin.

The front panel 52 is attached to the frame 51 and positioned at the front end of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The front panel 52 is a panel member extending in the vertical direction and the lateral width direction, and forms the front surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The front surface plate 52 is, for example, a glass plate. However, the front surface plate 52 is not limited to a glass plate, and may be formed of synthetic resin or other materials.

The rear surface member 53 is attached to the frame 51 from the side opposite to the front surface plate 52, and is positioned at the rear end of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The rear surface part 53 forms a rear surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. The rear surface member 53 is made of, for example, synthetic resin.

The rear surface member 53 has a rib (protruding portion, bulging portion) 61 protruding rearward. The rib 61 protrudes from the rear surface member 53 toward the refrigerating chamber 27A (storage chamber) in a state where the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab is closed with respect to the enclosure 10. In the present description, the term "rib" is a name for convenience of description, and broadly means a portion projecting rearward from the rear surface member 53, and is not limited to a specific shape or a specific function portion.

The rib 61 is formed in a ring shape smaller than the outer shape of the frame 51. The "annular shape" referred to in the present specification is not limited to a case where the entire circumference is completely continuous, and includes a case where the entire circumference is partially interrupted by providing a notch or the like.

A gasket (sealing member, cushion member) 55 is attached to the rear surface member 53. More specifically, the rear surface member 53 has a slot 63 which is a recess recessed toward the inside of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab. For example, the slit 63 is formed in a ring shape surrounding the outer peripheral side of the rib 61. The gasket 55 is inserted inside the slot 63 provided in the rear surface part 53 of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab, thereby being mounted to the slot 63. Thereby, the gasket 55 is fixed to the rear surface member 53.

Here, the structures of the left refrigerating chamber door 11Aa, the vegetable chamber door 11B, the ice making chamber door 11C, the freezer chamber door 11D, and the main freezer chamber door 11E are the same as those of the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab described above. That is, regarding the structures of the left refrigerating chamber door 11Aa, the vegetable chamber door 11B, the ice-making chamber door 11C, the freezer chamber door 11D, and the main freezing chamber door 11E, in the above description relating to the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab, "right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab" may be replaced with "left refrigerating chamber door 11 Aa", "vegetable chamber door 11B", "ice-making chamber door 11C", "freezer chamber door 11D", or "main freezing chamber door 11E".

[3.2 self-luminous Panel 71 and Panel control substrate ]

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, a self-light emitting panel 71 that realizes the display screen 31 and a panel control board 72 that controls the self-light emitting panel 71 are built in the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab.

The self-light emitting panel 71 is disposed along the rear surface of the front surface plate 52 of the outer frame member 50 in the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. The display surface of the self-light emitting panel 71 is in contact with the front surface plate 52. The rear surface of the front surface plate 52 which is not in contact with the display surface of the self-light emitting panel 71 is painted so that the inside cannot be seen from the front surface plate 52. On the other hand, the back surface of the front surface plate 52 which is in contact with the display surface of the self-light emitting panel 71 is not painted, and the display surface of the self-light emitting panel 71 can be seen from the front surface plate 52. In the front panel 52, a region where the display surface of the self-light emitting panel 71 can be seen becomes the display screen 31.

The self-light emitting panel 71 is a self-light emitting display panel such as an Organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel or a micro LED. Therefore, the self-light emitting panel 71 does not require a backlight. The self-light emitting panel 71 is connected to the panel control board 72 via a cable C2.

The lateral width of the self-light emitting panel 71 is larger than half of the lateral width of the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab and larger than the lateral width of the left refrigerating chamber door 11 Aa. The thickness of the self-light emitting panel 71 is equal to or less than half of the minimum thickness of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab.

The panel control substrate 72 is a substrate for controlling the self-light emitting panel 71. The panel control board 72 is formed separately from the self-light emitting panel 71, and is connected to the self-light emitting panel 71 via a cable C2. The panel control board 72 is disposed along the rear surface of the front surface plate 52 of the outer member 50 in the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. The panel control board 72 is disposed at a position not overlapping with the self-light emitting panel 71 in the thickness direction of the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. The panel control board 72 is connected to the control board 16 of the refrigerator main body 5 via a cable C1, and is controlled by the control board 16.

[3.3 overview of the internal Structure of the left refrigerating compartment door ]

The right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab includes, for example, a first housing 81, a second housing 82, and a heat insulating material 84, as shown in fig. 4 and 5.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the first housing 81 as viewed from above.

The first casing 81 is a box-shaped casing for fixing the self-light emitting panel 71, and is disposed along the rear surface of the front surface plate 52. The first housing 81 has a first housing main body 86 and a first housing cover 87.

The first casing body 86 has an opening 86a in the left side into which the self-light emitting panel 71 can be inserted. The first casing body 86 has an opening 86b at the front, and the display surface 71d of the self-light emitting panel 71 housed therein can be brought into contact with the front surface plate 52. The first casing main body 86 has an opening 86c at the rear, which is opened and closed by the first casing cover 87. An engaging projection 86d is formed on the left side of the first case body 86.

The first casing cover 87 is attached to the first casing main body 86 so as to be openable and closable on the right side. The first case cover 87 is provided with an engaged portion 87a on the left side, which engages with the engaging protrusion 86 d. A pressing portion 87b that presses the housed self-light emitting panel 71 is provided in front of the first case cover 87.

The self-light emitting panel 71 is inserted into the first casing body 86 from the opening 86a of the first casing body 86. The display surface 71d of the self-light emitting panel 71 is in contact with the front surface plate 52. Then, the first housing cover 87 is closed, and the pressing portion 87b presses the self-light emitting panel 71 forward. The self-light emitting panel 71 is fixed to the first casing 81 in a state where the display surface 71d of the self-light emitting panel 71 is in close contact with the front surface plate 52. The self-light emitting panel 71 is a self-light emitting panel such as an Organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel or a micro LED (light emitting diode), and has flexibility, but the display surface 71d can be brought into close contact with the front surface plate 52 by fixing the panel using the first housing 81.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the second housing 82 as viewed from above.

The second casing 82 is a box-shaped casing that fixes the panel control board 72, and is disposed along the rear surface of the front surface plate 52. The second housing 82 has a second housing main body 88 and a second housing cover 89.

The second casing main body 88 has an opening 88a in the left side into which the panel control board 72 can be inserted. The second casing main body 88 has a slide groove 88b capable of supporting the panel control board 72.

The second casing cover 89 is attached to the first casing main body 86 so as to be openable and closable on the left side. The second casing cover 89 opens and closes the opening 88a of the second casing main body 88.

The panel control substrate 72 is inserted into the interior of the second casing main body 88 from the opening 88a of the second casing main body 88. The panel control substrate 72 is inserted into the interior of the second casing main body 88 along the slide groove 88 b. Then, the second housing cover 89 is closed.

Insulation 84 is provided inside the outer profile part 50. For example, the heat insulating material 84 is filled between the front surface plate 52 and the rear surface member 53 in a region avoiding the first casing 81. The heat insulating material 84 is "vacuum heat insulating material", "foamed heat insulating material", "specific heat insulating material", or the like.

The self-light emitting panel 71 is a light emitting type panel that does not require a backlight or a shutter or a color filter. Therefore, the depth direction thickness of the first case 81 accommodating the self-light emitting panel 71 is thinner than that in the case of accommodating a liquid crystal panel requiring a backlight, a shutter, or a color filter. Therefore, it is easy to secure a sufficient space for filling the heat insulating material 84 in the vicinity of the first housing 81 inside the outer profile member 50.

The self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control board 72 are separated and housed inside the outer contour member 50. Therefore, the thickness of the first casing 81 and the second casing 82 in the depth direction is thinner than the case where the self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control board 72 are integrally housed. Therefore, a sufficient space for filling the heat insulating material 84 is easily secured in the vicinity of the first casing 81 and the second casing 82 inside the outer profile member 50.

According to the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control board 72 can be housed in the refrigerating chamber door that needs to be sufficiently filled with the heat insulating material while a space for filling the heat insulating material 84 is sufficiently secured. According to the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the self-light emitting panel 71 is high, and the degree of freedom of design is high. Further, according to the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment, by fixing the panel using the first casing 81, the flexible self-light emitting panel 71 can be fixed in a state where the display surface 71d of the self-light emitting panel 71 is in close contact with the front surface plate 52.

(modification 1)

In the above embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control board 72 are housed in the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab, but the arrangement form of the self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control board 72 is not limited to this. The self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control substrate 72 may also be housed in the left refrigerating chamber door 11 Aa. Further, the self-light emitting panel 71 and the panel control substrate 72 may also be received in the vegetable compartment door 11B, the ice making compartment door 11C, the freezer compartment door 11D, or the main freezer compartment door 11E.

(modification 2)

In the above embodiment, the display screen 31 is formed on the front surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab, but the form of the display screen is not limited to this. The display screen may be formed on the rear surface of the right refrigerating compartment door 11 Ab. That is, the display screen may be provided on the surface of the right refrigerating chamber door 11 Ab.

(second embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment will be explained. The position of the panel control substrate of the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment. The configuration other than the configuration described below is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those already described, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

Fig. 8 is a front view of a refrigerator 1B according to a second embodiment. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a refrigerator 1B according to a second embodiment.

The refrigerator 1B includes a right refrigerating compartment door 11AbB instead of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment. The refrigerator 1B further includes a panel control board 72B.

The right refrigerating compartment door 11AbB differs from the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment in that it does not have the panel control board 72 and the second casing 82.

The panel control substrate 72B is a substrate for controlling the self-light emitting panel 71. The panel control board 72 is formed separately from the self-light emitting panel 71 and is mounted on the upper wall 21 of the enclosure 10. The panel control board 72B is connected to the self-light emitting panel 71 via a cable C2.

The panel control board 72B is provided inside the cover 18 together with the control board 16 and the power supply board 17. The panel control board 72B is connected to the self-light emitting panel 71 via a cable C2. The panel control board 72B is connected to the control board 16 via a cable C1, and is controlled by the control board 16.

According to the refrigerator 1B of the present embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 can be housed in the refrigerating chamber door that needs to be sufficiently filled with the heat insulating material while a space for filling the heat insulating material 84 is sufficiently secured. The heat insulating material 84 of the refrigerating chamber door can be filled more sufficiently without housing the panel control board 72B in the refrigerating chamber door. According to the refrigerator 1B of the present embodiment, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the self-light emitting panel 71 is high, and the degree of freedom of design is high.

(third embodiment)

Next, a third embodiment will be explained. The panel control substrate of the third embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment. The configuration other than the configuration described below is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those already described, and redundant description is omitted.

Fig. 10 is a front view of a refrigerator 1C according to a third embodiment.

The refrigerator 1C includes a right refrigerating chamber door 11AbC instead of the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment.

The right refrigerating chamber door 11AbC includes a panel control board 72C instead of the panel control board 72, compared to the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment.

The panel control board 72C is a board in which a board for controlling the self-light emitting panel 71 and a board for controlling the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are integrated. The speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are connected to the panel control board 72C via a cable C4, and are controlled by the panel control board 72C. The panel control board 72C is connected to the control board 16 of the refrigerator main body 5 via a cable C1, and is controlled by the control board 16.

According to the refrigerator 1C of the present embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 can be housed in the refrigerating chamber door that needs to be sufficiently filled with the heat insulating material while a space for filling the heat insulating material 84 is sufficiently secured. According to the refrigerator 1C of the present embodiment, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the self-light emitting panel 71 is high, and the degree of freedom of design is high. Further, according to the refrigerator 1C of the present embodiment, the arrangement of the cables can be simplified by the panel control board 72C in which the board for controlling the self-light emitting panel 71 and the board for controlling the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are integrated.

(modification 3)

In the above embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 is housed in the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab, but the installation form of the self-light emitting panel 71 is not limited to this. The self-luminous panel 71 may also be housed in the left refrigerating chamber door 11 Aa. Further, the self-light emitting panel 71 may also be received in the vegetable compartment door 11B, the ice making compartment door 11C, the freezer compartment door 11D, or the main freezer compartment door 11E.

(fourth embodiment)

Next, a fourth embodiment will be explained. The position of the self-light emitting panel of the fourth embodiment is different from that of the second embodiment. The configuration other than the configuration described below is the same as that of the second embodiment. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those already described, and redundant description is omitted.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a refrigerator 1D according to a fourth embodiment.

The refrigerator 1D includes a right refrigerating chamber door 11AbD instead of the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment. The refrigerator 1D further includes a self-light emitting panel 71D.

The right refrigerating chamber door 11AbD differs from the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab of the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment in that it does not have the self-light emitting panel 71 and the first housing 81. That is, the right refrigerating chamber door 11AbD does not have the display screen 31.

Self-light emitting panel 71D is provided on the right side surface of refrigerating compartment 27A as shown in fig. 11. The self-light-emitting panel 71D is a self-light-emitting panel such as an Organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel or a micro LED, and has a wider operating temperature range than a general liquid crystal panel. Therefore, the refrigerator can be disposed in the refrigerating compartment.

The self-light emitting panel 71D is covered with a transparent glass plate or the like, and a display screen 31D formed by the self-light emitting panel 71D is formed on the glass plate.

According to the refrigerator 1D of the present embodiment, the degree of freedom of the installation place of the self-light emitting panel 71D is high, and the degree of freedom of design is high. Self-light emitting panel 71D may be provided in a storage room other than refrigerating room 27A.

(modification 4)

In the above embodiment, the display screens 31 and 31D are configured by the self-light emitting panel 71, but the form of the display screen is not limited to this. The display screen 31 may be formed as a touch panel region using a capacitive operation panel (an example of an "information input device") together with the self-light emitting panel 71. The user can perform an operation related to the control of the refrigerator 1 by operating the touch panel over the front surface plate 52.

(modification 5)

In the above embodiment, the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 are provided at the door outer corner 39 such as the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab, but the installation form of the speaker 32 and the microphone 33 is not limited to this. The speaker 32 and the microphone 33 may be provided on the hinge 30, for example. A space for filling the heat insulating material 84 in the refrigerating chamber door can be further secured.

(modification 6)

In the above embodiment, the self-light emitting panel 71 is housed in the right refrigerating chamber door 11Ab without being bent, but the form of the self-light emitting panel is not limited thereto. For example, when a curved portion formed in an arc shape is included in the surface of the right refrigerating compartment door 11Ab or the wall of the enclosure 10, the self-light emitting panel 71 can be stored in a curved posture so as to follow the curved portion by utilizing its flexible characteristic.

According to at least any one of the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a refrigerator which has a high degree of freedom in the installation place of a self-luminous panel or a microphone (conversation member) and which can improve convenience.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the above embodiments are merely presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiment can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above-described embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Claims

1. A refrigerator is provided with:

a housing including a storage chamber;

a door for closing the storage chamber in an openable and closable manner; and

the self-luminous display panel includes a display screen which is visually exposed on the surface of the door or the inside of the storage room.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

further comprises a panel control substrate for controlling the display panel,

the panel control board and the display panel are separately housed in the door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

further comprises a panel control substrate for controlling the display panel,

the display panel is disposed inside the door,

the panel control board is disposed inside the door at a position not overlapping with the display panel in a thickness direction of the door.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

further comprises a panel control substrate for controlling the display panel,

the panel control substrate and the display panel are separately provided on the upper wall of the housing.

5. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the door has a conversation member which is at least one of a microphone and a speaker,

the dialogue component is provided at a door outer corner of the door or a hinge that connects the door and the housing to be rotatable.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2,

the panel control board and the display panel are separately accommodated in the door,

the panel control board controls the interactive component.

7. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

there is also a wireless terminal that is,

the wireless terminal is disposed on the hinge of the door.

8. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

the display screen includes a capacitive operation panel and functions as a touch panel region.

9. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the display device further includes a first housing for fixing the display surface of the display panel in contact with the display screen.

10. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

the housing includes a wall defining the storage chamber,

the surface of the door or the surface of the wall includes a curved surface portion formed in an arc shape,

the display panel is disposed inside the door or inside the wall in a curved posture along the curved surface portion.