CN112781299A

CN112781299A - Refrigerator with a door

Info

Publication number: CN112781299A
Application number: CN202010841193.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 真下拓也; 并纯弘
Original assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Priority date: 2019-11-07
Filing date: 2020-08-20
Publication date: 2021-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-20
Also published as: JP2021076288A; JP7344764B2; CN112781299B

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator, which can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator in the range of a user. The refrigerator is provided with: the device comprises a main body, a door, a sensor, a communication unit, and a control unit. The main body has a refrigerating chamber. The door closes the front surface opening of the refrigerating compartment. The sensor is disposed on the door for detecting a temperature around the refrigerator. The communication unit can communicate with a portable terminal carried by a user. The control unit transmits information of the temperature detected by the sensor to the portable terminal via the communication unit.

Description

Refrigerator with a door

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Background

The refrigerator disclosed in patent document 1 includes: a main body having a storage chamber; a sensor that detects a temperature around the main body; a communication unit capable of communicating with a portable terminal; and a control unit capable of communicating with the communication unit. The control unit transmits the temperature information detected by the sensor to the portable terminal via the communication unit. Accordingly, the user can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator by confirming the portable terminal.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-179406

Disclosure of Invention

In the above-described refrigerator, the sensor is provided on the upper surface of the main body. The upper surface of the main body is in most cases higher than the height of the user. In addition, since air having a relatively high temperature easily moves to the vicinity of the top cover, the temperature in the vicinity of the upper surface of the main body may be higher than: the temperature of the surroundings of the refrigerator within the range of the user.

In this specification, the disclosed technology is: the temperature around the refrigerator in the range of the user can be grasped.

The refrigerator disclosed in the present specification includes: the device comprises a main body, a door, a sensor, a communication unit, and a control unit. The main body has a1 st refrigerating chamber. The door closes the front surface opening of the 1 st refrigerating compartment. The sensor is disposed on the door for detecting a temperature around the refrigerator. The communication unit can communicate with a portable terminal carried by a user. The control unit transmits information of the temperature detected by the sensor to the portable terminal via the communication unit.

According to the above structure, the sensor can detect the temperature around the refrigerator in the range where the user is located. Thus, the user can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator within the range of the user through the portable terminal. For example, when an elderly elder lives separately from the child, the child can grasp, via the mobile terminal: the temperature around the refrigerator in the range of the elderly elder in the residence where the elderly elder lives. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in an elderly person, the abnormality can be quickly grasped.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator of embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator cut along line II-II of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the lower portion of the right door of embodiment 1.

Fig. 4 is a system diagram of the refrigerator of embodiment 1.

Fig. 5 is a graph showing the change over time in the temperature detected by the sensor of embodiment 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the side of the right door of embodiment 2.

Description of reference numerals:

2 … portable terminal; 10 … refrigerator; 12 … a main body; 14. 16, 18, 20, 22 … doors; 14a … left door; 14b … right door; 15a … side; 15b … side; 26 … display part; 28 … a communication section; 30. 32, 34, 36, 38 …; 46. a 48 … cooler; 50. 52 … fan; 56 … groove portions; a 58 … sensor; a 60 … cover; 62 … a body; 62a … opening; a 64 … holding portion; 70 … control unit.

Detailed Description

(embodiment 1)

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, a refrigerator 10 of embodiment 1 is explained. As shown in fig. 1, the refrigerator 10 includes: a main body 12, a plurality of

doors

14, 16, 18, 20, 22, a display section 26, and a communication section 28. The body 12 has thermal insulation properties. The main body 12 has inside: a refrigerating compartment 30 (an example of a1 st refrigerating compartment), a vegetable compartment 32 (an example of a2 nd refrigerating compartment), a1 st freezing compartment 34, a2 nd freezing compartment 36, and a3 rd freezing compartment 38. The vegetable compartment 32 is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the refrigerating compartment 30, the 1 st freezing compartment 34 is disposed adjacent to the 2 nd freezing compartment 36 on the lower side of the vegetable compartment 32, and the 3 rd freezing compartment 38 is disposed adjacent to the 1 st freezing compartment 34 and the 2 nd freezing compartment 36 on the lower side. Respective front surface openings of the refrigerating compartment 30, the vegetable compartment 32, the 1 st freezing compartment 34, the 2 nd freezing compartment 36, and the 3 rd freezing compartment 38 are closed by a plurality of

doors

14, 16, 18, 20, 22, respectively. The door 14 is a swing door, and is a split door provided with a left door 14a and a right door 14 b. The left end portion of the left door 14a is pivotally supported by the main body 12 so as to be rotatable. The right end portion of the right door 14b is pivotally supported by the main body 12 so as to be rotatable. The plurality of

doors

16, 18, 20, 22 are pull type doors.

The communication unit 28 is disposed on the front upper surface of the main body 12. The communication unit 28 is disposed behind the right door 14b when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. The communication unit 28 is disposed: the refrigerator 10 is located closer to the door 14 than the center position in the depth direction. The communication unit 28 is disposed: and a hinge cover (not shown) provided behind the right upper surface of the right door 14 b. The communication unit 28 is: for example, a communication module having a structure in which a chip is mounted on a substrate. The communication unit 28 can communicate with the server 4 (see fig. 4) by wired communication or wireless communication. The server 4 includes: a storage area for storing information desired to be acquired by a user, such as a cooking recipe. The server 4 can communicate with the mobile terminal 2 (see fig. 4) carried by the user. The portable terminal 2 is, for example, a portable telephone or a smartphone. The communication unit 28 can communicate with the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4. The communication unit 28 acquires information from the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4 by the user's operation of the mobile terminal 2, and transmits information to the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4 under the control of the control unit 70 described later. For example, the control unit 70 described later transmits information on the temperature around the refrigerator 10 to the communication unit 28 by the operation of the portable terminal 2 by the user, and the communication unit 28 transmits the information on the temperature to the portable terminal 2 via the server 4. Accordingly, for example, when an elderly elder lives separately from the child, the child carrying the mobile terminal 2 can grasp: the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the residence where the elderly people live.

The display unit 26 is disposed in the left door 14 a. The display unit 26 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel. On the display unit 26, there are displayed: information related to the refrigerator 10 or information received by the control unit 70 from the server 4 via the communication unit 28. The information related to the refrigerator 10 means: for example, the temperature and humidity of each

storage room

30, 32, 34, 36, 38, or the name and amount of food stored in each

storage room

30, 32, 34, 36, 38 when the refrigerator 10 includes an indoor camera. The information received from the server 4 is: such as cooking recipes.

As shown in fig. 2, the refrigerator 10 further includes:

coolers

46, 48 and

fans

50, 52. The refrigerant is pressure-fed from a compressor (not shown) to the

coolers

46 and 48 through a condenser (not shown) and a capillary tube (not shown). The

coolers

46 and 48 cool the ambient air by the refrigerant sent by the pressure. The refrigerant after passing through the

coolers

46 and 48 is returned to the compressor (not shown) via a check valve (not shown). The fan 50 supplies the air cooled by the cooler 46 to the refrigerating compartment 30 and the vegetable compartment 32. Accordingly, the refrigerating chamber 30 and the vegetable chamber 32 are cooled. In addition, fan 52 presses air cooled by cooler 48 to freezer 1, freezer 2, and freezer 3

chambers

34, 36, and 38. Accordingly, the 1 st freezer compartment 34, the 2 nd freezer compartment 36, and the 3 rd freezer compartment 38 are cooled.

As shown in fig. 3, a groove 56 is formed in the bottom surface of the right door 14 b. In fig. 3, the groove 56 is indicated by a broken line. The groove 56 is recessed upward from the bottom surface of the right door 14 b.

As shown in fig. 3, the refrigerator 10 further includes: a sensor 58 and a cover 60. The sensor 58 is used to detect the temperature and humidity of the surroundings of the refrigerator 10. In the modification, the sensor 58 may be configured to detect only the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The sensor 58 is disposed in the groove 56.

The cover 60 includes: a main body 62 and a holding portion 64. The main body 62 is detachably attached to the bottom surface of the right door 14 b. The main body 62 covers the lower end opening of the groove portion 56 when mounted to the bottom surface of the right door 14 b. The body 62 has a plurality of openings 62 a.

The holding portion 64 is formed integrally with the main body 62. The holding portion 64 is disposed in the groove portion 56 in a state where the main body 62 is attached to the bottom surface of the right door 14 b. The holding portion 64 holds the sensor 58. Accordingly, the sensor 58 is disposed in the groove 56 while being held by the holding portion 64.

As shown in fig. 4, the refrigerator 10 further includes a control unit 70. The control unit 70 is disposed on the upper surface of the main body 12 (see fig. 2). In the modification, the control unit 70 may be disposed on the rear surface of the main body 12 or may be disposed inside the main body 12. The control unit 70 executes a cooling program for cooling the storage compartments 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38 using cooling-related components such as the

fans

50 and 52 and a compressor (not shown). Further, the control unit 70 is connected to the communication unit 28 and the sensor 58. The control unit 70 can communicate with the communication unit 28. The control section 70 continuously acquires information on the temperature from the sensor 58.

The control section 70 executes, in accordance with a request from the mobile terminal 2: and a transmission program for transmitting information on the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. The following were used: fig. 5, which shows the change over time in the temperature detected by the sensor 58, illustrates a transmission routine executed by the control unit 70. The transmission program executed by the control unit 70 will be described by being divided into the sections a1, a2, A3, a4, and a5 shown in fig. 5.

The interval a1 shown in fig. 5 is: this indicates a section in which the temperature detected by the sensor 58 changes when the door 14 is kept in the closed state for a long time. Thus, in the interval a1, the sensor 58 detects: a constant temperature T1 over time. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 acquired by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2.

The interval a2 shown in fig. 5 is: this indicates a section in which the detected temperature of the sensor 58 changes until the 1 st predetermined period elapses from the time when the closed door 14 is opened. When the closed door 14 is opened, the cool air circulating in the refrigerating compartment 30 by the driving of the fan 50 flows out to the outside of the refrigerating compartment 30. Accordingly, the air around the sensor 58 disposed on the bottom surface of the right door 14b is cooled. Thus, the temperature detected by the sensor 58 decreases with the time elapsed after opening the door 14. Here, the 1 st predetermined period is: in the general refrigerator 10, a time required until the temperature detected by the sensor 58 reaches a constant after the door 14 is opened. The 1 st predetermined period is determined by a preliminary experiment. The 1 st predetermined period is, for example, 5 seconds to 20 seconds, and in the present embodiment, 10 seconds. In the section a2, the controller 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 before the door 14 is opened, that is, the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the section a1, to the mobile terminal 2.

The interval a3 shown in fig. 5 is: this indicates a section in which the temperature detected by the sensor 58 changes after the door 14 is opened and the 1 st predetermined period has elapsed until the door 14 is closed. In the interval a3, the sensor 58 detects: a temperature of temperature T2 that is constant with time. The temperature T2 is lower than the temperature T1. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the section a1 to the mobile terminal 2.

The interval a4 shown in fig. 5 is: the section indicates a change in the detected temperature of the sensor 58 until the 2 nd predetermined period elapses after the door 14 is closed. When the opened door 14 is closed, the cold air does not flow to the outside of the refrigerator compartment 30. Thus, the temperature detected by the sensor 58 increases with the time elapsed after closing the door 14. Here, the term "2 nd predetermined period" means: in the general refrigerator 10, it takes time until the temperature detected by the sensor 58 becomes constant after the door 14 is closed. The 2 nd predetermined period is determined by a preliminary experiment. The predetermined period 2 is, for example, 1 minute to 5 minutes, and in the present embodiment, 3 minutes. In the section a4, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 when the door 14 is closed, that is, information of the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the section a1 to the mobile terminal 2.

The interval a5 shown in fig. 5 is: the section indicates a change in the detected temperature of the sensor 58 after the 2 nd predetermined period has elapsed after the door 14 is closed. In the interval a4, the sensor 58 detects: a constant temperature T1 over time. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 acquired by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2.

(Effect)

The refrigerator 10 according to embodiment 1 is explained above. As described above, the refrigerator 10 includes: main body 12, door 14, sensor 58, communication unit 28, and control unit 70. The main body 12 has a refrigerator compartment 30. The door 14 can close the front surface opening of the refrigerator compartment 30. When the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, the sensor 58 is disposed on the bottom surface of the door 14 and detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The communication unit 28 can communicate with the portable terminal 2 carried by the user. The control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. According to this configuration, the sensor 58 is used to detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present. Thus, the user can grasp, through the mobile terminal 2: the temperature of the surroundings of the refrigerator 10 in the range of the user. For example, when an elderly elder lives separately from the child, the child can grasp by the mobile terminal 2: the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range of the elderly people in the residence where the elderly people live. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in an elderly person, the abnormality can be quickly grasped.

The main body 12 further has: when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, the vegetable compartment 32 is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the refrigerating compartment 30. For example, in the case where main body 12 has a freezing chamber disposed adjacent to the lower side of refrigerating chamber 30 when refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, sensor 58 may not be able to accurately detect the temperature around refrigerator 10 because of the freezing chamber cooled to the freezing temperature zone. According to the above configuration, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 can be accurately detected by the sensor 58.

When the closed door 14 is opened, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the state where the door 14 is closed to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28 until the 1 st predetermined period (10 seconds in the present embodiment) elapses after the door 14 is opened. After the door 14 of the refrigerator 10 is opened, the periphery of the refrigerator 10 is temporarily cooled by cold air flowing from the refrigerating compartment 30 to the outside of the refrigerating compartment 30. Thus, a difference is generated between the temperature detected by the sensor 58 and the actual temperature of the surroundings of the refrigerator 10. According to the above configuration, since the control unit 70 transmits the information of the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 before the door 14 is opened to the mobile terminal 2 until the 1 st predetermined period elapses after the door 14 is opened, the user of the mobile terminal 2 can accurately grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

When the opened door 14 is closed, the control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the state where the door 14 is closed to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28 after the 2 nd predetermined period (3 minutes in the present embodiment) has elapsed after the door 14 is closed. When the opened door 14 is closed, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 detected by the sensor 58 increases, and becomes constant after a certain period of time. With the above configuration, the sensor 58 can accurately detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10. Accordingly, the user of the portable terminal 2 can accurately grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

The refrigerator 10 is also provided with a cover 60 covering the sensor 58. The cover 60 has an opening 62 a. With this configuration, the space inside the groove 56 and the space around the refrigerator 10 communicate with each other through the opening 62a of the cover 60. Thereby, the sensor 58 can accurately detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described above in detail, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the scope of the claims includes: various modifications and changes may be made to the specific examples described above.

(embodiment 2)

Referring to fig. 6, embodiment 2 is explained. In embodiment 2, points different from embodiment 1 will be described, and the same reference numerals are given to the same points as in embodiment 1, and description thereof will be omitted. In embodiment 2, the groove 56 is disposed on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14 b. Further, the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b is: a side surface located on the left end side and pivotally supported on the opposite side of the right end of the main body 12. In a state where the left door 14a and the right door 14b are closed, the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b faces the right side surface 15a of the left door 14 a. The main body 62 of the cover 60 covers the opening of the groove portion 56. The sensor 58 is disposed in the groove 56 in a state where the sensor 58 is held by the holding portion 64 of the cover 60. In addition, although the description has been made in embodiment 1, the communication portion 28 is arranged behind the right door 14b when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front.

(Effect)

According to the above configuration, the refrigerator 10 includes: main body 12, door 14, sensor 58, communication unit 28, and control unit 70. The main body 12 has a refrigerator compartment 30. The door 14 includes: and a left door 14a and a right door 14b for closing the front opening of the refrigerating compartment 30. The right side surface 15a, which is the facing surface of the left door 14a, and the left side surface 15b, which is the facing surface of the right door 14b, face each other. The sensor 58 is disposed on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b and detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The communication unit 28 can communicate with the portable terminal 2 carried by the user. The control unit 70 transmits information of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. With this configuration, the sensor 58 can detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range of the user. Thus, the user can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present, by the portable terminal 2. For example, when an elderly elder lives separately from the child, the child can grasp by the mobile terminal 2: the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range of the elderly people in the residence where the elderly people live. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in an elderly person, the abnormality can be quickly grasped.

When the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, the communication unit 28 is disposed at: one of the left door 14a and the right door 14b, that is, the rear of the right door 14b, and the sensor 58 is disposed at: one of the left door 14a and the right door 14b is the right door 14 b. With this configuration, the length of the wiring connecting the communication unit 28 and the sensor 58 can be shortened.

The door 14 is a rotatable door. The right end portion of the right door 14b of the door 14 is pivotally supported by the main body 12. The sensor 58 is disposed on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14 b. The left side face 15b is: the right door 14b is located on the left end side of the right end opposite to the right end. In general, the refrigerator 10 is often disposed so that a side surface of the door 14 pivotally supported by the main body 12 faces a wall. In this case, when the sensor 58 is disposed: when the sensor 58 is pivotally supported on the side surface of the door 14 on the side of the main body 12, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 may not be accurately detected. According to the above configuration, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 can be accurately detected by the sensor 58, as compared with the case where the sensor 58 is disposed on the side surface of the right door 14b pivotally supported on the right end side of the main body 12.

(other embodiments)

(1) The technique disclosed in the present specification is not limited to the case where the door 14 is a double-opening door, and may be applied to the case where the door is a single-opening door. In this case, the right end portion of the door 14 may be pivotally supported by the main body 12 so as to be rotatable, and the left end portion of the door 14 may be pivotally supported by the main body 12 so as to be rotatable. The sensor 58 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the door 14 or may be disposed on the side surface of the door 14.

(2) The control unit 70 may transmit the humidity information and the temperature information to the mobile terminal 2.

(3) The sensor 58 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the left door 14a, or may be disposed on the left side surface 15b of the left door 14 a. In addition, the following may be arranged: and an upper surface of a door 16 disposed adjacent to a lower side of the door 14.

The technical elements described in the present specification or drawings can be used alone or in various combinations to achieve technical utility, and are not limited to the combinations recited in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the techniques exemplified in the present specification or the drawings can achieve a plurality of objects at the same time, and techniques for achieving 1 of the objects themselves have technical utility.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, wherein a refrigerator door is provided,

the refrigerator is provided with:

a main body having a1 st refrigerating compartment;

a door closing a front surface opening of the 1 st refrigerating compartment;

a sensor disposed on the door for detecting a temperature around the refrigerator;

a communication unit capable of communicating with a portable terminal carried by a user; and

and a control unit that transmits information of the temperature detected by the sensor to the portable terminal via the communication unit.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

the door is a single-opening door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1,

the door is provided with a left door and a right door,

the opposite surface of the left door and the opposite surface of the right door are opposite to each other,

when the refrigerator is observed from the front, the sensor is configured as follows: one of the facing surface of the left door and the facing surface of the right door, or is disposed at: a bottom surface of one of the left door and the right door.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3,

when the refrigerator is viewed from the front, the communication unit is disposed in: a rear of the one of the left door and the right door,

the sensor is configured to: the door of the one of the left door and the right door.

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

the main body further includes a2 nd refrigerating compartment, and the 2 nd refrigerating compartment is disposed below the 1 st refrigerating compartment so as to be adjacent to the 1 st refrigerating compartment when the refrigerator is viewed from the front.

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

the door is a rotatable door having one end portion pivotally supported to the main body in a rotatable manner,

the sensor is configured to: a side surface of the other end portion of the door located at a position opposite to the one end portion.

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

when the closed door is opened, the control unit transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor in a state where the door is closed to the portable terminal via the communication unit until 1 st predetermined period elapses after the door is opened.

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

when the opened door is closed, the control unit transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor in a state where the door is closed to the portable terminal via the communication unit after a2 nd predetermined period has elapsed since the door was closed.

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

the refrigerator is also provided with a cover covering the sensor,

the cover has an opening.