CN117553507A - Article management device and refrigerator with same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an article management device and a refrigerator with the same, and belongs to the technical field of article management of refrigerators. The article management device includes: an identification unit configured to identify a kind of the target article; a load cell for measuring the weight of the target object; the management controller is connected with the identification unit and the weighing sensor; the communication module is used for realizing communication connection between the management controller and the refrigerator controller; the management controller is used for obtaining recommended article storage information according to the type and weight of the target article and the layout information and the type information of the articles in the refrigerator sent by the refrigerator controller; and the interaction unit is connected with the management controller and used for displaying the article storage information. The article management device can enable articles in the refrigerator to be placed more reasonably.

Description

Article management device and refrigerator with same

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigerator article management, in particular to an article management device and a refrigerator with the same.

Background

The refrigerator is used as an indispensable household appliance in life nowadays, helps people store various food materials and prevents food from deteriorating. However, with the increase of food materials, the variety of articles stored every day is also increasing.

However, the refrigerator has limited volume, so that if articles are randomly placed, the space in the refrigerator cannot be reasonably utilized, and the space which can be used for storing more articles is wasted due to irregular placement. And as the refrigerator can store different kinds of articles, including medicines, foods, skin care products and the like, the foods also comprise various types of food materials, such as raw foods, cooked foods and the like, and if the foods are placed at will, the problems of flavor shifting or accelerated deterioration among the articles can be caused.

In the prior art, the placement positions of foods are planned through simple partitions so as to prevent mutual influence among articles, but reasonable placement suggestions cannot be given according to the existing states of the articles in the refrigerator in the mode, and the articles still need to be placed through experience and judgment of a user, so that the problem of unreasonable placement is possibly caused.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the first aspect of the present invention is to provide an article management apparatus, which can make placement of articles in a refrigerator more reasonable.

It is a further object of the invention to save space for the article management device.

It is a further object of the present invention to achieve management of items within a refrigerator.

Another object of the present invention is to enrich the functionality and usage scenarios of the article management device.

An object of a second aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator including the above article management device.

In particular, the present invention provides an article management device comprising:

an identification unit configured to identify a kind of the target article;

a load cell for measuring the weight of the target object;

the management controller is connected with the identification unit and the weighing sensor;

the communication module is used for realizing communication connection between the management controller and the refrigerator controller;

the management controller is used for obtaining recommended article storage information according to the type and weight of the target article and the layout information and the type information of the articles in the refrigerator sent by the refrigerator controller;

and the interaction unit is connected with the management controller and used for displaying the article storage information.

Optionally, the article management device includes:

the body is used for setting the identification unit, the management controller, the communication module and the interaction unit;

and the weighing part is connected with the body and is used for setting the weighing sensor.

Optionally, the body is provided with a fixing piece for being connected with the refrigerator;

the weighing part is connected with the body through a rotating shaft, so that the weighing part can form a closing state parallel to the body and a working state perpendicular to the body.

Optionally, the body is further provided with a storage button and an object taking button, both of which are connected with the management controller, when the storage button is operated, the management controller records that the target object is an object stored in the refrigerator, and when the object taking button is operated, the management controller records that the target object is an object taken out of the refrigerator.

Optionally, the management controller is further connected to a mobile terminal through the communication module, so as to send the quantity, information and weight of the articles in the refrigerator to the mobile terminal.

Optionally, the body is further provided with a power supply module for supplying power to the identification unit, the weighing sensor, the management controller, the communication module and the interaction unit.

Optionally, the interaction unit comprises a display, and the identification unit comprises a camera.

Optionally, the article management device is further provided with a connecting part which is vertically and slidingly connected with the inner wall of the refrigerator;

the article management device further comprises a driving assembly for driving the article management device to vertically slide relative to the inner wall of the refrigerator until the weighing sensor is in contact with the bottom of the shelf of the refrigerator, so that the load of the shelf is measured.

Alternatively, the identification unit is provided as a rotatable member to identify the status of each article in the refrigerator.

The invention also provides a refrigerator comprising the article management device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the object management device is provided, the type and the weight of the object can be obtained through the identification unit and the weighing sensor, then the object management device is communicated with the refrigerator controller through the communication module to obtain the type information and the layout information of the object in the refrigerator, and then the recommended object storage information is obtained according to the type information and the layout information of the object in the refrigerator and the type and the weight of the object and displayed through the interaction unit, so that a user can timely obtain the object storage information and properly place the object by referring to the information, and the occupied space of the object can be saved or the problems of the object such as taste-channeling and deterioration can be prevented.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the body of the article management device and the weighing part are rotatably connected, so that after the body is fixed to the refrigerator, when a target article is to be placed in the refrigerator, the weighing part is rotated to a working state to weigh, the identification unit can conveniently measure the weight of the target article placed on the weighing part, and when no article is to be placed, the weighing part can be operated to rotate to a closing state, so that occupied space is avoided.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the storage button and the fetching button are further arranged at the body of the article management device, the storage button is pressed down each time a target article is needed to be put into the refrigerator, and meanwhile the target article is placed on the weighing part, so that the identification unit and the weighing sensor acquire the type and the weight of the target article, and the management controller records the type and the weight of the target article. When the target article is taken out of the refrigerator, the management controller records the target article as the article taken out of the refrigerator, so that the management of the article in the refrigerator can be realized, and the current article state in the refrigerator is obtained.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the management controller is further connected with the mobile terminal through the communication module so as to send the quantity, information and weight of the articles in the refrigerator to the mobile terminal, thereby facilitating a user to know the information of the articles in the refrigerator from the mobile terminal in real time.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the sliding connection with the inner wall of the refrigerator is formed through the connecting part matched with the sliding groove arranged at the refrigerator at the article management device, and then the article management device can controllably move up and down through the driving of the driving component, so that the weighing part of the article management device lifts up the article placing plate in the refrigerator, weighing of the article placing plate is easy to realize, weight information at the article placing plate is obtained, and then the weight information is sent to the management controller so as to be displayed at the interactive unit.

Further, the article management device can be used as a target article identification and weighing device and can also be used as an article placing plate identification and weighing device in the refrigerator, so that functions and use scenes of the article management device are enriched.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the identification unit is provided as a rotatable member, which can increase the identification range to better identify the state of the articles in the refrigerator.

The above, as well as additional objectives, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Some specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter by way of example and not by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts or portions. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an article management apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an article management device according to an embodiment of the present invention from a first perspective;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second view of an article management device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the structure of an article management device and a target mounting portion according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the description of the present embodiment, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, only to facilitate description of the present invention and simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the description of the present embodiment, a description referring to the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples," etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

The terms "first," "second," and the like, are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature, i.e. one or more such features. When a feature "comprises or includes" a feature or some of its coverage, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may further include other features, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Unless specifically stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," "coupled," and the like should be construed broadly, as they may be fixed, removable, or integral, for example; can be mechanically or electrically connected; either directly or indirectly, through intermediaries, or both, may be in communication with each other or in interaction with each other, unless expressly defined otherwise. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the specific meaning of the terms described above in the present invention as the case may be.

Furthermore, in the description of the present embodiments, a first feature "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature therebetween. That is, in the description of the present embodiment, the first feature being "above", "over" and "upper" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature "under", "beneath", or "under" a second feature may be a first feature directly under or diagonally under the second feature, or simply indicate that the first feature is less level than the second feature.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the description of this embodiment have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an article management device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 1, in one embodiment, the article management device 100 includes an identification unit 10, a load cell 20, a management controller 30, a communication module 40, and an interaction unit 50. The identification unit 10 is used for identifying the kind of the target article, such as an article identification device such as an infrared device, a camera, etc. The load cell 20 is used to measure the weight of a target item. The management controller 30 is connected to both the identification unit 10 and the load cell 20. The communication module 40 is used for realizing communication connection between the management controller 30 and the refrigerator controller. The management controller 30 is configured to obtain recommended article storage information according to the type and weight of the target article, and layout information and type information of articles in the refrigerator sent by the refrigerator controller. Here, a matching of the refrigerator controller is required, a detection unit may be disposed in the refrigerator to obtain image information of the articles in the refrigerator, then the refrigerator controller performs data processing to obtain layout information and type information of the articles in the refrigerator, and then the layout information and type information of the articles in the refrigerator are sent to the management controller 30 through the communication module 40, and the management controller 30 gives recommended article storage information according to a preset algorithm according to the type and weight of the target articles, for example, consider volume matching, that is, consider that space is saved as much as possible after the target articles are placed in the refrigerator, and consider type matching, that is, some articles may cross each other, or put together to have mutual influence, for example, two articles are easy to deteriorate when the articles are put together. The interaction unit 50 is connected to the management controller 30 for displaying the item storage information. The interaction unit 50 here may be a display and/or a voice broadcasting device or the like.

The article management device 100 of the present embodiment can acquire the type and weight of the target article through the identification unit 10 and the load cell 20, then communicate with the refrigerator controller through the communication module 40 to acquire the type information and layout information of the article in the refrigerator, and then obtain the recommended article storage information according to the type information and layout information of the article in the refrigerator and the type and weight of the target article and display the article storage information through the interaction unit 50, so that the user can acquire the article storage information in time and properly place the article with reference to the information, and the occupied space of the article can be saved or the problems of article channeling, flavor deterioration and the like can be prevented.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of a first view of the article management device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of a second view of the article management device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 2, in one embodiment, the article management device 100 includes a body 60 and a weighing section 70. The body 60 is used to provide the recognition unit 10, the management controller 30, the communication module 40, and the interaction unit 50. The weighing section 70 is connected to the body 60 for setting the load cell 20. Further, as shown in fig. 3, the body 60 is provided with a fixing member 61 for connecting with the refrigerator, for example, the fixing member 61 may be a member that is convenient to disassemble and assemble, such as a magnetic attraction device and a suction cup, or may be effectively fixed by using a 3M glue or the like, and is not limited herein.

In this embodiment, the article management device 100 may be separately disposed at the refrigerator, and no modification is required to the structure of the refrigerator, so that the refrigerator with the article management device 100 can have the function of article management, and the original refrigerator becomes more intelligent and humanized.

In a further embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the weighing part 70 is connected to the body 60 through the rotation shaft 42, so that the weighing part 70 can be in a closed state parallel to the body 60 and an operating state perpendicular to the body 60.

In this embodiment, the body 60 and the weighing portion 70 are rotatably connected, so that after the body 60 is fixed to the refrigerator, when a target object is to be placed in the refrigerator, the weighing portion 70 is rotated to a working state to weigh, and the identification unit 10 can conveniently measure the weight of the target object placed on the weighing portion 70, and when no object is to be placed, the weighing portion 70 can be operated to rotate to a closed state, so that the occupied space is avoided.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the body 60 is further provided with a storage button 63 and an fetching button 64, both of which are connected to the management controller 30, wherein the management controller 30 records that the target object is an object stored in the refrigerator when the storage button 63 is operated, and the management controller 30 records that the target object is an object taken out of the refrigerator when the fetching button 64 is operated.

That is, each time it is required to put a target item into the refrigerator, the storage key 63 is pressed while the target item is placed in the weighing section 70 so that the identification unit 10 and the load cell 20 acquire the kind and weight of the target item, and at this time the management controller 30 records the kind and weight of the target item. When the target article is taken out of the refrigerator, the management controller 30 records the target article as the article taken out of the refrigerator, so that the management of the article in the refrigerator can be realized, and the current article state in the refrigerator is obtained.

In a further embodiment, the management controller 30 is further connected to the mobile terminal through the communication module 40, so as to send the quantity, information and weight of the articles in the refrigerator to the mobile terminal, thereby facilitating the user to know the information of the articles in the refrigerator from the mobile terminal in real time. The communication module 40 may include a WIFI module and/or a mobile communication module such as 4G/5G, so as to implement signal transmission.

In a further embodiment, the interaction unit 50 is provided at the body 60 and/or the mobile terminal. That is, the display unit and/or the voice broadcasting unit may be disposed at the body 60 to display various information, and the mobile terminal may also be utilized to display various information through a free display screen and/or the voice broadcasting unit, so that a user can know information of articles in the refrigerator timely.

As shown in fig. 2, in a further embodiment, the body 60 is further provided with a power supply module 65 for supplying power to the identification unit 10, the load cell 20, the management controller 30, the communication module 40 and the interaction unit 50. The power supply module 65 may be a wireless power supply module so that the refrigerator provided with the wireless power supply module 65 can realize wireless charging of the article management apparatus 100. The power module 65 may also be a replaceable or rechargeable battery to allow the article management device 100 to fit a conventional refrigerator without the wireless power module 65.

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of an article management device 100 and a target mounting portion according to another embodiment of the present invention. The target mounting component is a component inside the refrigerator, such as an inner wall of the liner, or an inner wall of the door body. In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the article management device 100 is further provided with a connecting portion 66 that forms a vertical sliding connection with the inner wall 201 of the refrigerator, where the connecting portion 66 may be a protrusion, and a sliding groove matching with the protrusion is provided at the inner wall 201 of the refrigerator, so that the connecting portion 66 may form a sliding connection with the sliding groove in a vertical direction. As shown in fig. 4, the article management device 100 further includes a driving assembly 80 for driving the article management device 100 to vertically slide with respect to the refrigerator inner wall 201 until the load cell 20 contacts the bottom of the shelf 202 of the refrigerator, so as to measure the load of the shelf 202. The drive assembly 80 may be an electric motor and hydraulic means may be used to output linear displacement means. The article management device 100 may be provided at opposite side inner walls of the refrigerator inner container, and the shelf 202 of the refrigerator may be provided with a relief groove for placing the body 60 so that the article management device 100 moves.

Of course, when the article management apparatus 100 is installed in the refrigerator, the self-contained identification unit 10 can identify the state of the articles in the refrigerator and transmit the identified state to the management controller 30.

The sliding connection with the inner wall 201 of the refrigerator is formed by the connecting part 66 matched with the sliding groove arranged at the refrigerator at the article management device 100, and then the article management device 100 can controllably move up and down by the driving of the driving component 80, so that the weighing part 70 of the article management device 100 lifts the shelf 202 in the refrigerator, weighing of the shelf 202 is easy to realize, weight information at the shelf 202 is obtained, and the weight information is sent to the management controller 30 for displaying at the interaction unit 50.

Further, the article management device 100 of the present embodiment can be used as a target article identification and weighing device, and also can be used as an identification and weighing device for the shelf 202 in the refrigerator, thereby enriching the functions and usage scenarios of the article management device 100.

Further, when the load of the shelf 202 measured by the object management device 100 is greater than the pre-warning value, corresponding pre-warning information can be generated, and pre-warning is performed through the interaction unit 50, so as to remind the user of the overweight problem of the shelf 202.

In another embodiment, the identification unit 10 is provided as a rotatable member to identify the status of each article in the refrigerator. For example, the recognition unit 10 is a camera rotatable by 360 °.

The present embodiment can increase the recognition range by providing the recognition unit 10 as a rotatable member to better recognize the state of the articles in the refrigerator.

Fig. 5 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator 200 according to the present invention. As shown in fig. 5, the present invention further provides a refrigerator 200, including the article management device 100 in any one of the embodiments or the combination of the embodiments, where the article management device 100 may be disposed at a door of the refrigerator 200.

The article management device 100 of the present embodiment can acquire the type and weight of the target article through the identification unit 10 and the load cell 20, then communicate with the refrigerator controller through the communication module 40 to acquire the type information and layout information of the article in the refrigerator, and then obtain the recommended article storage information according to the type information and layout information of the article in the refrigerator and the type and weight of the target article and display the article storage information through the interaction unit 50, so that the user can acquire the article storage information in time and properly place the article with reference to the information, and the occupied space of the article can be saved or the problems of article channeling, flavor deterioration and the like can be prevented.

By now it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while a number of exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein in detail, many other variations or modifications of the invention consistent with the principles of the invention may be directly ascertained or inferred from the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims (10)

1. An article management apparatus, comprising:

an identification unit configured to identify a kind of the target article;

a load cell for measuring the weight of the target object;

the management controller is connected with the identification unit and the weighing sensor;

the communication module is used for realizing communication connection between the management controller and the refrigerator controller;

the management controller is used for obtaining recommended article storage information according to the type and weight of the target article and the layout information and the type information of the articles in the refrigerator sent by the refrigerator controller;

and the interaction unit is connected with the management controller and used for displaying the article storage information.

2. The article management device according to claim 1, comprising:

the body is used for setting the identification unit, the management controller, the communication module and the interaction unit;

and the weighing part is connected with the body and is used for setting the weighing sensor.

3. The article management device of claim 2, wherein,

the body is provided with a fixing piece and is used for being connected with the refrigerator;

the weighing part is connected with the body through a rotating shaft, so that the weighing part can form a closing state parallel to the body and a working state perpendicular to the body.

4. The article management device of claim 3, wherein,

the body is also provided with a storage key and an object taking key which are both connected with the management controller, the management controller records that the target object is an object stored in the refrigerator when the storage key is operated, and the management controller records that the target object is an object taken out of the refrigerator when the object taking key is operated.

5. The article management device of claim 4, wherein,

the management controller is also connected with the mobile terminal through the communication module so as to send the quantity, information and weight of the articles in the refrigerator to the mobile terminal.

6. The article management device of claim 4, wherein,

the body is also provided with a power supply module for supplying power to the identification unit, the weighing sensor, the management controller, the communication module and the interaction unit.

7. The article management device of claim 1, wherein,

the interaction unit comprises a display and the recognition unit comprises a camera.

8. The article management device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein,

the article management device is also provided with a connecting part which is vertically and slidingly connected with the inner wall of the refrigerator;

the article management device further comprises a driving assembly for driving the article management device to vertically slide relative to the inner wall of the refrigerator until the weighing sensor is in contact with the bottom of the shelf of the refrigerator, so that the load of the shelf is measured.

9. The article management device of claim 8, wherein,

the identification unit is provided as a rotatable member to identify the status of each article in the refrigerator.

10. A refrigerator comprising the article management device of any one of claims 1 to 9.