JP2010169383A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that illumination detection accuracy is deteriorated by shading due to the movement of hands, posters, etc., and a refrigerator operation mode for appeal achievement cannot be correctly changed when an illumination detection means is installed on a front surface of a refrigerator body for carrying out illumination detection around the front surface of the refrigerator. <P>SOLUTION: In the refrigerator, the illumination detection means 8 is arranged on a vertical axis of an operation substrate 7 and above the axis to eliminate the shading of light to the illumination detection means 8. Accordingly, a possibility of shading a light receiving part of the illumination detection means can be reduced and illumination can be correctly detected, thus improving illumination accuracy detected by the illumination detection means. Especially, a malfunction caused by a disturbance factor can be prevented. The refrigerator operation mode can be securely changed according to a detected illumination level, thus improving the illumination accuracy. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator in which illuminance detection means such as an optical sensor for detecting ambient brightness is installed on the surface of a main body.

  Conventionally, this type of refrigerator is provided with a light detection element on the surface of the door to detect the brightness of the surroundings, and in the case of darkness, there is one that performs power saving operation by controlling the rotation speed of a compressor or a fan motor (for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 6 shows a side view of a conventional refrigerator described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the refrigerator main body 1, the fan motor 2, the inverter frequency control unit 3, the inverter main circuit unit 4, the compressor 5, the storage room door 7, and the storage room door 7 are installed on the surface. And a light sensing element 6.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-93671

  However, in the conventional configuration, the specific location of the mounting position of the light detecting element is not clear, and depending on the mounting position, the light receiving portion of the light detecting element may be stuck on the refrigerator door surface or when a person stands on the front For example, it has a problem of being shielded from light.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a refrigerator capable of accurately detecting illuminance on the front surface of the refrigerator and performing a reliable control operation using the detected illuminance level.

  In order to solve the conventional problem, the present invention provides a refrigerator main body, an operation board provided on a front door of the refrigerator main body, a temperature setting change provided on the operation board, a current temperature setting, or the like. Provided with a display unit for confirming the operation state of the refrigerator, and illuminance detection means for detecting the brightness in the vicinity of the front surface of the refrigerator main body, the illuminance detection unit being disposed above the display unit.

  Further, the present invention is a refrigerator main body, an operation board provided on the front surface of the refrigerator main body, an operation switch on which the user provided in the operation board performs operations such as temperature setting of the refrigerator and operation mode switching, Illuminance detection means for detecting the brightness in the vicinity of the front surface of the refrigerator body is provided, and the illuminance detection means is disposed above the operation switch.

  With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the light receiving unit of the illuminance detection means is shielded and to accurately detect the illuminance, so that the illuminance accuracy detected by the illuminance detection means can be improved, Can be prevented, and the refrigerator operation mode can be reliably changed according to the detected illuminance level.

The refrigerator of this invention can provide the refrigerator provided with the illumination intensity detection means which improved the illumination intensity precision.

Front view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 1 of the present invention The block diagram of the operation board of the refrigerator in Embodiment 2 of this invention Control flow chart of illuminance detection of the refrigerator in Embodiment 3 of the present invention Front view of the refrigerator in Embodiment 4 of the present invention AA sectional view of FIG. Side view of a conventional refrigerator

  1st invention confirms the driving | running state of a refrigerator, such as a refrigerator main body, the operation board provided in the door of the front surface of the said refrigerator main body, the change of the temperature setting with which the said operation board was equipped, or the present temperature setting The display unit and illuminance detection means for detecting brightness near the front surface of the refrigerator main body are provided, and the illuminance detection unit is disposed above the display unit, so that the user can psychologically hide the display unit. It is possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means will be shielded from light by the sticker etc. .

  The second invention includes a refrigerator body, an operation board provided on the front surface of the refrigerator body, and an operation switch on which a user provided on the operation board performs operations such as temperature setting of the refrigerator and operation mode switching, Illuminance detection means for detecting the brightness in the vicinity of the front surface of the refrigerator main body is provided, and the illuminance detection means is disposed above the operation switch, whereby the illuminance detection means by hand when a person operates the operation switch Therefore, it is possible to further prevent erroneous detection of the illuminance level.

The third invention is provided with illuminance detection means on the operation board, and can be provided with illuminance detection means with a simpler configuration by eliminating the connection harness between the operation board and the illuminance detection means. Furthermore, since the illuminance detection means is arranged on the operation board provided with a display unit, operation switch, etc., the user can psychologically hide the display unit from the paper surface such as a memo or flyer on the refrigerator door surface. Therefore, it is inevitably possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means is shielded from light by the sticker or the like.
The

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the illuminance detection means is provided above the operation board, and it is possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means is shielded from light by a sticker or the like. Since there is a means, the distance from the lighting device is reduced, and light shielding by an obstacle is also reduced, so that illuminance detection can be performed with high reliability.

  5th invention performs the control driving | operation which switches to power saving mode using the illuminance level detected by the illuminance detection means, and informs the vicinity of the illuminance detection means that the illuminance is being detected by LED illumination etc. Means and displays that appeal to eco-driving, and can effectively appeal to the user that illuminance detection and eco-driving are being performed, reducing the possibility of light shielding by stickers etc. The possibility of doing so can be greatly reduced.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those of the conventional example or the embodiments described above, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, there is a door for each storage room on the front surface of the refrigerator body 1, and a refrigeration room door 2, an ice making room door 3, a switching room door 4, a freezing room door 5, and a vegetable room door 6 are laid out in order from the top. ing. An operation board 7 is disposed near the center of the refrigerator compartment door 2.

  The operation board 7 is provided with a display unit for confirming the operation state of the refrigerator such as a temperature setting change or a current temperature setting, and this display unit is used by a female of average height assumed to be a general user. An illuminance detection means 8 is provided on the vertical axis of the display unit and above it. Illuminance detection means 8 can be specifically configured by using an optical sensor having a photodiode or phototransistor as a base element.

  The illuminance detection means 8 is located above the center line 2a in the vertical direction of the refrigerator compartment door 2 and is divided into three equal parts in the height direction of the refrigerator compartment door 2, that is, in the vertical direction, the central compartment 2c, and the lower compartment 2d. The upper section 2b, which is the section located at the highest position in the case, is provided.

  The layout of the door is a typical one and is not limited to this layout.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the illuminance detection means 8 attached to the front surface of the refrigerator main body 1 detects the illuminance level around the refrigerator due to solar radiation or irradiation of indoor lighting equipment. The detected illuminance level is input to the control means (not shown) of the refrigerator body 1 and, if it is smaller than a predetermined value determined in advance, it is determined that there is no nighttime or human activity, and the operation of the refrigerator is slightly improved in cooling performance. Switch to the saved power saving mode. When the illuminance level becomes larger than the specified value, the operation is returned to the normal mode.

  At this time, if the light receiving surface of the illuminance detecting means 8 is blocked, accurate illuminance detection becomes impossible, and switching to the power saving mode and returning to the normal mode cannot be performed. In general, as a factor for shielding light, it is conceivable that a paper surface or the like is attached to the surface of the refrigerator compartment door 2. However, in the present embodiment, since the illuminance detection means 8 is installed above the vertical axis of the display unit provided on the operation board 7, which is very unlikely to be pasted, erroneous illuminance detection is performed. Nothing will happen.

  In other words, the display unit is provided at a height in the vicinity of the eyes of a woman of average height assumed to be a general user, and the illuminance detection means 8 is higher than the height of the eyes of a woman of average height. Since it is arrange | positioned at the upper part, when a user stands in the front, possibility that it will be light-shielded can be reduced.

  In addition, by providing the illuminance detection means 8 directly above the display unit provided on the operation board 7, the user avoids sticking on the refrigerator door surface in a state where the display unit is psychologically hidden. Since there is a tendency, it is inevitably possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means 8 provided immediately above the operation board 7 is shielded from light by a sticker or the like.

The term “directly above the display unit” as used in the present invention is intended to take into account the size at which the display unit is hidden when a sticker is placed on the front side of at least the illuminance detection means, even if the configuration is not necessarily adjacent. Therefore, in consideration of 30 cm which is the size of a general leaflet or the like, the directly upper portion defines a size within 30 cm above the display portion as the directly upper portion. Further, if the illuminance detection means 8 is provided on the upper side, preferably within 15 cm which enters the field of view when the user confirms the display unit, the user's psychologically sticking to that part as the upper part. You can encourage them to avoid it.

  The illuminance detection means 8 is located above the center line 2a in the height direction of the refrigerator compartment door 2 and in the upper compartment 2b, the central compartment 2c, and the lower compartment 2d divided into three equal parts in the height direction of the refrigerator compartment door 2. In this case, it is provided in the upper section 2b, which is a section located at the highest position in the case, so that it may be shielded from light when the user stands in front of the illuminance detection means 8 as described above. It is possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means 8 is shielded from light by a sticker or the like.

  In addition, by providing the illuminance detection means 8 in the upper part of the refrigerator as described above, since there is the illuminance detection means above, the distance from the lighting device is reduced, and the light shielding by the obstacle is also reduced, so the reliability is high. Illuminance detection can be performed.

  That is, generally in an environment where a home refrigerator is installed, a lighting device is arranged near the ceiling of a room (or kitchen) located above the refrigerator. For example, when there is no user, the lighting device is turned off. Illuminance detection means 8 is located near the lighting when detecting that the lighting device is turned on or when the lighting device is turned on when the user is nearby. Illuminance detection accuracy can be improved.

  Furthermore, in order to reduce the possibility of such light shielding, a notification means for notifying the user that illuminance is being detected with LED illumination or the like in the vicinity of the illuminance detection means 8, or ecological driving is appealed. Such a display is more effective. For example, the display that appeals to eco-driving may be provided with a portion printed with the letters “eco” or a pattern that is reminiscent of ecology. It is more effective when appealing.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the illuminance detection means 8 is arranged on the vertical axis of the display unit provided on the operation board 7 and above, so that the paper sticking to the refrigerator door and the light from the lighting device Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the cause of disturbance due to light shielding or the like, and to realize a power saving mode or the like by highly accurate illuminance detection.

  In the present embodiment, the illuminance detection means 8 is arranged on the vertical axis of the display unit provided on the operation board 7. However, in consideration of the size of a flyer or the like, the illuminance detection means 8 is not necessarily on the vertical axis. Considering 30cm, which is the size of a flyer, etc., if it is within 30cm from the vertical axis in the left-right direction, the display will be hidden when the poster is placed in front of the illuminance detection means. If it is provided with the illuminance detection means 8 on the upper side within 15 cm which enters the visual field when the user confirms the display unit, more preferably, the user's psychological sticker is attached to that portion. Can be encouraged to avoid doing.

  In FIG. 1, which is a drawing corresponding to the present embodiment, the refrigerator compartment door 2 is composed of two doors. However, the door configuration is not limited to this and is a single door. However, it goes without saying that the same technical idea can be applied.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the operation board of the refrigerator in the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, detailed description of the same parts in the configuration of the refrigerator in the first embodiment is omitted. Further, in the present embodiment, another embodiment of the configuration of the operation board having the display unit and the illuminance detection unit of the first embodiment will be described, and the configuration of the refrigerator and the illuminance detection unit of the first embodiment will be described. The same technical idea can be applied to the arrangement configuration and its effects.

  In FIG. 2, a plurality of operation switches 9 for adjusting the set temperature and switching the operation mode are arranged below the operation board 7. On the upper part of the operation switch 9, a plurality of indicator lamps 10 made up of, for example, LEDs that are light sources are arranged to display the state set by the operation switch 9, and characters and pictures are displayed on the display unit. The indicator lamp 10 performs light irradiation for the purpose. Further, an illuminance detection means 8 is disposed on the upper part of the indicator lamp 10, and is configured on one board of the operation board 7 together with the operation switch 9 and the indicator lamp 10.

  In this way, the illuminance detection means 8 is configured integrally with the operation board 7.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  In the present embodiment, the operation switch 9, the indicator lamp 10, and the illuminance detection means 8 are disposed on the operation board 7 which is a single board.

  Since the illuminance detection means 8 is positioned at least above the operation switch 9, the illuminance detection means 8 is disposed above the operation switch 9 that is a user but operates with a hand. It is possible to encourage the person to avoid putting a sticker on that part psychologically. It is possible to prevent the illuminance detection means 8 from being shielded by the user's operation, and to eliminate driving problems due to erroneous detection of illuminance.

  That is, the operation switch 9 that is an operation unit that performs operations such as temperature setting of the refrigerator by touching the user is provided below the indicator lamp 10 and the illuminance detection means 8, so that a person can operate the operation switch 9. Even when the user is operating the display unit, the display unit is not hidden by the hand, and further, it is possible to prevent light from being blocked on the illuminance detection means 8 by human movement.

  Furthermore, a notification means for notifying the user that the illuminance is being detected with LED illumination or the like is provided in the vicinity of the illuminance detection means 8, and further provided with an illuminance detection means 8 immediately above the notification means. Therefore, it is possible to effectively appeal to the user that the illuminance detection is performed, so that it is possible to greatly reduce the possibility of reducing the possibility of being blocked by a sticker or the like.

  Further, since the illuminance detection means 8 is configured integrally with the operation board 7, the user can psychologically hide the operation board 7 having the display unit for the temperature setting of the storage room and the operation switch 9 in a hidden state. Since there is a tendency to avoid sticking paper on the surface, it is inevitably possible to reduce the possibility that the illuminance detection means 8 provided immediately above the operation substrate 7 is shielded from light by the sticking paper, etc. The connection harness between the operation board 7 and the illuminance detection means 8 becomes unnecessary, and the illuminance detection means 8 can be provided with a resource-saving and simple configuration.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 is a control flowchart for detecting the illuminance of the refrigerator in the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the detailed description of portions to which the same configuration and technical idea can be applied in the configuration of the refrigerator in the first and second embodiments is omitted.

Moreover, in this Embodiment, the control method of the illumination intensity detection means as described in Embodiment 1 and 2 is demonstrated, Comprising: The structure of the refrigerator of the said Embodiment 1 and 2 and the arrangement configuration of illumination intensity detection means, The same technical idea can be applied to the effect.

  The operation will be described below with reference to FIG.

  First, in the operation state in the main control flow, it is determined whether the illuminance detection means 8 performs the illuminance detection as step 1, and if detection is performed, the logic proceeds to step 2, otherwise the logic is returned to the main control flow. . Next, in step 2, it is determined whether or not the indicator lamp 10 is lit. If the indicator lamp 10 is lit, the logic advances to step 3 to turn off the indicator lamp 10, and if not, the logic advances to step 4. In step 4, the illuminance detection means 8 detects the illuminance and returns the logic to the main control flow.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when illuminance detection is performed by the illuminance detection means 8, the indicator lamp 10 is completely turned off, so that the leakage illuminance from the indicator lamp 10 is not erroneously detected and is accurate. Illuminance detection can be performed.

(Embodiment 4)
In the present embodiment, the detailed description of the portions to which the same technical idea can be applied in the configuration of the refrigerator in the first and second embodiments will be omitted.

  FIG. 4 is a front view of the refrigerator in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

  In the figure, there is a door for each storage room on the front face of the refrigerator main body 1, and in order from the top, the refrigerator compartment left door 12a and the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, the ice making compartment door 3, the switching compartment, which are a double door type door. A door 4, a freezer compartment door 5, and a vegetable compartment door 6 are laid out. The surface of each door is made of metal, and a sticker or the like can be attached with a magnet. The operation board 7 is disposed near the left end of the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, that is, in the vicinity of the junction that is the boundary with the refrigerator compartment left door 12a, and the illuminance detection means is on the vertical extension line of the operation board 7 and on the upper side. 8 is provided. The illuminance detection means 8 can be specifically configured by using an optical sensor having a photodiode or phototransistor as a base element.

  Next, in FIG. 5, the left door gasket 20a is arranged on the end face of the refrigerator compartment left door 12a, and the right door gasket 20b is arranged on the end face of the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, respectively. It becomes the structure by which a refrigerator compartment is sealed reliably. There is a recess at the left end of the refrigerator door right door 12b, which is the larger door of the left and right doors, and the operation board 7 on which the illuminance detection means 8 is mounted is stored in the recess. It is fixed with a cover 22. The substrate cover 22 has a substrate cover side wall surface 22 a that surrounds the entire circumference of the illuminance detection means 8, prevents light from entering from the side surface, and has an opening above the illuminance detection means 8.

  In addition, an operation unit cover 19 is provided at the upper part of the substrate cover 22 and covers the entire door side of the substrate cover 22, in other words, the left end of the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, which is the larger of the left and right doors. The board cover 22 is continuously disposed in the vertical direction and is mounted on the refrigerator compartment right door 12b.

  On the front side of the illuminance detection means 8 of the operation unit cover 19, there is a light receiving unit cover 21 made of a material that transmits the wavelength of visible light, and the illuminance around the refrigerator is received through the light receiving unit cover 21. The operation unit cover 19 and the light receiving unit cover are made of resin and do not stick magnets. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit cover 19 is disposed so as to protrude forward from the plane of the refrigerator compartment right door 12 b, and operation unit cover taper portions 19 a are provided on both end surfaces.

  In this way, the illuminance detection means 8 is provided at a location having a convex shape that protrudes beyond the door of the refrigerator compartment. In the present embodiment, the location having the convex shape is formed by the operation portion cover 19.

  The layout of the doors other than the refrigerator compartment is representative and is not limited to this layout.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, the illuminance detection means 8 attached to the front door of the refrigerator main body 1 detects the illuminance level around the refrigerator due to solar radiation or irradiation of room lighting equipment through the light receiving unit cover 21. The detected illuminance level is input to the control means (not shown) of the refrigerator body 1 and, if it is smaller than a predetermined value determined in advance, it is determined that there is no nighttime or human activity, and the operation of the refrigerator is slightly improved in cooling performance. Switch to the saved power saving mode. When the illuminance level becomes larger than the specified value, the operation is returned to the normal mode.

At this time, if light enters the light receiving surface of the illuminance detecting means 8, that is, the light receiving unit cover 21, accurate illuminance detection becomes impossible, and switching to the power saving mode and returning to the normal mode are accurate. Can not be done in.
One of the causes of light shielding is that when the refrigerator is actually used, the user must attach a sheet of paper, such as a flyer or paper with contact information, to the door surface made of metal. There are many. In the configuration of the present embodiment, it is conceivable to attach a sticker 18 such as a paper surface to the surface of the refrigerator compartment left door 12a or the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, which is a metal surface.

  However, in the present embodiment, since the illuminance detection means 8 is installed above the operation board 7 where the user sets the temperature of the storage room, etc., the sticker 18 is placed on the front side of the operation board 7, that is, the operation board. Since it is estimated that the user is unlikely to put the sticker 18 in such an arrangement that the cover 7 becomes invisible, the sticker is put so as to block the front of the illuminance detection means 8 provided on the upper side of the operation board 7. Possibility can be reduced and it can prevent that the detection precision of the illumination intensity detection means 8 falls.

  Moreover, in the refrigerator of the French structure door which has a double door type right and left door like this Embodiment, when these sticker papers 18 are affixed, the refrigerator door left door 12a and refrigerator door right door 12b which are left and right doors are used. Even if it is pasted on the surface, if the sticker 18 is placed on the front side of the left and right door joint 17 that is the joint of these left and right doors, the sticker 18 may be sandwiched when the door is opened and closed Therefore, there is a high possibility that the user will affix other than the left and right door joints 17. Therefore, since the possibility of sticking a sticker on the left and right door joints is very low, the possibility that the sticker 18 is stuck on the front side of the illuminance detection means 8 is low, and the detection accuracy of the illuminance detection means 8 is reduced. Can be prevented.

  In this way, the operation unit cover 19 is provided in the vicinity of the opening and closing of the French door, and it is impossible to open and close both doors, so the user greatly reduces the possibility of attaching the paper to this part. Therefore, the probability that the light receiving unit cover 21 is shielded from light by sticking the sticker 18 on the front side of the illuminance detection means 8 is very small.

Further, in the present embodiment, the operation unit cover 19 is more convex than the plane of the refrigerator compartment right door 12b, so that it is difficult to attach the paper surface to the light receiving unit cover 21. Further, since the operation unit cover 19 is provided with an operation unit cover taper portion 19a, even if a sticker is attached to the door as shown in FIG. 2, the paper is lifted away from the refrigerator door surface, and the light receiving unit cover 21 is not completely shielded from light.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the illuminance detection means 8 is provided on the vertical axis of the operation board 7 and above it, and is installed near the boundary of the refrigerator compartment left door 12a of the refrigerator compartment right door 12b. Since the cover 19 is more convex than the door plane and the operation unit cover taper portion 19a is provided on both end surfaces, it is possible to eliminate disturbance factors due to paper sticking to the refrigerator door and light shielding from the lighting equipment. It is possible to realize the power saving mode and the like by detecting the illuminance with high accuracy.

  In this embodiment, the illuminance detection means 8 is mounted on the larger door of the left and right doors, but the smaller of the left and right doors regardless of the size of the door. Of course, the door can be provided with illuminance detection means 8. Furthermore, it is of course possible to apply the same technology to a door with a French structure in which the left and right doors have the same dimensions. It will be determined as appropriate.

  The refrigerator according to the present invention can be implemented and applied to control in which an illuminance detection means is provided in a household or commercial refrigerator and the operation mode is switched to a power saving operation or the like using the result.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator body 2 Refrigeration room door 3 Ice making room door 4 Switching room door 5 Freezing room door 6 Vegetable room door 7 Operation board 8 Illuminance detection means 9 Operation switch 10 Indicator light 11 Refrigeration body 12a Refrigeration room left door 12b Refrigeration room right door 19 Operation part cover 19a Operation part cover taper part 20a Left door gasket 20b Right door gasket 21 Light receiving part cover 22 Substrate cover 22a Substrate cover side wall surface

Claims (5)

A refrigerator main body, an operation board provided on a door on the front surface of the refrigerator main body, a display unit for confirming an operating state of the refrigerator such as a temperature setting change or a current temperature setting provided in the operation board, and the refrigerator A refrigerator comprising illuminance detection means for detecting brightness in the vicinity of the front surface of the main body, the illuminance detection means being arranged above the display unit. A refrigerator main body, an operation board provided on a door on the front surface of the refrigerator main body, an operation switch for a user provided on the operation board to perform temperature setting and operation mode switching operation of the refrigerator, and the refrigerator main body A refrigerator comprising illuminance detection means for detecting brightness in the vicinity of the front surface, wherein the illuminance detection means is disposed above the operation switch. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising illuminance detection means on the operation board. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising illuminance detection means above the operation board. A control operation for switching to a power saving mode using the illuminance level detected by the illuminance detection means is performed. The refrigerator as described in any one of Claim 1 to 4 which performs the display which appeals.