JP2012225576A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator that maintains freshness of contents stored in the refrigerator and is user-friendly for a user.SOLUTION: The refrigerator includes: an operation device 201 for setting and operating a function of the refrigerator; a voice device 202 for informing an open warning of a door of the refrigerator; and a control device for controlling the voice device 202. A frequency or duty ratio of the sound coming from the voice device 202 is controlled and thereby the tone quality or the volume thereof is changed. As a result, a warning beep of the open warning of the door or an operation sound by the operation device 201 can be easily heard, and a state where the door is left open and wrong operations are prevented.

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with sound means for emitting a door opening warning sound or an operation sound.

  Conventionally, in order to prevent forgetting to close the refrigerator door, there is a refrigerator having a warning function, and as a refrigerator having such a warning function, a refrigerator main body having a door and a door for detecting opening and closing of the door Open / close detection means, interior light that illuminates the interior of the main unit, interior light drive circuit that turns on, flashes, extinguishes the interior light, etc. Warning sound generating means for emitting a warning sound for warning the alarm, and a control means for emitting a warning sound by the warning sound generating means and for flashing the interior lamp by the interior lamp driving circuit when the door is forgotten to be closed. A refrigerator equipped is proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 4 is an outline view showing the structure of a refrigerator provided with a conventional door opening warning function described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, 1 is a door of a refrigerator compartment, 2 is a door of a freezer compartment (upper), 3 is a refrigerator compartment door SW which is a door opening / closing detection means for detecting opening and closing of the door 1 of the refrigerator compartment, 4 is a freezer compartment (upper) ) Is a freezer compartment (upper) door SW which is a door opening / closing detection means for detecting the opening / closing of the door 2.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a circuit for controlling the vicinity of the interior lamp of the refrigerator in the first embodiment. In the figure, 9 is a microcomputer that constitutes a control means for controlling the entire refrigerator, 6 is a circuit for turning on / off the interior light 7 that illuminates the interior, and 8 is a buzzer that is a warning sound generating means for generating a warning sound, The buzzer 8 is attached in the hinge cover 5 of FIG. As a result, if you forget to close the door, the warning sound is generated by the warning sound generation means and the interior light blinks by the interior light drive circuit. In addition, it is possible to obtain from the eyes, the chance that the user notices greatly increases, and the effect of preventing the door from being opened for a long time can be obtained.

JP 2000-130917 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, when the user cannot move away from the refrigerator and visually recognize the state of the door, it depends on information from the ear, so the notification sound needs to be a sound that the user can easily notice.

  In addition, it can be installed on the door that covers the refrigerator storage room closest to the user as the installation location of audio means in the refrigerator, but it is composed of electronic components to avoid condensation due to temperature differences and moisture adhesion in the living environment. From the viewpoint of protection of sound means and safety, the sealing is high and the structure prevents the sound from leaking to the outside. Therefore, it may be difficult for the user to recognize the sound.

  In addition, as a method of raising the volume, there are contrivances such as increasing the size of the parts of the sound means and increasing the number of parts of the sound means to amplify the signal. Because of the increased space, it is difficult to achieve a design that does not impair the appearance.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and provides an optimal sound for a door opening warning notification sound and an operation sound for maintaining the freshness of storage items stored in a refrigerator without causing an increase in cost. An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that is user-friendly by making it selectable.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the refrigerator of the present invention includes an operation switch for setting and operating a function of the refrigerator on a door surface covering a storage room of the refrigerator, an operation sound when the operation switch is operated, or opening the door In a refrigerator provided with a sound means for generating a warning sound and a control device for controlling the sound means based on the input of the operation switch or the opening time of the door, the sound of the sound means is operated by operating the operation switch. In the change mode, the sound volume or sound quality of the sound means can be changed by operating the operation switch.

  Further, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a stepped portion on a part of the back surface of the decorative plate of the door facing the sound means, and the stepped portion is thinner than the other portion of the decorative plate, thereby opening the door warning. The volume can be increased.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while maintaining the freshness of the stored item accommodated in a refrigerator, the user-friendly refrigerator can be provided.

The front view of the refrigerator which represented typically the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention The cross-sectional view which shows the outline | summary of a structure of the operation part which concerns on embodiment of this invention The block diagram which shows the audio | voice change control which concerns on embodiment of this invention Outline drawing showing the structure of a refrigerator with a conventional door opening warning function Block diagram of a circuit for controlling a refrigerator with a conventional door opening warning function

  1st invention is the door which covers the storage room of a refrigerator, the operation switch which sets and operates the preset temperature of the said storage room on the front surface of the said door, and the said door was open | released more than predetermined time at the time of operation of the said operation switch Refrigerator comprising a control board provided with sound means for emitting an operation sound or a warning sound, a control board holding member for holding the control board on the door, and a decorative plate covering the front surface of the control board holding member In this case, by operating the operation switch, the sound change mode of the sound means is set, and the sound volume of the sound means can be changed by operating the operation switch. It is possible to set a warning to effectively warn with a setting according to the user's request.

  In the second aspect of the invention, in particular, by enabling the drive frequency input to the sound means of the first aspect of the invention to be changed by operating the operation switch, it is possible to change the amount of sound and effectively warn. it can.

  The third aspect of the invention is particularly effective because the voice volume can be changed by changing the duty ratio to a high output sound pressure according to the drive frequency input to the voice means of the second aspect of the invention. Can be warned.

  In a fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the refrigerator according to any one of the first to third aspects, a stepped portion is provided on a part of the back surface of the decorative plate facing the sound means, and the stepped portion is another portion of the decorative plate. By making it thinner than the portion, the amount of sound is amplified, and an effective warning can be made.

  Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1: shows the front view of the refrigerator which represented typically the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  In FIG. 1, a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment includes a storage compartment partitioned into three parts, an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage. Specifically, the upper storage room is the refrigeration room 110, the middle storage room is the freezer room 120, and the lower storage room is the vegetable room 130. In each storage room, the internal temperature of the refrigerator compartment 110 is about 2 to 3 ° C, the internal temperature of the freezer compartment 120 is about -18 to -20 ° C, and the internal temperature of the vegetable compartment 130 is about 2 to 2 ° C. 5 ° C. The refrigerator 100 in FIG. 1 also has an ice making room 140 and a switching room 150 at the lower part of the refrigerating room 110. In addition, in FIG. 1, the rectangular broken line represents the front opening part of each storage chamber.

  The refrigerating room 110 formed inside the main box 101 is provided with doors 111a and 111b that seal the refrigerating room 110 by covering the front opening. The door 111a can rotate about a vertical rotation shaft provided at the right end toward the front opening, and the door 111b is provided at the left end toward the front opening. It is possible to rotate around the vertical rotation axis. Thereby, the door 111 can be opened and closed in the left-right direction. Further, by opening and closing the door 111, the stored items can be stored in the refrigerator compartment 110, and the stored items can be taken out from the refrigerator compartment 110.

  The freezer compartment 120, the vegetable compartment 130, the ice making compartment 140, and the switching compartment 150 are provided with a door 121, a door 131, a door 141, and a door 151 that cover the front opening so as to be freely opened and closed. These doors are monitored by the door opening / closing detection means 160 for the opening / closing state of the doors.

  And the door 111 which covers a refrigerator compartment is provided with the operation part 200 which performs the setting operation of the function of a refrigerator, and the user can perform the setting operation of the function of a refrigerator.

  Next, the operation unit 200 in the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the operation unit 200 of the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an operation switch 201 is provided on the surface of the operation unit 200 according to the present embodiment, and a setting operation can be performed for the function of the refrigerator. Note that a plurality of operation switches may be provided as appropriate.

  Inside the operation unit 200, a substrate 203 having audio means 202 is provided on the decorative plate 205 via a substrate holding member 204. FIG. 2 shows a cross section of only a part of the decorative plate.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing voice change control according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention receives a signal from the door opening / closing detection means 160 or an input of an operation switch and receives the result of the voice control means 207 that performs control. It is possible to emit a sound corresponding to

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

  First, after the refrigerator is turned on, when the door 110, 121, 131, 141, or 151 of the refrigerator compartment is kept open for a predetermined time or longer, the sound control means 207 sounds the sound means 202 at the initial set volume. . At that time, when the user wants to change the sound volume, the sound volume can be changed from the initial setting by operating the operation switch 201.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by controlling the volume of the door opening warning sound according to the input of the operation switch, the sound volume can be selected, and the user can be effectively alerted with ease of use. it can.

  In the present embodiment, the sound quality can be changed by changing the drive frequency input to the sound means by the input of the operation switch, so that the user can be alerted easily and effectively.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it becomes possible to select a duty ratio having a high output sound pressure in accordance with the drive frequency input to the sound means by the input of the operation switch, and the user can be alerted conveniently and effectively.

  Further, in this embodiment, a part of the back surface of the decorative plate 205 facing the sound unit 202 is provided with a stepped portion, and the stepped portion is thinner than other portions of the decorative plate 205, thereby amplifying the sound volume. And can effectively warn.

  As described above, the refrigerator according to the present invention is useful as a refrigerator or the like that maintains the freshness of stored items such as vegetables and fruits.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Refrigerator 110 Refrigerated room 120 Freezer room 130 Vegetable room 140 Ice making room 150 Switching room 111a, 111b, 121, 131, 141, 151 Door 160 Door opening / closing detection means 200 Operation part 201 Operation switch 202 Audio | voice means 203 Substrate 204 Substrate holding member 205 Decorative plate 206 Operation switch input 207 Voice control means

Claims (4)

A door that covers the storage room of the refrigerator; an operation switch that sets and operates the set temperature of the storage room on the front of the door; and an operation sound or a warning sound when the operation switch is operated or when the door is opened for a predetermined time or more. A control board having sound means for emitting a sound, a control board holding member that holds the control board on the door, and a decorative plate that covers a front surface of the control board holding member. Thus, the sound change mode of the sound means is set, and the sound volume of the sound means can be changed by operating the operation switch. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the sound volume of the sound means can be changed by operating the operation switch. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the sound volume of the sound means can be changed to a duty ratio with a high output sound pressure according to the driving frequency. 4. The step according to claim 1, further comprising a stepped portion on a part of the back surface of the decorative plate facing the sound means, wherein the stepped portion is thinner than other portions of the decorative plate. The refrigerator described.