JP2013127364A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a user perceive that an operation of the user has been detected by a touch switch using a capacitance type sensor.SOLUTION: A refrigerator includes: a door 22 for closing a front opening part of a refrigerator body; the touch switch 36 configured using the capacitance type sensor provided to the door for detecting the amount of capacitance of a human body; a light emitting diode 46 for notifying the user that the touch sensor 36 has detected the amount of capacitance of the user; and a resin plate 40 formed with a plurality of windows 62. The refrigerator is configured such that the light emitting diode 46 is disposed behind an opaque part 64 of the resin plate 40 so that it cannot be seen from the refrigerator front side via the windows 62, and light emitted by the light emitting diode 46 is displayed as lighting to the outside indirectly via the windows 62.

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Conventionally, it has been proposed to detect an operation by a user using a capacitive sensor on a touch switch provided on the front face of a refrigerator door (see Patent Document 1 below).
JP 2001-33150 A

  However, unlike a touch switch using a micro switch, a touch switch using a capacitive sensor is perceptual (tactile) whether the user recognizes (detects) the operation of the touch switch. ) Difficult to grasp.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the refrigerator which can make a user perceive that the touch switch using an electrostatic capacitance type sensor detected operation of a user.

  The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a door that closes the front opening of the refrigerator main body, a touch switch that is provided on the door and detects a capacitance of a human body, and the touch switch. A light emitting diode that notifies the user that the switch has detected the electrostatic capacity of the user; and a resin plate on which a plurality of windows are formed. The light emitting diode is provided in the refrigerator via the window. It is arranged behind the opaque part of the resin plate so as not to be seen from the front, and is configured so that the light emitted from the light emitting diode is indirectly lit and displayed outside through the window.

  According to the present invention, when the user operates the touch switch and the capacitance sensor detects the user's capacitance, the light emitting diode notifies the user of the fact. Can easily perceive that its own operation is recognized by the touch switch.

  Hereinafter, the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated based on drawing.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment in a closed state, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator 10 in an opened state. This refrigerator 10 is provided with a left and right refrigerating chamber 12 with a double door opening door at the top, and an ice making chamber 14 and freezing chambers 16 and 18 are provided below the refrigerating chamber 12 by a drawer door system.

  In the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 12, the opening is divided in the width direction, and the double door type left door 22 and the right door are pivotally supported by hinges 20, 20 provided on both the left and right sides of the refrigerator body 11. 24 is provided, and the refrigerator compartment 12 is closed by both doors 22 and 24. Gaskets 26 are attached to the peripheral edges of the back surfaces of the doors 22 and 24, and are in contact with the opening edge of the refrigerator main body 11 and the vertical partition 28 provided on the back surface of the left door 22. 12 is sealed.

  A door opening device 30 for automatically opening the doors 22 and 24 in a closed state is provided at the front upper portion of the refrigerator main body 11. The door opening device 30 includes a pair of left and right pushers 32, 32 that are operated by an actuator such as a solenoid, and the doors 22, 24 are moved forward by pressing the rear surfaces of the doors 22, 24 forward by the pushers 32, 32. It is configured to be pushed open. As shown in FIG. 3, the door opening device 30 is connected to a main control unit (main control circuit) 34 of the refrigerator 10, and the door opening operation is performed by a drive signal output from the main control unit 34. Configured to do.

  Touch switches 36 and 36 for outputting a signal for driving the door opening device 30 by a user's operation are provided on the front surfaces of the doors 22 and 24. In this example, the touch switch 36 is provided on the front surfaces of the handles 38 and 38 formed on the edge portion on the opposite pivot side facing the pivot side of the doors 22 and 24, respectively.

  The touch switch 36 is configured using a capacitance type sensor that detects the capacitance of the human body. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the capacitive touch switch 36 includes a resin plate 40 such as an acrylic plate that forms a front surface portion as a touch portion that a user touches, and a rear side of the resin plate 40. And a conductor 42 such as a metal plate that constitutes a detection electrode provided in an overlapping manner, and a capacitance detection circuit 44 connected to the conductor 42. When a human body comes into contact with the front surface of the resin plate 40, the capacitance formed with the conductor 42 changes. Therefore, by detecting this change in capacitance with the capacitance detection circuit 44, the user can change the capacitance. Can detect that the touch switch 36 has been operated.

  The capacitance detection circuit 44 is connected to the main control unit 34 of the refrigerator 10, and outputs a signal to the main control unit 34 when detecting the user's capacitance. The output signal is input to a microcomputer (not shown) mounted on the main control unit 34, and a drive signal is output from the microcomputer to the door opening device 30 as described above.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on the front surfaces of the doors 22 and 24, the touch switches 36 and 36 detect the user's capacitance, that is, the user's operation is performed by the touch switches 36 and 36. Is provided with notification means 46 and 46 for notifying the user that the recognition has been made. The notification means 46 is provided in the vicinity of the resin plate 40 that is a touch portion so that it can be easily recognized by a user who operates the touch switch 36. In this example, a light emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as an LED) as a light emitter. .).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the LED 46 is connected to the capacitance detection circuit 44 via the LED drive circuit 48. When the capacitance detection circuit 44 detects the user's capacitance, the signal is displayed. The LED 46 is input to the LED drive circuit 48, and the LED 46 is thereby turned on.

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of opening / closing control of the doors 22 and 24 in the refrigerator 10. In step A1, when the user operates the touch switch 36 from the closed state of the doors 22 and 24 and the touch switch 36 detects the electrostatic capacity of the user, the signal is input to the LED drive circuit 48. Thus, in step A2, notification to the user by the LED 46 is started. When the touch switch 36 detects the capacitance of the user, the signal is input to the microcomputer of the main control unit 34, and the microcomputer determines whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed since the start of notification (step 1). A3) After a predetermined time has elapsed, a drive signal is output to the door opening device 30 to start driving the door opening device 30 (step A4). In step A5, after driving of the door opening device 30 is completed, it is determined whether or not the doors 22 and 24 are closed in step A6. If the doors 22 and 24 are closed, the process returns to step A1 to be opened by the user. It will be in the state of waiting for door operation (standby state).

  When the touch switch 36 detects the user's capacitance in the refrigerator 10 configured as described above, the LED 46 in the vicinity of the touch switch 36 is turned on, so that the user can recognize his operation by the touch switch 36. You can visually grasp that. That is, unlike a touch switch using a micro switch, with a capacitive touch switch, it is difficult for the user to recognize the operation by touch, but in the present embodiment, this is easily recognized visually. can do.

  In addition, the door opening device 30 is driven after a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of notification to the user by turning on the LED 46, and the recognition and notification by the touch switch 36 and the start of driving of the door opening device 30 are performed. Therefore, the door opening device 30 can be operated safely.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of an afterglow circuit 50 that is incorporated to gradually turn off the lit LED 46 in the embodiment.

  The afterglow circuit 50 includes a first transistor (PNP type) 52 as a switching element connected to the capacitance detection circuit 44, and a first power source 54 for applying a voltage between the emitter and collector of the first transistor 52. A capacitor (electrolytic capacitor) 56 connected to the collector side of the first transistor 52, and a second transistor (NPN type) 58 as a switching element branched and connected to the capacitor 56 on the collector side of the first transistor 52, A second power supply 60 for applying a voltage between the emitter and collector of the second transistor 58, and the LED 46 as the notification means provided between the second power supply 60 on the collector side of the second transistor 58; It is configured with.

  When the electrostatic capacity detection circuit 44 detects the electrostatic capacity of the user and outputs a signal from the circuit 44, the first transistor 52 is turned on, and the first power source 54 supplies a current between the emitter and the collector. , The capacitor 56 is charged, and the base current Ib flows to turn on the second transistor 58. The collector current Ic flowing from the second power source 60 to the second transistor 58 causes current to flow to the LED 46, and the LED 46 Light.

  From this state, when the capacitance detection circuit 44 no longer detects the user's capacitance, the output from the circuit 44 is lost. Therefore, the first transistor 52 is turned off, and the current from the first power supply 54 is stopped. Then, this time, the capacitor 56 starts discharging, and the base current Ib is supplied from the capacitor 56 to the second transistor 58, whereby the second transistor 58 is maintained in the ON state and the LED 46 is maintained in the lighting state. However, since the voltage of the capacitor 56 gradually decreases due to the discharge, the base current Ib supplied to the second transistor 58 also gradually decreases. As the base current Ib decreases, the collector current Ic of the second transistor 58 also decreases, that is, the current flowing through the LED 46 also decreases. As a result, the LED 46 gradually becomes darker and the capacitor 56 is discharged. When the base current Ib disappears, the second transistor 58 is turned off and the LED 46 is turned off.

  Thus, in this embodiment, when the touch switch 36 stops detecting the user's capacitance, the LED 46 that is lit is gradually turned off. It is easy for the user to imagine ON / OFF. That is, the LED 46 that is turned on when the touch switch 36 detects the user's capacitance and is turned on gradually turns off when the user's capacitance is no longer detected, thereby gradually turning off this phenomenon. The user can be reminded of the image of OFF. Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same functions and effects are exhibited.

  6 and 7 show an example in which the LED 46 as a notification unit is incorporated in the touch switch 36 in the above embodiment. In other words, in this example, a plurality of transparent windows 62 are provided in the resin plate 40 as the touch portion, and the LED 46 is connected to the conductor 42 behind the resin plate 40 so that the LEDs 46 cannot be seen from the front of the refrigerator through the transparent window 62. The light emitted from the LED 42 is indirectly lit and displayed outside via a plurality of transparent windows 62.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the transparent window 62 is formed in a lattice shape arranged in a plurality of rows (here, 4 rows × 8 rows). For example, the transparent window 62 is colorless and transparent. The opaque portion 64 is black opaque. The resin plate 40 having such a transparent window 62 can be formed by providing a colored shielding layer constituting the opaque portion 64 in a lattice shape on the surface portion of a transparent resin plate such as an acrylic plate. The LEDs 46 are disposed behind the opaque portion 64. In this example, two upper and lower LEDs 46 are provided, for example, blue light emitting diodes are used.

  As described above, the LED 46 as the notification means is incorporated in the touch switch 36, and the touch part is configured so that the part that is touched by the user is lit, thereby appealing to the user's vision more effectively. Can do. In addition, since the light of the blue LED 46 is indirectly leaked from a large number of minute transparent windows 62 provided in the black opaque portion 64, it is possible to improve the appearance design by providing a fantastic visual effect. . Further, in this case, when the touch switch 36 no longer detects the user's capacitance as described above, the lit LED 46 is gradually turned off, thereby further improving the visual effect. Can be increased. Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the same functions and effects are exhibited.

  FIG. 8 shows still another embodiment. In this example, a buzzer 66 as a sound generation unit is provided instead of the LED 46 as a notification unit, and the use of the touch switch 36 detecting the user's capacitance when the buzzer 66 rings is used. It is comprised so that a person may be notified. The buzzer 66 is provided in the vicinity of the resin plate 40 which is a touch part so that it can be easily recognized by the user who operates the touch switch 36.

  The buzzer 66 is connected to the main control unit 34 and is configured to emit sound based on a drive signal from the main control unit 34.

  In this example, when the user touches the touch switch 36 and the capacitance detection circuit 44 detects this, a signal from the capacitance detection circuit 44 is sent to the microcomputer (not connected) on the main control unit 34. The buzzer 66 sounds based on the drive signal input to the microcomputer and output from the microcomputer. As a result, the user can easily and audibly grasp that the touch switch 36 has recognized.

  In the above embodiment, the LED 46 and the buzzer 66 are used as the notification means. However, the notification means is not limited to this as long as the user can easily perceive, for example, to vibrate the touch part that the user contacts. This vibrator may be provided, and the user's sense of touch may be appealed by vibrations caused by the vibrator.

It is a perspective view in the closed state of the refrigerator concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view in the open door state of the refrigerator. It is a block diagram which shows the control part structure containing a touch switch and an alerting | reporting means. It is a flowchart of the door opening and closing control of the embodiment. It is a figure which shows an afterglow circuit. It is an enlarged front view of the touch switch periphery part concerning other embodiments. It is a block diagram which shows the control part structure containing the touch switch and alerting | reporting means which concern on other embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the control part structure containing the touch switch and alerting | reporting means which concern on other embodiment.

10 ... refrigerator,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Refrigerator main body 22,24 ... Refrigeration room door 30 ... Opening device 40 ... Resin board 42 ... Conductor 44 ... Capacitance detection circuit 46 ... LED (notification means)
62 ... Transparent window 66 ... Buzzer

Claims (2)

A door that closes the front opening of the refrigerator body;
A touch switch provided on the door and configured using a capacitive sensor that detects the capacitance of the human body;
A light emitting diode that informs the user that the touch switch has detected the user's capacitance; and
A resin plate formed with a plurality of windows,
The light emitting diode is disposed behind the opaque portion of the resin plate so as not to be seen from the front of the refrigerator through the window, and the light emitted from the light emitting diode is indirectly lit and displayed outside through the window. Configured,
A refrigerator characterized by that.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the windows are arranged and formed in a plurality of rows in both vertical and horizontal directions by a grid-like opaque portion.

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