JP2015161452A - Cooling box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling box including a drawer type storage box that can be opened and closed safely and reliably.SOLUTION: A cooling box Rf comprises: a drawer type storage chamber 4 slidably provided in a body; a distance measuring part 11 provided in a drawer door 401 to measure a distance to an object; driving mechanisms 15 and 17 that supply power for opening/closing operation of the drawer type storage chamber 4; and control parts Cont and 9. The control parts Cont and 9 operate the driving mechanism 15 so as to keep a certain distance between the distance measuring part 11 and the object.

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator for storing articles at a low temperature.

  Many refrigerators have a storage room with a hinged door at the top, and a drawer-type storage room that pulls out toward you. In a normal refrigerator, a storage room provided with the hinge door is often used as a refrigerator room for storing articles at a temperature lower than normal temperature and not frozen. The drawer-type storage room is often used as a freezer room or a vegetable room.

  The storage chamber provided with the hinge door opens and closes only the hinge door, whereas the drawer-type storage chamber slides the entire storage chamber when opening and closing. Therefore, opening and closing of the drawer-type storage room is often difficult for a weak person (for example, a child or an elderly person). Therefore, refrigerators (coolers) having a structure in which the drawer-type storage chamber pops out electrically by pressing a button provided on the door of the drawer-type storage chamber are sold (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-2009). -Refer to -63217 gazette etc.).

  In recent years, the demand for expansion of the freezer compartment and the vegetable compartment has been increased for refrigerators used at home. When the freezer compartment and / or the vegetable compartment expands, the weight of the drawer-type storage compartment increases. When the drawer-type storage chamber having such an increased weight is provided with the structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-63217, the kinetic energy of the drawer-type storage chamber increases, and the user collides with the user's hand. Then, it may cause a finger, a bruise, etc. Further, when the weight of the storage chamber is large, the same arm force is required for pushing (closing operation), but the structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-63217 cannot assist pushing and is inefficient. It may be difficult for humans (children and elderly people) to operate.

  Therefore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-70207, a pressure sensor is attached to the handle of the drawer-type storage door, and the pressure sensor detects the contact of the operator's hand to control the operation of the drawer-type storage chamber. An auxiliary refrigerator is shown. In such a refrigerator, a pressure sensor is provided on each of the side used when pulling out the handle of the drawer-type storage chamber and the side used when pushing. When the operator's hand comes into contact with one sensor, the drawer-type storage chamber is slid in the opening direction, and when the operator's hand comes into contact with the other sensor, the drawer-type storage chamber is closed. Slide.

JP 2009-63217 A JP 2013-70207 A

  In the refrigerator described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-70207, a sensor is disposed in a recess formed on the front surface of the door. When operating the sensor, the operator inserts a hand into the recess and touches the sensor with a fingertip. I need to touch it. However, since the drawer-type storage chamber is disposed at the lower part of the refrigerator, it may be difficult to insert a hand into the recess when holding a child or holding a heavy load, Opening and closing of the drawer-type storage room may be difficult. In addition, when it is necessary to open and close the door during cooking, the sensor may be touched with a wet or dirty fingertip, which may be undesirable for hygiene purposes.

  The drawer-type storage chamber is opened and closed while the operator's hand is in contact with the drawer-type storage. When the operation of the drawer-type storage chamber is different from the operator's expectation, or the operation of the storage chamber is different from the operator's expectation, the operator's hand is pushed or pulled by the drawer-type storage chamber, There is a risk of operability deterioration and injury.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the refrigerator provided with the drawer-type storage which can be opened and closed safely and reliably.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a drawer-type storage chamber slidably provided in a main body, and a distance measuring unit that measures a distance between an object and a drawer door provided in front of the drawer-type storage chamber. A drive mechanism that supplies power for opening / closing operation of the drawer-type storage chamber, and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured so that the distance between the distance measurement unit and the object is constant. The drive mechanism is operated.

  According to this configuration, the drawer-type storage chamber is opened and closed by using power without touching the drawer-type storage chamber, so that even a powerless person (child or elderly person) can safely and reliably perform the drawer-type storage chamber. The storage room can be opened and closed.

  Further, even when the pull-out operation is difficult while holding a luggage or a child, the drawer-type storage chamber can be opened and closed safely and securely.

  The said structure WHEREIN: The switch is provided in the said drawer door, the hinge door front surface, or the refrigerator main body, The said control part may be made to start or stop operation | movement of the said drive mechanism based on operation of the said switch. .

  According to this configuration, it is possible to stop the drawer-type storage chamber at an arbitrary opening degree, and it is possible to suppress opening more than necessary. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the drawer-type storage chamber.

  The said structure WHEREIN: The said control part is provided with the 1st control part provided in the said main body, and the 2nd control part provided in the said drawer door, and it is radio | wireless with respect to the said 1st control part from the said 2nd control part. You may provide the communication part which performs communication.

  In the above configuration, the communication unit may be a communication unit capable of bidirectional communication.

  The said structure WHEREIN: The said drawer door may be provided with the power supply independent from the power supply of the said main body.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the refrigerator provided with the drawer-type storage which can be opened and closed safely and reliably can be provided.

It is a front view of a refrigerator. It is a schematic arrangement drawing of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator concerning the present invention. It is a block diagram of the opening-and-closing auxiliary mechanism of the refrigerator concerning the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the opening / closing operation | movement of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator concerning this invention. It is a schematic layout of another example of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention. It is a block diagram of the opening-and-closing assistance mechanism of the other examples of the refrigerator concerning this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the opening / closing operation | movement of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator concerning this invention. It is a schematic layout of still another example of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

  A cooling chamber according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator. As shown in FIG. 1, in the refrigerator Rf, the refrigerator compartment 1 is arranged at the uppermost stage, and the ice making room 2 and the upper freezer compartment 3 arranged in the left and right are arranged at the lower part thereof. A lower freezer compartment 4 is arranged below the ice making chamber 2 and the upper freezer compartment 3, and a vegetable compartment 5 is arranged at the lowest level.

  As shown in FIG. 1, hinged doors 101 and 102 that rotate in the horizontal direction (left or right) about a rotation axis are provided in the front of the refrigerator compartment 1. The hinge doors 101 and 102 are doors that can be opened and closed independently.

  The ice making room 2, the upper freezing room 3, the lower freezing room 4, and the vegetable room 5 are all drawer-type storage rooms that open and close together with the storage room by sliding horizontally. The ice making room 2, the upper freezing room 3, the lower freezing room 4, and the vegetable room 5 are provided with drawer doors 201, 301, 401, and 501 on the front side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ice making chamber 2 and the upper freezing chamber 3 are small in size, and even if articles are housed therein, the weight does not easily increase. Therefore, the ice making chamber 2 and the upper freezing chamber 3 are opened and closed by operating handles (not shown) provided on the drawer doors 201 and 301 provided on the front side, as in the conventional drawer-type storage chamber. It has become. On the other hand, the lower freezer compartment 4 and the vegetable compartment 5 are large in size, and when the articles are stored inside, the respective storage chambers become heavy. Therefore, the lower freezer compartment 4 and the vegetable compartment 5 of the refrigerator Rf of the present invention are provided with an opening / closing assist mechanism that assists in opening and closing.

  A storage chamber opening / closing assisting mechanism, which is a main part of the refrigerator according to the present invention, will be described below. The open / close assist mechanism is arranged in both the lower freezer compartment 4 and the vegetable compartment 5, but since both have the same configuration, in the following description, the lower freezer compartment 4 will be described as a representative of both. To do.

(First embodiment)
The opening / closing auxiliary mechanism, which is a main part of the refrigerator of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic layout diagram of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the opening / closing assist mechanism of the refrigerator according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the left is the front side (front side) of the refrigerator Rf, and the right is the back side (back side).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lower freezer compartment 4 includes a box-shaped storage space 400, a drawer door 401 disposed on the front side of the storage space 400, a storage portion 402 connected to the drawer door 401, and a lower freezer compartment 4 and a sliding rail 403 extending in the sliding direction. The storage space 400 is a part of the housing of the refrigerator Rf, and is provided with a duct (not shown) through which cool air flows while being surrounded by a heat insulator. In addition, a heat insulator is also arranged inside the drawer door 401 to prevent heat from entering from the drawer door. And the lower freezer compartment 4 has the structure sealed with the storage space 400 and the drawer | drawing-out door 401, and is suppressing the escape of cold air outside by being sealed. The storage unit 402 is a container for storing articles, and slides together with the drawer door 401 and the slide rail 403.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lower freezer compartment 4 is disposed on the side surface portion of the storage space 400 and extends in the depth direction, and the sliding disposed between the guide rail 6 and the sliding rail 403. And a member 7. The guide rail 6 is a guide when the storage unit 402 moves, and guides the slide rail 403. Since the sliding member 7 is disposed between the guide rail 6 and the sliding rail 403, the friction between the guide rail 6 and the sliding rail 403 is reduced.

  In addition, a drive motor 15 having a pinion gear is provided on the bottom surface of the storage space 400. A rack gear 17 that meshes with the pinion gear is provided on the lower surface of the storage portion 402. The drive motor 15 including the pinion gear and the rack gear 17 constitute a drive mechanism.

  The storage unit 402 slides along the guide rail 6 by driving the drive motor 15. In this embodiment, a rack gear and a pinion gear are used as the drive mechanism, but the present invention is not limited to this. A structure in which the storage unit 402 (including the drawer door 401 and the slide rail 403) slides stably can be widely used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, one or a plurality of sliding members 7 are provided on one side of the storage portion, and a sliding member 71 on the front side is rotatably attached to the guide rail 6 and The sliding member 72 is rotatably attached to the sliding rail 403. In this way, by attaching the sliding members 71 and 72, the sliding rail 403 is guided by the guide rail 6, and the sliding members 71 and 72 come into contact with each other and act as a retaining member.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the refrigerator Rf includes a main controller Cont (first control unit), a sub-controller 9 (second control unit), a switch 10, a distance measuring sensor 11, and a door-side infrared transmission unit 12. , A main body side infrared receiver 13, a battery 14, a drive motor 15, and an open / close detection sensor 16. The main controller Cont and the sub controller 9 cooperate with each other and function as a control unit.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sub controller 9, the switch 10, the distance measuring sensor 11, the door side infrared transmitter 12, and the battery 14 are arranged on the drawer door 401. The main controller Cont, the main body side infrared receiver 13, the drive motor 15, and the open / close sensor 16 are provided in the storage space 400.

  The battery 14 is controlled by the sub-controller 9 and supplies power to the sub-controller 9, the switch 10, the distance measuring sensor 11, and the door side infrared transmitter 12. As the battery 14, a primary battery such as a dry battery may be used, but a battery using a secondary battery that requires less labor for replacement is preferable. Examples of the charging method for the battery 14 include a non-contact power feeding method from the main body of the refrigerator Rf.

  The switch 10 is a button switch exposed on the front side of the drawer door 401 and has a structure that can be easily operated by an operator. The switch 10 is connected to the sub-controller 9 and transmits a signal to the sub-controller 9 when operated. In addition, in this invention, although switch 10 mentions the refrigerator Rf provided in the drawer door 401, it is not limited to this. For example, the switch 10 may be provided on the hinge door 101 or 102, or a refrigerator main body or the like. The position is not particularly limited as long as the operator can easily operate the position.

  The distance measuring sensor 11 (ranging unit) is a sensor that detects a distance to an object (for example, an operator's hand) within a measurable range (measurement range). The distance measuring sensor 11 is a sensor that detects whether the distance between the object in the measurement range and the distance measuring sensor 11 is closer or farther than a preset distance (set distance). The set distance may be fixed or may be set arbitrarily by the user. An example of the set distance is 5 centimeters. Further, the distance measuring sensor 11 is not limited to this configuration, and may be a device that detects the distance to the object more accurately.

  When the opening / closing operation of the lower freezer compartment 4 is not performed (in the standby state), the switch 10 is supplied with power from the battery 14, but the power supply to the distance measuring sensor 11 is stopped. The distance measuring sensor 11 only needs to operate when the opening / closing assist mechanism operates. When the opening / closing assist mechanism is not operating (in a standby state), the power supply to the distance measuring sensor 11 is stopped, which is useless. Standby power consumption can be reduced. In addition, when the element which starts electric power supply by reception of the signal voltage from the switch 10 is provided, the electric power supply to the sub-controller 9 at the time of standby may also be stopped.

  The door-side infrared transmitter 12 is a transmitter for transmitting an infrared signal in accordance with an instruction from the sub-controller 9. The door-side infrared transmitter 12 transmits an infrared signal to the main-body side infrared receiver 13 disposed in the storage space 400 of the lower freezer compartment 4. The door-side infrared transmitter 12 transmits an infrared signal only when there is an instruction from the sub-controller 9.

  The door side infrared transmitter 12 is provided on the back side of the drawer door 401 in order to accurately transmit an infrared signal to the main body side infrared receiver 13. In the present embodiment, the door-side infrared transmitter 12 is provided on the back side of the drawer door 401, but is not limited thereto, and may be attached to the slide rail 403, for example. .

  The main controller Cont is a control unit for controlling each part of the refrigerator Rf, and is disposed inside a housing (not shown). The sub controller 9 controls the switch 10, the distance measuring sensor 11, the door side infrared transmitter 12 and the battery 14 in synchronization with the main controller Cont. The main controller Cont and the sub-controller 9 are provided with arithmetic processing circuits such as an MPU and a CPU.

  The main body side infrared receiver 13 is connected to the main controller Cont, and includes an element that receives an infrared signal emitted from the door side infrared transmitter 12. The infrared signal emitted from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 is received, and the content of the signal is transmitted to the main controller Cont. Since the temperature of the lower freezer compartment 4 is lower than that of the outside air, moisture in the air is crystallized and the space tends to become cloudy, so that infrared light is diffused and hardly reaches the main body side infrared receiver 13. Therefore, you may make it the infrared light radiate | emitted from the door side infrared transmission part 12 be guide | induced to the main body side infrared receiving part 13 with a light guide member. The door side infrared transmitter 12 and the main body side infrared receiver 13 constitute a communication unit. Further, in addition to the communication unit using infrared light, a communication unit using radio waves can be adopted.

  The drive motor 15 operates based on an instruction from the main controller Cont. The open / close detection sensor 16 is connected to the main controller Cont. The open / close detection sensor 16 is provided on the inner surface of the storage space 400 and is a sensor for detecting that the drawer door 401 is securely closed, that is, that the storage portion 402 has entered the storage space 400 without fail. As shown in FIG. 2, the open / close detection sensor 16 detects the open / close of the lower freezer compartment 4 by detecting the position of the back end of the slide rail 403. Note that the open / close detection sensor 16 may use a physical switch such as a limit switch, or may be a non-contact type sensor such as an optical sensor.

  An image recognition device capable of recognizing the distance between the door (here, the drawer door 401) of the drawer-type storage chamber (here, the lower freezer compartment 4) and the operator's hand (object) instead of the distance measuring sensor 11. May be used. This image recognition device is installed at the top of the drawer type storage room such as the uppermost stage of the refrigerator Rf or the large door (101, 102 in this case), and the door of the drawer type storage room and the operator's A position where the hand can be recognized can be widely adopted.

  Next, the opening / closing operation | movement of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator concerning this invention is demonstrated with reference to drawings. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the opening / closing operation of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention.

  Opening and closing of the lower freezer compartment 4 is started by operating the switch 10 (step S101). Power is supplied to the switch 10 from the battery 14, and when the switch 10 is operated (pressed), a signal (voltage) is transmitted from the switch 10 to the sub-controller 9. When receiving the signal from the switch 10, the sub controller 9 supplies power to the distance measuring sensor 11 and the door side infrared transmitter 12 (step S102).

  The sub-controller 9 uses the distance measuring sensor 11 to measure the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand (an example of an object) (in other words, the distance from the drawer door 401 to the operator's hand) ( Step S103). The sub-controller 9 determines whether the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is a set distance (for example, 5 centimeters) (step S104). When the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is the set distance (Yes in step S104), the sub controller 9 determines that the distance from the door side infrared transmitter 12 to the operator's hand is the set distance. Send a certain infrared signal. When the main body side infrared receiver 13 receives the infrared signal, the main controller Cont stops the motor and stands by (step S105), and measures the distance to the operator's hand (returns to step S103).

  When the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is not the set distance (No in step S104), the sub-controller 9 determines whether the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is larger than the set distance. Is determined (step S106). When the distance to the operator's hand is greater than the set distance (Yes in step S106), the sub-controller 9 indicates that the distance between the operator's hand and the distance measuring sensor 11 is greater than the set distance. Is transmitted from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 (step S107).

  When the infrared signal indicating that the main body side infrared receiving unit 13 is larger than the set distance is received, it is determined that the operator moves the hand away from the distance measuring sensor 11, and the main controller Cont moves the drive motor 15. The lower freezer compartment 4 is driven in the opening direction (step S108).

  When the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is smaller than the set distance (No in step S116), the sub controller 9 determines that the distance between the operator's hand and the distance measuring sensor 11 is greater than the set distance. Is also transmitted from the door side infrared transmitter 12 (step S109). When the infrared signal indicating that the main body side infrared receiver 13 is smaller than the set distance is received, the main controller Cont determines that the operator is approaching the distance measuring sensor 11 and moves the drive motor 15 to the lower freezer compartment. 4 is driven in the closing direction (step S110). When the open / close detection sensor 16 detects that the lower freezer compartment 4 is closed, the main controller Cont does not drive the drive motor 15 in the closing direction.

  The refrigerator Rf according to the present invention is configured such that the lower freezer compartment 4 is stopped by the operation of the switch 10 while the lower freezer compartment 4 is moving (regardless of the opening operation and the closing operation). Therefore, when the drive motor 15 is performing an opening operation (step S108) or performing a closing operation (step S110), the sub-controller 9 checks whether or not the switch 10 has been operated (step S111). When the operation of the switch 10 is not detected (No in Step S111), the transmission of the infrared signal from the sub-controller 9 door side infrared transmission unit 12 is continued, and from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand. Return to the measurement of the distance (step S103).

  When the operation of the switch 10 is detected (Yes in step S111), the sub controller 9 stops the infrared signal from the door side infrared transmitter 12. And if the main body side infrared receiving part 13 confirms the stop of an infrared signal, the main controller Cont will stop the drive motor 15 (step S112). Thus, since the lower freezer compartment 4 stops moving by operating the moving switch 10, the lower freezer compartment 4 can be stopped at the opening desired by the operator.

  In the present embodiment, at least as long as the open / close detection sensor 16 recognizes that the lower freezer compartment 4 is in the open state, power is continuously supplied to the drive motor 15, and the holding force of the drive motor 15 causes the lower freezer compartment to be supplied. The position of 4 is held.

  Further, when the switch 10 is operated, the movement of the lower freezer compartment 4 that has been stopped is resumed. Therefore, the sub controller 9 checks whether or not the switch 10 has been operated (step S113). When the operation of the switch 10 is confirmed (Yes in Step S113), the sub-controller 9 returns to the measurement of the distance to the operator's hand (Step S103) by the distance measuring sensor 11.

  When the operation of the switch 10 is not confirmed (No in Step S113), the sub-controller 9 confirms whether or not a certain time has passed since the lower freezer compartment 4 stopped (Step S114). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in step S114), the sub-controller 9 returns to the operation confirmation of the switch 10 (step S113). When a certain time has elapsed (Yes in step S114), the sub controller 9 transmits an infrared signal indicating that a certain time has elapsed from the door-side infrared transmitter 12. When the main body side infrared receiver 13 receives the infrared signal, the main controller Cont warns the operator and then closes the lower freezer compartment 4 (step S115).

  Since the lower freezer compartment 4 maintains a constant opening degree, the operator can access the lower freezer compartment 4 (take out articles stored inside, carry in articles inside, clean, etc.). If the switch 10 is not operated even after a certain time has elapsed, the lower freezer compartment 4 is closed in order to suppress an increase in the internal temperature of the lower freezer compartment 4. At this time, a warning is given before closing the lower freezer compartment 4 in order to avoid danger such as the operator pinching his / her hand. As described above, when the open state has passed for a certain period of time, the temperature inside the lower freezer compartment 4 is suppressed from increasing automatically by being closed.

  Note that the predetermined time until the warning is given may be determined in advance, or may be determined by the operator. The warning may be displayed by a well-known sound or on a display unit (liquid crystal panel or the like) provided in front of the refrigerator Rf. Furthermore, when the warning is given, the open state of the lower freezer compartment 4 may be extended by operating the switch 10.

  In the drawer type storage room (lower freezer room 4, vegetable room 5) of the refrigerator Rf according to the present invention, the distance measuring sensor 11 measures the distance to the operator's hand, and the distance to the hand is constant. Thus, the drawer type storage chamber is opened and closed using the power of the motor 15. Accordingly, even a person who does not have arm strength can safely and surely open and close the drawer-type storage chamber having a large amount of stored items and an increased weight.

  Further, since the refrigerator Rf is contacted only when the switch 10 is pressed, even if the fingertip is wet or dirty during cooking or the like, the refrigerator Rf can be opened and closed without being contaminated. This makes it difficult for hygiene problems to occur.

(Second Embodiment)
Another example of the opening / closing assist mechanism, which is a main part of the refrigerator of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a schematic layout diagram of another example of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an opening / closing assist mechanism of another example of the refrigerator according to the present invention. The lower freezer compartment 4B has the same configuration as the lower freezer compartment 4 except that it includes a main body side infrared transmitter 18 and a door side infrared receiver 19. Therefore, in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, substantially the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the same parts is omitted in the following description.

  In the lower freezer compartment 4B shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the main body side infrared transmitter 18 is provided in the storage space 400, and the door side infrared receiver 19 is provided in the drawer door 401. In the lower freezer compartment 4B, the door side infrared transmitter 12 and the main body side infrared receiver 13 transmit signals from the sub-controller 9 to the main controller Cont, and the main body side infrared transmitter 18 and the door side infrared light are transmitted. The receiver 19 transmits a signal from the main controller Cont to the sub-controller 9. That is, in the lower freezer compartment 4B, the sub controller 9 and the main controller Cont are configured to be capable of bidirectional communication. In addition, you may provide the door side infrared communication part in which the infrared transmitter provided in the door side and the infrared receiver were integrally formed. Moreover, you may provide the main body side infrared communication part in which the infrared transmission part provided in the main body side and the infrared receiving part were integrally formed. At this time, the door side infrared communication unit and the main body side infrared communication unit are capable of bidirectional communication using infrared signals.

  With such a configuration capable of bidirectional communication, finer opening / closing control can be performed. The operation of the lower freezer compartment 4B according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the opening / closing operation of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention. The flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is the same as the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 except that the closing operation is different. Therefore, in FIG. 7, parts that are substantially the same as those in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of parts that perform the same operations are omitted.

  When the distance from the distance measurement sensor 11 to the operator's hand is smaller than the set distance (No in step S106), the sub controller 9 determines that the distance from the distance sensor 11 to the operator's hand is smaller than the set distance. An infrared signal indicating this is transmitted from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 (step S109). When the lower freezer compartment 4B is in the closed state, driving the drive motor 15 in the direction in which the lower freezer compartment 4 is closed may cause damage or failure. Therefore, when the main-side infrared receiver 13 receives an infrared signal indicating that the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand is smaller than the set distance, the main controller Cont uses the open / close detection sensor 16 to lower the freezer compartment 4B. It is confirmed whether or not a closed state is detected (step S201).

  If the lower freezer compartment 4B is not closed (No in step S201), the main controller Cont determines that the lower freezer compartment 4B is open and the operator's hand is approaching the distance measuring sensor 11. Then, the drive motor 15 is driven in the direction in which the lower freezer compartment 4 is closed (step S111). When the lower freezer compartment 4B is closed (Yes in step S201), the main controller Cont stops the drive motor 15 (step S202). When the drive motor 15 is stopped, the stopped state is maintained. An infrared signal indicating that the lower freezer compartment 4B is in a closed state is transmitted from the main body side infrared transmitter 18.

  When the door-side infrared receiver 19 receives the infrared signal, the sub-controller 9 stops the infrared signal from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 (step S203). At this time, the infrared signal from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 is stopped, but the distance measuring sensor 11 is in a standby state in which the operation is continued. Then, the sub-controller 9 checks whether or not the switch 10 has been operated (step S204). When the switch 10 is pressed (Yes in step S204), the sub-controller 9 determines that the closing operation has been completed. Then, the sub-controller 9 transmits an infrared signal indicating the end of the opening / closing assisting operation using the door-side infrared transmission unit 12, and stops supplying power to the distance measuring sensor 11 and the door-side infrared transmission unit 12 (step S206). ).

  If the operation of the switch 10 is not confirmed (No in step S204), it is confirmed whether the open / close sensor 16 has maintained the standby state for a certain time after detecting the closed state (step S205). When the standby state has not been continued for a certain period of time after the closed state is detected (No in step S205), the lower freezer compartment 4B maintains a state where it can be opened and closed following the movement of the operator's hand. That is, the sub-controller 9 measures the distance from the distance measuring sensor 11 to the operator's hand (return to step S103).

  If the standby state is continued for a certain time (Yes in step S205), the sub-controller 9 determines that the closing operation is completed even if the switch 10 is not operated. Then, the sub-controller 9 transmits an infrared signal indicating the end of the opening / closing assisting operation using the door-side infrared transmission unit 12, and stops supplying power to the distance measuring sensor 11 and the door-side infrared transmission unit 12 (step S206). ).

  Furthermore, when the lower freezing chamber 4B is open and a certain time has elapsed (Yes in step S114), the main controller Cont warns the operator and then closes the lower freezing chamber 4B (step S115). ). Then, the main controller Cont checks whether or not the open / close detection sensor 16 has detected a closed state (step S207). When the closed state is not detected (No in step S207), the main controller Cont continues the closing operation of the lower freezer compartment 4B. When the closed state is detected (Yes in step S207), the main controller Cont transmits the infrared signal in the closed state by the main body side infrared transmitter 18. When the door side infrared receiver 19 receives the infrared signal, the sub-controller 9 checks whether or not the switch 10 has been operated (step S204). Subsequent operations are the same as those after step S204 described above.

  In this way, by allowing the main controller Cont and the sub-controller 9 to transmit information bidirectionally, the lower freezer compartment 4B can be opened and closed based on the detection results of both the open / close detection sensor 16 and the switch 10. Can be terminated. In addition, since bidirectional communication is possible, the sub-controller 9 can acquire information on the open / close state of the lower freezer compartment 4 </ b> B detected by the open / close detection sensor 16. Thereby, the supply of electric power to the distance measuring sensor 11 and the door-side infrared transmitter 12 can be stopped after the closing operation of the lower freezer compartment 4B is completed, and more accurate control can be performed.

  In the present embodiment, each of the sub-controller 9 and the main controller Cont is operated. However, since it is configured to transmit and receive infrared signals, control using either one of them may be performed. Good. For example, the sub-controller 9 is a circuit provided for operating the switch 10 and transmitting the measurement result of the distance of the operator's hand by the distance measuring sensor 11 to the main controller Cont, and the main controller Cont determines the operation of each part. You may make it perform. Further, in order to reduce the burden on the main controller Cont, the sub controller 9 may determine the operation related to the operation of the lower freezer compartment 4B.

  Other features are the same as in the first embodiment.

(Third embodiment)
The opening / closing auxiliary mechanism, which is a main part of the refrigerator of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a schematic layout diagram of still another example of the lower freezer compartment of the refrigerator according to the present invention. The lower freezer compartment 4 </ b> C has the same configuration as the lower freezer compartment 4 except that it includes a light shielding plate 21. Therefore, in FIG. 8, substantially the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same parts is omitted in the following description.

  In the lower freezer compartment 4 </ b> C, the light shielding plate 21 is attached to the drawer door 401. The light shielding plate 21 is a plate that blocks an infrared signal from the door-side infrared transmitter 12. The light shielding plate 21 is a movable plate, and can block an infrared signal from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 as necessary. The light shielding plate 21 is operated by an operator.

  In the lower freezer compartment 4C, the infrared signal is blocked by operating the light blocking plate 21. The main controller Cont operates the drive motor 15 based on the fact that the infrared signal from the door-side infrared transmitter 12 has stopped, that is, the main-body side infrared receiver 13 has stopped receiving the infrared signal. The operation to stop is performed. Therefore, since the sub controller 9 does not have to control the stop of the infrared signal transmission, the configuration of the sub controller 9 can be simplified.

  In addition, when the lower freezer compartment 4C is in a closed state, the infrared signal is blocked by the light shielding plate 21, so that an infant does not intend to operate the switch 10 or an article touches the switch 10. Even when the operation is performed, it is possible not to operate the lower freezer compartment 4C. Thereby, it is possible to safely open and close the drawer-type storage chamber of the refrigerator Rf.

  The other features are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the power of the drive motor 15 is used to open and close the lower freezer compartment 4 and the vegetable compartment 5 (drawer-type storage compartment). You may be able to. When the opening / closing operation of the drawer-type storage chamber is manually performed by the operator, the drive motor 15 is also rotated in accordance with the sliding of the drawer-type storage chamber. By detecting the electromotive force generated at that time, the operation of the drive motor 15 may be reduced.

  Alternatively, the operation of the drawer-type storage chamber may be started by detecting a change in electromotive force or current value to the drive motor 15 instead of operating the operation switch 10. For example, the opening / closing assistance of the drawer-type storage chamber may be started based on detection of an electromotive force by manually pulling the drawer.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this content. The embodiments of the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigeration room 101 Hinge door 102 Hinge door 2 Ice making room 201 Drawer door 3 Upper stage freezer room 301 Drawer door 4 Lower stage freezer room 400 Storage space 401 Drawer door 402 Storage part 403 Sliding rail 5 Vegetable room 501 Drawer door 6 Guide rail 7 Sliding member 9 Sub-controller 10 Switch 11 Distance sensor 12 Door side infrared transmitter 13 Body side infrared receiver 14 Battery 15 Motor 16 Open / close sensor 18 Body side infrared transmitter 19 Door side infrared receiver Cont Main controller

Claims (5)

A drawer-type storage chamber slidably provided in the main body;
A distance measuring unit for measuring the distance between the drawer door in front of the drawer-type storage room and the object;
A drive mechanism for supplying power for opening and closing the drawer-type storage chamber;
And a control unit,
The refrigerator, wherein the control unit operates the drive mechanism so that a distance between the distance measuring unit and the object is constant. A switch is provided on the drawer door;
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit starts or stops the operation of the drive mechanism based on an operation of the switch. The control unit includes a first control unit provided on the main body and a second control unit provided on the drawer door,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that performs wireless communication from the second control unit to the first control unit.   The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit is a communication unit capable of bidirectional communication.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drawer door includes a power source independent of a power source of the main body.

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