JP2019027759A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator capable of reducing cost and acquiring an effect of securing heat insulation thickness by reduction in the thickness direction, by reducing the number of components in an operation part arranged on a door.SOLUTION: An operation part 20(21) includes one substrate 40 which has an electrostatic contact circuit part 43 for detecting change in capacitance by touching on a surface 41 as one surface and which mounts LEDs 44, 45 as light emitting elements on a rear surface 42 as the other surface; and a substrate support member 50 for supporting the substrate 40. At the substrate 40, through-holes 48, 49 as light transmission parts are provided for passing light L of the LEDs 44, 45 and guiding it to the front of a door 3(4). The LEDs 44, 45 are arranged corresponding to the through-holes 48, 49 of the substrate 40 respectively on the rear surface 42 of the substrate 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.

  In the refrigerator, an operation unit is provided on the front door of the storage chamber in order to display or operate the operation function of the refrigerator. The surface of the operation unit is displayed by printing in advance a contact operation position and the like for displaying an operation position touched by the user, and the user can visually confirm the contact operation position and the like. However, recently, in order to improve the external appearance design of the refrigerator, the contact operation position or the like is not printed and displayed in advance on the operation unit.

  For this reason, when the user brings his hand close to the operation unit, the proximity sensor detects the hand, illuminates the LED (light emitting diode), and illuminates the contact operation position and the like, thereby adopting a structure for display. .

  Patent Document 1 discloses a display unit disposed on a storage room door of a refrigerator. The display unit includes two substrates, a plate-like substrate support member that supports the two substrates, and illumination means. The illuminating means is disposed near another wall surface opposite to the wall surface having the inclined portion of the substrate support member, and the inclined portion transmits light radiated from the illuminating means to the surroundings from the front plate of the door to the front of the door. It is made to reflect so as to go to.

  Another conventional example is shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional operation unit. The operation unit is an electrostatic contact unit disposed on the door of the storage chamber, and includes a cover plate 200, a first substrate 201, a second substrate 202, and a substrate support plate 203.

  The second substrate 202 has a plurality of LEDs 204 arranged side by side, and the first substrate 201 has a plurality of light transmission holes 205. The substrate support plate 203 has a large rectangular hole 206. The front surface side of the substrate support plate 203 supports the first substrate 201 in an overlapping manner, and the back surface side of the substrate support plate 203 supports the second substrate 202 in an overlapping manner.

  The cover plate 200 is light transmissive, and the cover plate 200 is disposed on the first substrate 201. As a result, the light generated by the LED 204 of the second substrate 202 passes through the hole 206 of the substrate support plate 203, passes through the light transmitting hole 205 at the corresponding position of the first substrate 201, and then reaches the storage chamber from the cover plate 200. It is irradiated to the front of the door.

JP 2014-126304 A

  However, since the display unit described in Patent Document 1 includes two substrates and a plate-like substrate support member that supports the two substrates, the number of components increases and the cost cannot be reduced. In addition, the thickness in the direction in which the two substrates and the substrate support member are overlapped is inevitably increased.

  Further, in another conventional example shown in FIG. 7, similarly, since the substrate support plate 203, the first substrate 201, and the second substrate 202 are stacked, the number of components is increased and the cost cannot be reduced. In addition, the thickness in the direction in which the two substrates and the substrate support member are overlapped is inevitably increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts of the operation unit arranged on the door, thereby reducing the cost and heat insulation thickness by reducing the thickness direction. It is providing the refrigerator which can acquire the effect of ensuring.

  A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body, a door that opens and closes a front opening of the refrigerator main body, and an operation unit provided on a front surface of the door, and the operation unit has one surface. Has an electrostatic contact circuit portion that detects a change in capacitance by contact, and has one substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted on the other surface, and a substrate support member that supports the substrate And a light passage portion for guiding the light from the light emitting element to the front of the door.

It is a perspective view showing the whole refrigerator concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structural example in the AA of the operation part of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the board | substrate support member of the operation part shown in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows the board | substrate etc. which are shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows LED shown in FIG. 4, and a through-hole vicinity. It is a figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the operation part of a prior art example.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire refrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  A refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a refrigerator body 2. The refrigerator body 2 of the refrigerator 1 is configured by a heat-insulating cabinet, and a plurality of storage chambers are formed inside the refrigerator body 2. As the storage room, a refrigerated room 5 and a vegetable room 7 are provided in order from the top. Under the vegetable room 7, an ice making room 8 and a small freezer room 9 are provided side by side, and a main freezer room 10 is provided at the bottom. Is provided.

  The upper refrigeration room 5 and the vegetable room 7 are storage rooms in a refrigeration temperature zone, and are adjusted to a temperature of about 3 ° C. to 5 ° C., for example. The ice making room 8, the small freezer room 9, and the main freezer room 10 are storage rooms in a freezing temperature zone, and are adjusted to a temperature of about -20 ° C, for example. Although not shown, the refrigerator main body 2 is provided with a refrigeration cycle including a refrigeration cooler for cooling the refrigeration temperature zone storage chamber and a refrigeration cooler for cooling the refrigeration temperature zone storage chamber. ing.

  Left and right doors 3 and 4 that open and close the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 5 are provided on the front face of the refrigerator compartment 5 as a storage compartment shown in FIG. The left and right doors 3 and 4 are double doors, and the left end of the left door 3 is rotatably attached by a hinge (not shown). Similarly, the right end portion of the right door 4 is rotatably attached by a hinge (not shown). The front plates 3F and 4F of the doors 3 and 4 are made of steel plates, for example, but are not particularly limited.

  Drawer-type doors 7 a, 8 a, 9 a, and 10 a that open and close the front opening portions are provided on the front surfaces of the vegetable room 7, the ice making room 8, the small freezer room 9, and the main freezer room 10. Handles 3b, 4b, 7b, 8b, 9b, and 10b for the user to insert their fingers and open the doors are provided on the left and right doors 3 and 4 and the drawer-type doors 7a, 8a, 9a, and 10a, respectively. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1, on the refrigerator main body 2, door opening operation portions 11 and 1 as door opening means.
2 is provided. The door opening operation units 11 and 12 can employ electric actuators such as electromagnetic solenoids. By operating the door opening operation units 11 and 12, the door opening operation unit 1 is operated.
1 and 12 automatically push the left and right doors 3 and 4 to open.

  In addition, in FIG. 1, the left-right direction (width direction) of the refrigerator main body 2 is shown by X direction, the depth direction of the refrigerator main body 2 is shown by Y direction, and the up-down direction of the refrigerator main body 2 is shown by Z direction. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator body 2 can operate the functions of the refrigerator 1 and has operation units 20 and 21 for displaying various functional states of the refrigerator 1. For example, the front plates 3F and 4F of the left and right doors 3 and 4 are provided with openings 3R and 4R, and the operation units 20 and 21 are disposed in the openings 3R and 4R, respectively.

  The operation units 20 and 21 use, for example, a capacitance type contact sensor that can detect a change in capacitance when the user touches it, generate an ON signal, and display the light on. It is an electrostatic contact unit. The operation units 20 and 21 can also be called operation display units.

  As an example of operating the function of the refrigerator 1 in the operation units 20 and 21, the user performs a contact operation (touch operation) on the operation units 20 and 21 with fingers, thereby causing the left and right doors 3 and 4 to be opened. It is an opening switch for. When the door opening switch is operated, the door opening operation portions 11 and 12 are operated, and the door opening operation portions 11 and 12 can automatically push the left and right doors 3 and 4 to open.

  Moreover, as an example which operates the function of the refrigerator 1 in the operation parts 20 and 21, it is functional operation, such as freezing, quick freezing, refrigeration, and ice making. As an example of displaying various functional statuses of the refrigerator 1 in the operation units 20 and 21, the status of functions such as freezing, quick freezing, refrigeration, and ice making are displayed.

  In addition, although the operation parts 20 and 21 mentioned above can perform the role of a door opening switch for making the left and right doors 3 and 4 open, respectively, a function operation switch, and a function operation display, 21 may be configured to be able to perform at least one of the roles of the opening switch, the function operation switch, and the function operation display.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cross-sectional structure taken along line AA of the operation unit 20 illustrated in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the substrate support member 50 of the operation unit 20 shown in FIG.

  Since the structure of the left operation unit 20 shown in FIG. 1 is bilaterally symmetric with the structure of the right operation unit 21, the structure of the right operation unit 21 will be described with reference to a structural example of the left operation unit 20. And will be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 20 includes a single substrate 40, a substrate support member 50, a diffusion layer 99, and a plate-shaped covering member 70. 3 shows an example of the structure of the substrate support member 50, but the illustration of the substrate 40, the diffusion layer 99, and the covering member 70 is omitted.

  A single substrate 40 shown in FIG. 2 is, for example, a flat and rectangular circuit substrate having an electrostatic contact circuit unit capable of performing electrostatic contact input by electrostatic contact of a user's finger. An electrostatic contact circuit unit (electrostatic touch circuit unit) 43 is formed on a surface 41 as one surface of the substrate 40. The electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 detects a change in capacitance at the time when the user touches the finger and notifies the control unit 100 of the change.

  For example, chip-like LEDs (light emitting diodes) 44 and 45 as a plurality of light emitting elements are mounted side by side along the Z direction on the back surface 42 which is the other surface of the substrate 40. . As illustrated in FIG. 1, the LEDs 44 and 45 are mounted side by side at intervals along the Z direction in the operation units 20 and 21.

  The electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 and the LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 2 are electrically connected to the control unit 100. The control part 100 is arrange | positioned at the refrigerator main body 2 shown in FIG. The electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 receives a contact input signal when detecting an electrostatic contact input by electrostatic contact of a user's finger. For example, when the electrostatic contact input is detected, the control unit 100 turns on the LEDs 44 and 45.

  The substrate support member 50 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic. The substrate support member 50 has a substantially flat plate shape, but has a substrate fitting portion 51 and mounting projections 52, 53, 55, and 56.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the substrate support member 50 is disposed in the opening 3 </ b> R of the front plate 3 </ b> F of the door 3. The substrate fitting portion 51 of the substrate support member 50 is a recessed portion that fits and fixes the substrate 40 described above on the surface 57 side of the substrate support member 50.
Thereby, the board | substrate 40 is attached by being fitted in the board | substrate fitting part 51 of the board | substrate support member 50, and the surface 41 of the board | substrate 40 and the board | substrate support member 50 are flush | level. The back surface 42 side of the substrate 40 is fixed to the substrate fitting portion 51 by, for example, an adhesive.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment protrusions 52, 53, 55, and 56 are provided on the back side of the substrate support member 50 so as to protrude in parallel in the Y direction. These mounting projections 52, 53, 55, and 56 are substantially L-shaped, and are provided to fix the operation unit 20 by fitting it into the structure side of the door 3. Thereby, the operation part 20 can be reliably fixed to the door 3.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the substrate 40 and the like shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the substrate 40 has through holes 48 and 49. The LEDs 44 and 45 are respectively disposed on the back surface 42 side, which is the other surface of the substrate 40, corresponding to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. The through holes 48 and 49 are an example of a light passage portion that guides light to the front of the door 3 (4) through the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 as light emitting elements.

  Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the LEDs 44 and 45 are disposed inside the through holes 48 and 49, respectively. Thereby, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 can be directly emitted to the surface 41 side of the substrate 40 through the through holes 48 and 49.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the through holes 48 and 49 can be provided in the electrostatic contact circuit unit 43, for example. That is, as the through holes 48 and 49, the through holes of the electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 can be used. Thereby, even if the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 is disposed on the surface 41 of the substrate 40, the positions where the through holes 48 and 49 are provided are not affected by the position of the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43. The holes 48 and 49 can be provided at arbitrary positions.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the LEDs 44 and 45 are cross-linked to the back surface 42 which is the other surface of the substrate 40 by using, for example, the electrode terminals 44 </ b> A and 45 </ b> A of the LEDs 44 and 45, thereby forming the through holes 48 and 49. It is attached corresponding to the position. The electrode terminals 44A and 45A are examples of bridging portions for attaching the LEDs 44 and 45.

  Thereby, even if the size of LED44,45 is large compared with the size of the through-holes 48,49, it bridge | crosslinks using electrode terminal 44A, 45A of LED44, 45, and LED44, 45 is used. Can be attached easily and reliably in correspondence with the positions of the through holes 48 and 49.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a diffusion layer 99 is provided on the surface 41 side which is one surface of the substrate 40. The diffusion layer 99 diffuses or disperses the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 emitted through the through holes 44 and 45. The diffusion layer 99 is, for example, a plate-like plastic plate, and is disposed between the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the covering member 70.

  Accordingly, the diffusion layer 99 can diffuse or disperse the emission direction of the light L by diffusing the light L that has passed through the through holes 44 and 45. For this reason, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 is concentrated, so that the so-called eye-feeling, which is a phenomenon in which the operation unit 20 (21) appears to be shaded, can be reduced or eliminated.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 4 and the through holes 48 and 49 which are through holes. As exemplified in FIG. 5, for example, a conductive surface layer 88 for smoothing the inner surfaces 48 </ b> M and 49 </ b> M is formed on the inner surfaces 48 </ b> M and 49 </ b> M forming the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. ing.

  As the substrate 40, for example, a glass epoxy resin substrate can be used. However, when through holes 44 and 45 having through holes are formed in the substrate 40, the inner surfaces 48M and 49M of the through holes 48 and 49 are uneven. End up.

  The uneven inner surfaces 48M and 49M absorb part of the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 passing through the through holes 48 and 49, and the amount of light L that can be derived from the through holes 48 and 49 is reduced. For this reason, as described above, the conductive surface layer 88 is formed on the inner surfaces 48M and 49M so as to fill the unevenness of the inner surfaces 48M and 49M and smooth the surface.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the conductive surface layer 88 electrically connects the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 on the front surface 41 side of the substrate 40 and the wiring pattern 77 on the back surface 42 side of the substrate 40. . The wiring pattern 77 is electrically connected to electrode terminals 44A and 45A of chip-like LEDs 44 and 45, respectively.

  Thereby, when the LEDs 44 and 45 are energized from the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 side through the surface layer 88, the LEDs 44 and 45 generate light L. Since the surface layer 88 can guide the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 passing through the through holes 48 and 49 while reflecting the light L, the amount of the light L is not reduced, and the light L is directed to the surface 41 side of the substrate 40. Can be derived.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate support member 50 has a rectangular opening 69 </ b> A that is long in the Z direction. The opening 69A is formed by being surrounded by inclined extending portions 69B and 69B. The through holes 48 and 49 and the LEDs 44 and 45 of the substrate 40 described above are disposed at a position in the opening 69A.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 is diffused or dispersed by the diffusion layer 99 through the through holes 48 of the substrate 40 and passes through the covering member 70. Thereby, the light L from the LED 44 is emitted toward the Y1 direction which is the front of the door 3 after being diffused or dispersed. Similarly, the light L generated by the LED 45 passes through the through hole 49 of the substrate 40, is diffused or dispersed by the diffusion layer 99, and passes through the covering member 70. As a result, the light L from the LED 45 is emitted toward the Y1 direction which is the front of the door 3 after being diffused or dispersed.

  As described above, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 is directly emitted through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, respectively, but is diffused or dispersed by the diffusion layer 99 and is Y1 in front of the door 3 (4). Irradiated in the direction. For this reason, even if it is LED44,45 using LED preferably, what is called the eyeball feeling which is the phenomenon which the light L concentrates and it seems that the light and darkness generate | occur | produced in the operation part 20 (21) can be eliminated. . Since the spread of the light L toward the Y1 direction can be increased, the operation unit 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) softens the light L and illuminates the soft light L so that a so-called eyeball feeling is obtained. Therefore, it is possible to create a high-class feeling of the operation unit 20 (21).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the covering member 70 is, for example, a plastic sheet-like member having translucency. The covering member 70 can transmit the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 described above toward the front side of the door 3. The covering member 70 is a transparent material, and can be colored in accordance with the outer plate color of the refrigerator main body 2 in order to increase the value in appearance design. As shown in FIG. 2, the size of the covering member 70 in the X direction and the Z direction is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the size of the substrate 40 in the X direction and the Z direction.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the surface of the covering member 70 and the surface of the front plate 3F (4F) of the door 3 are preferably set to be flush with each other. Thereby, even if the operation part 20 (21) is arrange | positioned at the door 3 (4), the level | step difference in the door 3 (4) can be eliminated and the value on the external appearance design of the door 3 (4) can be raised.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the structural example and arrangement example of the operation unit 20 in the door 3 shown in FIG. 1 are substantially the same as the structural example and arrangement example of the operation unit 21 in the door 4. The operation unit 20 (21) uses one circuit board 40 and does not use a plurality of circuit boards as in the prior art. For this reason, the thickness about the Y direction of operation part 20 (21) itself can be reduced. Further, the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Due to the reduction in the thickness direction, the amount of the heat insulating material can be increased in the door 3 (4) by that amount, so that the effect of ensuring the heat insulating thickness can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

  The through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 shown in FIG. 5 may be circular holes, but may be long holes as illustrated in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the through holes 48 and 49 are long holes, the LEDs 44 and 45 extend on the other surface of the substrate 40 across the short direction S of the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. It can be attached to a certain back surface 42.

  In this case, the LEDs 44 and 45 may be fixed to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40 using electrode terminals, or the LEDs 44 and 45 themselves may be fixed to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40 with an adhesive, for example. Thereby, the LEDs 44 and 45 can be easily fixed to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40 corresponding to the through holes 48 and 49.

  As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the refrigerator body 2, the doors 3 and 4 that open and close the front opening of the refrigerator body, and the operation units 20 and 21 provided on the front surfaces of the doors 3 and 4. And comprising. The operation units 20 and 21 have an electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 that detects a change in capacitance by contacting a surface 41 that is one surface, and a light emitting element on a back surface 42 that is the other surface. A substrate support member 50 that supports one substrate 40 on which the LEDs 44 and 45 are mounted.

  The substrate 40 is provided with through holes 48 and 49 that lead to the front of the door 3 (4) through the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45. The LEDs 44 and 45 are arranged on the back surface 42, which is the other surface of the substrate 40, corresponding to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40.

  Thereby, since only one board 40 is used without using a plurality of boards, the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) arranged on the door 3 (4). In addition, since the amount of heat insulating material can be increased in the door 3 (4) by the reduction in the thickness direction, the effect of ensuring the heat insulating thickness can be obtained.

  The through holes 48 and 49 are provided in the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43, and the LEDs 44 and 45 that are light emitting elements are electrode terminals 44 </ b> A as a bridging portion that bridges the back surface 42 that is the other surface of the substrate 40. , 45A. Thus, the LEDs 44 and 45 are attached to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40 using the electrode terminals 44A and 45A and can be electrically connected.

  A diffusion layer 99 for diffusing the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 emitted through the through holes 48 and 49 is provided on the surface 41 side which is one surface of the substrate 40. Thereby, even if it is LED44,45 where light concentrates, since the light L is diffused by the diffused layer 99, it is the phenomenon where light concentrates and it seems that the light and shade were generated in the operation part 20 (21). The so-called eyeball feeling can be reduced or eliminated.

  The through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 are long holes, and the LEDs 44 and 45 are attached to the back surface 42 that is the other surface of the substrate 40 across the short direction S of the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. . Thereby, the LEDs 44 and 45 can be easily attached to the substrate 40.

  For example, a conductive surface layer 88 is formed on the inner surface of the substrate 40 where the through holes 48 and 49 are formed to fill and smooth the irregularities on the inner surface. As a result, the surface layer 88 guides the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 passing through the through holes 48 and 49 to the front of the door 3 (4). The surface layer 88 can guide the light L forward from the surface 41 side of the substrate 40 so that the amount of the light L does not decrease due to absorption. Accordingly, since the surface layer 88 is formed on the inner surfaces of the through holes 44 and 45, the amount of the light L can be prevented from decreasing even if the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 is passed through the through holes 48 and 49. .

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, a covering member 70 that transmits the light L of the LED 44.45 is disposed on a surface 41 as one surface of the substrate 40.

  Thereby, the covering member 70 can improve the appearance of the door 3 (4) in appearance while covering the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 on the surface 41 of the substrate 40.

  In the embodiment, some of the LEDs 44 and 45 may be inserted into the corresponding through holes 48 and 49, respectively. Thus, by arranging the LEDs 44 and 45 so that a part of the LEDs 44 and 45 reach the insides of the corresponding through holes 48 and 49, respectively, the entire thickness of the operation unit including the LEDs 44 and 45 is obtained. The thickness can be reduced.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. The novel embodiment can be implemented in various other modes, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  The structure of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and an arbitrary structure can be adopted.

  The front plates of the illustrated doors 3 and 4 are made of, for example, a steel plate, but are not particularly limited. For example, it is preferable that the front plate, which is a light-transmitting glass plate, be disposed on all of the front surfaces of the left and right doors 3, 4 and the drawer-type doors 7 a, 8 a, 9 a, 10 a. Good. Thereby, the appearance on the external appearance design of the refrigerator 1 can further be improved.

  The operation units 20 and 21 may be provided only on one of the doors 3 and 4. The doors 3 and 4 of the refrigerator compartment 5 are double doors, but may be a single door. The shape of the through holes 44 and 5 may be, for example, a circular shape or a square shape, or may be a long and narrow slit shape.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, as an LED, for example, a chip-type LED with a lens can be used in addition to a normal chip-type LED. In the embodiment described above, the LEDs 44 and 45 are connected so as to bridge the through holes 48 and 48 of the substrate 40 and the slit-like through holes. The through holes 48 and 49 are an example of a light passage portion that guides light to the front of the door 3 (4) through the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 as light emitting elements.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the size of the board is small in the operation unit 20 (21), the LED light exits from the peripheral portion of the small-sized board and is directed to the front of the door 3 (4). May be. The peripheral portion of the substrate is another example of the light passage portion.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 2 Refrigerator main body 3, 4 Door 20, 21 Operation part 40 Board | substrate 41 The surface (one side) of a board | substrate
42 Back side of substrate (the other side)
43 Electrostatic contact circuit 44 LED
45 LED
44A, 45A Electrode terminal (Bridge part)
48, 49 Through hole (example of light passage)
50 Substrate support member 88 Surface layer L LED light (light emitting element light)

Claims (6)

A refrigerator body, a door that opens and closes the front opening of the refrigerator body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door,
The operation unit is
One surface has an electrostatic contact circuit portion that detects a change in capacitance by contacting, and the other surface has one substrate mounted with a light emitting element,
A substrate support member supporting the substrate,
The refrigerator characterized by the above-mentioned. The light passage part which guides the front of the said door through the light of the said light emitting element is provided.   The light passage portion is a through hole provided in the substrate, and the light emitting element is disposed on the other surface of the substrate corresponding to the through hole of the substrate. The refrigerator according to claim 1.   3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the through hole is provided in the electrostatic contact circuit portion, and the light emitting element has a bridging portion that bridges the other surface of the substrate. .   The refrigerator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a diffusion layer for diffusing the light of the light emitting element emitted through the through hole is provided on the one surface side of the substrate.   The said through-hole of the said board | substrate is a long hole, and the said light emitting element is attached to the said other surface of the said board | substrate across the transversal direction of the said through-hole of the said board | substrate. Refrigerator.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a surface layer for smoothing the inner surface is formed on an inner surface of the substrate forming the through hole.

Images