JP7122434B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator having a touch open sensor on the front panel of the front door.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a refrigerator equipped with a touch open function that automatically opens the door by detecting a touch operation on a switch installed at a specific location on the front panel of the door. With this function, even if the user has something to put in the refrigerator or their hands are dirty, it is difficult to open the door. You can easily open the door without applying force.

JP 2006-329555 A

However, when the touch open function as described above is provided, if a part of the user's body unconsciously touches the touch open switch, the door will open even though the user does not intend to open the door. put away.

In order to prevent such malfunctions, there is a technique in which a guard electrode is provided around the touch open switch so that operations other than the intended operation of the touch open switch are not detected as much as possible. However, even with the guard electrode, it is still difficult to completely prevent malfunction.

In particular, when the user is working by opening another storage door directly below the door with the touch open function, if the touch open function is activated unintentionally and the door is opened, the door may hit the user. , there is a problem that it may interfere with the loading and unloading work and cause inconvenience.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. To provide a refrigerator that prevents a user from being inconvenienced by opening a door by working.

According to the embodiment for achieving the above object, the refrigerator comprises a first storage compartment door provided at the front opening of the first storage compartment, and a first storage compartment door installed at the first storage compartment door for external operation. an operation detector for detecting, a door opening control unit for opening the first storage chamber door when an operation from the outside is detected by the operation detector, and a second storage chamber disposed under the first storage chamber A second storeroom door provided at the front opening of the storeroom, and an open door detector that detects that the second storeroom door is opened at a preset first opening degree or more. Prepare. The first degree of opening is a position where the movement speed of the first storage chamber door when the first storage chamber door is opened under the control of the door opening control unit reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, and the first It is set by the opening degree of the storage chamber door of 2. When the open door detector detects that the second storage compartment door is open to the first degree of opening or more, the door opening control unit detects an operation from the outside by the operation detector. , do not open the first storage compartment door.

The block diagram of the refrigerator by one Embodiment. (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views of the refrigerator according to the embodiment as viewed from the side. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device for a refrigerator according to one embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing processing executed by the refrigerator control device according to one embodiment. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the moving speed and the degree of opening of a predetermined portion of the refrigerating compartment door when the refrigerating compartment door of the refrigerator according to the embodiment is automatically opened.

<Configuration of refrigerator according to one embodiment>
A configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. A refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment has a refrigerator main body 2 configured by a heat insulating cabinet. A refrigerator compartment 3 as a first storage compartment is provided in the upper part of the refrigerator body 2 , and a vegetable compartment 4 as a second storage compartment is provided in the lower part of the refrigerator compartment 3 .

A pair of left and right refrigerator compartment doors 30A and 30B are provided at the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 3 on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment 3 as first storeroom doors. The left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B are double doors, and the left end of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right end of the right refrigerating compartment door 30B are rotatably attached by hinges (not shown). A drawer-type vegetable compartment door 40 is provided at the front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 as a second storage compartment door on the front surface of the vegetable compartment 4 .

A left touch open switch 31A is provided at a predetermined position of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A (the right end near the bottom side in FIG. 1), and a left touch open switch 31A is provided at a predetermined position (the left end near the bottom side in FIG. 1) of the right refrigerating compartment door 30B. , and a right touch open switch 31B. Each of the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B is composed of a capacitive touch sensor, and is an operation detection sensor (operation detection sensor) that detects a user's touch operation, which is an operation from the outside, by a change in capacitance. vessel).

A left door opening device 32A is installed at a position corresponding to the upper portion of the left refrigerating chamber door 30A of the refrigerator main body 2, and a right door opening device 32B is installed at a position corresponding to the upper portion of the right refrigerating chamber door 30B. The left door opening device 32A and the right door opening device 32B are each configured to automatically open the corresponding refrigerating compartment door by pushing a plunger forward with an electromagnet.

Further, in the refrigerator body 2, an open door detection sensor 41 is installed to detect that the vegetable compartment door 40 is opened within a predetermined range. The configuration of the open door detection sensor 41 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c).

2A to 2C are cross-sectional views of the refrigerator main body 2 as viewed from the side, and an open door detection sensor (door open detector) 41 is located below the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 4 in the refrigerator main body 2. is set up. Further, on the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 4, an open door detection sensor 41 detects when the vegetable compartment door 40 is open between a preset first opening degree and a second opening degree. , a detected body 42 having a predetermined length in the opening/closing direction is installed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the vegetable compartment door 40 is closed, the detected object 42 is not detected by the open door detection sensor 41. As shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 2(b), when the vegetable compartment door 40 is opened to the preset first degree of opening x, the detected object 42 is detected by the open door detection sensor 41. Become. Further, as shown in FIG. 2(c), when the vegetable compartment door 40 is further pulled out and opened to the preset second opening degree y, the detected object 42 is detected by the open door detection sensor 41. will not be.

The open door detection sensor 41 and the object to be detected 42 are, for example, magnet sensors. When the open door detection sensor 41 approaches the object to be detected 42 made of a magnet, a magnetic force is generated. 41, the detection information is wirelessly transmitted to the control device 50 described below.

A control device 50 is installed in the refrigerator main body 2 and connected to the left touch open switch 31A, the right touch open switch 31B, the left door opening device 32A, the right door opening device 32B, and the open door detection sensor 41. The control device 50 has an automatic door opening control section 51 and an operation detection control section 52, as shown in FIG.

When the left touch open switch 31A detects a user's touch operation while the left refrigerating compartment door 30A is closed, the automatic door opening controller 51 drives the left door opening device 32A to open the left refrigerating compartment door 30A. to open the door. When the right touch open switch 31B is detected to be touched by the user when the right refrigerating compartment door 30B is closed, the right door opening device 32B is driven to open the right refrigerating compartment door 30B.

The operation detection control unit 52 disables the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B when the detected object 42 is detected by the open door detection sensor 41 . After the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B are disabled, the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B are enabled when the detected object 42 is no longer detected by the open door detection sensor 41. .

<Processing Performed in Refrigerator According to One Embodiment>
Next, processing executed in the refrigerator 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this embodiment, when the left refrigerating compartment door 30A, the right refrigerating compartment door 30B, and the vegetable compartment door 40 are closed, the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B are enabled (S1). .

When the user touches the left touch open switch 31A while the left touch open switch 31A is in a valid state, the operation is recognized by the automatic door opening control section 51, and the left door opening device 32A is driven to open the left refrigerator compartment. Door 30A is opened. Similarly, when the user touches the right touch open switch 31B while the right touch open switch 31B is in a valid state, the operation is recognized by the automatic door opening control section 51, and the right door opening device 32B is driven. Right refrigerator compartment door 30B is opened.

Next, when the vegetable compartment door 40 is opened by the user while the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B remain closed, and the opening reaches a preset first opening x or more, the open door detection sensor Detectable object 42 installed on the bottom surface of vegetable compartment 4 is detected by 41 ("YES" in S2).

When the detected object 42 is detected by the open door detection sensor 41 , the detection information is transmitted to the control device 50 . In the control device 50, the operation detection control section 52 switches the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B to the disabled state (S3). The disabled state of the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B continues while the detected object 42 is detected by the open door detection sensor 41 .

When the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B are disabled, even if the user touches these switches, the automatic door opening controller 51 does not open the door.

Next, when the vegetable compartment door 40 is opened or closed at a second opening degree y or more, which is greater than the first opening degree x, or is closed, the open door detection sensor 41 detects When the detected object 42 is no longer detected (“NO” in S4), the operation detection control unit 52 switches the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B to the enabled state.

Here, the first degree of opening x and the second degree of opening y of the vegetable compartment door 40, which are set to enable/disable the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B, will be described. Left refrigerating compartment door 30A, right refrigerating compartment door 30B, and vegetable compartment door 40 are arranged side by side with a narrow gap of several millimeters to several tens of millimeters. As a result, when the user opens the vegetable compartment door 40 to take the vegetables in and out of the vegetable compartment 4, part of the body touches the touch open switch 31A or 31B, causing the left refrigerating compartment door 30A or the right refrigerating compartment door 30A to be touched. If the refrigerator compartment door 30B automatically opens against the user's intention, the user's finger may be caught in the gap between the vegetable compartment door 40 and the opened left refrigerator compartment door 30A or right refrigerator compartment door 30B. be.

Such a situation may occur only when the opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 is within a predetermined range. possible, or when the opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 is large and the left refrigerating compartment door 30A or the right refrigerating compartment door 30B does not reach the vegetable compartment door 40 even if the door is opened, or when the left refrigerating compartment door 30A Alternatively, when the right refrigerating compartment door 30B automatically opens, at a position where the moving speed is slow, the possibility of getting a finger caught is low. Disabling the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B until such a time may reduce user convenience.

Therefore, the first degree of opening x and the second degree of opening y of the vegetable compartment door 40, which are set to enable/disable the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B, are as follows. can decide.

[First degree of opening x] (lower limit of vegetable compartment opening range for disabling touch open switch)
(a) The minimum opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 that allows the user to put the vegetable compartment 4 in and out.

(b) When the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B are automatically opened, the speed at which these doors move at a predetermined position (for example, the right end of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A or the left end of the right refrigerating compartment door 30B). becomes a predetermined value or more, the minimum opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 that overlaps in the vertical direction.

Here, the moving speed (v) when the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B are automatically opened is, as shown in the graph of FIG. Immediately after the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B are pushed out by the door opening device 32B, the opening of the refrigerating compartment doors 30A and 30B rapidly increases at a low position, and after reaching the maximum speed, the opening increases. increases and then gradually decreases. In such a change, the minimum opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 overlapping in the vertical direction at the position of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B at the opening p1 when the moving speed increases to the predetermined value v1 is , can be set as the first opening. By setting the first degree of opening in this manner, the moving speed of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B increases, and the possibility that the user's finger is caught between the door 40 and the vegetable compartment door 40 increases. At times, the left touch open switch 31A and the right touch open switch 31B can be disabled to ensure user safety.

[Second degree of opening y] (Upper limit of the range of vegetable compartment opening that disables the touch open switch)
(c) The maximum degree of opening of the vegetable compartment door 40 that overlaps vertically with the left refrigerating compartment door 30A or right refrigerating compartment door 30B fully open.

(d) Movement speed of the left refrigerating-compartment door 30A and right refrigerating-compartment door 30B when they are automatically opened (for example, the right end of the left refrigerating-compartment door 30A or the left end of the right refrigerating-compartment door 30B) The maximum opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 that overlaps in the vertical direction at the position where the speed becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value from the maximum speed.

As shown in FIG. 5, while the moving speeds of the refrigerating chamber doors 30A and 30B change, the left refrigerating chamber door 30A or right refrigerating chamber door 30A or the right refrigerating chamber door 30A at the opening (p2) when the moving speed decreases from the maximum value to the predetermined value v2. The maximum opening degree of the vegetable compartment door 40 vertically overlapping at the position of the door 30B can be set as the second opening degree. By setting the second degree of opening in this way, when the movement speed of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B decreases and the possibility of the user's finger being caught in the finger becomes low, the left touch open switch can be opened. 31A and the right touch open switch 31B are enabled to improve user convenience.

FIG. 5 shows the case where the moving speed v1 for determining the first degree of opening x is faster than the moving speed v2 for determining the second degree of opening y. may be the same value, and v2 may be a faster value than v1.

The moving speed (v) of the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B depends on the magnitude of the force pushing out the left refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B by the left door opening device 32A and the right door opening device 32B. It differs depending on the weight of the refrigerating compartment door 30A and the right refrigerating compartment door 30B.

As described above, the first threshold is determined by (a) or (b), and the second threshold is determined by (c) or (d), so that the open door detection sensor 41 and the detected object 42 are detected. A range can be set.

The object to be detected 42 installed on the bottom surface of the vegetable compartment 4 is detected while the vegetable compartment 4 is opened to an opening within a range defined by the first opening x and the second opening y. It is configured to have a predetermined length in the opening/closing direction so as to be detected by the open door detection sensor 41 .

According to the above-described embodiment, when the user unintentionally opens the left refrigerating compartment door 30A or the right refrigerating compartment door 30B while the user is putting in and out of the vegetable compartment 4, the vegetable compartment door 40 and the left refrigerating compartment door 30B are unintentionally opened. It is possible to efficiently avoid the occurrence of a situation in which a finger is caught between door 30A or right refrigerating compartment door 30B.

While embodiments of the invention have been described, the embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Refrigerator 2... Refrigerator main body 3... Refrigerator compartment 4... Vegetable compartment 30A... Left refrigerating compartment door 30B... Right refrigerating compartment door 31A... Left touch open switch 31B... Right touch open switch 32A... Left door opening device 32B... Right opening door Apparatus 40... Vegetable compartment door 41... Open door detection sensor 42... Object to be detected 50... Control device 51... Automatic door opening control unit 52... Operation detection control unit

Claims (4)

a first storage door provided at the front opening of the first storage;
an operation detector installed on the first storage chamber door and detecting an operation from the outside;
a door opening control unit that opens the first storage chamber door when an operation from the outside is detected by the operation detector;
a second storage compartment door provided at a front opening of a second storage compartment located below the first storage compartment;
A door open detector that detects that the second storage chamber door is opened at a preset first opening degree or more,
The first degree of opening detected by the door open detector is determined by the movement speed of the first storage chamber door when the first storage chamber door is opened under the control of the door opening control unit. is set by the opening degree of the second storage chamber door that overlaps in the vertical direction at a position exceeding the value ,
When the door open detector detects that the second storage chamber door is opened to the first degree of opening or more, the door opening control unit causes the operation detector to operate from the outside. is detected, the first storage chamber door is not opened
A refrigerator characterized by: The open door detector detects that the second storage chamber door is opened to a second opening degree or more that is preset to a value larger than the first opening degree. The refrigerator according to claim 1. The second degree of opening detected by the open door detector is set by the degree of opening of the second storeroom door that overlaps vertically with the first storeroom door fully open. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized by: The second degree of opening detected by the door opening detector is the maximum moving speed of the first storage chamber door when the first storage chamber door is opened under the control of the opening control unit. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the opening degree of the second storage compartment door overlapping in the vertical direction is set at a position where the speed becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value.

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