JP7178771B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to refrigerators.

2. Description of the Related Art Refrigerators are provided with an operation unit on the front door of a storage compartment in order to display and operate operation functions of the refrigerator. On the surface of the operation portion, the contact operation position, which indicates the operation position to be touched by the user, is displayed by printing in advance, so that the user can visually confirm the contact operation position. Recently, however, in order to improve the exterior design of refrigerators, contact operation positions and the like are not printed and displayed in advance on the operation unit.

For this reason, when the user brings his/her hand close to the operation unit, the proximity sensor detects the hand and lights up an LED (light emitting diode) to illuminate the contact operation position, etc., thereby displaying the touch operation position. .

Patent document 1 discloses a display unit arranged on a storage compartment door of a refrigerator. The display unit includes two substrates, a plate-like substrate supporting member that supports the two substrates, and illumination means. The illuminating means is arranged near the other wall surface facing the wall surface having the inclined part of the substrate support member, and the inclined part spreads the light emitted from the illuminating means to the surroundings and directs the light from the front plate of the door to the front of the door. It is designed to reflect toward.

Another conventional example is shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional operating portion. This operation section is an electrostatic contact unit arranged on the door of the storage chamber, and is composed of 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 holes 205 for transmitting light. The substrate support plate 203 has a large rectangular hole 206 . The front side of the substrate supporting plate 203 overlaps and supports the first substrate 201 , and the back side of the substrate supporting plate 203 overlaps and supports the second substrate 202 .

The cover plate 200 is light transmissive, and is placed over the first substrate 201 . As a result, the light generated by the LEDs 204 of the second substrate 202 passes through the holes 206 of the substrate support plate 203, passes through the corresponding holes 205 of the first substrate 201 for transmitting light, and passes from the cover plate 200 to the storage chamber. It is designed to be irradiated in front of the door of.

JP 2014-126304

However, the display unit described in Patent Document 1 has two substrates and a plate-like substrate support member for supporting the two substrates, so the number of parts increases and cost cannot be reduced. In addition, the thickness in the direction in which the two substrates and the substrate supporting member are stacked inevitably increases.

In another conventional example shown in FIG. 15, similarly, the substrate supporting plate 203, the first substrate 201, and the second substrate 202 are laminated, so that the number of parts increases and the cost cannot be reduced. In addition, the thickness in the direction in which the two substrates and the substrate supporting member are stacked inevitably increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its object is to reduce costs by reducing the number of parts of the operation part arranged on the door, and to reduce the heat insulation thickness by reducing the thickness direction. To provide a refrigerator capable of obtaining a securing effect.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body, a door for opening and closing a front opening of the refrigerator main body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door. has an electrostatic contact circuit portion that detects a change in capacitance by contact, and supports one substrate on which a light emitting element is mounted on the other surface, and the other surface side of the substrate. and a substrate support member having a light reflecting portion that reflects light from the light emitting element, and the substrate is provided with the light of the light emitting element reflected by the light reflecting portion to pass through the light of the door. A through hole leading forward is provided.

Further, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body, a door for opening and closing a front opening of the refrigerator main body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door. One surface has an electrostatic contact circuit portion that detects a change in capacitance by contact, and the other surface supports one substrate on which a light emitting element is mounted and the substrate, a substrate supporting member having a light reflecting portion that reflects the light from the light emitting element, the light reflecting portion having a diffuse reflection surface that diffusely reflects the light from the light emitting element; A through-hole is provided to guide the light of the light-emitting element irregularly reflected by the light reflecting portion to the front of the door.

It is a perspective view showing the whole refrigerator concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of the operation unit shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA; 3 is a perspective view showing a structural example of a board support member of the operating section shown in FIG. 2; FIG. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structural example of the operation part of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a structural example of a board support member of the operation section shown in FIG. 4; It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure example of the operation part of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structural example of a board support member of the operating section shown in FIG. 6; It is a perspective view showing the whole refrigerator concerning a 4th embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of the operation unit shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA; 3 is a perspective view showing a structural example of a board support member of the operating section shown in FIG. 2; FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example in which a plurality of through holes and a plurality of LEDs are arranged in the substrate of FIG. 2; It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure example of the operation part of 5th Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a front view showing an example in which a plurality of through holes and a plurality of LEDs are arranged in the substrate of FIG. 5; It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure example of the operation part of 6th Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional operating portion;

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the form (it is hereafter called embodiment) for implementing this invention is demonstrated using drawing.

(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 . A refrigerator main body 2 of this refrigerator 1 is constituted by a cabinet having heat insulating properties, and a plurality of storage compartments are formed inside the refrigerator main body 2 . As storage compartments, a refrigerating compartment 5 and a vegetable compartment 7 are provided in this order from the top. Below the vegetable compartment 7, an ice making compartment 8 and a small freezer compartment 9 are arranged side by side. is provided.

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

Right and left doors 3 and 4 for opening and closing the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 5 are provided on the front surface 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 of the right door 4 is rotatably attached by a hinge (not shown). The front plates 3F, 4F of the doors 3, 4 are made of steel, for example, but are not particularly limited.

Drawer-type doors 7a, 8a, 9a, and 10a for opening and closing the respective front openings are provided on the front surfaces of the vegetable compartment 7, the ice making compartment 8, the small freezer compartment 9, and the main freezer compartment 10, respectively. Left and right doors 3 and 4 and drawer type doors 7a, 8a, 9a and 10a are provided with handles 3b, 4b, 7b, 8b, 9b and 10b for opening each door with the user's fingers. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1, door opening operation units 11 and 12 as door opening means are provided on the refrigerator main body 2 . 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 units 11 and 12 automatically push and open the left and right doors 3 and 4, respectively.

In FIG. 1, the horizontal direction (width direction) of the refrigerator main body 2 is indicated by the X direction, the depth direction of the refrigerator main body 2 is indicated by the Y direction, and the vertical direction of the refrigerator main body 2 is indicated by the Z direction. .

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

The operation units 20 and 21 preferably use, for example, capacitance type contact sensors that can detect changes in capacitance when touched by the user, generate ON signals, and light up. 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 functions of the refrigerator 1 with the operation units 20 and 21, the user performs a contact operation (touch operation) on the operation units 20 and 21 with fingers to open the left and right doors 3 and 4, respectively. It is a door open switch for By operating the door opening switch, the door opening operation parts 11 and 12 are operated, respectively, and the door opening operation parts 11 and 12 can automatically push and open the left and right doors 3 and 4, respectively.

Examples of operating the functions of the refrigerator 1 using the operation units 20 and 21 include functional operations such as freezing, quick freezing, refrigeration, and ice making. As an example of displaying various functional states of the refrigerator 1 on the operation units 20 and 21, the states of functions such as freezing, quick freezing, refrigerating, and ice making are displayed.

The operation units 20 and 21 described above can play the role of a door opening switch for opening the left and right doors 3 and 4, a function operation switch, and a function operation display. 21 may perform at least one of the roles of a door opening switch, function operation switch, and function operation display.

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

The structure of the left operation unit 20 shown in FIG. 1 is bilaterally symmetrical to the structure of the right operation unit 21, so the explanation of the structure of the right operation unit 21 will be given by describing the example of the structure of the left operation unit 20. and omit it.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operating section 20 includes a substrate 40, a substrate support member 50, and a covering member 70. As shown in FIGS. 3 shows a structural example of the substrate support member 50, the illustration of the substrate 40 and the covering member 70 is omitted.

A single board 40 shown in FIG. 2 is, for example, a flat rectangular circuit board having an electrostatic contact circuit portion capable of electrostatic contact input by electrostatic contact of a user's finger. An electrostatic contact circuit portion (electrostatic touch circuit portion) 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 when the user touches the finger and notifies the control unit 100 of the change.

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

The LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 2 are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the substrate 40, and the light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 is emitted in a lateral direction, that is, the light L is emitted parallel to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40. After that, the light is reflected by the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 .

The electrostatic contact circuit section 43 and the LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 2 are electrically connected to the control section 100 . The control unit 100 is arranged in 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 due to electrostatic contact of a user's finger. Further, the control unit 100 causes the LEDs 44 and 45 to light up, for example, when an electrostatic contact input is detected.

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 is substantially flat and has a substrate fitting portion 51, mounting protrusions 52 to 56, and light reflecting portions 60,61.

The light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are formed so as to extend from the board fitting portion 51 and be inclined. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are formed continuously along the Z direction. The substrate support member 50 has a rectangular opening 69 between the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 . The light reflecting portion 60 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 44 , and the light reflecting portion 61 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 45 .

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the board support member 50 is arranged in the opening 3R of the front plate 3F of the door 3. As shown in FIG. The substrate fitting portion 51 of the substrate supporting member 50 is a recessed portion into which the substrate 40 described above is fitted and fixed on the surface 57 side of the substrate supporting member 50 . The depth K of the recessed portion of the board fitting portion 5 corresponds to the thickness of the board 40 . As a result, the substrate 40 is attached by being fitted into the substrate fitting portion 51 of the substrate supporting member 50, and the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the substrate supporting member 50 are flush with each other. The rear surface 42 side of the substrate 40 is attached and fixed to the substrate fitting portion 51 with an adhesive or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, mounting protrusions 52 to 56 are provided on the rear surface 58 side of the substrate support member 50 so as to protrude in parallel in the Y direction. These mounting projections 52 to 56 are substantially L-shaped and are provided for fixing the operation part 20 by fitting it to the structure side of the door 3 . Thereby, the operation part 20 can be reliably fixed to the door 3 .

The light reflecting portions 60 and 61 shown in FIG. 2 are provided so as to protrude from the back surface 58 side of the substrate supporting member 50 . On the surfaces of the substrate 40 where the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 face the LEDs 44 and 45, respectively, mirror surfaces on which the LEDs 44 and 45 are reflected are formed by coating or pasting.

The light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are provided at an angle corresponding to the positions of the LEDs 44 and 45 on the substrate 40, respectively. The light reflecting portion 60 is provided at a predetermined inclination angle θ, preferably 45 degrees, with respect to the X direction, which is the arrangement direction of the substrate 40 . Similarly, the light reflecting portion 61 is provided at a predetermined inclination angle θ, preferably 45 degrees, with respect to the X direction, which is the arrangement direction of the substrate 40 . The angles at which the light L is incident on the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are preferably 45 degrees. These light reflecting portions 60 and 61 have mirror surfaces and are inclined so as to approach each other, and a gap 62 is provided between the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 .

The substrate 40 has through holes 48 and 49 at positions inside the light reflecting portions 60 and 61, respectively. Light L generated by the LED 44 is reflected by the light reflecting portion 60 , passes through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40 , and passes through the covering member 70 . Thereby, the light L generated by the LED 44 is irradiated in the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 . Similarly, the light L generated by the LED 45 is reflected by the light reflecting portion 61 , passes through the through hole 49 of the substrate 40 , and passes through the covering member 70 . As a result, the light L generated by the LED 44 is irradiated in the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 (4).

In this way, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 is reflected once, and then passes through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40 and is irradiated in the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 (4). For this reason, the distance from the LEDs 44 and 45 to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 is increased as compared with direct irradiation of the LED light forward. Therefore, the spread of the light L can be increased, and the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L to illuminate the light L softly.

As shown in FIG. 2, the covering member 70 is, for example, a translucent plastic sheet-like member. The covering member 70 can transmit the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 to the front side of the door 3 . The covering member 70 is a transparent material,
In order to increase the value of the appearance design, it can be colored to match the color of the outer plate of the refrigerator main body 2. - 特許庁As shown in FIG. 2, the X-direction and Z-direction sizes of the covering member 70 are approximately the same as or slightly larger than the X- and Z-direction sizes of the substrate 40 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the covering member 70 is attached to the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the surface 57 of the substrate supporting member 50 . Preferably, the surface of the covering member 70 and the surface of the front panel 3F (4F) of the door 3 are flush with each other. As a result, even if the operation unit 20 (21) is arranged on the door 3 (4), the step on the door 3 (4) can be eliminated, and the appearance design value of the door 3 (4) can be increased.

Thus, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the structural example and arrangement example of the operating portion 20 on the door 3 are substantially the same as the structural example and arrangement example of the operating portion 21 on the door 4 . Operation unit 20 (21)
uses a single substrate 40 for circuits, and does not use substrates for a plurality of circuits as in the prior art. Therefore, the thickness of the operation unit 20 (21) itself in the Y direction can be reduced. Also, the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional structure of the operation unit 20 according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a structural example of the board support member 50 of the operating section 20 shown in FIG.

The operation unit 20 (21) of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from the operation unit 20 (21) of the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. It is the shape of the reflecting portions 60 and 61 . Since they are substantially the same except for the shape of the light reflecting portions 60 and 61, they are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

The LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 4 are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the substrate 40, and the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 is emitted in a lateral direction, that is, the light L is emitted parallel to the back surface 42 of the substrate 40. After that, the light is reflected by the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 .

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are formed continuously along the Z direction. The light reflecting portion 60 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 44 , and the light reflecting portion 61 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 45 .

4 and 5, the light reflecting portions 60, 61 are provided with light shielding portions 60H, 61H, respectively. The light shielding portion 60H is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 44 , and the light shielding portion 61H is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 45 . The light shielding portion 60H reaches the rear surface 42 of the substrate 40 from the tip portion 60B of the light reflecting portion 60, as shown in FIG. The light shielding portion 60H is formed along the Y direction and has a role of preventing the light L generated by the LED 44 from leaking to the other LED 45 side.

Similarly, the light shielding portion 61H is formed along the Y direction and parallel to the light shielding portion 60H. The light shielding portion 61H has a role of preventing the light L generated by the LED 45 from leaking to one LED 44 side.

As described above, the light shielding portions 60H and 61H are provided in the light reflecting portions 60 and 61, respectively, so that the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 is prevented from leaking to the outside, and the LEDs 44 and 45 are prevented from leaking to the outside. can be prevented from interfering with each other. Therefore, the light L can be emitted in the Y1 direction through the through holes 48 and 49 without reducing the amount of light. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the amount of light that the user sees from decreasing, so that the visibility of the operation sections 20 and 21 can be improved. Further, since the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 are provided with the light shielding portions 60H and 61H, respectively, the LEDs 44 and 45 can be structured to prevent dust from entering from the outside.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional structure of the operation section 20 according to the third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structural example of the board support member 50 of the operating section 20 shown in FIG.

The operating unit 20 (21) of the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 differs from the operating unit 20 (21) of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. It is the shape of the reflecting portions 80 and 81 . Since they are substantially the same except for the shape of the light reflecting portions 80 and 81, they are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the light reflecting portions 80 and 81 are formed continuously along the Z direction. The light reflecting portion 80 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 44 , and the light reflecting portion 81 is formed along the Z direction corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 45 .

As shown in FIG. 6, the light reflecting portion 80 has a first light reflecting surface 80A and a second light reflecting surface 80B. The light reflecting portion 81 has a first light reflecting surface 81A and a second light reflecting surface 81B.

The first light reflecting surface 80A and the second light reflecting surface 80B are preferably connected at 90 degrees, and the first light reflecting surface 81A and the second light reflecting surface 81B are also preferably connected at 90 degrees.

As a result, the first light reflecting surface 80A reflects the light L of the LED 44 once and then guides it to the second light reflecting surface 80B, and the second light reflecting surface 80B reflects the light L of the LED 44 for the second time. can be guided to the front (Y1 direction) of the door 3 (4) through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40. As shown in FIG. Similarly, the first light reflecting surface 81A reflects the light L of the LED 45 once and then guides it to the second light reflecting surface 81B. It can be guided to the front (Y1 direction) of the door 3 (4) through the through hole 49 of the substrate 40. As shown in FIG.

In this way, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 can be irradiated forward (Y1 direction) of the door 3 (4) through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 after being reflected twice. For this reason, the distance from the LEDs 44 and 45 to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 can be made larger than when the LED light is directly emitted forward. Therefore, the spread of the light L can be increased, and the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L to illuminate the light L softly.

As shown in FIG. 6, the LEDs 44, 45 are surrounded by the substrate 40 and the light reflecting portions 80, 81. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the light L generated by the LED 44 and the light L generated by the LED 45 are prevented from leaking to the outside, and the light L passes through the through holes 48 and 49, respectively, and is irradiated in the Y1 direction without reducing the light amount. can be made Therefore, it is possible to prevent the amount of light that the user sees from decreasing, so that the visibility of the operation sections 20 and 21 can be improved.

The refrigerator 1 of each embodiment of the present invention has the following effects.

In the refrigerator 1 of each embodiment, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 is reflected by the light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81 in the area inside the substrate 40, so that the distance (optical path length) can be secured for a longer time. In this way, the light L can gain distance by using the light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81. Therefore, the brightness of the central portion of the light L and the brightness of the peripheral portion of the light L are different. The shading of the light L can be softened by reducing the shading between the two.

That is, when the light L is irradiated in front of the door 3 (4) through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, the light L uses the light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81 to change the distance. Since it is profitable, the spread of the light L can be enlarged. Therefore, in the door 3(4), the operation part 20(21) softens the intensity of the light L, and can illuminate the soft light L toward the front of the door 3(4). On the other hand, if the light is directly emitted to the front of the door through the through hole without using the reflecting portion, the spread of the light becomes small, and the light and shade of the light L cannot be softened.

In particular, in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the light L of the LEDs 44, 45 is reflected multiple times, thereby increasing the distance from the LEDs 44, 45 to the through holes 48, 49 of the substrate 40 considerably. Therefore, the spread of the light L can be increased, and the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L to illuminate the light L softly.

The LEDs 44 , 45 can also be arranged obliquely with respect to the substrate 40 . Due to the angled LEDs 44, 45 and light reflectors with respect to the substrate 40, the light L travels straight.

The LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 2 and the LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. After being emitted in parallel, the light is reflected by the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 . Thereby, the light L can be emitted from the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 by one reflection.

It is preferable that the angle at which the light L is incident on the light reflecting portion is 45 degrees or less. If this incident angle is small, almost straight light L can be emitted even by one reflection.

It is preferable that the distance from the substrate 40 to the light reflecting portion is 8 mm or less. Also, the distance from the light reflecting portion to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 is preferably 8 mm or less.

The light L of the LED can be output through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 at a slight upward angle instead of straight to the front of the refrigerator 1 . As a result, although the operation units 20 and 21 are positioned relatively below the door 3 (4), if downward light is emitted from the operation units 20 and 21, it may be difficult for the user to check the light emitting state. have a nature. For this reason, it is desirable that the light L be emitted slightly upward from the horizontal direction.

The LED and the light reflecting portion are in a positional relationship shifted in the vertical direction, and the light reflecting portion is positioned above the LED. Light L will fly upward.

Preferably, the reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81 are oriented in a direction other than upward with respect to the Z direction, which is the direction of gravity. As a result, even if dust enters, the light reflection section 60,
Dust does not accumulate on the reflective surfaces of 61,80,81.

Preferably, the reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions 60 , 61 , 80 , 81 are set to face the rear surface 42 side of the substrate 40 . As a result, the operator does not accidentally touch the reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions 60 , 61 , 80 , 81 when assembling the substrate 40 to the substrate supporting member 50 .

Preferably, the light reflecting portions 60 , 61 , 80 , 81 are integrally molded and processed when the substrate support member 50 is molded. As a result, the forming angles of the light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81 on the substrate supporting member 50 are less likely to vary compared to the case where the light reflecting portions are attached to the substrate supporting member later.

Preferably, the light reflecting portions 60 , 61 , 80 , 81 are mirror-finished inside the concave portions of the substrate supporting member 50 facing the rear surface 42 (mounting surface of the LEDs 44 , 45 ) of the substrate 40 . That is, the inner side of the concave portion in which the substrate 40 is assembled in the substrate supporting member 50 is partially mirror-finished.

The light L from each of the LEDs 44 and 45 may be split into, for example, two by the light reflecting portion. In this case, for example, the light L is formed long by distorting the mirror surfaces of the light reflecting portions 60 , 61 , 80 , 81 .

As described above, the refrigerator 1 of the embodiment of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body 2, a door 3 (4) for opening and closing the front opening of the refrigerator main body 2, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door 3 (4). 20 (21); The operation unit 20 (21) has an electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 that detects a change in capacitance by contact on the front surface 41 as one surface, and a light emitting element on the back surface 42 as the other surface. One substrate 40 on which LEDs 44 and 45 are mounted as a light-emitting element, and a back surface 42 side that is the other surface of the substrate 40 is supported, and a light reflecting portion that reflects the light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 as light-emitting elements a substrate support member 50 having 60, 61; The substrate 40 is provided with through holes 48 and 49 that guide the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 as light emitting elements reflected by the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 to the front of the door 3 (4).

As a result, only one substrate 40 is used instead of a plurality of substrates, and cost reduction can be achieved by reducing the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) arranged on the door 3 (4). can. In addition, since only one substrate 40 is used, the effect of securing the heat insulating thickness by reducing the thickness direction can be obtained.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 reflect the light L from the LEDs 44 and 45, which are light emitting elements, once, and then pass the light L through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 to the door 3 ( 4) leads to the front.

As a result, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 is reflected once, and the light L is guided forward of the door 3 (4) through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 . Therefore, the optical path of the light L increases the distance before passing through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, so that the spread of the light L can be increased. Therefore, in the door 3(4), the operation part 20(21) softens the intensity of the light L, and can illuminate the soft light L toward the front of the door 3(4).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the light reflecting portions 60 and 61 have light shielding portions 60H and 61H, and the LEDs 44 and 45 as light emitting elements are surrounded by the light shielding portions 60H and 61H and the light reflecting portions 60 and 61. is

As a result, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 can be prevented from leaking to the outside, and the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 can be prevented from interfering with each other. Therefore, the light L can be emitted in the Y1 direction through the through holes 48 and 49 without reducing the amount of light. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the amount of light that the user sees from decreasing, so that the visibility of the operation sections 20 and 21 can be improved.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the light reflecting portions 80 and 81 include first light reflecting surfaces 80A and 81A and second light reflecting surfaces 80B and 81B. After the light L is reflected once, it is guided to the second light reflecting surfaces 80B and 81B, respectively. ) forward.

As a result, the light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 is reflected once by the first light reflecting surfaces 80A and 81A and then reflected a second time by the second light reflecting surfaces 80B and 81B. through the through holes 48, 49 of the door 3 (4). Therefore, the optical path of the light L increases the distance before passing through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, so that the spread of the light L can be increased. For this reason, in the door 3 (4), the operation part 20 (21) moderates the intensity of the light L so that the door 3 (4)
) can illuminate a soft light L toward the front.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, a covering member 70 for transmitting light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 is arranged on the surface 41 as one side of the substrate 40 .

As a result, the covering member 70 can cover the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 on the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and improve the external design appearance of the door 3 (4).

(Fourth embodiment)
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the whole refrigerator according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but the structures of the operation units 20 and 21 shown in FIG. .

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of the operation unit 20 taken along line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structural example of the board support member 50 of the operating section 20 shown in FIG.

The structure of the left operation unit 20 shown in FIG. 8 is bilaterally symmetrical with the structure of the right operation unit 21, so the explanation of the structure of the right operation unit 21 will be given by describing the example of the structure of the left operation unit 20. to represent and omit.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the operating section 20 includes one substrate 40, a substrate support member 50, a light reflecting section 160, and a covering member . 10 shows a structural example of the substrate supporting member 50, but the illustration of the substrate 40 and the covering member 70 is omitted.

A single board 40 shown in FIG. 9 is, for example, a flat rectangular circuit board having an electrostatic contact circuit portion capable of electrostatic contact input by electrostatic contact of a user's finger. An electrostatic contact circuit portion (electrostatic touch circuit portion) 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 when the user touches the finger and notifies the control unit 100 of the change.

On the back surface 42, which is the other surface of the substrate 40, for example, a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) 44 and 45 as light emitting elements are mounted side by side at intervals along the Z direction. As exemplified in FIG. 8, the LEDs 44 and 45 are mounted side by side on the operation units 20 and 21 with a space therebetween along the Z direction.

By arranging the LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. The light is diffusely reflected by the portion 160 .

The electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 and LEDs 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 9 are electrically connected to the control portion 100 . The control unit 100 is arranged in 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 due to electrostatic contact of a user's finger. Further, the control unit 100 causes the LEDs 44 and 45 to light up when, for example, an electrostatic contact input is detected.

The substrate support member 50 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic. The substrate support member 50 is substantially flat and has substrate fitting portions 51A and 51B and mounting protrusions 52, 53, 55 and 56. As shown in FIG.

The light reflecting portion 160 shown in FIG. 9 is preferably made of white resin, for example. The light reflecting portion 160 has a body portion 161 and edge portions 162 and 163 . Edge portions 162 and 163 are formed from body portion 161 along the XZ plane. The light reflector 160 is fixed to the substrate support member 50 by fitting the edge portions 162 and 163 into the substrate fitting portions 51A and 51B of the substrate support member 50, respectively.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the board support member 50 is arranged in the opening 3R of the front plate 3F of the door 3. As shown in FIG. The substrate fitting portions 51A and 51B of the substrate supporting member 50 have recessed portions into which the substrate 40 described above is fitted and fixed on the surface 57 side of the substrate supporting member 50 . The depth K of the recessed portion of the substrate fitting portion 51A corresponds to the thickness of the substrate 40. As shown in FIG.

Accordingly, the substrate 40 is attached by being fitted into the substrate fitting portion 51A of the substrate support member 50, and the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the substrate support member 50 are flush with each other. The rear surface 42 side of the substrate 40 is attached and fixed to the substrate fitting portion 51A with an adhesive or the like.

As shown in FIG. 9 , mounting protrusions 52 , 53 , 55 , 56 are provided on the rear surface side of the substrate support member 50 so as to protrude in parallel in the Y direction. These mounting projections 52 , 53 , 55 , 56 are substantially L-shaped and are provided to fix the operation part 20 by fitting it to the structure side of the door 3 . Thereby, the operation part 20 can be reliably fixed to the door 3 .

As shown in FIG. 9, the substrate 40 has a plurality of through-holes 48 and 49 at positions facing the light reflecting section 160 . A body portion 161 of the light reflecting portion 160 is provided so as to protrude in the Y direction toward the back surface side of the substrate support member 50. A flat surface that lies along a plane. The body portion 161 covers the plurality of through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 and the plurality of LEDs 44 and 45 arranged on the back surface 42 side of the substrate 40 .

As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of through holes 48 in the substrate 40 are formed in spaced positions beside the plurality of LEDs 44 on the rear surface 42 of the substrate 40 . Similarly, a plurality of through-holes 49 in substrate 40 are spaced apart at positions beside a plurality of LEDs 45 on rear surface 42 of substrate 40 .

FIG. 11 is a front view showing an example in which a plurality of through holes 48 and 49 and a plurality of LEDs 44 and 45 are arranged on the substrate 40. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11, the plurality of through holes 48 and 49 are arranged in series along the Z direction with the same spacing. Similarly, the plurality of LEDs 44 and 45 are arranged in series at the same intervals corresponding to the positions of the plurality of through holes 48 and 49, respectively. The through-holes 48 are spaced outward in the Y direction from the positions of the corresponding adjacent LEDs 44 . Similarly, the through hole 49 is formed away from the position of the corresponding adjacent LED 45 outward in the Y direction.

Returning to FIG. 9, the inner surface of the light reflecting portion 160 is a diffuse reflection surface 90 for diffusely reflecting the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45, for example, in all directions. The light reflecting portion 160 preferably has a substantially ship bottom cross-sectional shape. The inner surface of the body portion 161 of the light reflecting portion 160 has a flat surface 91 and curved surface portions 92 and 93 .

The flat surface 91 is a portion facing the positions of the LEDs 44, 45 and the through holes 48, 49 and is parallel to the XZ plane. The curved surface portions 92 and 93 are both end portions of the flat portion 91 and have, for example, a 1/4 circular cross-sectional shape. The flat surface 91 and the inner surfaces of the curved surface portions 92 and 93 form a diffuse reflection surface 90 for diffusely reflecting the light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 . The curved surface portions 92 and 93 may have, for example, a parabolic shape when viewed in cross section. Thus, the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160 adopts a shape having a flat surface 91 rather than a convex shape when viewed in cross section. The reason for this is to minimize the thickness of the operating portion 20 (21) in the Y direction.

As a result, the thickness of the operating portion 20 (21) in the Y direction can be reduced as much as possible. Since it can be increased, it is possible to obtain the effect of securing the insulation thickness.

The light reflecting portion 160 shown in FIG. 9 is made of white resin as described above. The flat surface 91 of the irregularly reflecting surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160 and the inner surfaces of the curved portions 92 and 93 are preferably given a glossy finish. For example, the flat surface 91 and the curved surface portions 92 and 93 of the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160 are not subjected to gloss treatment such as plating, but to mirror-like gloss finish treatment so as to be smooth. Thereby, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 can be diffusely reflected.

However, not limited to this, the flat surface 91 and the curved surface portions 92 and 93 of the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160 may be formed into rough surfaces by embossing. Thereby, the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 can be diffusely reflected.

As shown in FIG. 9, the light L generated by the LED 44 is irregularly reflected by the flat surface 91 and the curved surfaces 92 and 93 of the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160, passes through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40, and passes through the coating. passes through the member 70 of Similarly, the light L generated by the LED 45 is irregularly reflected by the flat surface 91 of the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflecting portion 160 and the inner surfaces of the curved surface portions 92 and 93, passes through the through hole 49 of the substrate 40, and passes through the coating. It penetrates the member 70 .

Therefore, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 is emitted in a diffused or dispersed state toward the Y1 direction in front of the door 3 .

As a result, even if the optical element is preferably the LEDs 44 and 45 where the light concentrates, the light L is concentrated, so that the brightness of the light becomes clear in the operation unit 20 (21) shown in FIG. It is possible to reduce or eliminate the so-called eyeball effect, which is a phenomenon.

Since the spread of the light L directed in the Y1 direction can be increased, the operating portion 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) moderates the shade of the light L and illuminates the soft light L. This can be prevented, and the operation unit 20 (21) can be made to look high-class.

The light L from the LEDs 44 and 45 is diffusely reflected by the light reflecting portion 160, passes through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40, and is irradiated in the Y1 direction in front of the door 3 (4). For this reason, the distance from the LEDs 44 and 45 to the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 is increased as compared with direct irradiation of the LED light forward.

For this reason, the spread of the light L can be increased, and the operating portion 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L to illuminate the light L softer. In the operation part 20 (21), the LEDs 44, 45 can illuminate the soft light L, so that a high-class feeling is produced when lighting is performed in the operation part 20 (21), and the high-class feeling of the refrigerator 1 itself is enhanced. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 9, the covering member 70 is, for example, a translucent plastic sheet-like member. The covering member 70 can transmit the light L passing through the through holes 48 and 49 to the front side of the door 3 . The covering member 70 can be made of a transparent material, or can be colored to match the color of the outer plate of the refrigerator body 2 in order to increase the value of the appearance design. As shown in FIG. 9, the X-direction and Z-direction sizes of the covering member 70 are approximately the same as or slightly larger than the X- and Z-direction sizes of the substrate 40 .

As shown in FIG. 9, the covering member 70 is attached to the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and the surface 57 of the substrate supporting member 50 . Preferably, the surface of the covering member 70 and the surface of the front panel 3F (4F) of the door 3 are flush with each other. As a result, even if the operation unit 20 (21) is arranged on the door 3 (4), the step on the door 3 (4) can be eliminated, and the appearance design value of the door 3 (4) can be increased.

In the refrigerator 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the structure example and arrangement example of the operation part 20 on the door 3 are substantially the same as the structure example and arrangement example of the operation part 21 on the door 4 . The operation unit 20 (21) uses a single circuit board 40, and does not use a plurality of circuit boards as in the conventional art. Therefore, the thickness of the operation unit 20 (21) itself in the Y direction can be reduced. Also, the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. By reducing the thickness, the amount of heat insulating material in the door 3 (4) can be increased accordingly, so that the effect of securing the heat insulating thickness can be obtained.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional structure of the operating section 20 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a front view showing an example in which a plurality of through holes 48 and 49 and a plurality of LEDs 94 are arranged on the substrate 40 shown in FIG.

The operation unit 20 (21) of the fifth embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 differs from the operation unit 20 (21) of the fourth embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. It is the arrangement number and arrangement position of LED94 which is an element. Since the parts other than the LED 94 are substantially the same, the same reference numerals are given and the explanation is omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, the plurality of LEDs 94 shown in FIG. 12 have the plurality of through holes 48 and 49 arranged in series along the Z direction at equal intervals. Similarly, the plurality of LEDs 94 in one row are arranged in series at positions between the plurality of through-holes 48 and 49 with the same spacing at slightly shifted positions in the Z direction.

In this arrangement example, the plurality of LEDs 94 in one row are spaced apart from each other at the central position of the plurality of through holes 48 in one row and the plurality of through holes 49 in one row. The number of LEDs 94 is smaller than the number of through-holes 48 and 49 .

Thus, the number of LEDs 94 arranged in the fifth embodiment is smaller than the number of arranged LEDs 44 and 45 in the fourth embodiment. However, by increasing the light emission amount of each LED 94 from, for example, 50% to 100%, even if the number of LEDs 94 arranged is small, the amount of light L emitted from the through holes 48 and 49 in the operation unit 20 (21) can be reduced. can be sufficiently secured.

The light L of one LED 94 is irregularly reflected, and then passes through two through holes 48 and 49 located away from the LED 94 in the substrate 40. Therefore, even if the number of LEDs is reduced, the operation unit 20 (21) Sufficient lighting can be provided. By reducing the number of LEDs 94 arranged, it is possible to reduce the number of parts in the operation unit 20 (21) and reduce the cost.

As shown in FIG. 12 , the light L generated by a row of LEDs 94 is irregularly reflected by the flat surface 91 and the curved surfaces 92 and 93 of the irregular reflection surface 90 of the light reflection section 160 , and is reflected through the through holes 48 of the substrate 40 . through the covering member 70 .

As a result, the light L generated by the LED 94 is irradiated from the through hole 48 toward the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 (4), in a diffusely reflected state. Therefore, even with the LED 94 where the light concentrates, the concentration of the light L can reduce or eliminate the so-called eyeball feeling, which is a phenomenon in which the brightness of the light becomes clear in the operation unit 20 (21). be able to. Since the spread of the light L directed in the Y1 direction can be increased, the operating portion 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) moderates the shade of the light L and emits a soft light L, thereby creating a so-called eyeball effect. You can prevent it and create a sense of luxury.

Also, the light L of the LED 94 is diffusely reflected by the light reflecting portion 160, passes through the through hole 48 of the substrate 40, and is irradiated in the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 (4). Therefore, the distance from the LED 94 to the through-holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 is increased as compared with direct irradiation of the LED light forward. The spread of the light L can be enlarged, and the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L to illuminate the light L softer.

In this way, since the operation unit 20 (21) can illuminate the soft light L, it is possible to produce a high-class feeling when the operation unit 20 (21) is illuminated, and the high-class feeling of the refrigerator 1 itself can be produced. can be enhanced.

In the refrigerator 1 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the structure example and arrangement example of the operation part 20 on the door 3 are substantially the same as the structure example and arrangement example of the operation part 21 on the door 4 . The operation unit 20 (21) uses a single circuit board 40, and does not use a plurality of circuit boards as in the conventional art. Therefore, the thickness of the operation unit 20 (21) itself in the Y direction can be reduced. Also, the number of parts of the operation unit 20 (21) can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. By reducing the thickness, the amount of heat insulating material in the door 3 (4) can be increased accordingly, so that the effect of securing the heat insulating thickness can be obtained.

(Sixth embodiment)
A sixth embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional structure of the operating section 20 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The operating section 20 (21) of the sixth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 14 differs from the operating section 20 (21) of the fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. is the shape of Since they are substantially the same except for the shape of the light reflecting portion 180, they are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

The light reflecting portion 180 is preferably made of white resin, for example. The light reflecting portion 180 has a hemispherical cross-sectional shape in which portions facing the LEDs 44 and 45 are spherical. If there is no particular limitation on the Y-direction thickness of the operating portion 20 (21), the light reflecting portion 180 may have a semicircular cross-section, as illustrated in FIG. The spherical inner surface of the light reflecting portion 180 is a diffuse reflection surface 183 for diffusely reflecting the light L of the LEDs 44 and 45 .

Thus, the hemispherical light reflector 180 has a body portion 185 and edge portions 181 and 182 . Edge portions 181 and 182 are formed extending from body portion 185 in the X direction. The edge portions 181 and 182 are fixed to the substrate support member 50 by being fitted into the substrate fitting portions 51A and 51B of the substrate support member 50 .

The diffuse reflection surface 183 of the light reflector 180 is preferably given a glossy finish. For example, the irregular reflection surface 183 is not subjected to gloss treatment such as plating, but is subjected to mirror-like gloss finish treatment so as to be smooth. Alternatively, the irregular reflection surface 183 may be formed as a rough surface by embossing.

As shown in FIG. 14 , the light L generated by the LED 44 is irregularly reflected by the irregular reflection surface 183 , passes through the through holes 48 of the substrate 40 , and passes through the covering member 70 . Similarly, the light L generated by the LED 45 is irregularly reflected by the irregular reflection surface 183 , passes through the through hole 49 of the substrate 40 , and passes through the covering member 70 . As a result, the light L generated by the LEDs 44 and 45 is diffused and irradiated in the Y1 direction, which is the front of the door 3 .

As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to the fourth to sixth embodiments of the present invention includes the refrigerator body 2, the door 3 (4) for opening and closing the front opening of the refrigerator body 2, and the door 3 (4). It has an operation unit 20 (21) provided on the front surface. The operation unit 20 (21) has an electrostatic contact circuit unit 43 that detects a change in capacitance by contact on the front surface 41, which is one surface, and a light emitting element on the back surface 42, which is the other surface. and a substrate supporting member 50 that supports the substrate 40 and has light reflecting portions 160 and 180 that reflect the light L from the LEDs 44, 45 and 94. have

The light reflecting portions 160 and 180 have diffuse reflection surfaces 90 and 183 that diffusely reflect the light L of the LEDs 44 , 45 and 94 . , 45 and 94 are provided with through holes 48 and 49 for guiding the light L from the door 3 (4).

As a result, only one substrate 40 needs to be used, so compared to using two or more substrates, the number of parts of the operation unit 3 (4) arranged on the door can be reduced, thereby reducing costs. It is possible to obtain the effect of securing the heat insulation thickness by reducing the thickness direction. Moreover, the light L from the light emitting elements such as the LEDs 44, 45 and 94 can be diffusely reflected by the light reflecting portions 160 and 180 and then guided forward of the door 3 (4) through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. , the light L from the LEDs 44, 45, and 94 is not guided directly from the through holes.

That is, by preventing the light from the light-emitting element from entering the eyes directly, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the so-called eyeball feeling caused by the light from the LED in the operation unit 20 (21). Therefore, it is possible to produce a high-class feeling when lighting is performed in the operation unit 20 (21).

The light reflecting portion 160 has a ship bottom cross-sectional shape with a flat surface 91 at the portion facing the light emitting element. Since the irregular reflection surface 90 is the flat surface 91, the size of the operation portion 3 (4) in the thickness direction (Y direction) can be made as small as possible compared to using a convex irregular reflection surface. Since the thickness of the operation part 20 (21) in the Y direction can be reduced as much as possible, the reduction in the thickness direction can further increase the amount of heat insulating material in the door 3 (4). The effect of securing can be obtained.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 , the light reflecting portion 180 has a hemispherical cross-sectional shape in which portions facing the LEDs 44 and 45 are spherical. As a result, the shape of the light reflecting portion 180 can be applied when there is no particular limitation on the dimension in the thickness direction (Y direction) of the operation portion 3 (4).

The light reflecting portions 160 and 180 are made of a white resin, and the irregular reflection surfaces of the light reflecting portions are given a glossy finish. As a result, the light reflecting portions 160 and 180 diffusely reflect the light L of the LED, which is a light emitting element, and then pass through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, thereby concentrating the light on the LEDs 44, 45 and 94. Also, it is possible to eliminate the so-called eyeball feeling in the operation unit 20 (21), which is a phenomenon in which light concentrates.

Since the spread of the light L directed in the Y1 direction can be increased, the operating portion 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) moderates the shade of the light L and emits a soft light L, thereby creating a so-called eyeball effect. You can prevent it and create a sense of luxury.

The light reflecting portions 160 and 180 are made of a white resin, and the irregular reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions 160 and 180 are rough surfaces due to embossing. As a result, the light reflecting portion diffusely reflects the light L of the LED, which is a light emitting element, and then passes through the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40, so that even if the light is concentrated on the LEDs 44 and 45, the light L is It is possible to eliminate the so-called eyeball feeling in the operation unit 20 (21), which is a phenomenon of concentrating.

Since the spread of the light L directed in the Y1 direction can be enlarged, the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) moderates the shade of the light L and illuminates the soft light L, thereby creating a sense of quality. be able to.

After reflecting the light of the LEDs 44 , 45 , 94 , the light reflecting portions 160 , 180 guide the light L through the through holes 48 , 49 of the substrate 40 to the front of the door 3 ( 4 ). As a result, the distances from the LEDs 44, 45, 94 to the through holes 48, 49 of the substrate 40 are increased compared to the case where the light of the LEDs is directly emitted forward. The spread of the light L can be enlarged, and the operation part 20 (21) of the door 3 (4) can soften the light and shade of the light L and illuminate the light L softly.

A covering member 70 for transmitting the light L of the LEDs 44 , 45 , 94 is arranged on the front surface 41 , which is one surface of the substrate 40 . As a result, the covering member 70 can cover the electrostatic contact circuit portion 43 on the surface 41 of the substrate 40 and improve the external design appearance of the door 3 (4).

The positions of the through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40 are separated from the positions of the LEDs 44, 45 and 94 which are light emitting elements. As a result, the diffusely reflected light L can be led forward of the door 3 (4) through the through holes 48 and 49 at distant positions, so that the so-called eyeball feeling can be reduced or eliminated.

As shown in FIG. 12, the position of the LED 94, which is a light emitting element, is between the plurality of through holes 48 and 49 of the substrate 40. Therefore, the light L from the LED 94 is scattered and reflected from a position distant from the LED 94 to the through hole. Since it can be led out to the front of the door 3 (4) through 48 and 49, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the so-called eye-catching feeling.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel embodiments can be implemented in various other aspects, 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 scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

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

The front plates of the illustrated doors 3 and 4 are made of steel, for example, but are not particularly limited. For example, preferably, the front plate, which is a glass plate having translucency, may be arranged on all the front surfaces of the left and right doors 3, 4 and the drawer-type doors 7a, 8a, 9a, 10a. good. As a result, the appearance of the exterior design of the refrigerator 1 can be further enhanced.

The operation units 20 and 21 may be provided on only one of the doors 3 and 4. The doors 3 and 4 of the refrigerating compartment 5 are double-opening doors, but they may be single-opening doors.

The light reflecting portions 60, 61, 80, and 81 may be a light diffusion sheet surface, a curved mirror surface, or a reflecting surface with small unevenness instead of a smooth mirror surface. As a result, in the door 3(4), the operation part 20(21) diffuses the light L to moderate the shade of the light L, and can illuminate the soft light L toward the front of the door 3(4). .

For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the light reflecting portions 80 and 81 are provided as a lighting room surrounding the LEDs 44 and 45 and the through holes 48 and 49. In view of (4), the operation unit 20 (21) may be configured so that the LEDs 44 and 45 emit light like indirect lighting from the front side as well. In this case, the light reflecting parts 80 and 81, which are the structures of the lighting room, are made of white resin with a glossy finish so that the light of the LEDs 44 and 45 can be easily reflected, or the light reflecting parts 80 and 81 The inner surface of 81 is roughened by embossing to diffusely reflect light. The shape of the light reflecting portions 80 and 81 shown in FIG. 6 is not limited to the W-shaped cross section as shown in FIG.

1 refrigerator 2 refrigerator main bodies 3 and 4 doors 20 and 21 operation unit 40 substrate 41 substrate surface (one surface)
42 Back side of substrate (other side)
44 LEDs
45 LEDs
60 Light reflecting portion 61 Light reflecting portion 70 Coating member 80 Light reflecting portion 81 Light reflecting portion 80A First light reflecting surface 80B Second light reflecting surface 81A First light reflecting surface 81B Second light reflecting surface 90 Diffuse reflecting surface 160 Light Reflecting part 180 Light reflecting part 183 Diffuse reflection surface L Light from LED (light from light emitting element)

Claims (12)

A refrigerator body, a door for opening and closing a front opening of the refrigerator body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door,
The operation unit is
One substrate, which has an electrostatic contact circuit unit that detects a change in capacitance by contact on the front surface, which is one surface, and a light-emitting element, is mounted on the back surface, which is the other surface;
a substrate supporting member that supports the back side of the substrate and has a light reflecting portion that reflects light from the light emitting element;
The light reflecting portion is provided at a predetermined tilt angle with respect to the in-plane direction of the substrate so that the angle at which the light from the light emitting element is incident on the light reflecting portion is 45 degrees or less,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided with a light passing portion that guides the light of the light emitting element reflected by the light reflecting portion to the front of the door. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the light reflecting part reflects the light of the light emitting element once and then guides the light forward of the door through the light passing part of the substrate. . 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the light reflecting portion has a light shielding portion, and the light emitting element is surrounded by the light shielding portion and the light reflecting portion. The light reflecting section includes a first light reflecting surface and a second light reflecting surface, the first light reflecting surface and the second light reflecting surface are connected so that an angle between them is 90 degrees, and the The first light reflecting surface reflects the light from the light emitting element and then guides it to the second light reflecting surface, and the second light reflecting surface reflects the light to pass through the light passing portion of the substrate. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is guided forward of the door. 5. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a covering member for transmitting the light of the light emitting element is arranged on the front surface of the substrate. A refrigerator body, a door for opening and closing a front opening of the refrigerator body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door,
The operation unit is
One substrate, which has an electrostatic contact circuit unit that detects a change in capacitance by contact on the front surface, which is one surface, and a light-emitting element, is mounted on the back surface, which is the other surface;
a substrate supporting member that supports the substrate and has a light reflecting portion that reflects light from the light emitting element;
The light reflecting portion has a diffuse reflection surface that diffusely reflects the light of the light emitting element,
The light reflecting portion is formed in a shape including a flat surface portion facing the light emitting element and curved surface portions formed at both end portions of the flat surface portion, and the flat surface portion and the curved surface portion are the irregular reflection surface. can be,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided with a light passing portion that guides the light of the light emitting element diffusely reflected by the diffuse reflection surface of the light reflecting portion to the front of the door. A refrigerator body, a door for opening and closing a front opening of the refrigerator body, and an operation unit provided on the front surface of the door,
The operation unit is
One substrate, which has an electrostatic contact circuit unit that detects a change in capacitance by contact on the front surface, which is one surface, and a light-emitting element, is mounted on the back surface, which is the other surface;
a substrate supporting member that supports the substrate and has a light reflecting portion that reflects light from the light emitting element;
The light reflecting portion has a diffuse reflection surface that diffusely reflects the light of the light emitting element,
The light reflecting portion is formed in a shape including a curved portion facing the light emitting element, and the curved portion is the irregular reflection surface,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is provided with a light passing portion that guides the light of the light emitting element irregularly reflected by the irregular reflection surface of the light reflecting portion to the front of the door. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the position of the light passing portion of the substrate is separated from the position of the light emitting element. 9. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the light-emitting element is positioned between the plurality of light-passing portions of the substrate. 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the number of said light emitting elements is smaller than the number of said light passing parts. 11. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said light reflecting portion is made of a white resin, and said irregularly reflecting surface of said light reflecting portion is subjected to gloss finish treatment. 11. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein said light reflecting portion is made of a white resin, and said irregular reflecting surface of said light reflecting portion is a rough surface formed by embossing.

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