JP7344764B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present specification relates to a refrigerator.

The refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a main body having a storage chamber, a sensor that detects the temperature around the main body, a communication section that can communicate with a mobile terminal, and a control section that can communicate with the communication section. ing. The control unit transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor to the mobile terminal via the communication unit. Thereby, the user can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator by checking the mobile terminal.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-179406

In the refrigerator described above, the sensor is provided on the top surface of the main body. The top surface of the main body is often higher than the height of the user. Furthermore, since high-temperature air tends to move toward the ceiling, the temperature near the top surface of the main body is higher than the temperature around the refrigerator in the area where the user is present.

This specification discloses a technology that can grasp the ambient temperature of a refrigerator in a range where a user is present.

The refrigerator disclosed in this specification includes a main body, a door, a sensor, a communication section, and a control section. The main body has a first refrigerator compartment. The door closes the front opening of the first refrigerator compartment. The sensor is placed on the door and detects the temperature around the refrigerator. The communication unit is capable of communicating with a mobile terminal carried by a user. The control unit transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor to the mobile terminal via the communication unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. It is a perspective view of the lower part vicinity of the right door of 1st Example. FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the change in temperature detected by the sensor of the first embodiment over time. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the side surface of the right door of the second embodiment.

(First example)
A refrigerator 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 10 includes a main body 12, a plurality of doors 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22, a display section 26, and a communication section 28. The main body 12 has heat insulating properties. The main body 12 has a refrigerator compartment 30 (an example of a first refrigerator compartment), a vegetable compartment 32 (an example of a second refrigerator compartment), a first freezer compartment 34, a second freezer compartment 36, and a third freezer compartment. It has a freezer compartment 38. A vegetable compartment 32 is arranged adjacent to each other under the refrigerator compartment 30, a first freezer compartment 34 and a second freezer compartment 36 are arranged next to each other below the vegetable compartment 32, A third freezing compartment 38 is arranged below the chamber 34 and the second freezing compartment 36 adjacent to each other. The front openings of each of the refrigerator compartment 30, the vegetable compartment 32, the first freezer compartment 34, the second freezer compartment 36, and the third freezer compartment 38 are connected to each of the plurality of doors 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22. Closed by. The door 14 is a rotating door, and is a double-sided door that includes a left door 14a and a right door 14b. The left end of the left door 14a is rotatably supported on the main body 12. The right end portion of the right door 14b is rotatably supported on the main body 12. The plurality of doors 16, 18, 20, and 22 are pull-out doors.

The communication unit 28 is arranged on the front upper surface of the main body 12. The communication unit 28 is arranged behind the right door 14b when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. The communication unit 28 is arranged closer to the door 14 than the center position of the refrigerator 10 in the depth direction. The communication unit 28 is arranged on a hinge cover (not shown) provided at the rear of the right upper surface of the right door 14b. The communication unit 28 is, for example, a communication module having a structure in which a chip is mounted on a substrate. The communication unit 28 can communicate with the server 4 (see FIG. 4) through wired or wireless communication. The server 4 includes a storage area in which information that the user desires to obtain, such as cooking recipes, is stored. Further, the server 4 can communicate with the mobile terminal 2 (see FIG. 4) carried by the user. The mobile terminal 2 is, for example, a mobile phone or a smartphone. The communication unit 28 is capable of communicating with the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4. The communication unit 28 acquires information from the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4 when the user operates the mobile terminal 2, and also transmits information to the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4 under the control of the control unit 70, which will be described later. Send. For example, when the user operates the mobile terminal 2, the control unit 70 (described later) transmits information about the temperature around the refrigerator 10 to the communication unit 28, and the communication unit 28 transmits the temperature information to the mobile terminal 2 via the server 4. Send information. Thereby, for example, if an elderly parent and their child live apart, the child carrying the mobile terminal 2 can grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the residence where the elderly parent lives.

The display section 26 is arranged on the left door 14a. The display section 26 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel. The display unit 26 displays information regarding the refrigerator 10 and information received from the server 4 by the control unit 70 (described later) via the communication unit 28. Information regarding the refrigerator 10 includes, for example, the temperature and humidity of each storage compartment 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38, and if the refrigerator 10 is equipped with an indoor camera, the information regarding each storage compartment 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38. These are the names and amounts of ingredients stored in the . The information received from the server 4 is, for example, a cooking recipe.

As shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator 10 further includes coolers 46 and 48 and fans 50 and 52. Refrigerant is fed under pressure to the coolers 46 and 48 from a compressor (not shown) through a condenser (not shown) and a capillary tube (not shown). The coolers 46 and 48 cool the surrounding air with the pumped refrigerant. The refrigerant that has passed through the coolers 46 and 48 passes through a check valve (not shown) and returns to the compressor (not shown). The fan 50 forces the air cooled by the cooler 46 to the refrigerator compartment 30 and the vegetable compartment 32. Thereby, the refrigerator compartment 30 and the vegetable compartment 32 are cooled. Further, the fan 52 pumps the air cooled by the cooler 48 to the first freezing compartment 34 , the second freezing compartment 36 , and the third freezing compartment 38 . Thereby, the first freezer compartment 34, the second freezer compartment 36, and the third freezer compartment 38 are cooled.

As shown in FIG. 3, a groove 56 is formed in the bottom surface of the right door 14b. In addition, in FIG. 3, the groove portion 56 is illustrated by a broken line. The groove portion 56 is recessed upward from the bottom surface of the right door 14b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator 10 further includes a sensor 58 and a cover 60. Sensor 58 detects the temperature and humidity around refrigerator 10. In addition, in a modified example, the sensor 58 may be configured to detect only the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The sensor 58 is arranged in the groove 56.

The cover 60 includes a main body 62 and a holding portion 64. The main body 62 is removably attached to the bottom surface of the right door 14b. The main body 62 covers the lower end opening of the groove portion 56 when attached to the bottom surface of the right door 14b. The main body 62 has a large number of openings 62a.

The holding portion 64 is formed integrally with the main body 62. When the main body 62 is attached to the bottom surface of the right door 14b, the holding part 64 is arranged in the groove part 56. The holding part 64 holds the sensor 58. Thereby, the sensor 58 is placed in the groove portion 56 while being held by the holding portion 64 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator 10 further includes a control section 70. The control unit 70 is arranged on the upper surface of the main body 12 (see FIG. 2). In addition, in a modified example, the control unit 70 may be placed on the rear surface of the main body 12 or may be placed inside the main body 12. The control unit 70 executes a cooling program for cooling each of the storage compartments 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38 using components related to cooling such as fans 50 and 52 and a compressor (not shown). Further, the control section 70 is connected to the communication section 28 and the sensor 58. The control unit 70 can communicate with the communication unit 28. The control unit 70 continues to obtain temperature information from the sensor 58.

The control unit 70 executes a transmission program that transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28 in response to a request from the mobile terminal 2 . The transmission program executed by the control unit 70 will be described below using FIG. 5 showing the time course of the temperature detected by the sensor 58. Further, the transmission program executed by the control unit 70 will be explained in sections A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5 in FIG.

A section A1 shown in FIG. 5 is a section showing a change in temperature detected by the sensor 58 when the door 14 is kept closed for a long time. Therefore, in the section A1, the sensor 58 detects a constant temperature T1 regardless of time. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 acquired from the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2.

Section A2 shown in FIG. 5 is a section showing the transition of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 from the time when the closed door 14 is opened until before the first predetermined period has elapsed. When the closed door 14 opens, the cold air that has been circulating in the refrigerator compartment 30 due to the drive of the fan 50 flows to the outside of the refrigerator compartment 30. This cools the air around the sensor 58 located on the bottom surface of the right door 14b. Therefore, the temperature detected by the sensor 58 decreases as time passes after the door 14 is opened. Here, the first predetermined period is the period required in the general refrigerator 10 from when the door 14 is opened until the temperature detected by the sensor 58 becomes constant. The first predetermined period is determined in advance through experiments. The first predetermined period is, for example, from 5 seconds to 20 seconds, and in this embodiment is 10 seconds. In section A2, the control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 before the door 14 opens, that is, the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in section A1, to the mobile terminal 2.

Section A3 shown in FIG. 5 is a section showing the transition of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 from after the first predetermined period has elapsed since the door 14 was opened until the door 14 was closed. In section A3, sensor 58 detects a constant temperature T2 regardless of time. Temperature T2 is lower than temperature T1. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information about the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the section A1 to the mobile terminal 2.

Section A4 shown in FIG. 5 is a section showing the transition of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 from when the door 14 is closed until the second predetermined period has elapsed. When the open door 14 is closed, cold air no longer flows to the outside of the refrigerator compartment 30. Therefore, the temperature detected by the sensor 58 increases as time elapses after the door 14 is closed. Here, the second predetermined period is the period required in the general refrigerator 10 from when the door 14 is closed until the temperature detected by the sensor 58 becomes constant. The second predetermined period is determined in advance through experiments. The second predetermined period is, for example, 1 minute to 5 minutes, and in this embodiment, 3 minutes. In section A4, the control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 when the door 14 was closed, that is, information on the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 in the section A1, to the mobile terminal 2.

Section A5 shown in FIG. 5 is a section showing the transition of the temperature detected by the sensor 58 after the door 14 is closed and a second predetermined period has elapsed. In section A4, sensor 58 detects a constant temperature T1 regardless of time. In this case, the control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 acquired from the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2.

(effect)
The refrigerator 10 according to the first embodiment has been described above. As described above, the refrigerator 10 includes the main body 12, the door 14, the sensor 58, the communication section 28, and the control section 70. The main body 12 has a refrigerator compartment 30. The door 14 closes the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 30. The sensor 58 is disposed on the bottom surface of the door 14 when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, and detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The communication unit 28 is capable of communicating with the mobile terminal 2 carried by the user. The control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. In this configuration, the sensor 58 detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present. Therefore, the user can use the mobile terminal 2 to grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present. For example, if an elderly parent and their child live apart, the child can use the mobile terminal 2 to know the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the elderly parent's residence in the elderly parent's residence. As a result, if an elderly parent has an abnormality, the abnormality can be quickly identified.

The main body 12 further includes a vegetable compartment 32 arranged below and adjacent to the refrigerator compartment 30 when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front. For example, if the main body 12 has a freezer compartment arranged below and adjacent to the refrigerator compartment 30 when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, the sensor 58 may be detected by the freezer compartment being cooled to a freezing temperature range. , the temperature around the refrigerator 10 cannot be detected accurately. With the above configuration, the sensor 58 can accurately detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

When the closed door 14 opens, the control unit 70 controls the sensor 58 to keep the door 14 closed until a first predetermined period (10 seconds in this embodiment) elapses after the door 14 opens. Information on the detected temperature T1 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. After the door 14 of the refrigerator 10 is opened, the area around the refrigerator 10 is temporarily cooled by the cold air flowing from the refrigerator compartment 30 to the outside of the refrigerator compartment 30. Therefore, a difference occurs between the temperature detected by the sensor 58 and the actual temperature around the refrigerator 10. In the above configuration, the control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature T1 detected by the sensor 58 before the door 14 is opened to the mobile terminal 2 until the first predetermined period elapses after the door 14 is opened. Therefore, the user of the mobile terminal 2 can accurately grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

When the door 14 that was open is closed, the control unit 70 causes the sensor 58 to detect that the door 14 is closed after a second predetermined period (3 minutes in this embodiment) has elapsed since the door 14 was closed. Information on the temperature T1 thus determined is transmitted to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. When the open door 14 closes, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 detected by the sensor 58 increases and becomes constant after a certain period of time. In the above configuration, the sensor 58 accurately detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10. Thereby, the user of the mobile terminal 2 can accurately grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

Refrigerator 10 further includes a cover 60 that covers sensor 58. Cover 60 has an opening 62a. In this configuration, the space inside the groove 56 and the space around the refrigerator 10 communicate with each other through the opening 62a of the cover 60. Therefore, the sensor 58 can accurately detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10.

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The techniques described in the claims include various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above.

(Second example)
A second example will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, points different from the first embodiment will be explained, and points similar to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and explanations will be omitted. In the second embodiment, the groove portion 56 is arranged on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b. Note that the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b is a side surface on the left end side that is located on the opposite side of the right end portion that is pivotally supported on the main body 12. When the left door 14a and the right door 14b are closed, the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b faces the right side surface 15a of the left door 14a. The main body 62 of the cover 60 covers the opening of the groove 56. The sensor 58 is disposed in the groove portion 56 while being held by the holding portion 64 of the cover 60 . Further, as described in the first embodiment, the communication unit 28 is disposed behind the right door 14b when the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front.

(effect)
In the above configuration, the refrigerator 10 includes the main body 12, the door 14, the sensor 58, the communication section 28, and the control section 70. The main body 12 has a refrigerator compartment 30. The door 14 includes a left door 14a and a right door 14b that close the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 30. The right side surface 15a, which is the opposing surface of the left door 14a, and the left side surface 15b, which is the opposing surface of the right door 14b, are opposed to each other. The sensor 58 is arranged on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b, and detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10. The communication unit 28 is capable of communicating with the mobile terminal 2 carried by the user. The control unit 70 transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor 58 to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication unit 28. In this configuration, the sensor 58 detects the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present. Therefore, the user can use the mobile terminal 2 to grasp the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the range where the user is present. For example, if an elderly parent and their child live apart, the child can use the mobile terminal 2 to know the temperature around the refrigerator 10 in the elderly parent's residence in the elderly parent's residence. As a result, if an elderly parent has an abnormality, the abnormality can be quickly identified.

When the refrigerator 10 is viewed from the front, the communication unit 28 is disposed behind the right door 14b, which is one of the left door 14a and the right door 14b, and the sensor 58 is located behind the right door 14b, which is one of the left door 14a and the right door 14b. It is placed on the right door 14b, which is one of the doors. With this configuration, the length of the wiring connecting the communication section 28 and the sensor 58 can be shortened.

The door 14 is a rotating door. The right end of the right door 14b of the door 14 is pivotally supported by the main body 12. The sensor 58 is arranged on the left side surface 15b of the right door 14b. The left side surface 15b is the side surface of the right door 14b on the left end side located on the opposite side of the right end portion. Generally, the refrigerator 10 is often arranged so that the side surface of the door 14, which is pivotally supported by the main body 12, faces a wall. In this case, if the sensor 58 is placed on the side of the door 14 on the side that is pivotally supported by the main body 12, the sensor 58 may not be able to accurately detect the temperature around the refrigerator 10. In the above configuration, the temperature around the refrigerator 10 can be accurately detected by the sensor 58 compared to a case where the sensor 58 is arranged on the side surface of the right door 14b on the right end side that is pivotally supported on the main body 12. can.

(Other examples)
(1) The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to a double door type door, but can also be applied to a case where the door 14 is a single single door type door. In this case, the right end of the door 14 may be rotatably supported by the main body 12, and the left end of the door 14 may be rotatably supported by the main body 12. Furthermore, the sensor 58 may be placed on the bottom surface of the door 14 or may be placed on the side surface of the door 14.

(2) The control unit 70 may transmit humidity information to the mobile terminal 2 together with temperature information.

(3) The sensor 58 may be placed on the bottom surface of the left door 14a, or may be placed on the left side surface 15b of the left door 14a. Further, it may be arranged on the upper surface of the door 16 which is arranged adjacent to the lower side of the door 14.

The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims as filed. Furthermore, the techniques illustrated in this specification or the drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of the objectives has technical utility in itself.

2: Mobile terminal 10: Refrigerator 12: Main body 14, 16, 18, 20, 22: Door 14a: Left door 14b: Right door 15a: Side 15b: Side 26: Display section 28: Communication section 30, 32, 34, 36 , 38: Storage chamber 46, 48: Cooler 50, 52: Fan 56: Groove section 58: Sensor 60: Cover 62: Main body 62a: Opening 64: Holding section 70: Control section

Claims (7)

A refrigerator,
A main body having a first refrigerator compartment;
a door that closes a front opening of the first refrigerator compartment;
a sensor that is placed on the door and detects the temperature around the refrigerator;
a communication unit capable of communicating with a mobile terminal carried by a user;
a control unit that transmits information on the temperature detected by the sensor to the mobile terminal via the communication unit ,
When the refrigerator is viewed from the front, the sensor is located at the bottom of the door,
The main body further includes a second refrigerating compartment located below the first refrigerating compartment and adjacent to the first refrigerating compartment when the refrigerator is viewed from the front. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door is a single door. The door includes a left door and a right door,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the facing surface of the left door and the facing surface of the right door are opposite to each other. The communication unit is disposed behind one of the left door and the right door when the refrigerator is viewed from the front,
The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is arranged on the one of the left door and the right door. When the previously closed door is opened, the control unit may transmit information on the temperature detected by the sensor while the door is closed until a first predetermined period elapses after the door is opened. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the refrigerator transmits the information to the mobile terminal via the communication unit. When the door that was open is closed, the control unit may transmit information on the temperature detected by the sensor while the door is closed after the door is closed and a second predetermined period has elapsed. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the refrigerator transmits data to the mobile terminal via the communication unit. further comprising a cover that covers the sensor,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the cover has an opening.

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