JP7422694B2 - storage room - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to storage for refrigerators and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art Techniques have been proposed for managing the inventory of stored items by detecting the presence or absence of stored items, storage locations, etc. based on information from sensors installed in storage units such as refrigerators.

As a technique for detecting the storage position of stored items, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1, for example. In the technique described in Patent Document 1, pressure sensors 11 are fixed to the four corners of shelf support beads 2a that are formed in a convex manner in the front and back direction on the side wall of the inner box 2 that forms the refrigerator compartment 3 (0012 , 0013, Figures 2, 3, etc.).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-010208

In Patent Document 1, since the pressure sensor 11 protrudes from the bead 2a by the height dimension thereof, in order to place the shelf 10 on the pressure sensor 11, the user must pass through almost directly above the pressure sensor 11. It is presumed that the shelf 10 will be moved in a lifted state. Although it would be easy for the user to move the shelf 10 by sliding it on the bead 2a, in this case the shelf 10 collides with the front surface of the pressure sensor 11, damaging the pressure sensor 11. There is a risk of this happening, and in the end, it is necessary to lift the shelf 10 once in front of the pressure sensor 11.

The first invention made in view of the above circumstances is:
A chamber with an open front,
A shelf or container arranged in the room,
a weight sensor including a weight detection section;
a sensor contact part that is provided on the shelf or the container and is capable of contacting the weight detection part;
Equipped with a guide rail,
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and moves backward from a position in front of the weight sensor, the sensor contact section moves backward at a height higher than the weight sensor and contacts the weight sensing section. A storage container that approaches the weight detection section and contacts the weight detection section from above.

It is an external perspective view of a refrigerator. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door removed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 cut in the front-rear direction. It is a system configuration diagram of a refrigerator. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exterior with the upper sensor unit removed. 7 is an external perspective view showing a state in which a container is placed on the upper sensor unit of FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 7 is a top view of the upper sensor unit with the cover member removed. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. 8 with an inner box, a fixing member, etc. added (a sectional view showing a state in which the sensor unit 220 (attachment main body 223 and cover member 224) is fixed to the inner box side). FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two sensor units with the lower side in view. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII in FIG. 10. FIG. It is an external perspective view of a weight sensor. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the weight sensor. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a corner portion inside the box body before wiring connection, as seen obliquely from below. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a corner inside the box body after wiring is connected, viewed diagonally from below. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a corner inside the box body after the wiring cover is attached, as seen obliquely from below. FIG. 3 is a top view of the lower sensor unit. FIG. 7 is a top view of the lower sensor unit with the cover member removed. It is a cross-sectional perspective view with the right half of the refrigerator removed, showing a state in which a tray and a container are placed on a lower sensor unit. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view with the right half of the refrigerator removed, showing a state in which a tray is placed on a lower sensor unit. FIG. 2 is a transparent external perspective view of the refrigerator showing the connection relationship between the lower sensor unit and wiring. It is a cross-sectional perspective view with the left half of the refrigerator removed. 24 is an enlarged view of part XXIV in FIG. 23. FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of part XXIV in FIG. 23. FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of part XXIV in FIG. 23. FIG. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the container. FIG. 28 is an enlarged view of section XXVIII in FIG. 27. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of section XXIX in FIG. 3 (a front view showing a state in which the container is placed on the weight sensor). FIG. 30 is an enlarged view of section XXX in FIG. 29. FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the container as seen diagonally from below. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of section XXXII in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of section XXXIII in FIG. 4. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the container in which the contents are placed. It is a side view showing the right side of the refrigerator, 36 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI in FIG. 35. FIG. It is an external perspective view of the shelf seen from above. It is an external perspective view of the shelf seen from below. It is an exploded perspective view of a shelf seen from below. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10 in another embodiment. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Similar components are given the same reference numerals, and similar descriptions will not be repeated.

The various components of the present invention do not necessarily have to exist independently, and one component may be made up of multiple members, multiple components may be made of one member, or a certain component may be different from each other. It is allowed that a part of a certain component overlaps with a part of another component, etc.

Example 1 of the present invention will be described using the drawings. In the first embodiment, an example of a refrigerator that can adjust the temperature of a storage room to keep it cold will be described as an example of a storage room. In addition, the storage room may be a storage room that is kept at approximately the same temperature as the outside air without temperature adjustment and is surrounded by walls or doors, or furniture that has one or both of the front and back sides open.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the refrigerator, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II--II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator with the door removed, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 cut in the front-rear direction, and FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of the refrigerator. In each figure, each direction is defined as front, back, left, right, top, and bottom from the user's viewpoint, as indicated by arrows.

[Refrigerator configuration]
The refrigerator 100 has an outer shell made up of a box 101 (outer box) that is open at the front. A door 102 for opening and closing the opening is provided at the front of the box 101. The box body 101 is composed of a top plate 101a forming an upper part, a bottom plate 101b forming a bottom part, side plates 101c forming left and right sides, and a back plate 101d forming a back part. An inner box 103 is provided inside the box body 101. A foamed heat insulating material 140 is filled between the box body 101 and the inner box 103.

The interior 104 (storage room) formed by the inner box 103 is provided with a plurality of shelves or containers 105 (105a, 105b, 105c, 105d, 105e) in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the containers each have a side wall height of, for example, several centimeters or more, and a mounting surface that is connected to the side wall and is a substantially horizontal surface. The side wall heights of containers 105a and 105b are smaller than those of containers 105c-105e. Foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, drinks, etc. are placed in the container 105 as contents. Each of the containers 105a, 105b, 105c, 105d, and 105e is removable and can be taken out of the refrigerator with the contents thereon. Further, the container 105d and the like can be removed and a tall object can be placed in the lowermost container 105e.

If the stored object whose weight is to be measured by the weight sensor is tilted and comes into contact with the inner box 103, the detected weight will be lower than the true value. For this reason, it is preferable that the contents be stored in a container 105 with a high side wall. The specific side wall height is preferably 3 cm, 4 cm, or 5 cm or more, although it depends on the height to the shelf directly above and the items to be stored. For example, the container 105b in this embodiment is intended to store a 200 ml paper pack juice or a 500 ml can, and the upper limit of the side wall height can be set to 9 cm or 8 cm.

Further, the positions of containers 105a and 105b for weight sensor units can be exchanged, and the positions of containers 105c and 105d not for weight sensor units can be exchanged. Note that the positions of the containers 105a and 105b for weight sensor units and the containers 105c and 105d not for weight sensor units may be interchanged, respectively.

A plurality of inner box upper ribs 106a and a plurality of inner box lower ribs 106b extending in the front-rear direction are formed on the inner surface of the inner box 103. The inner box upper rib 106a and the inner box lower rib 106b are formed on both left and right walls of the inner box 103. A sensor unit 220 that supports the mounting surface of the container 105 and accommodates a plurality of weight sensors 200 is provided below each of the inner box lower ribs 106b. The first embodiment includes three sensor units 220: an upper sensor unit 220a, a middle sensor unit 220b, and a lower sensor unit 220c. Note that in FIG. 4, only the middle sensor unit 220b and the lower sensor unit 220c are shown. The number of sensor units is not limited to three. For example, one or two of the upper sensor unit 220a, the middle sensor unit 220b, and the lower sensor unit 220c may be installed.

A compressor 107 that compresses refrigerant is provided at the bottom of the box 101. A condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator (not shown) are connected to the compressor 107 to form a refrigeration cycle, and the refrigerator interior 104 is cooled using the heat of vaporization of the refrigerant. A discharge port 108 for blowing out cold air is formed in the inner box 103, and discharges cold air blown from a cooling fan (not shown) into the refrigerator interior 104.

A main control board 109 that controls the compressor 107 and the like is provided at the rear of the box 101. The main control board 109 controls the compressor 107 and the cooling fan based on the temperature inside the refrigerator detected by the temperature sensor 110 installed inside the refrigerator 104, for example. Further, at the rear of the box body 101, a sensor board 111 that supplies power to the plurality of weight sensors 200 and acquires the detection results of the weight sensors 200, and a WLAN (Wireless A local area network) communication unit 112 is provided. Inside the refrigerator 104 is provided with an operation board 113 through which the user adjusts the temperature inside the refrigerator and turns on and off the WLAN communication unit 112.

The weight sensor 200 is disposed, for example, below the mounting surface of the containers 105a, 105b, and 105e, and detects the weight of the contents placed on the mounting surface of each of the containers 105a, 105b, and 105e. This is used to detect or estimate the presence, amount, and number of stored items.

[Refrigerator system configuration]
The system configuration of refrigerator 100 will be explained using FIG. 5. An operation board 113 is connected to the main control board 109, and obtains information on a temperature control volume 113a set by the user. Further, an internal temperature sensor 110 is connected to the main control board 109 to detect the temperature inside the internal chamber 104 . The main control board 109 controls the compressor 107 based on the information from the temperature control volume 113a and the internal temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 110.

Power is supplied to the weight sensor 200 from the main control board 109 via the sensor board 111. When an object such as food is placed in the container 105a, 105b, or 105e, or is taken out from the container 105a, 105b, or 105e, the weight sensor 200 detects a change in weight. It is transmitted to the sensor board 111 as a sensor output. In the sensor board 111, a filter circuit/amplifier circuit 111b performs noise removal and signal amplification, and a detection signal from the weight sensor 200 is input to the sub-microcomputer 111a. The sub-microcomputer 111a stores the detected value of the weight sensor 200 before the change, and determines the presence/absence and amount of the contents placed in the container 105 from the detected values before and after the change.

For example, the sub-microcomputer 111a can calculate the ratio of the current detected weight to the maximum weight registered in advance. Regarding the maximum weight, for example, the user may place several predetermined products on the placement surface, and this weight can be set as 100%. Specifically, when the user places 10 bottles of beer in the container 105b, the detected value at this time is recorded as the maximum weight (100%). Then, when the user takes out 8 bottles of beer from the container 105b, the sub-microcomputer 111a determines that the remaining 20% (2 bottles) of the recorded maximum weight is in the container 105b based on the detected value of the weight sensor 200. Figure out what's left. The sub-microcomputer 111a determines that the beer inventory is low, and notifies the user via the WLAN communication unit 112 that the remaining beer quantity is low and that the user should place an order. In this way, inventory management of the refrigerator 100 is performed. Information such as the product name can be stored in the sub-microcomputer 111a or in an external device that can be acquired by the sub-microcomputer 111a, depending on a separate setting from the user. Note that registration of the product name is not mandatory. In this way, for example, if the user takes care that only a single type of product registered in advance is placed in each container 105 equipped with the weight sensor 200 at the bottom, the amount of inventory (number of items in stock) of each container 105 can be increased. can be calculated.

The main control board 109 is connected to the sensor board 111, and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication is performed. For example, the main control board 109 obtains information from the sensor board 111 and displays the number of beer in stock on a display section (not shown). The main control board 109 also performs failure diagnosis of the sensor board 111.

Weight sensor 200 and sensor board 111 are connected by wiring. The weight sensor 200 is installed inside the refrigerator 104, and the sensor board 111 is installed, for example, on the outer surface of the box 101, that is, outside the refrigerator. Wiring processing is required to connect these. It is desirable that the wiring inside the refrigerator 104 is not exposed in the refrigerator interior 104 in order to prevent wire breakage and user contact, and to improve aesthetics. The wiring process will be explained below.

[Configuration of upper sensor unit 220a and middle sensor unit 220b]
First, the configurations of the upper sensor unit 220a and the middle sensor unit 220b will be described. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view with the upper sensor unit removed. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing a state in which a container is placed on the upper sensor unit in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a top view of the upper sensor unit with the cover member removed. Note that the middle sensor unit 220b has the same configuration as the upper sensor unit 220a, so a description thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, the configurations on the first attachment portion 221a side and the second attachment portion 221b side can be made in the same manner.

The sensor units 220 (upper sensor unit 220a, middle sensor unit 220b) are formed in a U-shape with an open front when viewed from the top. The sensor unit 220 includes a first mounting part 221a (mounting part 221) and a second mounting part 221b (mounting part 221) which are respectively mounted on the left and right walls of the inner box 103 (i.e., the side walls of the storage room), and a first mounting part 221b (mounting part 221). A connecting portion 222 is provided that connects the portion 221a and the second attachment portion 221b. Two weight sensors 200 are provided in the first mounting portion 221a. Similarly, the second mounting portion 221b is provided with two weight sensors 200. It is preferable that the connecting part connects the rear end side of the first attachment part 221a and the rear end side of the second attachment part 221b, that is, it runs approximately in contact with the rear wall of the inner box 103.

In the first embodiment, a total of four weight sensors 200 are provided, but the number is not limited to this. If the number of weight sensors 200 is less than four, the accuracy may be slightly degraded, but for example, one weight sensor 200 may be placed in each of the first attachment part 221a and the second attachment part 221b, or one weight sensor 200 may be placed in the connection part 222. One weight sensor 200 may be provided. It is preferable that at least one or more weight sensors 200 (at least two or more in total) be arranged on each of the right wall or the left wall via the first mounting portion 221a and the second mounting portion 221b. As shown in FIG. 7, a separate container 105 is placed on the sensor unit 220. That is, the container 105 is not fixed to the sensor unit 220 and can be separated from the sensor unit 220.

The container 105 is made of, for example, a transparent resin member. This makes it easier to see food stored in another container 105 placed below this container 105, and illuminates a wide area with the light of an interior light (not shown) provided above the storage room. be able to. On the other hand, it is desirable to provide the textured portion 1051 at least in the area projected by the weight sensor 200 on the placement surface of the container 105 . This textured portion 1051 serves as a blindfold, suppressing visual recognition of the weight sensor 200 through the container 105, and improving the design. Note that, in consideration of cleanability, it is preferable that the textured portion 1051 be provided on the lower surface side of the bottom surface of the container 105 rather than the upper surface side.

The first mounting portion 221a and the second mounting portion 221b cover the mounting portion main body 223, which has a U-shaped cross section when cut along the vertical direction when viewed from the front of the refrigerator, and an upper opening portion that has a U-shaped cross section. A cover member 224 is provided. Similarly, the connecting portion 222 includes a connecting portion main body 225 having a U-shaped cross section in the vertical direction when viewed from the side of the refrigerator, and a cover member 226 that covers the upper opening portion having a U-shaped cross section. A space is formed inside the first mounting part 221a, second mounting part 221b, and connection part 222, and this space electrically connects the weight sensor 200 and the sensor board 111 as shown in FIG. This becomes a wiring accommodating portion 228 for the wiring 227. Further, four weight sensors 200 are arranged in the wiring housing portion 228, and one end of a wiring 227 is connected to each weight sensor 200. The other end of the wiring 227 is pulled out from the wiring housing part 228, drawn into the box 101, and connected to the sensor board 111. The weight sensor 200 has, for example, a rectangular shape when viewed from the top, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction runs along the front-rear direction of the box body 101. By arranging the weight sensor 200 in this manner, the weight sensor 200 can be placed close to the front, back, left, and right sides of the inner box 103. That is, the stored items are more likely to be installed inside the weight sensor 200, and the inclination of the container 105 can be suppressed.

The connecting portion 222 is provided on the center side or rear end side of each of the first mounting portion 221a and the second mounting portion 221b, and for example, from the weight sensor 200 on the front side of the first mounting portion 221a and the second mounting portion 221b. The weight sensor 200 is also located at the rear or rear side of the weight sensor 200 . By doing so, it is less likely to get in the way when the user removes the container 105. Furthermore, it is easier to arrange wiring on the rear end side.

[How to fix the upper sensor unit 220a and the middle sensor unit 220b]
Next, a method for fixing the sensor units 220 (upper sensor unit 220a, middle sensor unit 220b) to the refrigerator will be described. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX when the inner box 103, fixing member 229, etc. are added to FIG. sectional view). FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the two sensor units with the lower side in view. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 10.

A fixing member 229 extending along the front-rear direction is disposed on the side wall of the inner box 103. A portion of the fixing member 229 that extends vertically in a front cross section (inner box attachment surface) is attached to the side wall of the inner box 103 with screws 231 . The sensor unit 220 is disposed above a portion (sensor unit mounting surface) of the fixing member 229 that extends left and right in a front cross section. The sensor unit 220 is attached by a screw 230 inserted through a sensor unit attachment surface of the fixing member 229, for example via a washer 239.

The fixing member 229 is made of a rigid metal such as stainless steel, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction runs along the front-rear direction of the inner box 103. If the tip 229a of the fixing member 229 is exposed, there is a risk that objects that come into contact with the tip 229a may be damaged. The front end portion of the fixing member 229 is folded back toward the rear, and includes a folded portion 223a that covers the front edge of the fixing member 229. A distal end portion 229a of the fixing member 229 is disposed between the lower surface of the attachment portion main body 223 and the folded portion 223a. By doing so, the distal end 229a of the fixing member 229 made of metal, for example, is preferably formed with a softer folded part 223a made of resin, for example, so that the distal end 229a is formed with a rounded curved surface on the upper side. , the front side, and the bottom side. When placing an object such as food in the container 105, it is possible to prevent the tip end 229a of the fixing member 229 from being accidentally touched. Further, even if the user accidentally applies force to push up the front end of the sensor unit 220 from below, the folded portion 223a suppresses deformation and prevents the sensor unit 220 from being damaged.

As the fixing member 229 (fixing part), the inner box 103 may be made to protrude toward the interior of the refrigerator, and the protruding portion may be formed solidly with a heat insulating material or the like, such as a rib. It is only necessary to form a sturdy base that can support the load applied to the weight sensor.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, a screw 230 is inserted into the through hole 229b of the sensor unit mounting surface and the insertion hole portion 223b of the sensor unit 220. The insertion hole portion 223b is loosely fitted into the through hole 229b with a gap S2, and is positioned generally in the radial direction by this loose fit. The sensor unit 220 is positioned in the vertical direction by inserting the screw 230 into the through hole 229b and the insertion hole portion 223b and screwing them together. The size of the through hole 229b is smaller than the outer diameter dimension of the washer 239 disposed between the screw head and the through hole 229b.

A fixing member 229 (inner box mounting surface) is screwed onto the inner box 103, and the outside of the inner box 103 is filled with, for example, a foamed heat insulating material. Further, the storage chamber, which is a space within the inner box 103, may be lower than the normal temperature environment in which the fixing member 229 and sensor unit 220 are attached. Therefore, the relative position of the fixing member 229 and the sensor unit 220 changes due to the foaming accuracy of the foam insulation material and the influence of deformation due to thermal contraction of the inner box 103 and the sensor unit 220 even if there is no foam insulation material. For this reason, if the sensor unit 220 and the fixing member 229 are rigidly fixed, stress due to thermal deformation will be applied and there is a risk of damage. In the first embodiment, by providing the gap S2, it is possible to absorb the influence of dimensional changes due to thermal deformation and the like. The preferred dimensions of S2 vary depending on the construction of the refrigerator. As long as the influence of deformation due to heat shrinkage is sufficiently small, the mounting portion main body 223 and the sensor unit mounting surface may be directly fixed with the screws 230.

[Weight sensor configuration]
Next, the configuration of the weight sensor will be explained using FIGS. 9, 11, 13, and 14. FIG. 13 is an external perspective view of the weight sensor, and FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the weight sensor.

The weight sensor 200 includes a plate-shaped load cell 201, a first pedestal 202 disposed at the bottom of one longitudinal side of the load cell 201, and a case body 203 disposed below the first pedestal 202 and on which the load cell 201 is placed. A second pedestal 204 is arranged at the top of the other side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell 201 and has an L-shaped vertical cross section; 204, and a weight detection section 206 disposed above the sensor cover 205. The weight detection unit 206 can be slightly displaced in the axial direction when a force is applied in the axial direction, and can detect the weight according to the force. The upper end of the weight sensing section 206 is located above the sensor cover 205 before and after the weight sensing section 206 is displaced. Therefore, even if a shelf or container is placed on the weight detection section 206, the shelf or container can be prevented from rubbing against the sensor cover 205.

A surface of the sensor cover 205 facing the case body 203 is provided between the second pedestal 204 and the weight detection section 206. Further, the sensor cover 205 is made of flexible silicone rubber or the like. Two strain sensors 201a and 201b are attached to the plate-shaped load cell 201. The strain sensors 201a and 201b detect the strain of the load cell 201 that occurs when a load is applied to the load cell 201, and detect the weight from the difference in the amount of strain between the two strain sensors 201a and 201b. The load cell 201 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction extends along the front-rear direction of the refrigerator.

A washer 207 is provided at the upper part of one longitudinal side (rear direction) of the load cell 201, and a screw 208 is inserted from the upper part. Screws 208 are inserted into through holes formed in each of the washer 207, the load cell 201, the first pedestal 202, and the case body 203. The load cell 201 is fixed to the case body 203 by screwing the screw 208 into a nut 209 placed on the opposite side of the first pedestal 202 with the case body 203 in between.

A washer 210 is provided at the lower part of the other (front) side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell 201, and a screw 211 is inserted from the lower part. A screw 211 is inserted into a through hole formed in each of the washer 210 and the load cell 201. A screw 211 is screwed into the second pedestal 204 to fix the second pedestal 204 to the upper part of the other longitudinal side of the load cell 201 . The second pedestal 204 has a vertical dimension larger on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell 201 than on one side in the longitudinal direction.

A washer 212 is provided at the lower part of the second pedestal 204 on the side with the smaller vertical dimension, and a screw 213 is inserted from the lower part. Screws 213 are inserted into through holes formed in each of the washer 212, the second pedestal 204, the sensor cover 205, and the washer 214 disposed above the sensor cover 205. A screw 213 is screwed into the lower part of the weight detection section 206 to fix the second pedestal 204 and the weight detection section 206.

In the first embodiment, a washer 214 is disposed between the weight detection section 206 and the surface of the sensor cover 205 that faces the case body 203. A washer 212, a second pedestal 204, a sensor cover 205, a washer 214, and a weight detection section 206 are inserted into the screw 213 in this order from the screw head side. Thereby, it is possible to suppress twisting of the sensor cover 205 when screwing the screw 213 into the weight detection section 206.

As the load cell 201 of the first embodiment, for example, a metal strain gauge type load cell is used. The weight sensor 200 of Example 1 is installed in the refrigerator 100. When the refrigerator 100 opens the door, outside air is introduced into the refrigerator, and the outside air is cooled inside the refrigerator, thereby causing dew condensation inside the refrigerator. However, since the load cell 201 is covered by the sensor cover 205 and does not come into direct contact with the outside air, it has a structure that does not easily cause dew condensation. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be maintained.

Moreover, the load cell 201 has a cantilever structure in which one longitudinal side is supported by the case body 203 via the first pedestal 202 and the other longitudinal side is not supported. A second pedestal 204 fixed to the upper part of the other longitudinal side of the load cell 201 is arranged so as to extend toward one longitudinal side of the load cell 201, and has a weight detection section 206 connected thereto.

At the same time, as shown in FIG. 11, the weight detection section 206 is arranged so that the center line C1 of the weight detection section 206 extending in the vertical direction substantially coincides with the center position of the load cell 201 in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction). With this configuration, tensile and compressive strains are generated in the two strain sensors 201a and 201b, respectively, and a difference in the amount of strain is likely to occur, so that the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be improved. Note that if the second pedestal 204 is made of a hard metal such as stainless steel, the load is more easily transmitted to the load cell 201 and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 is improved, but in consideration of cost and insulation, it may be made of resin.

In this embodiment, the arrangement structure is such that the vertical center line C1 of the weight detection unit 206 and the center position of the load cell 201 in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction in FIG. 11) almost coincide with each other. As shown in FIG. 40, by screwing the weight detection unit 206 directly to the screw 211 without providing the second pedestal 204 and the screw 213, the center line C1 in the vertical direction is located away from the longitudinal center of the load cell 201. It is also possible to use a non-centered load configuration. In this case, parts such as the second pedestal 204 and screws 208 are not required, which not only reduces the number of parts and reduces costs, but also reduces the height of the weight sensor 200, resulting in a compact structure. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the dead space that may occur when a shelf or a container with the weight sensor 200 is provided on the floor of the storage room.

However, in this case, compressive strain occurs in both of the two strain sensors 201a and 201b, and the difference in the amount of strain tends to become small. Although the detection accuracy decreases, it is preferable for a small storage container (for example, an internal volume of 201 L or less) where the effect is particularly high when emphasis is placed on reducing dead space.

Further, in the weight sensor 200 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the center line C2 of the left-right dimension of the weight sensing portion 206 extending in the vertical direction passes through the fixing member 229. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the screw hole center line C3 of the first pedestal 202 is also placed on the fixing member 229. Due to the positional relationship between the center lines C2 and C3, especially the positional relationship between the center line C3, the fixing member 229 firmly supports the load applied to the weight sensor 200, so that detection accuracy can be ensured.

The load cell 201, the first pedestal 202, and the second pedestal 204 are covered by a sensor cover 205 and a case body 203. The sensor cover 205 is made of flexible silicone rubber or the like, and has a structure in which an end portion 205a is sandwiched between the case body 203 and the cover member 224. A member such as a screw 215 is disposed across the cover member 224 and the case body 203, and the two are fastened together. By this fastening, the end portion 205a is also pressed against the case body 203 side and is crushed, so that the end portion 205a is brought into close contact with the case body 203 side, thereby suppressing water intrusion. Therefore, even if liquid such as water spills around the weight detection section 206, the end portion 205a is in close contact with the case body 203, so even if the liquid tries to enter the sensor unit 220, it will not be blocked. This makes it possible to prevent liquid from entering the sensor cover 205.

Since the sensor cover 205 made of flexible silicone rubber or the like flexes in accordance with the movement of the weight detection section 206, it can be suppressed from affecting the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200. If the hardness (Shore A hardness) or thickness of the sensor cover 205 is too small, it will easily deform due to its own weight, and there is a possibility that the sensor cover 205 may be fixed out of a predetermined position during assembly or may be damaged. Therefore, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of strength. Further, if the hardness or thickness is too large, it becomes difficult to follow the movement of the weight detection section 206, which affects detection accuracy, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of flexibility. Therefore, the lower limit of hardness is preferably 20 or more, and the upper limit is preferably 70 or less. Further, the lower limit of the thickness is preferably 0.5 mm or more, and the upper limit is preferably 2.5 mm or less. Note that the thickness does not need to be constant throughout the sensor cover, and it is sufficient that the portion to be deformed is at least within the above range. Of course, the material, hardness, and thickness of the sensor cover 205 are not limited to these, as long as the strength and flexibility can be ensured.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the weight detection section 206 of the weight sensor 200 is provided so as to be exposed or protrude upward from the cover member 224. A protrusion 224a is formed around the weight detection part 206 in the cover member 224 and protrudes upward through a gap S1. The dimension of the gap S1 is preferably a distance that can prevent the weight detection unit 206 from being restrained by the cover member 224 even if a foreign substance such as a sticky liquid, dust, or frost enters the gap S1, and is preferably 4 mm, for example. , or 5 mm or more. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 33, the protruding portion 224a suppresses water from flowing into the sensor unit 220 by surrounding the weight sensing portion 206. Further, the protruding portion 224a does not extend over the entire 360° circumference of the weight sensing portion 206, but is partially cut out to form a drainage portion 224b. The drainage part 224b is located in the notch part 250 of the guide rail 249. With this configuration, even if liquid drips onto the sensor unit 220, it can be drained from the drain section 224b.

[How to connect the wires to the upper sensor unit 220a and the middle sensor unit 220b]
Next, a method of drawing the wiring 227 arranged in the sensor units 220 (upper sensor unit 220a, middle sensor unit 220b) to the box body 101 will be described.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the corner inside the box seen diagonally from below before wiring is connected, FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the corner inside the box seen diagonally from below after wiring is connected, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a corner inside the box body viewed diagonally from below after the wiring cover is attached.

The sensor unit 220 is fixed to the inner box 103 of the refrigerator as described above. A connecting portion opening 232 that opens downward is formed at one end of the left and right side of the connecting portion 222, at the right end in this embodiment. The other end of the wire 227 accommodated in the wire housing portion 228 of the connection portion 222 is pulled out from the connection portion opening 232 and exposed to the outside. A male connector 233 is provided at the other end of the wiring 227.

On the other hand, one end of a wiring 234 is connected to the sensor board 111, and the wiring 234 from the sensor board 111 passes between the box body 101 (outer box) and the inner box 103, and passes through a cut formed on the wall of the inner box 103. It is pulled out from the notch opening 114 and exposed to the outside. A female connector 235 is provided at the other end of the wiring 234.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16, the male connector 233 and the female connector 235 are connected, and the connected connectors are pushed into the wiring accommodating part 228 of the connecting part 222. In this state, the wiring 234 is exposed from the connection opening 232 and the notch opening 114. Therefore, a wiring cover 236 is placed below the sensor unit 220 so as to cover the wiring 234. The wiring cover 236 is arranged to connect the connection opening 232 and the notch opening 114, and forms a space in which the wiring 234 is accommodated. A flange portion 236a is formed in a portion of the wiring cover 236 located on the inner box 103 side, and this flange portion 236a is brought into contact with the wall surface of the inner box 103 and fixed with screws 237. The wiring cover 236 may be composed of two or more members.

In the first embodiment, the sensor unit 220 is provided with a wiring accommodating part 228 that accommodates the wiring 227, and a wiring cover 236 that covers the wiring 234 (the wiring on the sensor board 111 side) extending from the wiring accommodating part 228 to the box body 101. Therefore, the wirings 227, 234 are not exposed, and disconnection of the wirings 227, 234 can be suppressed.

Note that the connected connectors 233 and 235 may be accommodated not in the wiring housing portion 228 but within the wiring cover 236 or between the inner box 103 and the box body 101 (outer box). It is preferable to use the connector inside the wiring housing portion 228 or the wiring cover 236 because the connector connection work can be easily performed.

[Configuration of lower sensor unit 220c]
The configuration of the lower unit will be explained. FIG. 18 is a top view of the lower sensor unit, FIG. 19 is a top view of the lower sensor unit with the cover removed, and FIG. 20 is the right half of the refrigerator with trays and containers placed on the lower sensor unit. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional perspective view with the right half of the refrigerator removed, showing a state in which a tray is placed on the lower sensor unit.

The sensor unit 220 (lower sensor unit 220c) is formed into a donut shape with a hollow center when viewed from the top. The lower sensor unit 220c has a first mounting part 241a (mounting part 241) and a second mounting part 241b (mounting part 241) mounted on the left and right bottoms of the inner box 103, and a first mounting part 241a and a second mounting part 241b. It is provided with a connection part 242 for connecting. Two weight sensors 200 are provided on the first mounting portion 241a. Similarly, the second mounting portion 241b is provided with two weight sensors 200. In the first embodiment, a total of four weight sensors 200 are provided, but the number is not limited to this. For example, one weight sensor 200 may be arranged in each of the first attachment part 241a and the second attachment part 241b. It is preferable that at least one or more weight sensors 200 (at least two or more in total) are arranged in each of the first attachment part 241a and the second attachment part 241b. The lower sensor unit 220c is fixed to the bottom of the inner box 103 with screws (not shown) or the like.

Further, on the inner surface of the inner box 103, a plurality of inner box upper ribs 106a and a plurality of inner box lower ribs 106b extending in the front-rear direction are formed.

The first attachment part 241a, the second attachment part 241b, and the connection part 242 have an attachment part main body 243 and a connection part main body 245 that are open at the top, and a cover member 244 that covers the upper open parts of the attachment part main body 243 and the connection part main body 245. It is equipped with A space is formed in the first mounting part 241a, the second mounting part 241b, and the connection part 242, and this space is a wiring 247 that electrically connects the weight sensor 200 and the sensor board 111, as shown in FIG. This becomes the wiring accommodating part 248. Further, four weight sensors 200 are arranged in the wiring housing portion 248, and one of the wirings 247 is connected to each weight sensor 200. The other end of the wiring 247 is pulled out from the wiring housing part 248, drawn into the box 101, and electrically connected to the sensor board 111.

The lower sensor unit 220c includes a tray 251 and a container 105e placed above the tray 251. The container 105e accommodates an object, and the weight sensor 200 detects the weight. Further, in the first embodiment, the container 105e is placed on the tray 251, but the container 105e may be removed and the contents may be placed on the tray 251. When an object is stored and placed on the tray 251 or the container 105e and a load is applied to the tray 251 or the container 105e, the central portion of the tray 251 or the container 105e deforms so as to protrude downward. If this deformed central portion contacts the lower sensor unit 220c, the load will not be transmitted to the weight sensor 200, and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 may deteriorate. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the lower sensor unit 220c has an annular shape when viewed from above, and has a gap in the center. In this way, the tray 251 or the container 105e is formed into a donut shape to prevent the deformed central portion from coming into contact with the lower sensor unit 220c. With this configuration, even if the central portion of the tray 251 or the container 105e is deformed to protrude downward, the deformed central portion does not come into contact with the lower sensor unit 220c, and the weight sensor A detection accuracy of 200 can be ensured.

The weight sensor 200 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction runs along the left-right direction of the box body 101. By arranging the weight sensor 200 in this manner, the weight sensor 200 is placed close to the front, back, right, and left sides of the inner box 103.

[How to connect the wires to the lower sensor unit 220c]
Next, a method for drawing the wiring 247 arranged in the lower sensor unit 220c into the box 101 will be explained.

FIG. 22 is a transparent external perspective view of the refrigerator showing the connection relationship between the lower sensor unit and the wiring. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional perspective view with the left half of the refrigerator removed, and FIGS. 24 to 26 are enlarged views of section XXIV in FIG. 23.

The lower sensor unit 220c is fixed to the bottom of the inner box 103 of the refrigerator as described above.

A mounting portion opening 252 that opens upward is formed in the center portion of the first mounting portion 241a in the front-rear direction. The other end of the wiring 247 accommodated in the wiring accommodating portion 248 of the first attachment portion 241a is pulled out from the attachment portion opening 252 and exposed to the outside. A male connector 253 is provided at the other end of the wiring 247.

On the other hand, one end of a wiring 254 is electrically connected to the sensor board 111, and the wiring 254 from the sensor board 111 passes between the box body 101 and the inner box 103 (FIG. 22), and is formed on the wall surface of the inner box 103. It is pulled out from the cutout opening 115 and exposed to the outside. A female connector 255 is provided at the other end of the wiring 254.

Then, as shown in FIG. 25, the male connector 253 and the female connector 255 are connected, and the connected connectors are pushed into the attachment opening 252 of the first attachment part 241a. In this state, the connectors 253 and 255 and the wiring 254 are exposed from the attachment opening 252 and the notch opening 115. Therefore, a wiring cover 256 is arranged above the lower sensor unit 220c so as to cover the connectors 253, 255 and the wiring 254. The wiring cover 256 is arranged to connect the attachment opening 252 and the notch opening 115, and forms a space in which the wiring 254 is accommodated. Then, a portion of the wiring cover 256 located at the first attachment portion 241a is fixed with a screw 257. Wiring cover 256 may be composed of two or more members.

In the first embodiment, the lower sensor unit 220c is provided with a wiring accommodating part 248 for accommodating the wiring 247, and a wiring cover 256 is provided to cover the wiring 254 (the wiring on the sensor board 111 side) extending from the wiring accommodating part 248 to the box 101. Since the wirings 247 and 254 are provided, the wirings 247 and 254 are not exposed, and disconnection of the wirings 247 and 254 can be suppressed.

[How to place the container on the weight sensor]
Next, a method of placing the container 105 on the weight sensor 200 will be explained using FIGS. 6, 7, and 27 to 33. 27 is a left side view of the container, FIG. 28 is an enlarged view of section XXVIII in FIG. 27, and FIG. 29 is an enlarged view of section XXIX in FIG. 3 (a front view showing the container placed on the weight sensor). 30 is an enlarged view of section XXX in FIG. 29, and FIG. 31 is a downward perspective view of the container as seen obliquely from below. 32 is an enlarged view of section XXXII in FIG. 4, and FIG. 33 is an enlarged view of section XXXIII in FIG. Note that the following explanation is for the upper sensor unit 220a and the middle sensor unit 220b. The same can be done for the lower sensor unit 220c.

As shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 27, FIG. 28, FIG. 32, and FIG. A rail 249 is provided. This guide rail 249 extends along the front-back direction and guides the container 105. The guide rail 249 includes a notch 250 in which a portion is cut out. At the position of the notch portion 250, a weight sensor 200 is provided in front of each of the first attachment portion 221a and the second attachment portion 221b. A weight sensor 200 is provided behind the rear end portion 249a of the guide rail 249, and is disposed behind each of the first attachment portion 221a and the second attachment portion 221b.

As shown in FIG. 31, the bottom surface (lower surface of the mounting surface) of the container 105 is provided with a sensor contact section 120 (front sensor contact section 120a, rear sensor contact section 120b) that is exposed or protrudes downward. . The length of the rear sensor contact portion 120b in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is longer than that of the front sensor contact portion 120a. Furthermore, a bottom guide rib 121 is formed on the bottom of the container 105 and extends in the front-rear direction. The bottom guide rib 121 is formed inside the front sensor contact portion 120a and the rear sensor contact portion 120b in the left-right direction. The bottom guide rib 121 extends, for example, over a length equal to or longer than the longitudinal distance from the front sensor contact portion 120a to the rear sensor contact portion 120b.

A sliding portion 122 that slides in contact with the guide rail 249 is provided between the front sensor contact portion 120a and the bottom guide rib 121. The container 105 can be pulled out from the inner box 103 of the refrigerator in the front-back direction. At this time, the sliding portion 122 and the rear sensor contact portion 120b of the container 105 slide on the guide rail 249. When attaching the container 105 to a location where the sensor unit 220 is located, the rear sensor contact portion 120b is first placed on the front end of the guide rail 249. Then, when the container 105 is pushed along the guide rail 249, the rear sensor contact portion 120b falls from the guide rail 249 behind the guide rail 249 and is placed on the weight detection portion 206 of the weight sensor 200. Furthermore, the sliding portion 122 falls from the guide rail 249 at the notch 250 of the guide rail 249 and is placed on the weight detection portion 206 of the weight sensor 200 . In this way, the container 105 is installed on the weight sensor 200. The rear sensor contact portion 120b passes through the notch portion 250 when moving on the guide rail 249, but the length of the rear sensor contact portion 120b in the front-rear direction is longer than the length of the notch portion 250 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the rear sensor contact portion 120b does not fall off the guide rail 249 at the notch portion 250.

Furthermore, side ribs 123 are formed on both side surfaces of the container 105, protruding in the left-right direction and extending in the front-back direction. The side rib 123 is inserted into the space formed between the inner box upper rib 106a and the inner box lower rib 106b formed in the inner box 103 when the container 105 is installed at a location where the sensor unit 220 is located. At this time, the side ribs 123 do not contact the inner box upper ribs 106a and the inner box lower ribs 106b. Further, even if the sliding portion 122 and the rear sensor contact portion 120b fall from the guide rail 249, the side rib 123 does not contact the inner box upper rib 106a and the inner box lower rib 106b. Therefore, even when the container 105 is loaded with stored items, the load of the stored items is not transmitted to the inner box upper rib 106a and the inner box lower rib 106b, and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be maintained. can. Since the container 105 is not fixed to the inner box 103 and is merely placed on the weight sensor 200, for example, if an excessive load is applied to the front end or the rear end of the container 105, the rear or front of the container 105 will move. There is a risk that the container 105 will move upward and tilt, causing the container 105 to fall from the inner box 103. In the first embodiment, when the container 105 is tilted, the side rib 123 contacts the inner box upper rib 106a and the inner box lower rib 106b, and the rear or front of the container 105 is prevented from moving upward. It is possible to suppress the inclination of the container 105 and prevent the container 105 from falling from the inner box 103.

[Positional relationship between discharge port 108 and weight sensor 200]
As shown in FIG. 32, the inner box 103 is formed with a discharge port 108 that blows out cold air into the refrigerator. The discharge port 108 is installed so that the cold air 125 blown out is directed toward the center of the interior of the inner box 103. That is, in the first embodiment, the cold air 125 blown out from the discharge port 108 is prevented from directly hitting the weight sensor 200. With this configuration, in the first embodiment, the weight sensor 200 can be made less susceptible to the influence of temperature, and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be ensured. The direction in which the cold air is blown out from the discharge port 108 can be considered, for example, as the direction in which the wind speed from the discharge port 108 is approximately the highest.

Further, a temperature sensor (not shown) may be arranged near the weight sensor 200. This is because the value detected by the weight sensor 200 also depends on temperature, and the temperature detected by the internal temperature sensor 110 and the temperature near the weight sensor 200 may not match. The detected value of the weight sensor 200 can be corrected using the detected value of this temperature sensor. Of course, the detected value of the internal temperature sensor 110 may also be used.

In this regard, it is preferable that each of the weight sensors 200 and the temperature sensor used for correcting the detected value of the weight sensor 200 be located at a position where they directly receive the cold air from the discharge port 108 or at a position where they do not directly receive the cold air. can. When using the refrigerator internal temperature sensor 110 as a temperature sensor, from the viewpoint of ensuring the detection accuracy of the refrigerator internal temperature, it is preferable that both sensors are located at positions that are not directly exposed to cold air. When a temperature sensor different from the internal temperature sensor 110 is disposed near the weight sensor 200, it may be placed in a position where it directly receives cold air or a position where it does not receive the cold air.

[Relationship between stored items and container]
FIG. 34 is a side view of the container 105 in which the contents are placed. This is a left side view. A stored object is placed on the front side of the container 105. Since the weight detection unit 206 of the weight sensor 200 is a support point for the container 105, in order to suppress the inclination of the container 105, it is preferably located outside the space in which the stored items are placed when viewed from above. . However, depending on the usage situation of the user, there is a possibility that the stored object is placed outside the weight detection section 206. Therefore, it is preferable to design the container 105 so that it does not tilt even when the contents are placed outside the weight detection section 206.

In FIG. 34, X1 is the distance from the weight detection section 206 to the center of gravity of the container 105, and X2 is the distance from the weight detection section 206 to the center of gravity of the container 105. W1 is the weight of the contents, and W2 is the weight of the container 105.

When an object is placed in the container 105, the container 105 will not tilt if the following conditions are met.

X1*W1<X2*W2
Therefore, when designing the position of the weight sensor 200 and the container 105, it is sufficient to consider the maximum weight of the contents placed in the container 105 and set X1, X2, and W2 so as to satisfy the above formula.

[Positional relationship between hot gas pipe and weight sensor]
FIG. 35 is a side view of the refrigerator seen through the side, and FIG. 36 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI of FIG. 35. In FIG. 35, the right side is depicted. A hot gas pipe 130 through which refrigerant compressed by a compressor in a refrigeration cycle flows is arranged on the side surface of the refrigerator 100 in order to suppress condensation on the box body 101. A foamed heat insulating material 140 such as urethane foam is filled between the box body 101 and the inner box 103. The hot gas pipe 130 is arranged closer to the box body 101 side. Since high-temperature refrigerant flows through the hot gas pipe 130, the weight sensor 200 may be affected by the heat from the hot gas pipe 130. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the hot gas pipe 130 is moved closer to the box body 101, and the foamed heat insulating material 140 is disposed between the hot gas pipe 130 and the inner box 103 (weight sensor 200). Therefore, the heat from the hot gas pipe 130 is alleviated by the foamed heat insulating material 140, so that the influence of heat on the weight sensor 200 can be suppressed and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be maintained.

Further, it is preferable that the weight sensor 200 is not placed on the projection of the hot gas pipe 130 when viewed from the side. As shown in FIG. 35, the hot gas pipe 130 is folded back at the upper and lower ends of the refrigerator 100 and arranged along the vertical direction. Weight sensor 200 (preferably strain sensors 201a, 201b) is positioned between hot gas pipes 130 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction when refrigerator 100 is viewed from the side. With this configuration, the influence of heat on the weight sensor 200 can be suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 can be maintained.

In this regard, both the weight sensor 200 and the temperature sensor used for correcting the detected value of the weight sensor may be arranged not to be placed on the projection of the hot gas pipe 130, or may be arranged together. Similar to the relationship with the above-mentioned discharge port, when the internal temperature sensor 110 is used as a temperature sensor, it is preferable that both of them are not placed on the projection. If a temperature sensor different from the internal temperature sensor 110 is used as the temperature sensor, either one may be used.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS. 37 to 39. In the first embodiment, the weight sensor 200 is arranged on the sensor unit 220, but in the second embodiment, the weight sensor 200 is arranged on the shelf 260.

FIG. 37 is an external perspective view of the shelf viewed from above, FIG. 38 is an external perspective view of the shelf viewed from below, and FIG. 39 is an exploded perspective view of the shelf viewed from below.

The shelf 260 includes a placing part 260a and a weir part 260b which is higher in height than the placing part 260a.

Below the weir portion 260b, there are provided attachment portion bodies 223 that are open at the top and attached to the left and right sides of the inner box 103, and a connection portion body 225 that connects the attachment portion bodies 223. A plurality of sensor openings 271 are formed in the mounting portion main body 223 and open downward. The weight sensor 200 is arranged at the position of the sensor opening 271 so that the weight detection section 206 of the weight sensor 200 projects downward from the sensor opening 271. The upper parts of the attachment part body 223 and the connection part body 225 are covered with a weir part 260b, and constitute a first attachment part 221a, a second attachment part 221b, and a connection part 222 that connects the first attachment part 221a and the second attachment part 221b. ing. A space is formed inside the first attachment part 221a, the second attachment part 221b, and the connection part 222, and this space becomes a wiring accommodation part 228 for the wiring 227 that electrically connects the weight sensor 200 and the sensor board 111. .

That is, in the second embodiment, the first attachment part 221a, the second attachment part 221b, the connection part 222, and the weir part 260b constitute a sensor unit that accommodates the weight sensor 200.

Although the second embodiment includes a total of four weight sensors 200, the number is not limited to this. For example, one weight sensor 200 may be arranged in each of the first attachment part 221a and the second attachment part 221b. It is preferable that at least one weight sensor 200 is disposed in each of the first attachment part 221a and the second attachment part 221b. The shelf 260 may be formed into a triangular shape and one or more weight sensors 200 may be arranged on each side.

Four weight sensors 200 are arranged in the wiring housing part 228, and one end of a wiring 227 is connected to each weight sensor 200. The other end of the wiring 227 is pulled out from a connection opening 232 formed below the wiring housing part 228. A male connector 233 is provided at the other end of the wiring 227, and is connected to a female connector 235 (wiring 234) from the sensor board 111 (not shown). Regarding the wiring lead-in method, a structure similar to that shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 of the first embodiment can be used. On the other hand, at this time, from the viewpoint of weight detection accuracy, it is preferable that the wiring cover 236 and the shelf 260 are spaced apart from each other so that the wiring cover 236 (illustrated in FIG. 17) does not touch the attachment part main body 223. This is to prevent the load applied to the shelf 260 from being transmitted to the wiring cover 236 and the detection accuracy of the weight sensor 200 from decreasing.

Now, when the weight sensor 200 is installed on the shelf 260, it is preferable to fix the shelf 260 to the inner box 103 side so as not to affect the weight detection of the weight sensor 200.

For example, the attachment part main body 223 is fixed to the fixing member 229 (FIG. 9) with a predetermined gap. The weight sensor 200 is fixed downwardly to the weir part 260b with the weight detection part 206 facing downward, and the weight detection part 206 is made to protrude from the sensor opening 271. When the weight detection section 206 of the weight sensor 200 comes into contact with the sensor unit mounting surface of the fixing member 229, the strain of the load cell 201 changes according to the weight of the stored object placed on the mounting section 260a, and the weight of the stored object changes. Detect.

In the second embodiment, a wiring housing part 228 for housing the wiring 227 is formed in the shelf 260, and the wiring from this wiring housing part 228 to the box body 101 is covered, so that the wiring is not exposed and the wiring is not exposed. wire breakage can be suppressed.

Although the sensor unit 220 is wired to the box body 101 side by a wiring 227, a battery, a WLAN board, etc. may be mounted in the sensor unit 220, and it may be connected to the main control board 109 wirelessly. In this case, there is no need to provide the wiring cover 236 as in the first and second embodiments. Further, the shelf 260 as in the second embodiment can be used not only at a designated location within the storage warehouse, but also at any desired location within the storage warehouse, or even outside the storage warehouse as long as it is within the range of wireless communication.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. The embodiments described above are described in detail to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Each screw used in the examples is an example of another insertion member or threaded member such as a bolt.

[Technical idea included in this specification]
This application includes the following ideas.

<About Appendix 1>
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-010208, pressure sensors 11 are fixed to the four corners of shelf support beads 2a that are formed in a convex manner in the front and back direction on the side wall of the inner box 2 that forms the refrigerator compartment 3. (0012,0013, Figures 2, 3, etc.).
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-124798, the shelf is made up of an upper shelf 54, a lower shelf 55, and a strain gauge sensor 56 and electric wiring provided in the gap between them. The electrical wiring is fitted into a sensor-side waterproof connector 58 provided on the back side of the shelf and connected to a main body-side waterproof connector 59 of the refrigerator 51 (0026, 0027, 0031, 0032, etc.). This is a structure in which the upper shelf 54, the lower shelf 55, and the gap space are pulled out as one (0032). It is assumed that weight detection is performed by a single strain gauge sensor 56 (0012, 0036, etc.).
In order to install a sensor in a part or all of each of the four corners of the shelf support or in the vicinity thereof, it is necessary to electrically connect the sensor and the control circuit section, but the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-010208 However, no consideration was given to how to house the sensor or how to connect the wiring.
JP-A-2013-124798 discloses an accommodation structure for improving detection accuracy by disposing a single strain gauge sensor 56 in the center of the upper shelf 54, and is based on the assumption that multiple sensors are used. There is no description or suggestion regarding the method.

[Appendix 1-1]
an inner box forming a storage chamber with an open front;
Shelves or containers arranged in the storage room;
a plurality of weight sensors that receive the weight of stored items placed on the shelf or the container;
Comprising a sensor unit,
The sensor unit is
a first mounting portion that accommodates at least one of the weight sensors and at least a portion of the wiring connected to the weight sensor and extends in a direction along the wall surface of the storage chamber;
a second mounting part connected to the first mounting part and accommodating at least one other of the weight sensors and at least a part of the wiring connected to the weight sensor;
The sensor unit is provided below the shelf or the container, and the storage is separate from the shelf or the container.

[Appendix 1-2]
In Appendix 1-1,
The sensor unit includes a cover part,
The weight sensing portion of the weight sensor is exposed or protrudes above the cover portion, and at least a portion of the other portion is accommodated in a space below the cover portion of the sensor unit.

[Appendix 1-3]
In Appendix 1-1,
The sensor unit includes a connection part that connects the first attachment part and the second attachment part and extends in a direction different from that of the first attachment part and the second attachment part,
The connection portion is a storage housing at least a portion of the wiring.

[Appendix 1-4]
In Appendix 1-1,
comprising a fixing member provided along the wall surface of the storage chamber,
The sensor unit is a housing fixed to the fixing member.

[Appendix 1-5]
In Appendix 1-4,
The fixing member is a metal member provided along the front-rear direction,
A folded part formed by folding back the front end part toward the rear is provided below the sensor unit,
The distal end of the fixing member is a housing disposed between the lower surface of the sensor unit and the folded portion.

[Appendix 1-6]
In Appendix 1-1,
The sensor unit is formed with a connection opening through which the wiring is drawn out,
A notch opening is formed in the wall of the housing to draw out another wiring,
comprising one or more wiring covers connecting the connection opening and the notch opening,
A housing in which the sensor unit or the wiring cover accommodates a connector attached to the wiring and/or the other wiring.

[Appendix 1-7]
In Appendix 1-1,
The left and right sides of the wall of the storage chamber are provided with an inner box upper rib and an inner box lower rib extending in the front-rear direction,
comprising the container;
The left side and/or right side of the container is provided with side ribs that protrude from the left and/or right side in the left-right direction and are formed along the front-back direction,
The side rib is a storage located between the inner box upper rib and the inner box lower rib.

[Appendix 1-8]
In Appendix 1-1,
The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion provided on each of the left and right sides of the sensor unit are provided with guide rails extending in the front-rear direction and projecting upward;
The guide rail includes a notch portion in which a portion is cut out,
The weight sensor is placed in a housing at a position of the notch.

[Appendix 1-9]
In Appendix 1-1,
The weight sensor is provided on each of the front and rear sides of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion provided on each of the left and right sides of the sensor unit,
The first mounting part and the second mounting part are provided with guide rails extending in the front-rear direction and projecting upward at the upper parts thereof,
The guide rail includes a notch portion in which a portion is cut out,
The weight sensor is a housing disposed at a position on the rear end side of the guide rail.

[Appendix 1-10]
In Appendix 1-2,
The weight detection section is movable,
A protrusion protruding upward is formed in a portion of the sensor unit located around the weight detection section,
The housing has a gap formed between an outer peripheral part of the weight detection part and the protrusion part.

[Appendix 1-11]
In Appendix 1-10,
The first mounting part and the second mounting part are provided with guide rails extending in the front-rear direction and projecting upward at the upper parts thereof,
The housing is configured such that a drainage portion with a part cut out is formed in the protruding portion, and the drainage portion is located in the notch portion of the guide rail.

[Appendix 1-12]
an inner box forming a storage chamber with an open front;
Shelves or containers arranged in the storage room;
a plurality of weight sensors that receive the weight of stored items placed on the shelf or the container;
Comprising a sensor unit,
As the sensor unit,
a first mounting portion that accommodates at least one of the weight sensors and at least a portion of wiring connected to the weight sensor;
a second mounting part connected to the first mounting part and accommodating at least one other of the weight sensors and at least a part of the wiring connected to the weight sensor;
The sensor unit is attached to the shelf or the container,
comprising a fixing member that supports the shelf or the container,
A storage container in which a weight detection part of the weight sensor is provided facing downward and can come into contact with the fixing member.

[Appendix 1-13]
In Appendix 1-12,
The sensor unit is formed with a connection opening through which the wiring is drawn out,
A notch opening is formed in the wall of the storage room to draw out another wiring,
comprising one or more wiring covers connecting the connection opening and the notch opening,
The sensor unit and the wiring cover are spaced apart from each other.

[Appendix 1-14]
In Appendix 1-12,
The sensor unit includes a mounting body,
The weight detection part of the weight sensor is a housing that is exposed or protrudes below the mounting part main body.

[Appendix 1-15]
In supplementary note 1-1 or 1-12,
A container comprising the container, wherein the container has a side wall height of 3 cm or more and 9 cm or less.

<About Appendix 2>
The above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-010208 does not consider a type of pressure sensor or strain gauge sensor equipped with a plate-shaped load cell, and when arranging such a type of sensor in a storage, There is no disclosure of aspects that contribute to weight detection accuracy and ensuring suitable storage space in the storage.

[Appendix 2-1]
case body and
load cell and
a first pedestal connected to the case body on one side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell;
a second pedestal connected to the other side of the load cell in the longitudinal direction opposite to the case body;
a weight sensor that is connected to a portion of the second pedestal that extends from a portion attached to the load cell to one side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell;
a storage room in which the weight sensor is arranged;
a sensor unit mounting surface that supports the case body,
A center line of the first pedestal extending in the vertical direction passes through the sensor unit mounting surface.

[Appendix 2-2]
case body and
load cell and
a first pedestal connected to the case body on one side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell;
a weight sensor comprising: a weight detection section connected to the other side in the longitudinal direction of the load cell and to the side opposite to the case body;
a storage room in which the weight sensor is arranged;
a sensor unit mounting surface that supports the case body,
A center line of the first pedestal extending in the vertical direction passes through the sensor unit mounting surface.

[Appendix 2-3]
case body,
Equipped with a load cell and a weight detection section,
a weight sensor mechanically connected from the weight detection section to a first pedestal connected to the case body through the other side of the load cell and one side of the load cell;
a sensor unit mounting surface that supports the case body,
A center line of the first pedestal extending in the vertical direction passes through the sensor unit mounting surface.

[Appendix 2-4]
In any one of Supplementary Notes 2-1 to 2-3,
The weight sensor is provided on the left wall side or the right wall side of the storage chamber,
The front of the storage chamber is open,
The load cell is disposed along the left wall or right wall of the storage chamber in the longitudinal direction.

[Appendix 2-5]
In any one of Supplementary notes 2-1 to 2-3,
The weight sensor is arranged at a position corresponding to a shelf or container arranged at the lowest stage of the storage room,
The front of the storage chamber is open,
The longitudinal direction of the load cell is a storage space arranged along the left-right direction of the storage room.

<About Appendix 3>
A temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the storage compartment is usually disposed in the storage compartment of a refrigerator. Furthermore, since the detected value of the weight sensor also depends on the ambient temperature, it is desirable to correct the detected value using a temperature sensor in the storage room in which the weight sensor is disposed.
However, the storage room is provided with an outlet for supplying cold air, and the wall of the refrigerator is provided with a hot gas pipe or the like for suppressing dew condensation due to a temperature difference with the outside of the refrigerator. If the temperature effects exerted by these differ greatly between the weight sensor and the temperature sensor, accurate correction cannot be performed. The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-010208 does not consider such a point at all.

[Appendix 3-1]
storage room and
a weight sensor arranged in the storage chamber;
an internal temperature sensor disposed in the storage room;
a discharge port for supplying cold air to the storage chamber,
The cold air discharge direction of the discharge port is in a direction away from the weight sensor and the internal temperature sensor.

[Appendix 3-2]
storage room and
a weight sensor arranged in the storage chamber;
an internal temperature sensor disposed in the storage room;
A surface covered with a hot gas pipe through which compressed refrigerant flows,
In the refrigerator, part or all of the weight sensor and the internal temperature sensor are arranged at positions that do not overlap the hot gas pipe when viewed from the front of the surface.

[Appendix 3-3]
In Appendix 3-1 or 3-2,
In the refrigerator, the internal temperature sensor is used to correct the detected value of the weight sensor and to control a cooling fan used to blow air into the storage room and/or a compressor that compresses refrigerant.

[Appendix 3-4]
storage room and
a weight sensor arranged in the storage chamber;
an internal temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the storage compartment and is used to control a cooling fan used to blow air into the storage compartment and/or a compressor that compresses refrigerant;
a discharge port for supplying cold air to the storage chamber;
a temperature sensor that is used to correct the detected value of the weight sensor and is different from the internal temperature sensor;
In the refrigerator, the weight sensor and the temperature sensor are arranged at positions that both avoid or do not avoid the cold air discharge direction of the discharge port.

[Appendix 3-5]
storage room and
a weight sensor arranged in the storage chamber;
A surface covered with hot gas pipes through which compressed refrigerant flows,
an internal temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the storage compartment and is used to control a cooling fan used to blow air into the storage compartment and/or a compressor that compresses refrigerant;
a temperature sensor that is used to correct the detected value of the weight sensor and is different from the internal temperature sensor;
In the refrigerator, the weight sensor and the temperature sensor are both arranged at a position overlapping the hot gas pipe or at a position where they do not overlap when the surface is viewed from the front.

<About Appendix 4>
The above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-010208 does not disclose anything about the mounting structure of the sensor unit when the weight sensor is housed in a sensor unit separate from the shelf or container.

[Appendix 4-1]
an inner box forming a storage chamber with an open front;
A fixing member arranged on the wall side of the inner box and extending back and forth;
A sensor unit provided on the fixing member,
The sensor unit is a housing provided with a folded portion that covers a front end portion of the fixing member.

[Appendix 4-2]
In Appendix 4-1,
The folded portion is a storage space extending over the upper side, the front side, and the lower side of the tip portion.

[Appendix 4-3]
In Appendix 4-1,
The folded portion is made of a softer material than the tip portion.

<About Appendix 5>
In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-010208, since the pressure sensor 11 protrudes from the bead 2a by the height thereof, in order to place the shelf 10 on the pressure sensor 11, it is necessary to place the shelf 10 almost directly above the pressure sensor 11. It is presumed that the user will move the shelf 10 while lifting it. Although it would be easy for the user to move the shelf 10 by sliding it on the bead 2a, in this case the shelf 10 collides with the front surface of the pressure sensor 11, damaging the pressure sensor 11. There is a risk of this happening, and in the end, it is necessary to lift the shelf 10 once in front of the pressure sensor 11.

[Appendix 5-1]
A chamber with an open front,
A shelf or container arranged in the room,
a weight sensor including a weight detection section;
a sensor contact part that is provided on the shelf or the container and is capable of contacting the weight detection part;
Equipped with a guide rail,
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and moves backward from a position in front of the weight sensor, the sensor contact section moves backward at a height higher than the weight sensor and contacts the weight sensing section. A storage container that approaches the weight detection section and contacts the weight detection section from above.

[Appendix 5-2]
In Appendix 5-1,
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and moves backward from a position in front of the weight sensor, the sensor contact section moves backward from a height higher than the weight sensor and contacts the weight sensing section. A storage container that approaches the weight sensor, moves further downward, and contacts the weight sensor from above.

[Appendix 5-3]
In Appendix 5-2,
A plurality of the weight sensors are arranged in front and back,
The sensor contact portion includes a front sensor contact portion capable of contacting a weight detection portion of the weight sensor on the front side, and a rear sensor contact portion capable of contacting a weight detection portion of the weight sensor on the rear side;
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and the rear sensor contact portion moves rearward from a position in front of the weight sensor on the front side, the front rear sensor contact portion moves toward the front weight sensor. A storage container that passes above, moves downward over the weight sensor on the rear side, and contacts the weight detection part of the weight sensor on the rear side from above.

[Appendix 5-4]
In Appendix 5-1,
The shelf or the container is provided with side ribs that protrude laterally,
The side wall of the chamber includes a lower rib protruding below the side rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail and when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the side rib is spaced apart from the lower rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail, or when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the lower rib is configured to prevent the shelf or the container from tilting. , a housing disposed at a position in contact with the side rib.

[Appendix 5-5]
In Appendix 5-1,
The shelf or the container is provided with side ribs that protrude laterally,
The side wall of the chamber includes a lower rib protruding below the side rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail and when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the side rib is spaced apart from the lower rib,
Separately from the guide rail, a structure capable of supporting another shelf or another container is provided above the guide rail,
The lower rib is a housing disposed between the guide rail and the structure in the vertical direction.

[Appendix 5-6]
In Appendix 5-1,
The shelf or the container is provided with side ribs that protrude laterally,
The side wall of the chamber includes an upper rib projecting above the side rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail and when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the side rib is spaced apart from the lower rib,
Separately from the guide rail, a structure capable of supporting another shelf or another container is provided above the guide rail,
The upper rib is a housing disposed between the guide rail and the structure in the vertical direction.

<About Appendix 6>
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-139148, which relates to a pressure-sensitive sensor used in equipment that detects and controls changes in pressure caused by human manual operations, discloses an elastic pressing body 13 for pressing a pressure-sensitive rubber 12 against a conductive pattern. (0001,0010, Figure 1).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-139148 has a structure based on the premise that force at the level of human manual operation is applied. On the other hand, if a weight sensor is used to detect the weight of food stored in a storage warehouse such as a refrigerator, it is necessary to assume a larger level of force than that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-139148 as the food load.
The inventors have developed a structure for detecting a load in JP-A-9-139148, which uses a load cell, for example, as a structure on the sensor side that receives a load that tends to be larger than that in JP-A-9-139148. A different type of structure than the one in the publication was also considered. As a result, when the shelf or container housing food rubs against the sensor cover, if the sensor cover is made of a hard material, the sensor cover will take some of the load, which will be transferred to other parts that come into contact with the sensor cover and to the sensor side. We discovered that the load is dispersed, reducing detection accuracy, and that if the sensor cover is made of a soft material, the risk of damage to the sensor cover increases.

[Appendix 6-1]
case body and
sensor cover and
a sensor arranged in a space surrounded by the case body and the sensor cover;
A weight sensor that transmits a load to the sensor side and includes a weight detection section that partially protrudes from the sensor cover.

[Appendix 6-2]
In Appendix 6-1,
The sensor cover is a weight sensor having a hardness of 70 or less and/or a thickness of 2.5 mm or less.

[Appendix 6-3]
A sensor unit accommodating the weight sensor according to appendix 6-1 or 6-2,
Of the sensor cover, a cover member is provided on the opposite side of the case body, with an end in contact with the case body sandwiched therebetween;
The cover member is a sensor unit in which the end portion is pressed toward the case body.

[Appendix 6-4]
In supplementary note 6-1 or 6-2,
In the weight sensor, an edge of the sensor cover facing a side surface of the weight detection section has a gap with respect to the weight detection section.

[Appendix 6-5]
In supplementary note 6-1 or 6-4,
In the weight sensor, the edge does not extend 360° around the weight sensing portion, and a portion of the edge functions as a drainage hole.

[Appendix 6-6]
In supplementary note 6-1 or 6-2,
A weight sensor in which a washer is interposed between the sensor cover and the weight detection section.

100...Refrigerator, 101...Box, 101a...Top plate, 101b...Bottom plate, 101c...Side plate, 101d...Back plate, 102...Door, 103...Inner box, 104...Inside the refrigerator, 105, 105a, 105b, 105c, 105d , 105e... Container, 106a... Inner box upper rib, 106b... Inner box lower rib, 107... Compressor, 108... Discharge port, 109... Main control board, 110... Internal temperature sensor, 111... Sensor board, 111a... Sub Microcomputer, 111b...Filter circuit/amplifier circuit, 112...Communication unit, 113...Operation board, 113a...Temperature control volume, 114...Notch opening, 115...Notch opening, 120...Sensor contact part, 120a...Front sensor contact part , 120b... Rear sensor contact part, 121... Bottom guide rib, 122... Sliding part, 123... Side rib, 125... Cold air, 130... Hot gas pipe, 140... Foam insulation material, 200... Weight sensor, 201... Load cell, 201a, 201b... Strain sensor, 202... First pedestal, 203... Case body, 204... Second pedestal, 205... Sensor cover, 205a... End, 206... Weight detection part, 207... Washer, 208... Screw, 209... Nut, 210... Washer, 211... Screw, 212... Washer, 213... Screw, 214... Washer, 220... Sensor unit, 220a... Upper sensor unit, 220b... Middle sensor unit, 220c... Lower sensor unit, 221... Mounting part, 221a... First attachment part, 221b... Second attachment part, 222... Connection part, 223... Attachment part main body, 223a... Folded part, 223b... Insertion hole part of sensor unit 220, 224... Cover member, 224a... Projection part, 224b... Drainage part, 225...Connection part main body, 226...Cover member, 227...Wiring, 228...Wire accommodating part, 229...Fixing member, 229a...Tip part, 229b...Through hole, 230...Screw, 230a...Threaded part, 231... Screw, 232... Connection opening, 233... Male connector, 234... Wiring, 235... Female connector, 236... Wiring cover, 236a... Flange portion, 237... Screw, 239... Washer, 241... Mounting part, 241a... First mounting part, 241b...second attachment part, 242...connection part, 243...attachment part main body, 244...cover member, 245...connection part main body, 247...wiring, 248...wiring accommodating part, 249...guide rail, 249a...rear end Part, 250... Notch, 251... Tray, 252... Mounting part opening, 253... Male connector, 254... Wiring, 255... Female connector, 256... Wiring cover, 257... Screw, 260... Shelf, 260a... Placement part , 260b...Weir part, 271... Sensor opening

Claims (4)

A chamber with an open front,
A shelf or container arranged in the room,
a weight sensor including a weight detection section;
a sensor contact part that is provided on the shelf or the container and is capable of contacting the weight detection part;
a sensor unit attached to a side wall of the chamber and including the weight sensor;
a guide rail provided at the top of the sensor unit and protruding upward ;
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and moves backward from a position in front of the weight sensor, the sensor contact section moves backward at a height higher than the weight sensor and contacts the weight sensing section. A storage container that approaches the weight detection section and contacts the weight detection section from above. In claim 1,
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and moves backward from a position in front of the weight sensor, the sensor contact section moves backward from a height higher than the weight sensor and contacts the weight sensing section. A storage container that approaches the weight sensor, moves further downward, and contacts the weight sensor from above. In claim 2,
A plurality of the weight sensors are arranged in front and back,
The guide rail extends along the front-rear direction and includes a notch,
The weight sensor on the front side is provided at the position of the notch,
The shelf or the container includes a bottom guide rib formed along the front-rear direction,
The sensor contact portion includes a front sensor contact portion capable of contacting a weight detection portion of the weight sensor on the front side, and a rear sensor contact portion capable of contacting a weight detection portion of the weight sensor on the rear side;
A sliding part that slides in contact with the guide rail is provided between the front sensor contact part and the bottom guide rib,
When the shelf or the container slides on the guide rail and the rear sensor contact portion moves rearward from a position in front of the weight sensor on the front side , the rear sensor contact portion moves toward the front side of the weight sensor. The sliding portion moves downward on the weight sensor on the rear side and contacts the weight detection portion of the weight sensor on the rear side from above , and the sliding portion is configured to detect the weight on the front side at the notch portion. A housing that contacts the weight detection part of the sensor from above . In claim 1,
The shelf or the container is provided with side ribs that protrude laterally,
The side wall of the chamber includes a lower rib protruding below the side rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail and when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the side rib is spaced apart from the lower rib,
When the shelf or the container is sliding on the guide rail, or when the sensor contact part is in contact with the weight detection part, the lower rib is configured to prevent the shelf or the container from tilting. , a housing disposed at a position in contact with the side rib.

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