JP7445629B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to refrigerators.

Claim 1 of Patent Document 1 states, "A refrigerator equipped with a camera for photographing the interior of the refrigerator, characterized in that a single camera photographs a plurality of locations."

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-42626

In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, a camera unit is fixed to the external upper surface of the refrigerator main body, and the camera projects forward by an arm. For this reason, it is necessary to connect the camera provided at the tip of the arm and the power source provided inside the refrigerator body with a power cable, and to attach the camera unit to the external upper surface of the refrigerator body. However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose any structure or the like that facilitates these installation operations.

The refrigerator of the present disclosure includes:
a refrigerator body forming a storage chamber having an opening on the front side;
a camera unit provided outside the refrigerator main body and housing a camera that takes an image of the storage compartment;
a support member that fixes the camera unit to the refrigerator main body;
a cable electrically connected to the camera;
The camera unit is fixed to the support member so as to separate the camera unit from the support member when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit,
The cable is
a first cable;
a second cable extending from the camera unit side ;
a connection terminal connecting the first cable and the second cable,
The first cable and the second cable are connected outside the camera unit ,
The connection terminal is
a through hole that communicates between the inside of the refrigerator main body and the inside of the support member, and through which the first cable passes;
a fastening part that slidably fastens the second cable in the axial direction of the second cable inside the support member;
placed between
When the camera unit is separated from the support member, the second cable slides inside the support member, and the connection terminal contacts the fastening part.
A refrigerator characterized by:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present disclosure. It is a front view of the storage room with which a refrigerator is equipped. It is an enlarged perspective view of the external upper surface of a refrigerator main body. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the support member. It is a side view of a support member. It is a front view of a camera unit and a support member. 7 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 7. FIG. It is a top view of a rotation mechanism. FIG. 7 is a top view of the camera unit with the lid removed and placed in the first position. FIG. 7 is a top view of the camera unit with the lid removed and placed in the second position. It is a front view when a camera unit and a support member are separated. FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 12, and is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the rotation mechanism. It is a top view explaining the cover member which covers a hole. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a flat cable is arranged in a cable guide section. FIG. 3 is a top view showing a state in which the flat cable is arranged in the cable guide section. It is a perspective view explaining the cover member which covers a hole. FIG. 3 is a view of the internal top surface of the refrigerator main body viewed from below. It is a perspective view of a contact suppression member concerning one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a contact suppression member according to another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a top view of the camera unit with the lid removed and the second base member seen through. It is a perspective view of a state in which the second base member is opened and the inside of the support member can be visually recognized.

Hereinafter, modes for implementing the present disclosure (referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description of one embodiment, other embodiments applicable to the one embodiment will also be described as appropriate. The present disclosure is not limited to one embodiment below, and different embodiments may be combined or arbitrarily modified without significantly impairing the effects of the present disclosure. Further, the same members will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, items having the same function shall be given the same name. The content shown in the drawings is only schematic, and for convenience of illustration, the actual configuration may be changed to the extent that the effects of the present disclosure are not significantly impaired, or some members may be omitted or modified between drawings. Sometimes I do something.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 100 of the present disclosure. Refrigerator 100 includes refrigerator main body 10, camera unit 50, and rotation mechanism 30 (FIG. 9). The refrigerator main body 10 forms a storage chamber 6 having an opening 6a on the front side (front side).

FIG. 2 is a front view of the storage compartment 6 provided in the refrigerator 100. The storage compartment 6 includes a refrigerator compartment 1, an ice making compartment 2, an upper freezer compartment 3, a vegetable compartment 4, and a lower freezer compartment 5 arranged above. In the refrigerator compartment 1, the temperature inside the refrigerator is set to be within the refrigeration temperature range (0°C or higher), for example, about 4°C on average. In the upper freezer compartment 3 and the lower freezer compartment 5, the inside of the refrigerator is set to a freezing temperature range (less than 0°C), for example, at about -18°C on average. In the vegetable compartment 4, the inside of the refrigerator is set at an average temperature of, for example, about 6° C. within the refrigeration temperature range. Foods and the like are taken in and out of each storage chamber 6 through the opening 6a.

Returning to FIG. 1, the refrigerator main body 10 includes doors 1a, 2a, which close openings 6a (FIG. 2) of the refrigerator compartment 1, the ice-making compartment 2, the upper freezer compartment 3, the vegetable compartment 4, and the lower freezer compartment 5, respectively. 3a, 4a, and 5a. The door 1a is rotatable about a rotation shaft (not shown) installed at the left and right ends of the refrigerator main body 10. The rotation shaft is supported by door hinges 1b provided above and below the door 1a, respectively. Doors 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a can be pulled out.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the external top surface of the refrigerator main body 10. A camera unit 50 is provided on the external upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. Camera unit 50 is installed in refrigerator main body 10 via support member 40 . The support member 40 supports the camera unit 50. The camera unit 50 includes a camera 51 that images the inside of the refrigerator compartment 1, which is an example of the storage compartment 6. Although details will be described later, the camera unit 50 is arranged so as to be rotatable within a horizontal plane including the front-rear direction and the left-right direction by the rotation mechanism 30 (FIG. 9).

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the support member 40. The refrigerator main body 10 includes a first base member 41 and a second base member 42 as members constituting the support member 40. The support member 40 has a space inside. The shapes, dimensions, and installation locations of the first base member 41 and the second base member 42 are not limited to the illustrated example, and can be changed as appropriate depending on design conditions such as the positions of the through hole 11 and the mounting portion 46, and the position of the camera 51.

The first base member 41 is fixed to the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 at one location in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator main body 10 by a fixture 43a that penetrates the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. The fixture 43a is, for example, a screw. Regarding fixation at one location in the front-back direction, if there is only one fixture 43a, no matter where it is fixed, it is fixed at one location in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, when there are two or more fixtures 43a (two in the illustrated example), it means that the positions of the fixtures 43a in the front-rear direction are the same on the top surface of the refrigerator main body 10. Therefore, for example, two or more fixtures 43a overlap when viewed in the left-right direction. Supplementally, in FIG. 4, the first base member 41 is fixed at two locations in the left-right direction, but is fixed at one location in the front-rear direction. The first base member 41 can be fixed even if there is less space for fixation in the front-rear direction than when fixing at one location.

The two fixtures 43a are inserted into the mounting portion 45 of the first base member 41 and the mounting portion 46 of the mounting member 44. The attachment parts 45 and 46 are, for example, screw holes. The mounting member 44 includes a through hole 44a through which the power cable 61 (FIG. 18) passes. The through hole 44a communicates the inside of the refrigerator main body 10 and the inside of the support member 40. The attachment member 44 is fitted into the through holes 11 and 12 formed on the upper surface of the refrigerator body 10 from inside the refrigerator body 10 . That is, in the mounting member 44, the portion 44b is inserted from below so as to pass through the through hole 11, and after the portion 44b is exposed upward, the portion 44b is tilted backward, so that the two mounting portions 45 are connected to the two through holes. It is exposed upward from the hole 12. A portion 44b of the mounting member 44 exposed upward through the through hole 11 fits into the through hole 47 of the first base member. By fixing with the fixture 43a in this state, the first base member 41 and the mounting member 44 are fixed so as to sandwich the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. The first base member 41 may be fixed to the attachment member 44 by fitting with a claw, for example, without using the fixing member 43a.

The second base member 42 is fixed to the first base member 41 at a plurality of locations in the front-rear direction of the refrigerator main body 10. Fixation is performed by a fixture 43b. The fixture 43b is, for example, a screw. Fixation at a plurality of locations in the front-back direction means that the refrigerator body 10 is fixed at different locations on the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 by the fixtures 43b at different positions in the front-back direction. Therefore, for example, two or more fixtures 43b exist when viewed in the left and right direction. In the illustrated example, the second base member 42 is fixed by two fixing devices 43b (four in total) in each of the left-right direction and the front-back direction. The fixture 43b is not inserted into the refrigerator main body 10.

Each fixture 43b is inserted into the attachment portion 48 of the second base member 42 and the attachment portion 49 of the first base member 41. The attachment parts 48 and 49 are, for example, screw holes. The second base member 42 is fixed to the first base member 41 by the fixture 43b. The second base member 42 may be fixed to the first base member 41 by fitting, for example, with a claw, without using the fixing member 43b.

Although the specific structure will be described later, the rotation mechanism 30 (FIG. 9) that rotates the camera unit 50 is composed of some members of the second base member 42 and some members of the camera unit 50. . Depending on the design conditions of the refrigerator main body 10, the fixture 43a may only be used at one location in the front-rear direction on the refrigerator main body 10, as shown in the figure. Even in this case, the rotation mechanism 30 can be firmly installed by using the second base member 42 that is fixed to the first base member 41 at a plurality of locations in the front and back direction. Thereby, wobbling of the rotation mechanism 30 can be suppressed, and when the camera unit 50 is disposed on the front side, it is possible to suppress falling down to the front side. Note that "fixed at multiple locations in the front-rear direction" as used herein means that the first location is the pair of fixtures 43b, 43b at the left end, and the second location is the pair of fixtures 43b, 43b at the right end, and It is fixed in two places in total.

By the way, a plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 (FIG. 18) is fixed to the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. The plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is, for example, a vacuum heat insulating material, and is attached to the inner upper surface. For example, the through holes 11 and 12 and the attachment portion 46 cannot be provided at the location where the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is fixed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, which will be described later, the fixture 43a penetrates the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 at a portion other than where the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is fixed. By doing so, the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 can be easily fixed to the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10, and the first base member 41 can be attached to the refrigerator main body 10 by using a portion other than the fixed place of the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13. Can be fixed to the top of the outside.

The first base member 41 and the second base member 42 are made of resin, for example. However, at least one of the first base member 41 and the second base member 42 can be used in combination with a metal plate of any shape. When used in combination, rigidity can be improved. For combined use, the resin and metal may be provided separately, or may be provided integrally using a metal-resin composite material.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the support member 40. For simplification of illustration, illustration of camera unit 50 is omitted, and structures of refrigerator main body 10 and support member 40 are also partially simplified. A foamed heat insulating material 14 is housed in a heat insulating space 15 formed inside the refrigerator main body 10 and outside the storage compartment 6 (for example, the refrigerator compartment 1). The foamed heat insulating material 14 is disposed below the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 and at least in part or all of the outer periphery (front, rear, left and right). The foamed heat insulating material 14 is, for example, urethane foam. Although not shown, the refrigerator main body 10 has a heat insulating box body formed by accommodating a foamed heat insulating material 14 between an outer box made of, for example, a steel plate and an inner box made of, for example, a synthetic resin. The interior of the warehouse is separated.

In a side view of the refrigerator main body 10, above the housing portion of the foamed heat insulating material 14, the lower ends 40a of the first base member 41 (FIG. 4) and the second base member 42 are provided with a recess 40b extending toward the rear side. As a result, when the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 swells due to the pressure generated when the foamed heat insulating material 14 is accommodated, the recess 40b prevents the first base member 41 and the second base member 42 from being bent and pushed up due to the swell. It can be suppressed. Thereby, the tilting of the rotating mechanism 30 (FIG. 9) attached to the second base member 42 can be suppressed, and the tilting of the camera unit 50 via the rotating mechanism 30 can be suppressed.

Note that if the top surface of the refrigerator main body 10 does not swell, or if a gap still exists between the top surface of the swollen one and the recess 40b, for example, the insulation structure such as the foaming process of the foam insulation material 14 to the refrigerator main body 10 After the step of applying is completed, an arbitrary member (for example, an elastic member such as a rubber plate) may be placed between the upper surface and the recess 40b. Thereby, wobbling of the first base member 41 and the second base member 42 can be suppressed.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the camera unit 50 and the support member 40. In FIG. 6, the camera unit 50 is placed at a second position (described later) in which the camera 51 is placed forward of the front edge 10a (FIG. 11) of the refrigerator main body 10 when viewed from above.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 6. The camera unit 50 includes a camera 51 , a light source 52 (for example, an LED) that irradiates light onto the storage chamber 6 , a control board 53 for the camera 51 and the light source 52 , and a housing 55 . The camera 51, light source 52, and control board 53 are housed in a housing 55. By providing the camera 51, light source 52, and control board 53 inside one housing 55, the size can be reduced compared to the case where these are provided separately, and the electrical wiring connecting them can be shortened. The housing 55 has a bottom, and the upper part of the housing 55 is closed by a lid 54.

The camera 51, the light source 52, and the control board 53 are housed in this order from one direction of the housing 55 to the other direction. By arranging them in this way, the camera 51 and the light source 52, which are relatively easy to downsize, can be easily integrated into one place, and the shape of the camera unit 50 can be easily reduced. Further, the camera 51 and the light source 52 are adjacent to each other in the illustrated example. As a result, the camera 51 and the light source 52 can be arranged in the same manner as, for example, a mobile information terminal, and the design of the camera unit 50 can be improved.

The rotation mechanism 30 that rotates the camera unit 50 in a horizontal plane (front, rear, left and right directions) is arranged between the light source 52 and the control board 53 when viewed from the side. That is, the camera 51 and the light source 52 are placed on one side when viewed from the rotation mechanism 30, and the control board 53 is placed on the other side when viewed from the rotation mechanism 30. With this arrangement, the control board 53, which normally tends to be heavy, can be placed on the other side of the rotation mechanism 30, which is the center of rotation, and the camera 51 and the light source 52 can be placed on one side. Thereby, variations in the weight of the camera unit 50 can be suppressed, and tilting of the camera unit 50 can be suppressed.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. FIG. 9 is a top view of the rotation mechanism 30. The rotation mechanism 30 includes a hollow portion 30a that communicates the inside of the camera unit 50 and the inside of the support member 40. The rotation mechanism 30 rotates the camera unit 50 in a horizontal plane so as to place it in either the first position or the second position depending on the degree of rotation of the camera unit 30. The first position is a position where the entire camera unit 50 is arranged so as to overlap the refrigerator main body 10 when viewed from above. In the first position, the camera unit 50 is arranged on the rear side of the front edge 10a when viewed from above and from the side. The second position is a position in which the camera 51 is placed forward of the front edge 10a of the refrigerator main body 10 when viewed from above. In the illustrated example, the placement into the first and second positions is performed manually. The first position and the second position will be explained.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the camera unit 50 with the lid 54 (FIG. 7) removed and placed in the first position. In FIG. 10, the cover member 71 is arranged above the rotation mechanism 30 for convenience of illustration. The camera unit 50 has a shape in which the length in the lateral direction changes midway in the longitudinal direction when viewed from above. In the first position, the longitudinal direction of the camera unit 50 extends in the left-right direction, and the camera unit 50 does not protrude further forward than the front edge 10a of the refrigerator main body 10. Therefore, for example, when transporting the refrigerator 100, by arranging the camera unit 50 at the first position, protrusion of the camera unit 50 to the front side can be suppressed, and the refrigerator 100 can be easily transported. Thereby, the transportability of the refrigerator 100 can be improved.

The distance between the rotation mechanism 30 and the left end (rotation side end) of the support member 40 is shorter than the distance between the rotation mechanism 30 and the camera 51. Thereby, when the camera unit 50 rotates, the camera 51 (see FIG. 6) that protrudes downward can be prevented from coming into contact with the support member 40. However, the distance between the rotation mechanism 30 and the left end of the support member 40 may be longer than the distance between the rotation mechanism 30 and the camera 51. In this case, for example, the camera 51 does not need to protrude, and a groove (not shown) may be provided on the upper surface of the support member 40 along the rotation locus of the camera 51.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the camera unit 50 with the lid 54 (FIG. 7) removed and placed in the second position. In the second position, the camera 51 is arranged in front of the front edge 10a as described above. In the illustrated example, a light source 52 is also arranged in front of the leading edge 10a. By being placed in the second position, the camera 51 can image the inside of the refrigerator compartment 1, which is an example of the storage compartment 6 (FIG. 2). Further, the light source 52 can irradiate light into the inside of the refrigerator compartment 1 when the camera 51 takes an image. For example, after the refrigerator 100 is installed, the camera unit 50 is placed in the second position when the power is turned on, so that the user can take an image with the camera 51 without being conscious of it. It may be arranged such that it moves toward the first position when both doors 1a of the refrigerator compartment 1 are closed, and moves toward the second position when either or both of the doors 1a are opened. . Instead of detecting that the door is open, the movement to the second position may be triggered by detection by a human sensor that can detect the proximity of the user to the door 1a.

Returning to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rotation mechanism 30 includes a cylindrical portion 31 and a hole 32. The cylindrical portion 31 is provided upright on either the second base member 42 or the camera unit 50 (in the illustrated example, the second base member 42). The hole 32 is formed in the second base member 42 or the other of the camera unit 50 (in the illustrated example, the housing 55 of the camera unit 50). The cylindrical portion 31 includes a first fitting portion 34 at a position on the outer circumferential surface 33 corresponding to a first position (FIG. 10) and a second position (FIG. 11).

The cylindrical portion 31 is slidable inside the hole 32 . The first fitting portion 34 is formed at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 31 in the illustrated example. Further, the upper end of the cylindrical portion 31 is provided with four claws 38 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the first fitting part 34 and the claw 38 are arranged at the same height in the vertical direction. The camera unit 50 rotates as the cylindrical portion 31 slides inside the hole 32 while the first fitting portion 34 and the claw 38 are guided by the guide path 39.

In the illustrated example, the first fitting portion 34 is a protrusion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 33. The hole portion 32 has second fitting portions 35 and 36 that fit into the first fitting portion 34 on an outer circumferential surface 37, and accommodates the cylindrical portion 31. The second fitting portions 35 and 36 are recesses in the illustrated example, and are provided in pairs in the radial direction of the cylindrical portion 31. The rotation mechanism 30 includes a guide path 39 formed on the outer peripheral surface 37. In the guide path 39, the first fitting part 34 is rotated so as to overcome the protrusions 35a, 36a, so that the first fitting part 34 fits into the second fitting part 35, 36. When the first fitting part 34 fits into the second fitting part 35, the camera unit 50 is placed in the first position (FIG. 10). When the first fitting part 34 fits into the second fitting part 36, the camera unit 50 is placed in the second position (FIG. 11).

By configuring the rotation mechanism 30 in this way, the camera unit 50 can be easily fixed at the first position (FIG. 10) and the second position (FIG. 11) when the camera unit 50 is rotated.

FIG. 12 is a front view when the camera unit 50 and the support member 40 are separated. The camera unit 50 and the support member 40 can be separated from the integrated state shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit 50 from below.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 12, and is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the rotation mechanism 30. At least one of the first fitting portion 34 or the second fitting portions 35 and 36 (in the illustrated example, only the first fitting portion 34) has spring properties. The distance d1 between the pair of first fitting portions 34 in the radial direction is slightly larger than the diameter d2 of the hole portion 32. Therefore, when the cylindrical portion 31 is inserted into the hole 32, the first fitting portion 34 passes through the hole 32 while being bent inward. When the first fitting part 34 reaches the guide path 39 (FIG. 9), which is the upper end of the hole 32, the shape of the first fitting part 34 returns to its original shape, and the first fitting part 34 is accommodated in the guide path 39. be done. This state is the state shown in FIGS. 6 to 11.

As described above, in the illustrated example, the first fitting portion 34 has spring properties and functions like a leaf spring. Further, the pawl 38 also has spring properties and functions like a leaf spring. Therefore, the rotation mechanism 30 is configured to be able to disconnect the cylindrical portion 31 and the hole portion 32 when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit 50 from below. That is, when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit 50, the guide path 39 disposed below the first fitting portion 34 tends to move upward, for example. Since the first fitting part 34 and the pawl 38 have spring properties, when the magnitude of the force, that is, the force that causes the guide path 39 to move upward is large, the first fitting part 34 and the pawl 38 move inward. The bending causes the cylindrical portion 31 and the hole 32 to be disconnected from each other. The amount of force used to release the lock can be controlled by changing the degree of springiness (spring coefficient).

In this way, by configuring the camera unit 50 to be able to disconnect from the cylindrical portion 31 and the hole 32 when force is applied to the camera unit 50 from below, it is possible to suppress application of excessive force to the camera unit 50. , damage to the camera unit 50 can be suppressed.

FIG. 14 is a top view illustrating a cover member 71 that covers the hole 32. As shown in FIG. The cover member 71 has an L-shape and is arranged to cover a part of the rotation mechanism 30. The cover member 71 includes a guide portion 72, a wall 73, and a cable hole 74. The guide portion 72 guides the flat cable 56 (FIG. 15). First, the flat cable 56 will be explained.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the flat cable 56 is arranged on the guide portion 72. FIG. 16 is a top view showing a state in which the flat cable 56 is arranged on the guide portion 72. The camera 51, the light source 52, and the control board 53 are arranged so that the remaining members (for example, the camera 51 and the light source 52) are present in the front and back direction of the widest member (for example, the control board 53). In the illustrated example, these are arranged in the housing 55 so that their respective centers of gravity are aligned in a straight line. Thereby, the posture of the camera unit 50 can be stabilized.

The camera unit 50 includes a flat cable 56 that connects at least one of the camera 51 or the light source 52 (in the illustrated example, only the camera 51) and the control board 53. By providing the flat cable 56, the camera unit 50 can be made smaller than when using a round electric wire. The flat cable 56 connects the connection terminal 51a of the camera 51 and the connection terminal 53a of the control board 53.

The flat cable 56 extends in the front-rear direction between the control board 53 and the guide section 72. The flat cable 56 is sandwiched between the bottom surface 72a and the support 72b in the guide portion 72. The flat cable 56 extends between the guide section 72 and the camera 51 at an angle to the direction in which it extends between the control board 53 and the guide section 72 .

FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a cover member 71 that covers the hole 32. As shown in FIG. The wall 73 is erected to partition the guide portion 72 and the rotation mechanism 30. The wall 73 partitions the guide portion 72 from the exposed cylindrical portion 31 and hole 32 of the rotation mechanism 30 . The wall 73 is arranged to surround the cylindrical portion 31 and the hole 32. The cable hole 74 guides the power cable 61 (FIG. 18) into the camera unit 50. The power cable 61 passes through the cylindrical portion 31, the hole 32, and the cable hole 74, and is connected to the control board 53. The power cable 61 supplies power to at least the camera 51 and is connected to a power source (not shown) disposed in the refrigerator main body 10. The cable hole 74 is provided in the wall 73 and has a size corresponding to the thickness of the power cable 61.

As described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 above, the camera unit 50 and the support member 40 are separable. Therefore, when these are separated, the hole 32 of the camera unit 50 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, by disposing the cover member 71 so as to cover a part of the hole 32 (other than the part through which the power cable 61 passes), it is possible to prevent the user from inserting a foreign object (such as a finger) into the hole 32. .
Further, when the camera unit 50 and the support member 40 are separated, the power cable 61 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, by covering a portion of the power cable 61 (at least around the hole 32) with an insulating member 75 such as a tape or a tube, it is possible to prevent the user from directly touching the power cable 61.

FIG. 18 is a diagram of the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 viewed from below. In FIG. 18, as shown in FIG. 5 above, the foamed heat insulating material 14 (FIG. 5) and the storage compartment 6 (refrigeration compartment 1; FIG. 2) are arranged on the front side of the page. A plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is fixed to the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. The power cable 61 supplies power to at least the camera 51. The power cable 61 is arranged between the inside of the refrigerator main body 10 and the inside of the camera unit 50 through the through holes 11 and 44a provided on the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. In the illustrated example, the power cable 61 passes through the through hole 44a (provided on the upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10, see FIG. 4) of the attachment member 44 fitted into the through hole 11.

The refrigerator main body 10 includes a heat transfer tube 62 that suppresses dew condensation on the inner or outer surface of the refrigerator main body 10 so as to surround at least a portion of the through holes 11 and 44a. The heat exchanger tube 62 is arranged so as to surround the opening 6a formed on the front side of the storage chamber 6, thereby suppressing dew condensation near the opening 6a that contacts the outside air. The heat exchanger tube 62 is connected to a compressor (not shown) provided in the refrigerator main body 10. For example, a refrigerant at 25° C. to 35° C. flows through the heat exchanger tubes 62 .

The heat exchanger tube 62 is arranged along the opening 6a on the inner upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10. However, on the sides of the through holes 11 and 44a, the heat exchanger tubes 62 are arranged from the front side toward the rear side and pass through the rear side of the through holes 11 and 44a. Therefore, the left, right, and rear sides of the through holes 11 and 44a are surrounded by the heat exchanger tubes 62.

The power cable 61 is arranged along the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 from the front side to the rear side. The power cable 61 is arranged at a location other than the location where the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is disposed on the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 (in the illustrated example, on the right side of the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13). The power cable 61 that has reached the rear side of the internal upper surface changes its direction downward, passes through the rear side of the storage chamber 6, and is connected to a power source (not shown) arranged at the lower part of the refrigerator main body 10.

The power cable 61 is fixed to the internal upper surface with a fixing member 63 such as tape. Since outside air exists outside the internal top surface, by fixing to the internal top surface with the fixing member 63, the outside temperature can be transferred to the power cable 61. Thereby, even if the power cable 61 is cooled by passing through the rear side of the storage chamber 6, a decrease in the temperature of the power cable 61 can be suppressed, and dew condensation in the vicinity of the through holes 11 and 44a connected to the outside can be suppressed. As the fixing member 63, a member with excellent heat conductivity such as aluminum tape is preferable.

The power cable 61 that has reached the inside of the refrigerator main body 10 from the through hole 44a is thermally connected to the heat transfer tube 62 at a portion 64 inside the refrigerator main body 10. As a result, even if the power cable 61 is cooled by the cold air in the storage room 6, the power cable 61 is heated by heat transfer from the thermally connected heat transfer tube 62, and the power cable 61 is heated near the through holes 11 and 44a. dew condensation on the power cable 61 can be suppressed.

Thermal connection at the portion 64 is a contact between the power cable 61 and the heat exchanger tube 62 by crossing them. Thereby, the power cable 61 and the heat exchanger tube 62 can be thermally connected without using a jig for contact, so that they can be easily thermally connected. In particular, since the heat exchanger tubes 62 are arranged around the through holes 11 and 44a, the power cables 61 can be thermally connected no matter how they are arranged, and the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the power cables 61 can be improved. Note that the power cable 61 is arranged below the heat exchanger tube 62.

The refrigerator main body 10 has a door hinge 1b (see FIG. 1, an example of a predetermined member) at a location other than the location where the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is arranged on the internal upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10 (in the illustrated example, on the left and right of the plate-like heat insulating material 13). ) is provided with a fixing part 65 for fixing the inner upper surface. The fixing part 65 includes, for example, a screw hole 66, and by inserting a screw 67 (FIG. 19) into the screw hole 66, the door hinge 1b is fixed on the external upper surface of the refrigerator main body 10.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the contact suppression member 68 according to one embodiment. As described above, the foamed heat insulating material 14 (FIG. 5) is housed inside the refrigerator main body 10 and outside the storage chamber 6. In the example shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, after fixing the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 and the power cable 61 to the internal upper surface, the inner upper surface shown in FIG. 18 and the storage chamber 6 on the front side in FIG. The foamed heat insulating material 14 is accommodated in the heat insulating space 15 (FIG. 5). Therefore, the fixing portion 65 and the power cable 61 come into contact with the foam insulation material 14 . After the uncured foam insulation material (hereinafter referred to as "uncured insulation material") hardens to form the foam insulation material 14, a screw 67 is inserted into the screw hole 66 from the outside to fix the door hinge 1b.

The foamed heat insulating material 14 is disposed, for example, by injecting uncured heat insulating material into the heat insulating space 15 through an injection port (not shown) that communicates with the heat insulating space 15 and hardening it. As described above, the power cable 61 is fixed to the inner upper surface by the fixing member 63, but the uncured heat insulating material flowing in the heat insulation space 15 comes into contact with the power cable 61, and the position of the power cable 61 shifts from the desired position. there is a possibility. In particular, the area other than the area where the plate-shaped heat insulating material 13 is placed is narrow, and the fixing part 65 and the power cable 61 are placed in that narrow area. Therefore, there is a possibility that the power cable 61 comes into contact with the fixed part 65.

Therefore, the refrigerator main body 10 includes a contact suppression member 68 that suppresses contact between the fixing portion 65 and the power cable 61. By providing the contact suppression member 68, even if the power cable 61 is displaced when the uncured heat insulating material flows, it is possible to suppress the power cable 61 from coming into contact with the fixed portion 65. Thereby, the screw 67 inserted after hardening can be prevented from coming into contact with the power cable 61, and problems such as disconnection can be suppressed.

In the illustrated example, the contact suppression member 68 is made of resin, for example, and includes a wall 68a formed higher than the tip of the screw 67, a hole 68b formed in the wall 68a, and a beam 68c connecting the opposing walls 68a. Equipped with. The wall 68a is arranged to surround the fixed part 65. Moreover, the beam 68c is arranged so as to cover the fixing part 65. Since the uncured heat insulating material passes through the holes 68b, flow inhibition by the contact suppressing member 68 is suppressed. On the other hand, the wall 68a and the beam 68c can prevent the power cable 61 from coming into contact with the fixing part 65 even if the position of the power cable 61 deviates from the desired position.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a contact suppression member 69 according to another embodiment. The contact suppression member 69 is the same as the contact suppression member 68 (FIG. 19) except that the specific structure is different. The contact suppressing member 69 includes a bottom portion 69a that covers the fixing portion 65 and has a hole 69c at a position corresponding to the screw 67, and walls 69b standing from both ends of the bottom portion 69a along the longitudinal direction of the fixing portion 65. The wall 69b is formed higher than the tip of the screw 67. The uncured insulation passes between opposing walls 69b and contacts bottom 69a. Further, the power cable 61 (FIG. 18) is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the fixing part 65. Therefore, even if the power cable 61 is displaced due to the uncured heat insulating material, contact with the screw 67 can be suppressed by the wall 69b. The contact suppression member 69 and the fixing portion 65 may be the same member.

FIG. 21 is a top view of the camera unit 50 with the lid 54 removed and the support member 40 with the second base member 42 seen through. FIG. 22 is a perspective view in which the rear end side of the second base member 42 is opened approximately 90 degrees as a fulcrum, so that the inside of the support member 40 can be visually recognized. The power cables 61 include a first power cable 61a disposed from inside the refrigerator main body 10 through the through hole 44a, a second power cable 61b disposed from the inside of the camera unit 50 through the hole 32, and a first power cable 61a. and a connection terminal 61c for electrically connecting the second power cable 61b and the second power cable 61b. The first power cable 61a is connected to a power source (not shown) disposed, for example, at the bottom of the refrigerator main body 10. The second power cable 61b has one end connected to the camera 51 (FIG. 7) side (in the illustrated example, the connection terminal 53a of the control board 53). The connection terminal 61c is provided at the other end of the second power cable 61b, and is capable of connecting the second power cable 61b to the first power cable 61a. The second power cable 61b is partially covered with an insulating member 75 such as a tape or a tube.

Inside the first base member 41 and the second base member 42, one or more fixing parts 76 for fixing the second power cable 61b are provided, and a storage part for the connection terminal 61c is provided. . First, the camera unit 50 and the second base member 42 are fitted together, and the second power cable 61b extending from the camera unit 50 side is fixed to the fixing part 76 provided on the second base member 42 (the state shown in FIG. 22). ). Next, the second power cable 61b and the first power cable 61a are connected through the connection terminal 61c, and the second power cable 61b is further fixed to the fixing part 76 provided on the first base member 41. Thereby, assembly work efficiency can be improved. Furthermore, by providing the fixing portion 76 of the second base member 42, the second power cable 61b can be placed in a relaxed manner (providing a so-called play length) as shown in FIG. 22, which improves assembly work. can be improved.

The power cable 61 is placed through the hollow portion 30a of the rotation mechanism 30 and the through hole 44a. The power cable 61 extending from the through hole 44a on the top surface of the refrigerator main body 10 is not directly inserted into the hole 32 of the camera unit 50, but is arranged through the inside of the support member 40, that is, so as to extend inside the support member 40. be done. As a result, even if the power cable 61 becomes cold due to the influence of the storage chamber 6 and condensation occurs, the condensed water can be disposed of inside the support member 40 and condensation can occur inside the camera unit 50. can be suppressed from occurring.

The connection terminal 61c is arranged between the through hole 44a (FIG. 4) and the fixing part 76. The fixing part 76 (fastening part) is provided in the refrigerator 100 and fixes (fastens) the second power cable 61b so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the second power cable 61b inside the support member 40. As described above, when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit 50 from below, the camera unit 50 and the support member 40 are separated from the integral state. At this time, the connection terminal 61c is pulled together with the camera unit 50 and the second power cable 61b, and the connection terminal 61c comes into contact with the fixing part 76. Thereby, it is possible to suppress disconnection of the first power supply cable 61a, which is connected to the power supply on the side of the refrigerator main body 10 and whose parts cannot be easily replaced. Even if the second power cable 61b is disconnected by any chance, the second power cable 61b is connected to the camera unit 50, and parts can be easily replaced.

The through hole 44a provided on the top surface of the refrigerator main body 10 does not exist on the vertical projection of the hole 32 (rotating mechanism 30 and cylindrical portion 31) that communicates the inside of the camera unit 50 and the inside of the support member 40. do not have. As described above, the second power cable 61b is covered with the insulating member 75 and has a large diameter. The horizontal positions of the through hole 44a and the hole portion 32 are shifted from each other, and they are arranged so as not to overlap in the vertical direction. Thereby, inside the support member 40, the second power cable 61b near the through hole 44a and the second power cable 61b near the hole 32 can be prevented from coming into contact with or coming close to each other in the vertical direction. The height dimension of the support member 40 can be reduced, the design is improved, and an increase in the height dimension (installation dimension) of the refrigerator can be suppressed.

The first base member 41 is provided with a convex portion 77 on its outer periphery and inside. The plurality of convex portions 77 provided on the outer circumference come into contact with the inner side of the outer circumference of the second base portion 42, and can suppress the mounting position of the second base portion 42 from shifting during assembly. Further, a protrusion 78 is provided inside the second base member 42, facing the protrusion 77 provided therein. During assembly, the protrusions 77 and 78 fit together, and it is possible to prevent the mounting position of the second base portion 42 from shifting.

1 Refrigerator compartment 10 Refrigerator body 100 Refrigerator 10a Front edge 11 Through hole 12 Through hole 13 Plate-shaped insulation material 14 Foam insulation material 15 Insulation space 1a Door 1b Door hinge 2 Ice making compartment 2a Door 3 Upper freezer compartment 30 Rotating mechanism 30a Hollow part 31 Cylindrical part 32 Hole part 33 Outer peripheral surface 34 First fitting part 35 Second fitting part 35a Projection 36 Second fitting part 36a Projection 37 Outer peripheral surface 38 Claw 39 Guide path 3a Door 4 Vegetable compartment 40 Support member 40a Lower end 40b Recess 41 First base member 42 Second base member 43a Fixture 43b Fixture 44 Mounting member 44a Through hole 44b Part 45 Mounting part 46 Mounting part 47 Through hole 48 Mounting part 49 Mounting part 4a Door 5 Lower freezer compartment 50 Camera unit 51 Camera 51a Connection terminal 52 Light source 53 Control board 53a Connection terminal 54 Lid 55 Housing 56 Flat cable 5a Door 6 Storage room 61 Power cable 61a First power cable (refrigerator side)
61b 2nd power cable (camera side)
61c Connection terminal (connector)
62 Heat exchanger tube 63 Fixing member 64 Part 65 Fixing part 66 Screw hole 67 Screw 68 Contact suppressing member 68a Wall 68b Hole 68c Beam 69 Contact suppressing member 69a Bottom part 69b Wall 69c Hole 6a Opening 7 Freezer chamber 71 Cover member 72 Guide part 72a Bottom surface 72b Support 73 Wall 74 Cable hole 75 Insulating member 76 Fixing part 77 Convex part 78 Convex part d1 Distance d2 Diameter

Claims (7)

a refrigerator body forming a storage chamber having an opening on the front side;
a camera unit provided outside the refrigerator main body and housing a camera that takes an image of the storage compartment;
a support member that fixes the camera unit to the refrigerator main body;
a cable electrically connected to the camera;
The camera unit is fixed to the support member so as to separate the camera unit from the support member when a predetermined force or more is applied to the camera unit,
The cable is
a first cable;
a second cable extending from the camera unit side ;
a connection terminal connecting the first cable and the second cable,
The first cable and the second cable are connected outside the camera unit ,
The connection terminal is
a through hole that communicates between the inside of the refrigerator main body and the inside of the support member, and through which the first cable passes;
a fastening part that slidably fastens the second cable in the axial direction of the second cable inside the support member;
placed between
When the camera unit is separated from the support member, the second cable slides inside the support member, and the connection terminal contacts the fastening part.
A refrigerator characterized by: The first cable and the second cable as the cable are a first power cable and a second power cable as power cables used to supply power to the camera,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first cable extends from a power source side. comprising a hole that communicates the inside of the camera unit and the inside of the support member,
The first cable passes through the through hole and extends from inside the refrigerator main body to inside the support member,
The second cable passes through the hole and extends from the camera unit side into the support member,
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the through hole is provided outside the vertical projection of the hole. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the first cable and the second cable are connected inside the support member. When the second cable is traced from the camera unit side, there is a part connected to the first cable after the fastening part.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of the fastening parts are provided, and the second cable is fastened to each of the plurality of fastening parts, so that the second cable has a slack portion. or the refrigerator described in paragraph 1 . The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the camera unit houses a control board for the camera.

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