JPH0610780U - Structure of door open / close detector for refrigerators - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a structure of a door opening / closing detection unit of a refrigerator or the like, in which the door opening / closing detection unit of a refrigerator or the like is not contaminated by water droplets. A door opening / closing detection device 20 provided in an opening of a refrigerator 1 or the like can be operated by a door 3 that opens or closes the opening via a detection operation support plate 22. The detection operation support plate 22 is formed in a cover shape by the side walls 26, 26, etc. so as to cover the detection portion 21 of the door opening / closing detection device 20.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a mounting structure of a door switch or a door opening / closing detection device provided in an opening of a refrigerator or the like, that is, a structure of a door opening / closing detection unit of a refrigerator or the like.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 A door switch that is turned on and off by a door that opens and closes an opening is provided in a heat insulating box such as a refrigerator or a warm storage. The door switch controls electrical components such as lighting lamps and heaters inside the heat insulating box. Various refrigerators equipped with such a door switch have been proposed in the past, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-14530, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-12928, and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-58084. The device for mounting a door switch shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-14530 is designed so that the door switch is mounted on a partition wall that partitions the opening of a refrigerator by using a fastener. In addition, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-12982 discloses a refrigerator in which a decorative plate is provided above the opening of a horizontal refrigerator over substantially the entire area of the inner box in the lateral direction, and a door switch is attached to this decorative plate. Also, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-58084 shows a refrigerator having a door switch in a control box and an operating arm for pressing the switch.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 Since the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator also includes a door switch that is turned on / off by opening and closing the door, it is possible to control the lighting inside the heat-insulating box, turning on / off the heater, and the motor of the blower. However, there are various drawbacks. For example, in the door switch disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-14530, the operating rod is exposed to the outside, so there is a risk of being contaminated by water droplets and causing malfunction. Also, since the switch shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-12982 is attached to the decorative plate, the decorative plate has the effect of adjusting the appearance even if the ingress of water drops is blocked to some extent by the decorative plate. However, water droplets may enter the switch and cause accidents such as poor contact or short circuit. Further, since the refrigerator door switch described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-58084 is provided inside the control box, it is protected from water droplets, but the control box or cover and the operating arm for operating the switch are different. Since it is a body, it has a large number of parts and has the drawback of requiring a lot of assembly work. In addition, the open / close doors provided in the heat insulating box as described above are often opened and closed roughly by hand, but the conventional refrigerators described above take measures against the shock when the doors are closed. Not doing so can damage the door switch. In addition, when the door is opened, it may be difficult to separate the door or the operating rod from the detector, which may result in inaccurate detection. Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 aims to provide a structure of a door opening / closing detection part of a refrigerator or the like which is not contaminated by water droplets, and the invention according to claim 2 prevents an impact when the door is closed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a door opening / closing detection part of a refrigerator or the like that can detect the absorption and the opening of the door quickly and accurately.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a device for detecting a door opening / closing provided in an opening of a refrigerator or the like is operated via a detection operation support plate by a door that opens / closes the opening. In such a refrigerator or the like, the detection operation support plate is formed of a shielding member that covers the detection portion of the door opening / closing detection device. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a door opening / closing detection device provided in an opening of a refrigerator or the like is operated by a door that opens / closes the opening via a detection operation support plate. Etc., the detection operation support plate is provided with a spring characteristic.

[0005]

[Action]

 Since the invention according to claim 1 is configured as described above, when the door provided in the opening of the refrigerator or the like is opened, the detection operation supporting plate is opened, and the return force of the door opening / closing detection device causes the return operation. When pushed back, the door open / close detection device is turned on, for example. When closed, the door pushes the door open / close detection device via the detection operation support plate, so that the door open / close detection device is turned off this time, for example. The invention according to claim 2 has the same on / off action as the invention according to claim 1, but since the detection operation supporting plate is provided with a spring characteristic, detection is performed when the door is closed. The actuation support plate absorbs the shock. In addition, when it opens, it quickly separates from the door open / close detection device by the restoring force of the spring of the detection support plate.

[0006]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a refrigerator will be described. Referring to FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment is also externally formed in a box shape by a heat insulating wall, and has an opening 2 at which an opening / closing door 3 is opened. It is easy to understand that it is open-ended. A refrigerator duct section 4 is provided above the opening section 2, and the refrigerator according to this embodiment is housed under a sink 5. Further, according to the present embodiment, the door switch device 20 is provided at a substantially central portion of the front upper frame 6 of the opening 2. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the door 3 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the main body by a hinge 7, and the A recess 8 is formed in the upper portion of the facing portion. The recess 8 is provided with a suction device 11 which is conventionally known and is formed of a magnet 9, a fin 10 and the like. The upper portion of the recess 8 serves as the operating portion 12 of the door switch device 20.

The door switch device 20 has a conventionally well-known structure, and as shown in FIG. 2, the switch plunger 21 of the door switch device 20 is arranged on the front upper frame 6 of the opening 2 in the direction of the operating portion 12 of the door 3. It is attached so that it faces. The detection operation support plate 22 for pressing the switch plunger 21 is configured as shown in FIG. That is, the flat plate portion 23 attached to the upper surface of the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1, the arcuate portion 24 that rises upward from the flat plate portion 23 and bends in an arc shape, and the arcuate portion 24 downwards again. The hanging portion 25 and the side walls 26 provided on both sides of the hanging portion 25 are integrally formed of, for example, synthetic resin. The arcuate portion 24 is formed thinner than the other portions. Therefore, when the detection operation support plate 22 is pushed by the door 3, the detection operation support plate 22 bends at the arc portion 24, and the detection operation support plate 22 is given elasticity by the arc portion 24. When the hanging portion 25 is attached to the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1, the hanging portion 25 is bent so as to be separated from the substantially vertical actuating portion 28 facing the switch plunger 21 and separated from the actuating portion 28, and becomes substantially vertical again. 3 and the pressing portion 29 which is pushed by the operating portion 12.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the door switch device 20 is attached to the central portion of the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1 with its switch plunger 21 facing the door 3. Then, the detection operation supporting plate 22 is attached corresponding to the door switch device 20. That is, the flat plate portion 23 is attached to the upper surface of the front upper frame 6 using the through holes 27, 27 with the bolts 30, 30. Then, the operating portion 28 of the hanging portion 25 corresponds to the switch plunger 21 and the pressing portion 29 corresponds to the operating portion 12 of the door 3. Therefore, when the door 3 is opened, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 2, the detection operation support plate 22 is opened and opened by the restoring force of the arc portion 24 or the restoring force of the switch plunger 21. On the other hand, when the door 3 is closed, the operation portion 12 of the door 3 pushes the pressing portion 29 of the detection operation supporting plate 22. Then, the operating portion 28 integrated with this pushes the switch plunger 21 of the door switch device 20. In this way, the switch plunger 21 reciprocates and the door switch device 20 is turned on and off, and, for example, electrical components connected to the door switch device 20 are controlled.

According to this embodiment, various effects can be obtained. For example, the detection operation support plate 22 has the function of operating the switch plunger 21, the arc portion 24 is located above the detection portion of the door switch device 20, and the side walls 26 are provided on both sides of the hanging portion 25. Since 26 is provided, it acts as a shielding member that prevents water from entering the detection unit of the door switch device 20. Therefore, even if water enters from the air holes of the refrigerator duct part 4, an accident such as a contact failure of the switch or a short circuit due to a water drop can be obtained. Moreover, since the side walls 26, 26 are formed integrally with the operating portion 28, the number of parts is small and the cost is low. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the door switch device 20 is provided in the central portion of the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1, the door switch device 20 can be opened regardless of whether the door 3 is opened left or right. You can deal with it without moving it. Further, since the door switch device 20 is provided on the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1, the door switch is provided below the opening, as in the refrigerator shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-42372. Then, the pressing tool may hit the foot and be injured, but according to the present embodiment, there is no such danger. Further, as shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-28376, when the door switch is provided in the refrigerator, the space in the refrigerator becomes small and it interferes with the taking in and out of the goods. Since the door switch device 20 is provided on the front upper frame 6, the inside of the refrigerator is clean and can be effectively used. Further, according to the present embodiment, the arcuate portion 24 of the detection operation supporting plate 22 is thin and has a spring characteristic, so that it acts as a cushion and reduces the impact on the switch plunger 21 when the door is closed. Further, when the door 3 is opened, the detection operation supporting plate 22 is quickly separated from the switch plunger 21 due to the restoring force of the spring, which has the effect of making the detection of the switch accurate.

Next, another embodiment of the detection operation supporting plate 22 will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description of the embodiments, the same members as those in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again. In the hanging portion 25 of the detection operation supporting plate 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 (a), a convex portion 31 is provided as a portion corresponding to the pressing portion 29 with which the operating portion 12 of the door 3 contacts. ing. Therefore, when the door 3 is closed, the operating portion 12 of the door 3 comes into contact with the convex portion 31 and the door switch device 20 operates. The hanging portion 25 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4B is slightly curved toward the switch plunger 21 side. Therefore, unlike the hanging portion 25 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the operating portion 28, the pressing portion 29, etc. are not particularly formed. However, the curved hanging portion 25 functions as both the operating portion 28 and the pressing portion 29. Further, according to this embodiment, the lower portions of the side walls 26, 26 are wide.

In the detection operation supporting plate 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4C, the cover formed by the side walls 26, 26 is formed in a box shape and protrudes outward. According to this embodiment, the same action and effect as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4D, the lower portion of the cover portion or the hanging portion 25 is formed in an arc shape. In the embodiment shown in (e), the radius of curvature of the arc is larger than that shown in (d) of FIG. In this way, when the hanging portion 25 is formed in an arcuate shape on the lower side, when a water droplet or the like is attached, the water droplet is guided to one position on the lower side. The arc portion 24 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is not particularly thin as compared with the other portions, but in terms of exerting a spring action in the arc portion 24, the embodiment shown in FIG. Same as the example.

Although not accurately shown in the drawing, the hanging portion 25 of the detection operation supporting plate 22 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A is formed in a box shape and an arc above it. The part 24 is thin. Therefore, this portion exerts a bending elasticity during operation, absorbs a shock when the door 3 is closed, and has a function of promptly separating the detection operation support plate 22 when the door 3 is opened. FIG. 5B shows an embodiment in which the hanging portion 25 is bent inward downward to form the spring piece 31. The central portion of this spring piece 31 is cut out in a semicircular shape from above. This cutout portion serves as a cutout portion 32 through which the switch plunger 21 is operated. Further, the arcuate portion 24 is not specially formed on the detection operation supporting plate 22 of the present embodiment unlike the other embodiments. However, the portion 24 'which is bent at a substantially right angle acts as a spring. This embodiment also has substantially the same operation as the above-described embodiment, but since the spring piece 31 is formed, when the door 3 is closed, the spring piece 31 comes into contact with the front upper frame 6 of the refrigerator 1, The shock absorbing function is provided, and when the door 3 is opened, the detection operation supporting plate 22 is quickly separated. FIG. 5C shows an embodiment structurally similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. That is, the hanging portion 25 of the detection operation supporting plate 22 of this embodiment is provided with a coil spring 40 with which the operating portion 12 of the door 3 comes into contact when the door 3 is closed. The coil spring 40 absorbs a shock when the door 3 is closed, and when the door 3 is opened, the detection operation supporting plate 22 is quickly separated by the restoring force of the spring. Although not specifically described, it is obvious that the present invention can be implemented by combining various embodiments described above.

[0013]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, the detection operation supporting plate for operating the door opening / closing detection device is formed in a cover shape so as to cover the detection part of the door opening / closing detection device. Even if the device is operated by the detection operation support plate and the refrigerator is installed under the sink, for example, and there is water leakage from the sink, the door opening / closing detection device may cause contact failure due to water droplets, short circuit, etc. It won't wake up. Further, according to the invention of claim 2, since the detection operation supporting plate for operating the door opening / closing detecting device is provided with the spring characteristic, the impact on the door opening / closing detecting device when the door is closed can be weakened. Also, when the door is opened, the detection operation support plate is quickly separated from the door opening / closing detection device by the restoring force of the spring, so that the effect of accurate switch detection can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a refrigerator to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a main part of the refrigerator shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a detection operation support plate.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the detection operation supporting plate,
(A) to (E) are perspective views showing different examples.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the detection operation supporting plate,
(A) to (C) are perspective views showing different examples.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refrigerator 2 Opening part 3 Door 20 Door switch device 21 Switch plunger 22 Detection operation support plate 24 Arc part 26 Side wall

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A door opening / closing detection device provided in an opening portion of a refrigerator or the like, wherein the door opening / closing detection device is operated by a door for opening / closing the opening via a detection operation support plate. The structure of the door opening / closing detector of a refrigerator or the like, wherein the operation support plate is formed of a shielding member that covers the detector of the door opening / closing detector. 2. A door opening / closing detection device provided in an opening of a refrigerator or the like, wherein the door opening / closing detection device is operated by a door for opening / closing the opening via a detection operation supporting plate, The operation support plate has a spring property, which is a structure of a door opening / closing detector of a refrigerator or the like.