JPS6244293Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field This invention supports each door that opens and closes the front opening of the freezer and refrigerator compartments on a hinge on the side of the main body, and also allows the doors to operate the load on the main body side. This invention relates to improvements to refrigerator-freezers equipped with switches.

(b) Conventional technology In recent years, as computerization has progressed, users have become able to control their refrigerators as they wish.
For example, in the case of a specification in which a solenoid valve in the refrigerant circuit is switched for a certain period of time by operating a control switch to change from normal cooling operation to rapid cooling operation, the control circuit (such as a timer, etc.) connected to the load (electromagnetic valve) )
This is the same as before in that it is installed on the main body side, but the operation switch that the user operates to start the control circuit must be installed in a location that is easy for the user to operate. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-105786, etc., as shown in FIG.
There is one with a door B installed. In this case, it is necessary to pass the lead wire D for connecting the operation switch A on the door side and the control section C on the main body side through the hollow hinge E, and then cover the lead wire with a cap, etc., resulting in poor workability. Not only that, but it also has the disadvantage of causing the lead wire to break during long-term use.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention In view of these points, the present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks by transmitting and receiving signals between the door-side operation switch and the main body-side control section without using lead wires. It is.

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention is based on a system in which each door for opening and closing the front openings of the freezer and refrigerator compartments is supported by a hinge on the side of the main body, and a load operation switch is provided on the door. , the door side is equipped with a replaceable battery and a light-emitting element in series with the operation switch, the main body side is equipped with a light-receiving element that faces the light-emitting element when the door is closed; Power is supplied to the control circuit on the main body side to which the load is connected by optical coupling between the two elements.

(e) Effect The refrigerator-freezer of the present invention has the above-described configuration, so that the refrigerator can be operated according to the user's desired operation of the operation switch without connecting the operation switch provided on the door and the control circuit provided on the main body with a lead wire. This eliminates the need for troublesome work such as covering lead wires with protective caps, and prevents malfunctions even after long-term use. Moreover, since the light emitting element only emits light when the operating switch is turned on, battery power consumption can be reduced. Further, since there is no optical coupling between the two elements when the door is opened, malfunction of the control circuit can be prevented.

(F) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an operation switch housed in a recess formed in the front surface of a door 3 for opening and closing the freezer compartment 2, and is operated as desired by the user. Reference numeral 4 denotes a light emitting element installed on the lower surface of the door 3, which is connected in series with the operation switch 1 and a battery to be described later. On the other hand, a partition 6 on the side of the main body 5 is equipped with a light receiving element 7 that faces the light emitting element 4 when the door 3 is closed. By housing the element 7 in a case 8 that opens downward, it receives strong light from only the light emitting element 4, and is prevented from operating under the influence of external light. F is both elements 4 and 7
This is a control box housing a control circuit 9 to which AC power is supplied through optical coupling between the two.

To explain these using the circuit shown in Figure 4, 10 is a power source such as a dry battery, lithium battery, or solar battery, and door 3
It is designed so that it can be easily replaced on the front side. Reference numeral 1 represents the automatic return type operation switch, and 4 represents the light emitting element. Reference numeral 9 denotes the control circuit comprised of a holding circuit, a switching circuit, a timer circuit, etc., which controls the load 12 by supplying AC power 11 through optical coupling between the light emitting element 4 and the light receiving element 7.

Next, the operation will be explained based on the above configuration. When the operating switch 1 is pressed, the light emitting element 4 lights up and the light receiving element 7 becomes conductive. As a result, power is supplied to the control circuit 9, and the load 12 is operated. Even if the operation switch 1 is restored, the load 12 continues to operate by the holding circuit in the control circuit 9, and after a certain period of time determined by the timer circuit has elapsed, the load 12 returns to its normal state.

Next, a specific application example of the above circuit will be explained with reference to FIG. 13 is an electric compressor of the refrigeration system, 14 is a condenser, 15 is a first capillary, 16 is a second capillary, 17 is a main evaporator installed in the inner partition 6 shown in FIG. 1, and 18 is a This is an auxiliary evaporator installed in the freezer compartment 2 as a shelf for placing items. The three-way solenoid valve provided as the load 12 switches whether the refrigerant is circulated only to the main evaporator 17 or to the main evaporator 17 via the auxiliary evaporator 18. It is switched by the control circuit 9 based on.

When the operation switch 1 is not pressed, the three-way solenoid valve 12 is switched to circulate refrigerant only to the main evaporator 17, thereby performing normal cooling operation. On the other hand, when the operation switch 1 is pressed by the user, the control circuit 9 operates as described above, and the three-way solenoid valve 12 is turned off for a certain period of time to circulate refrigerant to both the auxiliary evaporator 18 and the main evaporator 17. Change. This is very convenient in that it is possible to quickly freeze food by pressing this operation switch 1, since food cannot be frozen in a short time in normal cooling operation. The cold air from the main evaporator is circulated into the refrigerator using a fan.

(g) Effects of the invention As described above, this invention is equipped with a replaceable battery and a light-emitting element in series with the operating switch on the door side, and a light-receiving element that faces the light-emitting element on the main body side when the door is closed. It is configured to supply power to the control circuit on the main body side to which the load is connected through optical coupling between both elements based on the operation of the operation switch, so it is possible to exchange signals between the control circuit on the door side and the control circuit on the main body side. This can be done without using lead wires, and has the practical advantage of completely eliminating the drawbacks of the conventional method.

In addition, since the load will not operate even if the operating switch is pressed with the door open, there will be no malfunctions such as starting quick freezing with the door open when performing quick freezing as in the above application example. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional refrigerator-freezer, Fig. 2 is a side view of the refrigerator-freezer of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the main parts, Fig. 4 is an electric circuit diagram, and Fig. 5 is a side view of the refrigerator-freezer of the present invention.
The figure is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing an application example of the present invention. 1... Operation switch, 3... Door, 4... Light emitting element, 5... Body, 7... Light receiving element, 9... Control circuit, 12... Load (three-way solenoid valve).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Each door for opening and closing the front openings of the freezer and refrigerator compartments is supported by a hinge on the side of the main body, and the door is provided with a load operation switch, and the door side is equipped with a switch that can be replaced in series with the operation switch. The main body is equipped with a battery and a light emitting element, the main body side is equipped with a light receiving element that faces the light emitting element when the door is closed, and a load is connected by optical coupling between the two elements based on the operation of the operation switch. A refrigerator-freezer characterized by supplying power to a control circuit on the side.