JPS63108182A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with recording and playback functions.

(b) Conventional Technology With recent advances in electronic technology, refrigerators have become increasingly electronically controlled and equipped with a variety of functions.

For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 57-62379, ' is equipped with a voice synthesis circuit and a speaker, and is configured to issue warnings and cautions regarding the use of the refrigerator using words prepared in advance.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention With this configuration, only the words written in the speech synthesis circuit in advance at the time of manufacturing the refrigerator can be pronounced, and there is no means for writing in arbitrary words, so for example, when a housewife is away, In order to send a message to children and others who have returned home about what is currently stored in the refrigerator, it is necessary to write it on a piece of paper and paste it on the refrigerator door, which reduces the usability of the refrigerator. Improvement was expected.

The present invention solves the above problems and improves the usability of the refrigerator.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a plurality of storage compartments 5>(6) in the refrigerator (1).
) and a microphone (18) for converting sound into an electrical signal, and a plurality of storage means (24F) for storing information from the microphone (18) corresponding to the storage chambers (5) and (6). 24R) and input switching means (43R) for selecting these and inputting information from the microphone <18).
> and the storage means (24F) (24R
The refrigerator (1) is equipped with a speaker (17) that converts the information stored in the refrigerator (1) into audio.

(Main) Function According to the present invention, information for each of a plurality of storage compartments in a refrigerator can be stored in the corresponding storage means, and furthermore, it can be reproduced by a speaker at any time thereafter.

(f) Example Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the recording/reproducing circuit (2) of the refrigerator (1), FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator (1), and FIG. 3 is a front view thereof. In Figure 2 (3)
is an insulated box body that opens at the front, and its interior is divided into upper and lower sections by an insulating partition wall (4), with a freezer compartment (5) at the top that is cooled to freezing temperature, and a refrigeration room at the bottom that is maintained above the freezing point. A chamber (6) is formed. A cooler (7) included in the refrigeration cycle is housed within the partition wall (4), and a blower (8) is provided behind it. (9) is the partition wall (4)
This is a duct installed at the rear spanning the freezer compartment (5) and refrigerator compartment (6), and the cold air that has been completely cooled by the cooler (7) is sent to J.
It is accelerated by the illit machine (8), passes through the duct (9), and enters both chambers (5) (from the discharge ports (10) and (11), respectively.
6) and cooled.

(12> and (13) are a freezer compartment door and a refrigerator compartment door that independently open and close the front openings of the freezer compartment (5) and refrigerator compartment (6), respectively. In Fig. 3, (14) and (15)
are each in the freezer compartment Ji′i! (12) and refrigerator compartment door (1
3) Freezer compartment handle and refrigerator compartment handle. (16) is an operation panel attached to the front upper part of the refrigerator compartment door (13), and the operation panel (16) includes a speaker (17), a microphone (18), a freezer compartment recording switch (19F), and a playback switch ( 20F>, refrigerator compartment recording switch (19
R) and a regeneration switch (20R). In addition, the handles (14) and (15) are equipped with light emitting diodes (LE), respectively.
DI > (LED2) is attached.

Next, the recording/reproducing circuit (2) of the first FyJ will be explained. The voice input to the microphone (18) is converted into an electrical signal there, amplified by the amplifier (22), converted to a digital signal by the A/D converter (23), and then sent to the input switching means (43). is input. The input switching means (43) converts the audio information input into the microphone 18) into the storage unit (2) while the freezer compartment recording switch (19F) is operated.
4) is input to the freezer compartment storage means (24F), and is input to the refrigerator compartment storage means (24R) while the refrigerator compartment recording switch (19R) is operated. Both storage means (24F
> (24R) is constituted by a solid-state memory made of a semiconductor element, and can store, for example, 15 seconds of information each. The input switching means (43) also lights up a light emitting diode (LEDI) when the information is stored in the freezer storage means (24F), and stores the information in the refrigerator storage means (24F).
4R), the light emitting diode (LED2)
light up. Also, both storage means (24F) (24R)
outputs all the information stored at the time when the freezer compartment regeneration switch (20F> or the refrigerator compartment regeneration switch (20R>) is operated incorrectly and a regeneration command signal is input from them, respectively, as a digital signal. The information passes through the output control means (44), is converted into an analog signal by the D/A converter (26), is amplified by the amplifier (27), and is output as audio from the speaker.

Next, the operation of the circuit (2) in Fig. 1 will be explained while giving an example of the use of the refrigerator (1) of the present invention.For example, when a housewife is away from home, a child comes back to the home when she is away, etc. You can leave a message in the refrigerator compartment (6) of the refrigerator (1).
), operate (for example, press) the refrigerator compartment recording switch (19R) on the refrigerator compartment door (13), and use the input switching means (43) to record the data from the microphone (18>) to the refrigerator compartment storage unit (24R). (During this time, press the refrigerator recording switch (19).)
(Keep pressing R), even if you are away from home, if your child returns home later and operates the refrigerator compartment playback switch (20R) (for example, presses it momentarily), it will be stored in the refrigerator compartment storage means (24R). Since the message from the mother is output from the refrigerator storage means (24R) and is emitted as voice from the speaker (17), it is possible to instantly recognize that there are snacks in the refrigerator (6). Moreover, since the light emitting diode (LED2) of the refrigerator compartment handle (15) is lit even when reproducing the message, it can be easily recognized that the message is stored in the refrigerator compartment storage means (24R). Therefore, there is no need to write a message on paper and paste it on the refrigerator (1).

Furthermore, by including the location of the snack in the message, the child does not have to search inside the refrigerator (6) afterwards, and the leakage of cold air from the refrigerator (6) during that time can be reduced.

Also, if you store frozen food that is not to be eaten immediately in the freezer compartment (5) and store it in the freezer compartment storage means (24F>), you can operate the freezer compartment regeneration switch (20F) at any time thereafter. By doing so, you can check the food stored in the freezer compartment (5), and there is no need to open the freezer compartment door (12) to check the inside of the freezer compartment, so this also prevents cold air leakage from the freezer compartment (5). In this case as well, the light emitting diode (LEDI) of the freezer compartment handle (14)
) is lit, so it can be easily recognized that information is stored in the freezer compartment storage means (24F).

Furthermore, for example, when food is stored in the refrigerator (6), the refrigerator storage storage means (2) tells the user to eat it within 1 days, which is the limit of the storage period.
4R), even if you forget the date and time when the food was stored, you can use the refrigerator compartment regeneration switch (20R)
By operating the food, you can know the storage limit of the food and eliminate the inconvenience of spoilage. That is, it can also be used as a warning means. In particular, information on the foods stored in the freezer compartment (5) and refrigerator compartment (6) can be stored separately in the storage means (24F) (24R), making it possible to fully respond to the diversification of stored foods. .

In addition, the output control circuit (44> is the regeneration switch (20F)
When (20R) is operated repeatedly, the previous one is given priority and played back. Further, in the embodiment, the inside of the refrigerator is divided into two compartments, but more storage compartments may be constructed and storage means may be provided corresponding to each storage compartment.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, arbitrary words can be stored in the storage means from the microphone installed in the refrigerator, and then reproduced at any time through the speaker installed in the refrigerator, so that it can be heard by people who come home while they are away. For example, it is possible to send a message that food is stored in the refrigerator, improving usability. Furthermore, by storing information about the food stored in the refrigerator in the storage means, it is possible to check the food inside the refrigerator without opening the refrigerator door, thereby reducing leakage of cold air from inside the refrigerator and improving cooling efficiency. In addition, it is also possible to issue a warning regarding the shelf life of the stored food. In particular, in the present invention, a plurality of storage means are provided corresponding to the plurality of storage chambers of the refrigerator, so information on the food stored in each storage chamber can be stored and reproduced separately, which contributes to the diversification of foods. This will further promote the effective use of refrigerators.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Each figure shows an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording/reproducing circuit of a refrigerator, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the refrigerator, and FIG. 3 is a front view thereof. (1)...Refrigerator, (5)...Freezer, (6)
... Refrigerator, (17) ... Speaker, (18) ...
・Microphone, (24F)... Freezer storage means,
(24R)... Refrigerator storage means, (43)...
Input switching means. Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. and one other agent Patent attorney Takuji Nishino and one other person Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of storage chambers partitioned into a warehouse, a microphone that converts sound into an electrical signal, a plurality of storage means corresponding to the plurality of storage chambers and storing information from the microphones, and the an input switching means for selecting one of the plurality of storage means and inputting information from the microphone; and a speaker for converting each information stored in the plurality of storage means into audio by a predetermined playback operation. A refrigerator characterized by the following: