KR102472530B1 - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerator is started. The refrigerator of the present disclosure includes a case providing a storage compartment therein and having an open surface at the front; a door rotatably coupled to the case to open and close the open surface of the case; a camera disposed in the storage compartment to photograph the inside of the storage compartment; a shelf disposed in the storage compartment in a horizontal direction and defining a first area of the storage compartment at an upper side thereof; And a drawer disposed to be drawn out in the lower space of the shelf and defining a second area of the storage compartment therein, and the camera is one disposed from the front portion of the storage compartment toward the inside and bottom of the storage compartment. It may be a camera, and the one camera may capture a plurality of areas in the storage compartment including the first area and the second area.

Description

Refrigerator {Refrigerator}

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator capable of providing information about food stored in the refrigerator without a user opening the door.

In general, a refrigerator is a device for supplying cold air generated according to driving of a refrigerating cycle, and is a device for storing food at a low temperature.

In the case of a conventional refrigerator, it can perform only a function of simply storing food in a low temperature state. However, in recent years, the need for additional functions in addition to the food storage function has increased.

A refrigerator is a device for storing and storing certain items, and in order to check the inside, there is no choice but to open the refrigerator door and check. In addition, when a user tries to buy a product at a market or a mart, if the user does not know the amount and type of food stored in the refrigerator, there is inconvenience in purchasing the same food repeatedly or not purchasing necessary food.

Therefore, various studies are currently being conducted to solve the user's inconvenience.

The present disclosure aims to solve the foregoing and other problems.

Another object may be to provide a refrigerator that provides information about food stored in the refrigerator even when a user does not open the door of the refrigerator.

Another object may be to provide a refrigerator capable of receiving information about food through a camera installed in the refrigerator.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above object, a refrigerator of the present disclosure includes a case providing a storage compartment therein and having an open surface at the front; a door rotatably coupled to the case to open and close the open surface of the case; a camera disposed in the storage compartment to photograph the inside of the storage compartment; a shelf disposed in the storage compartment in a horizontal direction and defining a first area of the storage compartment at an upper side thereof; and a drawer disposed in a lower space of the shelf to be drawn out and defining a second area of the storage compartment therein.

The camera may be disposed to face the inside and bottom of the storage compartment from the front of the storage compartment. The camera may be a single camera disposed from the front of the storage compartment toward the inside and bottom of the storage compartment.

The shelf may partition the storage compartment vertically.

The drawer may expose the second area to the camera in a state in which the drawer is drawn forward from the lower space of the shelf.

The one camera may take pictures of a plurality of areas in the storage compartment including the first area and the second area.

The storage compartment may be configured to store food therein.

The door may preserve cold air in the storage compartment.

The second area may be configured to store food.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above object, the present disclosure forms a storage compartment in which food is stored, and includes an inner case having an opening through which a user can access the storage compartment; a shelf partitioning a space in a horizontal direction inside the inner case; a drawer that can be pulled in or out of the lower space of the shelf, and food is stored therein; and a camera installed on the upper wall of the inner case and taking pictures of the inside of the storage compartment, wherein the camera is provided between the front end of the shelf and the opening and is inclined toward the rear wall of the inner case. It provides a refrigerator characterized in that it is arranged so as to hold.

Also, the horizontal angle of view of the camera may be greater than the vertical angle of view.

Meanwhile, one end of the vertical angle of view of the camera may be arranged to take pictures up to a position where the drawer is withdrawn.

And the camera includes a camera module including a camera lens and a body, and a camera in which the camera module is accommodated. Mounting parts may be included.

Furthermore, the inner case has a protruding portion provided to protrude toward the storage compartment, and the camera The mounting portion may be installed on the protruding portion.

In addition, the camera mounting unit may include a first case installed on the inner case, and a second case coupled to the first case to form a predetermined space therein.

Of course, the camera mounting unit may further include a transparent window installed in front of the camera lens and a heater for heating the transparent window.

Further, the heater may be continuously driven to provide heat to the transparent window.

In addition, the heater may be disposed on the opposite side of the surface of the transparent window exposed to the storage compartment.

In particular, the heater may include a hot wire coil installed on the transparent window, and the hot wire coil may be formed along an outline of the transparent window.

Also, the hot wire coil may be arranged to form a quadrangle.

In addition, the transparent window may be disposed to be spaced apart from the camera lens, and the heater may be installed to have a rectangular shape with one corner longer than the other corner.

Of course, the transparent window may be made of a glass material.

In addition, it is possible that the transparent window is hydrophilic coated.

In the present invention, the camera is formed in a first area where food is placed on the shelf, a second area defined by an inner space of the drawer, and a floor in front of the drawer, so that the drawer is When taken out from the lower space, it is possible to capture a third area overlapping the second area.

In particular, a control unit for dividing one picture taken by the camera into a first image showing the first area, a second image showing the second area, and a third image showing the third area. can include

Furthermore, the controller may select a specific photo from among a plurality of photos taken by the camera, and display information about food stored in the storage compartment on an image classified from the specific photo.

Of course, the control unit can independently manage the first image, the second image, and the third image.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, since condensation is prevented in the camera installed in the refrigerator, a picture taken by the camera can be stably provided to the user.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, since a user does not need to open a door to obtain information about food stored in a refrigerator, leakage of cold air contained in the storage compartment can be prevented. Therefore, unnecessary loss of cold air can be prevented and energy efficiency of the refrigerator can be improved.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, since it is possible to provide the user with up-to-date information on food stored in the refrigerator, reliability of the food information provided to the user may be improved.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present disclosure, since information on food stored in various locations can be provided by one camera, only a structure for installing one camera is added, and design can be easily done. In particular, the cost incurred due to the use of the camera can be reduced.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view in which a door is opened in FIG. 1;
3 is a view showing a third area disposed on the floor of the storage compartment;
4 is a control block diagram according to the present invention;
5 is a diagram illustrating an angle of view of a camera;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of Figure 5;
7 is a view showing a screen captured by a camera in the state of FIG. 6;
8 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the refrigerator.
9 is a view showing a state in which a pattern is displayed on a drawer;
10(a) is a view showing a picture taken in a state in which the left and right drawers are withdrawn;
10(b) is a view showing a state in which the left drawer is retracted and the right drawer is withdrawn;
11 is a screen provided to a user;
Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a main part of a camera;
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 12;
14 is a view explaining the arrangement of heaters;
15 is a view explaining the operation of the heater.
16 is a cross-sectional view of a transparent window.
Fig. 17 shows another embodiment of Fig. 6;

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this process, the size or shape of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In addition, terms specifically defined in consideration of the configuration and operation of the present invention may vary according to the intentions or customs of users and operators. Definitions of these terms should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view of FIG. 1 with a door opened. It will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 below.

Refrigerators according to the present invention include a top-mounted type in which a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, which are storage chambers for storing food, are partitioned up and down and the freezing chamber is disposed above the refrigerating chamber; The same can be applied to side-by-side-type refrigerators.

However, in this embodiment, for convenience of description, the bottom freezer type in which the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment are divided into upper and lower compartments and the freezing compartment is disposed below the refrigerating compartment will be mainly described.

The body of the refrigerator includes an outer case 10 forming an overall appearance when viewed by a user from the outside and an inner case 12 forming a storage compartment 22 in which food is stored. A predetermined space may be formed between the outer case 10 and the inner case 12 to form a passage through which cold air circulates. Meanwhile, an insulating material is filled between the outer case 10 and the inner case 12 so that the inside of the storage compartment 22 can maintain a relatively low temperature compared to the outside.

In addition, a refrigerant cycle device for generating cold air by circulating a refrigerant is installed in a machine room (not shown) formed in a space between the outer case 10 and the inner case 12 . The freshness of stored foods can be maintained by maintaining the inside of the refrigerator at a low temperature using the refrigerant cycle device. The refrigerant cycle device includes a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, an evaporator (not shown) that phase-converts the liquid refrigerant into a gaseous state, and exchanges heat with the outside.

The refrigerator is provided with doors 20 and 30 that open and close the storage compartment. At this time, the doors may include the freezing compartment door 30 and the refrigerating compartment door 20, respectively, and one end of each door is rotatably installed in the main body of the refrigerator by a hinge. The freezing compartment door 30 and the refrigerating compartment door 20 may be formed in plurality. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 , the refrigerating compartment door 20 and the freezing compartment door 30 may be installed in a form in which both corners of the refrigerator are opened toward the front.

A barrier 60 is installed at the lower end of the storage compartment 22 to distinguish the freezing compartment from the refrigerating compartment. The barrier 16 may have a predetermined thickness and may be formed on the inner case 12 . The barrier 16 may extend in a horizontal direction.

The storage compartment 22 may include a shelf 40 on which food is placed. At this time, a plurality of shelves 40 are provided, and food can be placed on each shelf 40 . The shelf 40 may be horizontally disposed inside the storage compartment. The shelf 40 may partition the inside of the storage compartment vertically.

A drawer 50 capable of being pulled in or out is installed in the storage compartment 22 . In the drawer 50, food and the like are accommodated and stored. Two drawers 40 may be disposed left and right in the storage compartment 22 . A user may open the left door of the storage compartment 22 to access the drawer disposed on the left side. On the other hand, the user may open the right door of the storage compartment 22 to access the drawer disposed on the right side.

In addition, the present invention may include one camera 70 for taking pictures of the inside of the storage compartment 22 . At this time, the camera 70 is provided to maintain a fixed position, so that it is possible to photograph the same part.

In particular, the camera 70 is installed on the upper wall of the inner case 12 facing downward, so that a plane picture of the food stored in the storage compartment 22 can be taken.

At this time, the storage compartment 22 includes a first area 42 where food is placed on the shelf 40, a second area 52 defined by an inner space of the drawer 50, and the drawer 50. When is drawn out, it may include a third region 62 overlapping the second region 52 . This part will be described in more detail later.

The first region 42 , the second region 52 , and the third region 62 may have different heights within the storage compartment 22 as a whole. That is, the first area 42, the second area 52, and the third area 62 may be lowered in order.

Photos taken by the camera 70 or various information about the refrigerator may be provided to the user through the display 14 provided on the front of the refrigerator. Also, the user can control the refrigerator through the display 14 .

3 is a view showing a third area disposed on the floor of the storage compartment. It will be described with reference to FIG. 3 below.

A recessed portion is provided in the barrier 60 so that food can be stored in the corresponding portion, and this area is referred to as the third area 62 .

In the third area 62, it is possible to store foods requiring sealing, such as eggs. For this purpose, it is possible to provide a cover 68 for opening and closing the third area 62. At this time, it is preferable that the cover 68 is made of a transparent material so that the food stored in the third area 62 can be photographed even if the cover 68 is covered when the camera 70 takes a photograph from the upper side. .

Meanwhile, the drawer 50 is disposed above the barrier 60 . Therefore, when the drawer 50 is drawn into the lower space of the shelf, the user can access the third area 62 .

On the other hand, when the drawer 50 is withdrawn from the lower space of the shelf, the drawer 50 is disposed above the third area 62, and the user approaches the third area 62. Can not.

4 is a control block diagram according to the present invention. It will be described with reference to FIG. 4 below.

The present invention includes a controller 100 that divides and manages one picture taken by the camera 70 into a plurality of images. At this time, the image may mean a part of a photo processed or corrected by the control unit 100 .

The controller 100 may command the camera 70 to take a picture, and may receive a picture taken by the camera 70 .

In addition, the controller 100 may provide a portion of the divided image to the display 14 to provide the user with up-to-date information on the food stored in the storage compartment 22 . At this time, the display 14 may be installed on the front of the refrigerator, or may form a separate device separated from the refrigerator. That is, the user can receive an image of the storage room 22 and acquire information through an external communication terminal such as a mobile phone.

In particular, the controller 100 can divide the selected photo into a plurality of images and provide the corresponding images to the display 14 . At this time, the controller 100 may select a specific photo from among a plurality of photos taken by the camera 70, classify the photo into a plurality of images, and provide the selected photo to the display 14. At this time, the photo selected by the control unit 100 may include information about the contents of the user's last access to the storage compartment 22 and change the type of food.

The present invention may include a door open/close sensor 110 capable of detecting whether the door 20 opens or closes the storage compartment 22 . At this time, the door open/close sensor 110 is provided in the outer case 10, and when the door 20 comes into contact with the outer case 10, the door 20 seals the storage compartment 22. can detect In addition, when the door 20 does not contact the outer case 10, it can be sensed that the door 20 opens the storage compartment 22.

In addition, the present invention may include a door rotation sensor 120 for detecting a rotation angle of the door 20 . At this time, the door rotation sensor 120 may detect a rotation direction of the door 20 and a rotation angle of the door 20 . For example, when the door 20 is rotated over a certain angle, a change occurs in the door rotation sensor 120, and the door rotation sensor 120 detects that the door 20 is rotated over a certain angle. can do. In addition, when the door 20 is rotated in a specific direction, it is possible to detect the rotation direction of the door 20 by detecting a change pattern of pulses generated according to the direction. Of course, the door rotation sensor 120 may be modified in various forms other than the above-described method.

In particular, the door rotation sensor 120 may be driven only when the door open/close sensor 110 determines that the door 20 has opened the storage compartment 22 .

When the camera 70 starts taking pictures, it is also possible to continuously take pictures at predetermined intervals. That is, if the door rotation sensor 120 determines that the door 20 is opened at a certain angle, the camera 70 continues to take pictures until a command to stop taking pictures is provided, not just one picture. It is possible.

The present invention may include a drawer sensor 130 that detects whether the drawer 50 is drawn in or out. The drawer sensor 130 can detect movement of the drawer 50 as well as a movement direction of the drawer 50 . To this end, the drawer sensor 130 may be formed in the same form as a plurality of hall sensors.

A picture taken by the camera 70 may be stored in the storage unit 18 . At this time, the storage unit 18 may be provided in the refrigerator or may be provided in another device separate from the refrigerator. In this case, the storage unit 18 may be disposed in a refrigerator together with the display 14 or may be provided in a device other than a refrigerator together with the display 14 .

5 is a diagram illustrating an angle of view of a camera. It will be described with reference to FIG. 5 below. In FIG. 5 , for convenience of explanation, the drawer 50 is drawn out so that the camera 70 can photograph the second area 52 and the shelf is omitted.

The camera 70 may be disposed on an upper wall of the inner case 12 so as to be inclined toward a rear wall of the inner case 12 .

Meanwhile, a picture taken by the camera 70 may have a horizontal angle of view along the width direction of the storage compartment 22 and a vertical angle of view along the front-back direction.

At this time, the horizontal angle of view according to the camera 70 is provided so that the food stored in the inner space of the two drawers 50, that is, the second area 52, can be seen when the two drawers 50 are withdrawn. it is desirable

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 5 , and FIG. 7 shows a screen captured by a camera in the state of FIG. 6 . It will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 7 below.

The camera 70 is installed in the inner case 12 . At this time, the inner case 12 may have a protrusion 17 protruding toward the inside of the storage chamber 22 by a predetermined length.

A heat insulating material is filled between the inner case 12 and the outer case 10, and the heat insulating material should be maintained at a certain thickness or more to ensure sufficient heat insulation. Therefore, in the present invention, the camera 70 is installed on the protruding portion 17 protruding toward the storage chamber 22, so that the thickness of the insulating material for insulation can be secured even in the portion where the camera 70 is installed.

Meanwhile, an opening 15 is formed in the front of the inner case 12 so that a user can access the storage compartment 22 . A door may open and close the opening 15 .

The camera 70 is preferably installed within a range l between the opening 15 and one end of the shelf 40 . Since the camera 70 needs to take pictures of the first area, the second area 52, and the third area 62, the inner case 12 has a higher quality than one end of the shelf 40. cannot be moved to the posterior wall.

In addition, when the camera 70 is disposed outside the opening 15, the door 20 cannot seal the opening 15. Therefore, the camera 70 is preferably installed in a specific range (l).

FIG. 6 shows a vertical angle of view of the camera 70, and it is preferable that one end of the vertical angle of view is disposed so as to be able to photograph up to one end of the drawer 50.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the camera 70 can take pictures of the first area 42 and the second area 52 with one picture. At this time, the camera 70 may take pictures of both sides of the drawer 50 disposed on the left and right sides.

8 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the refrigerator. It will be described with reference to FIG. 8 below.

A basket 21 for storing food may be provided inside the door 20 . The basket 21 may be installed on a surface where the door 20 faces the storage compartment 22 .

There may be a problem that the basket 21 is shown in the picture taken by the camera 70 . Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to detect whether the door 20 is rotated more than a certain angle θ through the door rotation sensor 120 and take a picture through the camera 70 .

At this time, the certain angle θ may mean an angle at which the basket 21 may not appear in the corresponding photo when the camera 70 takes a picture, and this certain angle θ is the angle of the basket 21 May vary depending on length.

9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a pattern is displayed on a drawer. It will be described with reference to FIG. 9 below.

The drawer 50 may be provided with various types of patterns (patterns having black and white colors). The camera 70 may analyze the movement of the pattern through the photographed picture, and read whether the drawer 50 moves and the movement direction. At this time, analysis through the pattern can be performed in the control unit 100 .

In FIG. 9 , the pattern includes a simplified image of a camera shape and the words 'smart sensor'. Meanwhile, the pattern may include various types of patterns, and may be provided in a form in which black and white intersect each other so that the camera 70 can recognize them.

At this time, the pattern can be displayed on the upper front side of the drawer 50 so that the camera 70 can recognize it.

FIG. 10(a) is a view showing a picture taken when the left and right drawers are withdrawn, and FIG. 10(b) is a view showing a state in which the left drawer is retracted and the right drawer is withdrawn. Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b).

In FIG. 10, the pattern is provided on the center side of the upper side of the drawer 50, and an example of forming a wavy pattern is shown.

The first region 42 may be expressed in one picture taken by the camera 70 . In addition, one of the second area 52 and the third area 62 may be shown in one picture.

That is, as shown in FIG. 10 (a), in a picture taken with the left and right drawers drawn out, the first area 42 disposed on the left and right sides and the second area 52 disposed on the left and right sides are shown.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), in the picture taken with only the right drawer drawn out, the first area 42 disposed on the left and right, the third area 62 on the left, and the second area 52 on the right ) can be shown.

That is, when the drawer 50 is withdrawn, the third area 62 is not shown and the second area is shown in the picture. On the other hand, when the drawer 50 is drawn in, the second area 52 is not shown and the third area 62 is shown in the picture.

The camera 70 takes a picture at the same location. The drawer 50 can be moved, and therefore, pictures acquired by the camera 70 can take pictures of various areas according to the position of the drawer 50 .

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 10(b), when the drawer 50 provided on the left is completely drawn into the lower space of the shelf 40, the pattern is not recognized by the camera 70. That is, the picture taken by the camera 70 does not show a pattern.

11 is a screen provided to the user. It will be described with reference to FIG. 11 below.

One picture taken by the camera 70 shows a first image showing the first area 42, a second image showing the second area 52, and the third area 62. It can be divided into a third image that does.

The classified photos may be independently provided to the user as shown in FIG. 11 . That is, since pictures of the corresponding area are individually provided to the user, the user can easily obtain information about food stored in the corresponding area.

That is, the controller 100 can individually update (replace) each picture to provide information about the type of food accommodated in each area to the user.

The refrigerator compartment shelf shown in FIG. 11 may mean the first area 42, the vegetable compartment may mean the second area 52, and the multi-storage corner may mean the third area 62. Of course, it is also possible to transform into various arrangements and various shapes according to the user's preference or the convenience of the image provider.

Meanwhile, the screen of FIG. 11 may be provided to the display 14 installed in the refrigerator, but may also be provided to a separate external device other than the refrigerator, such as a mobile phone. Therefore, the user can obtain information on food stored in the refrigerator while going out of the house, and can use it for shopping.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a main part of the camera, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 . It will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 below.

The camera 70 may include a camera module 71 including a camera lens 71a and a body 71b and a camera mounting portion 72 in which the camera module 71 is accommodated.

The body 71b may include a component capable of capturing an image projected by the camera lens 71a.

The camera mounting part 72 may include a first case 73 in contact with the protruding part 17 and a second case 74 coupled to the first case 73 to form a predetermined space therein. have. The camera body 71b and the camera lens 71a may be accommodated in the first case 73 and the second case 74 .

At this time, since the camera mounting part 72 is mounted on the inclined surface of the protruding part 17, the camera lens 71a can be arranged to be inclined, so that a desired picture inside the storage compartment can be obtained through the camera body 71b. can do.

Since the camera body 71b and the camera lens 71a are inserted into the space formed by the first case 73 and the second case 74, the inner case 12 and the outer case 10 ) does not come into contact with the foaming agent filled between the

The camera mounting part 72 may include a transparent window 80 installed in front of the camera lens 71a and a heater 84 providing heat to the transparent window 80 . The transparent window 80 is preferably made of a transparent material.

It is possible to prevent dew from forming on the transparent window 80 by the heat provided by the heater 84 .

If the heater 84 is installed on the camera lens 71a to prevent dew formation, the camera lens 71a may be deformed. Since the possibility of occurrence of aberration and permanent damage due to such deformation increases, the present invention includes the transparent window 80.

As the material of the transparent window 80, both plastic and glass can be applied in terms of camera image acquisition, but plastic has poor thermal conductivity. Therefore, if plastic is used as the transparent window 80, power consumption may be increased compared to using glass. Therefore, it is preferable that the transparent window 80 is made of a glass material to reduce power consumption.

Meanwhile, since the heater 84 makes direct surface contact with the transparent window 80, heat transfer efficiency can be improved.

The heater 84 is disposed on the opposite side of the surface where the transparent window 80 is exposed to the storage compartment 22, so that the heat generated from the heater 84 does not pass through the transparent window 80, and the storage compartment It can be prevented from being supplied to (22).

In particular, the heater 84 may include a hot wire coil that generates heat, and the hot wire coil may make surface contact with the transparent window 80 .

In addition, it is preferable that the transparent window 80 and the camera lens 71a are provided at a predetermined distance (g) so that heat is supplied to the transparent window 80 to cause deformation or considering assembly tolerances. .

14 is a diagram explaining arrangement of heaters. It will be described with reference to FIG. 14 below.

The camera 70 may have a horizontal angle of view of 115°, a vertical angle of view of 95°, and a diagonal angle of view of 145°. That is, the camera 70 can be disposed with a horizontal angle of view larger than a vertical angle of view. Through this arrangement, when the length in the width direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 14) of the storage compartment 22 is longer than the length in the front-back direction (vertical direction in FIG. 14) of the storage compartment 22, food information about the storage compartment 22 It is possible to obtain a photo that can provide.

Meanwhile, the heater 84 may be formed along the outer line of the transparent window 80 . At this time, the heater 84 may be arranged to form a rectangle so as not to block the angle of view of the camera 70 .

In addition, when the heater 84 has a rectangular shape, since heat can be supplied to the transparent window 80 over a relatively large area, energy efficiency of the heater 84 can be improved.

In particular, when a gap g is provided between the camera lens 71a and the transparent window 80 as shown in FIG. 13 , the angle of view of the transparent window 80 forms a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 14 . If there is no gap g and the transparent window 80 and the camera lens 71a are in contact with each other, since the heater 84 contacts one surface of the transparent window 80, the camera lens 71a ) may be provided in the form of a square having sides equal to or greater than the diameter of ).

However, as described above, since the gap g exists and the vertical angle of view and the horizontal angle of view are different from each other, the heater 84 preferably has a rectangular shape with one side longer than the other side.

15 is a view explaining the operation of the heater. It will be described with reference to FIG. 15 below.

15, the temperature of the transparent window 80 is basically

15(a) is a graph in which the heater 84 is operated intermittently, and FIG. 15(b) is a graph in which the heater 84 is continuously operated.

For example, in FIG. 15 (a), the temperature of the transparent window 80 is not normally controlled, but maintained in an equilibrium state like the temperature of the storage compartment 22, and high power is applied at the moment when the refrigerator camera needs to be taken. to be.

According to this method, when the door 20 is opened, the transparent window 80, which was below the condensation temperature, is highly likely to be temporarily below the condensation temperature, so that the occurrence of condensation cannot be prevented. That is, it takes time until dew condensation is removed, and a problem may occur that dew may be formed on the transparent window 80 at a time when photographing is required momentarily.

On the other hand, in FIG. 15(b), the heater 84 is continuously driven so that heat is supplied to the transparent window 80. Since the temperature of the transparent window 80 is always maintained above the temperature at which condensation occurs, condensation does not always occur on the transparent window 80 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent dew from forming on the transparent window 80 when the camera 70 is to momentarily take a picture.

16 is a cross-sectional view of a transparent window. It will be described with reference to FIG. 16 below.

The transparent window 80 may be hydrophilic coated.

Even if dew is formed on the transparent window 80 momentarily, as shown in FIG. 16, the contact angle α of water can be formed within 15 degrees due to the hydrophilic coating. When the hydrophilic coating is applied, the surface tension of water on the corresponding surface is reduced. This is because water can spread widely on the surface of the transparent window 80 .

Therefore, it is possible to minimize distortion of the photographed picture due to water condensing on the transparent window 80 . In addition, the hydrophilic coating may have an advantage in terms of energy efficiency because it does not need to be controlled such as supplying additional electricity after it is once produced.

FIG. 17 is a view showing another embodiment of FIG. 6 . Hereinafter, only differences with respect to FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 17 . Parts not explained with respect to FIG. 17 are the same as those in FIG. 6 .

Unlike FIG. 6 , in FIG. 17 , no protrusion protrudes from the upper side of the inner case 12 .

However, the camera mounting portion 72 may be attached to the inner case 12 so that the camera 70 itself may be inclined as a whole. That is, while the inner case 12 has a planar shape in which a portion of the upper side does not protrude, the camera body and the lens are tilted in the camera mounting part 72 so that the camera 70 is connected to the storage compartment. photos can be obtained.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 17 , since the upper side of the inner case 12 is not provided with a protrusion, it is manufactured in a relatively simple shape and thus the inner case 12 can be easily manufactured.

Meanwhile, the camera mounting portion 12 may be fastened and fixed to the inner case 12 by adhesive or fastening means such as bolts.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen from the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, and such modifications fall within the scope of the present invention.

10: outer case 12: inner case
20: door 40: shelf
42: first area 50: drawer
52: second area 60: barrier
62: third area 70: camera
80: transparent window 100: control unit

Claims (18)

a case providing a storage compartment configured to store food therein and having an open surface at the front;
a door rotatably coupled to the case to open and close an open surface of the case and to preserve cold air in the storage compartment;
A camera disposed in the storage compartment to photograph the inside of the storage compartment; one camera disposed from the front of the storage compartment toward the inside and bottom of the storage compartment;
a shelf disposed in the storage compartment in a horizontal direction to partition the storage compartment up and down, and defining a first area of the storage compartment at an upper side of the shelf; and,
A drawer disposed to be drawn out from the lower space of the shelf and defining a second area of the storage compartment in which food is stored, wherein the second area is drawn forward from the space below the shelf by the camera. Including a drawer exposed to,
The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the one camera captures a plurality of areas in the storage compartment including the first area and the second area.
According to claim 1,
The refrigerator further includes a display for dividing and displaying images of a plurality of areas in the storage compartment from the picture obtained by the camera.
According to claim 2,
A refrigerator in which the images displayed on the display are updated independently of each other.
According to claim 1,
The refrigerator wherein the one camera is disposed to photograph the first region above the shelf and a space between the front end of the shelf and the open surface.
According to claim 1,
The camera photographs the first area above the shelf in a state in which the drawer is drawn out and the second region inside the drawn drawer, and photographs the first region in a state in which the drawer is retracted. refrigerator.
According to claim 5,
The refrigerator further includes a display that divides and displays an image of the first area and an image of the second area divided from the picture obtained from the camera.
According to claim 6,
The camera photographs the storage compartment when the door is opened,
The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the display individually updates and displays images of the plurality of storage areas.
According to claim 6,
The display updates and displays images of the plurality of areas from pictures obtained from the camera whenever the door is opened or closed.
According to claim 1,
The refrigerator is disposed outside and above the drawer.
According to claim 9,
The front end of the shelf is spaced from the open surface of the case toward the inside of the storage compartment,
The camera is located between the open surface of the case and the front end of the shelf in the front and rear directions.
According to claim 1,
The refrigerator further comprises a third region recessed from the bottom surface of the storage compartment.
According to claim 11,
In a state in which the drawer is retracted, the third area is located between the drawer and the open surface and exposed to the camera;
In a state in which the drawer is drawn out, the drawer is positioned above the third area so that the second area is exposed to the camera.
According to claim 12,
The camera photographs the first area above the shelf and the second area inside the drawer in a state in which the drawer is withdrawn, and in a state in which the drawer is retracted, the first area in the upper side of the shelf and a refrigerator disposed toward the inside of the storage compartment so as to photograph the third region.
According to claim 13,
The region photographed by the camera always includes the first region, and selectively includes the second region and the third region according to a drawn-in or drawn-out state of the drawer.
According to claim 1,
The drawer includes two drawers arranged in the width direction of the storage compartment and provided to be individually drawn out,
The refrigerator photographs the first area and a second area inside the drawer drawn out of the two drawers.
According to claim 15,
The image of the first area divided from one picture obtained from the camera, the image of the second area inside one of the two drawers, and the image of the second area inside the other drawer Refrigerator further comprising a display that is divided and displayed.
According to claim 16,
The display is a refrigerator that individually updates and displays the images.
According to claim 15,
Further comprising a third area that is recessed from the bottom surface of the storage compartment and positioned between the drawer and the open surface in a state in which the drawer is retracted;
The third region,
a 3-1 area disposed between one of the two drawers and the open surface; and
A 3-2 region disposed between the other of the two drawers and the open surface;
The area photographed by the camera always includes the first area, includes a second area inside the drawer drawn out of the two drawers, and a third area between the undrawn drawer and the open surface. refrigerator to do.

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