KR20150045256A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator. Provided is a refrigerator comprising: an inner case forming a storage room in which foods are stored, and having an opening in which a user can access the storage room; a rack dividing a space in a horizontal direction inside the inner case; a drawer inserted or drawn to a lower space of the rack, where foods are stored inside; and a camera installed on an upper side wall of the inner case and taking a picture inside the storage room.

Description

Refrigerator {Refrigerator}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator that can provide information on food stored in a refrigerator even if a user does not open the door.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a refrigerator is a device for supplying cold air generated by driving a refrigeration cycle, and is a device for storing food in a low temperature state.

In the case of a conventional refrigerator, only the function of storing food in a low temperature state can be performed. However, in recent years, there is an increasing need for additional functions in addition to the food storage function.

The refrigerator is a device for storing and storing a certain object. In order to check the inside of the refrigerator, the refrigerator door must be opened and checked. In addition, when the user tries to buy goods from markets or marts, he or she can not buy the same food or buy necessary food if the amount and type of the food stored in the refrigerator can not be grasped.

Therefore, various studies are currently under way to solve such inconveniences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a refrigerator that provides information on foods stored in a refrigerator even if a user does not open the refrigerator door.

In addition, the present invention can provide information on food through a camera installed in a refrigerator

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising: an inner case having an opening for allowing a user to access the storage compartment; A shelf for dividing a space in a horizontal direction inside the inner case; A drawer capable of being drawn in or pulled out into a lower space of the shelf and storing food therein; And a camera installed on an upper wall of the inner case, the camera capturing a picture of the inside of the storage compartment, the camera being provided between a front end of the shelf and the opening and inclined toward a rear wall of the inner case, And the refrigerator is disposed so that the refrigerator can be opened.

The horizontal angle of view of the camera may be larger than the vertical angle of view.

On the other hand, one end of the vertical angle of view of the camera may be arranged to photograph up to a position where the drawer is drawn out.

The camera includes a camera module including a camera lens and a body, And may include a mounting portion.

Further, the inner case may have a protruding portion protruding toward the storage chamber, The mounting portion may be provided in the protruding portion.

The camera mounting portion may include a first case installed in the inner case and a second case coupled to the first case to form a predetermined space therein.

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

And the heater is continuously driven to provide heat to the transparent window.

Further, the heater may be disposed on the opposite side of the surface on which the transparent window is exposed to the storage chamber.

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

The heat coil may be arranged in a rectangular shape.

In addition, the transparent window may be spaced apart from the camera lens, and the heater may be provided such that one corner has a rectangular shape that is longer than the other corner.

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

The transparent window may be hydrophilic coated.

The camera according to the present invention is characterized in that the camera is provided with a first area in which food is stuck on the shelf, a second area defined by an inner space of the drawer, and a second area formed on the bottom of the drawer, It is possible to photograph a third area overlapping the second area when the second area is drawn out from the lower space.

In particular, the control unit divides one photograph taken by the camera into a first image showing the first region, a second image showing the second region, and a third image showing the third region .

Furthermore, the control unit may select a specific photograph from a plurality of photographs taken by the camera, and the separated image may display information about the food stored in the storage room.

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

According to the present invention, the camera installed in the refrigerator is prevented from being dewed, so that a picture taken by the camera can be stably provided to the user.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is not necessary for the user to open the door to obtain information on the food stored in the refrigerator, so that the cold air contained in the storage chamber can be prevented from leaking. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary loss of cold air, thereby improving the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

In addition, since the present invention provides the user with the latest information on the food stored in the refrigerator, the reliability of the food information provided to the user can be improved.

In addition, since the present invention can provide information on foods stored in various locations by a single camera, only a structure for installing one camera is added, so that the design can be easily performed. In particular, the cost of using the camera can be reduced.

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

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience. In addition, terms defined in consideration of the configuration and operation of the present invention may be changed according to the intention or custom of the user, the operator. Definitions of these terms should be based on the content of this specification.

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

The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a top mount type in which a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment in which food is stored are divided into upper and lower portions and a freezing compartment is disposed on the upper side of the refrigerating compartment; The present invention is equally applicable to a side-by-side refrigerator.

However, in the present embodiment, a bottom freezer-type in which the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment are partitioned upward / downward for convenience of explanation and the freezing compartment is disposed on the lower side of the refrigerating compartment will be mainly described.

The main body of the refrigerator includes an outer case 10 that forms an overall appearance when viewed from the outside and an inner case 12 that forms a storage room 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 cool air is circulated. Meanwhile, a space between the outer case 10 and the inner case 12 is filled with a heat insulating material, so that the inside of the storage chamber 22 can be maintained at a relatively low temperature as compared with the outside.

A refrigerant cycle device for circulating a refrigerant to generate cold air is installed in a machine room (not shown) formed between the outer case 10 and the inner case 12. By using the refrigerant cycle device, the freshness of the foodstuff can be maintained while keeping the inside of the refrigerator at a low temperature. The refrigerant cycle device includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, an evaporator (not shown) for phase-converting refrigerant in a liquid state into a gaseous state to cause heat exchange with the outside, and the like.

The refrigerator is provided with doors (20, 30) for opening and closing the storage room. At this time, each of the doors may include a freezing chamber door 30 and the refrigeration chamber door 20, and one end of each door is rotatably installed to the main body of the refrigerator by a hinge. The freezer compartment door 30 and the refrigerator compartment door 20 may have a plurality of openings. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerator compartment door 20 and the freezer compartment door 30 may be installed so as to open toward both corners of the refrigerator toward the front.

A barrier 60 is provided at the lower end of the storage compartment 22 to separate 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 the horizontal direction.

The storage room (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 mounted on each shelf (40). The shelf 40 can divide the inside of the storage compartment horizontally.

The storage chamber 22 is provided with a drawer 50 which can be drawn in or drawn out. Food and the like are received and stored in the drawer (50). Two of the drawers 40 may be disposed in the storage chamber 22 to the left and right. The user may open the left door of the storage room 22 to approach 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 photographing the inside of the storage room 22. [ At this time, the camera 70 is provided to keep the fixed position, and it is possible to photograph the same part.

Particularly, the camera 70 is installed on the upper side wall of the inner case 12 so as to face downward, and can take a plane photograph of food stored in the storage room 22.

At this time, the storage compartment 22 includes a first area 42 in which food is placed on the shelf 40, a second area 52 defined by the inner space of the drawer 50, And a third region 62 overlapped with the second region 52 when the first region 62 is drawn out. 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 elevations in the storage chamber 22 as a whole. That is, the first region 42, the second region 52, and the third region 62 in this order.

The photographs taken by the camera 70 or various information about the refrigerator can be provided to the user through the display 14 provided on the front of the refrigerator. The user can also control the refrigerator through the display 14.

3 is a view showing a third region disposed at the bottom of the storage chamber. This will be described below with reference to Fig.

The barrier 60 is provided with a depressed portion, and the food can be stored in the portion, and this region is referred to as the third region 62.

In the third region 62, it is possible to store a food requiring sealing such as an egg. For this purpose, it is possible to provide a cover 68 for opening and closing the third region 62. It is preferable that the cover 68 is made of a transparent material so that the food stored in the third region 62 can be photographed even if the cover 68 is covered when the camera 70 photographs from above .

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

On the other hand, in a state in which the drawer 50 is drawn out from the lower space of the shelf, the drawer 50 is arranged 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. This will be described below with reference to Fig.

The present invention includes a control unit (100) for dividing and managing one photograph taken by the camera (70) into a plurality of images. At this time, the image may be a part of the photograph that has been processed or corrected by the control unit 100.

The control unit 100 may instruct the camera 70 to take a picture and receive a picture taken by the camera 70. [

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

In particular, the controller 100 divides the selected photograph into a plurality of images, and provides the image to the display 14. At this time, the controller 100 may select a specific photograph among a plurality of photographs taken by the camera 70, divide the photograph into a plurality of images, and provide the selected photograph to the display 14. At this time, the photograph selected by the controller 100 may include information about the content of the food that has been changed by the user to approach the storage room 22 last.

The present invention may include a door opening / closing sensor 110 for detecting whether the door 20 is opened or closed. The door opening and closing sensor 110 is provided in the outer case 10 so that the door 20 seals the storage compartment 22 when the door 20 is brought into contact with the outer case 10 Can be detected. Also, if the door 20 is not in contact with the outer case 10, the door 20 can be detected as opening the storage compartment 22.

In addition, the present invention may include a door rotation sensor 120 for sensing a rotation angle of the door 20. At this time, the door rotation sensor 120 may sense the rotation direction of the door 20 and the rotation angle of the door 20. For example, when the door 20 rotates more than a predetermined angle, the door rotation sensor 120 changes and the door rotation sensor 120 detects that the door 20 is rotated by a predetermined angle or more can do. Further, when the door 20 is rotated in a specific direction, it is possible to sense the direction of rotation of the door 20 by sensing a pulse change pattern generated according to the direction. Of course, the door rotation sensor 120 may be modified into various forms other than the above-described method.

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

When the photographing of the camera 70 is started, it is also possible to continuously photograph a photograph at a predetermined interval. That is, if it is determined by the door rotation sensor 120 that the door 20 is opened by a predetermined angle, the camera 70 continuously photographs the photograph until the photographing stop instruction is provided It is possible.

The present invention may include a draw sensor 130 for detecting whether the drawer 50 is drawn or drawn. The drop sensor 130 can sense the movement of the drawer 50 as well as the movement of the drawer 50. For this, the draw sensor 130 may be formed in the same shape as a plurality of Hall sensors.

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

5 is a view for explaining the angle of view of the camera. This will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, the drawer 50 is taken out so that the camera 70 can photograph the third area 62, and the shelf is omitted.

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

On the other hand, the photograph taken by the camera 70 may have a horizontal angle of view along the width direction of the storage room 22 and a vertical angle of view along the forward and backward directions.

At this time, the horizontal viewing angle of the camera 70 is set so that the food stored in the inner space of the two drawers 50, that is, the food in the third area 62, can be seen while the two drawers 50 are drawn out .

Fig. 6 is a side sectional view of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a view taken on the camera in the state of Fig. This will be described below with reference to Figs. 6 to 7. Fig.

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. In order to secure sufficient heat insulation, the heat insulating material must be maintained at a certain thickness or more. Therefore, in the present invention, the camera 70 is installed on the projecting portion 17 protruding toward the storage room 22, so that the thickness of the heat insulating material for insulation can be secured even in the portion where the camera 70 is installed.

Meanwhile, the inner case 12 is provided with an opening 14 at a front thereof so that the user can access the storage room 22. So that the door can open and close the opening 14.

The camera 70 is preferably installed within a range 1 between the opening 14 and one end of the shelf 40. The camera 70 is required to take a picture of the first area 52 and the third area 62 so that the camera 70 can take a picture of the first area 52, It can not be moved to the rear wall.

Also, if the camera 70 is disposed to be out of the opening 14, the door 20 can not seal the opening 14. [ Therefore, it is preferable that the camera 70 is installed in a specific range (1).

6 shows a vertical angle of view of the camera 70. 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 a picture of the first area 42 and the second area 52 with a single photograph. At this time, the camera 70 can take pictures of both sides of the drawer 50 disposed on the right and left sides.

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

A basket (21) capable of storing food can be provided inside the door (20). The basket (21) may be installed on a surface of the door (20) facing the storage room (22).

There may be a problem that the basket 21 is shown on a photograph taken by the camera 70. [ Accordingly, in the present invention, the door rotation sensor 120 detects whether the door 20 is rotated by a predetermined angle or more, and photographs the camera through the camera 70.

The predetermined angle? May be an angle at which the basket 21 may not be displayed on the picture when the camera 70 photographs the picture. The predetermined angle? It depends on the length.

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

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

In Fig. 9, the pattern includes an image in which the shape of the camera is simplified and a character called " smart sensor ". On the other hand, the pattern may include patterns of various shapes, and black and white may be provided so as to intersect with each other, so that the pattern can be recognized by the camera 70.

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

Fig. 10 (a) is a photograph showing a state in which the left and right drawers are drawn out, Fig. 10 (b) is a drawing showing a state in which the left drawer is drawn and the right drawer is drawn. This will be described below with reference to Figs. 10 (a) and 10 (b).

In Fig. 10, the pattern is provided on the upper side of the upper side of the drawer 50, and shows an example of a wavy pattern.

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

That is, as shown in FIG. 10 (a), photographs taken in the state in which the left and right drawers are drawn out show the first region 42 disposed on the left and right sides and the second region 52 disposed on the left and right sides.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the first region 42 and the left third region 62 and the right second region 52 Can be shown.

That is, when the drawer 50 is drawn out, the third region 62 is not shown in the photograph but the second region is shown. On the other hand, when the drawer 50 is drawn in, the second region 52 is not shown in the photograph and the third region 62 is shown.

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

10 (b), if the drawer 50 provided on the left side is completely drawn into the lower space of the shelf 40, the pattern can not be recognized by the camera 70. That is, no pattern is shown in the photograph taken by the camera 70.

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

One photograph taken by the camera 70 shows a first image showing the first region 42, a second image showing the second region 52, and a third image showing the third region 62 The third image can be divided into three.

The separated pictures can be provided to the user independently as shown in FIG. That is, photographs for the respective regions are individually provided to the user, so that the user can easily acquire information on the foods stored in the corresponding regions.

That is, the control unit 100 can individually update (replace) each photograph to provide the user with information on the type of food accommodated in each area.

11 represents the first area 42, the vegetable compartment represents the second area 52, and the multi-storage corner may refer to the third area 62. [ Of course, it is also possible to have various arrangements and various forms according to the preference of the user or the convenience of the image provider.

On the other hand, the screen of FIG. 11 may be provided to the display 14 installed in the refrigerator, but may also be provided in a separate external device such as a cell phone instead of a refrigerator. Therefore, the user can obtain information about the food stored in the refrigerator while going out from the house, and utilize it for shopping.

Fig. 12 is a view showing a principal part of the camera, and Fig. 13 is a sectional view of Fig. This will be described below with reference to Figs. 12 and 13. Fig.

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

The body 71b may include a component that can project an image projected from the camera lens 71a.

The camera mounting portion 72 may include a first case 73 contacting the protrusion 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.

Since the camera mounting portion 72 is mounted on the inclined surface of the projection 17, the camera lens 71a can be arranged to be inclined so that a desired picture inside the storage room can be acquired 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 The blowing agent does not come into contact with the blowing agent filled in between.

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

It is possible to prevent the transparent window 80 from being dewed 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. The possibility of generating aberration and permanent damage due to such deformation increases, so that the transparent window 80 is provided in the present invention.

As the material of the transparent window 80, both plastic and glass can be used for camera image acquisition, but plastic has a low thermal conductivity. Accordingly, when plastic is used for the transparent window 80, power consumption can be increased as compared with the case of using glass. Therefore, it is preferable that the transparent window 80 is made of a glass material to reduce power consumption.

On the other hand, since the heater 84 directly contacts the transparent window 80, heat transfer efficiency can be improved.

The heater 84 is disposed on the opposite side of the surface on which the transparent window 80 is exposed to the storage chamber 22 so that the heat generated by the heater 84 does not pass through the transparent window 80, (22).

In particular, the heater 84 may include a hot-wire coil for generating heat, and the hot-wire coil may be in surface contact with the transparent window 80.

It is preferable that the transparent window 80 and the camera lens 71a are provided so as to have a predetermined gap g so that heat is supplied to the transparent window 80 to deform or to take assembly tolerance into account .

14 is a view for explaining the arrangement of the heaters. This will be described below with reference to Fig.

The photographing angle of the camera 70 may be 115 ° for a horizontal angle of view, 95 ° for a vertical angle of view, and 145 ° for a diagonal angle of view. That is, the camera 70 can be arranged such that the horizontal angle of view is larger than the vertical angle of view. 14) of the storage compartment 22 is longer than the length of the storage compartment 22 in the anteroposterior direction (the vertical direction in Fig. 14), the food information on the storage compartment 22 Can be obtained.

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

Further, when the heater 84 has a rectangular shape, heat can be supplied to the transparent window 80 with a relatively large area, so that the energy efficiency of the heater 84 can be improved.

In particular, when a clearance g is provided between the camera lens 71a and the transparent window 80 as shown in FIG. 13, the angle of view with respect to the transparent window 80 becomes a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. Since the heater 84 is in contact with one surface of the transparent window 80 if there is no clearance g and the transparent window 80 and the camera lens 71a are in contact with each other, Or a square having a length equal to or greater than the diameter of the square.

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, it is preferable that the heater 84 has a rectangular shape longer than the length of the other side.

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

15, the temperature of the transparent window 80 is basically

FIG. 15A is a graph of the manner in which the heater 84 is intermittently operated, and FIG. 15B is a graph of the manner in which the heater 84 continues to operate.

For example, FIG. 15 (a) shows a state in which the temperature of the transparent window 80 is maintained in a state of equilibrium, such as the temperature of the storage chamber 22, to be.

According to this method, since the door (20) is opened, the transparent window (80) which is below the condensation occurrence temperature is likely to be temporarily below the condensation occurrence temperature, so that condensation can not be prevented. That is, time is required until condensation is removed, and dew may be formed on the transparent window 80 at a moment when photographing is required instantaneously.

On the other hand, FIG. 15 (b) shows a method in which the heater 84 is continuously driven to supply heat to the transparent window 80. Since the temperature of the transparent window 80 is always maintained at a temperature higher than the condensation occurrence temperature, condensation is not always generated in the transparent window 80. Therefore, it is possible to prevent dew from being formed on the transparent window 80 at a moment when the camera 70 needs to take a picture instantaneously.

16 is a sectional view of a transparent window. This will be described below with reference to Fig.

The transparent window 80 may be hydrophilic coated.

Even if dew is formed on the transparent window 80 instantaneously, as shown in FIG. 16, the contact angle? Of water can be formed within 15 degrees due to the hydrophilic coating. The hydrophilic coating reduces the surface tension of water on the surface. This is because the water can be spread widely on the surface of the transparent window 80.

Therefore, it is possible to minimize the distortion of the photographed image due to the water formed in the transparent window 80. In addition, the hydrophilic coating can be advantageous in terms of energy efficiency since it does not need to be controlled after supplying the electric power once after it is manufactured.

17 is a view showing another embodiment of Fig. Only differences with respect to Fig. 6 will be described below with reference to Fig. The parts not described with reference to Fig. 17 are the same as those in Fig.

In FIG. 17, unlike FIG. 6, a protruding portion protruding from the upper side of the inner case 12 is not provided.

However, the camera mount 72 may be attached to the inner case 12 so that the camera 70 itself is inclined as a whole. In other words, the inner case 12 has a planar shape in which a part of the upper side is not protruded, while the camera body and the lens are inclined at the camera mounting part 72, You can get a picture.

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

Meanwhile, the camera mounting portion 12 can be fastened to the inner case 12 by fastening or tightening means such as bolts or the like.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

10: outer case 12: inner case
20: Door 40: Shelf
42: first region 50: drawer
52: second area 60: barrier
62: third area 70: camera
80: transparent window 100:

Claims (18)

An inner case having an opening through which a user can access the storage chamber, the storage case forming an storage chamber in which food is stored;
A shelf for dividing a space in a horizontal direction inside the inner case;
A drawer capable of being drawn in or pulled out into a lower space of the shelf and storing food therein; And
And a camera installed on an upper wall of the inner case and photographing a photograph inside the storage compartment,
Wherein the camera is disposed between the front end of the shelf and the opening, and is disposed to be inclined toward the rear wall of the inner case. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the horizontal angle of view of the camera is greater than the vertical angle of view. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein one end of the vertical angle of view of the camera is disposed to photograph the position where the drawer is drawn out. The method according to claim 1,
The camera
A camera module including a camera lens and a body,
The camera module A refrigerator comprising a mounting portion. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the inner case has a protruding portion protruding toward the storage chamber,
The camera And the mounting portion is installed on the protruding portion. 5. The method of claim 4,
The camera-
A first case installed in the inner case,
And a second case coupled to the first case and defining a predetermined space therein. 5. The method of claim 4,
The camera-
Transparent window installed in front of camera lens
And a heater for heating the transparent window. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the heater is continuously driven to provide heat to the transparent window. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the heater is disposed on a side opposite to a side where the transparent window is exposed to the storage chamber. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the heater includes a hot wire coil installed in the transparent window,
Wherein the heat coil is formed along an outline of the transparent window. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the heat coil is disposed in a square shape. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the transparent window is arranged to be spaced apart from the camera lens,
Wherein the heater is installed such that one corner has a rectangular shape longer than the other corner. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the transparent window is made of glass. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the transparent window is hydrophilic coated. The method according to claim 1,
The camera comprises:
A first region in which the food is placed on the shelf,
A second region defined by an inner space of the drawer,
And a third region formed on the bottom of the drawer front and overlapped with the second region when the drawer is drawn out from the lower space. 16. The method of claim 15,
Further comprising a controller for dividing one photograph 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 The refrigerator. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the control unit selects a specific photograph among a plurality of photographs taken by the camera,
Wherein the image classified by the specific photograph displays information on food stored in the storage room. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the control unit independently manages the first image, the second image, and the third image.

Images