TW201544777A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator capable of disposing an operation section that uses an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor and a display section so as to make the operation section and the display section overlap each other in a front-rear direction according to a simple configuration. The refrigerator includes a main body 1, a door 7, an operation section 20, a detection section 28 and a light source 32. The main body 1 includes an opening section on a front surface thereof. The door 7 includes a light-transmissive door front plate 13 on a front surface thereof, and opens and closes the opening section. The operation section 20 is disposed on a front surface of the door front plate 13. The detection section 28 is disposed in a position opposed to the operation section 20 at the rear of the door front plate 13, so as to detect a change in electrostatic capacitance. The light source 32 illuminates the operation section 20. The detection section 28 includes a light transmission hole 28a that transmits light emitted from the light source 32 and leads the light to the operation section 20.

Description

refrigerator

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a refrigerator.

In the refrigerator, an operation panel is provided on the front surface of the door that opens and closes the front opening of the main body, and the operation panel is provided with an operation unit such as a mode or the like, and displays an operation result by the operation unit or the like. Display section. In recent years, the operation unit has been proposed to detect the user's operation using a capacitive touch sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

When a capacitive touch sensor is used in the operation unit, in order to prevent unevenness from occurring on the front surface of the door corresponding to the sensor position, display of the detection result of the detection unit and the display detection unit for detecting the change in electrostatic capacitance is performed. The parts are placed at different positions, and if the user mistakenly operates the display unit, it may not be able to operate properly.

On the other hand, the operation unit and the display unit are arranged in the front-rear direction, and the user can know the position of the operation unit. In this case, since the touch sensor used in the operation unit is provided to pass light from the display unit. Since the transparent electrode is used, the structure of the operation portion is easily complicated.

[Previous Technical Literature]

[Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1]: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-58787

Here, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which an operation portion and a display portion using a capacitive touch sensor can be stacked in a front-rear direction according to a simple configuration.

The refrigerator according to the present embodiment includes a main body having an opening on the front surface, a door having a front panel on the front surface, and the opening, the door front panel having a light transmissive property, and an operation portion provided on a front surface of the front panel; a position facing the operation portion behind the door front panel to detect a change in electrostatic capacitance, and a light source to illuminate the operation portion. The detection unit includes a light transmission hole, and the light transmission hole transmits light emitted from the light source and is led out to the operation unit.

1‧‧‧ Ontology

2‧‧‧Refrigerator

3‧‧‧ vegetable room

4‧‧‧ Ice making room

5‧‧‧Small freezer

6‧‧‧Main freezer

7~12‧‧‧

13‧‧‧ front panel

14‧‧‧door panel

15‧‧‧Insulation materials

16‧‧·coating film

17‧‧‧Operation display device

18‧‧‧ 收纳 department

18a‧‧‧ Cover

19‧‧‧Operator panel unit

20‧‧‧Operation display

21‧‧‧Display Department

22‧‧‧Operation Department

23‧‧‧ display film

24‧‧‧ Film Translucent Department

27‧‧‧Testing substrate

27a‧‧‧ substrate side light transmission hole

28~29‧‧‧Touch Detection Department

28a‧‧‧Light hole

30‧‧‧shade cover

31‧‧‧ circuit board

32~33‧‧‧Light source

34‧‧‧Light Guide

35‧‧‧Control Department

36‧‧‧Sloping surface

50, 60‧‧‧Light Guide

52, 64‧‧‧Reflection Department

62‧‧‧Light Guide

A, B‧‧‧ line

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an operation display showing a state in which all of the operation display unit and the display unit are displayed. Front view of the device section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which a housing portion of a door is incorporated in an operation panel unit.

4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the operation panel unit.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 2;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an operation display device according to a first modification of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an operation display device according to a second modification of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. First, in Fig. 1 showing the front surface of the entire refrigerator, the refrigerator main body 1 is constituted by a heat-insulating cabinet, and a plurality of storage chambers are formed inside. The storage compartment is provided with a refrigerating compartment 2 and a vegetable compartment 3 in this order from the top to the bottom. Below the vegetable compartment 3, an ice making compartment 4 and a small freezing compartment 5 are arranged side by side, and then a main freezing compartment 6 is provided at the lowermost portion. The refrigerating compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 provided in the upper portion are storage compartments in the refrigerating temperature range, and the internal temperature thereof is adjusted to 3 ° C to 5 ° C. Further, the ice making compartment 4, the small freezing compartment 5, and the main freezing compartment 6 are storage compartments in a freezing temperature range, and the temperature inside thereof is adjusted to a temperature of about -20 °C. Although not shown in the drawings, the body 1 is provided with a refrigeration cycle system including a refrigerator for cooling the storage compartment for cooling the refrigerating temperature range and a storage compartment for cooling the freezing temperature range. The freezer compartment uses a cooler. Further, the ice making chamber 4 is provided with an automatic ice making device not shown in the drawings.

On the front surface of the refrigerating compartment 2, two left and right door type doors 7 and 8 are provided, and the front opening of the refrigerating compartment 2 is opened and closed. The left end of the left door 7 is pivotally supported by a hinge (not shown), and the right door 8 is a right end pivotally pivotable by a hinge not shown in the drawing. Supported. A pull-out door 9, a door 10, and a door of a front opening of the storage compartment corresponding to the switch are provided in front of the vegetable compartment 3, in front of the ice making compartment 4, in front of the small freezer compartment 5, and in front of the main freezer compartment 6, respectively. 11, door 12. Storage containers (not shown) are provided inside the doors 9, 10, doors 11, and doors 12, respectively.

The front and rear doors 7, 8 of the refrigerating compartment 2, and the vegetable compartment 3, the ice making compartment 4, the small freezer compartment 5, and the front door 9, the door 10, the door 11, and the front of the door 12 of the main freezer compartment 6 are respectively provided with a front door panel 13 . In the present embodiment, the door front panel 13 provided in each of the door 7, the door 8, the door 9, the door 10, the door 11, and the door 12 is made of a translucent glass plate. Further, since the heat insulating material 15 is provided between the door front panel 13 of each of the door 7, the door 8, the door 9, the door 10, the door 11, and the door 12, and the door inner panel 14, it is heat-insulating (refer FIG. 5).

Further, on the left and right doors 7 of the refrigerating compartment 2 and the door 7 on the left side of the door 8, the operation display device 17 is provided at a portion which is shifted to the right and is positioned downward. The operation display device 17 includes a storage portion 18 that is open to the right side of the left door 7 and has a lower portion, and is provided in the storage portion 18 that is open on the right side, and is slidably stored in the horizontal direction from the opening of the storage portion 18 The operation panel unit 19 in the portion 18. The opening on the right side surface of the accommodating portion 18 is closed by a cover 18a that can be attached and detached (see FIG. 2).

An operation panel unit 19 is disposed in front of the door front plate 13 of the door 7, as shown in the figure As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the operation display unit 20, the display unit 21, and the operation unit 22 are provided in front of the operation panel unit 19. The operation display unit 20 also has a function of receiving an operation unit that is operated by a user's touch operation and a display unit that displays the display content. In this example, a plurality of devices are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Further, the display unit 21 is disposed on the left side of the operation display unit 20, and a plurality of the display units 21 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Further, in this example, the display unit 21 is also provided below the operation unit 22 provided below the operation display unit 20.

The operation unit 22 provided below the operation display unit 20 is displayed on the inner surface of the door front panel 13 by printing, and is displayed by the front side of the door front panel 13 at any time. Further, on the inner surface of the door front panel 13, a coating film 16 coated with a color pigment is provided in addition to a portion where light transmittance is required. Thereby, the front surface of the front panel 13 is processed so that the heat insulating material 15 or the like is not visible.

A translucent display film 23 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided on the front surface of the operation panel unit 19. In the display film 23, a plurality of film transmissive portions 24 located behind the operation display portion 20 and the display portion 21 are provided by removing the character printing. In the present embodiment, the film transmissive portion 24 is not visible from the front side of the front door panel 13 in a normal state, and is illuminated from the inside by a light source (Light Emitting Diode, LED) as shown in FIG. It can be seen from the front of the front panel 13 of the door.

A detection substrate 27 (see FIG. 4) for detecting a change in electrostatic capacitance is provided inside the display film 23. In the detection substrate 27, a capacitive touch detection unit 28 is provided behind the operation display unit 20, and a rear side of the operation unit 22 is provided. The capacitive touch detection unit 29. Further, the display method of the operation display unit 20 and the display unit 21 and the operation unit 22 is not limited to the above method, and all the displays may be displayed by printing on the inner surface of the door front panel 13 or the like.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the touch detection unit 28 corresponding to the operation display unit 20 includes a metal film having a circular shape corresponding to the outer shape of the operation display unit 20, and a connection detecting substrate is provided. The substrate-side light-transmissive hole 27a provided in 27 passes through the light-transmitting hole 28a in the front-rear direction.

One or more of the light-transmitting holes 28a of the touch detecting portion 28 and the substrate-side light-transmitting holes 27a of the detecting substrate 27 can be provided for one touch detecting portion 28. For example, more than one plurality of light transmission holes 28a and light transmission holes 27a are provided in one touch detection portion 28, and a plurality of uniform distributions can be provided with respect to one touch detection portion 28 to be sufficiently smaller than the touch detection portion 28. The number of the light transmission holes 28a and the substrate side light transmission holes 27a, and the number of the light transmission holes 28a and the substrate side light transmission holes 27a can be arbitrarily set in accordance with the display content of the operation display unit 20. Further, the shape of the light-transmitting hole 28a and the substrate-side light-transmitting hole 27a can be arbitrarily set to a hole shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a rectangular shape in accordance with the removal of the character printed on the film-transmissive portion 24 located in front of the touch detection portion 28. , triangle shape, etc. Further, the arrangement of the light-transmitting holes 28a and the substrate-side light-transmissive holes 27a in the touch detector 28 can be arbitrarily set in accordance with the display content of the operation display unit 20, and can be disposed in the central portion of the operation display unit 20, or corresponds to The film transmissive portion 24 is disposed to be removed from the character printing, or is disposed such that the touch detecting portion 28 is vertically divided or left and right. Further, in order to sufficiently ensure the area of the metal film of the touch detecting unit 28 to perform good contact detection, it is preferable to avoid the center portion of the operation display unit 20 and the text printing directly below. The portion of the position is provided with a light transmission hole 28a. The center portion of the operation display portion 20 is a position where the actual contact possibility is high according to the user's touch operation.

The touch detection unit 29 corresponding to the operation unit 22 includes a metal film formed in accordance with the shape of the operation unit 22 (the shape of the home plate of the baseball). Further, the touch detecting unit 29 is not provided with a light transmission hole (see FIG. 4) provided in the touch detecting unit 28.

The circuit board 31 is provided behind the detection substrate 27 via a light shielding cover 30 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). In the circuit board 31, a light source 32 including a free-emitting diode or the like is provided behind the operation display unit 20, and a light source 33 such as a free-emitting diode is provided behind the display unit 21.

In the present embodiment, the light guiding portion 34 is provided on the light shielding cover 30, and the light corresponding to the light sources 32 and 33 is guided to the film transmitting portion 24 of the operation display portion 20 and the display portion 21. Further, a control unit 35 (FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) including, for example, a microcomputer is provided on the circuit board 31. The touch detecting units 28 and 29 are electrically connected to the light source 32 and 33 to the control unit 35. The control unit 35 is a control element for operating the display device 17, and is electrically connected to a control device (not shown) on the side of the main body 1 that controls the refrigeration cycle system or the like.

As an example of the control of the operation display device 17 according to the control unit 35, when a human finger touches or approaches a corresponding portion of the operation portion 22 provided on the door front panel 13 of the door 7, according to the touch The detecting unit 29 detects that the change in the electrostatic capacitance is based on the detection that the operation unit 22 is operated. Next, when the control unit 35 detects the operation of the operation unit 22, the light source 32 of the operation display unit 20 is turned on. The control unit 35 processes the operation of the operation unit 22 as a frequently effective operation (ie, The control unit 35 often accepts an operation on the operation unit 22. On the other hand, the control unit 35 performs control such that the operation of the operation display unit 20 is performed as an effective state when the light source 32 corresponding to the operation display unit 20 is in the lighting state; and the light source 32 is turned off. The operation of the operation display unit 20 is regarded as an invalid state and the processing is not accepted.

Further, the control configuration of the display device 17 in accordance with the operation of the control unit 35 is not limited to the above, and is provided, for example, on the operation display unit 20 and the operation unit 22 of the door front panel 13 of the door 7, or the operation of the display unit 20 and the operation unit 22. Either when the change in the electrostatic capacitance detected by the touch detecting units 28 and 29 detects the approach of the human finger, the light source 32 corresponding to the operation display unit 20 may be turned on, and the operation on the operation display unit 20 may be used as the operation. Processing is performed in an active state.

According to the present embodiment having the above configuration, in the touch detecting unit 28 that detects the change in the electrostatic capacitance, since the light transmitting hole 28a is provided, the light emitted from the light source 32 passes through the light transmitting hole 28a, and can be disposed in the touch detection. The operation display unit 20 on the front side of the unit 28 is led out, and the display unit 20 is illuminated. Therefore, in the refrigerator of the present embodiment, the capacitive touch detecting unit 28 and the display unit projected by the light source 32 on the door front panel 13 can be disposed in a front-rear direction in a simple configuration.

Further, a plurality of light transmission holes 28a are provided for one touch detection portion 28, and light emitted from the light source 32 can be led out to the front of the touch detection portion 28 in a wide range, and the display content can be projected on the door front panel 13 on average.

In the present embodiment, the operation display unit 20 that operates the setting of the refrigerator main body 1 will be described as an example, and the door 7 and the door 8 and the pull-out type of the split type are provided. The door 9, the door 10, the door 11, and the door 12 are automatically opened, and the door is automatically opened, and an operation unit or the like for performing the operation of the automatic door opening device is applicable.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the operation display unit 20 having the character printing is described as an example, and the operation display unit is not limited to including the character information, and includes a portion that emits light in accordance with the shape of the simple light transmission hole. In other words, when there is another instruction such as "the part that touches the light" or the like, when the user operates the place where the illumination is blinking, the lighting portion of the operation display portion is of course included.

(Modification 1)

Modification 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7 .

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the detection substrate 27 having the touch detection units 28 and 29 is provided and the circuit substrate 31 having the respective light sources 32 and 33 are described. In the present modification, the detection substrate 27 is used. The touch detection units 28 and 29 are provided on the front side, and the light sources 32 and 33 are provided behind the detection substrate 27.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , the detection substrate 27 is disposed to cover the operation display unit 20 , the display unit 21 , and the operation unit 22 from the rear. On the front surface of the detecting substrate 27, a touch detecting portion 28 through which the light transmitting hole 28a is formed is provided at a position behind the operation display portion 20, and a touch detecting portion 29 is provided at a position behind the operation portion 22.

In the rear surface of the detecting substrate 27, a light source 32 composed of a light-emitting diode is provided for each of the operation display portions 20, and a light source 33 composed of a light-emitting diode is provided for each of the display portions 21.

The detection substrate 27 may be provided on the corresponding display portion 21 in addition to the substrate-side light transmission hole 27a that communicates with the light transmission hole 28a provided in the touch detection portion 28. The substrate-side light transmission hole 27a penetrates the front-rear direction in the position.

The light guide 50 and the control unit 35 are provided behind the detection substrate 27. The light guide body 50 is provided with a reflection portion 52 corresponding to the light sources 32 and 33, and reflects the light emitted from the light sources 32 and 33 and is guided to the operation display unit 20 and the display unit 21 through the substrate-side light transmission hole 27a and the light transmission hole 28a. The display content is projected on the front panel 13 of the door. A control unit 35 electrically connected to the touch detecting units 28 and 29 and the light sources 32 and 33 is provided behind the light guide 50.

As described above in the refrigerator relating to the present modification, since the touch detecting portions 28, 29 and the light sources 32, 33 can be provided on one substrate, the display device 17 is operated in a simple configuration, and the display device 17 is operated. Since the thickness dimension in the front-rear direction is small, the thickness of the heat insulating material 15 at the rear position of the operation display device 17 can be made large, and the heat insulating property of the door 7 can be improved. In addition, other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Next, a modification 2 of the present embodiment will be described based on Fig. 8 .

The present embodiment described above is described based on the user's touch operation and the operation display device 17 that displays the result of the operation. In the present modification, the operation display device 17 is provided on the door 7, and the operation display device 17 is provided with a slide operation for detecting the user. The display portion of the position where the user slides is displayed.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the operation display device 17 provided on the door 7 is provided with an operation panel unit 19 provided to be in contact with the rear surface of the door front panel 13.

The door front panel 13 of the door 7 of the operation panel unit 19 is provided, located In front of the operation panel unit 19, a plurality of (three in this example) operation display unit 20 and a plurality of (four in this example) display units 21 are arranged side by side in a row. The operation display portion 20 accepts a touch operation (or a slide operation of sliding a finger on the front door panel 13) and displays the operation position. The display unit 21 displays the operation position together with the operation display unit 20.

The detection substrate 27 is provided on the front surface of the operation panel unit 19, and the detection substrate 27 is provided with a touch detection unit 28 that detects a change in electrostatic capacitance. The touch detection unit 28 is disposed behind the operation display unit 20, and the light transmission hole 28a provided in the touch detection unit 28 is connected to the substrate side light transmission hole 27a provided in the detection substrate 27 in the front-rear direction. Further, in the detecting substrate 27, a substrate-side light-transmitting hole 27a penetrating in the front-rear direction is provided behind the display portion 21. Further, in the detecting substrate 27, the detecting electrostatic capacitance change touch detecting portion is not provided at the rear position of the display portion 21.

The light shielding cover 30, the circuit board 31, and the light guide 60 are provided behind the detection substrate 27. The light shielding cover 30 is a box-shaped member that is open at the front, and houses the detection substrate 27 therein. The light shielding cover 30 is provided with an inclined surface 36 and a housing recess 37 recessed rearward of the inclined surface 36 behind the detecting substrate 27.

The inclined surface 36 is provided at a position facing the rear surface of the detection substrate 27, and one end side of the operation display unit 20 and the display unit 21 in the direction of the parallel direction is inclined so as to approach the detection substrate 27 from the other end side, and is adjacent to one end thereof. A housing recess 37 is disposed on the side (the side where the interval between the detecting substrate 27 and the inclined surface 36 is large).

The circuit board 31 is provided with a light source 32 composed of a light emitting diode or the like and a control unit 35 that controls the operation display device 17, and in this example, one light source 32 is provided. The circuit board 31 is housed in the housing recess 37 provided in the light shielding cover 30.

The light guide body 60 includes a light guiding portion 62 and a reflecting portion 64, and the light guiding portion 62 is interposed between the detecting substrate 27 and the inclined surface 36 of the light shielding cover 30. The reflection portion 64 reflects the light emitted from the light source 32 of the circuit board 31 housed in the housing recess 37 and guides the light to the light guiding portion 62. The light reflected by the light source 32 of the light guiding unit 62 reflected by the reflecting portion 64 propagates through the light guiding portion 62, and illuminates the operation display portion 20 through the substrate side light transmission hole 27a and the light transmission hole 28a, and also passes through the substrate side light transmission hole. 27a illuminates the display unit 21.

The control unit 35 provided on the circuit board 31 is electrically connected to the touch detecting unit 28 and the light source 32. The control unit 35 causes the light source 32 to be lit and illuminated when a change in the electrostatic capacitance detected by the touch detecting unit 28 provided on the operation display unit 20 provided on the door front panel 13 of the door 7 is detected. The display unit 20 and the display unit 21 are operated. Displays the user's slide position and slide operation direction.

Moreover, the control unit 35 performs processing in a state in which the sliding operation of the operation display unit 20 is effective in accordance with the lighting of the light source 32. In this example, when the plurality of touch detection units 28 sequentially detect the parallel exchange operation to the operation display unit 20 and the display unit 21, that is, the plurality of touch detectors 28 are operated on the display unit 20 and When the side-by-side direction of the display unit 21 sequentially detects the contact or approach of the finger, the sliding operation is detected.

In the refrigerator according to the above-described modification, since the plurality of operation display units 20 and the display unit 21 can be illuminated by one light source 32, the operation display device 17 can be easily configured. The other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, The manner of the invention is presented by way of example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention and the scope of the invention are intended to be included in the scope of the invention and the scope of the invention.

19‧‧‧Operator panel unit

20‧‧‧Operation display

21‧‧‧Display Department

23‧‧‧ display film

27‧‧‧Testing substrate

28, 29‧‧‧ Touch Detection Department

28a‧‧‧Light hole

30‧‧‧shade cover

32, 33‧‧‧ Light source

34‧‧‧Light Guide

Claims (3)

A refrigerator includes: a body having an opening at a front; a door having a door front panel at a front portion, and opening and closing the opening, the door front panel having a light transmissive property; an operation portion disposed at a front surface of the door front panel; and a detecting portion a position facing the operation portion behind the door front panel to detect a change in electrostatic capacitance, and a light source for illuminating the operation portion, wherein the detection portion includes a light transmission hole, and the light transmission hole allows the light source to pass from the light source The emitted light is transmitted to the operation unit. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light transmission holes are provided in the detecting portion. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a substrate disposed at a rear of the front panel of the door, wherein the detecting portion is disposed in front of the substrate, and the light source is disposed behind; the light guiding body is disposed on In the rear of the substrate, the substrate includes a substrate-side light-transmissive hole, and the substrate-side light-transmissive hole is connected to the light-transmitting hole provided in the detecting portion, and the light guide body transmits light emitted from the light source through the substrate side. The light hole and the light transmission hole are led out to the operation portion.