WO2019044240A1

WO2019044240A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2019044240A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/027026
Authority: WO
Inventors: 雅至中川; 上迫　豊志; 尾関　祐仁; 内山　亘; 西岡　伸一郎
Original assignee: パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社
Priority date: 2017-08-29
Filing date: 2018-07-19
Publication date: 2019-03-07
Also published as: JP2019044981A

Abstract

This refrigerator has: a first control unit for controlling a fixed unit (20) which has a cooling unit (40) for cooling air; and a thermally insulating housing (50) which receives a supply of air cooled by the cooling unit (40) to the interior space thereof in which products are stored. In addition, the refrigerator has a second control unit for controlling a movable unit (30) which can be connected to and separated from the fixed unit (20). The cooling unit (40) has a supply port (45) for supplying cooled air to the thermally insulating housing (50), and a recovery port (46) for recovering air from the thermally insulating housing (50). The thermally insulating housing (50) has: a first damper (65) capable of opening and closing an inflow port (63) through which air supplied through the supply port (45) flows; and a second damper (66) capable of opening and closing the outflow port (64) from which air flows out through the recovery port (46). In addition, the second control unit controls the opening and closing of the first damper (65) and the second damper (66) according to the connection and separation of the movable unit (30) to and from the fixed unit (20).

Description

refrigerator

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

Conventionally, a mobile refrigerator is known as an example of a refrigerator. In this mobile refrigerator, casters are attached to the bottom of the refrigerator body, and the mobile refrigerator is configured to be movable (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 10-267512 A

Some refrigerators, such as the movable refrigerator of Patent Document 1, include a defrosting device that removes frost formed by condensation of moisture contained in the outside air in the refrigerator. In this defroster, the frost attached to the inside of the refrigerator is melted by a heater or the like to convert it into water, and this water is stored in a drain pan through a drain hose. However, in the case of such a configuration, when the refrigerator moves, water may leak from the drain pan due to the vibration.

The present invention provides a refrigerator that can prevent water leakage during travel.

The refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention is cooled by the cooling unit by forming a fixed unit having a cooling unit for cooling air, a first control unit for controlling the fixed unit, and an internal space in which an article is accommodated. And a movable unit which can be connected to and separated from the fixed unit, and a second control unit for controlling the movable unit, and the cooling unit is cooled The heat insulation housing has a supply port for supplying air to the heat insulation case, and a recovery port for recovering the air from the heat insulation case. The heat insulation case has an inlet through which the air supplied from the supply port flows. And a second damper capable of opening and closing the outlet, and the second control unit is configured to open and close the first damper and the second damper. To control the movement of the movable unit according to the connection and separation It has been.

According to this configuration, the movable unit provided with the heat insulating casing can be separated and moved with respect to the fixed unit provided with the cooling unit. For this reason, since a cooling unit does not move with a heat insulation housing | casing during movement of a heat insulation housing | casing, the water leak of the cooling part by movement can be prevented.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2: is a perspective view which shows the state which open | released the heat insulation housing | casing of the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3: is a perspective view which shows a part of state in which the door of the heat insulation housing | casing of the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention was latched. FIG. 4: is a perspective view which shows a part of state in which the latching of the door of the heat insulation housing | casing of the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention was cancelled | released. FIG. 5 is a front view of the heat insulation case of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the movable unit of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention is connected to the fixed unit. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the movable unit of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the movable unit of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention separated from the fixed unit. FIG. 10 is a side view of the heat insulating housing of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention. Drawing 13 is a perspective view showing the state where the door of the heat insulation case of the refrigerator concerning an embodiment of the invention was opened. FIG. 14: is a perspective view which shows the state in the middle of opening the door of the heat insulation housing | casing of the refrigerator which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the heat insulating casing of the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a refrigerator according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same parts or corresponding parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions may be omitted. Further, in all the drawings, components for explaining the present invention are extracted and illustrated, and the other components may be omitted. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by the following embodiments.

Embodiment
<Structure of refrigerator>
Hereinafter, an example of the refrigerator according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 10 includes a fixed unit 20 and a movable unit 30, and the fixed unit 20 and the movable unit 30 are separately formed. In addition, although the movable unit 30 side is called front side with respect to the fixed unit 20 and the fixed unit 20 side which is the opposite side is called back side, arrangement | positioning of the refrigerator 10 is not limited to this.

In the fixed unit 20, a cooling unit 40, a power supply unit 21 and a first control unit 22 are integrally provided. In the movable unit 30, the heat insulating casing 50, the vehicle body 70, and the second control unit 31 are integrally provided. The movable unit 30 is movable by the vehicle body 70, and can be coupled and separated with respect to the fixed unit 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heat insulating casing 50 has a main body 51 having an open front (front), and a door 52 for opening and closing the opening of the main body 51. The main body 51 is in the form of a box formed by one or five walls, and has an internal space (inside the cabinet) surrounded by these walls. In each wall constituting the main body 51 and the inner space (heat insulation space) of each door 52, a heat insulating material (not shown) such as glass wool, polystyrene foam, urethane, and a vacuum heat insulating material is accommodated. Control the heat penetration and maintain the temperature inside the refrigerator low.

The door 52 has a rectangular plate shape and is rotatably supported by the hinge 53 on the main body 51. The door 52 is a lower opening door whose lower end portion is attached to the lower end portion of the main body 51 by a hinge 53, and moves downward as it is opened. For example, three hinges 53 are provided. Two of these hinges (not shown) are respectively provided at both ends of the lower end of the door 52, and one remaining hinge 53 is provided at the center of the two hinges. The door 52 may be opened in the lateral direction or the drawer type as in a normal refrigerator, not in the vertical direction.

A door opening / closing sensor 34 for detecting the opening / closing of the door 52 is provided in the heat insulation case 50. For example, the door open / close sensor 34 has an insertion hole 34 a provided on the front surface of the main body 51 and a protrusion 34 b projecting from the insertion hole 34 a. When the door 52 is closed, the projection 34 b is pushed by the door 52 and pulled into the wall of the main body 51 from the insertion hole 34 a. Then, when the door 52 is open, the protrusion 34 b projects forward from inside the wall of the main body 51 through the insertion hole 34 a. The door opening / closing sensor 34 detects the opening / closing of the door 52 based on the position of the projection 34 b thus advanced and retracted, and outputs the detection to the second control unit 31.

On the upper surface of the ceiling wall of the main body 51, a button for operating the movable unit 30 is disposed. As the buttons, for example, a door open button 54, a door close button 55, and a designated position return button 56 are provided. When these buttons are pressed, this signal is output to the second control unit 31.

When the door open button 54 is pressed, the second control unit 31 controls a motor (not shown) connected to the door 52 so as to open the door 52. When the door closing button 55 is pressed, the second control unit 31 controls a motor (not shown) connected to the door 52 so as to close the door 52. When the designated position return button 56 is pressed, for example, the second control unit 31 returns the vehicle body 70 to the reference position with the predetermined position (reference position) connecting the movable unit 30 to the fixed unit 20 as the designated position. Control. The arrangement of the buttons for operating the movable unit 30 is not limited to this, and the movable unit 30 may be operated from the outside of the refrigerator 10 by a portable terminal such as a smartphone and a remote control. Furthermore, the user can arbitrarily determine in advance the designated position at which the movable unit 30 returns. By this program, the movable unit 30 may be returned with this arbitrary position as the predetermined position.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, for example, through holes 57 are provided in each of the two corners on the upper side of the front surface of the main body 51 for the locking portions 58 for locking the door 52 to enter and exit. . Further, a locked portion 59 is provided on the surface of the door 52 on the side of the main body 51 and at a position facing the through hole 57 of the main body 51. The locked portion 59 is a hole which is open at the top and is recessed downward.

The locking portion 58 has a linear motion portion 58a, a cam 58b and a claw portion 58c. The linear movement portion 58a is a rod-like member extending in the vertical direction, and moves up and down by driving an actuator (not shown) when the door open button 54 and the door close button 55 are pressed. The cam 58b has, for example, a triangular shape, and one corner thereof is rotatably connected to the linear movement portion 58a, and the other corner is pivotally supported by the main body 51 at a pivot 58d. Accordingly, the cam 58b rotates clockwise and counterclockwise around the pivot 58d as the linear movement portion 58a moves up and down. The claw portion 58c has an arc shape, and the base end thereof is fixedly connected to the other corner portion of the cam 58b. The tip end of the claw portion 58c moves between the position in the through hole 57 of the main body 51 and the position projecting forward from the through hole 57 in accordance with the rotation of the cam 58b described above.

Such a locking portion 58 functions as follows. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 4, when the door closing button 55 is pushed and the door 52 closes the opening of the main body 51, the linear moving portion 58a moves upward, and the cam 58b and the claw portion 58c counterclockwise in FIG. The tip end of the claw portion 58 c protrudes forward from the position in the through hole 57 of the main body 51 by rotating around. In the state where the door 52 closes the main body 51, the hooked portion 59 of the door 52 is disposed in front of the through hole 57 of the main body 51. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 58c is inserted into the locked portion 59 and locked. Thereby, the state where the door 52 closed the opening of the main body 51 is fixed.

On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. 3, when the door open button 54 is pressed, the linear movement portion 58a moves downward, and the cam 58b and the claw portion 58c rotate clockwise in FIG. Retracts rearward from a forward position which has been projected from the through hole 57 of the main body 51. As a result, the claw portion 58c inserted into the locked portion 59 is removed, and the locking is released. Then, the door 52 is rotated about the hinge 53 by the drive of the motor, and the opening of the main body 51 is opened.

In addition, it is necessary to prevent the door 52 from opening while the movable unit 30 is traveling. Therefore, as in the case where the door closing button 55 is pressed, the state in which the door 52 closes the opening of the main body 51 is fixed.

Furthermore, in the open state of the door 52, the second control unit 31 performs control to stop power supply to the motor 73 (see FIG. 8) provided on the vehicle body 70 so that the movable unit 30 can not travel. May be

In addition, the refrigerator 10 may be provided with a device for stopping the vehicle body 70 when abnormal traveling such as a runaway occurs due to any cause. For example, a stop signal may be communicated from the outside of the refrigerator 10 to the second control unit 31 by a portable terminal such as a smartphone and a remote control to stop the vehicle body 70. Alternatively, it may be stopped by pressing the emergency stop button (not shown) provided on the refrigerator 10 and stopping the power supply to the motor 73 of the vehicle body 70.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the back wall of the heat insulating casing 50 is opened with an inlet 63 through which the air flows into the storage and an outlet 64 through which the air flows out from the storage. The inlet 63 is disposed above the outlet 64. For this reason, the low temperature air which has flowed into the storage from the inlet 63 moves downward in the storage and flows out from the outlet 64.

The heat insulating casing 50 is provided with a damper (first damper 65) which can open and close the inlet 63 and a damper (second damper 66) which can open and close the outlet 64. Opening and closing of the first damper 65 and the second damper 66 is controlled by the first control unit 22 in response to the detection result of the temperature sensor 36 (see FIG. 12) in the storage. In addition, the flow rate of the air which flows in into a storage from the inflow port 63 may be controlled by making adjustable the opening degree of each damper besides fully open and fully closed. Thereby, the temperature in the refrigerator is adjusted. The control of the

dampers

65 and 66 may be effective in a state in which power can be supplied to the dampers 65 and 66 (for example, a state in which the movable unit 30 is in a reference position joined to the fixed unit 20). In this case, useless operation of the refrigerator 10 can be omitted.

The movable unit 30 is disposed, for example, at the back of the storage unit 11, as shown in FIG. The storage unit 11 has a size capable of accommodating the movable unit 30, and is a space recessed from a wall or the like of the kitchen. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the fixing unit 20 is provided, for example, at the back wall of the storage unit 11. The position (reference position) of the movable unit 30 connectable to the fixed unit 20 is set in the storage unit 11.

The cooling unit 40 of the fixed unit 20 has a cooling cycle 41 for cooling the air, a cooling flow path 42 through which the cooled air flows, and a blower fan 43 for sending the air from the cooling flow path 42 to the heat insulating housing 50. doing. The cooling cycle 41 includes a compressor 44a for compressing the refrigerant, an evaporator 44b for cooling the air by utilizing the heat of evaporation of the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 44a, piping (not shown) connecting them, and the like. It is.

The cooling unit 40 further includes a supply port 45 for supplying the cooled air to the heat insulating casing 50, and a recovery port 46 for recovering the air from the heat insulating casing 50. Among these, the supply port 45 is provided at one end of the cooling flow channel 42, the recovery port 46 is provided at the other end of the cooling flow channel 42, and the cooling flow channel 42 connects the supply port 45 and the recovery port 46. The blower fan 43 disposed in the cooling flow passage 42 is disposed in the direction in which air flows into the inside of the heat insulating housing 50 via the supply port 45 and the inflow port 63 in the vicinity of the supply port 45. The driving and stopping of the compressor 44a and the driving and stopping of the blower fan 43 are controlled by the first control unit 22 (see FIGS. 1 and 12). The wind power of the blower fan 43 may be adjustable, and in this case, the air volume is controlled by the first control unit 22.

When the heat insulating casing 50 is connected to the cooling unit 40, the supply port 45 of the cooling unit 40 is disposed to face the inlet 63 of the heat insulating casing 50. As a result, the cooling flow channel 42 of the cooling unit 40 and the inside of the heat insulating housing 50 can be communicated via the supply port 45 and the inflow port 63. Then, the air supplied from the supply port 45 flows into the storage from the inflow port 63.

The recovery port 46 is disposed below the supply port 45, and when the heat insulating housing 50 is connected to the cooling unit 40, the recovery port 46 of the cooling section 40 faces the outlet 64 of the heat insulating housing 50. It is arranged as. Thereby, the cooling flow passage 42 of the cooling unit 40 and the inside of the heat insulating housing 50 can be communicated with each other through the recovery port 46 and the outlet 64. The air flowing out of the outlet 64 is recovered from the recovery port 46 to the cooling channel 42.

The cooling unit 40 is provided with a damper (third damper 47) capable of opening and closing the supply port 45 and a damper (fourth damper 48) capable of opening and closing the recovery port 46. Opening and closing of the third damper 47 and the fourth damper 48 are controlled by the first control unit 22. For example, when the movable unit 30 is separated from the fixed unit 20, the third damper 47 and the fourth damper 48 may be closed to allow foreign matter such as dust to enter the cooling unit 40 from the supply port 45 and the recovery port 46. It is prevented. The flow rate of the air supplied from the supply port 45 may be controlled by adjusting the degree of opening of the third damper 47 and the fourth damper 48. Thereby, the temperature in the inside of the heat insulation case 50 is adjusted.

The cooling unit 40 may be provided with a defrosting unit 49. The defrosting unit 49 is disposed, for example, in the vicinity of the recovery port 46, and is constituted by a heating unit such as a heater, and melts the frost adhering to the evaporator 44b or the like and converts it into water. This water is stored in a tank (not shown) or discharged to the outside. In addition, the fixing unit 20 may have a mechanism for evaporating the water by a fan or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the vehicle body 70 for moving the movable unit 30 includes a vehicle body 71, wheels 72, a motor 73 for driving the wheels 72, and a storage battery 74 for supplying power to the motor 73. have. The vehicle body 71 is in the form of a box whose lower side is open, and is integrally formed with the main body 51 of the heat insulating casing 50. The top wall of the vehicle body 71 is provided in parallel with the bottom wall of the main body 51 of the heat insulating housing 50 at an interval. The back wall of the vehicle body 71 is continuously connected to the back wall of the main body 51 of the heat insulating case 50, and the rear portions of the left and right side walls of the vehicle body 71 are connected to the rears of the left and right side walls of the main body 51 of the heat insulating case 50.

The wheel 72 is provided with a rotating shaft (not shown) rotated by the motor 73, and a holding portion (not shown) having a turning shaft that supports the rotating shaft and is orthogonal to the rotating shaft. Accordingly, the wheel 72 is rotated by the rotation of the rotation axis, and the movable unit 30 moves. In addition, when the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels 72 are made different, the holding unit rotates about the turning axis, and the movable unit 30 changes the moving direction.

For example, the wheels 72 are configured by a pair of left and right front wheels 72a disposed forward and a pair of left and right rear wheels 72b disposed rearward. The front wheel 72a is connected to the motor 73 and rotationally driven, and the rear wheel 72b moves in accordance with the movement of the front wheel 72a.

The storage battery 74 is a rechargeable secondary battery that can be recharged, is attached to the rear of the top wall of the vehicle body 71, and is disposed between the pair of rear wheels 72b. The center of gravity of the movable unit 30 is stabilized by the arrangement of the storage battery 74 even during autonomous traveling, and smooth traveling is possible. The electric power from the storage battery 74 is supplied to the motor 73, various sensors mounted on the movable unit 30, the second control unit 31, the first damper 65, and the second damper 66. Further, the storage battery 74 is provided with a power receiving terminal (not shown).

The power supply unit 21 is disposed below the fixed unit 20, as shown in FIG. The power supply unit 21 is connected to an external power supply such as a commercial AC power supply. The power supply unit 21 supplies power from the external power supply to the cooling unit 40, the first control unit 22, and the storage battery 74 of the vehicle body 70 of the movable unit 30. The power supply unit 21 has an output terminal (not shown), and when the power supply terminal of the storage battery 74 contacts the output terminal of the power supply unit 21, the output terminal and the power reception terminal are connected and the storage battery 74 is connected. Supply power. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, when the movable unit 30 separates from the fixed unit 20 and the power receiving terminal is separated from the output terminal, the output terminal and the power receiving terminal are separated, and the power supply to the storage battery 74 is stopped.

For example, the power supply unit 21 may include an output unit using a coil or the like, and the storage battery 74 may include an input unit using a coil or the like. In this case, the power supply unit 21 supplies power to the storage battery 74 while the output unit and the input unit are not in contact with each other.

Furthermore, the refrigerator 10 may include an apparatus for determining whether the power supply unit 21 normally supplies power to the storage battery 74. For example, the current value on the input unit side of the power supply unit 21 may be detected, and the first control unit 22 may determine the power feeding state. In this case, the first control unit 22 may control the power supply unit 21 to stop power supply when the current value is less than or equal to a predetermined specified value.

Moreover, the refrigerator 10 may be equipped with the apparatus which detects the foreign material pinched between the electric power supply part 21 and the storage battery 74. As shown in FIG. For example, a sensor for temperature detection or the like may be disposed at the output of the power supply unit 21 or at the input of the storage battery 74.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 10 and 11, the distance measurement sensor 32 and the obstacle sensor 33 are mounted on the movable unit 30. For the distance measurement sensor 32, for example, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) is used. The distance measuring sensor 32 emits light in a range forming a predetermined central angle θ in plan view, detects the distance to an object present in this range, and outputs the detection information to the second control unit 31. In addition, what is necessary is just to select the detection distance required for the ranging sensor 32 suitably according to the use environment of the refrigerator 10 etc., for example, what can detect the object of the range within 20 m is employable.

The distance measuring sensor 32 is disposed in a detection space 35 which is a space between the heat insulating casing 50 and the vehicle body 70 in the movable unit 30. The arrangement position of the distance measurement sensor 32 is on the front side of the center of the movable unit 30 in the front-rear direction, and is around the upper portion of the front wheel 72a. By this, the vibration which the ranging sensor 32 receives from the vehicle body 70 side at the time of a self sustaining can be reduced, and detection accuracy of the ranging sensor 32 can be improved. The detection space 35 (FIG. 11) extends forward and laterally from the distance measurement sensor 32 over a range of a predetermined angle θ (for example, 270 degrees) with the distance measurement sensor 32 as a center, and the distance measurement sensor 32 It is provided symmetrically with respect to a straight line L extending through in the front-rear direction. Thereby, the distance measurement sensor 32 scans light in the forward and left and right directions through the detection space 35 to acquire the position and shape of an object around the movable unit 30, and a map showing the arrangement of the object is obtained. create.

The obstacle sensor 33 is disposed on the front wall of the vehicle body 70, and for example, an ultrasonic sensor is used. The obstacle sensor 33 has a transmitter 33a for emitting an ultrasonic wave, and a receiver 33b for receiving an ultrasonic wave reflected from an object. The obstacle sensor 33 detects an object present in a wide range of upper and lower and left and right surroundings, and outputs a detection signal to the second control unit 31. As such an ultrasonic sensor, for example, one capable of detecting an object within a range of 4 m can be employed.

As shown in FIG. 12, in addition to the door open / close sensor 34, the distance measurement sensor 32, and the obstacle sensor 33, a temperature sensor 36 is mounted on the movable unit 30. The temperature sensor 36 is disposed in the interior of the heat insulation housing 50 and detects the temperature inside the interior. In addition, a temperature sensor 36 may be additionally disposed outside the storage case 50 and the outside air temperature may be detected. Furthermore, a position sensor 37 is provided between the fixed unit 20 and the movable unit 30.

The position sensor 37 is constituted by, for example, a contact switch and a detection protrusion. The contact switch is provided on the inner wall surface of the housing portion 11 of the fixed unit 20, and the detection protrusion is provided on the rear wall surface of the heat insulating casing 50 of the movable unit 30. Therefore, when the movable unit 30 enters the storage unit 11 and is in a position (reference position) where it can be connected to the fixed unit 20, the output of the contact switch is switched by being pressed by the detection projection that constitutes the position sensor 37. Thereby, it is detected whether the movable unit 30 is at the reference position. The position sensor 37 is not limited to the configuration including the contact switch and the detection protrusion, and may have a configuration including a magnetic switch and a magnet, or an optical sensor using a light emitting element.

In addition to the first damper 65 and the second damper 66, a lighting unit 67 is provided in the movable unit 30, as shown in FIG. The illumination unit 67 is disposed inside the heat insulation case 50 (see FIG. 7), and an LED element or the like is used. The lighting and extinguishing of the illumination unit 67 are controlled by the second control unit 31.

The first control unit 22 includes an operation unit (first operation unit 22a) and a storage unit (first storage unit 22b), and controls each unit of the fixed unit 20. The second control unit 31 includes an operation unit (second operation unit 31a) and a storage unit (second storage unit 31b), and controls each unit of the movable unit 30.

Each storage unit (the first storage unit 22b, the second storage unit 31b) is configured by a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and programs necessary for the refrigerator 10 to function and various kinds of programs to be referred to when executing the programs It stores data etc. Each operation unit (the first operation unit 22a, the second operation unit 31a) is constituted by a CPU or the like, and reads and executes a program of each storage unit (the first storage unit 22b, the second storage unit 31b). Thereby, each control unit (the first control unit 22 and the second control unit 31) controls the operation of each unit. Each control unit (the first control unit 22 and the second control unit 31) may be configured by a single control device that performs centralized control, or is configured by a plurality of control devices that perform distributed control in cooperation with each other. It may be done.

Furthermore, the fixed unit 20 is provided with the first communication unit 23, and the movable unit 30 is provided with the second communication unit 38. The first control unit 22 and the second control unit 31 described above transmit and receive information via the first communication unit 23 and the second communication unit 38. The first communication unit 23 and the second communication unit 38 are communication units, and when the fixed unit 20 and the movable unit 30 are connected, they are communicably connected by wireless. Even when the movable unit 30 is separated from the fixed unit 20, the first communication unit 23 and the second communication unit 38 can communicate wirelessly if the separation distance is within a predetermined range. It may be configured.

<Operation of the refrigerator>
The operation of the refrigerator 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 7, FIG. 9, FIG. 12, and FIG. This operation is controlled by the first control unit 22 and the second control unit 31.

First, as shown in FIG. 7, the movable unit 30 is housed in the housing portion 11 and disposed at a reference position in the housing portion 11. Here, the movable unit 30 is connected to the fixed unit 20, and the first communication unit 23 and the second communication unit 38 are communicably connected. Thereby, the first control unit 22 of the fixed unit 20 and the second control unit 31 of the movable unit 30 can mutually communicate data. Thereby, the first control unit 22 can obtain the detection result of at least one of the temperature sensor 36, the door open / close sensor 34, and the position sensor 37 via the communication unit.

For example, the position sensor 37 detects the movable unit 30 at the reference position, outputs this detection information to the first communication unit 23 via the second communication unit 38, and further performs the first control from the first communication unit 23 Output to unit 22. Thereby, the first control unit 22 determines that the connection between the power supply unit 21 and the storage battery 74 of the movable unit 30 is possible, and drives the power supply unit 21 to transmit power from the power supply unit 21 to the storage battery 74. Supply.

In addition, detection information from the temperature sensor 36 is output to the first control unit 22 via the second communication unit 38 and the first communication unit 23. Here, if the temperature in the cold storage of the heat insulation housing 50 detected by the temperature sensor 36 is lower than a predetermined temperature, the inside of the cold storage is sufficiently cooled. Therefore, the first control unit 22 restricts the supply of the cooling air from the cooling unit 40 by closing the third damper 47 or stopping the operation of the blower fan 43 and the compressor 44 a. As a result, excessive cooling of the inside of the refrigerator can be prevented, and energy saving of the refrigerator 10 can be achieved. In addition, the second control unit 31 may close the first damper 65 based on the detected temperature from the temperature sensor 36 and limit the supply of the cooling air from the cooling unit 40.

Further, detection information from the door open / close sensor 34 is output to the first control unit 22 via the second communication unit 38 and the first communication unit 23. Here, if the door 52 of the heat insulation housing 50 detected by the door open / close sensor 34 opens the main body 51, the first control unit 22 lights the illumination unit 67. In addition, the first control unit 22 controls the third damper 47, the fourth damper 48, the blower fan 43, and the compressor 44a so that the first control unit 22 limits the supply of cooling air from the cooling unit 40. Do. In addition, the second control unit 31 may close the first damper 65 based on the detection information from the door open / close sensor 34 and limit the supply of the cooling air from the cooling unit 40.

Then, the user instructs the movement of the movable unit 30 using the remote controller 12 provided separately from the fixed unit 20 and the movable unit 30. The position of the remote control 12 is specified as coordinates in the room by a position detection unit such as a radio wave signal such as WiFi or a sound wave signal in an inaudible area disposed in a room such as a living room. Position information whose target position is this position is output to the first control unit 22 of the fixed unit 20 via the wireless LAN. Here, the position information of the target position is not only the current position of the user according to the position specification of the remote controller 12, but the user may freely select the target position from the map information of the room. In addition, you may use portable terminals, such as a smart phone and a tablet, as this remote control 12. FIG. Also, instead of the remote controller 12, the movement of the movable unit 30 may be instructed by the voice of the user. In this case, the room is provided with a sensor for detecting voice.

The first control unit 22 obtains the detection result from the position sensor 37 and the door open / close sensor 34 of the movable unit 30 when the position information of the target position is obtained. That is, the first control unit 22 determines that the movable unit 30 is at the reference position based on the detection of the position sensor 37 and the door 52 is closed based on the detection of the door open / close sensor 34. Then, the first control unit 22 closes the third damper 47 and the fourth damper 48 in order to separate the heat insulating casing 50 of the movable unit 30 from the cooling unit 40 of the fixed unit 20, and the first damper 65 and the second A closing command for the damper 66 is output to the second control unit 31.

The second control unit 31 receives the command from the first control unit 22 and closes the first damper 65 and the second damper 66, and then performs the first control of the closing information of the first damper 65 and the second damper 66. Output to unit 22. The first control unit 22 outputs the position information of the target position to the second control unit 31 from the closure information from the second control unit 31 assuming that the movable unit 30 can be separated from the fixed unit 20.

The second control unit 31 searches for a movement route to the target position based on position information of the target position and map information of the room. The map information of the room is created in advance by the second calculation unit 31a of the second control unit 31 based on the detection information obtained from the distance measurement sensor 32 when moving previously, and is stored by the second storage unit 31b . For example, map information of a room includes the position of an object such as furniture in the room as coordinates. The second control unit 31 obtains the shortest route to the target position as the movement route while avoiding the object.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the movement route is determined, the second control unit 31 drives the motor 73 (see FIG. 8). The wheel 72 is rotated by the motor 73, and the movable unit 30 is moved and separated from the fixed unit 20. Further, the second control unit 31 adjusts the difference in rotation of the pair of front wheels 72a according to the moving route, and changes the moving direction of the movable unit 30.

Thus, the movable unit 30 moves separately from the fixed unit 20. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the water of frost removed by the defrosting unit 49 of the cooling unit 40 of the fixed unit 20 from leaking due to vibration or the like when the movable unit 30 moves. Further, since the cooling unit 40 and the power supply unit 21 are disposed in the fixed unit 20, the weight of the movable unit 30 can be reduced.

While the movable unit 30 is moving, if the map information of the room stored in advance in the second storage unit 31 b is different from the information detected in real time by the distance measurement sensor 32, the second control unit 31 measures distance The map information is updated based on the detection information from the sensor 32. Along with this, the second control unit 31 also corrects the movement route according to the updated map information. The second control unit 31 also specifies the position of the movable unit 30 in the room based on the detection information from the distance measurement sensor 32. The second control unit 31 controls the motor 73 to move the movable unit 30 along the movement route according to the specific position and the movement route.

In addition, when an object (obstacle) such as a person suddenly appears on the moving route of the movable unit 30 during movement, the obstacle sensor 33 detects this object and outputs the detection result to the second control unit 31. The second control unit 31 changes the traveling speed of the movable unit 30 by the motor 73 based on the detection result. As a result, the driving of the motor 73 can be temporarily stopped or the moving route can be changed to prevent the movable unit 30 from colliding with an object.

In addition, since the position of the object can be specified also for the distance measuring sensor 32, the distance measuring sensor 32 detects the object on the moving route, and the second control unit 31 may stop the movable unit 30 based on the detection result. it can. Thus, the obstacle sensor 33 and the distance measurement sensor 32 can also be used as a detection sensor of an obstacle.

Furthermore, for example, due to a failure or the like of the distance measurement sensor 32, the second control unit 31 may not be able to obtain an accurate specific position of the movable unit 30 and map information. In such a case, the movable unit 30 may approach an object. However, when the obstacle sensor 33 detects this object, the second control unit 31 can stop the movable unit 30 based on the detection result from the obstacle sensor 33. Therefore, the ultrasonic sensor can secure fail safe of the movable unit 30.

Then, when the movable unit 30 reaches the target position, the second control unit 31 stops the motor 73. Here, when the door open button 54 on the top surface of the heat insulation casing 50 of the movable unit 30 is pressed by the user, the door 52 is opened, and the main body 51 of the heat insulation casing 50 is opened.

Further, as the door open button 54 is pressed, the illumination unit 67 is turned on. As a result, the interior of the heat insulation housing 50 is illuminated by the lighting unit 67, and the user can easily check the inside of the storage.

Then, when the door closing button 55 on the top surface of the heat insulating housing 50 is pressed by the user, the door 52 is closed, and the main body 51 of the heat insulating housing 50 is closed. Furthermore, when the designated position return button 56 on the top surface of the heat insulating casing 50 is pressed by the user, the second control unit 31 sets the reference position in the storage unit 11 as the target position, and the map information of the second storage unit 31b. Create a move route based on.

At this time, when the second control unit 31 acquires position information of a new target position, it may move directly to the new target position from the current position. In addition, when the designated position return button 56 is not pressed for a predetermined time (for example, one hour) or more, or when the temperature sensor 36 detects a reference temperature or more, the second control unit 31 alarms the user. The mobile unit 30 may be controlled to be returned to the reference position in the storage unit 11 after being notified by a voice such as, and communication display on the remote control 12.

After confirming that the door 52 is closed based on detection information from the door open / close sensor 34, the second control unit 31 drives the motor 73 according to the movement route based on the detection result from the distance measurement sensor 32. Thus, when the movable unit 30 returns to the reference position in the storage unit 11, the position sensor 37 detects that the movable unit 30 has reached the reference position, and the detection result is used as the first control unit 22 and the second control. Output to section 31. The second control unit 31 stops the driving of the motor 73, and the first control unit 22 causes the power supply unit 21 to supply power to the storage battery 74.

In addition, if the temperature inside the refrigerator detected by the temperature sensor 36 is higher than a predetermined temperature and the door 52 detected by the door open / close sensor 34 is closed, the first control unit 22 opens each damper. Thus, the inside of the heat insulating casing 50 communicates with the cooling flow passage 42 of the cooling unit 40, and the cooling air by the cooling unit 40 flows from the supply port 45 at one end of the cooling flow passage 42 to the inlet 63 of the heat insulating casing 50. Supplied to As a result, the cooling air flows into the inside of the storage communicating with the inflow port 63, and the inside of the storage is cooled. Then, the air in the storage is recovered from the outlet 64 communicating into the storage to the recovery port 46 at the other end of the cooling flow channel 42, and is again cooled by the cooling unit 40 in the cooling flow channel 42.

(Modification)
The refrigerator 10 may be provided with a groove 60 on the inner surface of the right side wall and the left side wall of the main body 51 as shown in FIGS. 2, 13 and 14. The groove 60 extends in the front-rear direction, and has a rear portion (a portion located on the back side of the main body 51), a front portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween. The rear part, the middle part and the front part of the groove 60 are formed continuously. Among them, the rear portion extends horizontally, the middle portion is inclined to be positioned on the front side, and the front portion extends horizontally.

In the storage of the main body 51, a shelf 61 supporting articles (articles) such as food and dishes is provided. The shelf 61 has a plate shape and is supported by the frame portion 62 so as to be horizontal. At both end portions of the frame portion 62 in the left-right direction, protrusions (not shown) respectively projecting outward to the left and right are provided, and these protrusions are fitted in the groove 60. The frame portion 62 moves in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door 52. At this time, the protrusion of the frame portion 62 moves along the groove portion 60 and, for example, as shown in FIG. In the state, a part of the frame 62 is located forward of the opening of the main body 51.

For example, as shown in FIG. 15, in one side wall of the main body 51, a ball screw 68a whose axis is directed in the front-rear direction and a movable plate 68b meshed with the ball screw 68a are provided. The movable plate 68b moves back and forth with the rotation of the ball screw 68a, and supports the projection of the frame portion 62 described above so as to be vertically movable. In addition, a motor 69 is accommodated in the rear wall of the main body 51 in order to rotate the ball screw 68 a. Thus, when the motor 69 is driven to rotate the ball screw 68a, the movable plate 68b moves forward or backward, and along with this, the frame 62 along with the projection also moves forward or backward.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13, when the door 52 is opened and the frame 62 moves forward, the frame 62 moves upward by the groove 60 that inclines upward toward the front, and the frame 62 is moved to the frame 62. The shelf 61 being supported is also moved upward and protrudes forward from inside the refrigerator. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 14, when the door 52 is closed and the frame 62 is moved backward, the frame 62 is moved downward by the groove 60 which inclines downward toward the rear and supported by the frame 62 The rack 61 being moved is also moved downward and is contained in the cabinet.

Thus, when the door 52 is opened, as shown in FIG. 13, the shelf 61 moves upward and protrudes forward from the inside of the refrigerator. For this reason, even if the height of the movable unit 30 is low, the position of the shelf 61 is elevated, and the user can easily take a plate or the like placed on the shelf 61.

In addition, regarding the mechanism in which this shelf 61 moves, it is applicable not only in the form of this refrigerator 10, but in a normal refrigerator. For example, the shelf 61 may be disposed in the household refrigerator 200 shown in FIG.

The refrigerator 200 includes a main body 201, and a compressor 202, an evaporator 203, and an evaporation pan 204 for storing water generated in the evaporator 203 are disposed on the back of the main body 201. The internal space of the main body 201 is divided into a plurality of (for example, four) storage chambers 208 to 211 by partition walls 205 to 207. The front of the main body 201 is open, and doors 212 to 215 are provided. For example, the shelf 61 is provided in the storage room 208.

On the back side of the central portion of the main body 201, a cooling chamber 218 partitioned by a cooling chamber wall 216 connecting the partition wall 206 and the partition wall 207 is provided, and the evaporator 203 is disposed in the cooling chamber 218. ing. The air around the evaporator 203 is cooled, and the cooled air is supplied to the storage chambers 208 to 211 through the cooling flow channel 217 formed between the compartment wall and the back surface of the main body 201.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the motor 73 is mounted on the vehicle body 70 in the movable unit 30, and the movable unit 30 autonomously travels by the motor 73. However, the configuration of the movable unit 30 is not limited to this. For example, the motor 73 may not be provided on the vehicle body 70. In this case, the user pulls the movable unit 30 and moves it.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the movable unit 30 is provided with the vehicle body 70, but the vehicle body 70 may not be provided. In this case, the user can mount the movable unit 30 on the carriage and move it by pulling or the like.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the refrigerator 10 is provided with the third damper 47 capable of opening and closing the supply port 45 and the fourth damper 48 capable of opening and closing the recovery port 46. However, when the movable unit 30 is separated, cold air leakage can be minimized by stopping the blower fan 43. The third damper 47 at the top of the refrigerator 10 may not be provided. The four dampers 48 may not be provided.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 12, the movable unit 30 is provided with the door open / close sensor 34, the temperature sensor 36 and the position sensor 37. However, the door opening / closing sensor 34 may not be provided in the movable unit 30, the temperature sensor 36 may not be provided, and the position sensor 37 may not be provided.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the distance measuring sensor 32 is provided, and the movable unit 30 returns to the reference position in the storage unit 11 according to the movement route based on the detection result from the distance measuring sensor 32. . However, the method of returning the movable unit 30 to the reference position in the storage unit 11 is not limited to this. For example, a transmission member for transmitting a signal for guiding to the reference position is separately provided in the storage unit 11, and a reception member for receiving the guidance signal is separately provided to the movable unit 30. When the movable unit 30 reaches a predetermined position such as the entrance of the storage unit 11, the receiving member moves to the reference position while receiving the induction signal from the transmitting member.

In the above embodiment, the map around the movable unit 30 is created based on the detection result of the distance measurement sensor 32, but the map is not limited to this. For example, the map may be stored in advance in a memory such as the second storage unit 31 b of the movable unit 30. In this case, the movable unit 30 is driven by its autonomous traveling program. The position of the remote control and the portable terminal or the like possessed by the user may be specified, and travel may be made in the vicinity of the user using a map stored in the existing.

In the above embodiment, the movable unit 30 may further include a cooking unit such as an IH heater. The electric power of the cooking section may be supplied from the storage battery 74.

From the above description, many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description should be taken as exemplary only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the present invention. The structural and / or functional details may be substantially altered without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriate combinations of a plurality of components disclosed in the above embodiment.

As described above, the refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention has a fixed unit having a cooling unit for cooling air, a first control unit for controlling the fixed unit, and an internal space in which articles are accommodated. The heat insulating housing is provided with the air cooled by the cooling unit being supplied to the internal space. And a movable unit that can be connected to and separated from the fixed unit, and a second control unit that controls the movable unit. In addition, the cooling unit has a supply port for supplying cooled air to the heat insulation case, and a recovery port for recovering the air from the heat insulation case, and the heat insulation case is the air supplied from the supply port. It has an inflow inlet, an outlet from which air flows out to a recovery port, a first damper capable of opening and closing the inlet, and a second damper capable of opening and closing the outlet. Furthermore, the second control unit controls the opening and closing of the first damper and the second damper according to connection and separation of the movable unit.

In the refrigerator according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the movable unit further has a vehicle body on which the heat insulating casing is mounted, and the vehicle body includes a wheel, a motor for driving the wheel, and electric power to the motor The fixed unit may further include a power supply that supplies power to the storage battery during connection with the movable unit.

According to this configuration, the movable unit can autonomously travel by the vehicle body. In addition, since the power supply unit and the cooling unit are separated from the movable unit during movement of the movable unit, the movable unit can be reduced.

In the refrigerator according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the movable unit emits light in a range of a predetermined central angle, and can detect the distance to an object present in the range of the predetermined central angle And an obstacle sensor for detecting an object present in the surroundings. Furthermore, even if the second control unit determines the traveling route of the movable unit based on the detection result from the distance measurement sensor, and changes the traveling speed of the movable unit based on the detection result from the obstacle sensor. Good.

According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain the current position of the movable unit and the map information of the surroundings from the detection result of the distance measurement sensor. For this reason, the moving route from the current position to the target position can be created based on the map information, and the movable unit can be moved. In addition, the obstacle can be detected from the detection result of the obstacle sensor, and the movable unit can be safely moved by stopping the movable unit and changing the movement route. Furthermore, when the movable unit approaches an object due to a failure of the distance measurement sensor or the like, the obstacle sensor can stop the movable unit or change the moving route to secure fail safe of the movable unit.

In the refrigerator according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the movable unit emits light within a range of a predetermined central angle, and can detect the distance to an object present within the predetermined central angle range. And an obstacle sensor for detecting an object present in the surroundings. Furthermore, even if the second control unit determines the traveling route of the movable unit based on the detection result from the distance measurement sensor, and changes the traveling speed of the movable unit based on the detection result from the obstacle sensor. Good.

In the refrigerator according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the heat insulating casing has a main body whose front is open and a door which can open and close the opening of the main body. In addition, the movable unit is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the internal space of the heat insulation housing, a door open / close sensor that detects opening and closing of the door, and detects whether or not the movable unit can be connected to the fixed unit. It further comprises at least one sensor of the position sensor. In addition, in a state where the movable unit is connected to the fixed unit, the first control unit may be configured to obtain the detection result of the sensor via the communication unit.

According to this configuration, since the movable unit is connected to the fixed unit, the heat insulating case is cooled by the cooling unit or the cooling is stopped based on the detection results of the position sensor, the temperature sensor, and the door open / close sensor. be able to.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is useful as a refrigerator or the like that can prevent water leakage during movement.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 refrigerator 20 fixed unit 21 electric power supply part 22 1st control part 30 movable unit 32 ranging sensor 33 obstacle sensor 34 door opening / closing sensor 36 temperature sensor 37 position sensor 40 cooling part 45 supply port 46 collection port 50 heat insulation housing 51 main body 52 door 61 shelf 63 inlet 64 outlet 65 1st damper 66 2nd damper 70 body 72 wheel 73 motor 74 storage battery

Claims

A fixed unit having a cooling unit for cooling air;
A first control unit that controls the fixed unit;
A movable unit that has an insulating housing that forms an internal space in which an article is accommodated and the air cooled by the cooling unit is supplied to the internal space, and that can be connected to and separated from the fixed unit;
And a second control unit configured to control the movable unit.
The cooling unit has a supply port for supplying cooled air to the heat insulating casing, and a recovery port for recovering air from the heat insulating casing.
The heat insulating housing includes an inlet through which air supplied from the supply port flows, an outlet through which the air flows out to the recovery port, a first damper that can open and close the inlet, and the outlet. And a second damper capable of opening and closing,
The second control unit controls opening and closing of the first damper and the second damper according to connection and separation of the movable unit.
The movable unit further includes a vehicle body on which the heat insulating casing is mounted;
The vehicle body includes a wheel, a motor for driving the wheel, and a storage battery for supplying power to the motor.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fixed unit further comprises a power supply unit for supplying power to the storage battery during connection with the movable unit.
The movable unit is
A distance measuring sensor capable of emitting light in a range of a predetermined central angle and detecting a distance to an object present in the predetermined central angle range;
And an obstacle sensor for detecting an object present in the surroundings,
The second control unit is configured to determine a traveling route of the movable unit based on a detection result from the distance measuring sensor, and change a traveling speed of the movable unit based on a detection result from the obstacle sensor. The refrigerator according to claim 1.
The movable unit is
A distance measuring sensor capable of emitting light in a range of a predetermined central angle and detecting a distance to an object present in the predetermined central angle range;
And an obstacle sensor for detecting an object present in the surroundings,
The second control unit is configured to determine a traveling route of the movable unit based on a detection result from the distance measuring sensor, and change a traveling speed of the movable unit based on a detection result from the obstacle sensor. The refrigerator according to claim 2.
The heat insulation case has a main body whose front is open, and a door which can open and close the opening of the main body,
The movable unit is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the internal space of the heat insulating housing, a door open / close sensor that detects opening / closing of the door, and whether the movable unit can be connected to the fixed unit Further comprising at least one sensor of a position sensor for detecting
In a state in which the movable unit is connected to the fixed unit, the first control unit moves the detection result of at least one of the temperature sensor, the door open / close sensor, and the position sensor to the fixed unit and the movable unit. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is configured to acquire via a communication unit that transmits and receives signals between units.