JP6782064B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to refrigerators.

Recently, an open door switch including an electrostatic switch is provided on the front of the door of the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-72581 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-21696

However, when an electrostatic switch is provided as a door opening switch for the refrigerator door as described above, the user uses a hand below the door of the refrigerator compartment (for example, the door of the vegetable compartment). When you open it, the electrostatic switch may react to this hand and the door of the refrigerator compartment may also open. In such a case, since the lower part of the door of the refrigerating room moves by rubbing the user's hand, there is a problem that the user's hand may feel pain.

Therefore, in view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that does not cause pain even if a user's hand hits the lower part of the upper door.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet, an upper door provided on the front surface of the cabinet, and a lower door provided on the front surface of the cabinet and adjacent to the lower side of the upper door. A handle portion recessed downward is formed in the upper front portion of the lower door, and a door opening switch composed of an electrostatic switch is provided in the lower portion of the upper door to correspond to the handle portion of the lower door. A refrigerator in which the radius of curvature of the front lower end portion of the lower corner portion of the upper door at the position is larger than the radius of curvature of the upper corner portion, the left corner portion, and the right corner portion of the upper door .

The front view of the refrigerator which shows one Embodiment of this invention. Vertical cross-sectional view seen from the side of the refrigerator. Top view of the refrigerator. Enlarged front view of the left door, the right door, and the door of the vegetable room. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. Enlarged cross-sectional view of the left and right corners of the left door. Enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper and lower corners of the left door. The front view of the switch board. The rear view of the switch board. It is a figure of the front surface of a switch board, and is the figure in the state which describes the LED. An exploded perspective view of the door opening operation unit. Refrigerator block diagram.

Hereinafter, the refrigerator 10 of one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12.

(1) Structure of Refrigerator 10 The structure of the refrigerator 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator 10, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the refrigerator 10 as viewed from the side surface.

The cabinet 11 of the refrigerator 10 is a heat insulating box body, which is formed of an inner box and an outer box, and a heat insulating material is filled between them. The cabinet 11 has a refrigerating room 12, a vegetable room 13, a small freezing room 14, and a freezing room 15 in this order from the top, and an ice making room 16 is provided next to the small freezing room 14. A horizontal heat insulating partition 36 is provided between the vegetable compartment 13, the small freezing chamber 14, and the ice making chamber 16. The refrigerating room 12 and the vegetable room 13 are separated by a horizontal partition body 38. A double door 121 and a right door 122 are provided on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment 12, and drawer doors 131, 141 and 151 are provided in the vegetable compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, the freezer compartment 15 and the ice making chamber 16, respectively. , 161 are provided.

A plurality of shelves 40 are horizontally provided in the refrigerating chamber 12, and a chilled chamber 42 is provided below. A plurality of door pockets 44 are provided on the rear surfaces of the left and right doors 141 and 142 of the refrigerator compartment 12. The vegetable compartment 13 is provided with drawer-type vegetable containers 46 and 48.

A refrigerating evaporator (hereinafter referred to as "R EVA") 28 is provided from the lower part of the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber 12 to the rear surface of the vegetable compartment 13, and a refrigerating blower (hereinafter referred to as "R fan") 30 is provided below the evaporator. It is provided. The R EVA 28 and the R fan 30 are arranged in the R EVA chamber 20, which is a cooling chamber surrounded by the EVA cover 18.

A freezing evaporator (hereinafter referred to as "F EVA") 32 is provided in the F EVA chamber 29 from the rear surface of the small freezing chamber 14 and the ice making chamber 16 to the rear surface of the freezing chamber 15, and a freezing blower is provided above the F EVA chamber 29. 34 (hereinafter referred to as "F fan") is provided. A defrost heater (not shown) is provided below the F EVA 32.

A machine room 22 is provided at the bottom of the rear surface of the cabinet 11, and a compressor 24 or the like constituting a refrigeration cycle is placed therein. A control plate 26 having a control unit 50 is provided on the upper part of the rear surface of the machine room 22.

(2) Left door 121, right door 122, door 131
Next, the structures of the left door 121 and the right door 122 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

The left door 121 and the right door 122 of the refrigerator compartment 12 are of a double door type that is opened by a hinge portion, the left door 121 has a hinge portion on the left side, and the right door 122 has a hinge portion on the right side.

A pair of left and right door pressing devices 101 and 102 are provided on the front portion of the ceiling surface of the cabinet 11. The door pressing device 101 opens the left door 121 by pushing the plunger forward with an electromagnet in response to a door opening signal from the control unit 50. The door pressing device 102 opens the right door 122 by pushing the plunger forward with an electromagnet in response to a door opening signal from the control unit 50.

The front surface of the left door 121 has a front plate 103 formed of a steel plate, and a rear plate 104 is attached to the rear of the front plate 103. At the lower part of the left door 121, a lower cap 105 made of synthetic resin is attached from the lower part of the front plate 103 to the lower part of the rear surface plate 104. In the space surrounded by the front plate 103, the rear plate 104, and the lower cap 105, a heat insulating member 106 made of urethane foam or a heat insulating panel is provided. Sealing materials 107 for preventing cold air leakage are attached to the top, bottom, left, and right of the rear plate 104 in a frame shape. The sealing material 107 comes into contact with the front end portion of the partition plate 38 to close the inside of the refrigerating chamber 12. Further, a plurality of shelves 44 are attached to the rear surface of the rear surface plate 104.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lower cap 105 has a shape that covers only the rear portion of the lower portion of the left door 121, and a handle portion 108 for inserting a hand from below is formed at the lower end of the lower cap 105.

A panel plate 109 made of synthetic resin is attached to the lower part of the front plate 103 and in front of the lower cap 105. A storage space 110 is formed between the panel plate 109 and the lower cap 105 on the rear right side, and the door opening operation unit 201 on the left side is stored in the storage space 110.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the radius of curvature of the left corner portion and the right corner portion of the front plate 103 of the left door 121 and the lower cap 105 is R, and the radius of curvature of the upper corner portion of the front plate 103 of the left door 121 When the radius of curvature is also R, the radius of curvature of the front lower end portion of the lower cap 105 forming the lower corner portion of the left door 121 is formed with a radius of curvature larger than R (for example, it is formed in 2R).

The right door 122 also has a symmetrical structure with the left door 121.

The door 131 of the vegetable compartment 13 is a pull-out type, and the front surface of the door 131 is provided with a front plate 111 made of a steel plate, and a cap 112 is provided at the upper end of the front plate 111. The cap 112 is made of synthetic resin, and a handle portion 113 for putting a hand in the front portion is formed. The handle portion 113 has an open upper surface and a concave shape, and a finger is inserted from above as shown in FIG. A sealing material 114 for preventing cooling leakage is attached to the rear portion of the cap 112. The sealing material 114 is attached to the rear surface of the door 131 in a frame shape, and the upper sealing material 114 comes into contact with the partition body 38 to close the vegetable compartment 13.

(3) Door opening operation units 201 and 202
Next, the door opening operation units 201 and 202 will be described with reference to the drawings. The door opening operation unit 201 on the left side and the door opening operation unit 202 on the right side have the same structure and have a symmetrical shape.

The door opening operation unit 201 on the left side is attached to the lower right side of the left door 121 as described above, and the panel plate 109 is attached in front of the door opening operation unit 201. When the user operates the door opening operation unit 201, the control unit 50 operates the left door pressing device 101 to open the left door 121. Further, the door opening operation unit 202 is attached to the lower left side of the right door 122, and the panel plate 109 is attached to the front surface. When the user operates the door opening operation unit 202 on the right side, the control unit 50 operates the door pressing device 102 on the right side to open the right door 122.

As shown in FIG. 11, the door opening operation unit 201 has a substrate assembly 203 and a casing 204 for accommodating the substrate assembly 203.

The casing 204 is made of synthetic resin and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The front surface is opened to provide an opening portion 218, the lower surface is opened, and the opening portion of the lower surface is closed by the lid member 205. Is pasted with a metal body such as aluminum foil. Further, a metal body 219 such as aluminum foil is attached to the inner surface of the lid member 205 made of synthetic resin. As a result, the electromagnetic waves generated from the main body side of the refrigerator 1 do not affect the substrate assembly 203 side.

The board assembly 203 is composed of a shielding plate 206, a switch board 207, and an LED board 216. The substrate assembly 203 is housed in the casing 204 through the opening 218 of the casing 204.

The shielding plate 206 is made of synthetic resin, and the switch substrate 207 is fixed to the front surface, and the LED substrate 216 is fixed to the rear surface.

The switch board 207 is a board for a capacitance type touch sensor, and is provided with an electrostatic switch 210 and a guard electrode 211. A panel plate 109 is arranged in front of the switch board 207.

The LED substrate 216 is provided with a plurality of LEDs 217.

(4) Switch board 207
Next, the switch board 207 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 shows the front surface of the switch board 207, and FIG. 9 shows the rear surface.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the switch board 207 of the door opening operation unit 201 has an elongated rectangular shape, and the switch board 207 has an electronic component mounting portion 208, an electrostatic switch 210, and a guard electrode 211. An arrangement portion 209 is provided.

A plurality of electronic components 208a such as connectors are mounted on the mounting portion 208, and the electronic components 208a project from the rear surface, and the protruding portions are housed in the recesses of the shielding plate 206.

As shown in FIG. 8, an electrostatic switch 210 as a first electrode, an intermediate region electrode 214 as a second electrode, and a guard electrode 211 as a third electrode are provided on the front surface of the arrangement portion 209. There is. The electrostatic switch 210 and the guard electrode 211 are metal electrodes and are electrically insulated from each other.

As shown in FIG. 9, a mesh-shaped ground pattern 215, which is a fourth electrode, is provided on the rear surface of the arrangement portion 209.

The electrostatic switch 210 is a capacitance type touch (contact) electrode that generates an electromagnetic field P, and is a touch sensor for detecting that a user's finger is approaching. The electrostatic switch 210 includes a mutual capacitance type touch sensor and a self-capacitance type touch sensor. The mutual capacitance method is composed of one transmitting electrode and one receiving electrode, and when a current is supplied to the transmitting electrode, an electromagnetic field is generated and the electromagnetic field is received by the receiving electrode. For example, when a finger approaches the detection region of the electrostatic switch 210, a part of the electromagnetic field is absorbed and received by the receiving electrode, and the amount of detected energy is reduced, so that the electrostatic switch 210 detects the approach of the finger. it can. The self-capacitance method requires one electrode (electrostatic switch 210) having stray capacitance. The stray capacitance of the electrode (electrostatic switch 210) is affected by the parasitic capacitance between the electrode (electrostatic switch 210) and the conductor (finger) around it. When the finger approaches the electrostatic switch 210, the value of the stray capacitance increases due to the influence of the parasitic capacitance, and by measuring the increased stray capacitance, the electrostatic switch 210 can detect the approach of the finger.

The intermediate region electrode 214 is provided between the electrostatic switch 210 and the guard electrode 211, assists the electrostatic switch 210, and has a function as an electrostatic switch.

The guard electrode 211 generates an electromagnetic field Q that suppresses the downward spread of the electromagnetic field P generated by the electrostatic switch 210.

The ground pattern 215 is provided so that noise from the main body side of the refrigerator 10 does not affect the electromagnetic field P generated by the electrostatic switch 210 and the electromagnetic field Q generated by the guard electrode 211.

(5) Electrostatic switch 210
Next, the electrostatic switch 210 will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the electrostatic switch 210 is a horizontally long rectangular switch, and slits 212 and 213 are vertically formed around the electrostatic switch 210. A through hole 210C is formed in the center of the electrostatic switch 210, and a lead wire pattern 210D is connected to the through hole 210C as shown in FIG. Since the act of pushing (contacting) the electrostatic switch 210 with a finger by the user is usually performed toward the center of the electrostatic switch 210, the through hole 210C is formed so that the through hole 210C is formed at the center of the electrostatic switch 210. ing.

Further, on the panel plate 109 attached to the front of the electrostatic switch 210, a display unit 115 for indicating the position of the electrostatic switch 210 is described. The display unit 115 has, for example, a ring shape, and the position where the display unit 115 is displayed is shifted upward from the center of the electrostatic switch 210. That is, the display is shifted to a position opposite to the guard electrode 211.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, one end of the electrostatic switch 210 is connected to the arrangement portion 209 by the connecting portion 210A, and the other end of the electrostatic switch 210 is connected to the arrangement portion 209 by the connecting portion 210B. ing. The slits 212 and 213 do not surround the entire electrostatic switch 210 and are formed in a U shape by connecting the electrostatic switch 210 and the outside of the slits 212 and 213 with connecting portions 210A and 210B. This is because the switch board 207 is not divided.

(6) LED board 216
Next, the LED substrate 216 will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the plurality of LEDs 217 provided on the LED substrate 216 are arranged behind the slits 212 and 213 surrounding the electrostatic switch 210 via the shielding plate 206. The shielding plate 206 is provided with an opening through which light passes corresponding to these LEDs 217. The four LEDs 217 corresponding to the four corners of the slits 212 and 213 are arranged outside the slit 213 that is separated from the slit 212.

(7) Guard electrode 211
Next, the guard electrode 211 will be described. The guard electrode 211 shown in FIG. 8 is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape below the electrostatic switch 210 and the intermediate region electrode 214 in the arrangement portion 209. The guard electrode 211 generates an electromagnetic field Q in the direction opposite to the electromagnetic field P generated by the electrostatic switch 210. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the electromagnetic field P generated by the electrostatic switch 210 is suppressed from spreading downward by the electromagnetic field Q in the opposite direction generated by the guard electrode 211.

(8) Electrical Configuration of Refrigerator 10 Next, the electrical configuration of the refrigerator 10 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the control unit 50 is electrically connected to the electrostatic switch 210 of the door opening operation units 201 and 202, the guard electrode 211, the door pressing devices 101 and 102, and a plurality of LEDs 217.

Further, a compressor 24, an R fan 30, an F fan 34, and the like are connected to the control unit 50.

(9) Installation of Door Opening Operation Unit 201 Next, a structure for attaching the door opening operation unit 201 to the left door 121 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, and 11.

First, the substrate assembly 203 is inserted into the casing 204 from the opening portion 218.

Next, the lid member 205 is attached to the opening portion on the lower surface of the casing 204 with the substrate assembly 203 housed therein, and the substrate assembly 203 is fixed to the casing 204. As a result, the door opening operation unit 201 is completed.

Next, the front plate 103, the rear plate 104, and the lower cap 105 are attached, the heat insulating member 106 is injected, and the left door 121 is assembled. Then, the door opening operation unit 201 is attached to the storage space 110 formed by the lower cap 105.

Next, the panel plate 109 is attached to the lower part of the front plate 103. At this time, the display unit 115 is positioned slightly above the center of the electrostatic switch 210.

The door opening operation unit 202 is also attached to the right door 122 in the same manner as described above.

(10) Operating State of Door Opening Operation Unit 201 Next, an operating state when the user opens the left door 121 will be described.

First, the control unit 50 energizes the electrostatic switch 210 while the left door 121 is closed to generate an electromagnetic field P, and energizes the guard electrode 211 to generate an electromagnetic field Q. ..

Next, when the user's finger enters the electromagnetic field P, which is the detection region of the electrostatic switch 210, the electrostatic switch 210 outputs an approach signal SG indicating that the finger is approaching to the control unit 50.

Next, when the approach signal SG is input, the control unit 50 determines that the finger has approached the electrostatic switch 210, stops the energization of the guard electrode 211, and sets the sensitivity of the electrostatic switch 210 to "high". Decrease from "sensitivity" to "low sensitivity". Further, the control unit 50 simultaneously lights the LED 217 to illuminate the periphery of the electrostatic switch 210, and makes the position of the electrostatic switch 210 stand out. This allows the user to visually confirm the position of the electrostatic switch 210.

Next, when the finger touches the electrostatic switch 210 from the state where the finger is close to the electrostatic switch 210, the electrostatic switch 210 functions as a contact switch, and the electrostatic switch 210 means that the finger touches the electrostatic switch 210. The contact signal SH indicating is output to the control unit 50.

Next, when the contact signal SH is input, the control unit 50 outputs a door opening signal to the door pressing device 101 to open the left door 121.

This operation content is the same for the right door 122.

(11) Effect According to the above embodiment, when the door 131 of the vegetable compartment 13 is opened, a finger is put into the handle 113 at the upper end of the door 131 as shown in FIG. 5 and pulled forward. At this time, the electrostatic switch 210 of the left door 121 and the right door 122 may erroneously function, and the left door 121 or the right door 122 may open with the user's hand inserted in the handle portion 113. However, since the radius of curvature of the lower corner portion of the lower cap 105 of the left door 121 or the right door 122 is formed to be larger than the other radius of curvature, the lower corner portion of the lower cap 105 moves along the user's hand. Does not cause pain without giving a shock to the user's hand.

Further, since the upper part of the left door 121 and the right door 122 is formed of the front plate 103 made of steel plate and the lower part is formed of the panel plate 109 made of synthetic resin, the electrostatic switch 210 is provided behind the panel plate 109. Since the door opening operation units 201 and 202 are easily attached and are made of synthetic resin, the function of the electrostatic switch 210 is not impaired. Further, since the front plate 103 and the panel plate 109 of the steel plate are continuously and flatly formed, the boundary is difficult to understand, there is a sense of unity, and the design is excellent.

(12) Other Modified Examples Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

10 ... Refrigerator, 11 ... Cabinet, 12 ... Refrigerator room, 13 ... Vegetable room, 50 ... Control unit, 101 ... Door pressing device, 102 ... Door pressing device, 121 ... left door, 122 ... right door, 131 ... vegetable room door, 109 ... panel board, 115 ... display unit, 201 ... door opening operation unit, 202 ... open Door operation unit, 210 ... electrostatic switch, 211 ... guard electrode

Claims (4)

With the cabinet
The upper door provided on the front of the cabinet and
A lower door provided on the front surface of the cabinet and adjacent to the lower side of the upper door,
Have,
A handle portion recessed downward is formed in the upper front portion of the lower door.
A door opening switch composed of an electrostatic switch is provided at the lower part of the upper door.
The radius of curvature of the front lower end portion of the lower corner portion of the upper door located at the position corresponding to the handle portion of the lower door is larger than the radius of curvature of the upper corner portion, the left corner portion, and the right corner portion of the upper door.
refrigerator. The upper part of the front surface of the upper door is made of a steel plate, and the lower part of the front surface of the upper door located below the steel plate is made of a synthetic resin plate.
The refrigerator according to claim 1. The lower door is a pull-out door.
The refrigerator according to claim 1. On the front of the storage room of the cabinet, a double door type left door and a right door are provided.
The upper door corresponds to the left door and the right door, respectively.
The refrigerator according to claim 1.

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