JP7554109B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a refrigerator.

There is known a refrigerator that includes a cooling unit that cools a storage compartment and an information function unit such as a display device. The cooling unit and the information function unit are supplied with power from the same power supply board.

However, in the above-mentioned refrigerator, if the power supply board breaks down, not only will the cooling unit stop working, but the information function unit will also stop working. This can result in reduced convenience for the user.

JP 2019-132550 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a refrigerator that can improve convenience.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment has a housing, a cooling unit, a first communication module, a second communication module, a first power supply board, and a second power supply board. The housing includes a storage compartment. The cooling unit cools the storage compartment. The first communication module is capable of communicating with the outside. The second communication module is provided separately from the first communication module and is capable of communicating with the outside independently of the first communication module. The first power supply board includes a first power supply circuit that supplies power to the cooling unit and the first communication module , and a first control unit that controls the cooling unit based on a control signal received from an external server device via the first communication module. The second power supply board is provided separately from the first power supply board and includes a second power supply circuit that supplies power to the second communication module , a storage unit that stores information indicating a state of the refrigerator, and a second control unit that controls the second communication module to transmit the information stored in the storage unit from the second communication module to the outside when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board .

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 taken along line F2-F2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a first power supply board and a second power supply board according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrical connection configuration between a first power supply board and a second power supply board in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram illustrating an example of a power conversion unit according to the first embodiment. 13 is a diagram showing an electrical connection configuration between a first power supply board and a second power supply board in a modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a first power supply board and a second power supply board according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a first power supply board and a second power supply board according to a third embodiment.

Below, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be given the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these components may be omitted. In this specification, left and right are defined based on the direction in which the refrigerator is viewed from a user standing in front of the refrigerator. In addition, the side closer to the user standing in front of the refrigerator as viewed from the refrigerator is defined as the "front," and the side furthest from the user is defined as the "rear."

In this specification, "based on XX" means "based on at least XX" and may include cases where it is based on other elements in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but may also include cases where it is based on XX that has been calculated or processed. In this specification, "XX or YY" is not limited to cases where only "XX" or only "YY" is used, but may also include cases where both "XX" and "YY" are used. This also applies when there are three or more selective elements. "XX" and "YY" are any elements (for example, any information).

First Embodiment
[1. Overall configuration of the refrigerator]
A refrigerator 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. First, the overall configuration of the refrigerator 1 will be described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator 1. The refrigerator 1 includes, for example, a housing 10, multiple doors 20, a cooling unit 30 (see Figure 2), a door opening device (door opening assistance device) 41, an operation unit 42, a display device 51, a speaker unit 52, an interior camera 53 (see Figure 2), an external connection terminal 54, a communication module 61, a first power supply board 70, and a second power supply board 80.

The housing 10 has an upper wall 10a, a lower wall 10b, left and right side walls 10c and 10d, and a rear wall 10e. The upper wall 10a and the lower wall 10b extend substantially horizontally. The left and right side walls 10c and 10d rise upward from the left and right ends of the lower wall 10b and are connected to the left and right ends of the upper wall 10a. The rear wall 10e rises upward from the rear end of the lower wall 10b and is connected to the rear end of the upper wall 10a. The housing 10 includes an inner box 10i that forms the inner surface of the housing 10, an outer box 10j that is located outside the inner box 10i and forms the outer surface of the housing 10, and a foam insulation material 10k such as foamed urethane that is provided between the inner box 10i and the outer box 10j, and has thermal insulation properties (see FIG. 2).

The housing 10 has a plurality of storage compartments 11 inside. The plurality of storage compartments 11 include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 11A, a chilled compartment 11Aa (see FIG. 2), a vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment 11E. In this embodiment, the refrigerator compartment 11A is located at the top, the vegetable compartment 11B is located below the refrigerator compartment 11A, the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D are located below the vegetable compartment 11B, and the main freezer compartment 11E is located below the ice-making compartment 11C and the small freezer compartment 11D. However, the arrangement of the storage compartments 11 is not limited to the above example. The housing 10 has an opening on the front side of each storage compartment 11 that allows food to be put in and taken out of each storage compartment 11.

The multiple doors 20 close the storage compartment 11 in an openable and closable manner. The multiple doors 20 include, for example, left and right refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa, 20Ab that close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 11A, a vegetable compartment door 20B that closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 11B, an ice-making compartment door 20C that closes the opening of the ice-making compartment 11C, a small freezer compartment door 20D that closes the opening of the small freezer compartment 11D, and a main freezer compartment door 20E that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 11E. In this specification, the housing 10 and the multiple doors 20 are collectively referred to as the "refrigerator body MB."

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F2-F2 of refrigerator 1 shown in FIG.
The cooling unit 30 includes a compressor 31, a refrigeration cooler 32, a refrigeration fan 33, a freezing cooler 34, and a freezing fan 35. The compressor 31 compresses a refrigerant and supplies the compressed refrigerant to the refrigeration cooler 32 and the freezing cooler 34 via a condenser, a capillary tube, or the like.

The refrigeration cooler 32 is disposed in the first duct space D1 provided behind the refrigerator compartment 11A, and cools the air flowing through the first duct space D1 using the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 31. The refrigeration fan 33 circulates the air (cold air) cooled by the refrigeration cooler 32 between the refrigerator temperature zone compartments (refrigeration compartment 11A, chilled compartment 11Aa, and vegetable compartment 11B) and the first duct space D1. This cools the refrigerator compartment 11A, chilled compartment 11Aa, and vegetable compartment 11B.

The freezer cooler 34 is disposed in the second duct space D2 provided behind the main freezer compartment 11E, and cools the air flowing through the second duct space D2 using the refrigerant supplied from the compressor 31. The freezer fan 35 circulates the air (cold air) cooled by the freezer cooler 34 between the freezer temperature zone compartments (ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D, and main freezer compartment 11E) and the second duct space D2. This cools the ice-making compartment 11C, small freezer compartment 11D, and main freezer compartment 11E.

Note that the "cooling unit" referred to in this specification is not limited to the above configuration, but may also include heating devices such as a heater for defrosting or a heater for preventing condensation.

Returning to FIG. 1, the remaining configuration will be described.
The door opening device 41 is a device that automatically opens the refrigerator compartment doors 20Aa and 20Ab. For example, the door opening device 41 has a first door opening device 41A and a second door opening device 41B. The first door opening device 41A is arranged behind the left refrigerator compartment door 20Aa. The first door opening device 41A has a plunger 41p (see FIG. 2) that is pushed forward when an electromagnet is excited. The first door opening device 41A is controlled by a control unit 73 (see FIG. 3) of the first power supply board 70 described later, and forcibly opens the left refrigerator compartment door 20Aa by pushing the plunger 41p forward. Similarly, the second door opening device 41B is arranged behind the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab. The second door opening device 41B is controlled by the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70, and forcibly opens the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab by pushing the plunger 41p forward. However, the type of the door opening device 41 is not limited to the above example.

The operation unit 42 accepts a user's operation to operate the door opening device 41. For example, the operation unit 42 has a first operation unit 42A that accepts a user's operation to operate the first door opening device 41A, and a second operation unit 42B that accepts a user's operation to operate the second door opening device 41B. The first operation unit 42A is provided on the left refrigerator door 20Aa and has a sensor capable of detecting a user's touch operation touching the surface of the left refrigerator door 20Aa. When the first operation unit 42A accepts a user's operation, the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 operates the first door opening device 41A. Similarly, the second operation unit 42B is provided on the right refrigerator door 20Ab and has a sensor capable of detecting a user's touch operation touching the surface of the right refrigerator door 20Ab. When the second operation unit 42B accepts a user's operation, the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 operates the second door opening device 41B. The sensor provided in the first operation unit 42A or the second operation unit 42B detects a touch operation of a user touching the surface of the door 20, for example, by detecting a change in capacitance. However, the sensor provided in the first operation unit 42A or the second operation unit 42B may be a sensor capable of detecting a user's operation of simply bringing a hand close to the surface of the door 20.

The display device 51 is provided on the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab, for example. The display device 51 has, for example, a display panel 51a, a touch sensor (touch panel) 51b, and a control unit 51c. The display panel 51a is an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, a micro-LED (light emitting diode) display, or a liquid crystal display. The display panel 51a has a display screen 51aa on which images and videos are displayed. The display screen 51aa displays images or videos relating to, for example, recipes, cooking procedures, food ingredient management (refrigerator inventory management), the settings of the refrigerator 1 (for example, the set temperature), music (for example, live video), or a weather forecast.

The touch sensor 51b of the display device 51 is provided over the display screen 51aa. The touch sensor 51b is, for example, a capacitance sensor, and can accept user input operations on the display screen 51aa. The control unit 51c controls the display panel 51a. For example, the control unit 51c switches the content to be displayed on the display screen 51aa of the display panel 51a based on the user's operation on the touch sensor 51b. If an error occurs in processing related to the display device 51, the control unit 51c transmits a signal indicating that an error has occurred (an error signal) to the unit control unit 84 (described later) of the second power supply board 80.

The speaker unit 52 is provided, for example, on the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab. The speaker unit 52 has a speaker 52a, a wireless communication module 52b, and a control unit 52c. The wireless communication module 52b is capable of wireless communication with an external terminal device TD. For example, the wireless communication module 52b is capable of wirelessly communicating directly with a terminal device TD located within a predetermined range from the refrigerator 1 (for example, at least a partial space in the same residence as the refrigerator 1). The wireless communication module 52b is a short-range wireless communication module that complies with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The terminal device TD is a terminal device owned by the user of the refrigerator 1, such as a smartphone or tablet terminal.

The control unit 52c of the speaker unit 52 controls the speaker 52a and the wireless communication module 52b. For example, the control unit 52c plays music data stored in a storage unit (not shown) (or the storage unit 85 of the second power supply board 80) based on a control signal received from the terminal device TD via the wireless communication module 52b, and outputs the played music from the speaker 52a to the outside of the refrigerator 1. If an error occurs in processing related to the speaker unit 52, the control unit 52c sends a signal indicating that an error has occurred (an error signal) to the unit control unit 84 of the second power supply board 80. The speaker unit 52 may be a smart speaker equipped with a microphone and having a function as a voice dialogue device.

The interior camera 53 is provided in one or more of the storage compartments 11, which are the refrigerator compartment 11A, the chilled compartment 11Aa, the vegetable compartment 11B, the small freezer compartment 11D, and the main freezer compartment 11E (see FIG. 2). The interior camera 53 has a camera body 53a and a control unit 53b. The camera body 53a takes images of the stored items (food ingredients) contained in the storage compartment 11. The control unit 53b controls the camera body 53a. For example, the control unit 53b operates the camera body 53a at a predetermined cycle to take images of the state inside the storage compartment 11. If an error occurs in the processing related to the interior camera 53, the control unit 53b transmits a signal indicating that an error has occurred (error signal) to the unit control unit 84 of the second power supply board 80.

The external connection terminal 54 is provided, for example, on the right refrigerator compartment door 20Ab. The external connection terminal 54 is, for example, a female connector that complies with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard. A user of the refrigerator 1 can charge the terminal device TD or another device by connecting a charging cable to the external connection terminal 54.

The communication module 61 is provided, for example, on the top wall 10a of the housing 10. The communication module 61 is capable of wireless or wired communication with a router R installed in the same residence as the refrigerator 1. The communication module 61 is capable of communication with an external server device SD (e.g., a cloud server) via the router R, a modem (not shown), and an external network NW such as the Internet. The communication module 61 transmits information indicating the status of the refrigerator 1 to the server device SD. The communication module 61 also receives control signals for remotely operating the refrigerator 1 from the server device SD.

The first power supply board 70 is provided, for example, on the top wall 10a of the housing 10. The first power supply board 70 is a power supply board that receives power from an external commercial power source PS (FIG. 3) and supplies the power required for the cooling operation of the refrigerator 1. For example, the first power supply board 70 supplies power to the cooling unit 30, the door opening device 41, the operation unit 42, and the communication module 61. The first power supply board 70 will be described in detail later.

The second power supply board 80 is provided, for example, on the upper wall 10a of the housing 10. The second power supply board 80 is a power supply board that functions as a main power supply for IoT (Internet of Things) related components. The second power supply board 80 is provided separately from the first power supply board 70. For example, the second power supply board 80 is arranged independently of the first power supply board 70. In this embodiment, the second power supply board 80 is arranged behind the first power supply board 70 with a gap between them. The second power supply board 80 is supplied with power from an external commercial power supply PS and supplies power to the display device 51, the speaker unit 52, and the interior camera 53. The second power supply board 80 will be described in detail later.

[2. Functional configuration of the first power supply board and the second power supply board]
Next, the functional configurations of the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80. As shown in FIG.

[2.1 Functional configuration of first power supply board]
In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, a door opening/closing switch SW and a temperature sensor TS are connected to the first power supply board 70. The door opening/closing switches SW include a refrigerator door opening/closing switch that detects the opening and closing of refrigerator doors 20Aa, 20Ab, a vegetable door opening/closing switch that detects the opening and closing of vegetable door 20B, an ice making door opening/closing switch that detects the opening and closing of ice making door 20C, a small freezer door opening/closing switch that detects the opening and closing of small freezer door 20D, and a main freezer door opening/closing switch that detects the opening and closing of main freezer door 20E.

The temperature sensors TS include a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 11A, a vegetable compartment temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the vegetable compartment 11B, a main freezer compartment temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the main freezer compartment 11E, a refrigerator cooler temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the refrigerator cooler 32, a freezer cooler temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the freezer cooler 34, and an ambient temperature sensor that detects the temperature outside the refrigerator 1 (room temperature).

The first power supply board 70 has a circuit board 70a and a plurality of electrical components 70b (such as integrated circuit components such as a microcontroller, switching elements, and diodes) mounted on the circuit board 70a (see FIG. 2). In the first power supply board 70, the circuit board 70a and the plurality of electrical components 70b realize a power supply circuit (power supply unit) 71, a current detection unit 72, a control unit 73, and a memory unit 74.

The power supply circuit 71 includes an AC-DC converter, a switching circuit, etc., and supplies power to components related to the main functions of the refrigerator 1 (for example, components related to cooling the storage compartment 11). In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 71 converts power supplied from an external commercial power source PS (for example, 100V AC) into desired power (for example, DC power of a desired voltage), and supplies the converted power to the cooling unit 30 (for example, the compressor 31, the refrigeration fan 33, the freezing fan 35), the door opening device 41, the operation unit 42, and the communication module 61. This enables the cooling unit 30, the door opening device 41, the operation unit 42, and the communication module 61 to operate.

The current detection unit 72 includes a current detection circuit and detects the current value of the current flowing through the electrical components of the refrigerator 1. The electrical components are, for example, the compressor 31, the refrigeration fan 33, the freezing fan 35, the ice tray motor, the water supply motor, or the heater.

The control unit 73 constitutes the main control unit of the refrigerator 1. The control unit 73 controls the cooling unit 30 (e.g., the compressor 31, the refrigeration fan 33, the freezing fan 35), the door opening device 41, and the communication module 61 based on the detection results of the operation unit 42, the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the detection results of the current detection unit 72, the control signal for remote operation received via the communication module 61, and a preset control algorithm.

In this embodiment, the first power supply board 70 can communicate with the display device 51 via the second power supply board 80. The control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 transmits a signal to the external server device SD via the communication module 61, requesting an image or video to be displayed on the display device 51. The control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 acquires the image or video to be displayed on the display device 51 from the external server device SD via the communication module 61. The image or video to be displayed on the display device 51 acquired by the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 is transmitted to the unit control unit 84 of the second power supply board 80.

The memory unit 74 stores state history information I1 indicating the history of the state of the refrigerator 1 (for example, information indicating the history of the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the history of the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the history of the detection results of the current detection unit 72, and the history of the operation control mode of the refrigerator 1).

[2.2 Functional configuration of second power supply board]
The second power supply board 80 has a circuit board 80a and a plurality of electric components 80b (integrated circuit components such as a microcontroller, switching elements, transformers, diodes, etc.) mounted on the circuit board 80a (see FIG. 2). In the second power supply board 80, a power supply circuit (power supply unit) 81, a current detection unit 82, a power supply control unit 83, a unit control unit 84, and a storage unit 85 are realized by the circuit board 80a and the plurality of electric components 80b.

The power supply circuit 81 includes an AC-DC converter and a switching circuit, and supplies power to the information function unit provided in the refrigerator 1. In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 81 converts power supplied from an external commercial power supply PS (e.g., AC 100V) into desired power (e.g., DC power of a desired voltage) and supplies the converted power to the display device 51, the speaker unit 52, the interior camera 53, and the external connection terminal 54. This enables the display device 51, the speaker unit 52, the interior camera 53, and the external connection terminal 54 to operate. In this embodiment, the display device 51, the speaker unit 52, and the interior camera 53 are each an example of an "information function unit." In this specification, the term "information function unit" broadly refers to a device having an information processing function. Hereinafter, when the display device 51, the speaker unit 52, and the interior camera 53 are not to be distinguished from one another, they will be referred to as the information function unit FU.

The current detection unit 82 includes a current detection circuit and detects the current value of the current flowing through the information function unit FU or the external connection terminal 54. The current detection unit 82 is an example of a "state detection unit" that detects the state of the information function unit FU or the external connection terminal 54. Note that the "state detection unit" may detect the state of the information function unit FU or the external connection terminal 54 based on the voltage applied to the information function unit FU or the external connection terminal 54, the temperature of the information function unit FU or the external connection terminal 54, etc., instead of the current value.

When an abnormality occurs in one or more information function units FU, the power supply control unit 83 at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board 80 to the information function unit FU in which the abnormality is detected (or the supply of power to all information function units FU). For example, when the power supply control unit 83 receives an error signal from an information function unit FU, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in that information function unit FU and at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board 80 to the information function unit FU. Alternatively/in addition to this, the power supply control unit 83 monitors the current value (or voltage value, temperature value, etc.) detected by the current detection unit 82, and when the current value (or voltage value, temperature value, etc.) of the current flowing through each information function unit FU exceeds a threshold value preset for that information function unit FU, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in that information function unit FU or the second power supply board 80 and at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board 80 to the information function unit FU. Similarly, if the power supply control unit 83 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the external connection terminal 54 or the second power supply board 80, it at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board 80 to the external connection terminal 54.

The unit control unit 84 controls each information function unit FU. For example, when an abnormality occurs in each information function unit FU (for example, when an error signal is received, or when a current value, a voltage value, a temperature value, or the like exceeds a threshold value), the unit control unit 84 outputs a control signal to restart the abnormal information function unit FU, and restarts the abnormal information function unit FU. When the information function unit FU is restarted by the unit control unit 84, the power supply control unit 83 resumes the supply of power to the information function unit FU. When the abnormality does not disappear even after restarting the information function unit FU, the unit control unit 84 stops the information function unit FU in which the abnormality occurred. The unit control unit 84 may restart the information function unit FU two or more times while changing the setting state of the information function unit FU.

The memory unit 85 prestores information I2 for when the refrigerator 1 breaks down, which is a manual for how to respond when the refrigerator 1 breaks down. Information I2 for when the refrigerator breaks down is information that includes what to check if a breakdown is suspected, how to identify the location of the abnormality, or contact information for the manufacturer's support center (service center).

The memory unit 85 also stores inventory information I3 indicating the inventory status of ingredients in the refrigerator 1. The inventory information I3 is, for example, information input through the touch sensor 51b of the display device 51 and/or information determined by the unit control unit 84 based on images from the interior camera 53, and includes information such as the inventory amount, purchase date, and expiration date or best-before date of each ingredient stored in the refrigerator 1. The inventory information I3 may also include images captured by the interior camera 53.

[3. Electrical connection configuration between the first power supply board and the second power supply board]
Next, the electrical connection configuration between the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrical connection configuration between the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80. As shown in FIG.
The first power supply board 70 has a connector 77 and a power line PL provided between the connector 77 and the power supply circuit 71. A power cable CA connected to an external commercial power supply PS is connected to the connector 77. The power supply circuit 71 of the first power supply board 70 is supplied with power (e.g., AC 100V) from the external commercial power supply PS via the power line PL and the power cable CA. In this specification, the term "power line" may include two or more electric wires. A connection point (branch point) C to which a first connector 78 is connected is provided midway along the power line PL.

The power supply circuit 71 of the first power supply board 70 includes a first overcurrent protection circuit 71a and a first insulation circuit 71b. The first overcurrent protection circuit 71a includes, for example, a current clamp circuit, and prevents overcurrent from flowing from the first power supply board 70 to the cooling unit 30, the door opening device 41, the operation unit 42, and the communication module 61. However, the overcurrent protection method is not limited to the above example.

The first insulation circuit 71b includes, for example, a transformer that steps up or down the AC power supplied from an external commercial power source PS, and insulates the power supply circuit 71 between the primary and secondary sides of the transformer. Between the primary and secondary sides of the transformer, for example, double insulation or reinforced insulation is provided to increase the insulation strength. Double insulation refers to insulation that provides basic insulation plus an independent supplementary insulation in case the basic insulation is destroyed. Reinforced insulation refers to a single insulation that provides protection equal to or greater than that provided by double insulation.

The second power supply board 80 has a second connector 88 electrically connected to the first connector 78 of the first power supply board 70 via the power cable CB. The power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 is connected to the external commercial power supply PS via the second connector 88, the power cable CB, the first connector 78, the power line PL, and the power cable CA. As a result, the power supply circuit 71 of the first power supply board 70 and the power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 are electrically connected in parallel to the external commercial power supply PS. The power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 is electrically connected to the external commercial power supply PS once via the first power supply board 70.

The power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 includes a second overcurrent protection circuit 81a and a second insulation circuit 81b. The second overcurrent protection circuit 81a includes, for example, a current clamp circuit, and prevents overcurrent from flowing from the second power supply board 80 to the information function unit FU and the external connection terminal 54. However, the overcurrent protection method is not limited to the above example.

The second insulation circuit 81b includes, for example, a transformer that steps down the AC power supplied from the external commercial power source PS, and insulates the power supply circuit 81 between the primary and secondary sides of the transformer. Between the primary and secondary sides of the transformer, for example, double insulation or reinforced insulation is provided to increase the insulation strength. As described above, the power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 has an overcurrent protection circuit and an insulation circuit in addition to the power supply circuit 71 of the first power supply board 70.

In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 is equipped with a flyback type power conversion unit CNV as a switching power supply (AC-DC converter).

Figure 5 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a flyback type power conversion unit CNV. The power conversion unit CNV includes, from the input side, a diode bridge rectifier 91, a capacitor 92, a high frequency transistor 93, a switching element 94, a rectifier diode 95, and a capacitor 96. With such a power conversion unit CNV, a power supply circuit 81 can be configured with a circuit configuration that allows for low to medium power (power of 100 W or less) to be highly efficient and compact. Such a configuration is effective, for example, when a large-capacity power supply circuit 81 is required.

In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 81 has a PFC control unit 97 that performs PFC control (Power Factor Correction Control). The PFC control unit 97 controls the switching element 94 so that the AC input voltage to the diode bridge rectifier 91 and the charging current of the capacitor 92 are similar in shape. By performing such control, harmonics can be suppressed and the power factor can be improved. This makes it possible to improve efficiency at high output, for example. The PFC control unit 97 is an example of a "power factor control unit."

[4. Example of control when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board, etc.]
In this embodiment, the unit control unit 84 controls the display device 51 based on a user's operation on the touch sensor 51b at any timing, and can display predetermined information (such as malfunction information I2 and/or inventory information I3) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 on the display screen 51aa of the display device 51. This allows the user to know necessary information even if an abnormality occurs in the refrigerator 1 (for example, even if the first power supply board 70 has broken down and is unable to supply power). In this embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board 70, the unit control unit 84 causes the display screen 51aa of the display device 51 to display the predetermined information stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 by a user's operation.

In addition, if the speaker unit 52 has a voice dialogue function, the unit control unit 84 may be able to control the speaker unit 52 based on the user's speech (voice operation) to the speaker unit 52 at any timing, and output predetermined information (such as failure information I2 and/or inventory information I3) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 by voice from the speaker unit 52.

5. Advantages
As a comparative example, a refrigerator is considered in which an independent power supply board for the IoT-related components (information function unit FU) is not provided, and power is supplied from one power supply board of the refrigerator 1 to the cooling unit 30 and the IoT-related components (information function unit FU). In this comparative example refrigerator, if a failure occurs in the power supply board, not only will the operation of the cooling unit 30 stop, but the functions of the IoT-related components (information function unit FU) will also stop. Furthermore, with the increase in IoT-related components in recent years, there is a possibility that the power supply board will have a power rating shortage.

On the other hand, the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment includes a first power supply board 70 that supplies power to the cooling unit 30, and a second power supply board 80 that is provided separately from the first power supply board 70 and supplies power to the information function unit FU. With this configuration, even if the first power supply board 70 fails due to a natural disaster such as an earthquake, high noise, lightning, or the like, the information function unit FU can maintain its function. This improves user convenience. For example, even if the refrigerator 1 fails, if the user can know the failure information I2 through the information function unit FU, the user can smoothly check the failure location and contact the support center. In addition, if the refrigerator 1 fails, if the user can know the inventory information I3 through the information function unit FU, the management of ingredients stored in the refrigerator 1 with a malfunction in the cooling function (such as which ingredients should be consumed first) can be performed more accurately. In addition, if the second power supply board 80 is provided separately from the first power supply board 70, it is less likely that a power rating shortage will occur even if the number of IoT-related parts increases.

In this embodiment, the second power supply board 80 has a power supply control unit 83 that at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board 80 to the information function unit FU if an abnormality occurs in the information function unit FU. This configuration allows the information function unit FU to be managed more safely.

In this embodiment, the second power supply board 80 includes a unit control unit 84 that controls the information function unit FU. With this configuration, even if an abnormality occurs in the refrigerator 1 (for example, even if the first power supply board 70 has broken down and is unable to supply power), the unit control unit 84 can cause the information function unit FU to perform a specified operation (for example, restarting the information function unit FU). This can further improve user convenience.

(Modification)
6 is a diagram showing an electrical connection configuration between a first power supply board 70 and a second power supply board 80 in a modification of the first embodiment. In this modification, the second power supply board 80 has a connector 87. A power supply circuit 81 of the second power supply board 80 is connected to the connector 87.

In this modified example, the power cable CA is electrically branched in parallel into a first power cable C1 and a second power cable C2 by a closed end terminal 101. The first power cable C1 is connected to a connector 77 of the first power board 70. The second power cable C2 is connected to a connector 87 of the second power board 80. As a result, the power circuit 71 of the first power board 70 and the power circuit 81 of the second power board 80 are electrically connected in parallel to the external commercial power source PS. In this modified example, the power circuit 81 of the second power board 80 is electrically connected to the external commercial power source PS without passing through the first power board 70. With this configuration, it is possible to achieve the same effect as in the first embodiment.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a communication module 61 is connected to a second power supply board 80. The configuration other than that described below is the same as that of the first embodiment.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80 in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the communication module 61 is connected to the second power supply board 80. The second power supply board 80 supplies power to the communication module 61. In this embodiment, the communication module 61 is an example of an information function unit FU.

In this embodiment, the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 and the unit control unit 84 of the second power supply board 80 communicate with each other, and status history information I1 indicating the status history of the refrigerator 1 (e.g., information indicating the history of the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the history of the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the history of the detection results of the current detection unit 72, and the history of the operation control modes of the refrigerator 1) is stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80.

In the present embodiment, the second power supply board 80 includes an abnormality determination unit 86 implemented by the circuit board 80a and one or more electrical components 80b. The abnormality determination unit 86 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the first power supply board 70. For example, the abnormality determination unit 86 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the first power supply board 70 based on the detection result of the current detection unit 72 (state detection unit) of the first power supply board 70. For example, the abnormality determination unit 86 determines that there is an abnormality in the first power supply board 70 when the current value (or voltage value, etc.) detected by the current detection unit 72 (state detection unit) of the first power supply board 70 exceeds a preset threshold value, or when the supply of power from the first power supply board 70 is stopped.

In this embodiment, when the abnormality determination unit 86 determines that there is an abnormality in the first power supply board 70, the unit control unit 84 controls the communication module 61 to transmit information indicating that there is an abnormality in the refrigerator 1 (that there is an abnormality in the first power supply board 70) and information indicating the state of the refrigerator 1 to the server device SD. For example, the unit control unit 84 transmits to the server device SD state history information I1 (e.g., information indicating the history of the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the history of the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the history of the detection results of the current detection unit 72, and the history of the operation control mode of the refrigerator 1) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 as an example of information indicating the state of the refrigerator 1.

With this configuration, if an abnormality occurs in the refrigerator 1 (for example, if the first power supply board 70 fails and is unable to supply power), the unit control unit 84 can send information indicating the status of the refrigerator 1 to the external server device SD. As a result, the server device SD that receives the information indicating the status of the refrigerator 1 can analyze the cause of the abnormality in the refrigerator 1 based on the received information. This can further improve user convenience.

In this embodiment, even if the first power supply board 70 fails, the functions of the communication module 61 and the second power supply board 80 are maintained. Therefore, even if the first power supply board 70 fails, the user can check the inventory information I3 stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 through the server device SD by operating the terminal device TD.

In this embodiment, when the abnormality determination unit 86 determines that the first power supply board 70 has an abnormality, the unit control unit 84 may display predetermined information (such as information for failure I2 and/or inventory information I3) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 on the display screen 51aa of the display device 51, with or without a user operation. In addition, when the speaker unit 52 has a voice dialogue function, when the abnormality determination unit 86 determines that the first power supply board 70 has an abnormality, the unit control unit 84 may output predetermined information (such as information for failure I2 and/or inventory information I3) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 by voice from the speaker unit 52, with or without a user operation.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a wireless communication module 111 is connected to a second power supply board 80. The configuration other than that described below is the same as that of the second embodiment.

Figure 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the first power supply board 70 and the second power supply board 80 in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the wireless communication module 111 is connected to the second power supply board 80. The second power supply board 80 supplies power to the wireless communication module 111. The wireless communication module 111 can directly communicate wirelessly with a terminal device TD located within a predetermined range from the refrigerator 1 (for example, at least a partial space in the same residence as the refrigerator 1). The wireless communication module 111 is a short-range wireless communication module that complies with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this embodiment, the wireless communication module 111 is an example of an information function unit FU.

In this embodiment, the control unit 73 of the first power supply board 70 and the unit control unit 84 of the second power supply board 80 communicate with each other, and status history information I1 indicating the status history of the refrigerator 1 (e.g., information indicating the history of the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the history of the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the history of the detection results of the current detection unit 72, and the history of the operation control mode of the refrigerator 1) is stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80. Also, in this embodiment, the second power supply board 80 implements an abnormality determination unit 86 by using a circuit board 80a and one or more electrical components 80b.

In this embodiment, when the abnormality determination unit 86 determines that an abnormality exists, the unit control unit 84 controls the wireless communication module 111 to transmit information indicating that an abnormality exists in the refrigerator 1 (that an abnormality exists in the first power supply board 70) and information indicating the state of the refrigerator 1 to the terminal device TD. For example, the unit control unit 84 transmits to the terminal device TD state history information I1 (e.g., information indicating the history of the detection results of the door opening/closing switch SW, the history of the detection results of the temperature sensor TS, the history of the detection results of the current detection unit 72, and the history of the operation control mode of the refrigerator 1) stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 as an example of information indicating the state of the refrigerator 1.

The terminal device TD can communicate with the server device SD via the external network NW. A specific application program (e.g., a program for remotely controlling the refrigerator 1) is pre-installed in the terminal device TD, and a specific function is realized by executing this program by a processor mounted on the terminal device. For example, when the terminal device TD receives status history information I1 from the refrigerator 1, it transfers the received status history information I1 to the server device SD.

With this configuration, if an abnormality occurs in the refrigerator 1 (for example, if the first power supply board 70 has broken down and is unable to supply power), the unit control unit 84 can send information indicating the status of the refrigerator 1 to the server device SD via the terminal device TD. This allows the server device SD, which has received the information indicating the status of the refrigerator 1, to analyze the cause of the abnormality in the refrigerator 1 based on the received information. This further enhances convenience for users.

In addition, in this embodiment, even if the first power supply board 70 fails, the functions of the communication module 111 and the second power supply board 80 are maintained. Therefore, even if the first power supply board 70 fails, the user can check the inventory information I3 stored in the memory unit 85 of the second power supply board 80 by operating the terminal device TD.

Although several embodiments and variations have been described above, the embodiments and variations are not limited to the above-mentioned examples. For example, the refrigerator 1 may not have some of the configurations described in the embodiments and variations.

According to at least one of the embodiments described above, the refrigerator has a first power supply board that supplies power to the cooling unit, and a second power supply board that is provided separately from the first power supply board and supplies power to the functional units. This configuration can improve convenience.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

1...refrigerator, 10...casing, 11...storage compartment, 30...cooling unit, 51...display device (information function unit), 52...speaker unit (information function unit), 53...interior camera (information function unit), 70...first power supply board, 80...second power supply board, 83...power supply control unit, 84...unit control unit, 85...storage unit, FU...information function unit.

Claims (7)

A refrigerator,
a housing including a storage chamber;
a cooling unit for cooling the storage chamber;
A first communication module capable of communicating with an external device;
a second communication module that is provided separately from the first communication module and is capable of communicating with an external device independently of the first communication module;
a first power supply board including a first power supply circuit that supplies power to the cooling unit and the first communication module , and a first control unit that controls the cooling unit based on a control signal received from an external server device via the first communication module ;
a second power supply board including a second power supply circuit provided separately from the first power supply board and supplying power to the second communication module , a storage unit storing information indicating a state of the refrigerator, and a second control unit controlling the second communication module to transmit the information stored in the storage unit from the second communication module to an external device when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board;
Equipped refrigerator. the first communication module is a communication module capable of communicating with the server device through an external network;
The second communication module is a short-range wireless communication module.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1. the second communication module is capable of wirelessly and directly communicating with a terminal device present in at least a part of the same space in the same residence as the refrigerator, without going through the server device, when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board;
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2. Further comprising an information function unit which is any one of a display device including a display screen, a speaker unit capable of wirelessly communicating with an external terminal device, and an in-store camera capable of photographing the storage room,
the information function unit is supplied with power from the second power supply circuit;
the second power supply board has a power supply control unit that at least temporarily stops the supply of power from the second power supply board to the information function unit when an abnormality occurs in the information function unit;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . Further comprising an information function unit which is any one of a display device including a display screen, a speaker unit capable of wirelessly communicating with an external terminal device, and an in-store camera capable of photographing the storage room,
the information function unit is supplied with power from the second power supply circuit;
The second control unit controls the information function unit .
A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . the second control unit restarts the information function unit at least once when an abnormality occurs in the information function unit;
The refrigerator according to claim 5 . the information function unit is a display device including a display screen;
the second control unit causes the display device to display the information stored in the storage unit, with or without a user operation, when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply board;
The refrigerator according to claim 5 or 6 .

Images