JP2018031583A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it readily understandable whether an operation part is operable or not.SOLUTION: A refrigerator includes: a door having a door front plate having light transmissivity at a front face; an operation region installed at the front face of the door front plate; an operation part installed within the operation region; a light source for lighting the operation part from backward; and control means for controlling a lighting state of the light source. An operation to the operation part is effective when the light source lights, while an operation to the operation part is ineffective when the light source does not light.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a refrigerator.

  In the refrigerator, an operation panel including a plurality of operation units for setting modes and the like and a plurality of display units for displaying modes and the like is provided on the front surface of the door that opens and closes the front opening of the main body. In general, the light source (for example, LED) provided on the back side of the display unit corresponding to the display unit is turned on to display the setting state.

JP 2012-78086 A

With the configuration described above, it is not known whether the operation can be performed by looking at the operation unit of the operation panel.
Therefore, a refrigerator that can make it easy to understand whether or not the operation unit can be operated is provided.

  The refrigerator of the present embodiment includes a main body having an opening on the front surface, a door having a translucent door front plate on the front surface and opening and closing the opening, and an operation area provided on the front surface of the door front plate. An operation unit provided in the operation area, a light source that illuminates the operation unit from the back, and a control unit that controls the lighting state of the light source are provided. The operation on the operation unit is effective when the light source is turned on, and the operation on the operation unit is invalid when the light source is turned off.

Whole front view showing the refrigerator of one embodiment FIG. 5 is a diagram of the operation display device as viewed from the front, where (a) is a diagram illustrating a state of a standby mode, and (b) is a diagram illustrating a state in which all display units are displayed in an operable mode. The perspective view which shows roughly the state which incorporates the operation panel unit in the accommodating part of a door Schematic exploded perspective view of the operation panel unit Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state broken along the line X5-X5 in Fig. 2B. Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state broken along the line X6-X6 in Fig. 2B. The figure which shows the control content of the light source of an operation part

  Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. First, in FIG. 1 which shows the front of the whole refrigerator, the main body 1 of the refrigerator is comprised by the cabinet which has heat insulation, and several storage chambers are formed in the inside. As the storage room, a refrigerated room 2 and a vegetable room 3 are provided in order from the top, an ice making room 4 and a small freezer room 5 are provided side by side under the vegetable room 3, and a main freezer room 6 is provided at the bottom. Is provided. Among these, the upper refrigerator compartment 2 and the vegetable compartment 3 are storage compartments of a refrigeration temperature zone, and are adjusted to a temperature of about 3 ° C to 5 ° C. The ice making room 4, the small freezer room 5, and the main freezer room 6 are storage rooms in a freezing temperature zone, and are adjusted to a temperature of about -20 ° C. Although not shown, the main body 1 is provided with a refrigeration cycle including a refrigeration cooler for cooling the refrigeration temperature zone storage chamber and a refrigeration cooler for cooling the refrigeration temperature zone storage chamber. ing. The ice making chamber 4 is provided with an automatic ice making device (not shown).

  On the front face of the refrigerating room 2, two left and right doors 7 and 8 that open and close the front opening of the refrigerating room 2 are provided. These left and right doors 7 and 8 are double doors, the left door 7 is pivotally supported by a hinge (not shown) at the left end, and the right door 8 is a hinge (not shown) at the right end. It is pivotally supported by. Doors 9, 10, 11, and 12 that open and close the front openings of the corresponding storage rooms are provided on the front surface of the vegetable room 3, the front surface of the ice making room 4, the front surface of the small freezer room 5, and the front surface of the main freezer room 6, respectively. Is provided. Each of the doors 9 to 12 is a drawer type, and a storage container is provided on the back side of each of the doors 9 to 12 (not shown).

  Door front plates 13 are provided on the front sides of the doors 9 to 12 of the left and right doors 7 and 8 of the refrigerator compartment 2, the vegetable compartment 3, the ice making compartment 4, the small freezer compartment 5 and the main freezer compartment 6, Each door front plate 13 is constituted by a glass plate having translucency in this case. Moreover, each door 7-12 is the structure which provided the heat insulating material 15 between the door front board 13 and the door inner board 14, as shown in FIG. 5 and 6 schematically show cross-sectional views of the left door 7 of the refrigerator compartment 2.

  The left door 7 of the left and right doors 7 and 8 of the refrigerator compartment 2 is provided with an operation display device 17 on the right side and on the lower side. Hereinafter, the operation display device 17 will be described with reference to FIGS. An accommodation portion 18 (see FIG. 3) having an opening on the right side surface is provided on the right side and on the lower side of the left door 7, and the operation panel unit 19 is laterally disposed in the accommodation portion 18. It is accommodated by the slide from. The opening on the right side surface of the housing portion 18 is closed by a detachable lid 18a.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an operation area 20 and a display area 21 (whichever is the case) are positioned in front of the operation panel unit 19 on the front surface of the door front plate 13 of the door 7 provided with the operation panel unit 19. Also, a region surrounded by a two-dot chain line is provided. Among these, the operation area | region 20 is an area | region long in an up-down direction. The display area 21 is located on the left side of the operation area 20 and is a long area in the vertical direction along the operation area 20. A part of the lower portion of the display area 21 is also located below the operation area 20.

  A second operation unit 22 is provided in the lower part of the operation area 20. In this case, the second operation unit 22 is provided on the back surface of the door front plate 13 by printing (see FIG. 6), and is displayed so that it can be always seen from the front of the door front plate 13. This 2nd operation part 22 is a display which designed the house. In addition, the colored paint 16 is provided in the back surface of the door front board 13 except the part which needs translucency. Thereby, it is processed so that the heat insulating material 15 etc. cannot be seen from the front of the door front plate 13.

  On the front surface of the operation panel unit 19, a translucent display film 23 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided. In this display film 23, a plurality of, in this case, five operation units 24 are provided by letter printing and positioned behind the operation area 20, and a plurality of operation parts 24 are positioned behind the display area 21. A display unit 25 is provided by character printing. In this case, the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25 are not visible from the front of the door front plate 13 in a normal state, and are visible from the front of the door front plate 13 when illuminated from the back side by a light source (LED) described later. become.

  The five operation units 24 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction, and in order from the top, the characters “refrigeration”, “freezing”, “freezing function”, “ice making”, and “power saving”, and the circle surrounding the characters Is displayed. The display unit 25 includes, in order from the top, a cooling strength display unit 25a, a refrigeration function display unit 25b, an ice making function display unit 25c, a power saving function display unit 25d, an eco mode display unit 25e, a half-door display unit 25f, and a key lock display. A portion 25g is provided, and a key lock explanation display portion 25h is provided below the second operation portion 22.

  Among them, the cooling strength display unit 25a is located on the left side between the operation unit 24 for “refrigeration” and the operation unit 24 for “freezing”, and a storage room in a refrigeration temperature zone or a storage room in a refrigeration temperature zone. The cooling strength is displayed and is shared by the “refrigeration” operation unit 24 and the “frozen” operation unit 24. The refrigeration function display unit 25b is positioned on the left side of the operation unit 24 for “refrigeration function” and displays a plurality of refrigeration functions, and is switched based on the operation of the operation unit 24 for “refrigeration function”. The ice making function display unit 25c is located on the left side of the “ice making” operation unit 24 and displays two ice making functions, and is switched based on the operation of the “ice making” operation unit 24. The power saving function display unit 25d is positioned on the left side of the “power saving” operation unit 24 and displays a plurality of power saving modes, and is switched based on the operation of the “power saving” operation unit 24.

  The eco mode display unit 25e is located on the left side of the second operation unit 22 and is displayed in the eco mode. The half door display portion 25f is displayed (lighted) when any of the door switches (not shown) for detecting opening / closing of the doors 7 to 12 detects the “open” state for a predetermined time, and displays the “closed” state. The display is canceled (turned off) when detected. The key lock display unit 25g is displayed based on the second operation unit 22 being pressed and held for 3 seconds or longer, and the operation of the operation unit 24 is disabled. The key lock explanation display unit 25 h is disposed below the second operation unit 22.

  On the back side of the display film 23, a touch detection sheet 27 (see FIG. 4) is provided. The touch detection sheet 27 is provided with five capacitive touch detection units 28 positioned behind the five operation units 24, and behind the second operation unit 22. One electrostatic capacitance type touch detection unit 29 is provided. The touch detection unit 28 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is formed in a circular shape corresponding to the outer shape of the operation unit 24, and the touch detection unit 29 corresponding to the second operation unit 22 is formed in a shape corresponding to the second operation unit 22. (Baseball base base shape). The touch detection units 28 and 29 are each composed of a transparent electrode having translucency.

  A circuit board 31 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is provided behind the touch detection sheet 27 via a light shielding cover 30. The circuit board 31 is provided behind the five operation units 24, and in this case, a light source 32 composed of LEDs is provided, and is located behind the display units 25 a to 25 h in the display unit 25. In this case, a light source 33 made of LEDs is also provided. The light shielding cover 30 is provided with a light guide portion 34 for guiding light from the light sources 32 and 33 to the corresponding operation portion 24 and the display portions 25a to 25h. The circuit board 31 is provided with a control unit 35 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) including a microcomputer, for example. The touch detection units 28 and 29 and the light sources 32 and 33 are electrically connected to the control unit 35. The control unit 35 constitutes control means. The control unit 35 is a control unit of the operation display device 17 and is electrically connected to a control device (not shown) on the main body 1 side that controls the refrigeration cycle and the like.

  Here, as will be described later, when the human finger touches or approaches a portion corresponding to the second operation unit 22 in the operation region 20 of the door front plate 13 of the door 7, the control unit 35 changes the capacitance. Based on this, it is detected that the second operation unit 22 has been operated, and based on this, the lighting state of the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is controlled. The control unit 35 always treats the operation with respect to the second operation unit 22 as a valid state, but the operation with respect to the operation unit 24 is not. Although specifically described later, the control unit 35 treats the operation on the operation unit 24 as an effective state when the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is turned on, but the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is turned off. In the state, the operation on the operation unit 24 is treated as an invalid state (not accepted).

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
In the operation display device 17, when there is no operation for the second operation unit 22 and the operation unit 24 for a predetermined time, the standby mode is set. In the standby mode, all the light sources 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 are turned off, and the operation unit 24 cannot be seen from the front of the door 7 (see FIG. 2A). In this state, even if a human finger touches the operation unit 24 in the operation area 20 of the door front plate 13 of the door 7, the operation on the operation unit 24 is in an invalid state, so the control unit 35 accepts the operation. Absent. In the standby mode, the uppermost cooling strength display unit 25 a is turned off in the display unit 25. When the operation unit 24 for “refrigeration” or the operation unit 24 for “freezing” is operated in the cooling intensity display unit 25a, the lighting of the light source 33 is controlled according to the operation, and the operation is performed. When a predetermined time elapses after the end, the light source 33 is automatically turned off. In the display unit 25, the light source 32 of the display unit corresponding to the mode set by the operation of the operation unit 24 is lit up.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control contents related to the control of the light source 32 of the operation unit 24 among the control contents of the control unit 35. The control unit 35 is on standby until the second operation unit 22 is operated in the standby mode described above (step S1). When the control unit 35 detects that the second operation unit 22 is operated (the second operation unit 22 is turned on), the control unit 35 proceeds to step S2 according to “YES” in step S1, and moves to each of the five operation units 24. The light source 32 is turned on. In this state, each of the five operation units 24 is illuminated from the back side by the light source 32 and can be seen from the front of the door 7 (see FIG. 2B). The control unit 35 turns on the light sources 32 of the five operation units 24 to put each operation unit 24 in a valid state (operation acceptable state) (step S3). This state is the operable mode. At this time, the control unit 35 also turns on the light source 33 corresponding to the key lock explanation display unit 25 h in the display unit 25. Thereby, the display part 25h for the key lock explanation is illuminated from the back side, and can be seen from the front of the door 7 (see FIG. 2B).

  Thereafter, the control unit 35 determines whether any one of the operation units 24 is operated, whether the second operation unit 22 is operated, or whether there is no operation for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). S4, S5, S6). If the control unit 35 detects that any of the operation units 24 has been operated (ON) before the predetermined time elapses, the process proceeds to step S7 according to “YES” in step S4, and the control unit 35 is operating. The light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 other than the operation target (the other operation unit 24 excluding the operated operation unit 24) is operated while the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is turned on. In a state different from the lighting state of the light source 32 corresponding to the unit 24, in this case, the dimming state is darker than the normal lighting state (step S8), and then the process returns to step S4. At this time, the control unit 35 changes the setting mode by controlling the lighting of the light source 33 of the corresponding display unit 25 based on the operation of the operated operation unit 24. The user looks at the display on the display unit 25 and selects a mode.

  At this time, the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 other than the operation target remains in the lighting state of the light source 32 corresponding to the operated operation unit 24 while the light source 32 corresponding to the operating unit 24 being operated is in the lighting state. By making the dimming state darker than the normal lighting state in this case, the user can easily understand the operating unit 24 being operated and the operating unit 24 other than the operation target. Even when the light source 32 for the operation unit 24 is in a dimmed state, the operation on the operation unit 24 is effective. When the operation unit 24 in the dimmed state is operated, the light source 32 corresponding to the operated operation unit 24 is operated. Changes from the dimming state to the normal lighting state, and the light sources 32 corresponding to the operation units 24 other than the operation target are in the dimming state.

  In this case, if the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 other than the operation target is in a state different from the lighting state of the light source 32 corresponding to the operated operation unit 24, instead of being in a dimming state, for example, It can also be in a blinking state. Even in the blinking state, the operation on the operation unit 24 is valid. If the control unit 35 detects that the second operation unit 22 has been operated before the predetermined time in step S6 has elapsed, the control unit 35 returns to step S2 in accordance with “YES” in step S5, and returns to the five operation units. All the light sources 32 corresponding to 24 are turned on.

  If the control unit 35 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed during which neither the operation unit 24 nor the second operation unit 22 is operated, the control unit 35 determines a mode based on the operation performed so far, and proceeds to step S9 according to “YES” in step S6. Then, all the light sources 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 are turned off, and the light sources 33 corresponding to the key lock explanation display unit 25h are also turned off. Then, it returns to step S1.

  When the control unit 35 detects that the second operation unit 22 has been pressed for 3 seconds or longer, the control unit 35 turns off all the light sources 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 and disables the operation on the operation unit 24. Further, the light source 33 corresponding to the key lock display portion 25g is turned on to display that the key lock state is set. If the control unit 35 detects that the second operation unit 22 has been pressed and held again for 3 seconds or longer in this state, the control unit 35 turns off the light source 33 corresponding to the key lock display unit 25g, and the key lock state is set. Displays that it has been released.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
An operation unit 24 provided in the operation area 20 in the door front plate 13 of the door 7, a light source 32 that illuminates the operation unit 24 from the rear, and a control unit 35 that controls the lighting state of the light source 32 are provided. The operation on the operation unit 24 is effective when the light source 32 is turned on, and the operation on the operation unit 24 is invalid when the light source 32 is turned off. If the operation unit 24 is illuminated by the light source 32 as a result of this configuration, the operation unit 24 can be operated. If the operation unit 24 is not illuminated by the light source 32 and cannot be seen from the front, the operation unit 24 can be operated. Is invalid, it is easy for the user to know whether or not the operation unit 24 can be operated, and it is easy to use.

  The operation area 20 includes a second operation unit 22 that is provided separately from the operation unit 24 and can be operated at all times. The control unit 35 is configured to control the operation unit 24 based on the operation of the second operation unit 22. The lighting state of the light source 32 is changed. As a result of this configuration, based on the operation of the second operation unit 22, the light source 32 can be turned on to illuminate the operation unit 24, and the operation of the operation unit 24 can be made effective.

  There are a plurality of operation units 24 in the operation region 20, and a plurality of light sources 32 corresponding to the operation units 24 are also present. The control unit 35 includes one operation unit 24 among the plurality of operation units 24. When operated, the light source 32 corresponding to the one operation unit 24 is turned on, and the light sources 32 corresponding to the other operation units 24 are different from the lighting state of the light source 32 corresponding to the operated operation unit 24. State, in this embodiment, a dimmed state. According to this, since the illumination of the operation unit 24 being operated is different from the illumination of the other operation units 24, the operation unit 24 being operated and the other operation units 24 are easily understood. In addition, it is easy to understand that the operation units 24 other than the operated operation unit 24 can be operated (enabled) by setting the light source 32 of the operation unit 24 other than the operated operation unit 24 to a dimmed state.

  The operation unit 24 changes the mode, and the mode selected by the operation unit 24 is determined by the selected mode when a predetermined time has elapsed. According to this, a determination operation is not required separately. Also, in this case, when it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed when the operation unit 24 is not operated, instead of determining the mode based on the content operated so far, for example, when the second operation unit 22 is pressed twice. The mode may be determined based on the contents operated so far.

When the second operation unit 22 is operated when the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24 is dimmed (or blinking), the control unit 35 returns the light source 32 in the dimmed state to a lighting state. According to this, it becomes easy to understand that the operation unit 24 illuminated in the lighting state is in an effective state (operable state).
When there is no operation on the operation unit 24 for a predetermined time, the control unit 35 turns off the light source 32 corresponding to the operation unit 24. According to this, it is easy to understand that the operation unit 24 is in an invalid state.
The 2nd operation part 22 does not have the illumination by a light source, and is set as the display always visible. According to this, the light source for illuminating the second operation unit 22 can be made unnecessary, and the control of the light source becomes unnecessary.

  In the operation display device 17, the display film 23 provided with the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25, the touch detection sheet 27 provided with the touch detection unit 28, and the light sources 32 and 33 that illuminate the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25 are provided. An operation panel unit 19 in which the provided circuit board 31 is unitized is provided, and the operation panel unit 19 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 18 of the door 7 by sliding. According to this, it can prevent that the position of the operation part 24 and the display part 25, and the light sources 32 and 33 which illuminate these shifts | deviates.

  Here, for example, the display of the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25 can be provided on the back surface of the door front plate 13 by printing or the like. However, when the circuit board 31 including the light sources 32 and 33 for illuminating them in the state as described above is slidably accommodated in the accommodating portion 18 as described above, the operation portion 24 and the display portion 25 Although the positions of the light sources 32 and 33 that illuminate them may be shifted, the configuration of the present embodiment makes it possible to prevent the positional deviation.

  In addition, although the 2nd operation part 22 is set as the structure provided by printing in the back surface of the door front board 13, the 2nd operation part 22 does not need to be illuminated with a light source. For this reason, there is no possibility that the position of the 2nd operation part 22 and a light source will shift. Although it is necessary to match the positions of the second operation unit 22 and the touch detection unit 29, if the touch detection unit 29 is positioned on the back side of the second operation unit 22, there is no problem even if the position is slightly shifted. The second operation unit 22 may be provided on the display film 23 in the same manner as the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25 as long as the second operation unit 22 can be seen from the front of the door 7 at all times instead of being provided on the back surface of the door front plate 13. it can.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, after operating the second operation unit 22 to turn on all the light sources 32 of the operation unit 24, the light source corresponding to the other operation unit 24 is associated with the operation of one operation unit 24. 32 is set to a dimming state or a blinking state, and the operation unit 24 in the dimming state or the blinking state is set to an effective state. Instead of this, the light sources 32 of the operation units 24 other than the operated operation unit 24 can be in a dimming state or a blinking state, and the operation on the operation unit 24 in the dimming state or the blinking state can be invalidated. In this case, the light source 32 of the operation unit 24 other than the operated operation unit 24 is turned off instead of being dimmed or blinked, and the operation on the operation unit 24 in the off state is invalidated. be able to.

The operation display device 17 is not limited to the left door 7 of the refrigerator compartment 2, but may be provided on the right door 8, or may be provided on the doors 9 to 12 of other storage rooms.
As long as the operation part 24 and the 2nd operation part 22 can be operated from the front surface of the door front board 13, it will not be restricted to an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor, The thing of another system is also possible.

  As described above, according to the refrigerator of the present embodiment, the operation on the operation unit is effective if the operation unit is illuminated by the light source, and the operation on the operation unit is performed when the operation unit is not illuminated by the light source. Since it is invalid, it is easy for the user to understand whether or not the operation unit can be operated, and it is easy to use.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  In the drawings, 1 is a main body, 7 to 12 are doors, 13 is a door front plate, 17 is an operation display device, 18 is a storage unit, 19 is an operation panel unit, 20 is an operation area, 21 is a display area, and 22 is a second display. An operation unit, 24 is an operation unit, 25 is a display unit, 28 and 29 are touch detection units, 31 is a circuit board, 32 and 33 are light sources, and 35 is a control unit (control means).

Claims (1)

A main body having an opening on the front surface;
A door having a translucent door front plate on the front surface and opening and closing the opening;
An operation area provided in front of the door front plate;
An operation unit provided in the operation region;
A light source that illuminates the operation unit from the rear;
Control means for controlling the lighting state of the light source,
An operation on the operation unit is effective when the light source is turned on, and an operation on the operation unit is disabled when the light source is turned off.

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