JP2003336959A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the visibility of displayed contents and various operations from being obstructed by preventing the display screen of a display unit installed on a storage chamber opening/closing door from being damaged by the collision thereof with containers. <P>SOLUTION: Guide edges 41 and 41 are projectedly installed in a holder 4 holding the display unit 3 having the display screen 30 along both sides of the display screen 30, and a protective cover 5 is fitted between these guide edges. The front part of the display screen 30 can be opened and closed by the sliding of the protective cover 5 along the guide edges 41 and 41. The display screen 30 is prevented from being damaged by the protective cover 5 in the closed state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator for refrigerating or freezing-preserving foodstuffs stored in a storage room at a predetermined temperature, and more specifically, relates to an operating condition on a front surface of a door for opening and closing the storage room. The present invention relates to a refrigerator including a display unit that displays information to be displayed on a screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In refrigerators used at home for storing foodstuffs, the internal temperature of a storage room provided for each foodstuff, the type of foodstuffs stored, the setting state of various timers, etc. In recent years, a configuration has been widely adopted in which a display unit that displays the information to be provided is provided on the front surface of a door that opens and closes the storage chamber and that the operating state can be visually recognized from the outside.

The display section is provided with a display screen such as a liquid crystal display screen in order to cope with diversification of display items, and the temperature of the storage room, the registration of stored ingredients, the recording and reproduction of message messages, etc. A touch panel liquid crystal that is often configured as a display unit to which an operation unit capable of various operations is attached, and further includes a liquid crystal display screen so that various operations can be performed by touching the display screen. By adopting
It is possible to improve operability and design.

[0004]

However, in the refrigerator having the above-mentioned display unit, for example, when opening and closing the door for carrying in and out foodstuffs, a part of the display screen provided on the front surface of the door is There is a risk of damage due to collision with surrounding objects, and if such damage occurs, it will not be possible to visually confirm the display contents including the operating state.If the touch panel liquid crystal described above is adopted, There is a problem that various operations including setting of operating conditions cannot be performed due to the damage to the display screen.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a configuration in which a door for opening and closing a storage room is provided with a display section for displaying an operating state on a screen, damage to the display screen due to collision with an article is prevented. It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator that prevents the display contents from being visually impaired and does not hinder various operations.

[0006]

The refrigerator according to the present invention comprises:
In a refrigerator provided with a display unit for displaying information related to an operating state on the front surface of a door that opens and closes a food storage room,
It is characterized by comprising a holder fixed to the door and holding the display unit, and a protective cover attached to the holder to openably and closably cover a front portion of the display unit.

In the present invention, the holder for holding the display portion and fixing it to the door is provided with a protective cover which can be opened and closed freely, and during normal operation, the protective cover is closed to cover the front portion of the display portion. When the door is opened / closed, it is possible to prevent the display screen of the display unit from colliding with an object and prevent the display screen from being damaged. The visual confirmation of the displayed contents and the operation of the operation section attached to the display section are performed by opening the protective cover and opening the front section of the display section.

Further, the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that the display unit includes a touch panel operation unit configured to be capable of various operations by touching a display screen.

According to the present invention, in the structure including the display unit including the touch panel operation unit, the display screen, which is easily damaged, is reliably protected by closing the protective cover, and the inoperability due to the damage is prevented.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that the protective cover is slidably attached to the holder between an open position and a closed position.

In the present invention, the opening / closing operation of the protective cover is performed by sliding on the holder to reduce the protruding portion of the protective cover from the front surface of the door at the time of opening to avoid the damage of the protective cover itself. .

Further, the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a regulation means for regulating the sliding of the protective cover at a plurality of positions including the open position and the closed position.

In the present invention, the sliding movement of the protective cover which is opened and closed by the sliding operation is regulated at a plurality of positions including the open position and the closed position by the action of the regulating means, and the protective cover is appropriately opened and closed. It is possible to stop and improve usability.

Further, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, the regulating means is integrally formed on an edge portion of the protective cover and has elastic claws elastically contacting the sliding surface of the holder, and one or more places of the sliding surface. And a recess provided to engage with the elastic claw.

In the present invention, a dedicated component is provided by the elastic claw integrally formed on the edge of the protective cover so as to be elastically deformable and the recess provided on the sliding surface of the holder to engage with the elastic claw. The restriction means is configured without the addition of the above, and the click feeling is given by the engagement of the elastic claw and the recess, and the operation feeling at the time of opening and closing is improved.

Further, the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an exterior cover which covers the outside of the holder and has a window hole opened to see through the display section.

In the present invention, the appearance is improved by covering the outside of the holder that holds the display unit and has the openable / closable protective cover with the exterior cover.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that a part or all of the surface of the protective cover is a mirror surface.

In the present invention, the surface of the protective cover is made to be a mirror surface so that it can be used as a mirror when the cover is closed to improve usability.

Further, the refrigerator according to the present invention is characterized in that a part or all of the protective cover is made of a transparent material.

In the present invention, the protective cover is made of a transparent material so that the operating condition can be confirmed by seeing the contents displayed on the display screen from the outside even when the cover is closed.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention. The refrigerator 1 shown in the figure has a main body 10
The inside of is divided into five storage chambers (not shown) provided for each food and storage temperature, and the front of the four storage chambers at the top, bottom, left and right are pivoted along the side edges of the main body 10. Each door 11, 12, 13 and 14 pivotally supported by the door is opened and closed, and a drawer type storage case 15 is attached to the central storage room on the right side. The display unit 2 is provided at a height position corresponding to the user's eyes on the front surface.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the display unit 2. As shown in this figure, the display unit 2 includes a display unit 3, a holder 4, a protective cover 5, and an exterior cover 6. The display unit 3 is a thin rectangular box body in which a display screen 30 made of liquid crystal is mounted on almost one surface and a drive circuit and a control circuit are provided inside. The display screen 30 is a touch panel liquid crystal capable of various operations by touching the surface thereof, and also serves as an operation unit.

The holder 4 is a rectangular flat plate made of a resin material, and a rectangular shape having a size corresponding to the display screen 30 of the display unit 3 on one surface half of the holder 4 on the surface of the holder 4. The holding hole 40 is opened. A pair of guide edges 41, 41 that are parallel to each other are provided on both sides of the holding hole 40 in the width direction.
It is extended to the other side in the longitudinal direction over a length range approximately twice, and the end portions of the guide edges 41, 41 on the side of the holding hole 40 are connected by a stopper edge 42 substantially orthogonal to these. Has been done. Further, a pair of cutout recesses 43, 43 is formed on the surface facing the other of the guide edges 41, 41 in the vicinity of the end on the opposite side of the holding hole 40 and in the approximate center.

The protective cover 5 is a resin rectangular flat plate having a width corresponding to the separation width of the guide edges 41, 41 provided on the holder 4 and a length corresponding to the holding hole 40. A gripping edge 50 having an appropriate height and standing up is provided on one side, and a pair of elastic claws 51, 51 integrally formed on both side edges in the width direction as described later on the other side in the longitudinal direction.
Is provided.

The central portion of the protective cover 5 surrounded by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2 can be made into a mirror surface by embedding a mirror, and by fitting a plate made of a transparent material such as acrylic resin and glass. It can be made of a transparent material.

The exterior cover 6 is a resin flat plate having a rectangular shape of approximately the same size as the holder 4 and having a central portion overhanging in an appropriate amount in the thickness direction. A window hole 60 corresponding to the holding hole 40 in the holder 4 is formed.

The display unit 2 having the display unit 3, the holder 4, the protective cover 5 and the exterior cover 6 as described above is shown in FIG.
As shown by the arrow inside, the display unit 3 is attached to the back side of the holder 4 with the former display screen 30 aligned with the holding hole 40 of the latter, and the protective cover 5 is attached to the front side of the holder 4. The holder 4 is fitted and held between the guide edges 41, 41, and is further assembled with the display portion 3 and the protective cover 5 in this manner.
The outer cover 6 covers the front side of the.

The outer cover 6 is attached by aligning the window holes 60 formed in the outer cover 6 with the holding holes 40 of the holder 4, and engaging claws 44, 44 ... Provided at a plurality of positions on the periphery of the holder 4. The outer cover 6 is engaged with a recess (not shown) provided on the peripheral edge of the outer cover 6. At this time, the guide edges 41, 41 protruding from the surface of the holder 4 and the stopper edge 42 are received by the projecting portion provided in the center of the exterior cover 6 as described above.

3 and 4 are external perspective views showing the assembled state of the display unit 2, and the display unit 2 of the refrigerator 1 has its longitudinal direction oriented vertically as shown in these figures and FIG. It is attached to the front of the door 12. As described above, the protective cover 5 fitted between the guide edges 41, 41 of the holder 4
The surface side is pressed by the exterior cover 6 that covers the surface of the holder 4, and can be slid along the guide edges 41, 41 in the extending direction of these guide edges 41, 41.

FIG. 3 shows the state where the protective cover 5 is pulled down to the lower position, and FIG. 4 shows the state where the protective cover 5 is pulled up to the upper position. As shown in these figures, a gripping edge 50 provided along one edge of the protective cover 5 is provided.
Is in a state of protruding to the outside from the window hole 60 of the exterior cover 6 by the above-mentioned assembly, and the sliding operation of the protective cover 5 between the lower position shown in FIG. 3 and the upper position shown in FIG. It can be performed by grasping the protruding portion of the edge 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the protective cover 5 is pulled down to the lower position (closed position), the entire surface of the window hole 60 opened in the outer cover 6 is closed by the protective cover 5,
The surface of the display screen 30 of the display unit 3 exposed from the holding hole 40 aligned with the inside of the window hole 60 is covered, and the display screen 30 can be protected. Accordingly, for example, it is possible to prevent the peripheral screen from colliding with the display screen 30 and damaging the display screen 30 when the door 12 is opened and closed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the protective cover 5 is pulled up to the upper position (open position), the entire surface of the window hole 60 formed in the exterior cover 6 is opened and the inside of the window hole 60 is opened. The display screen 30 of the display unit 3 exposed from the matching holding holes 40 can be visually recognized, and further various operations can be performed by touching the display screen 30 configured as the touch panel liquid crystal as described above.

The display screen 30 may be a liquid crystal screen capable of only displaying, or may be a screen other than liquid crystal, and such a display screen 30 may have a pressure sensitive sheet, buttons, etc. around the display screen 30. It suffices to provide an operation unit and configure these as the display unit 3. In the present invention, such a display screen 30 can be protected by closing the protective cover 5. For example, when the door 12 is opened or closed, the peripheral objects are displayed on the display screen 30.
It is possible to prevent the display screen 30 from being damaged by colliding with the display screen 30, and to prevent the display contents from being invisible and various inoperability from occurring.

In particular, in the display screen 30 formed as a touch panel liquid crystal, the surface is often covered with a thin film in order to detect the pressing force applied at the time of operation. The protection of the display screen 30 by closing the cover 5 becomes effective.

On both side edges of the protective cover 5 in the width direction,
A pair of elastic claws 51, 51 are provided, and two pairs of notch recesses 43, 43 are provided on the guide edges 41, 41 for slidingly guiding the protective cover 5.
The protective cover 5 in the closed position and the open position is regulated at the respective moving positions by the synergistic action of the elastic claws 51, 51 and the notch recesses 43, 43.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the elastic claw 51 as the regulation means of the protective cover 5. Elastic claws 5 as shown in this figure
1 and 51 are provided with notch parts 52 and 52 of appropriate lengths along the insides of both side edges of the protective cover 5 made of a resin material, respectively, and a narrow elastic portion remaining outside these notch parts 52 and 52. The tips of the pieces 53, 53 are integrally formed by protruding the ends outward.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the elastic claws 51, 51 thus constructed face inward as the elastic pieces 53, 53 are deformed within the width range of the cutouts 52, 52. To the inner surfaces of the guide edges 41, 41 on the respective sides, and the vertical movement of the protective cover 5 in the direction shown by the white arrow in the figure causes the elastic claws 51, 41 to move. It is done under the sliding resistance given by 51. Also, the elastic claws 5 that slide in this way
Reference numerals 1 and 51 denote notch recesses 43 and 4 provided in the guide edges 41 and 41.
When aligned with 3, the elastic pieces 53, 53 project outward with the elastic return of the elastic pieces 53, 53, and engage with the notch recesses 43, 43 on the respective sides, as shown in FIG. 5B.

As described above, the cutout recesses 43, 43 are formed in the middle and upper ends of the guide edges 41, 41, respectively. Elastic nail
It is regulated at the closed position shown in FIG. 3 by the engagement with 51, 51,
The notched recesses 43, 43 at the upper end and the elastic claws 51, 51 are engaged with each other to be regulated at the open position shown in FIG. Therefore, the protective cover 5 can be reliably opened / closed between the open position and the closed position, and a click feeling associated with the engagement is imparted when sliding up and down for this opening / closing, so that a good operation is possible. You can get a feeling.

Notch recesses formed in the guide edges 41, 41
By increasing the number of 43, 43, the protection cover 5 can be locked at a plurality of positions between the open position and the closed position. Further, the elastic claws 51, 51 may have other configurations, for example, a leaf spring curved in an arc shape may be attached to a side edge of the protective cover 5. However, according to the configuration of the embodiment in which the elastic claws 51, 51 are integrally formed on the side edge of the protective cover 5 by utilizing the elasticity of the resin material, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

The display unit 2 may be mounted on the front surface of the door 12 with its longitudinal direction oriented to the left and right, and opened and closed by sliding the protective cover 5 left and right. In this case, the sliding restricting means of the protective cover 5 by the elastic claws 51, 51 and the cutout recesses 43, 43 is not necessary for maintaining the open position and the closed position, but for giving the click feeling. It is desirable to install it in

The protective cover 5 is not limited to sliding with respect to the holder 4, but may be configured to open and close the front portion of the display screen 30 by swinging about the upper edge as a pivot. However, in this configuration, the protective cover 5 in the open position is in a state of protruding from the front surface of the door 12, and the protective cover 5 may be damaged by the action of some external force. On the other hand, the protective cover 5 which is opened and closed by sliding with respect to the holder 4 has the exterior cover 6 even in the open position shown in FIG.
Further, the door 12 does not project to the front side, and the damage can be prevented.

Further, when the central portion of the protective cover 5 has a mirror surface as described above, when the protective cover 5 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 3, the mirror surface is exposed in the window hole 60 of the exterior cover 6, It can be used as a mirror at a height position corresponding to the eyes of the user, improving usability. Further, when the central portion of the protective cover 5 is made of a transparent material as described above, it becomes possible to see the display screen 30 inside through the protective cover 5 in the closed position shown in FIG. The opening operation just for confirmation is not required and usability is improved.

[0044]

As described above in detail, the refrigerator according to the present invention is provided with the protective cover for opening and closing the display screen of the display unit provided on the front surface of the door for opening and closing the storage chamber. In addition, it is possible to prevent the display screen from being damaged due to the collision of objects, and the display contents including the driving state can be visually recognized.

Further, since the display screen including the touch panel operation unit is covered with the protective cover, it is possible to reliably prevent the touch panel operation unit from becoming inoperable due to the damage of the display screen, which hinders various operations. Never.

Further, since the protective cover which slides between the open position and the closed position is provided, the protruding portion of the protective cover from the front surface of the door in the open position and the closed position is reduced, and the protective cover itself is protected from damage. Occurrence can be avoided.

Further, since the protective cover which is slidably operated for opening and closing is regulated at a plurality of positions including the open position and the closed position, the protective cover is appropriately opened and closed. It can be stopped and the usability is improved.
Since the elastic pawl integrally formed on the edge of the protective cover so as to be elastically deformable and the recess provided on the sliding surface of the holder to engage with the elastic pawl constitute the regulating means, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps are increased. Can be reduced, and a click feeling is imparted by the engagement of the elastic claw and the recess, so that a good operation feeling can be obtained.

Further, since the exterior of the holder for holding the display part and the protective cover is covered with the exterior cover, the appearance can be improved, and the exterior cover is provided with the window hole through which the display screen is seen. There is no danger of hindering the visual recognition and operation of.

Further, since the surface of the protective cover that covers the display screen so as to be openable and closable is made to be a mirror surface, it can be used as a mirror at a height position of the approximate line of sight when the protective cover is closed, thereby improving usability. You can

Further, since the protective cover for opening and closing the display screen is made of a transparent material, the display contents of the display screen can be visually confirmed even when the display is closed, and the opening operation only for confirming the display is unnecessary and the usability is improved. The present invention has excellent effects such as improvement in

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a display unit.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing an assembled state of the display unit.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing an assembled state of the display unit.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of an elastic claw serving as a protective cover regulating unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 refrigerator 2 display unit 3 Display 4 holder 5 protective cover 6 Exterior cover 12 doors 30 Display screen 41 Guide edge 43 Notch recess 51 elastic claw 60 windows

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator provided with a display section for displaying information related to an operating state on a screen in front of a door for opening and closing a food storage room, and a holder fixed to the door and holding the display section. A refrigerator provided with a protective cover which is attached to a holder and covers the front part of the display unit so as to be openable and closable. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a touch panel operation unit configured to perform various operations by touching a display screen. 3. The protective cover is slidably attached to the holder between an open position and a closed position.
Alternatively, the refrigerator according to claim 2. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, further comprising a regulation unit that regulates sliding of the protective cover at a plurality of positions including the open position and the closed position. 5. The regulating means is formed integrally with an edge portion of the protective cover, and has elastic claws that make elastic contact with a sliding surface of the holder, and the elastic claws are provided at one or more locations of the sliding surface. The refrigerator according to claim 4, comprising a recess provided to engage with the refrigerator. 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising an exterior cover which covers the outside of the holder and has a window hole opened to see through the display section. 7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein part or all of the surface of the protective cover is a mirror surface. 8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a part or all of the protective cover is made of a transparent material.