JP6641109B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a photographing device for photographing a storage room.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a refrigerator equipped with a photographing device for photographing a storage room has been developed so that the storage state of food in the storage room can be easily grasped. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a refrigerator having a plurality of storage rooms above and below, a camera attached to a front surface of a door of an upper storage room, and an image of the inside of the lower storage room being pulled out. It has been disclosed.

  Further, Patent Document 2 includes a slide container that can be pulled out and a camera that captures an image of the slide container. The camera operates when the lower part (switch pressing unit) of the slide container presses a photography switch in the refrigerator body. A refrigerator is disclosed.

JP-A-2002-267337 (see paragraphs 0033 to 0034 and FIG. 1) JP-A-2003-4366 (see claim 3, paragraph 0011 and FIG. 8)

  However, in the refrigerator of Patent Literature 1, at the time when the camera takes a picture, the drawn-out storage room is not always stationary. If photographing is performed while the storage room is moving, the photographed image may be blurred and unclear.

  Also, in the refrigerator of Patent Document 2, depending on the arrangement of the photographing switch, photographing is performed while the slide container is moving, and the photographed image may be blurred. In addition, since an illumination device for photographing is not provided, illuminance required for photographing is insufficient, and a photographed image may be unclear.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of grasping a storage state in a storage room with clear images.

The refrigerator according to the present invention is provided with a storage room, a drawer door for opening and closing the storage room, a storage case provided in the storage room, which can be pulled out together with the drawer door, and a storage case provided on the back wall of the storage room to photograph the storage room. An imaging device, an illumination device provided at a position higher than the imaging device on the back wall of the storage room and illuminating the storage room, and a door open / close detection sensor for detecting opening and closing of the drawer door are provided. When the door opening / closing detection sensor detects the opening of the drawer door, the illumination device is turned on. When the door opening / closing detection sensor detects the closing of the drawer door, the imaging device takes an image of the storage room. Turns off.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the refrigerator which concerns on this invention, after a storage room is closed with a door, since an imaging device images a storage room, imaging | photography is performed in the stable state which is not affected by vibration. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress blurring of the captured image. In addition, since the storage room is illuminated by the illumination device for photographing, illuminance required for photographing is secured. As a result, it is possible to grasp the storage state in the storage room with a clear captured image.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as viewed in the direction of arrows. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a state where a drawer door and a food storage case are drawn out of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the state which removed the drawer door and the food storage case from the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control system regarding imaging | photography of the refrigerator image which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the imaging | photography operation | movement of the image in a refrigerator of the refrigerator which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the imaging | photography operation | movement of the image in a refrigerator of the refrigerator in the modification of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side sectional view (A) of a vegetable room and a perspective view (B) of a food storage case according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. It is a sectional side view of a vegetable room concerning Embodiment 3 of the present invention. It is a side sectional view (A) of a vegetable room and a perspective view (B) of a partition board concerning Embodiment 4 of the present invention. It is a figure (A), (B), and (C) which show the modification of Embodiments 1-4 of this invention. FIG. 15 is a side sectional view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 includes a plurality of storage rooms, that is, a refrigerator room 100, a switching room 200, an ice making room 300, a freezing room 400, and a vegetable room 500. Here, from the top, the refrigerator compartment 100, the switching compartment 200, the ice making compartment 300, the freezing compartment 400, and the vegetable compartment 500 are arranged in this order.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the uppermost refrigerating compartment 100 is provided with a double door (or single opening) rotating door 11 on the front surface. The inside of the refrigerator compartment 100 is partitioned into a plurality of spaces by a food shelf 102. A space below the lowermost food shelf 102 is a chilled room, and a chilled case 103 that can be pulled out forward is provided. Further, a food storage case 101 is provided in front of the food shelf 102.

  The switching room 200 is a storage room in which the temperature can be switched between a freezing temperature zone (for example, −18 ° C.) and a soft freezing temperature zone (for example, −7 ° C.). A food storage case 21 is provided inside. The ice making room 300 (FIG. 1) is arranged side by side at the same height as the switching room 200, has a drawer door 13 on the front surface, and has an ice storage case (not shown) inside.

  The freezing room 400 has a drawer door 14 on the front surface and a food storage case 41 inside. The lowermost vegetable compartment 500 has a drawer door 15 on the front and a food storage case 51 inside.

  The food storage cases 21, 41, and 51 are configured to be able to be pulled out forward together with the drawer doors 12, 14, and 15, respectively. Further, an ice storage case (not shown) in the ice making chamber 300 is configured to be able to be pulled out forward together with the drawer door 13. In addition, each storage room of the refrigerator 1 is not limited to these examples. For example, the switching room 200 or the ice making room 300 may not be provided.

  The refrigerator 1 has a refrigeration cycle device for cooling each storage room. The refrigeration cycle device includes a compressor 19 provided at a lower portion on the back side of the refrigerator 1, a condenser (not shown) for condensing the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 19, and expanding the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser. A throttle device (not shown), a cooler 17 for cooling air by heat exchange with the refrigerant expanded by the throttle device, and a fan 18 for sending the cooled air to each storage room are provided.

  The air cooled by the cooler 17 is sent to each storage room (the refrigerator room 100, the switching room 200, the ice making room 300, the freezing room 400, and the vegetable room 500) by the fan 18 to cool the inside of each storage room.

  The temperature inside each storage room is detected by a temperature detection sensor (for example, a thermistor) not shown. The control device 25 of the refrigerator 1 adjusts the opening of the damper (not shown), the capacity of the compressor 19, or the amount of air blown by the fan 18 so that the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor becomes a preset temperature. The refrigerator 1 has a refrigerator main body 16 which is a housing surrounding the whole. The refrigerator main body 16 has a heat insulating material.

  The refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment is configured to illuminate the interior of a vegetable room 500 serving as a storage room with an illumination device 23 and take an image with a camera 24. Hereinafter, the vegetable room 500 and a configuration for lighting and photographing will be described.

  As described above, the drawer door 15 as a door is provided on the front surface of the vegetable room 500. The drawer door 15 has a pair of left and right metal frames 53 (see FIG. 8B) extending rearward. The frame 53 is guided in the front-rear direction by rails provided on the refrigerator body 16. The food storage case 51 is fixed to the frame 53. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3, the drawer door 15 and the food storage case 51 can be integrally pulled out from the refrigerator main body 16 forward.

  When the drawer door 15 is at a position where the drawer door 15 is pulled out (open position) as shown in FIG. 3, the vegetable room 500 is in an open state. That is, the food storage case 51 is pulled out from the refrigerator main body 16 forward, so that the food can be taken in and out. On the other hand, when the drawer door 15 is in the pushed-in position (closed position) as shown in FIG. 2, the food storage case 51 is stored in the refrigerator main body 16, and the vegetable room 500 is in a closed state.

  The drawer door 15 and the refrigerator main body 16 are provided with a door opening / closing detection sensor 22 for detecting opening / closing of the drawer door 15. The door opening / closing detection sensor 22 is configured by, for example, attaching a magnet 22a to the drawer door 15 and attaching a reed switch 22b to the refrigerator body 16. When the magnet 22a reaches the position near the reed switch 22b, the reed switch 22b is turned on, and when the magnet 22a is separated from the reed switch 22b, the reed switch 22b is turned off.

  The control device 25 of the refrigerator 1 detects the open / closed state of the drawer door 15 based on the output signal from the reed switch 22b. That is, the control device 25 detects that the drawer door 15 has been pulled out (that is, the vegetable room 500 has been opened) by the OFF signal from the reed switch 22b, and detects the drawer door by the ON signal from the reed switch 22b. 15 is detected to be pushed to the position (closed position) for closing the vegetable compartment 500.

  Note that the door open / close detection sensor 22 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may be any sensor that can detect the open / close of the drawer door 15.

  On the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500, a camera 24 is provided as a photographing device for photographing the inside of the vegetable room 500. As the camera 24, for example, a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD (charge coupled device) or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) can be used, but is not limited thereto.

  The camera 24 is installed at a position higher than the food storage case 51 on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500 as shown in FIG. This is because, with this arrangement, the field of view of the camera 24 is not obstructed by the back surface of the food storage case 51.

  Further, the vegetable room 500 is provided with an illumination device 23 for illuminating a shooting range of the camera 24. The lighting device 23 is configured by, for example, an LED (light emitting diode), but is not limited thereto.

  The lighting device 23 is installed at a position higher than the camera 24 on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500. This is because, if installed in this way, the shooting range of the camera 24 can be sufficiently illuminated. The lighting device 23 may be installed on the ceiling surface of the vegetable room 500, for example, or may be installed on the inner surface of the drawer door 15 as long as the lighting range of the camera 24 can be illuminated.

  FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where the drawer door 15 and the food storage case 51 are removed from the refrigerator 1. Here, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are installed at the upper part of the vegetable room 500 and at the center in the left-right direction. However, as long as the inside of the food storage case 51 of the vegetable room 500 can be photographed and illuminated, it may be installed at another position.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the refrigerator 1 includes a control device 25 that controls the door open / close detection sensor 22, the lighting device 23, and the camera 24. The control device 25 is installed on the ceiling of the refrigerator 1 here, but is not limited to this. For example, the control device 25 may be installed on the back of the refrigerator 1 or may be installed on the rotating door 11. .

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control system related to photographing of the refrigerator 1. The control device 25 includes a controller 26 as a main control unit, an image storage unit 27, an image processing unit 28, and a data communication unit 29. The controller 26 controls the image storage unit 27, the image processing unit 28 and the data communication unit 29 of the control device 25, the operation panel 10, and the above-described lighting device 23 and camera 24. Further, a detection signal from the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 is input to the controller 26.

  The image storage unit 27 is a storage unit (for example, a memory) that stores an image (in-compartment image) captured by the camera 24 according to an instruction from the controller 26. The image processing unit 28 performs image processing such as light / dark adjustment on the in-fridge image stored in the image storage unit 27. For example, when a shadow is formed on the image in the refrigerator, processing such as brightening the image is performed.

  The data communication unit 29 of the control device 25 transmits and receives data to and from the image display terminal 30 and the server 33. The data communication unit 29 transmits and receives data to and from an image display terminal 30 such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal by NFC (Near Field Communication), for example.

  The data communication unit 29 is connected to the Internet 32 via a router 31 via a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the like, and transmits and receives data to and from a server 33 installed at a location remote from the refrigerator 1. As a result, the image captured by the camera 24 can be stored in the server 33, and the image stored in the server 33 can be transferred to the image display terminal 30 and displayed.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of photographing an in-compartment image according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. When the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 detects that the drawer door 15 has been pulled out (YES in step S1), the controller 26 proceeds to step S2 and closes the drawer door 15 (that is, the vegetable room 500 is closed by the drawer door 15). To be closed).

  Thereafter, when the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 detects that the drawer door 15 has been pushed to the position for closing the vegetable compartment 500 (YES in step S2), the controller 26 turns on the lighting device 23 (step S3). Further, the controller 26 operates the camera 24 to photograph the inside of the vegetable room 500 (step S4). When the photographing by the camera 24 is completed (YES in step S5), the lighting device 23 is turned off (step S6).

  The controller 26 saves an image (in-compartment image) captured by the camera 24 in the image storage unit 27. The in-compartment image stored in the image storage unit 27 may be deleted when the next shooting is performed, or may be deleted after a predetermined time has elapsed. Further, the controller 26 can also detect the quality (for example, brightness) of the in-compartment image stored in the image storage unit 27 and perform processing such as adjustment of brightness by the image processing unit 28.

  The controller 26 transmits the in-compartment image stored in the image storage unit 27 to the operation panel 10 according to the operation of the operation panel 10. The operation panel 10 displays the in-compartment image transmitted from the image storage unit 27 on the display unit. Although the operation panel 10 is installed on the front surface of the revolving door 11 here, it may be installed at a position where a user can easily perform an operation.

  When the controller 26 receives a request (request for transmission of an in-compartment image) from the image display terminal 30 via the data communication unit 29, the controller 26 transmits the in-compartment image stored in the image storage unit 27 via the data communication unit 29. It is transmitted to the image display terminal 30. The image display terminal 30 displays the in-compartment image transmitted from the image storage unit 27 on the display unit. Thereby, the user can grasp the storage state in the vegetable room 500 even in a place away from the refrigerator 1.

  The controller 26 transmits the in-store image stored in the image storage unit 27 to the server 33 via the Internet 32 via the data communication unit 29. The server 33 stores the in-compartment image transmitted from the image storage unit 27. In response to a request from the image display terminal 30, the server 33 can also transmit the in-store image stored therein to the image display terminal 30, and cause the image display terminal 30 to display the in-store image.

  Thus, in the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment, the camera 24 captures an image of the inside of the vegetable room 500 with the closing operation of the drawer door 15 as a trigger. Therefore, it is possible to take a picture in a state where the food storage case 51 that moves together with the drawer door 15 is stationary, and it is possible to obtain a clear in-compartment image without blurring. In addition, since the photographing is performed while illuminating the vegetable room with the lighting device 23, the illuminance required for the photographing can be secured.

  Here, it is common that the vegetable room 500 provided with the drawer door 15 is not provided with interior lighting. By pulling out the food storage case 51, the inside of the food storage case 51 can be viewed with external light (for example, light of indoor lighting). In the refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment, a clear interior image can be obtained by providing the lighting device 23 in the vegetable room 500 provided with the drawer door 15.

  Further, for the user, the food stored in the front of the vegetable room 500 is easy to see, but the food stored on the back side (rear) is difficult to see because it is shaded by other foods. In the refrigerator 1 of the first embodiment, since the camera 24 is installed on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500, food stored on the rear side of the vegetable room 500 can be clearly photographed. Thereby, it is easy to grasp the storage state in the vegetable room 500, and the convenience for the user is improved.

  A clear image in the refrigerator taken by the camera 24 can be viewed on, for example, the operation panel 10 provided on the front of the refrigerator 1, so that the user does not need to open the drawer door 15, and the storage state in the vegetable room 500. Can be accurately grasped.

  Further, since the image inside the refrigerator taken by the camera 24 can be viewed on the image display terminal 30 such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, the storage state in the vegetable room 500 even at a place away from the refrigerator 1 such as when the user goes out. Can be grasped.

  In the above description, the interior image captured by the camera 24 is displayed on the operation panel 10 and the image display terminal 30. However, the user is not limited to the operation panel 10 or the image display terminal 30, and the user can display the interior image. Any method that can be seen can be used.

  As described above, according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, after closing the vegetable room 500 with the door (the drawer door 15 in this case), the interior of the vegetable room 500 is illuminated by the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 is used. The inside of the vegetable room 500 is photographed. Therefore, shooting can be performed in a stable state without being affected by vibration or the like, and blurring of a shot image can be suppressed. Further, since the photographing is performed with the inside of the vegetable room 500 illuminated, the illuminance required for the photographing is secured. As described above, the camera 24 captures a clear image of the inside of the food compartment, so that the user can grasp the state of storage in the food storage case 51 by viewing the clear interior image.

  In particular, since illumination and photographing are performed with the drawer door 15 pushed down to the closed position, photographing can be performed with the food storage case 51 stationary in the vegetable room 500. Therefore, blurring of the captured image can be more effectively suppressed.

  Further, since the camera 24 is installed on the back wall 501 of the vegetable room 500, food stored in the food storage case 51, which is difficult for the user to see, can be clearly photographed, and convenience is improved. Further, when the camera 24 completes shooting, the lighting device 23 is turned off, so that the lighting time of the lighting device 23 can be minimized and the energy consumption can be reduced.

  Further, by displaying the in-fridge image taken by the camera 24 on the operation panel 10 or the image display terminal 30, the user can grasp the storage state in the food storage case 51 without opening the drawer door 15 of the refrigerator 1. can do.

  In addition, by providing the camera 24 at a position higher than the food storage case 51 on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500, the view range of the camera 24 can be prevented from being blocked by the rear portion of the food storage case 51. .

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a photographing operation of an in-compartment image in a modification of the first embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by reversing the order of the processes in steps S2 and S3 of the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the lighting device 23 is turned on after the door open / close detection sensor 22 detects that the drawer door 15 is closed (steps S2 and S3 in FIG. 6). On the other hand, in the modification shown in FIG. 7, when the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 detects that the drawer door 15 has been opened (YES in step S1), the lighting device 23 is first turned on (step S2A). Then, when the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 detects that the drawer door 15 is closed (YES in step S3A), the camera 24 performs photographing (step S4). Subsequent operations (steps S5 and S6) are as described in the first embodiment.

  Also in this modified example, since the inside of the vegetable room 500 is photographed by the camera 24 while illuminating the interior of the vegetable room 500 with the illumination device 23 in a state where the food storage case 51 is stationary, a clear image can be photographed. Further, in this modification, the lighting device 23 is turned on when the drawer door 15 is opened. Therefore, when the user opens the drawer door 15 and puts the food in the food storage case 51 in and out, the lighting device 23 turns on. There is also a merit that the back side of the food storage case 51, which is hard to reach external light (light such as indoor lighting), can be easily seen by the light.

Embodiment 2 FIG.
FIG. 8A is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a vegetable compartment 500 of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the food storage case 51A and the arrangement of the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are different from the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, at least a part of the food storage case 51A is formed of a transparent member. More specifically, a part of the back surface portion 54 of the food storage case 51A is formed of the transparent member 34. Further, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are provided at positions on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500 facing the transparent member 34 on the rear portion 54 of the food storage case 51A.

  FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the drawer door 15 and the food storage case 51A according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8B, an opening (window) 35 is formed in the back surface 54 of the food storage case 51A, and the transparent member 34 is attached to the opening 35.

  The material of the transparent member 34 may be plastic or glass as long as it transmits the illumination light of the illumination device 23 and transmits the light incident on the camera 24. FIG. 8B shows a square transparent member 34, but the shape of the transparent member 34 is not limited to a square and may be, for example, a circle or an ellipse.

  With such a configuration, among the foods in the food storage case 51A, the foods stored in the back (rear) and bottom of the food storage case 51A can be clearly photographed by the camera 24. .

  The food stored on the back side and the bottom of the food storage case 51A is hidden behind other foods in the food storage case 51A and is difficult to see, so that the user passes the expiration date without noticing the food or purchases the same food. Such a situation is likely to occur. In the second embodiment, since the camera 24 performs photographing through the transparent member 34 on the back part 54 of the food storage case 51A, the food stored on the back side and the bottom part of the food storage case 51A is clearly photographed. be able to. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the storage status (stock status) in the vegetable room 500, and it is possible to suppress wasteful disposal or purchase of food.

  Note that, here, a part of the back portion 54 (the portion facing the camera 24 and the lighting device 23) of the food storage case 51A is formed of the transparent member 34, but for example, the entire back portion 54 is formed of the transparent member. Is also good. Or you may comprise the whole food storage case 51A with a transparent member. That is, the ratio of the transparent member 34 in the food storage case 51A is not limited.

  If at least a portion of the food storage case 51A facing the camera 24 and the lighting device 23 is formed of the transparent member 34, the inside of the food storage case 51A can be illuminated and photographed via the transparent member 34. The image in the refrigerator can be obtained.

  Further, in a storage room provided with a drawer door and having a relatively high height (for example, a vegetable room 500, a freezing room 400, or the like), the food storage case 51A is provided with a third storage room at the top of the food storage case 51A for the purpose of enhancing the storageability of food. It is common to provide two food storage cases 52. The second food storage case 52 is desirably formed of a transparent member so as not to obstruct the user's view and reduce the visibility inside the vegetable room 500.

  When the second food storage case 52 is formed of a transparent member, the camera 24 is installed at a position lower than the bottom surface of the second food storage case 52 as shown in FIG. Not only food stored in 51A but also food stored in the second food storage case 52 can be photographed. Since the whole of the vegetable room 500 (the food storage case 51A and the second food storage case 52) can be photographed with one camera 24, it is possible to obtain a wider image in the refrigerator with a cheap configuration.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, at least a part of the food storage case 51A is configured by the transparent member 34, and the transparent member 34 Since the camera 24 and the lighting device 23 are installed so as to face each other, for example, it is possible to clearly photograph the food stored on the back side and the bottom of the food storage case 51A, which is difficult to see for the user. Therefore, the user can easily grasp the storage status (stock status) in the vegetable room 500.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 9 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a vegetable compartment 500 of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the configuration of the food storage case 51B is different from that of the second embodiment.

  Food storage case 51B according to the third embodiment does not have transparent member 34 described in the second embodiment. That is, the opening 35 of the food storage case 51B is a hole. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

  The lighting device 23 and the camera 24 installed on the back wall 501 of the vegetable room 500 illuminate and photograph the food in the food storage case 51B via the opening 35 (hole) of the food storage case 51B. Therefore, as in the second embodiment, the user can easily grasp the storage status (stock status) in the vegetable room 500.

  In the third embodiment, since the transparent member 34 (FIG. 8) does not intervene between the camera 24 and the food in the food storage case 51B, a clearer image in the refrigerator can be obtained.

  Further, when the transparent member is opposed to the lighting device 23 and the camera 24, it is necessary to consider that the reflected light on the surface of the transparent member enters the camera 24. Since the opening 35 is opposed to the camera 24, there is no concern that reflected light will enter the camera 24, and the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 can be collectively installed at positions close to each other. By arranging the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 collectively as described above, the wiring and assembly of each can be simplified, and the productivity and the ease of disassembly and separation can be improved.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effects described in the second embodiment, the food storage case 51B is provided with the opening 35, and the camera is arranged so as to face the opening 35. Since the lighting device 24 and the lighting device 23 are installed, a clearer image in the refrigerator can be obtained. In addition, since the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 can be installed collectively, their wiring and assembly can be simplified, and productivity and the like can be improved.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
FIG. 10A is a side sectional view showing a configuration of vegetable room 500 of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, the same food storage case 51B as that of the third embodiment is used, but the configuration around the camera 24 is different from that of the third embodiment.

  In the fourth embodiment, the partition plate 36 is provided around the camera 24 on the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500. If the camera 24 is installed on the back wall 501 of the vegetable room 500, the food storage case 51B or the second food storage case 52 may come into contact with the camera 24 when the user closes the drawer door 15 vigorously. In the fourth embodiment, by providing the partition plate 36 around the camera 24, damage to the camera 24 due to contact with the food storage case 51B or the second food storage case 52 is prevented.

  Further, here, the lighting device 23 is also installed on the back wall 501 of the vegetable room 500 along with the camera 24, and thus the partition plate 36 is provided so as to surround both the camera 24 and the lighting device 23.

  FIG. 10B is a schematic view showing the configuration of the partition plate 36. The partition plate 36 is formed in a rectangular tube shape here, but the camera 24 (or both the camera 24 and the lighting device 23). For example, a cylindrical shape may be used as long as the shape surrounds the periphery (wall shape).

  The vegetable room 500 is cooled by the air (cool air) cooled by the cooler 17 located on the back side flowing through the outlet 37. Since the cool air has a high density and has a characteristic of flowing from the upper part to the lower part, the cool air from the outlet 37 easily flows into the space between the back part 54 of the food storage case 51B and the back wall 501 of the vegetable room 500. In the fourth embodiment, by providing the partition plate 36 at a position higher than the opening 35 of the back surface 54 of the food storage case 51B, the cool air from the outlet 37 flows into the food storage case 51B from the opening 35. Is suppressed. As a result, drying of the food in the food storage case 51B can be suppressed.

  When the drawer door 15 is closed, the end of the partition plate 36 penetrates through the opening 35 of the back part 54 of the food storage case 51B and enters the food storage case 51B. Therefore, the opening 35 of the back portion 54 of the food storage case 51B has only a small clearance around the partition plate 36, and the opening area is reduced. Therefore, the effect of suppressing the flow of cool air from the opening 35 into the food storage case 51B and suppressing the drying of the food in the food storage case 51B is further improved.

  In addition, the second partition plate 38 may be provided on the outer periphery of the partition plate 36 so as to be located between the food storage case 51B and the rear wall 501 of the vegetable compartment 500. By providing the second partition plate 38, the flow path of the cool air from the outlet 37 to the opening 35 of the back part 54 of the food storage case 51B becomes narrower, and the pressure loss increases. Thereby, the inflow of cool air from the opening 35 into the food storage case 51B can be more effectively suppressed, and the drying of the food in the food storage case 51B can be suppressed.

  Note that, here, the partition plate 36 is formed in a wall shape surrounding the camera 24, but is not limited to such a shape. For example, even if the partition plate 36 is flat, if the partition plate 36 is installed at a position higher than the opening 35 between the back portion 54 of the food storage case 51B and the back wall 501 of the vegetable compartment 500, The effect of suppressing the inflow of cool air from the opening 35 into the food storage case 51B can be obtained.

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effects described in the third embodiment, around the camera 24 and through the opening 35 of the back portion 54 of the food storage case 51B. The partition plate 36 is provided at a higher position, so that the camera 24 is prevented from being damaged and the cool air from the outlet 37 is prevented from flowing into the food storage case 51B from the opening 35, and the inside of the food storage case 51B is prevented. Drying of food can be suppressed.

  Embodiments 1 to 4 described above can be variously modified. For example, in Embodiments 1 to 4 described above, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are provided in the vegetable room 500, but the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 may be provided in another storage room having a drawer door. Also in this case, the effect of obtaining a clear in-compartment image can be achieved by shooting in conjunction with the closing operation of the drawer door.

  In Embodiments 2 to 4 described above, lighting device 23 is installed at a position facing opening 35 (or transparent member 34) of food storage case 51B, but may be installed at another position.

  For example, in FIG. 11A, in Embodiment 2, the camera 24 is installed at a position facing the transparent member 34 of the food storage case 51 </ b> A, and the lighting device 23 is placed above the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500. The modified example of the installation is shown.

  Also, in FIG. 11B, in Embodiment 3, the camera 24 is installed at a position facing the opening 35 of the food storage case 51B, and the lighting device 23 is placed above the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500 in the third embodiment. The modified example of the installation is shown.

  Also, in FIG. 11C, in Embodiment 4, the camera 24 is installed at a position facing the opening 35 of the food storage case 51B, while the lighting device 23 is placed above the rear wall 501 of the vegetable room 500. The modified example of the installation is shown.

  In any of FIGS. 11A to 11C, since the illuminating device 23 can illuminate the shooting range of the camera 24, a clear in-compartment image can be obtained.

  Further, the photographing operation of the refrigerator in the above-described second to fourth embodiments may be the same as the photographing operation of the first embodiment (FIG. 6) or the same as the photographing operation of the modification (FIG. 7). You may.

  In Embodiments 1 to 4 described above, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are provided in the storage room having the drawer door (for example, the vegetable room 500 having the drawer door 15). However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. Instead, for example, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 may be provided in a storage room having a rotating door (a double door or a single door).

Embodiment 5 FIG.
FIG. 12 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of refrigerator 1A according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. 12 corresponds to a side cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. In refrigerator 1A according to the fifth embodiment, lighting device 23 and camera 24 are provided in refrigerating room 100 having rotating door 11.

  Here, the lighting device 23 is installed on the inner surface of the revolving door 11, and the camera 24 is installed on the ceiling surface of the refrigerator compartment 100. However, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 may be arranged at any positions as long as they can illuminate and photograph an area as wide as possible in the refrigerator compartment 100.

  A door opening / closing detection sensor 22 is provided to detect opening / closing of the rotating door 11. As described in the first embodiment, the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 can be composed of, for example, the magnet 22a attached to the rotating door 11 and the reed switch 22b attached to the refrigerator body 16. The control system of refrigerator 1A in the fifth embodiment is as described in the first embodiment (FIG. 5).

  The photographing operation of refrigerator 1A in the fifth embodiment is as described in the first embodiment. That is, when the door opening / closing detection sensor 22 detects that the revolving door 11 has closed the refrigerator compartment 100, the controller 26 (FIG. 5) of the refrigerator 1A turns on the illumination device 23 to illuminate the refrigerator compartment 100, The inside of the vegetable room 500 is photographed by the camera 24. When the photographing by the camera 24 is completed, the lighting device 23 is turned off.

  As described above, the lighting device 23 is turned on by the closing operation of the rotating door 11 as a trigger, and the camera 24 photographs the inside of the refrigerator compartment 100. It is possible to obtain a clear in-box image without blurring. Also, the illuminance required for shooting can be secured.

  Here, the lighting device 23 and the camera 24 are provided in the refrigerator compartment 100 having the rotating door 11, but the lighting device and the camera may be provided in another storage room having the rotating door. Further, the lighting device and the camera may be provided in both the storage room having the rotating door and the storage room having the drawer door.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator, 10 Operation panel (display part), 11 Revolving door (door), 12, 13, 14, 15 Drawer door (door), 16 Refrigerator body, 17 Cooler, 18 Blower fan, 19 Cooler, 21 Food Storage case, 22 Door open / close detection sensor, 23 Illumination device, 24 Camera (photographing device), 25 Control device, 26 Controller (Control unit), 27 Image storage unit, 28 Image processing unit, 29 Data communication unit, 30 Image display terminal , 31 router, 32 Internet, 33 server, 34 transparent member, 35 opening, 36 partition, 37 outlet, 38 second partition, 51, 51A, 51B food storage case, 52 second food storage case, 54 back Part, 100 refrigerator compartment, 101 food storage case, 102 food shelf, 103 chilled case, 200 switching room, 300 Himuro, 400 freezer compartment, 500 vegetable compartment, 501 back wall.

Claims (11)

A storage room,
A drawer door for opening and closing the storage room,
A storage case that is provided in the storage room and that can be pulled out together with the drawer door,
A photographing device provided on a rear wall of the storage room, for photographing the storage room,
An illumination device that is provided at a position higher than the photographing device on the back wall of the storage room and illuminates the storage room,
A door opening / closing detection sensor for detecting opening / closing of the drawer door,
When the door opening / closing detection sensor detects the opening of the drawer door, the lighting device is turned on. When the door opening / closing detection sensor detects the closing of the drawer door, the photographing device photographs the storage room, The refrigerator is characterized in that the lighting device is turned off when the device completes shooting. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays an image photographed by the photographing device. On the image display terminal provided separately from the refrigerator, the refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a data communication unit for transmitting the image taken by the imaging device. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the imaging device is provided at a position higher than the storage case on a rear wall of the storage room. At least a part of the storage case is formed of a transparent member,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the photographing device is provided at a position of the storage case facing the transparent member. An opening is formed on the back of the storage case,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the imaging device is provided at a position facing the opening of the storage case. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein a partition plate formed in a wall shape is provided around the imaging device so as to surround the imaging device. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein a partition plate is provided at a position higher than the opening portion around the photographing device. Wherein when the drawer door is in the closed state, the refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the partition plate is equal to or entering into the housing case the storage case through the opening of the. The outer periphery of the partition plate, either of claims 7, characterized in that a second partition plate so as to be positioned between the rear portion and the rear wall of the storage compartment of the storage case until 9 Or the refrigerator according to claim 1. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the storage room is a vegetable room.

Images