KR20020056773A - Refrigerator with monitor apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator with monitor device is provided to improve convenience by installing a display panel on a front of a door to be capable of pivoting. CONSTITUTION: A monitor device includes a case(12) installed on a front of a door(2) of a refrigerator; a display panel(11) received in the case having both upper sides joined to the case by a hinge axis(11c) to be capable of pivoting and a camera(11d) installed on an upper end thereof; a locking device(20) placed between the case and the display panel to lock or release the display panel; an actuating device(30) pivoting the display panel at fixed angle and placing slopingly when the locking device is released; and an axis moving device moving the hinge axis down when the display panel is placed slopingly by the actuating device.

Description

Refrigerator with monitor apparatus

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a monitor device installed on the front of a door and displaying various types of information and the state of the refrigerator.

Generally, a refrigerator is an electronic product that supplies cold air generated from an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle to a storage compartment to maintain the freshness of stored foods for a long time. Various forms, such as parallel type, which are divided into and have a larger effective content, are commercially available.

In addition, recently, refrigerators having various additional functions have been developed. For example, a refrigerator having a monitor device is one of them. The monitor device is usually installed on the front of the door with a display panel implemented as a thin and light liquid crystal display device, through which display the status information of the refrigerator such as the amount and type of food stored, as well as watching TV, Internet home You can perform various functions such as shopping, memo function and image chat.

However, in the conventional refrigerator, since the monitor device is fixed to the front door of the built-in type, its use is inconvenient.

That is, the monitor device with a display panel is fixed to maintain substantially the same surface on the door center. Accordingly, when looking at the display panel at a short distance, the sharpness of the screen is reduced due to the influence of the viewing angle between the screen and the user, and the user has to bend his / her knees when he or she manipulates it for memo or internet shopping. have.

The present invention is to solve this problem, the main object of the present invention is to pivotally mount a predetermined angle on the front of the door to operate in a state in which the display panel of the monitor device is inclined, thereby improving the convenience of use more It is to provide a refrigerator with a monitor device that can be made.

In addition, another object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a monitor device that does not interfere with the shooting angle of the camera disposed on the top even when the display panel is inclined.

1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

2 is a perspective view showing an extract of a door equipped with a monitor device according to the present invention.

3 is an exploded perspective view showing a mounting structure of the monitor device according to the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the display panel is inserted into a case.

5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken along the line V-V of Figure 3, showing the restrained state and released state of the locking means employed in the display panel according to the present invention, respectively.

7 to 10 is a rear view of the holding member in sequence showing the movement of the step pin employed in the display panel according to the present invention.

11 is an exploded perspective view showing an extract of the operation means employed in the display panel according to the present invention.

12 illustrates a state in which the display panel according to the present invention is completely pivoted.

13 illustrates a drawing process of the display panel according to the present invention.

14 shows another embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10. Monitor unit 11. Display panel

11c.Hinge shaft 12.Case

12a .. Shaft coupling hole 12c.

20. Locking means 30. Operating means

The present invention for achieving this object is;

A case mounted on the front of the door of the refrigerator, and a display panel coupled to the case but coupled to each other by a hinge axis to pivot the upper side, and equipped with a camera at the upper portion, and provided between the case and the display panel to restrain or release the display panel. Locking means, an actuating means for pivotally positioning the display panel at a predetermined angle when the locking means is released, and an axle moving means for moving the hinge shaft downward by a predetermined width when the display panel is inclined by the actuating means. Characterized in that.

In addition, the shaft moving means is provided on both sides of the upper end of the case so that the hinge shaft is fitted into the coupling is made of a long-axis-type shaft coupling hole extending in the vertical direction, the display panel is lowered down with the hinge axis, the upper part of the case is the shooting angle of the camera It is characterized in that it does not interfere with.

In addition, the bottom of the case is characterized in that the inclined surface is inclined upward so as to rise to the upper side while sliding the bottom of the display panel is restored.

In addition, the lower end of the display panel is characterized in that the inclined surface made in contact with the gradient surface during its restoration.

Hereinafter, one preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the present invention includes a cabinet 1 in which a freezing compartment (not shown) and a refrigerating compartment (not shown) whose front surfaces are opened to store food are partitioned from side to side, and the cabinet 1. Hinge coupled to the front of the door (2) for opening and closing the freezer compartment and the refrigerating compartment, and a display panel (11) installed in the door (2) can perform a variety of functions, such as displaying the status information of the refrigerator and watching TV and Internet shopping And a monitor device 10 provided.

2 to 4, the monitor apparatus 10 includes a display panel 11 implemented as a liquid crystal display on a rectangular plate, and a case 12 in which the display panel 11 is inclined at a predetermined angle θ. ), A locking means 20 for holding the display panel 11 in the case 12, and an actuating means 30 for pivoting the display panel 11 forward when the locking means 30 is released. ). Accordingly, the display panel 11 is normally maintained in a plane state with the door 2 and is inclined by being pivoted at a predetermined angle θ in use, and the detailed structure of each component is as follows.

First, a recess portion (not shown) is recessed in a front surface of the door 2, and a case 12 on an enclosure having an open front surface is mounted to allow the display panel 11 to be seated and coupled thereto. The case 12 is made of a plastic injection molding, and the shaft coupling hole 12a is formed on the upper sides of both sides so that the hinge shaft 11c to be described later is fitted and coupled. This shaft coupling hole 12a is covered through the lid 12b, the structure of which will be described later in detail along with the hinge shaft 11c.

The display panel 11 of the monitor device 10 includes a liquid crystal display portion 11a formed in a rectangular plate shape and a frame 11b coupled to surround the liquid crystal display portion 11a. Inside the frame 11b, various electrical equipment such as a circuit board (not shown) for driving the liquid crystal display 11a is provided. In addition, a compact PC camera 11d is compactly built on the upper center of the frame 11b, which is for capturing a user or a peripheral object when using the Internet such as image chat.

The display panel 11 is pivotally mounted at a predetermined angle to the case 12. To this end, hinge shafts 11c are symmetrically provided on both sides of the upper portion of the frame 11b. Accordingly, when the hinge shaft 11c is fitted into the shaft coupling hole 12a of the case 12 and then the cover 12b is covered, the display panel 11 is pivotably mounted to the front side of the door 2 through the cover 12b. Will be.

On the other hand, when the display panel 11 is rotated to the front side, the lower side thereof protrudes toward the front side of the case 12 around the hinge axis (11c), on the contrary, a portion of the upper side thereof further enters the case 12 inside. Accordingly, the shooting angle of the PC camera 11d may be interfered by the upper edge of the case 12. In order to prevent this, the display panel 11 rotates forward and lowers slightly due to its own weight. The case 12 is provided with a shaft moving means so as to come. In this embodiment, the shaft moving means is composed of a shaft coupling hole 12a to which the hinge shaft 11c is fitted.

That is, the shaft coupling hole (12a) is composed of a long hole type extending in the vertical direction, the hinge shaft (11c) is able to move a predetermined width by the vertical margin along this. Therefore, in the state where the display panel 11 is accommodated in the case 12, the hinge shaft 11c is positioned at the uppermost side of the shaft coupling hole 12a (see FIG. 4), whereby the upper end of the display panel 11 and the case 12 Clearance is prevented between). On the other hand, when the display panel 11 is rotated to the front side, the hinge shaft 11c is positioned at the lowermost side of the shaft coupling hole 12a due to its own weight, which causes a portion of the upper end of the display panel 11 to be inserted into the case ( 12) The upper end portion of the case 12 is out of the photographing angle (α, see Fig. 12) of the PC camera 11d even when entering the inside.

In addition, the lower end of the case 12 is composed of a gradient surface 12c inclined upward from the front end to the inner side, which is for easily moving the hinge shaft 11c above the shaft coupling hole 12a. That is, the lower end of the display panel 11 is in contact with the lower end of the case 12 in the process of drawing up and gradually rises along the gradient surface 12c, whereby the hinge shaft 11c is also the shaft coupling hole 12a. It is easy to move upward.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the locking means 20 causes the restrained and released state to be repeatedly performed from the case 12 whenever a predetermined force is applied to the front surface of the display panel 11. 11) The lower center portion of the rear side is provided with a hook-shaped locking projection 21 projecting to the rear side and a housing 22 having a holding member 23 for restraining or releasing the locking projection 21.

The housing 22 is formed in a case in which the front is open and is fixed to the case 12 facing the locking protrusion 21. The gripping member 23 is provided to protrude and retract into the housing 22 and includes a pair of elastic pieces 23a formed in a hook shape to grip the locking protrusion 21. That is, in the state in which the holding member 23 is retracted, the elastic piece 23a is pressed by the housing 22 to hold the catching protrusion 21, and is protruded from the housing 22, and thus the elastic piece 23 23a) is restored to release the gripping. The protrusion of the gripping member 23 is made elastic. For this purpose, a compression spring 24 is provided between the housing 22 and the gripping member 23. Accordingly, the compression spring 24 is compressed while the gripping member 23 is retracted, and when the gripping of the gripping member 23 is released, the compression spring 24 is elastically restored to elastically hold the gripping member 23 in the protruding direction. The holding member 23 is automatically protruded by supporting it.

In addition, the step pin 25 is disposed in the housing 22 to maintain the inlet and protruding state of the holding member 23. One end of the stepping pin 25 is fixed to the housing 22, and the other end is formed of an annular free end, which always holds the gripping member 23. To this end, a guide groove 27 for guiding the movement of the step pin 25 is formed on the rear surface 23b of the gripping member 23.

The guide groove 27, as shown in Fig. 7 to 10, the protruding holding groove (27a) and the protruding holding groove in which the free end of the step pin 25 is located in the state in which the holding member 23 is protruded It is spaced apart from the (27a) and consists of the inlet holding groove (27b) in which the free end of the step pin 25 is located in the state in which the holding member (23) is inserted. In addition, the guide groove 27 starts at the protruding holding groove 27a and ends at the holding holding groove 27b to guide the movement of the free end of the step pin 25 when the holding member 23 is pulled in. Increasingly higher from the groove (27a) to move the free end of the guide pin (25c) and the stepping pin (25) during the protruding of the holding member 23 and stepped in the guide guide groove (27c) formed stepped higher than the pull-in holding groove (27b) And a protruding guide groove 27d starting at the inlet holding groove 27b and ending at the protruding holding groove 27a to guide.

At this time, the boundary between the inlet guide groove 27c and the inlet holding groove 27b, the inlet holding groove 27b and the protrusion guide groove 27d, the protruding guide groove 27d and the protruding holding groove 27a is formed stepwise. S1, S2 and S3 represent these stepped lines, respectively. That is, the inlet guide groove 27c is higher than the inlet holding groove 27b in step line S1, and the inlet holding groove 27b is higher than the protruding holding groove 27a in step line S2. And there is no step between the protruding holding groove (27a) and the retraction guide groove (27c), as described above, is formed inclined upward from the protruding holding groove (27a). The inlet holding groove 27b and the protruding guide groove 27d are substantially symmetrical, so that the induction groove 27 has a heart shape as a whole.

In addition, the housing 22 is provided with a pressing piece 26 for suppressing the step pin 25 so that the step pin 25 is always located in the guide groove 27. As described above, each of the grooves is formed to be stepped with each other, and the step pin 25 is always suppressed by the pressing piece 26, so that each time the front of the display panel 11 is pressed, the free end of the step pin 25 is shown in FIG. As shown by an arrow at 7, it always starts from a constant direction, i.e., the inlet holding groove 27b, passes through the protruding guide groove 27d and the protruding holding groove 27a in order to reach the inlet guide groove 27c.

On the other hand, in the locking means 20, the housing 22 in which the gripping member 23 is built may be installed on the rear side of the display panel 11, and the locking protrusion 21 may be installed on the bottom surface of the case 12. .

3 and 11, the operation means 30 automatically rotates the display panel 11 by a predetermined angle when the display panel 11 starts to be released, and is positioned on both sides of the rear surface of the frame 11b to display the display panel 11. The elastic member 31 for elastically supporting the front side, and the elastic member 31 is installed and includes a bracket 32 is fixed to the back of the frame (11b) through a screw (34). The elastic member 31 is composed of a kind of torsion spring, the center portion 31b and one end 31a of which is wound in a coil shape to exert an elastic force is fixed through the fixing pin 33 inside the bracket 32. The other end 31c of the elastic member 31 extends through the opening groove 32a formed in the bracket 32 to be in contact with the bottom surface of the case 12. Since the display panel 11 is always elastically supported toward the front side by the elastic member 31, when the restraining force of the locking means 20 is released, the display panel 11 is pivoted toward the front side by a predetermined angle θ. As such, the display panel 11 emerging from the case 12 is inclined to the door 2, and its inclination angle θ is preferably set within 35 ° so that the user can easily operate the display panel 11.

Next, the operation of the monitor device according to the present invention configured as described above and the effects thereof will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the display panel 11 is completely seated on the case 12 and is kept in a flat state with the door 2, the locking protrusion 21 is locked. The elastic member 31 of the actuating means 30 is constricted while being received and restrained by the housing 22. That is, in this case, the gripping member 23 of the locking means 20 is inserted to grip the locking protrusion 21 provided on the display panel 11, and as shown in FIG. 7, the free end of the step pin 25. It is located in the inlet holding groove 27b of the guide groove 46 and the compression spring 24 is compressed. In addition, the lower end of the display panel 11 is supported upward through the gradient surface 12c of the case 12, so that the hinge shaft 11c is positioned at the uppermost side of the shaft coupling hole 12a, whereby the display panel ( There is no gap between the top of the 11 and the case 12.

In this state, when the user presses the lower end of the display panel 11 with a predetermined force, the pressing force of the display panel 11 compresses the compression spring 24 so that the free end of the step pin 25 enters the retaining groove 27b. As shown in FIG. 8, as the free end of the walking pin 25 is guided to the protruding guide groove 27d, the holding member 23 protrudes by the elastic restoring force of the compression spring 24.

Subsequently, the progress of the holding member 23 is completed, as shown in Figs. 6 and 9, the free end of the step pin 25 is located in the projection holding groove (27a). On the other hand, as the protrusion of the holding member 23 proceeds, the state of holding the locking protrusion 21 is released, and the release state of the display panel 11 is started. That is, the display panel 11 is inclined forward by a predetermined angle θ toward the front of the hinge axis 11c by the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 31 that is elastically deformed at the moment the gripping member 23 is released. .

By this operation, as shown in FIG. 12, the display panel 11 is inclined about 35 ° from the door 2, so that the user can monitor the display panel 11 without having to bend his back while standing up. The device 10 can be operated more easily.

In addition, the display panel 11 is moved below the predetermined width by its own weight, so that the photographing angle α of the PC camera 11d is not interfered with. That is, the hinge shaft 11c is located at the lowermost side in the long hole type shaft coupling hole 12a, whereby the display panel 11 is lowered slightly lower than the initial position. Therefore, even when a part of the upper end of the display panel 11 enters the case 12, the upper part of the case 12 does not interfere beyond the photographing angle α of the PC camera 11d.

Then, when the user presses the display panel 11 again, it returns to the locked state in the case 12. That is, when the front of the display panel 11 is pressed, as shown in FIG. 13, the lower end of the display panel 11 gradually rises while abutting with the gradient surface 12c in the process of being drawn into the case 12. The hinge shaft 11c is gradually moved above the shaft coupling hole 12a. Subsequently, when the locking projection 21 reaches the gripping member 23, as shown in FIG. 10, the free end of the step pin 25 moves along the inlet guide groove 27c toward the inlet holding groove 27b. As the holding member 23 is pulled in, the elastic piece 23a of the holding member 23 is pressed by the housing 22 and the locking projection 21 is restrained.

Accordingly, the display panel 11 is pivoted to the rear side around the hinge shaft 11c to be seated and fixed to the case 12 and at the same time as the door 2 (see FIG. 4), thereby facilitating viewing thereof. Can be.

On the other hand, this technical idea has been described as having configured the long hole-type shaft coupling hole 12a in the vertical up and down direction, but not limited to this, as shown in Figure 14, the lower portion of the shaft coupling hole 12a 'to the front Even if it is configured to extend inclined at a predetermined angle toward the objective of the present invention can of course be achieved.

In addition, when the display panel 11 restores the lower surface of the display panel 11 in contact with the gradient surface 12c, the lower surface of the display panel 11 also includes an inclined surface 11e inclined at a predetermined angle, and the inclined surface 11e along the gradient surface 12c. This contact is raised while the restoration operation of the display panel 11 is made easy and the restoration state is maintained steadily.

As described in detail above, according to the refrigerator equipped with the monitor device according to the present invention, the display panel having a PC camera on the top is normally kept in plane with the door, but the display panel is fixed from the door by manual operation during its use. By angularly pivoting to the front side, the user can easily manipulate the display panel of the monitor device without bending the waist or the knee, thereby improving product reliability. In addition, since the display panel is lowered by a predetermined width while being pivoted, an upper peripheral portion of the PC camera does not interfere with the shooting angle thereof.

Claims (4)

A case mounted to the front of the door of the refrigerator, A display panel accommodating and coupled to the case, the upper and both sides of which are coupled via a hinge axis, and having a camera mounted on the upper portion; A locking means provided between the case and the display panel to restrain or release the display panel; An actuating means for pivoting the display panel at an inclined angle when the locking means is released; And a shaft shifting means for shifting the hinge shaft downward by a predetermined width when the display panel is inclined by the operation means. The method of claim 1, The shaft shifting means is provided on both sides of the upper end of the hinge shaft is fitted into the coupling is made of a shaft coupling hole of the long hole type extending in the vertical direction, And the display panel is lowered together with the hinge axis so that the upper portion of the case does not interfere with the photographing angle of the camera. The method of claim 2, The monitor device of the refrigerator, characterized in that the bottom surface of the case is provided with a slope inclined upward so as to rise upward while the bottom of the display panel is restored. The method of claim 3, wherein The lower end of the display panel is a refrigerator having a monitor device, characterized in that made of an inclined surface in contact with the gradient surface during its restoration.