Camera unit

Abstract

To provide a camera unit which can drain water entering its interior.SOLUTION: A camera unit in the disclosure is installed on a top surface of a refrigerator and captures images of the refrigerator. The camera unit includes a substrate and a housing which contains the substrate. The housing is provided with a first drain hole allowing communication between the inside and the outside of the housing, and a partition part which partitions the substrate from the first drain hole. In the housing, a plate which covers the substrate from above and extends to the first drain hole side farther than the partition part is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a camera unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a camera is installed on the top of a refrigerator, photographs an object when it detects passing through the opening of the refrigerator, and manages the food stored in the refrigerator based on the photographed result. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-070476 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a camera unit capable of draining water that has entered the interior. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The camera unit of the present disclosure is installed on the top surface of a refrigerator and takes pictures of the refrigerator, and includes a substrate and a housing for storing the substrate, and the housing is formed with a first drainage hole that connects the inside and outside of the housing, and a partition that separates the substrate and the first drainage hole, and a plate is provided within the housing that covers the substrate from above and extends beyond the partition to the first drainage hole side. Effect of the Invention

[0006] In the camera unit of the present disclosure, the plate can guide water that has entered the housing to the first drainage hole side, allowing the water that has entered the interior to be drained. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Front view of the camera unit and the refrigerator [Diagram 2] II-II sectional view of Figure 1 [Diagram 3] Front view of a camera unit and a refrigerator with the door open [Figure 4] A perspective view of the camera unit seen from above. [Diagram 5] A perspective view of the camera unit seen from below. [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view of the camera unit [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit with the metal plate removed from the case member. [Figure 8] Plan view of case member [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of the camera unit [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the case member taken along the line XX in FIG. 8 . [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of the camera unit [Figure 12] Bottom view of the cover member [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view of the camera unit taken along a cross section similar to the cross section XX. [Figure 14] XIV-XIV sectional view of Figure 11 [Figure 15] XV-XV cross section of Figure 14 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time when the inventors came up with the present disclosure, there was a technology for managing food by photographing the food stored in a refrigerator using a camera installed in the refrigerator. Under such circumstances, the inventors came up with the idea of ​​ensuring heat dissipation performance by not sealing the housing that houses the camera used to photograph the food and the board for operating the camera, which are prone to heat generation. Then, the inventors discovered a problem that using a housing that is not sealed in order to realize the idea would cause a risk of water entering the inside of the housing, and came to constitute the subject of the present disclosure in order to solve the problem. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a camera unit that can drain water that has entered the interior.

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. [1-1. Configuration] Fig. 1 is a front view of camera unit 1 and refrigerator 100 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1, showing a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction. Fig. 3 is a front view of camera unit 1 and refrigerator 100, showing a state in which doors 121A and 121B are open. In the following description, the direction indicated by the letter X in the drawings is the leftward direction, the direction indicated by the letter Y is the forward direction, and the direction indicated by the letter Z is the upward direction.

[0011] [1-1-1. Refrigerator configuration] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, refrigerator 100 has a main box 120 with an open front. Main box 120 has a refrigerator compartment 121, an ice-making compartment 122, a fresh-freezing compartment 123, a freezer compartment 124, and a vegetable compartment 125. These compartments are cooled with cold air. Side-opening doors 121A and 121B are provided at the opening at the front of refrigerator compartment 121. Drawers 122A, 123A, 124A, and 125A capable of accommodating items are installed in each of ice making compartment 122, fresh freezing compartment 123, freezing compartment 124, and vegetable compartment 125. Each of drawers 122A to 125A has an open top when installed.

[0012] The camera unit 1 is installed on a top surface 120A, which is the outer upper surface of a main box body 120 of the refrigerator 100. The top surface 120A of the main box body 120 is made of metal. Moreover, the metal constituting the top surface 120A is a metal such as iron that is attracted to a magnet.

[0013] [1-1-2. Camera unit configuration] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the camera unit 1, showing the camera unit 1 as viewed from above. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the camera unit 1, showing the camera unit 1 as viewed from below. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit 1, showing the camera unit 1 in a state in which the cover member 30 has been removed from the case member 20. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit 1, showing the camera unit 1 in a state in which the cover member 30 and the metal plate 40 have been removed from the case member 20. The camera unit 1 includes a case member 20, a cover member 30, and a metal plate 40 housed inside the case member. The case member 20 is a rectangular member in a plan view. The case member 20 is composed of a base portion 21A located at the rear and installed on a top surface 120A, and an imaging portion 21B extending forward of the base portion 21A and having a predetermined gap with respect to the top surface 120A. The case member 20 is made of a flame-retardant resin, such as ABS resin with a flame retardant added thereto.

[0014] Legs 22A1 are provided at the four outer corners of the bottom surface 22A of the base 21A. The legs 22A1 are for setting the case member 20 with a predetermined gap from the top surface 120A, and are made of, for example, rubber. A position restricting portion 26 extending downward is formed on the front end surface 21A1 of the base 21A. The position restricting portion 26 is formed in a flat plate shape perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The position restricting portion 26 comes into contact with the front end edge 120B of the main box body 120 of the refrigerator 100 from the front. By coming into contact with the front end edge 120B, the position restricting portion 26 restricts the rearward movement of the camera unit 1.

[0015] A first positioning portion 26A is provided on the front surface of the position restriction portion. In this embodiment, the first positioning portion 26A is a mark that is visible from the front. The first positioning portion 26A is provided in the center of the camera unit 1 in the left-right direction.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the case member 20. As shown in FIG. 7 and 8, a power supply board 51 is fixed to the base 21A. The power supply board 51 is connected to an external power source and supplies power necessary for the operation of each part of the camera unit 1. The power supply board 51 is an example of a "board" in this disclosure.

[0017] The power supply board 51 is connected to a power supply harness 51B capable of transmitting electric power. The power supply harness 51B is routed inside the case member 20 on the right side of the power supply board 51. The power supply harness 51B extends from the rear end of the case member 20 to the outside of the case member 20 and is connected to an external power supply. Power output from the external power supply is supplied to the power supply board 51 via the power supply harness 51B. In this embodiment, the power supply harness 51B is connected to a 100V commercial power supply.

[0018] A sensor board 53 is fixed to the base 21A. The sensor board 53 is a board that transmits and receives signals to and from each sensor, such as a distance measurement sensor 65, a thermopile 67, and an illuminance sensor 69, that are provided in the camera unit 1. The sensor board 53 is located on the left side of the power supply board 51. The sensor board 53 is an example of a "board" in this disclosure.

[0019] A system on a chip (SoC) board 55 is fixed to the imaging unit 21B. The SoC board 55 is a board that controls the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63. The SoC board 55 is connected to the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 via two flexible flat cables (FFC) 83. The SoC board 55 is an example of a "board" in this disclosure.

[0020] In case member 20, partition section 23 is formed at a position surrounding power supply board 51 in a plan view. Further, sensor board 53, SoC board 55, wide-angle camera 61, and narrow-angle camera 63 are arranged inside partition section 23. Partition section 23 is formed in a shape that protrudes upward from base section 21A and imaging section 21B.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a wide-angle camera 61 and a narrow-angle camera 63 are attached to the front end of the imaging section 21B of the case member. Wide-angle camera 61 photographs each part of refrigerator 100 including refrigerator compartment 121. Narrow-angle camera 63 photographs an area including drawers 122A, 123A, 124A, and 125A. The camera unit may also photograph items being put in or taken out of refrigerator compartment 121, ice making compartment 122, fresh freezing compartment 123, freezer compartment 124, and vegetable compartment 125.

[0022] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit 1, showing a cross section taken at the center in the left-right direction of the camera unit 1. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the camera unit 1, showing the camera unit 1 cut at cross section XX in Fig. 8. 7 to 10, the metal plate 40 is a member made of sheet metal. The metal plate 40 is fixed to the imaging unit 21B via fastening members such as screws, bolts, and screws. The metal plate 40 covers the entire inner surface of the partition unit 23 from above. That is, metal plate 40 covers power supply board 51, sensor board 53, SoC board 55, wide-angle camera 61, and narrow-angle camera 63, and seals the area surrounded by partition 23.

[0023] The metal plate 40 has a plate rear portion 41 that overlaps with the power supply board 51 and the sensor board 53 in a plan view. A rib 43 is formed at the front end of the plate rear portion 41. The rib 43 rises upward from the entire width of the front end of the plate rear portion 41 in the left-right direction.

[0024] A plate central part 45 extending forward from the upper end of the rib 43 is integrally formed at the front end of the plate rear part 41. The plate central part 45 is disposed across the base part 21A and the imaging part 21B in a plan view. The plate central part 45 is disposed at a higher position than the plate rear part 41. The plate central part 45 covers the SoC substrate 55 from above. A heat dissipation section 46 recessed downward is formed in the approximate center of the plate central section 45. The heat dissipation section 46 is in contact with the upper surface of the heat generating element mounted on the SoC substrate 53 via a thermally conductive sheet. This allows the heat from the heat generating element to be rapidly transferred to the metal plate 40.

[0025] A plate front portion 47 that is lower in height than plate central portion 45 is integrally formed at the front end of plate central portion 45. Plate front portion 47 covers wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 from above. The plate front portion 47 is in contact with the upper surfaces of the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 via a heat conductive sheet. This allows the heat from the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 to be rapidly transferred to the metal plate 40.

[0026] 9, heat dissipation holes 31 are formed at the rear of the cover member 30 at a position corresponding to the power supply board 51. The heat dissipation holes 31 are holes that penetrate the cover member 30 and communicate between the inside and outside of the case member 20. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation holes 31 are holes that are formed with the longitudinal direction being the left-right direction, and a plurality of the heat dissipation holes 31 are formed lined up in the front-rear direction.

[0027] The heat dissipation holes 31 allow air to flow between the inside and outside of the case member 20. This makes it easier to dissipate heat generated from the power supply board 51 and the like to the outside of the case member 20 by convection heat transfer.

[0028] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit 1, showing a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the structure that includes the case member 20 and the cover member 30 as components and that houses the boards 51, 53, 55, the cameras 61, 63, the metal plate 40, etc., will be referred to as the housing 10. The above-mentioned heat dissipation hole 31 communicates between the space outside the camera unit 1 and the inner space partitioned by the housing 10.

[0029] 11, camera unit 1 is placed on front end 120A1 of top surface 120A. Base 21A overlaps top surface 120A of refrigerator 100 in a plan view. Imaging unit 21B does not overlap top surface 120A in a plan view. Therefore, wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 are held forward of front edge 120B, which is the front end of main box body 120, and the front end of top surface 120A.

[0030] Furthermore, the housing 10 is a box in shape in which the vertical dimension H1 between the bottom surface 22A of the base 21A and the cover member 30 is large, and the vertical dimension H2 between the photographing unit 21B and the cover member 30 is small. From the user's perspective, the base 21A is obstructed by the refrigerator 100 and is difficult to see, whereas the photographing unit 21B, which has a small vertical dimension H2, is easy to see. This allows the camera unit 1 to appear slim to the user. Dimension H1 corresponds to the "vertical dimension of the rear of the housing" in this disclosure. Dimension H2 corresponds to the "vertical dimension of the front of the housing" in this disclosure.

[0031] Furthermore, due to the shape of the housing 10, the maximum distance in the vertical direction between the metal plate 40 and the cover member 30 in the base 21A is greater than the maximum distance in the vertical direction between the metal plate 40 and the cover member 30 in the imaging unit 21B. This makes it easier to ensure the vertical distance between the metal plate 40 and the heat dissipation hole 31 formed in the rear part of the cover member 30. In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the heat dissipation hole 31 and the metal plate 40 is set to 15 mm or more as a countermeasure against static electricity.

[0032] [1-1-3. Configuration related to drainage from camera unit] The camera unit 1 is configured so that water that has entered the inside of the housing 10 can be drained to the outside without reaching the boards 51, 53, 55, etc. The following describes the configuration of the camera unit 1 particularly related to drainage.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 9 to 11, a first inclined portion 41A inclined in the front-rear direction is formed on the plate rear portion 41 of the metal plate 40. The first inclined portion 41A is a plate-shaped portion that extends forward from the rear end of the metal plate 40 and inclines downward toward the front. In other words, the first inclined portion 41A inclines in a direction in which the rear side is located upward. The metal plate 40 is an example of a "plate" in this disclosure. The rear side is an example of a "one direction side" in this disclosure.

[0034] A second inclined portion 41B inclined up and down in the front-rear direction is formed on the plate rear portion 41 of the metal plate 40. The second inclined portion 41B is a plate-shaped portion that extends forward from the front end of the first inclined portion 41A, inclining upward toward the front. The above-mentioned rib 43 is formed on the front end of the second inclined portion 41B.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 10, both ends of the first inclined portion 41A in the left-right direction extend further outward than the side wall portion 23A. The side wall portion 23A is a portion of the partition portion 23 that is located to sandwich the power supply board 51 and the sensor board 53 from both left-right sides, and extends in the front-rear direction. The upper edge of the side wall portion 23A is inclined up and down in the front-rear direction along the inclination of the first inclined portion 41A and the second inclined portion 41B. Both ends of the first inclined portion 41A in the left-right direction are bent downward to form flange portions 41C that cover the upper edge of the side wall portion 23A from the outside in the left-right direction.

[0036] Both left and right ends of the second inclined portion 41B extend beyond the side wall portion 23A in the left and right direction. Both left and right ends of the second inclined portion 41B are bent downward to form flange portions 41D that cover the upper edges of the side wall portion 23A from the outside in the left and right direction.

[0037] Water that flows from the heat dissipation holes 31 onto the rear plate portion 41 directly below is restricted from moving rearward by the first inclined portion 41A, and is restricted from moving forward by the second inclined portion 41B and the rib 43. For this reason, water tends to collect in one location in the front-to-rear direction at the rear plate portion 41, and when a certain amount of water collects, it overflows from the rear plate portion 41 outward in the left-to-right direction. In this embodiment, flange portions 41C, 41D are formed on the first inclined portion 41A and the second inclined portion 41B, thereby preventing water from flowing around to the back side of the metal plate 40, i.e., the underside.

[0038] Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the cover member 30. As shown in Fig. 12, the cover member 30 is formed with a contact portion 33 that protrudes downward from the bottom surface side. When the cover member 30 is attached to the case member 20 from above, the lower end of the contact portion 33 comes into contact with the metal plate 40 from above at a position along the partition portion 23. More specifically, the entire contact portion 33 has a shape that substantially overlaps the entire partition portion 23 in a plan view.

[0039] The contact portion 33 contacts the metal plate 40 from above at a position along the partition portion 23, so that the metal plate 40 is pressed against the partition portion 23 from above. This increases the contact area between the metal plate 40 and the partition portion 23, and reduces the gap between the metal plate 40 and the partition portion 23. Therefore, the area surrounded by the partition portion 23 is sealed by the partition portion 23, the metal plate 40, and the bottom surface 22A of the base portion 21A, and water can be prevented from reaching the boards 51, 53, 55, the cameras 61, 63, and the like inside the area. In addition, in this embodiment, the plate rear portion 41 is fixed by being sandwiched between the partition portion 23 and the contact portion 33 from above and below. Therefore, the man-hours required for fixing the metal plate 40 to the case member 20 can be reduced.

[0040] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit 1 taken along the same line as the XX cross section. The contact portion 33 is formed with a lateral contact portion 33A extending forward and backward along the side wall portion 23A of the partition portion 23. The lateral contact portion 33A presses the plate rear portion 41 of the metal plate 40 against the side wall portion 23A. The lateral contact portion 33A is formed with a second drainage hole 33A1 penetrating the lateral contact portion 33A in the left-right direction. The second drainage hole 33A1 is shaped such that the lower side of the lateral contact portion 33A is open. The lateral contact portion 33A is formed with a plurality of second drainage holes 33A1. Through the second drainage hole 33A1, water on the plate rear portion 41 flows to the left-right outer side of the lateral contact portion 33A and can reach the flange portions 41C and 41D.

[0041] 12 and 13, the cover member 30 is formed with a shielding portion 37. The shielding portion 37 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover member 30 and extends in the left-right direction. The shielding portion 37 is located between the rib 43 and the heat dissipation hole 31 in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the shielding portion 37 is close to the rib 43 in the front-rear direction. The lower end of the shielding portion 37 is located lower than the upper end of the rib 43. Therefore, the water flowing in from the heat dissipation hole 31 is blocked by the rib 43 and the shielding portion 37, and is restricted from moving forward beyond the rib 43.

[0042] As shown in Figures 5, 8, 10 and 13, a first drainage hole 28 is formed in the bottom surface 22A of the base 21A, penetrating the bottom surface 22A in the vertical direction. The first drainage hole 28 is provided on the outer side of the side wall portion 23A in the left-right direction. In other words, the side wall portion 23A of the partition portion 23 separates the power supply board 51 and the sensor board 53 from the first drainage hole 28 to the left and right. The first drainage hole 28 communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing 10. The first drainage hole 28 is provided over substantially the entire bottom surface 22A in the front-rear direction.

[0043] As described above, the legs 22A1 provided at the four corners of the bottom surface 22A position the bottom surface 22A above the top surface 120A at a predetermined distance. In this embodiment, the predetermined distance is 2 mm. Therefore, the first drainage hole 28 is not blocked by the top surface 120A, and water can be drained from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside through the first drainage hole 28.

[0044] [1-1-4. Configuration related to camera unit installation] In the following, a configuration that makes it easy to align the camera unit 1 when it is installed, and a configuration that makes it difficult for the camera unit 1 to move after it is installed will be described.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, the bottom surface 22A of the base 21A is provided with a first attraction portion 24A that is attracted to the top surface 120A by magnetic force. The first attraction portion 24A is a structure in which a magnet 57 is arranged with respect to a cut-off hole 27 that penetrates the bottom surface 22A vertically. The upper surface and side surface of the magnet 57 are covered by a yoke. The magnet 57 is exposed above and below the bottom surface 22A through the cut-off hole 27. This can increase the attraction force of the first attraction portion 24A. In addition, there is a gap between the cut-off hole 27 and the magnet 57, and water and air can pass between the inside and outside of the housing 10 through this gap. The first attraction portion 24A is located at the center of the bottom surface 22A in the left-right direction. The first attraction portion 24A is located at the front of the bottom surface 22A. In addition, the first attraction portion 24A is formed inside the range surrounded by the partition portion 23 in a plan view.

[0046] The bottom surface 22A is provided with a second attraction portion 24B that is attracted to the top surface 120A by magnetic force. The second attraction portion 24B is a structure formed by two attraction structures 24B1 and 24B2 arranged side by side. Each of the attraction structures 24B1 and 24B2 is a structure in which a magnet 57 is arranged with respect to a cut-off hole 27 that penetrates the bottom surface 22A from top to bottom. That is, each of the attraction structures 24B1 and 24B2 has the same configuration as the first attraction portion 24A. Therefore, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the second attraction portion 24B is equal to or greater than the magnitude of the magnetic force of the first attraction portion 24A. In this embodiment, the magnetic force of the second attraction portion 24B is approximately twice the magnetic force of the first attraction portion 24A.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 8, the suction structures 24B1 and 24B2 are located at the same position in the front-rear direction. The suction structures 24B1 and 24B2 are each provided at the rear end of the bottom surface 22A. That is, the second suction portion 24B is located rearward of the first suction portion 24A. The position of the first suction portion 24A in the front-rear direction does not overlap with the position of the second suction portion 24B in the front-rear direction. The suction portions 24A and 24B are provided at two different positions in the front-rear direction. Moreover, the suction structures 24B1 and 24B2 are each formed outside and rearward of the range surrounded by the partition portion 23 in a plan view.

[0048] The magnets 57 provided on the first suction portion 24A and the second suction portion 24B are positioned so as not to overlap with the power supply board 51 in a planar view. Similarly, the magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the sensor board 53 in a planar view. The magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the SoC board 55 in a planar view. The magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the power supply harness 51B in a planar view. The magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the power supply harness 51B in a planar view. The magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the harness 81 in a planar view. The magnets 57 are positioned so as not to overlap with the FFC cable 83 in a planar view.

[0049] The boards 51, 53, 55 and the sensors 65, 67, 69, etc. are connected by a plurality of harnesses 81. The harnesses 81 are, for example, cables having conductors therein, and transmit power or signals.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a magnet case 59 is attached to the bottom surface 22A to cover the first attraction portion 24A from above. The magnet case 59 is a substantially rectangular box-shaped shape with an opening at the bottom. The magnet case 59 is made of, for example, the same flame-retardant resin as the case member 20. The magnet case 59 is disposed below the metal plate 40. The magnet case 59 separates the space in which the boards 51, 53, 55, etc. are provided from the space in which the first attraction portion 24A is provided. This prevents air that enters the housing 10 through the gap between the magnet 57 and the cut-off hole 27 in the first attraction portion 24A from reaching the space in which the boards 51, 53, 55, etc. are provided.

[0051] Furthermore, the magnet case 59 bulges upward beyond the upper surface of the bottom surface 22A. This makes it possible to prevent the magnet 57 of the first attraction portion 24A and the harness 81 from coming into contact with each other while ensuring a sufficient distance between them.

[0052] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 11, showing camera unit 1 as viewed from the front with doors 121A and 121B open. As described above, position restricting portion 26 extending downward is formed at the front end of bottom surface 22A of base 21A. Position restricting portion 26 is formed in a flat plate shape perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Position restricting portion 26 contacts front edge 120B of main box body 120 of refrigerator 100 from the front. Front edge 120B is the front end of the edge of the opening on the front surface of main box body 120. Position restricting portion 26 contacts front edge 120B to restrict rearward movement of camera unit 1.

[0053] As described above, the first positioning portion 26A is provided on the front surface of the position restriction portion 26. In the present embodiment, the first positioning portion 26A is a mark that is visible from the front. The first positioning portion 26A is provided in the center of the camera unit 1 in the left-right direction.

[0054] A position designation portion 120B1 is provided on the upper portion of front edge 120B. Position designation portion 120B1 is visible from the front when doors 121A, 121B are open. In this embodiment, position designation portion 120B1 is a protrusion protruding forward from front edge 120B. Position designation portion 120B1 is formed in the center of refrigerator 100 in the left-right direction.

[0055] 14, camera unit 1 is installed in a position where the position of first positioning part 26A in the left-right direction matches the position of position designation part 120B1 in the left-right direction. With camera unit 1 installed in this manner, camera unit 1 can properly photograph each part of refrigerator 100 or ingredients being taken in or out of each part. In other words, the user can install camera unit 1 in a position where it can properly photograph each part of refrigerator 100 or ingredients being taken in or out of each part, simply by matching the positions of first positioning part 26A and position designation part 120B1 in the left-right direction.

[0056] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the XV-XV section of FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 15, the rear surface of the position restricting portion 26 is provided with a second positioning portion 26B having a shape recessed toward the front. The second positioning portion 26B is shaped to fit with the position designation portion 120B1 protruding forward. The position of the second positioning portion 26B in the left-right direction is the same as the position of the first positioning portion 26A in the left-right direction. That is, when the user matches the left-right positions of the first positioning portion 26A and the position designation portion 120B1 with each other, the second positioning portion 26B fits with the position designation portion 120B1. Therefore, the camera unit 1 installed in a position where it can appropriately photograph each part of the refrigerator 100 or ingredients put in and taken out of each part is less likely to shift due to the fit between the second positioning portion 26B and the position designation portion 120B1.

[0057] [1-2. Operation] In the camera unit 1 configured as above, the flow of water that has entered the housing 10 through the heat dissipation hole 31 will be described.

[0058] Water that has entered the inside of the housing 10 from the heat dissipation hole 31 falls due to gravity onto the first inclined portion 41A located below the heat dissipation hole 31. The water that has fallen onto the first inclined portion 41A flows forward along the inclination of the first inclined portion 41A. The water that has flowed forward is blocked by the second inclined portion 41B or the rib 43, stops moving forward, and accumulates near the boundary between the first inclined portion 41A and the second inclined portion 41B. Moreover, water that has entered the inside of the housing 10 from the heat dissipation hole 31 falls due to gravity onto the second inclined portion 41B located below the heat dissipation hole 31. The water that has fallen onto the second inclined portion 41B flows backward along the inclination of the second inclined portion 41B. The water that has flowed backward stops moving backward near the first inclined portion 41A, and accumulates near the boundary between the first inclined portion 41A and the second inclined portion 41B.

[0059] When the amount of water accumulated near the boundary between the first inclined portion 41A and the second inclined portion 41B increases, the water spreads in the left-right direction. When the accumulated water exceeds a certain amount, the water reaches the side contact portion 33A of the contact portion 33. The water that reaches the side contact portion 33A passes through the second drainage hole 33A1 formed in the side contact portion 33A toward the outside in the left-right direction.

[0060] Water that passes through the second drainage hole 33A1 reaches the left-right ends of the plate rear portion 41 and flows down outside the metal plate 40. As described above, the plate rear portion 41 extends outward in the left-right direction beyond the pair of left and right side wall portions 23A. In other words, the plate rear portion 41 extends to the first drainage hole 28 side beyond the side wall portion 23A of the partition portion 23. Therefore, the water that flows down from the metal plate 40 flows into the first drainage hole 28 located outside the side wall portion 23A.

[0061] At this time, the water that flows down from the metal plate 40 tends to flow downward along the flange portions 41C and 41D, and is less likely to flow around to the back side of the metal plate 40, that is, the surface facing the power supply board 51 and the like.

[0062] The water that reaches first drainage hole 28 is drained below bottom surface 22A through first drainage hole 28. As described above, bottom surface 22A is located above and separated from top surface 120A of refrigerator 100 by leg parts 22A1. Therefore, drainage from first drainage hole 28 is less likely to be blocked by top surface 120A.

[0063] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, camera unit 1 comprises power supply board 51 and housing 10 that stores power supply board 51, and housing 10 is formed with first drainage hole 28 that connects the inside and outside of housing 10 and partition 23 that separates power supply board 51 and first drainage hole 28, and a metal plate 40 is provided within housing 10, covering power supply board 51 from above and extending further than partition 23 to the first drainage hole 28 side. This makes it easier for water that has entered the inside of the housing 10 to flow through the first drainage hole 28 by the metal plate 40, without reaching the power supply board 51. Therefore, the camera unit 1 can drain water that has entered the inside. Particularly in this embodiment, flanges 41C and 41D are provided at the end of metal plate 40 on the first drain hole 28 side, which are bent downward to cover the upper edge of partition 23 from the outside. This makes it difficult for water to get around the surface of metal plate 40 facing power supply board 51, making it easier to prevent water from reaching power supply board 51.

[0064] As in the present embodiment, a configuration may be used in which, in camera unit 1, heat dissipation holes 31 that communicate between the inside and the outside of housing 10 are formed above metal plate 40. This allows heat inside the housing 10 to be released to the outside via the heat dissipation holes 31, and also allows water entering through the heat dissipation holes 31 to be received by the metal plate 40. This makes it possible to improve the heat dissipation performance of the camera unit 1 while also allowing water that has entered the inside to be drained.

[0065] As in this embodiment, camera unit 1 may be equipped with a wide-angle camera 61 and a narrow-angle camera 63 arranged in shooting section 21B, which is the front part of housing 10, and metal plate 40 may be formed with ribs 43 rising upward and a first inclined portion 41A inclined so that the rear side is positioned upward, first inclined portion 41A being located rearward of ribs 43, heat dissipation holes 31 being located above first inclined portion 41A, and first drainage holes 28 being formed on the left-right outer side of first inclined portion 41A. As a result, the water received by the metal plate 40 is restricted from moving in the front-rear direction by the first inclined portion 41A and the rib 43, and is more likely to flow into the first drainage hole 28. Therefore, the camera unit 1 can drain water that has entered the interior.

[0066] As in this embodiment, in the camera unit 1, the housing 10 may have a case member 20 that covers the power supply board 51 from below and has a partition portion 23 formed therein, and a cover member 30 that covers the power supply board 51 from above, the partition portion 23 being formed in a position that surrounds the power supply board 51 from the side, the metal plate 40 contacting the partition portion 23 from above, and the cover member 30 being formed with a contact portion 33 that contacts the metal plate 40 from above at a position along the partition portion 23, and a second drainage hole 33A1 that penetrates the contact portion 33. This allows water to flow through the second drain hole 33A1 to the first drain hole 28 while the metal plate 40 is sandwiched between the partition portion 23 and the contact portion 33. Therefore, the sealing performance between the metal plate 40 and the partition portion 23 is improved to prevent water from reaching the power supply board 51, while allowing water that has entered the inside to be drained.

[0067] As in this embodiment, in camera unit 1, housing 10 may be configured so that rear vertical dimension H1 is greater than front vertical dimension H2, power supply board 51 is disposed at base 21A, which is the rear of housing 10, and heat dissipation hole 31 and first drainage hole 28 are located at base 21A. This makes it easier to ensure the vertical distance between heat dissipation holes 31 and metal plate 40 while keeping the vertical dimension H2 of the front of housing 10 small. Also, water that has entered through heat dissipation holes 31 at the rear of housing 10 can be drained through first drainage holes 28 at the rear of housing 10. Therefore, camera unit 1 can achieve both static electricity countermeasures and drainage of water that has entered inside, while maintaining a slim appearance.

[0068] As in this embodiment, in the camera unit 1, the housing 10 may be provided with legs 22A1 that contact the top surface 120A of the refrigerator 100 and separate the top surface 120A from the bottom surface 22A of the housing 10, and the first drainage hole 28 may be formed in the bottom surface 22A. This makes it difficult for top surface 120A to impede drainage from first drainage hole 28. Therefore, camera unit 1 can drain water that has entered the interior.

[0069] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first and second embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first and second embodiments to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0070] In the first embodiment, a top surface 120A made of metal has been described as an example. The top surface 120A may be any surface capable of supporting the camera unit 1. Therefore, the top surface 120A may be made of resin or the like.

[0071] In the first embodiment, an example of the metal plate 40 has been described as being inclined up and down in the front-rear direction. The metal plate 40 may be configured to allow water to flow toward the first drainage holes 28. Therefore, the plate rear portion 41 may be configured to be inclined downward on the outer side in the left-right direction, so that the water on the plate rear portion 41 flows by gravity toward the first drainage holes 28 on the outer side in the left-right direction.

[0072] In the first embodiment, the metal plate 40 is configured to have the second inclined portion 41B formed between the rib 43 and the first inclined portion 41A, which is inclined downward toward the rear, but this is only one example. For example, the second inclined portion 41B may not be formed, and the rib 43 and the first inclined portion 41A may be directly connected to each other.

[0073] In the first embodiment, it has been described that the power supply board 51 and the sensor board 53 are arranged on the bottom surface 22A, but this is just an example. The SoC board 55 may be arranged on the bottom surface 22A. In addition, any combination of boards that realize the functions of the boards 51, 53, and 55 may be arranged on the bottom surface 22A.

[0074] In the first embodiment, the case where water that has entered the inside of the housing 10 is drained from the first drain hole 28 has been described, but water may be drained from the gap between the cut-off hole 27 of the second suction portion 24B and the magnet 57. In this case, the rear end of the first inclined portion 41A of the metal plate 40 in the front-rear direction may extend further outward in the front-rear direction than the rear end of the partition portion 23. In addition, the rear end of the first inclined portion 41A may be bent downward to form a flange portion that covers the upper portion of the rear end of the partition portion 23 from the outside in the front-rear direction. This prevents water from getting around to the back side of the metal plate 40, improving drainage.

[0075] [Configuration supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0076] (Additional Note) (Technology 1) A camera unit is installed on a top surface of a refrigerator and takes pictures of the refrigerator, the camera unit comprising: a substrate; and a housing for storing the substrate, the housing being formed with a first drainage hole that connects the inside and outside of the housing, and a partition portion that separates the substrate and the first drainage hole, and a plate is provided within the housing that covers the substrate from above and extends beyond the partition portion to the first drainage hole side. This allows the plate to guide water that has entered the housing to the first drain hole side, allowing the water that has entered the inside to be drained.

[0077] (Technology 2) The camera unit according to Technology 1, characterized in that a heat dissipation hole that connects the inside and outside of the housing is formed above the plate. This allows heat inside the housing to be released to the outside through the heat dissipation holes, and also allows the plate to catch any water that enters through the heat dissipation holes, making it possible to both improve the heat dissipation performance of the camera unit and drain water that has entered the inside.

[0078] (Technology 3) A camera unit as described in Technology 2, comprising a camera disposed at the front of the housing, the plate being formed with a rib rising upward and an inclined portion inclined in a direction such that one side in the front-to-rear direction is positioned upward, the inclined portion being positioned on the one side of the rib, the heat dissipation hole being positioned above the inclined portion, and the first drainage hole being formed on the left-right outer side of the inclined portion. As a result, the inclined portion and the rib restrict the movement of water received by the plate in the front-rear direction, and the water can easily flow into the first drainage hole. Therefore, the camera unit can drain water that has entered the interior.

[0079] (Technology 4) A camera unit described in any one of Technologies 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing has a case member that covers the substrate from below and in which the partition portion is formed, and a cover member that covers the substrate from above, the partition portion is formed in a position that surrounds the substrate from the side, the plate contacts the partition portion from above, and the cover member is formed with a contact portion that contacts the plate from above at a position along the partition portion, and a second drainage hole that penetrates the contact portion. This allows water to flow through the second drain hole to the first drain hole while the plate is sandwiched between the partition and the contact part, thereby improving the sealing performance between the plate and the partition and preventing water from reaching the substrate, while allowing water that has entered the inside to be drained.

[0080] (Technology 5) The camera unit described in Technology 3, characterized in that the housing has a shape in which the vertical dimension of the rear is larger than the vertical dimension of the front, the board is disposed at the rear, and the heat dissipation hole and the first drainage hole are located at the rear. This makes it easier to ensure the vertical distance between the heat dissipation hole and the plate while keeping the vertical dimension of the front part of the housing small, and also makes it possible to drain water that has entered through the heat dissipation hole in the rear part of the housing through the first drainage hole in the rear part of the housing. Therefore, while maintaining a slim appearance, the camera unit can achieve both static electricity countermeasures and the drainage of water that has entered inside.

[0081] (Technology 6) The camera unit described in any one of Technologies 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing is provided with legs that contact the top surface of the refrigerator and separate the top surface from a bottom surface of the housing, and the first drainage hole is formed in the bottom surface. This makes it difficult for the top surface to obstruct drainage from the first drain hole, allowing the camera unit to drain any water that has entered the interior. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The present disclosure is applicable to a camera unit. Specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to a camera unit that is placed on the top surface of a refrigerator and takes an image of the refrigerator. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Camera unit 10. Chassis 20 Case material 21A base 21A1 Front end surface 21B Photography Department 22A Bottom 22A1 Legs 23 Partition 23A Side wall part 24A 1st suction part 24B 2nd suction part 24B1 Adsorption structure 24B2 Adsorption structure 26 Position regulation part 26A First positioning part 26B Second positioning part 27 Cutting hole 28 1st drainage hole 30 Cover member 31 Heat radiation hole 33 Contact part 33A Side contact part 33A1 2nd drain hole 37 Shielding part 40 Metal Plate (Plate) 41 Rear plate 41A 1st slope section 41B 2nd slope part 41C Flange part 41D Flange part 43 Ribs 45 Plate center 46 Heat radiation part 47 Plate front 51 Power supply board (board) 51B Power Harness 53 Sensor board (board) 55 SoC board (board) 57 Magnet 59 Magnet Case 61 Wide-angle camera 63 Narrow-angle camera 65 Distance Sensor 67 Thermopile 69 Illuminance sensor 81 Harness 83 FFC Cable 100 Refrigerator 120 Box body 120A Top 120A1 Front end 120B Front edge 120B1 Position specification part 121 Refrigerator 121A Door 121B Door 122 Ice Room 122A drawer 123 Fresh freezing room 123A drawer 124 Freezer 124A drawer 125 Vegetable compartment 125A drawer

Claims

1. A camera unit is installed on a top surface of a refrigerator and takes an image of the refrigerator, A substrate; A housing for storing the substrate, The housing has a first drainage hole that communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing, and a partition that separates the substrate from the first drainage hole, a plate is provided in the housing, the plate covering the substrate from above and extending beyond the partition portion to the first drain hole side; A camera unit characterized by:

2. A heat dissipation hole that communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing is formed above the plate.

2. The camera unit according to claim 1.

3. A camera is provided at the front of the housing, The plate is formed with a rib rising upward and an inclined portion inclined such that one side in the front-rear direction is positioned upward, the inclined portion is located on the one side of the rib, The heat dissipation hole is located above the inclined portion, The first drainage hole is formed on the outer side of the inclined portion in the left-right direction.

3. The camera unit according to claim 2.

4. the housing includes a case member that covers the board from below and in which the partition portion is formed, and a cover member that covers the board from above, the partition portion is formed at a position surrounding the substrate from a side, The plate contacts the partition from above, The cover member is formed with a contact portion that contacts the plate from above at a position along the partition portion, and a second drainage hole that penetrates the contact portion.

4. The camera unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second lenses are arranged in a first direction.

5. The housing has a shape in which a vertical dimension of a rear portion is larger than a vertical dimension of the front portion, the substrate is disposed at the rear portion; The heat dissipation hole and the first drainage hole are located in the rear portion.

4. The camera unit according to claim 3.

6. The housing is provided with legs that come into contact with the top surface of the refrigerator and separate the top surface from a bottom surface of the housing, The first drainage hole is formed in the bottom surface.

4. The camera unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second lenses are arranged in a first direction.

Images