Camera unit

Abstract

To provide a camera unit looking neat in appearance.SOLUTION: A camera unit includes a case member 20 where at least a wide-angle camera 61 and a narrow-angle camera 63 are housed at its inner front side. The narrow-angle camera 63 is disposed at a position shifted to the lateral side from an almost center part in the width direction of the case member 20. An optical axis L of the narrow-angle camera 63 is set while slanting so as to be directed to the center in the width direction of a refrigerator 100. Thus, the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 can be arranged in front of the case member 20 side by side, and the front tip part of the case member 20 can be made slim to make the appearance of the camera unit 1 look neat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

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] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a camera unit that can have a neat appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The camera unit in the present disclosure is installed on the top surface of a refrigerator and takes pictures of the refrigerator, and includes a case member at the front interior portion that houses at least a wide-angle camera and a narrow-angle camera, the wide-angle camera being positioned approximately at the center in the width direction of the case member, the narrow-angle camera being positioned at a position shifted laterally from approximately the center in the width direction of the case member, and the optical axis of the narrow-angle camera being installed at an angle so as to be directed toward the center in the width direction of the refrigerator. Effect of the Invention

[0006] The camera unit of the present disclosure can arrange the wide-angle camera and narrow-angle camera side by side in front of the case member, and the front end portion of the case member can be formed slim, giving the camera unit a neat appearance. [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] XV-XV sectional view of Figure 11 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 idea of ​​the present disclosure, there was a technique for managing food by photographing the food stored in a refrigerator using a camera installed in the refrigerator. In recent years, there has been a technology for dealing with such a situation, in which a camera unit is prepared separately from the refrigerator and can be attached later. In this case, since the camera unit is installed exposed to the outside of the refrigerator, it is required to have a neat appearance. This has led to the discovery of a problem, and the subject of the present disclosure has been constructed in order to solve this problem. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a camera unit that can have a neat appearance.

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, in some cases, more detailed explanations than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or duplicate explanations of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. 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) [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 symbol X in the drawings is the rightward direction, the direction indicated by the symbol Y is the forward direction, and the direction indicated by the symbol 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 showing the camera unit 1 as viewed from above. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the camera unit 1 as viewed from below. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the camera unit 1 with the cover member 30 removed. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the camera unit 1 with the cover member 30 and metal plate 40 removed.

[0014] The camera unit 1 includes a case member 20, a cover member 30, and a metal plate 40 housed inside the case member 20. 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.

[0015] Legs 22A1 are provided at the four outer corners of bottom surface 22A of base 21A. Legs 22A1 are for setting case member 20 with a predetermined gap from 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The power supply board 51 is connected to a power supply harness 51B capable of transmitting power. The power supply harness 51B is routed inside the case member 20, on the left 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. The power supply harness 51B may be connected to a power supply board of the refrigerator 100. In this case, the camera unit 1 and the refrigerator 100 may be connected via a USB cable or a harness.

[0019] 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 to the right of the power supply board 51. The sensor board 53 is an example of a "board" in this disclosure.

[0020] 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.

[0021] A partition section 23 is formed in the case member 20 at a position surrounding the power supply board 51 in a plan view. Inside the partition section 23, a sensor board 53, an SoC board 55, a wide-angle camera 61, and a narrow-angle camera 63 are arranged. The wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 are disposed at the front end of the case member 20. The SoC board 55 is disposed on the front side of the case member 20. In this embodiment, the SoC board 55 is disposed closer to the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63. The partition section 23 is formed in a shape that protrudes upward from the base section 21A and the imaging section 21B.

[0022] 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 photographing section 21B of the case member 20. 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. Camera unit 1 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.

[0023] LEDs 70 are provided as lighting devices on both sides of wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 of imaging unit 21B. LEDs 70 illuminate refrigerator 100 to which camera unit 1 is attached from above. LEDs 70 are arranged on the outside of refrigerator 100, i.e., at a slight incline toward the front. By arranging LEDs 70 at an incline in this manner, the LEDs 70 can illuminate the entire vegetable compartment 125 or freezer compartment 124 when the vegetable compartment 125 or freezer compartment 124 is pulled out. An illuminance sensor 69 and a thermopile 67 are provided between the wide-angle camera 61 and the LED 70 of the photographing unit 21B. The illuminance sensor 69 detects the brightness around the refrigerator 100. The thermopile 67 is an infrared sensor, and detects the temperature of a person approaching the refrigerator 100, thereby detecting the presence or absence of a person.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 55 via a thermally conductive sheet. This allows the heat from the heat generating element to be rapidly transferred to the metal plate 40.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 11, camera unit 1 is placed on front end 120A1 of top surface 120A. Base 21A of housing 10 overlaps top surface 120A of refrigerator 100 in a plan view. Imaging unit 21B of housing 10 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.

[0032] Also, it is a box-shaped structure in which the dimension H1 in the vertical direction from the lower end of base 21A of case member 20 to the upper end of cover member 30 is large, and the dimension H2 in the vertical direction from the lower end of photographing unit 21B to the upper end of cover member 30 is small. For this reason, from the user's perspective, base 21A of case member 20 is obstructed by refrigerator 100 and is difficult to see, but photographing unit 21B, which has the small dimension H2 in the vertical direction, is easy to see. Further, the front upper surface of the cover member 30 is formed with an inclined portion 30A so that the thickness dimension becomes smaller. In addition, the upper surface and the side surface of the cover member 30 are colored in different colors from the case member 20. For example, the case member 20 is colored black, and the upper surface and the side surface of the cover member 30 are colored in a light color, such as silver, that is brighter than the case member 20. Therefore, camera unit 1 can appear slim in appearance to the user.

[0033] Further, the wide-angle camera 61 is disposed approximately at the center of the case member 20 in the width direction. Narrow-angle camera 63 is disposed at a position shifted to the side from the center of case member 20 in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 14, narrow-angle camera 63 is installed at an angle such that optical axis L is directed toward the center of refrigerator 100 in the width direction. In this embodiment, narrow-angle camera 63 is disposed on door 121A side of refrigerator 100 having a narrower width dimension. For example, assume that a marker or the like is provided on the hinge of door 121A. Even in a situation where door 121A is open and one door 121B is closed, narrow-angle camera 63 is disposed on door 121A side of refrigerator 100 having a narrower width dimension, so that the possibility that a marker or the like will not be included in the image captured by narrow-angle camera 63 due to the side or top surface of one door 121B can be reduced. The wide-angle camera 61 is disposed closer to the front end of the case member 20 than the narrow-angle camera 63 .

[0034] As described above, inclined portion 30A is formed in cover member 30, and the height dimension of the front end side of cover member 30 is formed small. This is because narrow-angle camera 63 has a height dimension larger than wide-angle camera 61, and therefore cannot be installed near the front end of case member 20. In addition, wide-angle camera 61 has a relatively small height dimension, and therefore can be installed near the front end of case member 20, which enables wide-angle camera 61 to capture images from the front side of refrigerator 100. Connector 83A of cable 83 connected to SoC board 55 is connected from the side of wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63. This allows the height dimensions of wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 to be kept low.

[0035] 5, a glass cover 90 extending in the left-right direction is provided on the lower surface of the front end of the imaging unit 21B. The glass cover 90 covers the lens portions of the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63. Further, a lens portion 91 is formed on the glass cover 90 at a position corresponding to the LED 70. The lens portion 91 narrows the focus of the light emitted from the LED 70, enabling efficient light emission. Furthermore, an opening 92 is formed in the glass cover 90 at a position corresponding to the thermopile 67. By providing the opening 92, infrared rays can be detected directly by the thermopile 67 without passing through the glass cover 90.

[0036] In the present embodiment, switches 93 are provided on the front surface of the base 21A of the case member 20. The switches 93 include a main power switch 93A, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) connection switch 93B, and a camera activation switch 93C. The position regulating portion 26 formed on the front end surface 21A1 of the base 21A contacts the front end edge 120B of the main box body 120 of the refrigerator 100 from the front, so that even if each switch 93 is pressed and a rearward force is applied to the base 21A, the camera unit 1 can be prevented from moving rearward.

[0037] 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 holes 31 formed in the cover member 30 in the base 21A of the housing 10. In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the heat dissipation holes 31 and the metal plate 40 is set to 15 mm or more as a countermeasure against static electricity. In this embodiment, the camera unit 1 is configured so as to weigh 1 kg or less including the power harness 51B.

[0038] [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.

[0039] 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. Here, the metal plate 40 is an example of a "plate." Also, the rear side is an example of a "one direction side."

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] [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.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, the first suction portion 24A is provided on the bottom surface 22A of the base 21A. The first suction portion 24A is a structure in which a magnet 57 is arranged with respect to a cutting 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 cutting hole 27. In addition, there is a gap between the cutting 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 suction portion 24A is located at the center of the bottom surface 22A in the left-right direction. The first suction portion 24A is located at the front of the bottom surface 22A. In addition, the first suction portion 24A is formed inside the range surrounded by the partition portion 23 in a plan view.

[0052] The second attraction portion 24B is provided on the bottom surface 22A. 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 attraction force due to the magnetic force of the second attraction portion 24B is greater than the attraction force due to the magnetic force of the first attraction portion 24A. In this embodiment, the attraction force of the second attraction portion 24B is approximately twice the attraction force of the first attraction portion 24A.

[0053] 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. In addition, the suction structures 24B1 and 24B2 are each formed outside and rearward of the area surrounded by the partition portion 23 in a plan view.

[0054] 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 FFC cable 83 in a planar view.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] Furthermore, the magnet case 59 bulges upward beyond the upper surface of the bottom surface 22A, so that a sufficient distance can be secured between the magnet 57 of the first attraction portion 24A and the harness 81 connected thereto.

[0058] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the XV-XV section 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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. A convex portion may be provided on base 21A of camera unit 1, and a concave portion may be provided on top surface 120A of main box 120 of refrigerator 100, and the convex portion of camera unit 1 may fit into the concave portion of refrigerator 100, allowing camera unit 1 to be installed in a position where it can appropriately photograph each part of refrigerator 100 or food ingredients being taken in or out of each part. Also, a concave portion may be provided on camera unit 1 and a convex portion may be provided on refrigerator 100. The convex portion and concave portion of camera unit 1 correspond to an example of a "position regulating portion".

[0062] [1-2. Effects, etc.] The operation of the camera unit 1 configured as above will be described. In this embodiment, at least wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 are housed inside the front of case member 20, with wide-angle camera 61 positioned approximately in the center of case member 20 in the width direction, and narrow-angle camera 63 positioned at a position shifted laterally from approximately the center of case member 20 in the width direction, and optical axis L of narrow-angle camera 63 is installed at an angle so as to be directed toward the center of refrigerator 100 in the width direction. This allows the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 to be arranged side by side in front of the case member 20, allowing the front end portion of the case member 20 to be formed slim, giving the camera unit 1 a neat appearance.

[0063] Furthermore, the camera unit 1 can illuminate a wide area below the refrigerator 100 by using the LEDs 70 arranged on both sides of the case member 20. In this case, by forming a lens portion 91 at a position corresponding to the LEDs 70 on the glass cover 90 provided on the photographing portion 21B, the focus of the light emitted from the LEDs 70 can be narrowed, and the light can be irradiated also to lower portions of the refrigerator 100, such as the vegetable compartment 125 and the freezer compartment 124.

[0064] In addition, by arranging the thermopile 67 and the illuminance sensor 69 between the wide-angle camera 61 or the narrow-angle camera 63 of the case member 20 and the LED 70, the thermopile 67 and the illuminance sensor 69 can be arranged efficiently without impairing the functions of the wide-angle camera 61, the narrow-angle camera 63, and the LED 70.

[0065] Furthermore, by forming an inclined portion 30A in front of the cover member 30 and reducing the height dimension of the front end side of the cover member 30, the camera unit 1 can have a neat appearance. Since narrow-angle camera 63 has a height dimension greater than wide-angle camera 61, it cannot be installed closer to the front end of case member 20. Therefore, by arranging wide-angle camera 61 closer to the front of case member 20 than narrow-angle camera 63, wide-angle camera 61 can take pictures from the front of refrigerator 100.

[0066] Also, by disposing SoC board 55 close to wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 and electrically connecting SoC board 55 to wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 via cable 83 connected from the side of wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63, cable 83 connecting wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 to SoC board 55 can be short, and wiring space can be reduced. Furthermore, the height dimension of wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 can be kept low.

[0067] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, camera unit 1 of the present embodiment has case member 20 at the front interior portion in which at least wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 are housed, narrow-angle camera 63 is positioned offset to the side from approximately the center in the width direction of case member 20, and optical axis L of narrow-angle camera 63 is installed at an angle so as to be directed toward the center in the width direction of refrigerator 100. According to this, wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 can be arranged side by side in front of case member 20, and the front end portion of case member 20 can be formed slim, giving a neat appearance to camera unit 1. Furthermore, by arranging narrow-angle camera 63 at a position shifted laterally from approximately the center in the width direction of case member 20 and installing narrow-angle camera 63 at an angle so that optical axis L of narrow-angle camera 63 is directed toward the center in the width direction of refrigerator 100, narrow-angle camera 63 can capture images of an area including each of drawers 122A, 123A, 124A, and 125A.

[0068] In addition, in camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, wide-angle camera 61 is disposed approximately in the center of case member 20 in the width direction. This allows wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 to be arranged side by side in front of case member 20, allowing the front end portion of case member 20 to be slim, and giving a neat appearance to camera unit 1. Also, by arranging wide-angle camera 61 at approximately the center in the width direction of case member 20, wide-angle camera 61 can capture images of each part of refrigerator 100, including refrigerating compartment 121, evenly on the left and right.

[0069] Furthermore, the camera unit 1 of this embodiment is provided with LEDs 70 (light emitting devices) on both sides of the case member 20. According to this, the LEDs 70 arranged on both sides of the case member 20 can illuminate the area below the refrigerator 100 over a wide range.

[0070] Furthermore, in camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, thermopile 67 and illuminance sensor 69 (sensor) are disposed between wide-angle camera 61 or narrow-angle camera 63 of case member 20 and LED 70 (light-emitting device). This allows the thermopile 67 and the illuminance sensor 69 to be efficiently arranged without impairing the functions of the wide-angle camera 61, the narrow-angle camera 63, and the LED 70.

[0071] In addition, the camera unit 1 of this embodiment is provided with a cover member 30 that covers the case member 20, and an inclined portion 30A is formed in front of the cover member 30, and the wide-angle camera 61 is positioned closer to the front of the case member 20 than the narrow-angle camera 63. According to this, by providing inclined portion 30A to cover member 30 and reducing the height dimension of the front end side of cover member 30, it is possible to give camera unit 1 a neat appearance. In this case, when inclined portion 30A is formed, by disposing wide-angle camera 61 in front of the case member rather than narrow-angle camera 63 which has a large height dimension, it becomes possible for wide-angle camera 61 to take pictures from the front side of refrigerator 100.

[0072] In addition, in camera unit 1 of the present embodiment, case member 20 houses SoC board 55 (board) that controls wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63, and SoC board 55 is disposed on the front side of case member 20. According to this, by placing the SoC board 55 on the front side of the case member 20, preferably near the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63, the cable 83 connecting the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 to the SoC board 55 can be short, and the wiring space can be reduced.

[0073] In addition, in the camera unit 1 of this embodiment, the SoC board 55 (board) and the wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63 are electrically connected via a cable 83 that is connected from the side of the wide-angle camera 61 and narrow-angle camera 63. This allows the height dimensions of the wide-angle camera 61 and the narrow-angle camera 63 to be kept low.

[0074] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0075] (Additional Note) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0076] (Technology 1) A camera unit that is installed on the top surface of a refrigerator and takes pictures of the refrigerator, the camera unit having a case member at the front interior portion that houses at least a wide-angle camera and a narrow-angle camera, the narrow-angle camera being positioned offset to the side from approximately the center of the width of the case member, and the optical axis of the narrow-angle camera being installed at an angle so as to be directed toward the center of the width of the refrigerator. According to this configuration, the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera can be arranged side by side in front of the case member, and the front end portion of the case member can be formed slim, giving the camera unit a neat appearance. Also, by arranging the narrow-angle camera in a position shifted to the side from approximately the center in the width direction of the case member and installing the narrow-angle camera at an angle so that the optical axis of the narrow-angle camera is directed toward the center in the width direction of the refrigerator, the narrow-angle camera can capture an image of an area including each drawer of the refrigerator.

[0077] (Technology 2) The camera unit according to Technology 1, wherein the wide-angle camera is disposed at approximately the center of the case member in the width direction. According to this configuration, the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera can be arranged side by side in front of the case member, and the front end portion of the case member can be made slim, giving the camera unit a neat appearance. Also, by arranging the wide-angle camera at approximately the center in the width direction of the case member, the wide-angle camera can capture images of each part of the refrigerator, including the refrigerator compartment, evenly on the left and right.

[0078] (Technology 3) A camera unit according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, further comprising a light-emitting device on both sides of the case member. According to this configuration, the light-emitting devices disposed on both sides of the case member can illuminate a wide area below the refrigerator.

[0079] (Technology 4) The camera unit according to Technology 3, wherein a sensor is disposed between the wide-angle camera or the narrow-angle camera of the case member and the light-emitting device. According to this configuration, the sensors can be arranged efficiently without impairing the functions of the wide-angle camera, the narrow-angle camera, and the light emitting device.

[0080] (Technology 5) A camera unit described in any one of Technology 1 to Technology 4, comprising a cover member that covers the case member, an inclined portion is formed in front of the cover member, and the wide-angle camera is positioned closer to the front of the case member than the narrow-angle camera. According to this configuration, by providing an inclined portion on the cover member and reducing the height dimension of the front end side of the cover member, the camera unit can have a neat appearance. In this case, when the inclined portion is formed, by disposing the wide-angle camera in front of the case member rather than the narrow-angle camera, which has a large height dimension, it becomes possible to take pictures from the front side of the refrigerator with the wide-angle camera.

[0081] (Technology 6) A camera unit described in any one of Technology 1 to Technology 5, wherein the case member houses a board that controls the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera, and the board is arranged on the front side of the case member. According to this configuration, by placing the board on the front side of the case member, preferably close to the wide-angle camera and narrow-angle camera, the cables connecting the wide-angle camera and narrow-angle camera to the board can be short, thereby reducing the wiring space.

[0082] (Technology 7) A camera unit described in any one of Technology 1 to Technology 6, wherein the substrate, the wide-angle camera, and the narrow-angle camera are electrically connected via cables connected from the sides of the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera. With this configuration, the height dimensions of the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera can be kept low. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] As described above, the camera unit according to the present invention can be suitably used as a camera unit that can form the front end portion of the case member slim and can give the camera unit a neat appearance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 Camera unit 10. Chassis 10A Rear 10B front 20 Case material 21A base 21B Photography Department 21A1 Front end surface 23 Partition 24A 1st suction part 24B 2nd suction part 26 Position regulation part 30 Cover member 30A slope part 31 Heat radiation hole 33 Contact part 37 Shielding part 40 Metal 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 51B Power Harness 53 Sensor board 55 SoC Board 57 Magnet 59 Magnet Case 61 Wide-angle camera 63 Narrow-angle camera 65 Distance Sensor 67 Thermopile 70 LED 90 Glass Cover 91 Lens section 92 Aperture 93 Switch 93A Main Power Switch 93B Connection Switch 93C Camera start switch 100 Refrigerator 120 Main box body 121A Door 121 Refrigerator 122 Ice Room 123 Fresh freezing room 124 Freezer 125 Vegetable compartment

Claims

1. A camera unit is installed on a top surface of a refrigerator and takes an image of the refrigerator, a case member in which at least a wide-angle camera and a narrow-angle camera are housed at an inner front portion; the narrow-angle camera is disposed at a position shifted laterally from approximately the center of the case member in a width direction, The optical axis of the narrow-angle camera is inclined and directed toward the center of the width of the refrigerator. Camera unit.

2. The wide-angle camera is disposed at approximately the center in the width direction of the case member. The camera unit according to claim 1 .

3. A light emitting device is provided on both sides of the case member.

3. The camera unit according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A sensor is disposed between the wide-angle camera or the narrow-angle camera of the case member and the light-emitting device. The camera unit according to claim 3.

5. a cover member that covers the case member, A sloped portion is formed in front of the cover member, The wide-angle camera is disposed closer to the front of the case member than the narrow-angle camera.

3. The camera unit according to claim 1 or 2.

6. a board for controlling the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera is housed in the case member; The substrate is disposed on the front side of the case member.

3. The camera unit according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The board is electrically connected to the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera via cables connected laterally to the wide-angle camera and the narrow-angle camera. The camera unit according to claim 6.

Images