Refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator in which mutual cancellation of radio waves is suppressed.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 100 comprises: a housing 1 that has a metal outer box; a camera unit 3 that is installed on the outside of the housing 1 and has a prescribed function different from a cooling function and a wireless communication function; and a radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 that suppresses mutual cancellation of radio waves. The camera unit 3 has an antenna 3h and a case 3b in which at least the antenna 3h is installed. The radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 is disposed between the antenna 3h and the housing 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9E

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to refrigerators. [Background technology]

[0002] Regarding a refrigerator having a wireless communication function, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known. That is, Patent Document 1 describes that "the wireless communication means is not disposed at a position where the distance between the wireless communication unit and the housing is a multiple of half the wavelength of a wireless radio wave." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6092027 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 prevents cancellation between incident and reflected waves of radio waves by making the distance between the wireless communication unit and the housing not a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves. However, in cases where a device that performs wireless communication is designed independently or where the wavelength of the radio waves can be selected, the distance between the wireless communication unit and the housing may become close to half the wavelength of the radio waves, leaving room for further improvement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The refrigerator according to the present disclosure comprises a housing having a metal outer box, a device installed on the outside of the housing and having a specified function different from a cooling function and a wireless communication function, and a radio wave canceling suppression member that suppresses cancellation of radio waves, the device having an antenna and at least a case in which the antenna is installed, and the radio wave canceling suppression member is disposed between the antenna and the housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment with left and right refrigerator compartment doors open. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment with left and right refrigerator compartment doors open. [Diagram 5] 1 is a perspective view of a camera unit of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment when viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 6] 1 is a system configuration diagram of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is an example of a photographing result of a camera unit of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment, in which no image processing is performed. [Figure 8] 4 is a result of photographing by a camera unit of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment, and is an example of an expanded image after image processing. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a front view of a camera unit of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9B] 9B is a cross-sectional view including a cross-section taken along line II-II of FIG. 9A in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9C] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment with the camera unit in the "first arrangement" and the top lid of the case removed. [Figure 9D] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment with the camera unit in the "second arrangement" and the top lid of the case removed. [Figure 9E] 9D。 FIG. 9C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second arrangement of the camera unit in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment, taken along line III-III in FIG. 9D. [Figure 10A] 3 is an explanatory diagram of a first example of a radio wave suppression member provided in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10B] 10 is an explanatory diagram of a second example of a radio wave suppression member provided in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10C] 11 is an explanatory diagram of a third example of a radio wave suppression member provided in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10D] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a fourth example of a radio wave suppression member provided in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10E] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a fifth example of a radio wave suppression member provided in the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11A] 11 is a cross-sectional view including a camera unit of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the refrigerator according to the second embodiment with the camera unit in the "first arrangement" and the top lid of the case removed. [Figure 11C] 11B。 FIG. 11C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the "first arrangement" of the camera unit in the refrigerator according to the second embodiment, taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 11B. [Figure 12] 1 is a cross-sectional view including a camera unit of a refrigerator according to a first reference embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement of mounting members and a wireless communication board of a refrigerator according to a second reference embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a cross-sectional view including a wireless communication board, an attachment member, a support member, and a camera unit in a second arrangement of a refrigerator according to a second reference embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a plan view including a camera unit 3 with an upper case member removed and a support member 4 seen through an upper base member in a refrigerator according to a second reference embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the refrigerator according to the second reference embodiment, in which the rear end side of the upper base member is opened 90° around a fulcrum, allowing the inside of the support member to be seen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 100 according to the first embodiment. Refrigerator 100 is a device for storing food and the like at low temperatures, and includes a housing 1, multiple doors such as refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212, and a camera unit 3 (device). Housing 1 is configured with a vacuum insulation material or urethane foam filled between a metal (steel plate) outer box 11 and a resin inner box 12 (see FIG. 3). Note that the fact that outer box 11 is made of metal also includes the fact that outer box 11 is made of metal when a predetermined surface treatment is applied to the metal outer box 11.

[0008] A plurality of storage compartments are provided inside the housing 1. In the example of Fig. 1, the storage compartments of the refrigerator 100 are, from the top, a refrigeration compartment 21, an ice making compartment 22 arranged on the left and right, an upper freezer compartment 23, a vegetable compartment 24, and a lower freezer compartment 25.

[0009] A front side (front face side) of the housing 1 is provided with a plurality of openings P1 (see FIG. 4) corresponding to each compartment. As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 100 is provided with a pair of left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 as French style doors that form the refrigerator compartment 21 by closing the opening P1 of the housing 1. The left refrigerator compartment door 211 is rotatable about the axis of a hinge 211a (see FIG. 4) at the left end. The right refrigerator compartment door 212 is similar.

[0010] Refrigerator 100 also includes ice compartment door 221 and upper freezer door 231 as drawer-type doors, as well as vegetable compartment door 241 and lower freezer compartment door 251. For example, a vegetable compartment container (not shown) is installed behind (at the back of) vegetable compartment door 241. Vegetable compartment door 241 and vegetable compartment container are designed to be pulled out together (the same applies to other drawer-type doors). Note that the number and arrangement of storage compartments shown in FIG. 1 are merely an example and are not limited thereto.

[0011] Although not shown, the refrigerator 100 includes a compressor, a radiator (condenser), a capillary tube (throttling mechanism), and a cooler (evaporator). A refrigerant circulates through the compressor, the radiator, the capillary tube, and the cooler in this order, and the air in the storage compartment is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing through the cooler.

[0012] Camera unit 3 (device) captures images of refrigerator compartment 21 and the like, and is installed outside housing 1 (on the upper side of housing 1 in the example of FIG. 1). Images of ice-making compartment 22, upper freezer compartment 23, vegetable compartment 24, and lower freezer compartment 25 may also be captured by camera unit 3. In this manner, camera unit 3 has an imaging function as a "predetermined function" different from the cooling function and wireless communication function. In the example of FIG. 1, camera unit 3 is disposed directly above the joint between refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 in the closed state, but the left-right position of camera unit 3 may be changed as appropriate.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the refrigerator 100. As shown in Fig. 2, a lens 3a is installed near the front end of the camera unit 3. The lens 3a is an optical element that refracts light and focuses it on an image sensor 3d (see Fig. 9B), and faces downward. For example, a fisheye lens is used as this lens 3a.

[0014] 2, lens 3a is provided forward of the front end of housing 1 (the edge of opening P1 of housing 1). More preferably, lens 3a is provided further forward of the front surface of refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 in the closed state. This makes it easier for refrigerator compartment 21, vegetable compartment door 241, lower freezer compartment door 251, etc. to be within the field of view of lens 3a when refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212, vegetable compartment door 241, lower freezer compartment door 251, etc. are opened.

[0015] The refrigerator 100 also includes a support member 4 that supports the camera unit 3 (device). The support member 4 is interposed between the camera unit 3 and the housing 1, and is fixed to the top surface of the housing 1.

[0016] The power board 62 shown in Fig. 2 is a board on which power supply circuits (not shown) for a compressor (not shown) and a fan (not shown) are mounted, and is disposed at the lower part on the rear side of the refrigerator 100. The internal control board 63 is a board on which an internal control microcomputer (not shown) that controls cooling is mounted, and is disposed near the middle in the vertical direction on the rear side of the refrigerator 100. Note that Fig. 2 is an example, and the arrangement of the power board 62 and the internal control board 63 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the internal control board 63 may be disposed at the lower part on the rear side of the refrigerator 100. Also, the power board 62 and the internal control board 63 may be integrated together.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a front view of refrigerator 100 with left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 open. As shown in FIG. 3, the refrigerator compartment 21 is provided with a plurality of shelves 213. The inner panel 211b of the left refrigerator compartment door 211 is provided with a plurality of door pockets 211c for storing food and the like (the same is true for the right refrigerator compartment door 212). When the left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 are opened, the refrigerator compartment 21 and food and the like in the door pockets 211c, 212c are arranged to be viewed from above in the field of view of the lens 3a of the camera unit 3. For example, when at least one of the refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 is opened, the camera unit 3 captures an image of the refrigerator compartment 21 and the like (automatic capture). When the vegetable compartment door 241 or the lower freezer compartment door 251 is opened, the camera unit 3 captures an image of the vegetable compartment 24 or the lower freezer compartment 25.

[0018] Here, a shooting button 5 may be provided when manually shooting the refrigerator compartment 21 etc. in accordance with the user's shooting timing using the camera unit 3. For example, as shown in Fig. 3 as an example of manual shooting, the shooting button 5 may be provided on each of the left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212, or may be near the handles of the drawer doors of the vegetable compartment door 241 and the lower freezer compartment door 251, or may be provided on either the camera unit 3 or the support member 4, and is not limited thereto.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the refrigerator 100 with the left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 open. 4, hinges 211a and 212a are provided on the top surface of the housing 1. The left hinge 211a axially supports the refrigerator compartment door 211 so that it can rotate freely. The right hinge 212a is similar.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the camera unit 3 includes a case 3b. The case 3b is a resin container that contains the substrate and the like of the camera unit 3. The case 3b has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view. To explain in more detail, the case 3b is formed so that the length of the short side (left-to-right direction) changes midway in the longitudinal direction (front-to-rear direction), and the length of the short side is longer at the rear than at the front. Note that the shape of the case 3b shown in FIG. 4 is an example and is not limited thereto.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera unit 3 as viewed obliquely from below. As shown in Fig. 5, the camera unit 3 includes the lens 3a and case 3b, as well as a lighting cover 3c. A circular hole (not shown) is provided on the underside near the front end of the case 3b, and the lens 3a is exposed through this hole. A long and narrow hole (not shown) is provided in the case 3b on the rear side of the lens 3a in the left-right direction, and the lighting cover 3c is fitted into this hole. The lighting cover 3c is a translucent resin member that protects the light-emitting unit 3e (see Fig. 9B) and also diffuses the light from the light-emitting unit 3e.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of the refrigerator 100. As shown in FIG. 6, the refrigerator 100 includes a camera unit 3, an open / close detection unit 6, an operation unit 7, and a control unit 8. The open / close detection unit 6 is a door sensor for detecting the open / closed state of each door, such as the refrigerator doors 211, 212, the vegetable compartment door 241, and the lower freezer door 251 (see FIG. 1). When a signal indicating the open state of each door is input to the control unit 8, the signal is transmitted to the camera / wireless communication control unit 3g of the camera unit 3 via the control unit 8. Then, when the imaging unit M1 detects a predetermined open angle of each door, such as the refrigerator doors 211, 212, or a predetermined open angle of the vegetable compartment door 241 and the lower freezer door 251 by image recognition, automatic imaging is started. Here, the operation unit 7 is a control panel that is operated in a predetermined manner by the user. For example, the control panel is used for various settings such as the temperature setting of the refrigerator 100, manual shooting button 5 (see FIG. 3) and pairing settings between the user's mobile terminal 54 and the refrigerator 100, and is provided on the outer or inner surface of the refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 (see FIG. 3).

[0023] The control unit 8 is, for example, a microcomputer, and although not shown, is configured to include electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and various interfaces. The program stored in the ROM is read and expanded in the RAM, and the CPU executes various processes. The control unit 8 executes cooling control as specified based on signals input from the open / close detection unit 6 and the operation unit 7, and at the same time transmits a signal to the camera unit 3, thereby controlling the timing of starting imaging.

[0024] The camera unit 3 includes an imaging section M1, a light emitting section 3e, a sound generating section 3f, a camera / wireless communication control section 3g, and an antenna 3h. The imaging section M1 includes a lens 3a (see FIG. 9B) and an image sensor 3d (see FIG. 9B). The image sensor 3d is an element that photoelectrically converts the light incident through the lens 3a and generates captured image data.

[0025] The light emitting unit 3e is a light source that is turned on when the camera unit 3 takes a picture, and is provided in front of the refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 in the closed state (see also FIG. 9B). For example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) is used as such a light emitting unit 3e. By turning on the light emitting unit 3e when taking a picture, the refrigerator compartment 21 (see FIG. 3), the door pockets 211c, 212c (see FIG. 3), the vegetable compartment door 241 (see FIG. 3), and the lower freezer compartment door 251 (see FIG. 3) can be photographed under appropriate brightness.

[0026] The sound generating unit 3f is a buzzer that emits a predetermined sound when, for example, an image is captured by the camera unit 3. When any of the door open signals is transmitted via the control unit 8, the camera / wireless communication control unit 3g outputs an image capturing command to the image sensor 3d (see FIG. 9B). As a result, captured image data is input from the image sensor 3d to the camera / wireless communication control unit 3g.

[0027] There is no limitation on the antenna 3h as long as it can transmit and receive radio waves. For example, the antenna 3h can be of a rod-like, wire-like, or planar type. Here, two types of printed circuit boards will be described when a planar antenna is used. The antenna 3h of this embodiment can use either a printed circuit board on which an element is mounted, or a printed circuit board on which no element is mounted (only copper foil printing). First, when an antenna 3h is provided using a printed circuit board (only copper foil printing) on ​​which no elements are mounted, a camera control element (not shown) and a wireless communication control element (not shown) are mounted on the camera control board 31 (see Figure 9B), and a signal from the camera / wireless communication control unit 3g is transmitted and received as radio waves by the antenna 3h via the wiring K1. In this case, the printed circuit board of antenna 3h is formed only by copper foil printing, which has the advantage of making the board size small. Depending on the propagation speed, it is advisable to select a printed circuit board with an antenna pattern (such as copper foil printed all over, coil-shaped, sensor-shaped, or meandering-shaped) on one or both sides that can transmit and receive antenna signals. Next, when an antenna 3h using a printed circuit board on which an element is mounted is provided, a signal from a camera control element (not shown) of a camera / wireless communication control unit 3g of a camera control board 31 (see FIG. 9B) is transmitted and received by the antenna 3h via a wire K1. Since the antenna 3h is equipped with a chip component having noise resistance, even if the wire K1 is routed long together with the antenna 3h, there is almost no effect on communication (see FIGS. 13 to 15). Hereinafter, the antenna 3h may be referred to as a wireless communication board 32. The captured image data output from the camera / wireless communication control unit 3g is emitted as a radio wave from the antenna 3h (wireless communication board 32), and this radio wave is received by the router 51. The antenna 3h may be either directional or non-directional. The router 51 is a communication relay device, and transmits information received as a radio wave from the antenna 3h to the server 53 via the network 52.

[0028] The server 53 performs a predetermined process on the captured image data and stores the captured image data in association with the identification information of the refrigerator 100. When the server 53 receives a request signal for an image of the interior of the refrigerator 100 from the mobile terminal 54 of the user with whom the server 53 is paired, the server 53 transmits the captured image data to the mobile terminal 54.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows an example of the result of shooting with the camera unit without image processing. In Fig. 7, the upper side of the page is the front and the lower side is the rear, so that the left and right are reversed compared to Fig. 3 etc. In the example of Fig. 7, both the left and right refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212 are open, and in addition to the refrigerator compartment 21, the left and right door pockets 211c, 212c are also photographed. A fisheye lens is used as the lens 3a of the camera unit 3 (see Fig. 5), so that images can be captured with a wide range of angle of view.

[0030] FIG. 8 is an example of a developed image obtained by photographing with the camera unit and after image processing. For example, predetermined image processing is performed by server 53 (see FIG. 6) based on the photographed result of FIG. 7, converting the images into expanded images as if they were seen from the front of refrigerator compartment 21 and refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212. By displaying such expanded images on mobile terminal 54 (see FIG. 6), the user can see at a glance what foods are stored in refrigerator compartment 21 and refrigerator compartment doors 211, 212.

[0031] FIG. 9A is a front view of the camera unit 3. FIG. 9A, the camera unit 3 is disposed on the upper side of the support member 4. Moreover, the camera unit 3 is disposed near the center of the support member 4 in the left-right direction.

[0032] FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view including a cross section taken along line II-II of FIG. 9A. In addition to the above-mentioned components, the camera unit 3 also includes a camera control board 31 and a wireless communication board 32. The camera control board 31 is a printed circuit board on which an image sensor 3d, a light emitting unit 3e, a camera control element, and a wireless communication control element (not shown) are mounted, and is installed inside the case 3b. In the example of Fig. 9B, the camera control board 31 is installed near the front end of the case 3b so as to be parallel to the upper surface of the case 3b.

[0033] The wireless communication board 32 is a printed circuit board on which an antenna 3h is mounted, and is installed inside the case 3b. In the example of Fig. 9B, the wireless communication board 32 is installed so that its plate surface is parallel to the side surface of the case 3b.

[0034] The wireless communication board 32 is connected to the camera control board 31 via a wiring K1. More specifically, an antenna 3h mounted on the wireless communication board 32 is electrically connected to a camera control element (not shown) of the camera control board 31 via the wiring K1. Then, a predetermined communication is performed between the antenna 3h and the camera control element (not shown) via the wiring K1. In the example of FIG. 9B, the wireless communication board 32 is disposed near the camera control board 31 in the longitudinal direction of the case 3b. This makes it possible to shorten the length of the wiring K1 and suppress the generation of noise.

[0035] A circular hole H1 is provided near the center of the bottom surface of the case 3b of the camera unit 3, and the cylindrical portion C1 extends upward from the edge of the hole H1, although the cross section is not shown in the drawing. A circular hole (not shown) is also provided on the upper surface of the support member 4, and a plurality of claws 4b extend upward from the edge of the hole. When the camera unit 3 is assembled, the claws 4b protruding radially outward enter the inside of the cylindrical portion C1 and are engaged with the upper end of the cylindrical portion C1. The camera unit 3 is rotatable around the central axis of the cylindrical portion C1 relative to the support member 4. Such a rotation operation may be performed manually by a user or an operator, or may be performed mechanically in response to a predetermined button operation.

[0036] The cylindrical portion C1 of the case 3b is provided with a plurality of recesses (not shown) in the circumferential direction, which are recessed radially outward. Meanwhile, the support member 4 is provided with protrusions (not shown) between the plurality of claws 4b, each of which has a shape corresponding to the recesses. The protrusions and the recesses are fitted together in a predetermined manner during the process of rotating the camera unit 3. In other words, the rotation mechanism R1 including the cylindrical portion C1 and the claws 4b allows the arrangement of the camera unit 3 (device) to be moved from one of the "first arrangement" and the "second arrangement" to the other.

[0037] Here, the "first arrangement" refers to an arrangement in which a part of the camera unit 3 (device) is present outside the housing 1 in a plan view (see FIG. 9C). During normal use when photographing, the camera unit 3 is in the "first arrangement" as shown in FIG. 9B. In the "first arrangement," the lens 31a and the light-emitting unit 3e of the camera unit 3 are located forward of the housing 1.

[0038] The other "second arrangement" is an arrangement in which the entire camera unit 3 (device) overlaps the housing 1 in plan view (see FIG. 9D). In the "second arrangement", the tip of the camera unit 3 does not protrude forward from the housing 1, which prevents the camera unit 3 from coming into contact with people or objects while the refrigerator 100 is being transported. In the first embodiment, the "second arrangement" is a position in which the camera unit 3 is rotated 90° clockwise in plan view from the "first arrangement". In this way, the camera unit 3 is movable relative to the housing 1.

[0039] In addition to the components described above, refrigerator 100 also includes radio wave suppression member 9 shown in Fig. 9B. Radio wave suppression member 9 is a member for suppressing mutual cancellation of radio waves, and is installed inside support member 4. Radio waves generally have the property of being reflected by the surface of a metal member. If a configuration does not include radio wave suppression member 9 and radio waves from antenna 3h are incident on metal outer box 11 at an incident angle of 90°, the radio waves reflected by the surface of outer box 11 return to antenna 3h at a reflection angle of 90°, and mutual cancellation of radio waves may occur.

[0040] In the "first arrangement" shown in FIG. 9B, a straight line (not shown) perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 (the installation surface of the camera unit 3) does not pass through the antenna 3h, so even if there is no radio wave cancellation suppression member 9, radio waves hardly cancel each other out. In other words, in the "first arrangement", the antenna 3h does not exist in the area where the top surface of the housing 1 is projected upward, so radio waves hardly cancel each other out. Note that the term "installation surface" of the camera unit 3 is not limited to the case where the camera unit 3 is directly installed on the housing 1, but also includes the case where the camera unit 3 is installed via a support member 4 as shown in FIG. 9B.

[0041] On the other hand, in the "second arrangement" (see FIG. 9D), the entire camera unit 3 overlaps the housing 1 in plan view, so that a straight line perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 (the installation surface of the camera unit 3) passes through the antenna 3h. In other words, in the "second arrangement", the antenna 3h is present in an area obtained by projecting the upper surface of the housing 1 upward, so that if the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 were not present, there is a possibility that radio waves would cancel each other out. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 is provided to suppress the cancellation of radio waves, particularly in the "second arrangement" (see FIG. 9D).

[0042] For example, a metal plate such as aluminum, iron, or a predetermined alloy may be used as the radio wave suppression member 9. As shown in Fig. 9B, the plate surface of the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined in a predetermined manner with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1 (the installation surface of the camera unit 3). The manner in which the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined and the inclination angle will be described later.

[0043] In addition, since the case 3b of the camera unit 3 and the container 4a of the support member 4 are made of resin, there is no particular risk of them adversely affecting radio waves (reflecting radio waves on their surfaces). In addition, in the example of Fig. 9B, the refrigerator compartment door 211 is provided directly below the antenna 3h, but since the refrigerator compartment door 211 has a resin exterior filled with a heat insulating material such as urethane foam, there is no particular risk of them adversely affecting radio waves (reflecting radio waves on their surfaces).

[0044] FIG. 9C is a plan view of the camera unit 3 in the "first arrangement" with the top cover of the case 3b removed. As described above, the camera control board 31 and the wireless communication board 32 are connected via the wire K1. Power is supplied to the camera control board 31 from inside the refrigerator via the power cable K2. The power cable K2 is inserted through the hole H1 (see FIG. 9B) of the rotation mechanism R1 (see FIG. 9B).

[0045] In the example of Fig. 9C, the wireless communication board 32 is installed on the inner surface of the side wall of the case 3b. When installing the wireless communication board 32, double-sided tape or adhesive may be used, and a claw portion (not shown) for locking the wireless communication board 32 may be provided on the case 3b. By installing the wireless communication board 32 on the side wall of the case 3b in this manner, it becomes easier to ensure installation space for other electronic components. In addition, the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 is arranged at a predetermined position that is offset from the camera unit 3 in the "first arrangement" in a plan view.

[0046] FIG. 9D is a plan view of the camera unit 3 in the "second arrangement" with the top cover of the case removed. In Fig. 9D, the wiring K1 and the power cable K2 are omitted. When the camera unit 3 is rotated 90° clockwise from the above-mentioned "first arrangement" (see Fig. 9C) to the "second arrangement" (see Fig. 9D), the camera unit 3 moves from the position indicated by Z1 to the position indicated by Z2. In such a "second arrangement", the radio wave suppression member 9 overlaps the wireless communication board 32 (i.e., the antenna 3h) in a plan view.

[0047] FIG. 9E is a schematic cross-sectional view of the "second arrangement" of the camera unit 3 taken along line III-III in FIG. 9D. As shown in Fig. 9E, the case 3b of the camera unit 3 includes a lower case member 3D and an upper case member 3U. The lower case member 3D is open at the top. The upper case member 3U is open at the bottom. The upper case member 3U is disposed so as to cover the opening of the lower case member 3D.

[0048] The container 4a of the support member 4 includes a lower base member 4D and an upper base member 4U. The lower base member 4D is open at the top. The upper base member 4U is open at the bottom. The upper base member 4U is disposed so as to cover the opening of the lower base member 4D.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 9E, in the "second arrangement", the radio wave suppression member 9 is arranged between the antenna 3h and the housing 1. A predetermined straight line L1 that is perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 and passes through the antenna 3h passes through the radio wave suppression member 9. In other words, in the "second arrangement", the radio wave suppression member 9 is arranged directly below the antenna 3h. From another perspective, the radio wave suppression member 9 is arranged on the side farther from the lens 3a (see FIG. 5) with respect to the antenna 3h in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the lens 3a (see FIG. 5) of the camera unit 3 (the vertical direction in the example of FIG. 9E).

[0050] In addition, the plate surface of the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1. Specifically, the plate-shaped radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined at about 45° with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1. With this configuration, among the radio waves emitted in all directions from the antenna 3h, the radio waves heading in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 (that is, heading vertically downward from the antenna 3h) are incident on the radio wave suppression member 9. As described above, since the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined at about 45° with respect to the surface of the housing 1, the incident angle of the radio waves (radio waves heading vertically downward) to the radio wave suppression member 9 is about 45°. In addition, the reflection angle when the radio waves are reflected by the radio wave suppression member 9 is also about 45°. As a result, the radio waves heading in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 are reflected in a direction different from that of the antenna 3h, so that cancellation of the radio waves can be suppressed.

[0051] In this way, the radio wave suppressing member 9 has the function of reflecting radio waves from the antenna 3h toward the radio wave suppressing member 9 in a direction different from that of the antenna 3h. The inclination angle and the direction of inclination of the radio wave suppressing member 9 can be changed as appropriate. When a metal plate is used as the radio wave suppressing member 9, it is preferable to arrange the radio wave suppressing member 9 so that a straight line (not shown) that is perpendicular to the plate surface of the radio wave suppressing member 9 and passes through the antenna 3h cannot be drawn. This makes it possible to prevent the radio waves reflected by the radio wave suppressing member 9 from returning to the antenna 3h.

[0052] Incidentally, even when the camera unit 3 is in the "second arrangement" (a state in which imaging is not being performed), wireless communication may occur via the antenna 3h. For example, wireless communication occurs via the antenna 3h when pairing is set up between the refrigerator 100 (see FIG. 6) and the user's mobile terminal 54 (see FIG. 6) or when setting information for the refrigerator 100 is provided from the server 53 (see FIG. 6) based on a request signal from the mobile terminal 54. Next, the shape and other details of the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 will be described in turn with reference to FIGS. 10A to 10E.

[0053] FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram of a first example of radio wave suppression member 9. As shown in FIG. The upper view of FIG. 10A is a plan view of the radio wave suppression member 9 (viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the radio wave suppression member 9). The lower view of FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of the radio wave suppression member 9. In the example of FIG. 10A, the plate surface of the metal radio wave suppression member 9 is flat. In such a configuration, as described above, it is preferable to incline the radio wave suppression member 9 at a predetermined angle with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1 (see FIG. 9E). This allows the radio waves reflected by the radio wave suppression member 9 to travel in a direction different from the antenna 3h (see FIG. 9E).

[0054] FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram of a second example of the radio wave suppression member 9A. As shown in FIG. 10B, the metal radio wave suppressing member 9 may be bent in a zigzag shape in cross section. In such a configuration, the radio wave suppressing member 9A may be inclined in a predetermined manner with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1 (see FIG. 9E), or may not be inclined in particular. This is because, even if the radio wave suppressing member 9A is not inclined in particular with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1, the radio waves are diffused by each zigzag surface of the radio wave suppressing member 9A, and the reflected waves are directed in a direction different from the antenna 3h. If the radio wave suppressing member 9A is not inclined in particular with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1 (or the inclination angle is made small), the dimension in the height direction of the radio wave suppressing member 9A can be made small, and the degree of freedom in design is increased.

[0055] FIG. 10C is an explanatory diagram of a third example of the radio wave suppression member 9B. As shown in FIG. 10C, the metal radio wave suppression member 9B may be bent in a sawtooth shape in cross section. Even with this configuration, the radio waves are diffused and scattered in the radio wave suppression member 9B, so that the canceling out of the radio waves can be suppressed. In the example of FIG. 10C, since there is no particular need to incline the radio wave suppression member 9B, the dimension in the height direction can be reduced. As a result, the degree of freedom in design is increased. This point is the same in the examples of FIG. 10D and FIG. 10E described later.

[0056] FIG. 10D is an explanatory diagram of a fourth example of a radio wave suppression member 9C. The metallic radio wave suppression member 9C shown in Fig. 10D has a configuration in which a plurality of pyramidal elements 9Ca are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. Even with this configuration, the radio waves are diffused and diffused in the radio wave suppression member 9C, so that the cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed.

[0057] FIG. 10E is an explanatory diagram of a fifth example of a radio wave suppression member 9D. The radio wave suppressing member 9D shown in FIG. 10E has a rectangular plate shape and has the same shape as that of FIG. 10A, but the material is different from metal. That is, the radio wave suppressing member 9D is made of a rubber material that has a property of absorbing radio waves. As a result, at least a part of the radio waves from the antenna 3h (see FIG. 9E) toward the radio wave suppressing member 9D is absorbed by the radio wave suppressing member 9D, so that the cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed. For example, such a rubber material may contain silicone rubber and magnetic particles. Also, the rubber material may be formed as a surface coating of the metal plate-shaped member of FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D. The structure of the radio wave suppressing member 9D may be a multilayer structure or a sandwich structure of different rubber material layers and different metal material layers. When radio waves are absorbed in this way, the plate surface of the radio wave suppressing member 9D may be parallel to the upper surface of the housing 1 (see FIG. 9E), or may be inclined at a predetermined angle, or either of them. In addition, since various radio wave absorbing materials have been developed, it is possible to use these as appropriate as the radio wave suppression member 9D.

[0058] According to the first embodiment, by providing the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 (see FIG. 9E), it is possible to suppress cancellation between the radio waves radiated from the antenna 3h and the radio waves reflected on the surface of the housing 1. For example, even if the upper surface of the housing 1 is slightly warped due to the foaming pressure of the insulating material filled in the housing 1 and the vertical distance between the housing 1 and the antenna 3h becomes a multiple of 1 / 2 the wavelength of the radio waves, it is possible to suppress cancellation of the radio waves by the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9. Also, even if the thickness of the camera unit 3 in the height direction is reduced at the design stage and the antenna 3h is configured to be close to the upper surface of the housing 1, cancellation of the radio waves can be appropriately suppressed.

[0059] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, even when the camera unit 3 having the antenna 3h is designed independently or when the wavelength of the radio wave is selectable, cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed. Therefore, reliability can be ensured when wireless communication is performed via the antenna 3h. Furthermore, since the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 has a simple configuration, an increase in manufacturing costs can be suppressed.

[0060] Second Embodiment The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that both the antenna 3h (see FIG. 11A) and the radio wave suppression member 9 (see FIG. 11A) are provided in the camera unit 3A (see FIG. 11A). Also, the position of the wireless communication board 32 (see FIG. 11A) in the front-rear direction differs from that of the first embodiment. The rest of the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. Therefore, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the overlapping parts will be omitted.

[0061] FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view including a camera unit 3A of a refrigerator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11A shows a "first arrangement" in which the lens 3a of the camera unit 3A is arranged in front of the housing 1. As shown in FIG. 11A, an antenna 3h and a radio wave suppressing member 9 are installed inside the case 3b of the camera unit 3A. Specifically, a wireless communication board 32 is attached to the inner side of the case 3b (see also FIG. 11B). The radio wave suppressing member 9 is installed on the bottom surface of the case 3b of the camera unit 3A. The radio wave suppressing member 9 may have any of the configurations shown in FIGS. 10A to 10E, but the following description will be given of the case where the radio wave suppressing member 9 is a flat metal plate (see FIG. 10A).

[0062] As shown in FIG. 11A, in the "first arrangement" where the camera unit 3A can capture an image, the radio wave suppression member 9 is arranged between the antenna 3h and the housing 1. From another perspective, the radio wave suppression member 9 is arranged on the side farther from the lens 3a (see FIG. 5) in a direction parallel to the optical axis (vertical direction in the example of FIG. 11A) of the lens 3a of the camera unit 3 with respect to the antenna 3h. In the example of FIG. 11A, the arrangement is such that a straight line L2 perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 passes through the antenna 3h, but since the radio wave suppression member 9 is interposed between the antenna 3h and the housing 1, mutual cancellation of radio waves hardly occurs. The arrangement of the radio wave suppression member 9 will be described later in detail.

[0063] FIG. 11B is a plan view of the camera unit 3A in the "first arrangement" with the top cover of the case 3b removed. As described above, the wireless communication board 32 is attached to the inner side surface of the case 3b. The wireless communication board 32 and the radio wave suppression member 9 overlap in a plan view. The radio wave suppression member 9 is installed below the wireless communication board 32 in a predetermined inclined state.

[0064] FIG. 11C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the "first arrangement" of the camera unit 3A taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 11B. As described above, the radio wave suppression member 9 is disposed between the antenna 3h and the housing 1. In addition, the straight line L2 that is perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 and passes through the antenna 3h passes through the radio wave suppression member 9. Furthermore, the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1. Specifically, the radio wave suppression member 9 is inclined at about 45° with respect to the upper surface of the housing 1. With this configuration, radio waves traveling in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing 1 are reflected in a direction different from that of the antenna 3h, so that mutual cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed. The inclination angle and the inclination direction of the radio wave suppression member 9 can be changed as appropriate.

[0065] According to the second embodiment, since both the antenna 3h and the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 are provided inside the case 3b of the camera unit 3A, the relative positional relationship between the antenna 3h and the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 is maintained even in the case of the "first arrangement" shown in Fig. 11C and also in the case of the "second arrangement" (not shown) in which the entire camera unit 3 overlaps the housing 1 in a plan view. Therefore, as in the case of the "first arrangement" shown in Fig. 11C, cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed even in the case of the "second arrangement".

[0066] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, in the "first arrangement" (see FIG. 11A), cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed even when the straight line L2 (see FIG. 11A) perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 passes through the antenna 3h. This increases the degree of freedom when installing the antenna 3h inside the case 3b of the camera unit 3A.

[0067] ≪First reference form≫ The first reference embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that no radio wave suppression member is provided. The first reference embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in that the wireless communication function is switched off when the camera unit 3B (see FIG. 12) is in the "second arrangement" which is the stored state. The rest of the first reference embodiment is the same as the first embodiment. Therefore, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and a description of the overlapping parts will be omitted.

[0068] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view including a camera unit 3B of a refrigerator according to the first reference embodiment. As shown in Fig. 12, a camera control board 31 and a wireless communication board 32 are installed inside the case 3b of the camera unit 3B. Meanwhile, no radio wave cancellation suppression member is particularly provided on the camera unit 3 or the support member 4. In the "first arrangement", a straight line (not shown) perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 does not pass through the antenna 3h. In the "second arrangement", a straight line perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 does pass through the antenna 3h.

[0069] In such a configuration, the control unit 8 (see FIG. 6) performs wireless communication via the antenna 3h in the "first arrangement" (see FIG. 12) where image capture by the camera unit 3B is possible. In other words, in the "first arrangement" of the camera unit 3 (device), the wireless communication function using the antenna 3h is maintained in an on state.

[0070] Furthermore, the control unit 8 (see FIG. 6) prevents wireless communication via the antenna 3h in the "second arrangement" (not shown) in which the camera unit 3B is stored. In other words, the wireless communication function is kept off in the "second arrangement" of the camera unit 3 (device). This makes it possible to prevent radio waves from canceling each other out even in a configuration in which a radio wave canceling suppression member is not provided.

[0071] ≪Second reference form≫ The second reference embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a wireless communication board 32 (see FIG. 13) is installed on the bottom surface of the mounting member 10 (see FIG. 13) instead of the support member 4 (see FIG. 13). The rest of the second reference embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and a description of the overlapping parts will be omitted.

[0072] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of the mounting member 10 and the wireless communication board 32 of the refrigerator according to the second reference embodiment. Note that mounting member 10 cannot be seen from the outside because it is installed below supporting member 4, but in Fig. 13 supporting member 4 is indicated by a two-dot chain line to show the mounting member 10. Mounting member 10 is a resin member that closes opening H3 in the top surface of outer box 11 and allows power cable K3 (see Fig. 16) to pass through it, and is installed in housing 1.

[0073] The upper surface of the outer box 11 of the housing 1 is provided with a rectangular opening H3 in which the mounting member 10 is installed. The mounting member 10 is configured such that a fitting portion 10a that fits into the opening H3 of the outer box 11 and a guide portion 10b that extends rearward from the fitting portion 10a are integrally formed. The wiring K1 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 13 is a wiring that connects the camera control board 31 and the wireless communication board 32, and is inserted through a hole H1 of the rotation mechanism R1. For example, in the case of an antenna 3h using a printed circuit board (only copper foil printing) on ​​which no elements are mounted, a single wiring (coaxial cable) is used as the wiring K1. In addition, in the case of an antenna 3h using a printed circuit board on which elements are mounted, multiple wirings are used as the wiring K1.

[0074] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view including the camera unit 3 in the "second arrangement" in addition to the wireless communication board 32, the support member 4, and the mounting member 10. As shown in FIG. 14, the mounting member 10 has an L-shape in a vertical cross section and is fitted into the outer box 11 from the inside through the opening H3 on the upper surface of the outer box 11. That is, the mounting member 10 is inserted from the lower side of the upper surface of the outer box 11 through the opening H3 with the rear end of the guide portion 10b of the mounting member 10 facing upward, and then the mounting member 10 is tilted backward with most of the guide portion 10b exposed on the upper side of the outer box 11, so that the guide portion 10b comes into contact with the upper surface of the outer box 11. The fitting portion 10a also has a plate-shaped blocking portion 101a formed to protrude outward from its lower end. When the mounting member 10 is installed in the outer box 11, the opening H3 of the outer box 11 is blocked by the blocking portion 101a.

[0075] An opening H4 (see FIG. 15) is provided in the lower base member 4D (see FIG. 15) of the support member 4 to prevent interference with the mounting member 10. The mounting member 10 is installed through this opening H4. When the support member 4 is installed in the housing 1, the mounting member 10 is covered with the upper base member 4U (see FIG. 16).

[0076] As shown in Fig. 14, when the mounting member 10 is installed on the outer box 11, the height position of the bottom surface of the fitting portion 10a is lower than the height position of the upper surface of the outer box 11 (i.e., the upper surface of the housing 1). The bottom surface of the fitting portion 10a is provided with an insertion hole H5 (see Fig. 13) for inserting the power cable K2 (see Fig. 15). The fitting portion 10a also has an insertion portion 101b that bulges upward from the bottom surface. The power cable K2 is inserted through the insertion portion 101b and guided to the guide portion 10b.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 14, the wireless communication board 32 is provided on the bottom surface of the fitting portion 10a. The wireless communication board 32 may be attached with double-sided tape or adhesive, or may be locked by a claw (not shown) of the fitting portion 10a. An antenna 3h is mounted on the wireless communication board 32. Then, image data captured by the camera unit 3, setting information for the refrigerator 100, etc. are wirelessly transmitted via the antenna 3h.

[0078] As described above, the fitting portion 10a of the mounting member 10 is fitted into the opening H3 of the outer box 11. Therefore, the metal outer box 11 is not present above or below the wireless communication board 32 that is installed on the bottom surface of the fitting portion 10a. Therefore, there is no particular risk of mutual cancellation of radio waves radiated from the antenna 3h.

[0079] FIG. 15 is a plan view including the camera unit 3 with the upper case member removed, and the support member 4 with the upper base member seen through. The power cable K2 shown in Fig. 15 is a cable for supplying power to the camera unit 3 and the like via a power plug (not shown). Although two bundles of power cables K2 are shown in Fig. 15, the number of power cables K2 may be appropriately changed as necessary. The power cables K2 are inserted into the camera unit 3 through the insertion hole H5 (see Fig. 13) of the mounting member 10 and the hole H1 (see Fig. 13) of the rotation mechanism R1 in this order. Such a power cable K2 is electrically connected to the camera control board 31 (see Fig. 13).

[0080] The mounting member 10 is provided with a connector N1 used for electrically connecting the power cable K2. Meanwhile, the wireless communication board 32 is provided on the bottom surface of the fitting portion 10a of the mounting member 10 as described above. That is, both the connector N1 and the wireless communication board 32 are provided on the mounting member 10. This allows a worker to simultaneously perform the work of connecting the power cable K2 to the connector N1 and the work of attaching the wireless communication board 32 during the process of manufacturing the refrigerator 100 on a manufacturing line. This allows the efficiency of manufacturing the refrigerator 100 to be improved.

[0081] FIG. 16 is a perspective view in which the rear end side of the upper base member 4U is opened 90 degrees around a fulcrum, allowing the inside of the support member 4 to be seen. In addition, in FIG. 16, the wireless communication board 32 (see FIG. 15) and the wiring K1 (see FIG. 15) are omitted. The multiple fixing parts 61 shown in FIG. 16 are for slidably fixing the power cable K2, and are provided on the inner surface of the upper base member 4U and also on the inner surface of the lower base member 4D. The power cable K2 is arranged to meander through the multiple fixing parts 61 inside the support member 4. By providing such "play" in the power cable K2, even if the camera unit 3 is separated from the support member 4, the power cable K2 is prevented from being broken. In addition, when the camera unit 3 is separated, the sliding friction of the power cable K2 is distributed to the multiple fixing parts 61, so that an appropriate resistance is generated.

[0082] It is not necessary for the camera unit 3 to be firmly fixed to the support member 4, and it is preferable that, for example, when a force equal to or greater than a predetermined value acts on the camera unit 3, such as pushing the camera unit 3 upward from below, the camera unit 3 is separated from the support member 4. This makes it possible to prevent a strong resistance from acting between the camera unit 3 and the object, etc., when a person or object comes into contact with the camera unit 3.

[0083] Also, it is preferable that the length of the wire K1 (see FIG. 15) connecting the camera control board 31 (see FIG. 15) and the wireless communication board 32 (see FIG. 15) is longer than the length of the power cable K2 from the connector N1. In this way, if the camera unit 3 is separated from the support member 4 with the wire K1 and the power cable K2 connected to the camera control board 31, the power cable K2 will be pulled before the wire K1 (i.e., with the wire K1 bent). This makes it possible to prevent the wire K1 from breaking. Note that the power cable K2 is thicker than the wire K1 and meanders via the multiple fixing parts 61, so it is unlikely to break.

[0084] <<Variations>> Although the refrigerator 100 and the like according to the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the respective embodiments, the refrigerator 100 and the like are not limited to these descriptions and may be modified in various ways. For example, in each embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the camera unit 3 is rotatable relative to the support member 4, but this is not limiting. That is, the camera unit 3 may be configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the support member 4. The camera unit 3 may also be configured to be foldable. In each of these configurations, the camera unit 3 is movable between a "first arrangement" in which a part of the camera unit 3 is outside the housing 1 in a plan view, and a "second arrangement" in which the entire camera unit 3 overlaps the housing 1 in a plan view. In addition, in each embodiment, the camera unit 3 is configured to be movable relative to the support member 4, but this is not limiting. That is, the camera unit 3 may be configured to be fixed to the housing 1.

[0085] In each embodiment, the case where the antenna 3h of the wireless communication board 32 is entirely arranged to overlap the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 in the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1 has been described, but this is not limiting. That is, at least a part of the antenna 3h may overlap the radio wave cancellation suppression member 9 in the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the housing 1. Even with this configuration, cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed.

[0086] In each embodiment, the arrangement and angle of the wireless communication board 32 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the surface of the wireless communication board 32 may be arranged parallel to the surface of the camera control board 31.

[0087] In addition, in each embodiment, the "device" of the refrigerator 100 is the camera unit 3, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the refrigerator 100 may be provided with a "device" having a voice recognition function or a human recognition function based on a captured image as a "predetermined function" different from the cooling function or wireless communication function. The installation surface of the "device" may be the top surface of the housing 1, or may be a predetermined surface different from the top surface of the housing 1.

[0088] In addition, each embodiment and each reference form can be appropriately combined. For example, the first embodiment and the second embodiment may be combined, and in a configuration in which the camera unit 3 includes the antenna 3h and the radio wave suppression member 9 (see FIG. 11A: second embodiment), the refrigerator compartment door 211 may be located directly below the antenna 3h in the "first arrangement" (see FIG. 9B: first embodiment). Furthermore, by combining the first embodiment and the first reference form, in a configuration in which the antenna 3h is provided inside the case 3b of the camera unit 3 (device) (first embodiment), in a "second arrangement" in which the entire camera unit 3 overlaps the housing 1 in a plan view, the wireless communication function of the camera unit 3 may be maintained in an off state (first reference form). Even in such a configuration, cancellation of radio waves can be suppressed.

[0089] The refrigerator 100 and the like described in each embodiment and each reference embodiment are merely examples, and each embodiment and the like can be applied to other types of refrigerators. For example, each embodiment and the like can be applied to a single-door refrigerator or a portable refrigerator.

[0090] In addition, each embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present disclosure, and is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of an embodiment with other configurations. Furthermore, the above-mentioned mechanisms and configurations are those considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all mechanisms and configurations of the product. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1 Case 3, 3A, 3B Camera unit (device) 3a Lens 3b Case 3h Antenna 4 Support member 9,9A,9B,9C,9D Radio wave cancellation suppression member 10 Mounting material 11 Outer box 12 Inner box 31 Camera control board 32 Wireless communication board 100 Refrigerator

Claims

1. A housing having a metal outer box; a device that is installed outside the housing and has a predetermined function other than a cooling function and a wireless communication function; A radio wave cancellation suppression member that suppresses cancellation of radio waves, The device comprises: The antenna, and a case in which at least the antenna is installed, A refrigerator, wherein the radio wave suppression member is disposed between the antenna and the housing.

2. The radio wave suppressing member reflects radio waves traveling from the antenna to the radio wave suppressing member in a direction different from that of the antenna. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

3. The plate surface of the radio wave suppression member is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the installation surface of the device in the housing. The refrigerator according to claim 2 .

4. The radio wave suppressing member absorbs at least a part of the radio waves traveling from the antenna to the radio wave suppressing member. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

5. the device is movable from one of a first configuration to another of a second configuration; the first arrangement is an arrangement in which a part of the device is present outside the housing in a plan view, the second arrangement is an arrangement in which the entire device overlaps the housing in a plan view, In the second arrangement, the radio wave suppression member is arranged between the antenna and the housing. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

6. In the first arrangement, a straight line perpendicular to a surface of the housing where the device is installed does not pass through the antenna. The refrigerator according to claim 5 .

7. a support member interposed between the device and the housing and supporting the device; The radio wave suppression member is installed inside the support member. The refrigerator according to claim 5 .

8. the device is movable from one of a first configuration to another of a second configuration; the first arrangement is an arrangement in which a part of the device is present outside the housing in a plan view, the second arrangement is an arrangement in which the entire device overlaps the housing in a plan view, The antenna and the radio wave suppression member are installed inside the case. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

9. the device is movable from one of a first configuration to another of a second configuration; the first arrangement is an arrangement in which a part of the device is present outside the housing in a plan view, the second arrangement is an arrangement in which the entire device overlaps the housing in a plan view, In the second arrangement, the wireless communication function of the device is maintained in an off state. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

10. the device is a camera unit having a lens; The radio wave suppression member is disposed on the far side of the lens with respect to the antenna in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the lens. The refrigerator according to claim 1 .

Images