refrigerator
The refrigerator's innovative handle and operation unit configuration addresses the issue of unintended door openings and design compromise by positioning the operation unit to overlap with the handle, ensuring both aesthetic appeal and improved operability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MIDEA GROUP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-17
AI Technical Summary
Conventional refrigerators with operation parts on the front surface compromise the aesthetic design due to visibility and are prone to unintended door openings from accidental user contact.
A refrigerator design featuring a handle recessed on the door's bottom surface with a door opening operation unit positioned to overlap with the handle laterally and in front, incorporating a piezoelectric output unit for contact detection and a flexible main body member for improved operability and detection accuracy.
The design maintains aesthetic appeal by concealing the operation unit while preventing accidental door openings and enhancing user convenience and reliability of door opening operations.
Smart Images

Figure 2026098373000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, in a refrigerator, there is known a technique for assisting the opening and closing of a door in the refrigerator by an operating means for operating the door of the refrigerator, and particularly for reducing the load during door opening. In Patent Document 1, a recess for arranging an operation part is provided in an opening / closing door provided on the front surface of a refrigerator main body, and further, the outer periphery of the recess is arranged on the front surface side of the door rather than the operation part. Thereby, even when a part of the body such as an arm or a torso inadvertently touches the vicinity of the operation part, it is possible to prevent direct contact with the operation part and prevent an unintended operation of the door by a person.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] By the way, when an operation part is arranged on the front surface of the opening / closing door, that is, the front surface of the refrigerator, the operation part becomes conspicuous in the appearance of the refrigerator, and the design property of the refrigerator is impaired. Therefore, in the conventional configuration, there is room for improvement in suppressing an unintended opening of the door due to a user accidentally touching the operation part while ensuring the design property related to the appearance of the refrigerator.
[0005] Therefore, an object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of suppressing an unintended opening of a door while ensuring the design property related to the appearance of the refrigerator.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The refrigerator of the embodiment comprises a refrigerator body having a storage compartment, a door provided on the refrigerator body for opening and closing the storage compartment, a handle formed in an upward recess on the bottom surface of the door for the user to place their fingers on, a door opening device for opening the door, and a door opening operation unit provided on the bottom surface of the door for receiving operation from the user to operate the door opening device, wherein a part of the door opening operation unit is provided in a position that overlaps with the handle in the left-right direction of the door and is located in front of the handle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an example of a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment, shown along the line X2-X2 in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the frame member of a refrigerator according to the first embodiment, as seen from the bottom side of the frame member. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the main body components and the area around the piezoelectric output unit of a refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the main body components and the area around the piezoelectric output unit for the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 2 shows an example of the installation position of the door opening operation unit for the refrigerator according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 2 shows another example of the installation position of the door opening operation unit for the refrigerator according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] Several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. Also, in each drawing, for the sake of explanation, the dimensions of each component may be enlarged as needed, and the dimensional ratios between components may not be the same as in reality.
[0009] (First Embodiment) First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The refrigerator 1 shown in Figure 1 is constructed with a vertically elongated rectangular box-shaped refrigerator body 10 that has an open front and contains multiple storage compartments. The refrigerator body 10 constitutes the main body of the refrigerator 1. In the following description, the side of the refrigerator body 10 with the opening will be referred to as the front of the refrigerator 1, and the side opposite the opening will be referred to as the rear of the refrigerator 1. Furthermore, the vertical direction relative to the direction of gravity when the refrigerator 1 is placed on the floor in the position shown in Figure 1 will be referred to as the vertical direction of the refrigerator 1, and the horizontal direction when the refrigerator 1 is viewed from the front will be referred to as the horizontal direction of the refrigerator 1.
[0010] The refrigerator body 10 is made up of a rectangular box-shaped structure with an open front and good insulation properties. The refrigerator body 10 has insulation materials inside each wall section that makes up the box, such as rigid polyurethane foam, which is an example of foamed insulation material, or vacuum insulation panels, which is an example of an insulation component. The refrigerator body 10 is divided into multiple storage compartments for storing items. These multiple storage compartments include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 11, a vegetable compartment 12, an ice-making compartment 13, a small freezer compartment 14, and a freezer compartment 15.
[0011] The refrigerator compartment 11 and the vegetable compartment 12 are both storage compartments in the refrigerated temperature range, cooled to a temperature of, for example, 1 to 5°C. The refrigerator compartment 11 is located at the top of the refrigerator body 10. The vegetable compartment 12 is located below the refrigerator compartment 11. The ice maker compartment 13, the small freezer compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15 are storage compartments in the freezer temperature range, cooled to a temperature of, for example, -18°C or lower. The ice maker compartment 13 and the small freezer compartment 14 are located below the vegetable compartment 12, side by side. The freezer compartment 15 is located below the ice maker compartment 13 and the small freezer compartment 14, that is, at the bottom of the refrigerator body 10.
[0012] Refrigerator 1 is equipped with a refrigerator door 21, a vegetable door 22, an ice maker door 23, a small freezer door 24, and a freezer door 25. Each door 21-25 is formed by filling the inside of a frame member made of, for example, metal or synthetic resin with insulating material. The surface 21a of the refrigerator door 21 is made up of, for example, a glass plate. The refrigerator door 21 is, for example, a single-hinged door that opens and closes the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 11. The vegetable door 22, ice maker door 23, small freezer door 24, and freezer door 25 are all drawer-type doors that open and close the front openings of the vegetable compartment 12, ice maker compartment 13, small freezer compartment 14, and freezer compartment 15, respectively.
[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the refrigerator 1 is equipped with a rotatable support portion 16. The rotatable support portion 16 is a so-called hinge connected, for example, to the upper and lower portions of the right end of the refrigerator compartment door 21, and supports the refrigerator compartment door 21 so that it can rotate. The refrigerator compartment door 21 is also provided with a handle portion 211. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the handle portion 211 is formed as an upward recess in the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21. In other words, the handle portion 211 is formed by recessing a part of the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21 upwards. The inner surface of the handle portion 211 constitutes the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21.
[0014] The handle portion 211 is located, for example, at the left end of the refrigerator door 21. The handle portion 211 is located on the side opposite to the side where the pivot support portion 16 is provided, in the left-right direction of the refrigerator door 21. The handle portion 211 is formed to be longer in the left-right direction than in the front-back direction of the refrigerator door 21. The handle portion 211 is a part for the user to place their fingers on. The user can open and close the refrigerator door 21 while hooking their fingers onto the handle portion 211 from below.
[0015] Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 is equipped with a door opening operation unit 30 and a door opening device 40. The door opening operation unit 30 is provided, for example, on the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21 and receives operation from the user to operate the door opening device 40. The door opening operation unit 30 has the function of detecting contact by the user when the refrigerator compartment door 21 is closed. The door opening operation unit 30 is provided in the area overlapping with the handle 211 in the left-right direction of the refrigerator compartment door 21. The door opening device 40 is located at a position corresponding to the upper part of the refrigerator compartment door 21 of the refrigerator body 10, for example, at the left end of the refrigerator compartment door 21.
[0016] The door opening device 40 is composed of, for example, a solenoid and an actuator. The operation of the door opening device 40 is controlled by a control device (not shown). The control device mainly consists of a microcomputer (not shown) having memory areas such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory, and controls the overall operation of the refrigerator 1. When the refrigerator door 21 is closed and the door opening device 40 detects an operation by the user on the door opening operation unit 30, it pushes a plunger (not shown) forward to automatically open the refrigerator door 21.
[0017] Next, the details of the door opening operation unit 30 will be described. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the door opening operation unit 30 has a frame member 31, a main body member 32, a piezoelectric output unit 33, and a protective unit 34. As shown in Figure 2, the frame member 31 is attached to the bottom surface 21b side of the refrigerator door 21. In this embodiment, the lower surface of the frame member 31 is located on substantially the same plane as the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21 and constitutes a part of the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21. The front end of the frame member 31 is located behind the surface 21a of the refrigerator door 21. As shown in Figure 3, the frame member 31 is composed of a frame-shaped member that is substantially rectangular overall. In this case, a through hole 311 is formed on the inside of the frame member 31. The through hole 311 is formed to penetrate the frame member 31 in the thickness direction. The through hole 311 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, for example, that is long in the left-right direction. The handle 211 is located within the area of the through hole 311.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, among the frame members 31, the front portion 31a located on the front side of the through hole 311 is positioned on the front side of the handle portion 211. The front side of the handle portion 211 includes both the front inside the handle portion 211 and the front outside the handle portion 211. That is, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 is positioned on the front side of the center C1 in the front-rear direction of the handle portion 211. The center C1 in the front-rear direction of the handle portion 211 may be determined based on the dimension in the front-rear direction of the handle portion 211, that is, the opening width, or may be determined based on the dimension in the front-rear direction of the upper surface 211b of the handle portion 211.
[0019] Also, the front end of the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 is on the front side of the handle portion 211 and is positioned behind the surface 21a of the refrigerator door 21. In this embodiment, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 is positioned on the front side of the handle portion 211 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 is easily accessible when the user hangs their fingers on the handle portion 211. Note that the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 may be configured to be disposed at a position overlapping the handle portion 211. That is, the frame member 31 may be configured to block a part of the opening 211a on the lower side of the handle portion 211 from below.
[0020] The main body member 32 is composed of a flexible member formed of, for example, synthetic resin or silicone. The main body member 32 receives an operation from the user. The main body member 32 is located below the front portion 31a of the frame member 31. That is, the main body member 32 is provided to face the frame member 31 in the vertical direction. Also, the main body member 32 is located below the handle portion 211. That is, in this embodiment, the main body member 32 is located below the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21. The main body member 32 is formed as a plate-like member extending along the left-right direction of the refrigerator door 21 as a whole, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The thickness of the main body member 32 is set, for example, in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. Also, the dimension of the main body member 32 in the front-rear direction is set to be, for example, 5 mm or more. Note that in FIG. 3, the main body member 32 is shown by a two-dot chain line.
[0021] The main body member 32 is located approximately in the center of the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 in the left-right direction. The main body member 32 is attached to the frame member 31, with a portion of the main body member 32 less than its entire circumference forming part of the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21. The main body member 32 is provided with a plurality of mounting portions 321. The mounting portions 321 are formed to protrude upward from the main body member 32. The mounting portions 321 are formed integrally with the main body member 32. The mounting portions 321 are for attaching the main body member 32 to the frame member 31. In other words, the main body member 32 is attached to the frame member 31 via the mounting portions 321 with a gap between them. The plurality of mounting portions 321 are provided, for example, at the four corners of the main body member 32, as shown in Figure 4. In this case, the main body member 32 is attached to the frame member 31 only at the four corners of the main body member 32. This allows the main body member 32 to be attached to the frame member 31 in a state that is prone to distortion.
[0022] The piezoelectric output unit 33 has the function of detecting the user's contact with the door opening operation unit 30. The piezoelectric output unit 33 is composed of, for example, a film-type piezoelectric sensor and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the applied pressure through the piezoelectric effect. The dimensions of the piezoelectric output unit 33 in the front-to-back direction are, for example, 3 mm or more. The piezoelectric output unit 33 is connected to the control device via a cable 331 and an amplification circuit (not shown) that amplifies a specific frequency. The control device drives the door opening device 40 based on the detection signal from the piezoelectric output unit 33.
[0023] The piezoelectric output unit 33 is provided on the side of the main body member 32 opposite to the side that receives user input. In this case, the piezoelectric output unit 33 is attached to the upper side of the main body member 32. By attaching the piezoelectric output unit 33 to the main body member 32, detection performance corresponding to the deformability of the main body member 32 can be ensured. The main body member 32 has a groove 322 formed therein for housing the piezoelectric output unit 33. The groove 322 is formed in a groove shape along the long side direction of the main body member 32. The groove 322 has the function of guiding the piezoelectric output unit 33 to a predetermined installation position.
[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the frame member 31 is provided with a contact member 312. The contact member 312 is formed to protrude downward from the frame member 31. In this embodiment, the contact member 312 is formed to protrude downward from the front portion 31a of the frame member 31. The contact member 312 is provided facing the piezoelectric output unit 33 with a gap between them when the door opening operation unit 30 is not being operated. The gap between the contact member 312 and the piezoelectric output unit 33 is set to, for example, 1 mm or less. The contact member 312 can press against the piezoelectric output unit 33 when the user operates the door opening operation unit 30.
[0025] As shown by the white arrow in Figure 2, when the user presses the main body member 32 from below, the piezoelectric output unit 33 moves upward as the main body member 32 deforms and comes into contact with the contact member 312. Then, the piezoelectric output unit 33 is pressed by the contact member 312, and a detection signal is output from the piezoelectric output unit 33 to the control device. As described above, when the door opening operation unit 30 is not being operated, the piezoelectric output unit 33 and the contact member 312 are separated by a small distance from each other. Therefore, even if the refrigerator 1 experiences some vibration, it is possible to suppress false detection by the piezoelectric output unit 33, and at the same time, when the user presses the main body member 32 from below, it is possible to suppress excessive deformation of the main body member 32 that impairs operability.
[0026] Furthermore, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312, which constitute a part of the door opening operation unit 30, are positioned in the left-right direction of the refrigerator door 21 in a position that overlaps with the handle 211 and is located in front of the center C1 in the front-rear direction of the handle 211. In this embodiment, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 are provided in front of the handle 211. This makes it easier to grasp the position of the door opening operation unit 30 and improves the operability of the door opening operation unit 30. The door opening operation unit 30 may be configured to have a light source (not shown) that can illuminate its surroundings, and for example, by keeping the light source constantly lit, it may be easier to grasp the position of the door opening operation unit 30.
[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the protective portion 34 is formed to protrude downward from the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 and is located on the front side of the main body member 32. That is, the protective portion 34 is formed to extend downward from the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21. The protective portion 34 is located behind the surface 21a of the refrigerator door 21. The left-right dimension of the protective portion 34 is set to be approximately the same as the left-right length of the main body member 32. The protective portion 34 covers the gap between the front portion 31a of the frame member 31, i.e., the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21, and the main body member 32 from the front. Also, the lower end of the protective portion 34 is located approximately the same as the lower end of the main body member 32. That is, the lower end of the protective portion 34 is located below the piezoelectric output portion 33. The protective part 34 prevents foreign matter such as dust from entering through the gap between the front portion 31a of the frame member 31 and the main body member 32 and coming into contact with the piezoelectric output unit 33.
[0028] Furthermore, the main body member 32 is not limited to being attached to the frame member 31 at its four corners; it may also be attached to the frame member 31 at its short sides, as shown in the example in Figure 5. In this case, the multiple attachment parts 321 are provided along the short sides of the main body member 32, as shown in the example in Figure 5. The length of the attachment parts 321 in the front-to-back direction is set to be approximately the same as the length of the main body member 32 in the front-to-back direction. This also allows the main body member 32 to be attached to the frame member 31 in a state where it is prone to distortion.
[0029] According to the embodiment described above, the refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerator body 10 having a refrigerator compartment 11, a refrigerator compartment door 21, a handle 211, a door opening device 40, and a door opening operation unit 30. The refrigerator compartment door 21 is provided on the refrigerator body 10 and opens and closes the refrigerator compartment 11. The handle 211 is formed in a recessed area on the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21, and is for the user to place their fingers on. The door opening device 40 opens the refrigerator compartment door 21. The door opening operation unit 30 is provided on the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator compartment door 21 and receives input from the user to operate the door opening device 40. A part of the door opening operation unit 30 is located in a position that overlaps with the handle 211 in the left-right direction of the refrigerator compartment door 21 and is located on the front side of the handle 211.
[0030] According to this, by providing the door opening operation unit 30 on the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21, it is possible to ensure the aesthetic design of the refrigerator 1 while suppressing unintended opening of the refrigerator door 21 due to the user accidentally touching the door opening operation unit 30. Furthermore, since the handle 211 is a part that the user is likely to touch, by providing the door opening operation unit 30 in a position that overlaps with the handle 211 in the left-right direction of the refrigerator door 21 and on the front side of the handle 211, it is possible to make it easier to grasp the position of the door opening operation unit 30 and improve the operability of the door opening operation unit 30.
[0031] A portion of the door opening operation section 30 is located in front of the handle section 211. This arrangement suppresses accidental operation of the door opening operation section 30 while improving its operability. Furthermore, even if the user is holding something in their hand, they can easily operate the door opening operation section 30 by using the back of their hand.
[0032] The door opening operation unit 30 includes a piezoelectric output unit 33 and a contact member 312. The piezoelectric output unit 33 outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the applied pressure through the piezoelectric effect. The contact member 312 is provided opposite the piezoelectric output unit 33 with a gap between them when the door opening operation unit 30 is not being operated, and can press the piezoelectric output unit 33 when the user operates the door opening operation unit 30.
[0033] According to this, even if the size of the piezoelectric output unit 33 is small, for example, detection performance can be ensured through cooperation with the contact member 312. This makes it possible to improve the detection accuracy of the piezoelectric output unit 33. Therefore, the convenience of opening the refrigerator door 21 can be improved.
[0034] The door opening operation unit 30 has a main body member 32. The main body member 32 is a flexible, plate-shaped member that extends along the left-right direction of the refrigerator door 21 and receives operation from the user. The piezoelectric output unit 33 is provided on the side of the main body member 32 opposite to the side that receives operation from the user. The main body member 32 is attached to the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21 with a portion less than the entire circumference of the main body member 32.
[0035] According to this, by partially attaching the main body member 32 to the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21, the main body member 32 becomes more easily deformed when the user operates it. This improves the detection accuracy of the piezoelectric output unit 33. As a result, the convenience of opening the refrigerator door 21 can be improved.
[0036] The main body component 32 is attached to the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21 by its four corners or short sides. This makes the main body component 32 more easily deformable when the user operates it, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the piezoelectric output unit 33. Thus, the reliability of the door opening operation unit 30 can be improved.
[0037] The refrigerator 1 is further equipped with a protective section 34. The protective section 34 is located in front of the piezoelectric output section 33 and extends downward from the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21. The protective section 34 covers the gap between the main body member 32 and the bottom surface 21b of the refrigerator door 21 from the front. This makes the piezoelectric output section 33 difficult to see from the outside, thus ensuring the aesthetic design of the refrigerator 1. In addition, it prevents foreign objects such as dust from coming into contact with the piezoelectric output section 33, thereby improving the reliability of the door opening operation section 30.
[0038] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration and installation position of the door opening operation unit 30. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the front portion 31a of the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 were provided in front of the handle 211, whereas in this second embodiment, the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 are provided within the handle 211.
[0039] In this embodiment, the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 are provided on the upper surface 211b of the handle portion 211. In this case, the frame member 31 is composed of a substantially rectangular plate-shaped member and constitutes a part of the upper surface 211b of the handle portion 211. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the door opening operation unit 30 does not have a protective unit 34. The configuration of the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 is the same as in the first embodiment described above.
[0040] This second embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, by providing the frame member 31, the main body member 32, the piezoelectric output unit 33, and the contact member 312 on the upper surface 211b of the handle 211, the door opening operation unit 30 is no longer visible from the outside of the refrigerator 1 when the refrigerator door 21 is closed, thus improving the aesthetic design of the refrigerator 1.
[0041] As shown in the example in Figure 7, the door opening operation unit 30 may be provided on the front wall 211c of the handle 211. In this case, the door opening operation unit 30 is configured in a position rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the position in Figure 6. The frame member 31 constitutes a part of the front wall 211c of the handle 211. The door opening operation unit 30 is located, for example, towards the upper part of the handle 211. This also improves the operability of the door opening operation unit 30 while ensuring the aesthetic design of the refrigerator 1. The door opening operation unit 30 may also be located, for example, towards the lower part of the handle 211.
[0042] The embodiments described above are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]
[0043] 1...Refrigerator, 10...Refrigerator body, 11...Refrigerator compartment (storage compartment), 21...Refrigerator door (door), 21a...Bottom surface, 211...Handle, 30...Door opening operation part, 40...Door opening device
Claims
1. A refrigerator unit having a storage compartment, The refrigerator body is provided with a door for opening and closing the storage compartment, The bottom surface of the aforementioned door is formed with an upward recess, and a handle portion is provided for the user to place their fingers on, A door opening device for opening the aforementioned door, The door is provided on the bottom surface of the door and includes a door opening operation unit that receives an operation from the user to operate the door opening device, A portion of the door opening operation unit is located in a position that overlaps with the handle in the left-right direction of the door and is on the front side of the handle. refrigerator.
2. A portion of the door opening operation mechanism is located in front of the handle. The refrigerator according to claim 1.
3. The aforementioned door opening operation unit is A piezoelectric output unit that outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the applied pressure using the piezoelectric effect, The door opening operation unit is provided opposite the piezoelectric output unit at a distance from each other when the door opening operation unit is not being operated, and the contact member is capable of pressing the piezoelectric output unit when the user operates the door opening operation unit. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The door opening operation unit is formed of a flexible, plate-shaped member that extends along the left-right direction of the door, and has a main body member that receives operation from the user. The piezoelectric output unit is provided on the side of the main body member opposite to the side that receives operation from the user. The main body member is attached to the bottom surface of the door by a portion less than the entire circumference of the main body member. The refrigerator according to claim 3.
5. The main body member is attached to the bottom surface of the door by the four corners or short sides of the main body member. The refrigerator according to claim 4.
6. The system further includes a protective section located in front of the piezoelectric output section and extending downward from the bottom surface of the door, The protective part covers the gap between the main body member and the bottom surface of the door from the front. The refrigerator according to claim 4.