refrigerator

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator that can suppress condensation in the image capture section. [Solution] The refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerator compartment 11 (storage area) and a refrigerator compartment door 11a that can be opened and closed to cover the opening of the refrigerator compartment 11. A smartphone 70 with a built-in camera (image capture unit) for taking pictures of the refrigerator compartment 11 is attached to the refrigerator 1. The smartphone 70 is provided in a camera housing 41 (cover member). The cover member covers at least a portion of the refrigerator compartment door 11a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator equipped with an image capturing unit capable of taking images.

Background Art

[0002] For purposes such as managing stored items inside a refrigerator, it has been considered to provide a refrigerator with a camera for photographing the items stored in the refrigerator (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1, a camera device 30 (image capturing means) is installed inside the storage compartment. With this configuration, opening and closing the refrigerator door may cause condensation or fogging on the surface of the image capturing means and the like.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of suppressing condensation on the image capturing unit.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body having a first storage compartment with an open front side and a first door for opening and closing the first storage compartment, and an image capturing device detachably attached to a front portion of an upper surface of the refrigerator main body. The image capturing device includes an image capturing unit capable of photographing the first storage compartment in a state where the first door is opened, and the image capturing device photographs the first storage compartment based on light reflected from a detection member located at an upper portion of the first door.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator can suppress condensation in the image capture section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing the configuration of a refrigerator and a smartphone attached to the refrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the refrigerator. Figure 2 shows the refrigerator compartment with the door closed. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the refrigerator. Figure 3 shows the refrigerator compartment with the door open. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the upper part of the refrigerator. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the upper part of the refrigerator. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the upper part of the refrigerator. [Figure 7] This is a front view showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a top view showing the configuration of a refrigerator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the upper part of a refrigerator with the door removed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

[0010] <First Embodiment> In the first embodiment, a refrigerator 1 to which a smartphone (portable information terminal) 70 with a built-in camera is detachably attached will be used as an example. The camera built into the smartphone 70 corresponds to the image capturing unit of the refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention. The camera built into the smartphone 70 also corresponds to an image capturing device detachably installed on the refrigerator according to another aspect of the present invention. Note that the image capturing unit and the image capturing device may be devices other than portable information terminals such as smartphones (for example, digital cameras) or electronic components (for example, CCD cameras).

[0011] Figure 1 shows the configuration of a refrigerator 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 1 also shows a smartphone 70 that can be attached to the refrigerator 1. Figures 2 and 3 show the internal configuration of the upper part of the refrigerator 1 with the smartphone 70 attached. Figure 2 shows the refrigerator compartment door 11a in the closed state. Figure 3 shows the refrigerator compartment door 11a in the open state. In Figure 3, the refrigerator compartment door 11a is not shown. Figures 4 to 6 show the configuration of a camera housing 41 provided above the refrigerator compartment door 11a.

[0012] (Overall configuration of the refrigerator) Refrigerator 1 has a refrigerator compartment 11 (storage area) in the upper section and a freezer compartment 12 in the lower section. The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a refrigerator door 11a. The freezer compartment 12 is provided with a freezer door 12a. The configuration of each storage compartment of refrigerator 1 described in this embodiment is just one example, and the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0013] The exterior of the refrigerator 1 is mainly formed by a housing 40. The housing 40 is made of an insulated box or the like. A camera housing 41 is provided in front of the upper surface 40a of the housing 40. The camera housing 41 is made up of a support plate 42 and an upper surface member that covers the upper side of the support plate 42. In this embodiment, the camera housing 41 of the refrigerator 1 also houses a hinge pin 61 and the like. The camera housing 41 is located above the refrigerator door 11a. Furthermore, the camera housing 41 is positioned along the upper surface 40a of the housing 40 of the refrigerator 1.

[0014] The refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment can perform imaging by attaching the smartphone 70 to the camera installation portion 41a (imaging device installation portion) in the camera housing portion 41, using the camera 71 (see FIG. 4) incorporated in the smartphone 70. The refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment can, for example, image the inside of the refrigerating compartment 11 as will be described later. The captured image of the interior of the refrigerating compartment taken by the camera 71 can be transmitted, for example, using communication means incorporated in the smartphone 70, via an information communication network such as the Internet, to an external server, another information terminal, or the like. Thereby, for example, the owner of the refrigerator 1 can check the contents of the items stored in the refrigerating compartment 11 of the home refrigerator 1 from a remote location away from home.

[0015] The lens of the camera 71 incorporated in the smartphone 70 is preferably one with a wide viewing angle. Examples of such a lens include a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, and the like.

[0016] Note that in the refrigerator 1 according to the present embodiment, the refrigerating compartment door 11a is configured such that the left and right opening and closing directions of the door can be changed by replacing the hinge pin 61 constituting the hinge portion. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a state in which the refrigerating compartment door 11a is opened and closed from the left side. In this state, the hinge pin 61 rotatably fixes the refrigerating compartment door 11a at the right end of the refrigerator 1. When changing to a configuration in which the refrigerating compartment door 11a is opened and closed from the right side, the hinge pin 61 may be replaced. That is, the hinge pin 61 may be attached to the insertion hole 62b and the hinge hole 65b provided on the left side of the upper surface 11b of the refrigerating compartment door 11a. FIG. 10 shows the camera housing portion 41 above the refrigerator 1. FIG. 10 shows a state in which the refrigerating compartment door 11a is removed from the refrigerator 1, and the smartphone 70 and the mirror movable mechanism 50 are removed from the support plate 42 of the camera housing portion 41. As shown in FIG. 10, the support plate 42 has a bilaterally symmetric structure.

[0017] (Configuration for imaging the interior of the storage compartment) Next, a specific configuration for photographing the inside of the refrigerating compartment 11 will be described. The refrigerator 1 includes, as a configuration for photographing the inside of the refrigerating compartment 11, a camera installation portion 41a (photographing device installation portion), a first mirror 31, a second mirror 32, a mirror moving mechanism 50, and the like. The camera installation portion 41a, the first mirror 31, the second mirror 32, and the mirror moving mechanism 50 are all disposed on the outer side of the refrigerating compartment 11 (that is, outside the compartment).

[0018] As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the camera installation portion 41a is provided on the support plate 42 of the camera housing portion 41. For convenience of description, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the right portion of the support plate 42 is removed, and the lower portion of the support plate 42 is exposed. A smartphone 70 is detachably placed on the camera installation portion 41a. In the camera installation portion 41a, a camera hole 41b (see FIG. 4) is formed at a position corresponding to the lens of the camera 71 in the smartphone 70. Thereby, light can enter the lens from below without the lens of the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 attached to the camera installation portion 41a being covered by the support plate 42.

[0019] The first mirror 31 is disposed under the support plate 42 of the camera housing portion 41, with its mirror surface facing downward. The first mirror 31 is configured such that the inclination angle of the mirror surface can be changed by the mirror moving mechanism 50. The inclination angle of the mirror surface of the first mirror 31 is changed according to opening and closing of the refrigerating compartment door 11a. Specifically, when the refrigerating compartment door 11a is in a closed state, the first mirror 31 is in a substantially horizontal state along the lower surface of the support plate 42 (see FIG. 2). When the refrigerating compartment door 11a is in an open state, the front side of the first mirror 31 is inclined downward (see FIG. 3). Thereby, the inside of the refrigerating compartment 11 can be reflected on the mirror surface of the first mirror 31. The first mirror 31 may be a convex mirror. Thereby, a wider range can be reflected on the mirror surface.

[0020] The second mirror 32 is positioned below the refrigerator door 11a, approximately horizontally, with its mirror surface facing upward. In this embodiment, the second mirror 32 is positioned on the upper surface of the freezer door 12a. This allows the second mirror 32 to capture the image reflected in the first mirror 31 when the refrigerator door 11a is open. Furthermore, the image captured by the second mirror 32 is captured by the lens of the camera 71 of the smartphone 70, which is positioned vertically above it.

[0021] The mirror movable mechanism 50 is a mechanism for changing the angle of the first mirror 31 in accordance with the opening and closing of the refrigerator door 11a. The mirror movable mechanism 50 is located near the first mirror 31, that is, above the refrigerator door 11a. The mirror movable mechanism 50 has as its main components a pivot shaft 51, a cam 52, and projections 53a and 53b (see Figures 4 and 5, etc.).

[0022] The pivot shaft 51 is an elongated, shaft-shaped member. The end of the first mirror 31 is connected to the pivot shaft 51. In addition, one end of the pivot shaft 51 is connected to the cam 52.

[0023] The cam 52 is a component that converts the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator door 11a into the rotational operation of the pivot shaft 51. The cam 52 is located near the hinge portion of the refrigerator door 11a. Specifically, when the refrigerator door 11a is in the closed position, the cam 52 is positioned above the projection 53a or 53b provided on the upper surface 11b of the refrigerator door 11a.

[0024] The protrusions 53a and 53b are located on the upper surface 11b of the refrigerator door 11a. The protrusions 53a and 53b transmit the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator door 11a to the cam 52.

[0025] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 is configured such that the opening and closing direction of the refrigerator door 11a can be changed between right-hand opening and left-hand opening by changing the hinge pin 61. For this reason, one projection is provided near each of the insertion holes 62a (not shown) and 62b of the hinge pin 61. Specifically, the right projection 53a is provided slightly inward of the right insertion hole 62a (not shown) when viewed from the front. Also, the left projection 53b is provided slightly inward of the left insertion hole 62b when viewed from the front.

[0026] Next, the operation of the first mirror 31 when the refrigerator door 11a is opened and closed will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 show the configuration when the refrigerator door 11a opens to the left. In this configuration, when the refrigerator door 11a is closed, the cam 52 is positioned above the projection 53a on the right side. When the refrigerator door 11a moves from the closed state to the open state, the projection 53a also moves forward, and the projection 53a disengages from below the cam 52. That is, since the projection 53a that was pushing the cam 52 upward is no longer present, the cam 52 moves downward due to the weight of the mirror movable mechanism 50. The pivot shaft 51 rotates in conjunction with the movement of the cam 52, and the first mirror 31 connected to the pivot shaft 51 tilts downward (see arrow in Figure 6).

[0027] On the other hand, when the refrigerator door 11a moves from the open state to the closed state, the opposite operation to the above operation is performed. The cam 52 rides up onto the projection 53a. As a result, the pivot shaft 51 rotates and the first mirror 31 moves upward to a nearly horizontal position. Therefore, when the refrigerator door 11a is closed, the first mirror 31 is positioned along the upper surface 11b of the refrigerator door 11a. That is, it is housed in the camera housing 41 located within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a.

[0028] Furthermore, to change the refrigerator door 11a to open to the right, the hinge pin 61 is moved from the right-side insertion hole 62a (not shown) and hinge hole 65a (see Figure 10) to the left-side insertion hole 62b (see Figure 5) and hinge hole 65b (see Figure 10). In addition, the smartphone 70, the first mirror 31, the pivot shaft 51, and the cam 52 are rearranged to be symmetrical to the configuration shown in Figure 5. As a result, the left-side projection 53b forms part of the mirror movable mechanism 50 and transmits the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator door 11a to the cam 52.

[0029] In a configuration where the opening and closing direction of the refrigerator door 11a can be changed between opening to the right and opening to the left, the support plate 42 has two camera holes (through holes) 41b and 41c. When the refrigerator door 11a opens to the right, the lens of the smartphone 70's camera 71 is positioned above the camera hole 41c formed on the support plate 42.

[0030] With the above configuration, when the refrigerator door 11a is open, the first mirror 31 is tilted. In Figure 3, the path of light reflected from the storage space inside the refrigerator compartment 11 at this time is shown by a dashed line. As shown in Figure 3, when the refrigerator door 11a is open, some of the light reflected from the storage space inside the refrigerator compartment 11 is guided to the mirror surface of the first mirror 31. In other words, the first mirror 31 can capture an image of the inside of the refrigerator compartment 11.

[0031] The reflected light from the first mirror 31 is guided to the mirror surface of the second mirror 32 located below it. In other words, the image reflected on the mirror surface of the first mirror 31 can be captured on the mirror surface of the second mirror 32. Furthermore, the reflected light from the second mirror 32 is guided to the lens of the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 located above it. In other words, the image reflected on the mirror surface of the second mirror 32 can be captured by the lens of the camera 71. As a result, when the refrigerator door 11a is open, the inside of the refrigerator compartment 11 can be photographed using the camera 71 and mirrors 31 and 32 located outside the refrigerator compartment 11.

[0032] The refrigerator 1 may also be provided with a power line (for example, a DC 5V power line) for charging the smartphone 70. When attaching the smartphone 70 to the camera mounting section 41a, the terminal of this power line (for example, the terminal of a USB cable) should be plugged into the power supply section of the smartphone 70.

[0033] By the way, the main DC power line of a refrigerator is often DC 12-15V due to the specifications of the cooling fan motor. Therefore, the power line for charging the smartphone 70 can be branched off from this main power line. In this case, it is advisable to place a voltage regulator or similar device at the branch line to the smartphone 70 charging power line. Then, when the main power line is OFF (for example, when the fan motor is stopped), the power line for charging the smartphone 70 should be turned ON. This eliminates the need to provide a higher capacity power circuit for the smartphone 70 charging power line in addition to the main power line.

[0034] (Timing for taking photos inside the storage room) Next, the timing of when the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 takes pictures inside the refrigerator will be explained. In this embodiment, the refrigerator 1 can take pictures inside the refrigerator using a camera 71 located outside the refrigerator when the refrigerator door 11a is open. Therefore, the control unit in the smartphone 70 controls the camera 71 so that the shutter of the camera 71 opens when the refrigerator door 11a is opened.

[0035] The control unit in the smartphone 70 detects that the refrigerator door 11a has been opened based on the detection results of various sensors built into the smartphone 70 (for example, an acceleration sensor, a vibration detection sensor, and an illuminance sensor), and turns on the shutter of the camera 71 at a predetermined timing.

[0036] Furthermore, the camera of the smartphone 70 can only photograph the inside of the freezer compartment 12 when both the refrigerator door 11a and the freezer door 12a are open. The timing for photographing the inside of the freezer compartment 12 can be, for example, when the refrigerator door 11a is open and the light from the smartphone 70 itself, or the infrared light used for focusing from the camera 71, cannot be detected by reflection from the second mirror 32. The fact that the refrigerator door 11a is open can be detected by the illuminance sensor.

[0037] In the case of a camera 71 capable of recording video, it is preferable to record video for a predetermined period from the time the refrigerator door 11a is opened until the time the refrigerator door 11a is closed. However, immediately after the refrigerator door 11a is opened, there is a high possibility that the user of the refrigerator 1 may add items to the refrigerator compartment 11 or remove items from the refrigerator compartment 11. Therefore, if the camera 71 records video during the period when the refrigerator door 11a is open, the control unit in the smartphone 70 may select a still image from the video taken immediately before the refrigerator door 11a is closed (for example, within 1 second before it closes) as the image of the inside of the refrigerator.

[0038] (Summary of the first embodiment) As described above, the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a camera housing 41 on which a smartphone 70 for taking pictures inside the refrigerator compartment 11 can be installed. The camera housing 41 is an example of a cover member. The cover member covers at least a part of the door, protecting the door and preventing dirt and other contaminants from adhering to it. For example, the cover member covers the upper surface of the door, which can prevent dust and other contaminants from adhering to the door.

[0039] The camera housing 41 is positioned above the refrigerator door 11a and along the upper surface 40a of the housing 40. In other words, the camera housing 41 is provided to fit within the external shape of the refrigerator 1, which is mainly defined by the housing 40, the refrigerator door 11a, and the freezer door 12a.

[0040] The camera 71 of the smartphone 70 installed in the camera housing 41 is located within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a when the refrigerator door 11a is closed. The first mirror 31, which guides reflected light from inside the refrigerator compartment 11 to the camera 71, is located within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a when the refrigerator door 11a is closed, while it is configured to tilt forward and downward when the refrigerator door 11a is open. The second mirror 32, which also guides reflected light from inside the refrigerator compartment 11 to the camera 71, is located below the refrigerator door 11a (specifically, on the upper surface of the freezer door 12a). By placing the second mirror on the upper surface of the freezer door 12a, the second mirror 32 can be contained within the area of ​​the external shape of the refrigerator 1.

[0041] This configuration allows for the installation of a setup (for example, a smartphone 70, a first mirror 31, and a second mirror 32) for capturing a wider area inside the refrigerator compartment 11 without significantly altering the external dimensions of the refrigerator 1.

[0042] Furthermore, in the refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment, the components for photographing the inside of the refrigerator compartment 11 (i.e., the smartphone 70, the first mirror 31, and the second mirror 32, etc.) are located outside the refrigerator compartment 11 (i.e., outside the compartment) rather than inside the compartment 11. Therefore, condensation and fogging on the surfaces of optical components such as the camera lens and mirrors, which can occur due to changes in temperature and humidity inside the compartment caused by opening and closing the door, can be reduced. Consequently, clearer images of the inside of the compartment can be obtained.

[0043] In the embodiments described above, a refrigerator 1 was used as an example in which the opening and closing direction of the refrigerator door 11a can be changed to the left or right by changing the hinge pin 61. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, the opening and closing direction of the refrigerator door may be fixed to either the left or the right.

[0044] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the refrigerator of the first embodiment described above, an image capturing device (for example, a smartphone 70) for capturing images of the inside of the refrigerator was described as being removable from the refrigerator. In contrast, the second embodiment described below will describe a configuration in which an image capturing unit for capturing images of the inside of the refrigerator is built into the refrigerator.

[0045] Figure 7 shows the configuration of a refrigerator 101 according to the second embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the refrigerator 101 has a refrigerator compartment 11 (storage area) in the upper section and a freezer compartment 12 in the lower section. The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a refrigerator door 11a. The freezer compartment 12 is provided with a freezer door 12a. The external shape of the refrigerator 101 is mainly formed by a housing 40. A camera housing 41 is provided in front of the upper surface 40a of the housing 40. The configuration of the camera housing 41 can be the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0046] The camera housing 41 is equipped with a camera (image capture unit) 170, a first mirror 31, and a mirror movable mechanism (not shown). The camera 170 is composed of, for example, a CCD camera. Similar to the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 in the first embodiment, the camera 170 is positioned within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a when the refrigerator door 11a is closed.

[0047] The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the first mirror 31 and the mirror movable mechanism. A second mirror 32 is provided below the refrigerator door 11a. The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the second mirror 32. The method for photographing the inside of the refrigerator 11 using these components (i.e., the camera 170, the first mirror 31, the second mirror 32, and the mirror movable mechanism 50, etc.) can be the same as the method described in the first embodiment.

[0048] (Timing for taking photos inside the storage room) Next, the timing of when the camera 170 takes pictures inside the refrigerator will be explained. In this embodiment, the refrigerator 101 can take pictures inside the refrigerator using the camera 170 located outside the refrigerator when the refrigerator door 11a is open.

[0049] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 101 has a built-in camera 170. Therefore, the control unit inside the refrigerator 101 controls the camera 170 so that its shutter opens when the refrigerator door 11a is opened. The timing of when the refrigerator door 11a is opened and closed can be determined based on the detection result of the door switch.

[0050] Furthermore, camera 170 can photograph the interior of the freezer compartment 12 only when both the refrigerator door 11a and the freezer door 12a are open. The timing for photographing the interior of the freezer compartment 12 can be, for example, when the refrigerator door 11a is open and the infrared light used for focusing by camera 170 cannot be detected by reflection from the second mirror 32. The open state of the refrigerator door 11a can be detected by the door switch.

[0051] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The configuration of the camera housing in the third embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment.

[0052] Figure 8 shows the configuration of a refrigerator 201 according to the third embodiment. Figure 8 also shows a smartphone 70 that can be attached to the refrigerator 201. Similar to the first embodiment, the refrigerator 201 has a refrigerator compartment 11 (storage area) in the upper section and a freezer compartment 12 in the lower section. The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a refrigerator door 11a. The freezer compartment 12 is provided with a freezer door 12a. The external shape of the refrigerator 101 is mainly formed by a housing 40.

[0053] A camera housing 241 is provided on the upper surface 40a of the housing 40. In the first embodiment, the camera housing 41 is located in front of the upper surface 40a, but in the refrigerator 201 according to this embodiment, the camera housing 241 is provided so as to cover most of the upper surface 40a of the housing 40.

[0054] The camera housing 241 is an example of a cover member. The cover member covers at least a portion of the door, protecting the door and preventing dirt and other debris from adhering to it. For example, the cover member covers the upper surface of the door, preventing dust and other debris from adhering to the door.

[0055] The camera housing 241 is equipped with a camera mounting section 41a (shooting device mounting section), a first mirror 31, and a mirror movable mechanism 50, etc. A smartphone 70 is detachably mounted on the camera mounting section 41a. Similar to the first embodiment, the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 placed on the camera mounting section 41a is located within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a when the refrigerator door 11a is closed.

[0056] The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the first mirror 31 and the mirror movable mechanism 50. In addition, a second mirror 32 is provided below the refrigerator door 11a. The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the second mirror 32. The method for photographing the inside of the refrigerator 11 using these components (i.e., the smartphone 70, the first mirror 31, the second mirror 32, and the mirror movable mechanism 50, etc.) can be the same as the method described in the first embodiment.

[0057] The third embodiment is preferably applied to a refrigerator in which the opening and closing direction of the refrigerator door is fixed to either the left or the right.

[0058] <Fourth Embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above-described embodiment, a configuration was described in which the angle of an optical element (for example, the first mirror 31) is varied according to the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, the angle of the image capturing unit can also be varied according to the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the angle of a camera 370 provided in the refrigerator 301 is varied.

[0059] Figure 9 shows the configuration of the upper part of the refrigerator 301 according to the fourth embodiment. Although not shown in Figure 9, the refrigerator 301, like the first embodiment, has a refrigerator compartment 11 (storage section) in the upper section and a freezer compartment 12 in the lower section. The refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a refrigerator door 11a. The freezer compartment 12 is provided with a freezer door 12a. The external shape of the refrigerator 101 is mainly formed by a housing 40. A camera housing section 41 is provided in front of the upper surface 40a of the housing 40. The configuration of the camera housing section 41 can be the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0060] The camera housing 41 is equipped with a camera (image capture unit) 370 and a camera movable mechanism 350, etc. The camera 370 is composed of, for example, a CCD camera. Similar to the camera 71 of the smartphone 70 in the first embodiment, the camera 370 is positioned within the upper projection plane of the refrigerator door 11a when the refrigerator door 11a is closed.

[0061] The camera movable mechanism 350 is a mechanism for changing the angle of 350 in accordance with the opening and closing of the refrigerator door 11a. The camera movable mechanism 350 has as its main components a pivot shaft 51, a cam 52, and a projection (not shown).

[0062] The same configuration as in the first embodiment can be applied to the pivot shaft 51 and the cam 52. However, the end of the camera 370 is connected to the pivot shaft 51 of the camera movable mechanism 350.

[0063] The projection is located on the upper surface of the refrigerator door 11a. Similar to the projection 53a described in the first embodiment, the projection transmits the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator door 11a to the cam 52. When the refrigerator door 11a is closed, the cam 52 is located above the projection.

[0064] The mechanism by which the angle of the camera 370 is changed in accordance with the opening and closing operation of the refrigerator door 11a is the same as the mechanism in which the angle of the first mirror 31 is changed by the mirror movable mechanism 50 in the first embodiment.

[0065] As described above, in the refrigerator 301 according to this embodiment, the camera 370 is connected to the camera movable mechanism 350, so that the angle of the camera 370 can be changed in accordance with the opening and closing of the refrigerator door 11a. When the refrigerator door 11a is open, the front side of the camera 370 is tilted downward so that the inside of the refrigerator compartment 11 can be photographed by the camera 370.

[0066] This configuration eliminates the need for optical components such as mirrors to change the direction of light. As a result, the number of individual components required to photograph the inside of the storage area can be reduced.

[0067] (summary) A refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a storage compartment having an opening, a door that can be opened and closed to cover the opening, a cover member that covers at least a portion of the door, and an image capturing unit provided on the cover member for taking photographs.

[0068] In the refrigerator according to the first aspect of the present invention described above, the image capturing unit may be provided at a position facing the upper surface of the door when the door is closed.

[0069] Furthermore, a refrigerator according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises a storage compartment having an opening, a door that covers the opening in an openable and closable manner, and an image capturing unit for taking photographs, wherein the image capturing unit is provided at a position facing the upper surface of the door when the door is closed.

[0070] A refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above may include at least one optical member that guides light from the storage section to the image capturing section.

[0071] In the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, the optical member may be located outside the storage section.

[0072] In the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, at least one of the optical members may be configured so that its angle can be changed in accordance with the opening and closing of the door.

[0073] In the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, at least one of the optical members may be located below the image capturing unit.

[0074] In the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, the image capturing unit may be configured so that its angle can be changed in accordance with the opening and closing of the door.

[0075] In the refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, the cover member may have a through hole, and the image capturing unit may be provided at a position corresponding to the through hole.

[0076] A refrigerator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above may be provided with a portable information terminal having the image capture unit.

[0077] Furthermore, a cover member according to a third aspect of the present invention is a cover member that covers at least a portion of the door of a refrigerator having a storage section having an opening and a door that covers the opening in an openable and closable manner, and has a through hole formed therein for taking photographs.

[0078] Furthermore, a refrigerator according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a storage space, a door that can be opened and closed to cover the opening of the storage space, and an image capturing unit for photographing the storage space. In this refrigerator, the image capturing unit is positioned within the upper projection plane of the door when the door is closed.

[0079] A refrigerator relating to the other aspect described above may include at least one optical element that guides the light reflected in the storage space to the image capture unit.

[0080] In the refrigerator relating to the other aspect described above, the optical element may be located outside the storage space.

[0081] In the refrigerator relating to the other aspect described above, at least one of the optical members may be configured so that its angle can be changed in accordance with the opening and closing of the door.

[0082] In the refrigerator according to the other aspect described above, at least one of the optical members may be located below the image capturing unit.

[0083] In the refrigerator relating to the other aspect described above, the image capturing unit may be configured so that its angle can be changed in accordance with the opening and closing of the door.

[0084] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be included. Configurations obtained by combining the configurations of the different embodiments described herein are also included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 10: Refrigerator 11: Refrigerated room (storage area) 11a: Refrigerator door (door) 31: First mirror (optical component) 32: Second mirror (optical component) 40: Cabinet 41: Camera housing (cover component) 41a: Camera mounting section (shooting device mounting section) 41b: Camera hole (through hole) 41c: Camera hole (through hole) 50: Mirror movable mechanism 70: Smartphone (portable information terminal) 71: Camera (image capture unit, image capture device) 101: Refrigerator 170: Camera (Image Capture Department) 201: Refrigerator 241: Camera housing (cover component) 301: Refrigerator 350: Camera movable mechanism 370: Camera (image capture unit, image capture device)

Claims

1. A refrigerator body having a first storage compartment with an open front and a first door for opening and closing the first storage compartment, The refrigerator body is equipped with a removable image capture device attached to the front upper surface, The image capturing device includes an image capturing unit capable of capturing images of the first storage room when the first door is open. The image capturing device is a refrigerator that captures images of the first storage compartment based on light reflected from a detection member located at the top of the first door.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing device further includes an irradiating unit that emits light downward when mounted on the upper front surface of the refrigerator body.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image capturing device further includes a communication unit for transmitting an image captured by the image capturing unit to an information terminal capable of displaying the image.

4. The refrigerator body further comprises a second storage compartment located above the first storage compartment, and a second door for opening and closing the second storage compartment. The image capture device is equipped with multiple sensors, The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of sensors include a first sensor for detecting that the first door is opened and a second sensor for detecting that the second door is opened.

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