refrigerator
The refrigerator design uses a light source and light guide plate to illuminate both operation and auxiliary displays, addressing the issue of increased costs and size due to multiple light sources, thereby optimizing cost and space efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HITACHI GLOBAL LIFE SOLUTIONS INC
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing refrigerators require multiple light sources for both the operation unit and auxiliary displays, increasing manufacturing costs and substrate size.
A refrigerator design with a translucent front panel and a substrate unit that includes a light source, light guide plate, and display film, where the light source emits light in the creepage direction along the substrate surface, refracting it through the light guide plate to illuminate both the operation and accompanying displays.
Simultaneously illuminates operation and accompanying displays while reducing costs and substrate size by using a single light source for multiple displays.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator.
Background Art
[0002] Refrigerators are known in which a setting operation unit related to operation is irradiated by a light source and is lit and displayed on the front surface of a storage chamber door. As a technology related to a refrigerator provided with such an operation unit, Patent Document 1 is known. In Patent Document 1, it is described in paragraph 0010 that "touch switches 36, 36 for outputting a signal for driving the door opening device 30 by a user's operation are provided on the front surfaces of the doors 22, 24". Further, in paragraph 0023, it is described that "a plurality of transparent windows 62 are provided in the resin plate 40 as a touch part, and the LED 46 is provided between the LED 46 and the conductor 42 behind the resin plate 40 so as not to be visible from the front of the refrigerator through the transparent windows 62, and the light emitted by the LED 46 is configured to be indirectly lit and displayed outside through the plurality of transparent windows 62". In paragraph 0025, it is described that "by incorporating the LED 46 as a notification means inside the touch switch 36 and configuring the part where the user touches and operates as a touch part to light up, it is possible to more effectively appeal to the user's vision".
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, if, in addition to an operating unit such as a touch sensor, an auxiliary display is further provided on the front of the storage compartment door to inform the user of the location of the operating unit, and both the operating unit and the auxiliary display are to be illuminated, then a separate light source is required not only for the operating unit (LED 46 in Patent Document 1) but also for the auxiliary display. In this case, the number of light sources increases, which poses a problem in terms of manufacturing costs. Furthermore, space is required to mount multiple light sources on the substrate, which poses a problem in terms of the size of the substrate.
[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator that can simultaneously illuminate the operation unit and accompanying displays while keeping costs and the size of the circuit board down. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] To solve the above problems, the refrigerator of the present invention is, for example, a refrigerator equipped with a front-opening storage compartment door, wherein the storage compartment door has a light-transmitting front panel and a substrate unit disposed on the back of the front panel, the substrate unit comprises a substrate disposed inside the storage compartment door such that its surface faces the front side of the storage compartment door, a light source installed on the surface of the substrate and emitting light at least in front of the substrate and in the creepage direction along the surface of the substrate, a light guide plate disposed on the surface of the substrate and refracting the creepage light from the light source toward the front of the substrate, and a display film disposed inside the storage compartment door so as to overlap the substrate from the front and has an operation display and an accompanying display printed on it, wherein the operation display is located in front of the light guide plate and the accompanying display is located in front of the light source. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator that can simultaneously illuminate the operation panel and accompanying displays while keeping costs and the size of the circuit board down. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator's configuration. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of the circuit board unit. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the display film. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the circuit board. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the light guide plate. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the indicator light status on the settings control panel. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the off indicator state on the settings control panel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. These embodiments are merely illustrative, and the present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, in the drawings used in the following description, common devices and equipment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions of devices, equipment, and operations already described may be omitted.
[0010] <General configuration of a refrigerator> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator's configuration. The refrigerator 1 according to this embodiment has storage compartments: a refrigerator compartment, an ice-making compartment, an upper freezer compartment, a lower freezer compartment, and a vegetable compartment. Each storage compartment has doors that open and close its opening, namely the refrigerator compartment door 2, the ice-making compartment door 3, the upper freezer compartment door 4, the lower freezer compartment door 5, and the vegetable compartment door 6 (hereinafter, each storage compartment door will be abbreviated as "door"). In this embodiment, door 2 is a double-hinged door and consists of a right door 2a and a left door 2b. In the following description, the positive X-axis direction is forward, the negative X-axis direction is backward, the positive Y-axis direction is right, the negative Y-axis direction is left, the positive Z-axis direction is up, and the negative Z-axis direction is down in the coordinate system shown in Figure 1.
[0011] The front of door 2a is made of a translucent front panel. Glass or the like can be used for the front panel. Door 2a has a circuit board unit 20 on the back of the front panel. Because the front panel is translucent, the display from the circuit board unit 20, described later, is illuminated on the front of door 2a. The circuit board unit 20 is connected by a harness to a control unit (not shown) that controls the operation of the refrigerator. The circuit board unit 20 displays information to the user based on instructions from the control unit, and also receives operations from the user and transmits the details of those operations to the control unit.
[0012] <Configuration of circuit board unit 20> Figure 2 is an exploded view of the substrate unit 20. That is, Figure 2 is a view of the substrate unit 20 exploded in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction). The substrate unit 20 has a display film 21, a damage prevention film 22, a light guide plate 23 (23a, 23b), a shade 24, a substrate 25, and a holder 26, and the display film 21 to the holder 26 are assembled in the X-axis direction. The damage prevention film 22 is assumed to also have a light diffusion function, but is not limited to this, and a light diffusion film may be separately provided behind the damage prevention film 22. The light diffusion function of the damage prevention film 22 is to diffuse light incident on the damage prevention film 22 from the rear to the front.
[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the display film 21, the anti-destruction film 22, and the substrate 25 have substantially the same shape when viewed from the front. The shade 24 and the light guide plate 23 are arranged so as not to overlap each other on the YZ plane, and each directly overlaps with the substrate 25. The anti-destruction film 22 is for protecting the light guide plate 23, and is therefore arranged so as to overlap only with the light guide plate 23. When the substrate unit 20 is inserted into the door 2a, the display film 21 is inserted so that it faces the front side of the door 2a.
[0014] <<Display film 21>> Figure 3 is a front view of the display film. On the display film 21, at least a display 21a for switching operation, displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation, and accompanying displays 21b1 to 21b3 for notifying the user of the positions of the display 21a for switching operation and the displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation are printed. Note that the accompanying display 21b1 is provided adjacent to the display 21a for switching operation and is a display for notifying the user of the position of the display 21a for switching operation. Also, the accompanying displays 21b2 and 21b3 are displays for notifying the user of the range where the displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation are located. Specifically, by having the accompanying display 21b2 located above the display 21c1 for setting operation and the accompanying display 21b3 located below the display 21c6 for setting operation, it notifies the user that the range from the accompanying display 21b2 to the accompanying display 21b3 in the vertical direction is the range where the displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation are located. In addition, for example, a notification display for notifying the user of the set contents of the refrigerator 1 or the like may be printed. Note that in this embodiment, the number of displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation is six, but the number of displays for setting operation is not limited to this. Also, although a configuration in which the display 21a for switching operation and the displays 21c1 to 21c6 for setting operation are arranged in a vertical column will be described, the configuration is not limited to this.
[0015] <<Substrate 25>> Figure 4 is a front view of the substrate 25 and shows the surface of the substrate 25. On the surface of the substrate 25, a touch sensor 25a for switching operation, touch sensors 25c1 to 25c6 for setting operation, and light sources 25b1 to 25b3 are installed.
[0016] The touch sensor 25a for switching operation is provided at a position overlapping with the display 21a for switching operation shown in FIG. 3 in the X-axis direction (front-back direction). And the touch sensor 25a for switching operation detects that the display 21a for switching operation has been touched.
[0017] The touch sensor 25c1 for setting operation is provided at a position overlapping with the setting operation display 21c1 shown in FIG. 3 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction). Then, the touch sensor 25c1 for setting operation detects that the setting operation display 21c1 has been touched. Similarly, the touch sensors 25c2 to 25c6 for setting operation are provided so as to overlap with the setting operation displays 21c2 to 21c6 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction) and detect touch operations.
[0018] The light source 25b1 is a light source for lighting the switching operation display 21a. The light source 25b1 emits light in at least the front (positive X-axis direction) of the substrate 25 and the surface direction (positive Y-axis direction) along the surface of the substrate 25. Also, the light sources 25b2 and 25b3 are light sources for lighting the setting operation displays 21c1 to 21c6. The light source 25b2 emits light in at least the front (positive X-axis direction) of the substrate 25 and the surface direction (negative Z-axis direction) along the surface of the substrate 25. The light source 25b3 emits light in at least the front (positive X-axis direction) of the substrate 25 and the surface direction (positive Z-axis direction) along the surface of the substrate 25. For the light sources 25b1 to 25b3, for example, light emitting diodes or the like can be used.
[0019] <<Light guide plate 23a>> FIG. 5 is a front view of the light guide plate 23. When the light guide plate 23a overlaps with the substrate 25, the rib 23r1 enters the hole 25h1 of the substrate 25 shown in FIG. 4, and the rib 23r2 enters the hole 25h2 of the substrate 25 shown in FIG. 4, so that the light guide plate 23a is fixed at a position overlapping with the switching operation touch sensor 25a of the substrate 25. Also, the light guide plate 23a has a notch at the left end. And when the light guide plate 23a overlaps with the substrate 25, the light source 25b1 of the substrate 25 is located in the notch at the left end of the light guide plate 23a. The light guide plate 23a refracts the light emitted by the light source 25b1 in the surface direction (positive Y-axis direction) forward. Thereby, the switching operation display 21a in front of the light guide plate 23a is lit.
[0020] Furthermore, when the light guide plate 23a and the substrate 25 overlap, the light source 25b1 is located within the notch of the light guide plate 23a, and therefore does not overlap with the light guide plate 23a in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction). As a result, the light emitted by the light source 25b1 toward the front of the substrate 25 (positive X-axis direction) reaches the display film 21 without obstruction. Therefore, in the display film 21 shown in Figure 3, the auxiliary display 21b1 is provided in front of the light source 25b1 (positive X-axis direction). With this configuration, the light source 25b1 can simultaneously illuminate the switching operation display 21a and the auxiliary display 21b1. In this way, by using the same light source for the switching operation display 21a and the auxiliary display 21b1, costs and the size of the substrate can be reduced.
[0021] In this embodiment, the switching operation display 21a, the light guide plate 23a, and the switching operation touch sensor 25a function as a switching operation unit for switching between the illuminated state and the off state of the setting operation unit, as will be described later. Therefore, the switching operation display 21a, the light guide plate 23a, and the switching operation touch sensor 25a are collectively referred to as the switching operation unit 210.
[0022] <<Light guide plate 23b>> When the light guide plate 23b overlaps with the substrate 25, the rib 23r3 enters the hole 25h3 of the substrate 25 shown in Figure 4, and the rib 23r4 enters the hole 25h4 of the substrate 25 shown in Figure 4, thereby fixing the light guide portion 23c1~23c6 of the light guide plate 23b in a position that overlaps with the setting operation touch sensors 25c1~25c6 of the substrate 25. The light guide plate 23b also has a notch at its upper end. When the light guide plate 23b overlaps with the substrate 25, the light source 25b2 of the substrate 25 is positioned within the notch at the upper end of the light guide plate 23b. The light guide portion 23c1~23c6 of the light guide plate 23b refracts the light emitted by the light source 25b2 in the creepage direction (negative Z-axis direction) forward. This causes the setting operation indicators 21c1 to 21c6 located in front of the light guide sections 23c1 to 23c6 of the light guide plate 23b to light up.
[0023] The light guide plate 23b has a hole 23h on its lower side. When the light guide plate 23b overlaps with the substrate 25, the light source 25b3 of the substrate 25 is positioned within the hole 23h of the light guide plate 23b. The light guide portions 23c1 to 23c6 of the light guide plate 23b refract the light emitted by the light source 25b3 in the creepage direction (positive Z-axis direction) forward. This causes the setting operation indicators 21c1 to 21c6 located in front of the light guide portions 23c1 to 23c6 of the light guide plate 23b to light up.
[0024] Furthermore, when the light guide plate 23b and the substrate 25 overlap, the light source 25b2 is located in the notch of the light guide plate 23b, and the light source 25b3 is located in the hole 23h of the light guide plate 23b. Therefore, the light sources 25b2 and 25b3 do not overlap with the light guide plate 23b in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction). As a result, the light emitted by the light sources 25b2 and 25b3 toward the front of the substrate 25 (positive X-axis direction) reaches the display film 21 without obstruction. Accordingly, in the display film 21 shown in Figure 3, the auxiliary display 21b2 is provided in front of the light source 25b2 (positive X-axis direction), and the auxiliary display 21b3 is provided in front of the light source 25b3 (positive X-axis direction). With this configuration, the light sources 25b2 and 25b3 can simultaneously illuminate the setting operation displays 21c1 to 21c6, the auxiliary display 21b2, and the auxiliary display 21b3. In this way, by using the same light source for the setting operation displays 21c1 to 21c6 and the accompanying displays 21b2 and 21b3, costs and the size of the circuit board can be reduced.
[0025] In this embodiment, the setting operation display, the light guide portion of the light guide plate 23b, and the setting operation touch sensor, which overlap in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction), function as a single setting operation unit (an operation unit for performing setting operations related to the operation of the refrigerator). Specifically, the setting operation display 21c1, the light guide portion 23c1 of the light guide plate 23b, and the setting operation touch sensor 25c1 function as a single setting operation unit. The same applies to the setting operation displays 21c2 to 21c6, the light guide portions 23c2 to 23c6 of the light guide plate 23b, and the setting operation touch sensors 25c2 to 25c6. In other words, in this embodiment, there are six setting operation units. Therefore, below, the setting operation unit with the setting operation display 21c1 furthest forward will be called setting operation unit 211, and similarly, the setting operation units with the setting operation displays 21c2 to 21c6 furthest forward will be called setting operation units 212 to 216, respectively.
[0026] <Explanation of display status> The control unit controls the operation settings of the refrigerator 1 and the display state of the setting control unit based on the open / closed state of the refrigerator door and touch operations on the setting control unit. Figure 6 shows an example of the illuminated display state of the setting control unit. Figure 7 shows an example of the off display state of the setting control unit.
[0027] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the control unit keeps the switching operation unit 210 and the accompanying display 21b1 constantly lit. The control unit then switches the lit-off state of the setting operation units 211 to 216 and the accompanying displays 21b2 and 21b3 each time the switching operation unit 210 is touched.
[0028] As shown in Figure 6, when the indicator lights are on, the setting operation units 211 to 216 and the accompanying indicators 21b2 and 21b3 are illuminated. If any of the setting operation units 211 to 216 that are illuminated are touched, the control unit changes the settings related to the operation of the refrigerator 1 based on the touched setting operation unit. For example, if the setting operation unit 212 is the setting operation unit for setting the on / off status of automatic ice making, the control unit switches the on / off status of automatic ice making when the setting operation unit 212 that is illuminated is touched.
[0029] As shown in Figure 7, when the indicator lights are off, the setting operation units 211-216 and the accompanying indicators 21b2 and 21b3 are displayed as off.
[0030] As described above, the present invention provides a refrigerator that can simultaneously illuminate the operation unit and accompanying displays while keeping costs and the size of the circuit board down. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0031] 1: Refrigerator 2, 2a, 2b: Refrigerator door 3: Ice maker door 4: Upper freezer door 5: Lower freezer door 6: Vegetable compartment door 20: Circuit board unit 21: Display film 21a: Display for switching operation 21b1~21b3: Additional information 21c1~21c6: Display for setting operation 21d: Notch 22: Anti-destruction film 23, 23a, 23b: Light guide plate 23c1~23c6: Light guiding part 23r1~23r4: Rib 23h: hole 24: Shade 25: Circuit board 25a: Touch sensor for switching operation 25b1~25b3, :Light source 25c1~25c6: Touch sensors for setting operations 25h1~25h4: Hole 26: Holder 210: Switching operation unit 211~216: Setting Operation Section
Claims
1. A refrigerator equipped with a front-opening storage compartment door, The storage room door has a light-transmitting front panel and a circuit board unit positioned behind the front panel. The aforementioned circuit board unit is A substrate is placed inside the storage compartment door such that its surface faces the front side of the storage compartment door, A light source is installed on the surface of the substrate and emits light at least in front of the substrate and in the creepage direction along the surface of the substrate, A light guide plate is placed on the surface of the substrate and refracts the light from the light source in the creepage direction toward the front of the substrate, The substrate is positioned inside the storage compartment door so as to overlap it from the front, and includes a display film on which operation indicators and supplementary indicators are printed, The aforementioned operating indicator is located in front of the light guide plate, The aforementioned auxiliary display is located in front of the light source. A refrigerator characterized by the following features.
2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, The light guide plate has a notch, The light source is located within the notch. A refrigerator characterized by the following.
3. A refrigerator according to claim 1, The light guide plate has a hole, The light source is located inside the hole. A refrigerator characterized by the following.