JP4329519B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a display operation unit of a refrigerator.

In recent years, due to the diversification of lifestyles, the quality of the design has greatly influenced the value of the products, and each company has devised the design of the door surface to provide refrigerators that match the lifestyles of customers. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 6 is a front view of a refrigerator showing a conventional example. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the display operation unit of the refrigerator compartment door of FIG.

  In FIG. 6, 1 is a refrigerator main body, 2 from the top is a refrigerator room, 3 is a vegetable room, 4 is a switching room in which the room temperature can be switched, 5 is a freezing room, and 6 is an ice making room.

  The refrigerator door 7 is a hinge-type door that can be opened and closed. Drawer doors 8, 9, 10, and 11 are provided in front of the vegetable room 3, the switching room 4, the freezing room 5, and the ice making room 6.

  As shown in FIG. 7, an operation panel 15 having a transparent display window 13 for the liquid crystal display device 12 and a plurality of operation buttons 14 around it is arranged slightly below in the width direction in front of the door. Yes. As shown in FIG. 6, the operation panel 15 is attached so as to block the front surface of the housing recess 16 provided in the front of the door. The storage recess 16 is formed inside the storage box 19 by providing a short opening 18 in the door front plate 17 and attaching the storage box 19 to the opening 18 from the back side. A printed circuit board 20 is disposed in the storage recess 16. A liquid crystal display device 21 is mounted on the printed circuit board 20 at the center thereof, and a plurality of switches (not shown) corresponding to the operation buttons 14 are provided around the liquid crystal display device 21. A button member 22 is disposed between the operation button 14 and the switch. When the operation button 14 on the operation panel 15 is pressed by the button member 22, the corresponding switch on the printed circuit board 20 can be operated. ing.

With the above configuration, the visibility and appearance can be improved.
JP 2002-39673 A

  However, the conventional configuration has a problem that the design of the operation panel portion cannot be improved because the button is formed of a colored resin.

  In addition, the conventional configuration has a drawback that it is difficult to confirm the operation when any button is operated because a plurality of buttons and the light emitting elements of the liquid crystal display device are linked.

  In addition, it is generally difficult to form a thick-walled button on the back side of a transparent resin, so that the distance to the printed circuit board having the liquid crystal display device is too long to reach the switch on the printed circuit board. .

  Further, in general, buttons that are colored on the back side of a transparent body can be colored at low cost on the back side of the resin, and there is a problem that light from other buttons leaks from the thick part of the resin.

  Further, in a button made of a transparent body and colored on the back surface, when a ring made of a transparent body is arranged on the outer periphery of the button, there is a problem that the colored surface of the button is reflected in the ring.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the door of the refrigerator excellent in the designability and operativity.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the refrigerator of the present invention includes a thermally foamed door, an operation panel, an operation button, an auxiliary button disposed on the back of the operation button, and all of the operation buttons.
A liquid crystal display device having a ring arranged on the periphery, a substrate and a light emitting element, the operation button is a transparent body having a spherical surface on both the front surface and the back surface, the back of the operation button is colored and the auxiliary button and the By making the ring a transparent body, the light emitting element placed on the substrate surface emits light and transmits the light to the ring surface, so that the light entering the transparent resin enters the colored surface while being refracted, and the light is reflected In addition to providing a lens-like texture, the entire circumference of the button shines when the button is operated, making it easy to check the function operation when operating any button and providing a highly-designed operation unit can do.

  In the refrigerator of the present invention, light entering the transparent resin of the operation button enters the colored surface while being refracted, and the light is reflected so that it can have a texture like a lens. Can be increased.

Further, since the entire circumference of the button shines when the button is operated, it is easy to confirm the functional operation when an arbitrary button is operated, and an operation unit with higher design can be provided.

The invention according to claim 1 is a heat insulating foam door, an operation panel, an operation button, an auxiliary button disposed on the back of the operation button, a ring disposed on the entire circumference of the operation button, a substrate, and light emission. A liquid crystal display device having an element, the operation buttons are formed into a transparent body with a spherical surface on both the front and back surfaces, and the operation buttons are colored on the back surface, and the auxiliary buttons and the ring are formed on a transparent body and disposed on the substrate surface. The light emitting element emits light and transmits the light to the ring surface . Light entering the transparent resin enters the colored surface while being refracted, and the reflected light reflects the texture like a lens. It can be held and visibility and design can be improved.

Further, since the entire circumference of the button shines when the button is operated, it is easy to confirm the functional operation when an arbitrary button is operated. Moreover, the operation part with higher designability can be provided.

Further, the auxiliary button is made of a transparent body, and the force is reliably transmitted to the switch on the printed circuit board when the button is operated, and the light from the light emitting element does not hinder the light from reaching the ring surface.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein a rib (cylindrical wall) for preventing light leakage is provided on the back surface of the button insertion hole of the operation panel. Light leakage from other buttons can be prevented during button operation.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the surface of the ring made of a transparent body is subjected to prism processing, and light is diffused even when a low-luminance light emitting element is used. Due to the effect, light can be spread all around the ring. In addition, since the reflection of the colored surface of the button on the button surface is reduced, the texture of the button is not impaired, and an operation button with high design can be provided.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the surface of the auxiliary button made of a transparent body is subjected to prism processing, and a light emitting device having low luminance Even if is used, light can be spread all around the ring due to the light diffusion effect.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a rear exploded perspective view of an operation panel unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the refrigerator according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the refrigerator compartment door of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

  1 to 5, reference numeral 23 denotes a refrigerator main body, which is provided with a refrigerator room 24, a vegetable room 25, a switching room 26 capable of switching the inside temperature and a freezing room 27 from the upper stage, and ice making on the left side of the switching room 26. A chamber 28 is provided.

  The refrigerator compartment 24 is provided with a hinge-type openable / closable refrigerator compartment door 29, and drawer doors 30, 31, 32, 33 are provided in front of the vegetable compartment 25, the switching compartment 26, the freezer compartment 27, and the ice making compartment 28. It has been.

  Reference numeral 34 denotes a handle provided on the door 29 of the refrigerator compartment 24. An operation display unit 35 is provided in the same height direction of the handle 34.

  The structure of the door 29 of the refrigerator compartment 24 is demonstrated.

  The door 29 includes a steel plate outer plate 36, lid bodies 37 and 38 fitted to both left and right end portions of the outer plate 36, a lower lid body 39, and an inner plate 40 disposed behind the outer plate 36. It is a heat insulation door formed by filling and foaming a heat insulating material 41 made of hard urethane in the formed foam space.

  Next, the operation display unit 35 will be described.

  The operation display unit 35 includes a printed circuit board 42, a liquid crystal display device 43, a light emitting element 44, a liquid crystal cover 45, an operation panel 46, an operation button 47, an auxiliary button 48, a ring 49 and a switch 50. Yes. The operation button 47 is a transparent body having a spherical surface on both the front surface and the back surface, and is colored on the back side of the operation button by printing, painting, or the like.

  Further, the operation button 47 is arranged so as to face upward from the horizontal plane in the vertical direction of the refrigerator surface. Note that the operation panel 46 may be arranged so as to face upward from the horizontal plane in the vertical direction of the refrigerator surface, and the operation button 42 may be directed upward. Further, the surface of the lower lid 39 may be set to a shape that faces upward.

  A liquid crystal display device 43, a light emitting element 44, and a plurality of switches 50 are disposed on the printed circuit board 42, and the light emitting elements 44 are disposed and fixed around the switch 50. The operation panel 46 includes a cylindrical wall 51, a ring 49 made of a transparent body is inserted into the cylindrical wall 51, and the switch 50 is inserted into the ring 49. The auxiliary button 48 has a shape that covers the ring 49 and the cylindrical wall 51, and is arranged so that the rib 54 is aligned with the groove 52 provided in the operation panel 46 and the groove 53 provided in the ring. Further, by providing the auxiliary button with the gate-shaped hole 55, the operation panel 46, the ring 49, the button 50, and the auxiliary button 48 are fixed by being hooked on the claw 56 provided on the cylindrical wall 51. . A rib 54 provided on the auxiliary button 48 is extended upward to support the connecting portion 57 of the operation button 47 and serves as a fulcrum for the operation of the button 47. The auxiliary button 48 is also made of a transparent body. In addition, prism processing may be performed on the surface of the ring 49 made of a transparent body so that light is easily diffused. Furthermore, prism processing may also be performed on the surface of the auxiliary button 48 formed of a transparent body.

The printed circuit board 42 is fixed by placing a claw 59 provided on the liquid crystal display device 43 on a claw 60 provided on the operation panel with the positioning fixing rib 58 provided on the display panel 46 as a reference and hitting a screw from the back of the printed circuit board. Has been.

  Fixing claws 61 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the operation panel 46, and recesses 62 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the lower lid 39. The operation display unit 35 is provided with a fixing claw 61 of the lower lid body. It is fixed by hanging on 62.

  With the above configuration, the operation button 47 is a transparent body that has a spherical surface on both the front surface and the back surface, and is colored on the back side of the operation button by printing, painting, etc. When the light is refracted and the light is reflected, a lens-like texture can be obtained, and visibility and design can be improved.

  Further, since the operation button 47 is arranged so as to face upward from the horizontal plane in the vertical direction of the refrigerator surface, more light can be poured into the operation button 47 made of a transparent body. It is possible to increase the difference in light intensity in the interior, and it is possible to provide an operation unit with higher design. Further, by facing upward, the visibility of the user is improved, and the operability of the operation button 47 is also improved.

  Further, a ring 49 made of a transparent material is arranged on the entire circumference of the operation button 47, and the light emitting element 44 is caused to emit light when the button is operated, thereby transmitting the light of the light emitting element 44 arranged on the surface of the printed circuit board 42 to the surface of the ring 49. When the button is operated, the entire circumference of the operation button 47 shines, so that the functional operation can be easily confirmed when any button is operated. Moreover, the operation part with higher designability can be provided.

  In addition, since the auxiliary button 48 is disposed on the back of the operation button 47, the force can be reliably transmitted to the switch 50 on the printed circuit board 42 when the operation button 47 is operated.

  Further, since the auxiliary button 48 is formed of a transparent body, the force is reliably transmitted to the switch 50 on the printed circuit board 42 when the operation button 47 is operated, and the light from the light emitting element 44 does not interfere with reaching the ring surface. .

  Further, a groove 52 and a groove 53 are provided in a part of the ring 49 and the operation panel 46, and a rotation prevention rib 54 of the ring 49 is provided in the auxiliary button 48. The operation panel 46 does not rotate without the ring 49 rotating. And design continuity can be maintained.

  Further, since the rotation prevention rib 54 and the operation button 47 are supported by the connecting portion 57 and serve as a fulcrum for the operation of the operation button 47, a smooth operation can be obtained without coming into contact with the ring arranged on the outer periphery of the button. Can do.

  Further, since the cylindrical wall 51 (rib) for preventing light leakage is provided on the back surface of the button insertion hole of the operation panel 46, light leakage from other buttons can be prevented when any button is operated.

  In addition, since the surface of the ring 49 made of a transparent material is subjected to prism processing so that the light is easily diffused, even if a low-luminance light emitting element is used, the light is spread around the entire ring due to the light diffusion effect. be able to. In addition, the reflection of the colored surface of the button on the button surface is reduced, and the texture of the button is not impaired, and an operation button with high design can be provided.

  Further, since the surface of the auxiliary button 48 is prism-processed, light can be spread all around the ring due to the light diffusion effect even if a low-luminance light emitting element is used.

  As described above, in the refrigerator according to the present invention, light entering the transparent resin of the operation button enters the colored surface while being refracted, and the light can be reflected to give a texture like a lens. Therefore, it can also be applied to uses such as operation buttons for controlling home appliances.

The rear perspective view of the operation panel part by Embodiment 1 of this invention Front view of the refrigerator of the embodiment The exploded perspective view of the refrigerator compartment door of the embodiment AA line sectional view of FIG. BB sectional view of FIG. Exploded perspective view of a conventional operation panel Front view of a conventional refrigerator

23 Refrigerator 29 Refrigerating room door 35 Operation display part 41 Heat insulating material 42 Printed circuit board 43 Liquid crystal display device 44 Light emitting element 46 Operation panel 47 Operation button 48 Auxiliary button 49 Ring 51 Rib ( cylindrical wall )
52, 53 groove 54 rib

Claims (4)

It comprises a thermally foamed door, an operation panel, an operation button, an auxiliary button disposed on the back of the operation button, a ring disposed on the entire circumference of the operation button, and a liquid crystal display device having a substrate and a light emitting element. The operation button is formed into a transparent body having a spherical surface on both the front and back surfaces, the auxiliary button and the ring are formed into a transparent body, and the light emitting element disposed on the substrate surface emits light. A refrigerator characterized by allowing permeation to pass through the ring surface . 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a rib (cylindrical wall) for preventing light leakage is provided on the back surface of the button insertion hole of the operation panel. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein prism processing is performed on a surface of a ring made of a transparent body. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which is characterized by applying prism machining the surface of the auxiliary button which is constituted by a transparent body.

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