JP5789779B2 - refrigerator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and particularly to a refrigerator capable of controlling the temperature in the refrigerator.

  In recent years, household refrigerators generally use an indirect cooling method in which cold air is circulated in the refrigerator with a fan. In a conventional refrigerator, the temperature in the refrigerator is kept at an appropriate temperature by controlling the temperature according to the detection result of the temperature in the refrigerator.

  For example, there is a refrigerator provided with a movable cold air discharge device as a refrigerator that keeps the inside temperature uniform (see Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 14: shows the front view of the refrigerator compartment of the conventional refrigerator described in patent document 1. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, in the conventional refrigerator, a movable cold air discharge device 102 provided in the refrigerator compartment 101 supplies cold air to the left and right to achieve a uniform internal temperature.

JP-A-8-247608

  However, even if the inside temperature is made uniform, the stored items are not always stored at the optimum temperature. This is because the refrigerator detects and controls the ambient temperature in the cabinet by the thermistor, and there is no means for directly detecting the temperature of the stored item. Therefore, a difference occurs between the ambient temperature in the storage and the actual temperature of the stored items.

  For example, during a transitional period from when the temperature in the refrigerator has risen, such as immediately after the storage is turned on, after a long door opening or closing, or immediately after defrosting operation, the inside of the refrigerator is cooled and reaches the set temperature. A temperature difference depending on the amount of the stored item occurs between the detected temperature of the arranged temperature detecting means and the temperature of the stored item. For this reason, the time to reach the optimum storage temperature varies depending on the storage amount. Specifically, the cooling time is generally short when the storage amount is small, and the cooling time is long when the storage amount is large. In particular, when the storage amount is small, the cooling operation may be performed excessively, resulting in “too cold” storage.

  In addition, after a sufficient time has elapsed and the temperature of the stored item is stabilized at a low temperature, the stored item maintains its temperature by its own heat capacity, and therefore, the stored item tends to be cooled more easily. For this reason, in the conventional cooling control, the stored item becomes “too cold”, and the stored item cannot be cooled at an optimum temperature. Further, during this time, the refrigerator performs cooling operation using excess power consumption.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and by storing the stored item at a target temperature regardless of the storage state in the warehouse, the stored item achieves high freshness, and the stored item “ An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can prevent “too cold” and reduce power consumption.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a refrigerator according to one aspect of the present invention includes a refrigerator main body in which a storage chamber is formed, a cooling device that cools the storage chamber, and the storage chamber. The storage object estimation part which estimates the quantity or position of the stored goods, and the control part which controls cooling of the said storage chamber by the said cooling device according to the estimation result of the said storage object estimation part are provided.

  The refrigerator of the present invention detects the storage state in advance, and controls the operation state of the refrigerator based on the information, thereby storing the storage item at a target temperature regardless of the storage state in the warehouse. In addition to realizing high freshness, the stored item can be prevented from being “too cold” and the power consumption can be suppressed.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating operations performed by the light emitting unit and the light amount detecting unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a transition period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a transition period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a transition period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the control operation in the transition period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a stable period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a stable period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a control operation in a stable period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation in a stable period performed by the control unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator in the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of the refrigerator in the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of the refrigerator in the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a front view of the refrigerator in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a front view of a refrigerator compartment of a conventional refrigerator.

  A refrigerator according to a first aspect of the present invention estimates a refrigerator main body in which a storage chamber is formed inward, a cooling device for cooling the storage chamber, and the amount or position of stored items stored in the storage chamber. The storage object estimation part and the control part which controls cooling of the said storage chamber by the said cooling device according to the estimation result of the said storage object estimation part are provided.

  As a result, the temperature difference between the temperature detected by the thermistor, which changes depending on the amount or position of the stored item, and the stored item is corrected. For this reason, by storing the stored item at the target temperature regardless of the storage condition in the warehouse, it is possible to realize high freshness of the stored item and to prevent the stored item from being `` too cold '' Power consumption can be suppressed.

  The refrigerator according to the second invention is preferably further provided with a light emitting unit including a light source for irradiating light to the stored items stored in the storage chamber, and disposed in the storage chamber and stored in the storage chamber. A stored light amount detection unit that detects the amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit via the stored item and the structure, and the stored item estimation unit, according to the detection result of the light amount by the light amount detection unit Estimate the amount or position of the contents.

  Thereby, when the light quantity detection unit receives light emitted from a light source such as an LED, the amount or position of the stored item can be estimated with a simple configuration.

  In the refrigerator according to the third aspect of the present invention, preferably, the control unit selects an operation pattern according to an estimation result of the amount or position of the stored item in the stored item estimation unit, and is preset according to the operation pattern. The cooling device is controlled so that the inside temperature is set.

  As a result, by controlling adaptively according to the amount or position of the stored item, the stored item can be stored under substantially the same storage conditions (internal temperature) regardless of the amount or position of the stored item. In addition, it is possible to provide a highly power-saving refrigerator by preventing over-cooling.

  The refrigerator according to the fourth invention preferably further includes a door open / close detection unit that detects an open / closed state of the refrigerator door provided in front of the storage chamber, and the door open / close detection unit is provided on the refrigerator door. Within the period during which the closed state is detected, the light emitting unit, the light amount detecting unit, the stored item estimating unit, and the control unit start a series of operations.

  Thus, the refrigerator can be controlled based on higher detection accuracy by detecting the amount of light in the absence of background light, that is, disturbance light. Thereby, regardless of the amount or position of the stored items, the stored items can be stored under substantially the same storage conditions, and a refrigerator with high freshness and power saving can be provided.

  In a refrigerator according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, preferably, the light emitting unit is illumination provided in the storage chamber.

  This makes it possible to configure the light emitting unit with a simple configuration without providing a special light emitting unit.

  In a refrigerator according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, preferably, the light emitting unit includes a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources are sequentially turned on, and the light amount detection unit detects a light amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit. Then, the stored item estimation unit estimates the amount or position of the stored item according to the light amount detection result by the light amount detection unit.

  As a result, it is possible to perform detailed storage object estimation by sequentially turning on a plurality of light sources. For this reason, even in a vast storage room, it is possible to detect a stored item in detail, so that the accuracy of estimating the amount or position of the stored item is improved.

  The refrigerator according to the seventh aspect of the invention preferably further includes a space detection unit that detects a free space in the storage space of the storage chamber in a non-contact manner, and the space detection unit has a space volume around at least the cold air discharge port. And the stored item estimation unit estimates the amount or position of the stored item according to the detection result of the space detection unit.

  As a result, the position of the empty space can be easily understood, and food can be stored smoothly from the outside, which saves energy. Furthermore, the optimal food arrangement can be promoted against overloading of food or power increase due to food storage near the cold air outlet, and a refrigerator realizing energy saving operation can be provided.

  That is, it becomes possible to detect the ratio of the food volume in the storage space including the height direction of the food in a non-contact manner. As a result, it is possible to detect the situation of the empty space with relatively high accuracy, making it easier to recognize where the refrigerated room storage space is empty, allowing food to be stored quickly, and the door opening time to be reduced. Energy saving can be realized by suppressing the rise in the internal temperature accompanying the opening of the door due to the short time.

  Furthermore, when food is placed near the cold air outlet, the amount of cool air discharged is reduced even if there is room in the storage space, and the cooling of the food is slightly delayed, resulting in poor cooling efficiency in the storage chamber and energy consumption. Will increase. In addition, a large amount of cold air flows through the food in the vicinity of the cold air discharge port, which may cause deterioration due to drying of the food or excessive cooling. However, in the present invention, for example, other storage spaces can be preferentially notified and food storage can be promoted, so that quality degradation of food can be suppressed to a minimum. At the same time, energy saving operation can be promoted against overloading of food or power increase when food near the cold air outlet is stored.

  In the refrigerator according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, preferably, the space detection unit and the light emitting unit are arranged with a storage space for storing stored items therebetween.

  Thereby, since the light from the light emitting unit enters the space detection unit via the food, the change in the amount of light passing easily depends on the change in the volume of the stored food, and the detection accuracy of the empty space is further improved.

  In the refrigerator according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, preferably, the light emitting unit is installed on the front side of the storage room, and the space detection unit is installed on the back side of the storage room.

  This makes it possible to detect the empty space even when the door of the storage chamber is not securely closed, that is, when external light enters the storage chamber, and the detection accuracy of the empty space is further improved.

  The refrigerator according to the tenth aspect of the present invention preferably further includes a recognition unit that displays information on an empty space in the storage space detected by the space detection unit on an outer surface of a door provided in front of the storage room.

  This makes it easier to understand the empty space, allows smooth storage of food from the outside, and provides a place for storing food stored from outside before opening the door, further reducing the time for opening the door. it can.

  In the refrigerator according to an eleventh aspect of the invention, preferably, the recognition unit displays a warning screen that informs the user that the power increasing operation is performed as information on the empty space.

  Accordingly, it is possible to notify the user that the operation is a power increase operation such as excessive charging of food or power increase due to food storage near the cold air outlet.

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

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1 in the same embodiment.

  In these figures, the refrigerator 10 includes a refrigerator main body 11 that is a heat insulating box, and the refrigerator main body 11 includes an outer box mainly using a steel plate, an inner box formed of a resin such as ABS, and an outer box. It has a structure in which heat insulating material is provided in the space between the box and the inner box, and it is insulated from the surroundings.

  The refrigerator main body 11 is thermally partitioned into a plurality of storage rooms. A refrigeration room 12 is provided at the top, and an ice making room 13 and a switching room 14 are provided side by side below the refrigeration room 12, and the ice making room 13 and the switching room are provided. A freezer compartment 15 is disposed below 14, and a vegetable compartment 16 is disposed at the bottom. And the door is arrange | positioned in the front opening part of the refrigerator main body 11, respectively, in order to partition with the external air in the front of the said each store room. In addition, an operation unit 17 is provided near the center of the refrigerator compartment door 12a of the refrigerator compartment 12 for setting the internal temperature of each compartment, ice making, and rapid cooling.

  A plurality of storage shelves 18 are provided in the refrigerator compartment 12, and a part of the plurality of storage shelves 18 is configured to operate up and down.

  In the refrigerator compartment 12, an illumination 19, a light emitting unit 20, and a light amount detecting unit 21 are provided.

  The illumination 19 is vertically arranged on the left wall surface and the right wall surface that are located in front of the depth of the interior of the refrigerator 10 in front of the door opening side in the refrigerator 10 and in front of the front end of the storage shelf 18. Arranged in the direction.

  The light emitting unit 20 is disposed adjacent to a position similar to the illumination 19 on both the left and right wall surfaces of the refrigerator, and includes a light source that irradiates light to the stored items stored in the refrigerator compartment 12.

  The light quantity detection unit 21 is disposed at a rear position in the refrigerator compartment 12 and detects the amount of light emitted from the light emitting unit 20 through the storage items and structures stored in the refrigerator compartment 12.

  In addition, as long as the light quantity detection part 21 is arrange | positioned in the position irradiated by the light emission part 20 via the storage thing accommodated in the refrigerator compartment 12, and the structure inside a warehouse, it will be any position in a warehouse. You may arrange in.

  Moreover, the high pressure side components of the refrigeration cycle such as the compressor 30 and a dryer for removing moisture are housed in a machine room formed in the uppermost rear region of the refrigerator compartment 12.

  A cooling room for generating cold air is provided on the back surface of the freezing room 15. The cooling room includes a cooler and cold air cooled by the cooler 12, a switching room 14, an ice making room 13, and a vegetable room 16. A cooling fan that blows air to the freezer compartment 15 is disposed. In addition, a radiant heater, a drain pan, a drain tube evaporating dish, and the like are arranged to defrost frost and ice adhering to the cooler and its surroundings.

  The refrigerated room 12 is normally set to 1 ° C. to 5 ° C. at the lower limit of the temperature at which it is not frozen for refrigerated storage, and the lowermost vegetable room 16 is set to 2 ° C. to 7 ° C., which is set to a temperature that is equal to or slightly higher than that of the refrigerated room 12. The freezer compartment 15 is set in a freezing temperature zone, and is usually set at −22 ° C. to −15 ° C. for frozen storage, but for example, −30 ° C. It may be set at a low temperature of -25 ° C.

  The ice making chamber 13 is configured to make ice with water supplied from a water storage tank (not shown) in the refrigerator compartment 12 by an automatic ice maker (not shown) provided in the upper part of the room, and to store ice storage containers ( (Not shown).

  The switching chamber 14 is refrigerated in addition to a refrigeration temperature zone set at 1 ° C. to 5 ° C., a vegetable temperature zone set at 2 ° C. to 7 ° C., and a freezing temperature zone normally set at −22 ° C. to −15 ° C. The temperature can be switched to a preset temperature range between the temperature range and the freezing temperature range. The switching chamber 14 is a storage chamber having an independent door arranged in parallel with the ice making chamber 13, and often has a drawer-type door.

  In the present embodiment, the switching chamber 14 is a storage room including the temperature range of refrigeration and freezing. However, the refrigeration is performed by the refrigerator compartment 12 and the vegetable compartment 16, and the freezing is performed by the freezer compartment 15. A storage room specialized for switching only the temperature zone in the middle of freezing may be used. Moreover, the storage room fixed to refrigeration may be sufficient as the demand for frozen foods has increased in recent years, for example, frozen food.

  Moreover, the matter regarding the principal part of invention in this Embodiment mentioned above is a refrigerator of the type which provides a machine room in the storage chamber back area | region of the lowest part of the heat insulation box which was common conventionally, and arrange | positions the compressor 30 10 may be applied.

  About the refrigerator comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement * effect | action is demonstrated below.

  Hereinafter, the operations of the light emitting unit 20 and the light amount detecting unit 21 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining operations performed by the light emitting unit 20 and the light amount detecting unit 21 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the light output from the light emitting units 20 disposed on both the left and right wall surfaces of the refrigerator irradiates the refrigerating chamber 12 and the stored items 33 stored in the refrigerating chamber 12. A part of the light output from the light emitting unit 20 is incident on the light amount detecting unit 21 disposed in the refrigerator compartment 12.

  In the figure, when the stored item 33 is stored in the refrigerator compartment 12, either the region A in which the irradiation light 34a from the light emitting portions 20 on both the left and right wall surfaces is shielded by the stored item 33, either It shows a state where a region B where one irradiation light 34a is shielded and a region C where neither of the left and right light is shielded are generated.

  In this case, the light amount detection unit 21 detects and outputs the corresponding light amount because it is in the region B where the irradiation light 34a from one of the light emitting units 20 is shielded. In addition, when the amount of the stored item 33 is large, the area A that is shielded together increases, and thus the amount of light detected by the light amount detector 21 decreases. In addition, when the storage amount is small, the area C in which any irradiation light 34a is not shielded increases, and thus the amount of light detected by the light amount detector 21 increases.

  As described above, the light amount detection unit 21 detects the change in the light amount due to the interposition of the stored item 33 and the difference in the amount or position of the stored item 33. Then, by discriminating the light quantity detection result based on a predetermined threshold set in advance, the amount (large or small) or the position of the stored item 33 in the warehouse can be classified. Details will be described later.

  In addition, the light emission part 20 can estimate the storage state with a simpler structure without providing a new light source by combining with the illumination 19 normally provided in the refrigerator 10. That is, the amount or position of the stored item 33 may be estimated by using the illumination 19 provided in the refrigerator compartment 12 as the light emitting unit 20.

  Next, the control operation will be described with reference to the control block diagram shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of refrigerator 10 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the refrigerator 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a stored item estimation unit 22 and a control unit 23 in addition to the light emitting unit 20 and the light amount detection unit 21 described above.

  The stored item estimation unit 22 estimates the amount or position of the stored item stored in the refrigerator compartment 12 and outputs the estimation result to the control unit 23. Specifically, the stored item estimation unit 22 estimates the amount or position of the stored item according to the light amount detection result by the light amount detection unit 21.

  The control unit 23 controls cooling of the refrigerator compartment 12 by the cooling device 35 provided in the refrigerator 10 for cooling the refrigerator compartment 12 according to the estimation result of the stored item estimation unit 22. Specifically, the control unit 23 selects an operation pattern in accordance with the estimation result of the amount or position of the stored item in the stored item estimation unit 22 so that the internal temperature set in advance corresponding to the operation pattern is obtained. The cooling device 35 is controlled. Here, the cooling device 35 includes a compressor 30, a cooling fan 31, and a temperature compensation heater 32, and the control unit 23 automatically changes the operation of the device.

  For example, in the transition period, when the light emitting unit 20 emits light at a predetermined timing and the detection result by the light amount detecting unit 21 is larger than a predetermined value, the stored item estimating unit 22 estimates that the amount of stored item is small. The control unit 23 automatically enters a power saving operation such as a rotational speed suppression or an overcooling prevention operation of the compressor 30.

  When the detection result by the light quantity detection unit 21 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the storage object estimation unit 22 estimates that the storage amount is large, and the control unit 23 causes the compressor to reach the set temperature within a predetermined time. The number of rotations of 30 is increased, and the normal operation having a higher number of rotations than the power saving operation is automatically entered.

  Alternatively, the control unit 23 shuts off the air path that feeds cold air to each storage chamber by the opening / closing mechanism in the case of power saving operation, not the rotation speed of the compressor, and cool air to each storage chamber in the case of normal operation. The temperature of the air passage is controlled by controlling the air flow rate of the open air with an opening / closing mechanism.

  In the following, an example is shown in which the storage item estimation unit 22 estimates the amount of storage item, and the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35 according to the amount of storage item estimated by the storage item estimation unit 22. The same applies to the case where the stored item estimation unit 22 estimates the position of the stored item, and the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35 in accordance with the position of the stored item estimated by the stored item estimation unit 22.

  Hereinafter, the operation | movement which the control part 23 of the refrigerator in a transition period performs is demonstrated using FIG. 5A-FIG. 5C. 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the control operation in the transition period performed by the control unit 23 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  Note that the transition period is a period from when the temperature in the refrigerator 10 rises to the set temperature after the temperature in the refrigerator 10 is increased, such as immediately after the storage is turned on, after a long door opening or closing, or immediately after the defrosting operation. is there. In general, the temperature fluctuation range in the warehouse during the transition period is in a state where the temperature fluctuates more than ± 3 ° C. from the set temperature.

  Specifically, FIG. 5A shows an operation of the control unit 23 that performs temperature control similar to the conventional case in the case of a standard storage amount (hereinafter, standard). 5B shows the operation of the control unit 23 when the storage amount is larger than the standard, and FIG. 5C shows the operation of the control unit 23 when the storage amount is smaller than the standard. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, the types of stored items are the same.

  In FIG. 5B and FIG. 5C, the solid line indicates the detected temperature of the stored item in the present embodiment, and the broken line indicates the time dependency of the detected temperature of the stored item when conventional control is performed. K0 is a preset storage temperature of the stored item 33. The control unit 23 switches the operation state of the cooling device 35 based on the estimation result of the storage amount in the storage object estimation unit 22 when the storage amount is larger than the standard and when the storage amount is small.

  FIG. 5A shows a change in the temperature of stored items when the storage amount is a standard storage amount and the storage rate in the storage is about 50% ± 10%. In this embodiment, control is performed based on this temperature change. However, the criteria for “standard / large / small” storage amount differ depending on the size, configuration, or control method of the refrigerator, and are not limited to those shown here.

  When the same kind of stored items 33 are stored more than the standard, the detected light amount of the light amount detecting unit 21 decreases, and the stored item estimating unit 22 estimates that the stored amount in the warehouse is large due to the decrease in the detected light amount. To do.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, in the conventional cooling operation (broken line), since it takes time for the storage items to reach the set temperature, the control unit 23 reaches the set temperature within a predetermined time. The rotation speed of the compressor 30 is increased or the circulation amount of the cold air is increased, and the operation is automatically switched to the rapid cooling operation. Accordingly, the storage temperature can be reached in the same period as in the case of FIG. 5A without depending on the amount of the stored item 33, and the freshness of the stored item 33 can be maintained without depending on the amount of the stored item 33. Can do.

  In addition, when the storage amount is smaller than the standard, the light amount detected by the light amount detection unit 21 increases, and due to the increase in the detection light amount, the stored item estimation unit 22 estimates that the storage amount in the warehouse is small.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5C, in the conventional cooling operation (broken line), the time until the stored item reaches the set temperature is early, and the cooling operation may be performed by consuming more power than necessary. Therefore, the control unit 23 automatically switches to the power saving operation by reducing the rotational speed of the compressor 30 or reducing the circulation amount of the cold air so as to reach the set temperature within a predetermined time. As a result of this operation, an energy saving effect can be obtained by slowing down the temperature behavior in the cabinet, and silence can be achieved, for example, by suppressing the rotation speed of the cooling fan 31.

  Details of these operations will be described with reference to the control flow diagram of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the control operation in the transition period performed by the control unit 23 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, first, the control unit 23 determines whether or not it is a transition period from the internal temperature (step 102). If the control unit 23 determines that it is in the transition period (Y in step 102), it performs the following control.

  First, the control unit 23 turns on the light emitting unit 20 to perform the stored item detection operation (step 103), and the light amount detection unit 21 detects the light amount attenuated by the stored item (step 104).

  Then, the storage object estimation unit 22 compares the light amount detected by the light amount detection unit 21 with a predetermined threshold value, and determines the storage amount level (step 105).

  Then, the storage object estimation unit 22 determines whether or not the storage amount is large (step 106). If it is determined that the storage amount is large (Y in step 106), the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35. Then, rapid operation is performed until the stored item reaches the set temperature (step 107).

  If the stored item estimation unit 22 determines that the stored amount is not large (N in Step 106), it determines whether the stored amount is small (Step 108). If the stored item estimation unit 22 determines that the stored amount is small (Y in step 108), the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35 to perform the power saving operation until the stored amount reaches the set temperature. (Step 109).

  If the stored item estimation unit 22 determines that the storage amount is not small (N in step 108), the control unit 23 determines that the storage amount is standard (step 110), and sets the cooling device 35 to the cooling unit 35. Control is performed to perform a normal cooling operation (step 111).

  Next, using FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C, the operation of the control unit 23 of the refrigerator when a sufficient amount of time has elapsed from the storage of the storage and the temperature of the storage has stabilized will be described. 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating a control operation in a stable period performed by the control unit 23 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The stable time is a period during which the temperature of the stored item is kept constant by the ON / OFF operation of the cooling operation after the temperature of the stored item reaches the set temperature through the transition period. In general, the temperature in the stable chamber fluctuates within a range of about ± 3 ° C.

  Specifically, FIG. 7A shows an operation of the control unit 23 that performs temperature control similar to the conventional case in the case of a standard storage amount (hereinafter, standard). FIG. 7B shows the operation of the control unit 23 when the storage amount is larger than the standard, and FIG. 7C shows the operation of the control unit 23 when the storage amount is smaller than the standard. Here, at the stable time, the cooling is performed while repeating the cooling period and the rest period with the period T.

  When the same kind of stored items is stored more than the standard, the detected light amount of the light amount detection unit 21 decreases, and the stored item estimation unit 22 estimates that the stored amount in the warehouse is large due to the decrease in the detected light amount. .

  In this case, since the heat capacity in the storage is increased by adding the heat capacities of the stored items, the cooling capacity is increased and the temperature rise is moderated. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, the cooling period and the pause period are long, and the period T is longer than that in the standard storage amount.

  In this way, the stored items in a cooled state function to keep the inside temperature at a low temperature by their own heat capacity, so the average temperature K1 of the stored items is lower than the set temperature K0, which is so-called “too cold”. .

  Therefore, in this case, the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35 so that the set temperature becomes K2 which is 1 to 2 ° C. higher than K0. Accordingly, the stored item is prevented from being too cold, and the temperature of the stored item is kept substantially equal to the set temperature K0, and the cooling operation is suppressed. Therefore, the power consumption can be reduced while maintaining the quality.

  In addition, the set temperature of K2 is desirably increased by a temperature corresponding to “K0−K1” rather than K0. However, if a temperature higher by 1 to 2 ° C. is set as the preset temperature range as described above, a sudden temperature It becomes possible to prevent deterioration of the quality of stored items due to the rise.

  In addition, when the storage amount is smaller than the standard, the detection light amount of the light amount detection unit 21 increases, and the increase in the detection light amount causes the storage item estimation unit 22 to estimate that the storage amount in the warehouse is small.

  In this case, since the amount of stored items is small, the heat capacity in the warehouse is small even if the heat capacity of the stored items is added, and therefore, the cold-retaining capacity tends to decrease and the temperature rise tends to occur quickly. In addition, since the heat capacity is small, the temperature of the stored item quickly decreases with cooling.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7C, the cooling period and the rest period are short, and the period T is shorter than that in the standard storage, but the temperature of the stored item tends to be kept substantially equal to the set temperature.

  In this case, when the same cooling control as that in the standard time is performed, as shown in FIG. 7C, the interval between the cooling period and the pause period is shortened, and it is necessary to frequently perform the air path control, so that a loss occurs. For this reason, in order to realize further energy saving, the control unit 23 performs control so that the cooling period and the idle period are the same as those in the normal operation, for example, by reducing the cooling amount and relaxing the cooling.

  As a means for the controller 23 to reduce the cooling amount, the rotational speed of the cooling fan 31 is reduced or stopped, the air volume is reduced, or the operating speed or operating rate of the compressor 30 is reduced. There is.

  Thereby, it is possible to realize a cooling period and a rest period similar to those in the normal operation, and to realize a reduction in power consumption due to the power saving operation.

  Details of these operations will be described with reference to the control flow diagram of FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the control operation in the stable period performed by the control unit 23 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, first, the control unit 23 determines whether or not it is a stable period from the internal temperature (step 202). Then, when the control unit 23 determines that it is a stable period (Y in Step 202), it performs the following control.

  First, the control unit 23 turns on the light emitting unit 20 to perform the stored item detection operation (step 203), and the light amount detection unit 21 detects the light amount attenuated by the stored item (step 204).

  Then, the storage object estimation unit 22 compares the light amount detected by the light amount detection unit 21 with a predetermined threshold to determine the storage amount level (step 205).

  Then, the storage object estimation unit 22 determines whether or not the storage amount is large (step 206). If it is determined that the storage amount is large (Y in step 206), the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35. Then, the set temperature is raised to K2, which is a temperature higher than K0 (step 207).

  If the stored item estimation unit 22 determines that the stored amount is not large (N in Step 206), it determines that the stored amount is standard or small (Step 208). Then, the control unit 23 controls the cooling device 35 to perform a normal cooling operation or a power saving operation for reducing the cooling amount (step 209).

  As described above, in the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment, the refrigerator main body 11, the cooling device 35 that cools the inside of the refrigerator 10, and the refrigerator 10 are arranged at predetermined positions in the refrigerator 10. The light emitting unit 20 including at least one light source that irradiates the stored items 33 stored in the refrigerator 10 and the light emitting unit 20 is disposed in the refrigerator 10 and is irradiated by the light emitting unit 20 through the stored items 33 and the structures in the refrigerator 10. The amount of storage 33 of the stored item estimation unit 22 for estimating the amount or position of the stored item 33 based on the detection result of the light amount detection unit 21; Or the control part 23 which controls the cooling device 35 according to the estimation result of a position and controls internal temperature to predetermined | prescribed temperature setting is provided.

  Accordingly, the amount or position of the stored item 33 is estimated from the detection result of the light amount detection unit 21, and the refrigerator 10 is adaptively controlled accordingly, so that the amount is substantially the same regardless of the amount or position of the stored item 33. The storage items 33 can be stored under the storage conditions, and the refrigerator 10 having high freshness and power saving can be provided.

  That is, by storing the stored item 33 at a target temperature regardless of the storage condition in the storage, it is possible to realize high freshness of the stored item 33 and to prevent the stored item 33 from being “too cold”. Thus, power consumption can be suppressed. Moreover, when the light quantity detection part 21 receives the light irradiated from light sources, such as LED, the estimation of the quantity or position of the storage thing 33 is realizable with a simple structure.

  Further, during the transition period, when the storage amount is small, the temperature behavior in the storage is slowed down, and the noise can be reduced as well as the energy saving effect. In addition, during the stable period, when the amount of storage is large, there is a tendency to be too cold. Therefore, an energy saving effect can be obtained by raising the cooling set temperature of the refrigerator and performing power saving operation.

  In the present embodiment, the stored item estimation unit 22 is provided in the refrigerator compartment 12, but may be provided in the ice making chamber 13, the switching chamber 14, the freezer compartment 15, or the vegetable compartment 16.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, the refrigerator in Embodiment 2 of this invention is demonstrated.

  FIG. 9 is a control block diagram of refrigerator 10a according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the refrigerator 10a in the second embodiment includes a door opening / closing detection unit 25 that detects the open / closed state of the refrigerator door in addition to the components of the refrigerator 10 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. Is further provided.

  The door open / close detection unit 25 detects open and closed states of a refrigerator door provided on the front surface of the storage room. That is, the door open / close detection unit 25 detects the open / closed state of the refrigerator compartment door 12a.

  And in the period when the door opening / closing detection part 25 is detecting the closed state of the refrigerator compartment door 12a, the light emission part 20, the light quantity detection part 21, the stored item estimation part 22, and the control part 23 start a series of operation | movement. .

  By this operation, the open / closed state of the refrigerator compartment door 12a is detected, and when the door is in the closed state, the light emitting unit 20 and the light amount detecting unit 21 are operated, whereby the influence of background light can be easily avoided.

  In addition, when the amount or position of stored items changes, the user must first open the door, store or take out food, and finally close the door. It is only necessary to detect the amount or position of an object. That is, by providing the door opening / closing detection unit 25, a minimum detection operation is sufficient, and power consumption used by the light emitting unit 20 and the like can be reduced.

  Moreover, in the home refrigerator, the door open / close detection is associated with the interior lighting, and the interior lighting is turned on / off according to the door opening / closing, and the door open / closed state detection function in such control is shared. Thus, it can be realized with a simple configuration without adding new parts.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, the refrigerator in Embodiment 3 of this invention is demonstrated.

  10 and 11 are diagrams showing the configuration of the refrigerator 10b according to the third embodiment.

  In the third embodiment, in the configuration of the refrigerator in the first and second embodiments, detailed description will be omitted for portions to which the same configuration and technical idea can be applied. The configuration described in the first and second embodiments can be implemented in combination with the third embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the refrigerator 10 b includes an illumination 19 having a plurality of light sources 20 a to 20 d as a light emitting unit. This makes it possible to configure the light emitting unit with a simple configuration without providing a special light emitting unit.

  The illumination 19 is vertically arranged on the left wall surface and the right wall surface that are located in front of half of the depth dimension in the refrigerator and in front of the front end of the storage shelf 18 when viewed from the front side of the door opening side in the refrigerator. Is arranged. Moreover, the light source 20a-20d is arrange | positioned at equal intervals in the vertical direction at the illumination 19, and it can irradiate uniformly from the upper part in the refrigerator compartment 12 to the lower part.

  Furthermore, the light quantity detectors 21a to 21d are arranged at the rear position in the refrigerator compartment 12, and these light quantity detectors 21a to 21d are mainly used for the light quantity of the irradiation light 34b in which the irradiation light 34a is shielded by the storage object 33. Detect attenuation.

  Moreover, the light quantity detection part 21e is arrange | positioned at the door side top | upper surface of the refrigerator compartment 12, and is mainly installed in the near side rather than 1/2 of the interior depth dimension, and the near side, ie, the door side, is installed. The light quantity attenuation of the irradiation light 34c shielded by the stored item is detected.

  That is, the illumination 19 sequentially turns on the plurality of light sources 20a to 20d, the light amount detection unit 21 detects the light amount of the light irradiated by the illumination 19, and the stored item estimation unit 22 determines the light amount of the light amount detection unit 21. The amount or position of the storage amount is estimated according to the detection result. As a result, it is possible to perform detailed storage object estimation by sequentially turning on a plurality of light sources. For this reason, even in a vast storage room, it is possible to detect a stored item in detail, so that the accuracy of estimating the amount or position of the stored item is improved.

  In addition, you may use for the light quantity detection parts 21a-21e the apparatus which detects light quantity, the chromaticity sensor etc. which can identify RGB in addition to illumination intensity.

  In addition to the illumination 19, as shown in FIG. 11, even if a light source 20e that is a light emitting unit on the top surface is provided in the interior, and a light amount detection unit 21f is provided below, the amount or position of the stored item can be accurately obtained. Can be detected.

  The light source 20e on the top surface is installed on the front side with respect to 1/2 of the interior depth dimension when viewed from the door opening side in the refrigerator compartment 12. And in this Embodiment, the light source 20e is arrange | positioned in the back | inner side rather than the door shelves 24a-24c attached to the refrigerator compartment door 12a from the front-end | tip of the storage shelf 18 at the door side. For this reason, in this arrangement, the light emitted from the light source 20e on the top surface toward the light amount detection unit 21f is not shielded by the storage items on the storage rack 18 and the door racks 24a to 24c.

  Further, for the same reason, the lower light amount detection unit 21f is arranged on the door side from the front end of the storage shelf 18 and on the back side of the door shelves 24a to 24c attached to the refrigerator compartment door 12a. It is arranged at a position lower than the lower storage shelf 18.

  In addition, the installation surface of the light quantity detection part 21f may be any of a side surface or a lower surface in the warehouse. Further, the positional relationship between the light source 20e on the top surface and the light amount detection unit 21f below may be reversed. Moreover, you may provide a some light quantity detection part.

  In this way, by irradiating the interior from the top and detecting the amount of light at the bottom, the light spreads to the storage shelf 18 and the door shelves 24a to 24c, so the amount or position of the stored items can be accurately detected. Can do.

  Also, in a storage room that is long in the height direction, such as a refrigerated room, light from the light source 20e on the top surface is difficult to reach the storage items below, so the lower light emitting part such as the light source 20d is also used, and the interior is evenly distributed. Irradiation is desirable.

  In addition, arrangement | positioning of the light quantity detection parts 21a-21f will be arrange | positioned in any position in a store | warehouse | chamber, as long as it arrange | positions in the position irradiated by the light sources 20a-20e via a storage thing and the structure inside a store | warehouse | chamber. It does not matter. In addition, when high accuracy is not required for the estimation of the amount or position of stored items, it is not necessary to install a plurality of items, and only one may be used.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, the refrigerator in Embodiment 4 of this invention is demonstrated.

  FIG. 12 is a front view of refrigerator 10c according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, a refrigerator 10c includes a refrigerator main body 11 including an inner box 11a and an outer box 11b, and a refrigerator room 12, an ice making room 13, a freezer in an inner box 11a provided via a heat insulating wall. A room 15 and a vegetable room 16 are provided, and a switching room 14 that can switch the room to multiple temperatures is provided on the side of the ice making room 13.

  The refrigerating room 12 having the highest use frequency of storage and storage and having a large storage capacity has its front opening closed by a refrigerating room door 12a which is a double door revolving door pivotally supported by hinges on both sides, and an ice making room 13 and a switching room. 14, the vegetable compartment 16 and the freezer compartment 15 are each provided with a drawer-type door.

  The refrigerating room 12 is partitioned vertically by a plurality of storage shelves 18a to 18c provided at appropriate intervals in a room maintained at a refrigerating temperature, and a water supply tank for supplying ice making water to the refrigerating room 12 or a chilled temperature is provided at the bottom of the refrigerating room 12. A low temperature chamber 12b is provided.

  Specifically, the upper space of the storage shelves 18a to 18c is a storage space for storing storage items such as food, and in this embodiment, storage for mounting storage items to be stored in the storage space formed in the uppermost stage. There are provided a shelf 18a, a storage shelf 18b for placing storage items to be stored in the second storage space from the top, and a storage shelf 18c for placing storage items to be stored in the storage space immediately below the storage shelf 18b. . In the lowermost storage section below the storage shelf 18c, a water supply tank and a low temperature chamber 12b that holds the chilled temperature are arranged.

  The refrigerating room 12 is provided with an illumination 19 in which a plurality of LEDs are incorporated at equal intervals in the vertical direction on the front side of the left and right walls on the side surface of the storage room. A space detection unit 26 is provided. Here, the space detection unit 26 has the same function as the light amount detection unit 21 in the first to third embodiments.

  Specifically, a space serving as a light amount detection means is provided above the storage shelf 18a on which storage items to be stored in the storage space formed in the uppermost stage are placed and on the back wall below the top box 11a. A detection unit 26a is provided. In addition, a space detection unit 26b serving as a light amount detection unit is provided on the back wall above the storage shelf 18b on which storage items to be stored in the second storage space from the top are placed and below the storage shelf 18a. Yes.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, the state in which the stored item 33 is put on the storage shelf 18b is shown. That is, the space detection unit 26b and the illumination 19 are arranged with a storage space for storing the storage items 33 therebetween.

  Further, the cold air discharge ports 4 are respectively provided above the space detection unit 26. That is, the cool air discharge port 4a is provided in the vicinity of the upper side of the upper space detection unit 26a, and the cool air discharge port 4b is provided in the vicinity of the upper side of the lower space detection unit 26b.

  Next, the functional configuration of the refrigerator 10c according to the fourth embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a control block diagram of refrigerator 10c in the fourth embodiment.

  As shown in the figure, the refrigerator 10c in the fourth embodiment includes a space detection unit 26 instead of the light amount detection unit 21 of the refrigerator 10 in the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. Yes.

  The space detection unit 26 detects an empty space in the storage space of the refrigerator compartment 12 without contact. Specifically, the space detection unit 26 detects at least the periphery of the cool air discharge port 4 by detecting the amount of light irradiated by the illumination 19 through the storage object 33 and the structure stored in the refrigerator compartment 12. Detect the spatial volume of.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the space detection unit 26 includes a space detection unit 26a and a space detection unit 26b, and the space detection unit 26a has at least the size of the space around the cool air discharge port 4a. The space detection unit 26b detects at least the size of the space around the cool air discharge port 4b.

  The stored item estimation unit 22 estimates the amount or position of the stored item 33 according to the detection result by the space detection unit 26.

  The recognizing unit 27 displays information on the empty space in the storage space detected by the space detecting unit 26 on the outer surface of the door provided on the front surface of the refrigerator compartment 12. For example, the recognizing unit 27 displays a warning screen that informs the user that the power increasing operation is performed as information on the empty space.

  About the refrigerator 10c comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement is demonstrated below.

  First, the illumination 19 is turned on with the door 108 closed. In the upper stage above the storage shelf 18a, the light from the illumination 19 reaches the space detection unit 26a that detects the illuminance of the uppermost storage space via the air.

  In the middle stage between the storage shelf 18a and the storage shelf 18b, a part of the light from the illumination 19 passes between the storage items 33 and reaches the space detection unit 26b that detects the illuminance of the second storage space. . The other part of the light from the illumination 19 is absorbed by the storage object 33 in the storage object 33 and a part of the light is reflected and scattered, so that the storage object 33 opposite to the illumination 19 of the storage object 33, that is, the shadow storage object 33. The back side of the camera is dark with less light.

  This means that the higher the stored item 33 is, or the greater the stored amount of the stored item 33 is, the more the amount of light that blocks the light of the illumination 19 and reaches the space detection unit 26b at the rear is. descend.

  Then, the amount of light is detected by the space detectors 26a and 26b in this way, and the fact that there is a space that can be stored in the upper stage above the storage shelf 18a with respect to the middle stage below the storage shelf 18a is refrigeration that is a door. It displays on the display part which is not shown in the outer surface of the chamber door 12a. That is, the recognizing unit 27 performs display on the outer surface of the refrigeration room door 12a provided on the front side of the refrigeration room 12 that is a storage room provided with the space detection units 26a and 26b. Inform the condition of the contents in the box.

  The user confirms the display shown by the recognition unit 27, opens the refrigerator compartment door 12a, does not hesitate, and enters the storage shelf 18a, which is the uppermost storage space where there are few stored items, such as food. A storage thing can be mounted and the refrigerator compartment door 12a can be closed quickly.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, when the stored item 33 is stored in front of the cold air discharge port 4 b or when the stored item 33 is too packed, that is, the space detection unit 26 in the vicinity of the cold air discharge port 4. When the amount of light detected in step S is lower than the predetermined value, the recognition unit 27 performs a power increase operation because the storage space detected by the corresponding space detection unit 26 is excessively packed in the display unit on the outer surface of the refrigerator compartment door 12a. A warning screen is displayed to notify you.

  Here, when the stored items 33 are excessively packed, or when the stored items 33 are stored in the vicinity of the cold air discharge port 4, the air flow resistance of the cold air is reduced, and the amount of the cold air circulated per unit time is reduced and cooling is performed. It takes a long time. Moreover, if the amount of cold air circulation decreases, the air volume of the evaporator decreases and the amount of heat exchange decreases, leading to a decrease in the evaporation temperature, and the compressor input also increases due to the expansion of the high and low pressure differential pressure in the refrigeration cycle. For this reason, if it is going to maintain cooling time, the rotation speed of the fan which circulates cold air must be increased, or rotation of a compressor must be increased, and this also increases electric power.

Therefore, it is possible to save energy in actual use of the refrigerator by warning the user of the power increase tendency that the amount of power consumption increases and urging the optimal arrangement of the stored items. Therefore, it is possible to provide consumers with a refrigerator that realizes further energy saving can contribute to CO ₂ reduction.

  From the above, the opening time of the refrigerator compartment door 12a is shortened, the high temperature outside air flowing from the refrigerator compartment door 12a can be suppressed, energy saving is achieved, and the temporary temperature rise in the refrigerator compartment 12 is also suppressed. Therefore, the temperature rise of the stored items is also suppressed, and quality deterioration can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the user can be alerted by the cognitive unit 27 to warn that the power increase operation is to be performed, thereby prompting the user to save energy.

  In particular, when there is a possibility that a wide variety of foods may be stored, such as a household refrigerator, the effect is higher than in the past.

  As mentioned above, although the refrigerator which concerns on this invention was demonstrated based on embodiment, this invention is not limited to this embodiment.

  That is, the embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  The refrigerator according to the present invention can be implemented and applied to a control for switching the operation mode to a power saving operation or the like by providing a stored object detection function in a home or business refrigerator.

10, 10a, 10b, 10c Refrigerator 4, 4a, 4b Cold air outlet 11 Refrigerator main body 11a Inner box 11b Outer box 12, 101 Refrigerated room 12a Refrigerated room door 12b Low greenhouse 13 Ice making room 14 Switching room 15 Freezer room 16 Vegetable room 17 Operation unit 18, 18a, 18b, 18c Storage shelf 19 Illumination 20 Light emitting unit 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e Light source 21, 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f Light quantity detection unit 22 Storage object estimation unit 23 Control unit 24a, 24b, 24c Door shelf 25 Door open / close detection unit 26, 26a, 26b Space detection unit 27 Recognition unit 30 Compressor 31 Cooling fan 32 Temperature compensation heater 33 Storage material 34a, 34b, 34c Irradiation light 35 Cooling device 102 Cold air discharge device

Claims (11)

A refrigerator body in which a storage room is formed,
A cooling device for cooling the storage chamber;
A stored item estimation unit that estimates the amount or position of the stored item stored in the storage room;
In accordance with the estimation result of the stored item estimation unit, a control unit that controls cooling of the storage room by the cooling device;
A light emitting unit including a light source for irradiating light to the stored items stored in the storage room;
A light amount detection unit that is disposed inside the storage chamber and that detects the amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit through the storage and the structure stored in the storage chamber;
The stored item estimation unit estimates the amount or position of the stored item according to the light amount detection result by the light amount detection unit,
The light emitting unit is disposed on the top surface of the storage room,
The light amount detection unit is disposed below the light emitting unit and at a position lower than the lowermost storage shelf,
The said light emission part and the said light quantity detection part are the refrigerators arrange | positioned in the door side and the back | inner side rather than the door shelf from the front-end | tip of the storage shelf. The control unit selects an operation pattern in accordance with the amount or position estimation result of the stored item in the stored item estimation unit, and controls the cooling device so as to have a preset internal temperature corresponding to the operation pattern. The refrigerator according to claim 1. further,
A door opening / closing detector for detecting the open and closed state of the refrigerator door provided in front of the storage room;
2. The light emission unit, the light amount detection unit, the stored item estimation unit, and the control unit start a series of operations within a period in which the door opening / closing detection unit detects the closed state of the refrigerator door. Or the refrigerator of 2. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light emitting unit is illumination provided in the storage chamber. The light emitting unit includes a plurality of light sources, sequentially turns on the plurality of light sources,
The light amount detection unit detects the amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stored item estimation unit estimates an amount or a position of the stored item according to a light amount detection result by the light amount detection unit. further,
A space detection unit that detects a free space in the storage space of the storage room in a non-contact manner,
The space detection unit detects at least a space volume around the cold air outlet,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stored item estimation unit estimates an amount or a position of the stored item according to a detection result by the space detection unit. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the space detection unit and the light-emitting unit are arranged with a storage space for storing storage items therebetween. The light emitting unit is installed on the front side of the storage room,
The refrigerator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the space detection unit is installed on a back side of the storage room. further,
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising a recognition unit that displays information on an empty space in the storage space detected by the space detection unit on an outer surface of a door provided on a front surface of the storage chamber. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the recognizing unit displays a warning screen that informs a user that the power increasing operation is performed as information on the empty space. A refrigerator body in which a storage room is formed,
A cooling device for cooling the storage chamber;
A stored item estimation unit that estimates the amount or position of the stored item stored in the storage room;
In accordance with the estimation result of the stored item estimation unit, a control unit that controls cooling of the storage room by the cooling device;
A light emitting unit including a light source for irradiating light to the stored items stored in the storage room;
By detecting the amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit , the space detecting unit for detecting a free space in the storage space of the storage chamber in a non-contact manner,
The space detection unit detects at least a space volume around the cold air outlet,
The stored item estimation unit estimates the amount or position of the stored item according to a detection result by the space detection unit,
The light emitting unit is disposed on the front side of the storage room,
The space detecting unit is disposed on the back side of the storage compartment a back side of the light emitting portion,
The said light emission part is a refrigerator arrange | positioned at the door side from the front-end | tip of the storage shelf in a store | warehouse | chamber.

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