Camera assembly and refrigerator employing same

• US 10,641,543 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yeh, Jung-Chun, Yi, Ke-Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ma, Kun Kai
• Application Number:
  US15/869,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20190113268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A camera assembly coupled to a door of a refrigerator so as to have an unimpeded view of all goods in the refrigerator for the information of a user includes a locking base, a securing base, and a camera. The locking base is coupled to the door. The securing base is coupled to the locking base. The camera is received in the securing base. A refrigerator employing the camera assembly is also provided.

Claims

1. A camera assembly coupled to a door of a refrigerator, the camera assembly comprising:

a locking base coupled to the door, the locking base comprising a protruding portion;

a securing base coupled to the locking base; and

a camera received in the securing base;

wherein the securing base comprises a top wall and an external wall, the external wall surrounds the top wall and cooperatively form a receiving portion, the top wall defines a slot for receiving the camera, the external wall comprises at least one first connecting post, the at least one first connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion comprises at least one first mounting post corresponding to the at least one first connecting post, the at least one first mounting post is coupled to the at least one first connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a first direction; and

wherein the slot further comprises at least one second connecting post, the at least one second connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion further comprises at least one second mounting post corresponding to the at least one second connecting post, the at least one second mounting post is coupled to the at least one second connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a second direction.

2. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking base further comprises a bottom board, the bottom board is coupled to the door, the protruding portion is perpendicular to the bottom board.

3. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the receiving portion comprises an opening, the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion through the opening, the bottom board of the locking base covers the opening.

4. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the external wall further comprises at least one first hole throughout the external wall, the at least one first connecting post is corresponding to the at least one first hole.

5. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the slot comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, the slot further comprises at least one second hole throughout the bottom wall, the at least one second connecting post is corresponding to the at least one second hole, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

6. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the securing base further comprises at least one clip for clipping the camera, the at least one clip is formed on the bottom wall of the slot, the at least one clip is U-shaped.

7. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking base further comprises an enforcing rib, the enforcing rib is L-shaped, the enforcing rib is between the bottom board and the protruding portion, the enforcing rib is for enforcing a connection between the bottom board and the protruding portion.

8. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the securing base further comprises a cover, the cover defines at least one aperture corresponding to the camera, the cover covers the slot, the camera is inserted through the at least one aperture and exposed from the cover.

9. A refrigerator comprising:

a body;

a door coupled to the body; and

a camera assembly coupled to the door, the camera assembly comprising;

a locking base coupled to the door, the locking base comprising a protruding portion;

a securing base coupled to the locking base; and

a camera received in the securing base;

wherein the securing base comprises a top wall and an external wall, the external wall surrounds the top wall and cooperatively form a receiving portion, the top wall defines a slot for receiving the camera, the external wall comprises at least one first connecting post, the at least one first connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion comprises at least one first mounting post corresponding to the at least one first connecting post, the at least one first mounting post is coupled to the at least one first connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a first direction; and

wherein the slot further comprises at least one second connecting post, the at least one second connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion further comprises at least one second mounting post corresponding to the at least one second connecting post, the at least one second mounting post is coupled to the at least one second connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a second direction.

10. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking base further comprises a bottom board, the bottom board is coupled to the door, the protruding portion is perpendicular to the bottom board.

11. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receiving portion comprises an opening, the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion through the opening, the bottom board of the locking base covers the opening.

12. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the external wall further comprises at least one first hole throughout the external wall, the at least one first connecting post is corresponding to the at least one first hole.

13. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the slot comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, the slot further comprises at least one second hole throughout the bottom wall, the at least one second connecting post is corresponding to the at least one second hole, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

14. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the securing base further comprises at least one clip for clipping the camera, the at least one clip is formed on the bottom wall of the slot, the at least one clip is U-shaped.

15. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the locking base further comprises an enforcing rib, the enforcing rib is L-shaped, the enforcing rib is between the bottom board and the protruding portion, the enforcing rib is for reinforcing a connection between the bottom board and the protruding portion.

16. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the securing base further comprises a cover, the cover defines at least one aperture corresponding to the camera, the cover covers the slot, the camera is inserted through the at least one aperture and exposed from the cover.

17. The refrigerator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera assembly is coupled to a joint of the door and the body and adjacent to an opening area of the door.

18. A camera assembly coupled to a door of a refrigerator, the camera assembly comprising:

a locking base, the locking base comprising a bottom board and a protruding portion, wherein the bottom board is coupled to the door, the protruding portion is perpendicular to the bottom board;

a securing base coupled to the locking base; and

a camera received in the securing base;

wherein the securing base comprises a top wall and an external wall, the external wall surrounds the top wall and cooperatively form a receiving portion, the receiving portion defines an opening, the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion through the opening, and the bottom board of the locking base covers the opening;

wherein the external wall further comprises at least one first hole throughout the external wall and at least one first connecting post, the at least one first connecting post is corresponding to the at least one first hole, the at least one first connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion comprises at least one first mounting post corresponding to the at least one first connecting post, the at least one first mounting post is coupled to the at least one first connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a first direction;

wherein the top wall defines a slot for receiving the camera, the slot comprises a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, the slot further comprises at least one second hole throughout the bottom wall and at least one second connecting post, the at least one second connecting post is corresponding to the at least one second hole, the at least one second connecting post is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portion comprises at least one second mounting post corresponding to the at least one second connecting post, the at least one second mounting post is coupled to the at least one second connecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in a second direction.

19. The camera assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.