REFRIGERATOR

• US 20170350644A1
• Filed: 06/01/2017
• Published: 12/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: XIA, BICONG, ZHANG, CHUAN, ZHANG, NANWEI
• Granted Patent: US 10,527,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• 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: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet and a door connected to the cabinet. The door includes a door sheet body, a side cover connected to an end portion of the door sheet body and a controller fixed to the side cover. The side cover is provided with an installation hole which faces away from an opening at a side of the door sheet body, and a cover member configured to seal the opening. The controller is located in the installation hole. The controller is installed in the side cover, so as not to be damaged by being immersed in a foaming liquid, thereby enabling a simpler assembly process.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a cabinet; and

a door connected to said cabinet, said door including;

a door sheet body having an end portion;

a side cover connected to said end portion of said door sheet body, said side cover having an installation hole and a cover member configured to close said installation hole; and

a controller fixed to said side cover and located in said installation hole.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said cover member has an inner side, and said controller is fixed to said inner side.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said cover member has an inner side provided with a positioning portion, and said positioning portion fixes said controller to said cover member.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said cover member is plate-shaped, and said controller is plate-shaped and parallel to said cover member.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said installation hole is a blind hole.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein said cabinet and said door delimit a storage chamber, and said installation hole is staggered from said storage chamber along a front-back direction of the refrigerator.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said door has an outer surface, and said cover member has an outer side forming a part of said outer surface of said door.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, which further comprises:

a camera device fixed to said door and electrically connected to said controller;

said camera device being configured to receive a control instruction of said controller and to perform an image capturing action according to the control instruction.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein said camera device has an output module configured to output a captured image to said controller.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said controller has a wireless communication module configured to communicate with a remote server.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, which further comprises:

a sensor fixed to said door and configured to detect an opening angle of said door, said sensor being electrically connected to said controller; and

said controller being configured to generate a control instruction according to a signal about the opening angle of said door.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, which further comprises:

a camera device configured to capture images and video;

said controller including a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, one of said printed circuit boards being configured to control said camera device according to an opening degree of said door, and the other of said printed circuit boards being configured to transmit an image and a video captured by said camera device to a remote server.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein said first printed circuit board and said second printed circuit board are connected to each other.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 8, which further comprises a rotating shaft, said door being hinged on said rotating shaft, and said camera device being installed at a side of said door remote from said rotating shaft.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 12, which further comprises a rotating shaft, said door being hinged on said rotating shaft, and said camera device being installed at a side of said door remote from said rotating shaft.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 1, which further comprises a user interface unit including an input unit and an output unit, said input unit being configured to receive a user input, said output unit being configured to output information to a user, and said controller being fixed to said cover member and electrically connected to said input unit and said output unit.