JP6495462B2 - Refrigerator and management system - Google Patents

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-037325 (filed on Feb. 29, 2016), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

  The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a management system.

  Conventionally, refrigerators that determine the freshness state of fruits and vegetables are known. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a refrigerator that determines a freshness state in a vegetable room by sensing a gas component generated from the fruits and vegetables using a gas detection sensor provided in the vegetable room.

JP 2002-195971 A

A refrigerator according to an embodiment includes an examination room, a detection unit, a camera, a control unit, and a storage unit . The inspection room stores the test food. The detection unit detects a substance generated by the test food stored in the inspection room according to an inspection operation. The camera images the test food stored in the examination room. The control unit determines the quality of the test food based on the substance detected by the detection unit and information on the test food imaged by the camera. The said memory | storage part memorize | stores the information which matched the substance which foodstuff generate | occur | produces, and the quality of this foodstuff for every kind of foodstuff. The control unit estimates a food type for the test food based on information about the test food imaged by the camera, refers to the information corresponding to the estimated food type, and Judge the quality of the.

A management system according to an embodiment includes a refrigerator and an inspection device. The refrigerator includes an inspection room for storing a test food, a detection unit that detects a substance generated by the test food stored in the inspection room according to an inspection operation, and the detection room that is stored in the inspection room. A camera that images the test food; and a communication unit that transmits information on the substance detected by the detection unit to the inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus determines a quality of the test food based on the communication unit that receives the information on the substance and the information on the test food from the refrigerator, and the received information on the substance and the test food. A control unit, and a storage unit that stores, for each type of food, information that associates the substance generated by the food and the quality of the food, and the control unit is based on the information about the test food. A food type is estimated for the test food, and the quality of the test food is determined with reference to information corresponding to the estimated food type .

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the outline of the refrigerator which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state which opened the door of the refrigerator shown in FIG. It is a front view of the refrigerator shown in FIG. It is a functional block diagram which shows schematic structure of the function part which concerns on the inspection process of the refrigerator shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the test | inspection process which the control part shown in FIG. 4 performs. It is a functional block diagram which shows schematic structure of the management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic sectional drawing of a vegetable room provided with an inspection room.

  In the refrigerator described in Patent Document 1, the gas detection sensor is provided in the vegetable compartment, and senses gas components generated from the whole fruits and vegetables in the vegetable compartment. Therefore, the refrigerator of patent document 1 cannot identify the freshness condition of the said fruits and vegetables immediately, when a user wants to identify the freshness state of specific fruits and vegetables. According to the refrigerator and management system of the present disclosure, convenience can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an outline of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state in which the door of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 1 is opened. The refrigerator 10 includes an outer box 11 made of steel plate and an inner box 12 made of resin. The outer box 11 includes a ceiling surface 11a, a bottom surface 11b, both side surfaces 11c, and a back surface 11d. A heat insulating material is disposed (filled) between the outer box 11 and the inner box 12.

  The refrigerator 10 includes a cooling system for cooling the interior. Specifically, the refrigerator 10 includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. The compressor compresses the gaseous refrigerant included in the refrigerator 10. The compressed gaseous refrigerant is liquefied by the condenser. The liquefied refrigerant is expanded by the expansion valve. At this time, the pressure of the liquid refrigerant decreases, so that the boiling point of the liquid refrigerant decreases. The inside of the refrigerator 10 is cooled when the liquid refrigerant takes the heat of vaporization and vaporizes in the evaporator. The cooling system provided in the refrigerator 10 is not limited to the above-described cooling system. The refrigerator 10 may include any known cooling system.

  Inside the refrigerator 10, a refrigerator compartment 21, a chilled compartment 22, a freezer compartment 23, a vegetable compartment 24, and a vacuum compartment 25 are formed as storage compartments. The refrigerator compartment 21, the chilled compartment 22, the freezer compartment 23, and the vegetable compartment 24 have different temperatures and humidity in the respective storage compartments according to their uses. The vacuum chamber 25 is a storage chamber for storing the stored food in a vacuum state. Each storage room is provided with a light emitting unit (light source) that illuminates the storage room.

  On the front side of the refrigerator 10, a rotary or drawer type door corresponding to each storage chamber is provided. In the present embodiment, the refrigerating room 21 is provided with a rotating single-open refrigerating room door 21a, and the chilled room 22, the freezing room 23, the vegetable room 24, and the vacuum room 25 are each provided with a drawer type chilled room. A door 22a, a freezer compartment door 23a, a vegetable compartment door 24a and a vacuum chamber door 25a are provided. Each of the doors 21a to 25a includes a steel plate outer plate, a resin inner plate, and a heat insulating material disposed between the outer plate and the inner plate. The refrigerator compartment door 21a may be, for example, a double door.

  In the present embodiment, the refrigerator 10 includes a notification unit 13 and an input unit 14 on the surface of the refrigerator compartment door 21a. The alerting | reporting part 13 and the input part 14 may be provided in the chilled chamber door 22a, the freezer compartment door 23a, the vegetable compartment door 24a, or the vacuum chamber door 25a.

  In the present specification, hereinafter, the rear surface 11d side of the refrigerator 10 is also referred to as the back side, and the side provided with the door is also referred to as the near side.

  An inspection room 30 is provided in the storage room of the refrigerator 10. In the present embodiment, the inspection room 30 will be described below assuming that it is provided in a part of the refrigerating room 21. The inspection room 30 is provided on the back side of the refrigerating room 21.

  The examination room 30 can be sealed, for example. In the examination room 30, food is detachably accommodated. The examination room 30 includes a rotatable examination room door 31 on the front side. The user of the refrigerator 10 opens the examination room door 31 and accommodates food in the examination room 30. The examination room door 31 does not necessarily need to be rotatable. The inspection room door 31 only needs to be able to seal the inspection room 30. For example, the examination room 30 may include an examination room door 31 that can slide to the front side. The examination room 30 may include a tray on which food can be placed, for example, at the bottom.

  FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator 10 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the refrigerator door 21a and the inspection room door 31 are opened. As shown in FIG. 3, the examination room 30 includes a detection unit 15, a deodorization processing unit 16, and a camera 17 inside.

  The refrigerator 10 performs an inspection process in accordance with a predetermined inspection operation in a state where food (test food) that is a test object is accommodated in the test room 30. Specifically, when the inspection process is performed by the refrigerator 10, the user stores food in the inspection room 30. In the refrigerator 10, a substance from which food is generated is detected by the detection unit 15 in a state where the test object is accommodated in the examination room 30. The refrigerator 10 determines the quality of the food based on the substance detected by the detection unit 15. In this way, the refrigerator 10 performs an inspection process according to the inspection operation. The result of the inspection process is notified from the notification unit 13.

  The detection part 15 detects the substance which the foodstuff which is a test object generate | occur | produces. The detection unit 15 is an odor sensor, for example, and detects an odor generated by food. The detection part 15 is a gas sensor, for example, and detects the gas which food produces. Specifically, the detection unit 15 includes a sensitive film that adsorbs gas molecules that cause odors, and a transducer that converts detection of gas molecules in the sensitive film into an electrical signal.

  The detection unit 15 may include, for example, a crystal resonator type odor sensor including a sensitive film made of an organic thin film and a crystal resonator. The crystal oscillator type odor sensor detects odor by changing the resonance frequency of the crystal oscillator when gas molecules are adsorbed on the sensitive film. The crystal resonator functions as a transducer that converts detection of gas molecules into an electrical signal.

  The detection unit 15 may include, for example, a semiconductor gas sensor. When gas molecules are adsorbed on a metal oxide semiconductor, the semiconductor gas sensor changes the resistance value of the metal oxide semiconductor and detects the gas concentration. The oxide semiconductor functions as a transducer that converts detection of gas molecules into an electrical signal. The detection unit 15 may include, for example, an infrared absorption spectrum gas sensor, an electrochemical gas sensor, a catalytic combustion gas sensor, or a biosensor.

  The detection unit 15 may include a plurality of types of sensitive films or metal oxides, for example, in order to adsorb different types of gas molecules. The detection unit 15 may include a plurality of quartz vibrator type odor sensors, a plurality of semiconductor gas sensors, or a combination thereof. The detection unit 15 transmits the electric signal converted by the transducer to the control unit, which will be described later, as odor information. The detection unit 15 is arranged on the wall surface on the back side of the examination room 30, for example.

  The deodorization processing unit 16 performs a deodorization process inside the examination room 30. The deodorization process part 16 is comprised, for example with a deaeration apparatus or a deodorizing apparatus. When the deodorization processing unit 16 includes a deaeration device, the deodorization processing unit 16 performs deodorization by discharging (degassing) gas molecules inside the examination room 30 to the outside of the examination room 30. When the deodorization processing unit 16 includes an ozone deodorization device, the deodorization processing unit 16 releases ozone into the examination room 30. In this case, the released ozone decomposes the gas molecules, thereby deodorizing the inside of the examination room 30. When the deodorizing unit 16 includes an oxygen cluster deodorizing device, the deodorizing unit 16 ionizes oxygen molecules inside the examination room 30. In this case, ionized oxygen molecules (oxygen cluster ions) ion-decompose gas molecules inside the examination room 30, thereby deodorizing the inside of the examination room 30. The deodorizing process part 16 is arrange | positioned at the wall surface of the back | inner side of the test room 30, for example.

  The notification unit 13 notifies the result of the inspection process in the inspection room 30. The alerting | reporting part 13 can alert | report by the visual method by the display or light emission etc. of an image, a character, and color, auditory methods, such as an audio | voice, or those combinations, for example. When the notification unit 13 performs notification by a visual method, for example, the notification unit 13 performs notification by displaying an image or a character as a display device. The alerting | reporting part 13 may alert | report by making light emitting elements, such as LED, light-emit, for example. When the notification unit 13 performs notification by an auditory method, for example, the notification unit 13 performs notification by outputting an alarm sound or a voice guide as a sound generation device such as a speaker. The notification performed by the notification unit 13 is not limited to a visual or auditory method, and may be any method that can be recognized by the subject. For example, the notification unit 13 may perform notification using a vibration pattern or the like.

  In this embodiment, the alerting | reporting part 13 is a display device provided in the refrigerator compartment door 21a, and alert | reports the result of an inspection process with an image, a character, or a color.

  The input unit 14 receives an operation input from a user, and includes, for example, an operation button (operation key). The input unit 14 may be a touch screen, for example. The input unit 14 may display an input area that receives an operation input from the user on a part of the display device that is the notification unit 13 and may receive a touch operation input by the user.

  The camera 17 images foods stored in the examination room 30. The information regarding the imaged food is transmitted to the control unit described later together with the information regarding the smell. It should be noted that a light emitting unit for taking a flash image may be provided in the examination room 30 when the camera 17 captures an image.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a functional unit related to the inspection process of the refrigerator 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the refrigerator 10 includes a notification unit 13, an input unit 14, a detection unit 15, a deodorization processing unit 16, a camera 17, a control unit 18, and a storage as functional units related to the inspection process. Part 19.

  The control unit 18 is a processor that controls and manages the entire refrigerator 10 including each functional block of the refrigerator 10. The control unit 18 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program that defines a control procedure. Such a program is stored in, for example, the storage unit 19 or an external storage medium.

  The refrigerator 10 includes a controller 18 that includes at least one processor 18a to provide control and processing capabilities to perform various functions, as described in further detail below.

  According to various embodiments, at least one processor 18a may be implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC) or as a plurality of communicatively connected integrated circuits ICs and / or discrete circuits. Also good. The at least one processor 18a can be implemented according to various known techniques.

  In one embodiment, the processor 18a includes one or more circuits or units configured to perform one or more data computation procedures or processes, for example, by executing instructions stored in associated memory. In other embodiments, the processor 18a may be firmware (eg, a discrete logic component) configured to perform one or more data computation procedures or processes.

  According to various embodiments, the processor 18a may include one or more processors, controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, or the like. Any combination of these devices or configurations, or other known devices and configuration combinations, may perform the functions described below.

  The control unit 18 executes the inspection process in the inspection room 30 by controlling the functional unit related to the inspection process of the refrigerator 10. For example, the control unit 18 activates the detection unit 15 based on a predetermined operation input to the input unit 14 by the user of the refrigerator 10. The detection unit 15 activated by the control unit 18 starts detecting the odor generated by the food. The control unit 18 acquires information related to the odor detected by the detection unit 15 from the detection unit 15.

  The control unit 18 determines the quality of the food based on the smell detected by the detection unit 15. That is, the control unit 18 determines the quality of the food based on the information regarding the smell acquired from the detection unit 15. For example, the detection unit 15 may include a plurality of different odor sensors that adsorb ethylene-based, ammonia-based, alcohol-based, aldehyde-based, and sulfur-based gas molecules. The control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on a plurality of signals detected by the plurality of odor sensors. The components of gas molecules that are the source of the odor generated by the food and the proportion of each component differ depending on the food and the quality of the food. Therefore, the control unit 18 determines the quality of the food based on the components of the gas molecules that are the source of the odor, the ratio of each component, and the like, which are information on the odor. For example, the control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on the outputs of the plurality of odor sensors and the ratio of the outputs. For example, the control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on feature values (output values, time constants, etc.) of responses from a plurality of odor sensors. For example, the detection unit 15 may include a plurality of odor sensors of ethylene, alcohol, sulfur, and ammonia. For example, when determining the quality of vegetables, the control unit 18 decreases the quality when the output of the odor sensor of alcohol type, sulfur type, ammonia type exceeds a predetermined value from the output of the plurality of odor sensors. May be determined. The control unit 18 determines the quality of the food with reference to information (data) stored in the storage unit 19 that associates the smell of the food with the quality of the food. Here, the quality of food means the property or quality related to food.

  For example, the quality of food is whether the food is rotten or not. In this case, the control unit 18 determines whether the food is rotten based on the information regarding the odor. The control unit 18 may determine the degree of food rot.

  For example, the quality of food is whether or not the food is ready to eat. In this case, the control unit 18 determines whether or not the food is ready to eat based on the information regarding the smell. The control unit 18 may determine when the food is ready to eat.

  For example, the quality of food is the maturity of the food. In this case, the control unit 18 determines the aging degree of the food, that is, how much the food (for example, meat) is aged, based on the information regarding the smell.

  For example, the quality of food is the freshness of the food. In this case, the control unit 18 determines the freshness of the food, that is, how fresh the food is based on the information regarding the odor.

  For example, the quality of food is the place of production of the food. In this case, the control unit 18 determines the production area of the food based on the information regarding the odor. Specifically, the control unit 18 determines, for example, whether the food is domestic but foreign. The control unit 18 may specify a specific production area of the food.

  For example, the quality of food is the degree of residual pesticide in the food. In this case, the control unit 18 determines the degree of the residual agricultural chemical in the food, that is, the amount of the residual agricultural chemical in the food based on the information regarding the odor.

  The quality of the food is not limited to the above example, and may be any other property or quality related to the food. The control unit 18 may determine the odor using a statistical method such as principal component analysis or a neural network. The control unit 18 may create data by executing a learning process for extracting feature values of responses of a plurality of odor sensors in advance for each quality of food. The control unit 18 may store learned data in the storage unit 19. The control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on the degree of matching between the learned data stored in the storage unit 19 and the data detected by the detection unit 15. The control unit 18 may update the learned data stored in the storage unit 19 based on the newly detected data.

  The control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on the odor detected by the detection unit 15 and information on the food imaged by the camera 17. For example, the control unit 18 estimates the type of food based on information about the food imaged by the camera 17. The storage unit 19 stores, for each type of food, a plurality of pieces of information (data) in which the odor of food is associated with the quality of the food. The control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food with reference to information (data) corresponding to the estimated type of food.

  The control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food based on the information regarding the odor and the type of food input by the operation of the input unit 14. In this case, the control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food with reference to information (data) corresponding to the input food type.

  The control unit 18 notifies the information about the determined food quality from the notification unit 13 as a result of the inspection process. As described above, the notification method may be any method that can be recognized by the subject. As shown in FIG. 1, when the notification unit 13 is a display device, the control unit 18 performs notification by displaying images, characters, or colors on the display device.

  The control unit 18 causes the storage unit 19 to store information relating to the determined food quality, for example, as history data.

  The control unit 18 may perform a refresh process inside the examination room 30 before or after the detection of the odor by the detection unit 15. The refresh process is a process for reducing factors that may cause detection errors in the detection of odors by the detection unit 15. For example, the control unit 18 activates the deodorization processing unit 16 to perform deaeration or deodorization inside the examination room 30 to perform the refresh process. For example, the control unit 18 may perform the refresh process by initializing the detection unit 15. The detection unit 15 is initialized so that, for example, the food stored in the examination room 30 is newly generated based on the internal state of the examination room 30 at the time of initialization. Detect changes in internal odors.

  The control unit 18 can improve the detection accuracy of the odor by performing the refresh process before the detection of the odor. The control unit 18 can improve the detection accuracy of the odor in the next detection process by performing the refresh process after the detection of the odor.

  The storage unit 19 can be configured by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like, and stores various information and a program for operating the inspection process of the refrigerator 10 and also functions as a work memory. The memory | storage part 19 memorize | stores the information (data) which matched the quality of the said foodstuff, for example with the smell which foodstuff generate | occur | produces. The memory | storage part 19 may memorize | store the result of the detection process in the test | inspection room 30 of the refrigerator 10, for example as historical data.

  Next, an example of processing executed by the control unit 18 when the refrigerator 10 performs inspection processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. Here, it is assumed that the control unit 18 performs a refresh process before the smell detection process by the detection unit 15.

  When a user performs food quality inspection using the refrigerator 10, first, the inspection room door 30 a of the inspection room 30 is opened, and the food to be inspected is accommodated in the inspection room 30. Then, the user closes the examination room 30 by closing the examination room door 30a. Thereafter, the user causes the refrigerator 10 to start an inspection process by an operation input to the input unit 14.

  When the user performs the predetermined operation input (inspection operation), the control unit 18 starts the flow shown in FIG.

  First, the control part 18 performs a refresh process, for example by starting the deodorizing process part 16 (step S11).

  Next, the control part 18 starts the detection part 15 (step S12). When the detection unit 15 is activated by the control unit 18, the detection unit 15 starts detecting the odor generated by the food stored in the examination room 30.

  The control part 18 acquires the information regarding the smell which the detection part 15 acquired from the detection part 15 (step S13).

  The control unit 18 determines the quality of the food with reference to the data stored in the storage unit 19 based on the acquired information about the odor (step S14).

  The control part 18 alert | reports the information regarding the quality of the foodstuff determined by step S14 from the alerting | reporting part 13 (step S15). The user can know the quality of the food by the notification in the notification unit 13.

  The control part 18 memorize | stores the information regarding the quality of the foodstuff determined by step S14 in the memory | storage part 19 (step S16).

  Before determining the quality of the food in step S14, the control unit 18 may take an image of the food using the camera 17 and estimate the type of food based on the information about the imaged food. In this case, the control unit 18 may determine the quality of the food with reference to information (data) corresponding to the estimated type of food.

  Thus, the refrigerator 10 which concerns on this embodiment detects the smell from which the foodstuff accommodated in the test room 30 generate | occur | produces according to test | inspection operation by the detection part 15. FIG. The refrigerator 10 determines the quality of the food based on the detected odor. Therefore, when the user wants to grasp the quality of a certain food, the user can immediately know the quality of the food by putting the food into the inspection room 30 and causing the refrigerator 10 to execute the inspection process. Therefore, according to the refrigerator 10, since the quality of food can be inspected according to the user's needs, convenience can be improved as compared with the conventional apparatus.

  According to the refrigerator 10 which concerns on this embodiment, the quality of several foodstuffs can be test | inspected with the one refrigerator 10 by replacing the foodstuff accommodated in the test | inspection room 30. FIG.

  According to the refrigerator 10 according to the present embodiment, since the examination room 30 is provided on the back side of the refrigeration room 21, the opening and closing of the refrigeration room door 21a of the refrigerator 10 is compared with the case where the examination room 30 is provided on the near side. Therefore, the outside air flowing into the examination room 30 can be reduced.

  Although it has been described that the refrigerator 10 according to the first embodiment includes the detection unit 15 that detects odor and the control unit 18 that determines the quality of food, the function unit (detection unit) that detects odor and the quality are provided. Different devices that can communicate with each other may be included in the function units to be determined. A case where a functional unit for detecting an odor and a functional unit for determining quality are provided in different apparatuses will be described as a second embodiment with reference to FIG.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a management system according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the management system 40 includes a refrigerator 50 and an inspection device 60. The refrigerator 50 and the inspection device 60 are connected to each other via a network 70 such as an Internet line, a WAN (Wide Area Network), or a LAN (Local Area Network).

  The refrigerator 50 includes an examination room in the storage room, for example, similarly to the refrigerator 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The refrigerator 50 includes a communication unit 51, a notification unit 53, an input unit 54, a detection unit 55, a deodorization processing unit 56, a camera 57, a control unit 58, and a storage unit 59. The detection unit 55, the deodorization processing unit 56, and the camera 57 are provided in the inspection room of the refrigerator 50. The functions of the notification unit 53, the input unit 54, the detection unit 55, the deodorization processing unit 56, and the camera 57 are the same as the notification unit 13, the input unit 14, the detection unit 15, and the deodorization processing unit 16 described with reference to FIGS. Since the functions of the camera 17 and the camera 17 are the same as those of the camera 17, description thereof is omitted here.

  The control unit 58 controls and manages the entire refrigerator 50 including each functional block of the refrigerator 50. The controller 58 may include at least one processor 58a to provide control and processing capabilities for performing various functions. Unlike the control unit 18 described with reference to FIG. 4, the control unit 58 does not determine the quality of the food. The control unit 58 transmits information related to the smell acquired from the detection unit 55 from the communication unit 51 to the inspection device 60.

  The control unit 58 acquires information regarding the quality of the food determined by the inspection device 60 from the inspection device 60. The control part 58 will alert | report the information regarding the quality of food from the alerting | reporting part 53, if the information regarding the quality of food is acquired. Further, the control unit 58 stores information on the quality of the food in the storage unit 59.

  The communication unit 51 transmits and receives various types of information by performing wired communication or wireless communication with the inspection device 60. The communication unit 51 transmits, for example, information regarding an odor to the inspection device 60. Moreover, the communication part 51 receives the information regarding the quality of foodstuffs from the test | inspection apparatus 60, for example. The transmission of information related to the odor from the refrigerator 50 to the inspection device 60 may be executed every time the control unit 58 acquires information related to the odor from the detection unit 55, for example. The transmission of the information regarding the odor may be executed when a predetermined operation input is performed on the input unit 54 of the refrigerator 50 by the user, for example.

  The inspection device 60 is configured as a server device, for example. The inspection device 60 includes a communication unit 61, a control unit 68, and a storage unit 69.

  The control unit 68 controls and manages the entire inspection apparatus 60 including each functional block of the inspection apparatus 60. The controller 68 may include at least one processor 68a to provide control and processing capabilities for performing various functions. The control unit 68 determines the quality of the food based on the information regarding the smell received from the refrigerator 50 by the communication unit 61. At this time, the control unit 68 determines the quality of the food with reference to information (data) stored in the storage unit 69 that associates the odor of the food with the quality of the food. The control unit 68 transmits information on the determined food quality to the refrigerator 50 from the communication unit 61.

  The communication unit 61 transmits and receives various kinds of information by communicating with the refrigerator 50 via the network 70. The communication part 61 receives the information regarding an odor from the refrigerator 50, for example. The communication part 61 transmits the information regarding the quality of food to the refrigerator 50, for example.

  In the management system 40 shown as an example in FIG. 6, the user uses the refrigerator 50 in the same manner as the method of using the refrigerator 10 described with reference to FIGS. Information can be detected. The user can know the quality of the food by the notification in the notification unit 53 of the refrigerator 50.

  In the management system 40, since the inspection device 60, which is a server device, determines the quality of food, the data in the storage unit 69 referred to by the control unit 68 of the inspection device 60 can be updated as necessary. That is, according to the management system 40, the quality of the food is determined based on the updated data.

  The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and many variations or modifications are possible. For example, the functions included in each component, each step, etc. can be rearranged so that there is no logical contradiction, and a plurality of components, steps, etc. can be combined into one or divided. It is.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the detection units 15 and 55 have been described as odor sensors that detect the odor generated by food, but the detection units 15 and 55 may be sensors other than the odor sensor. For example, the detection units 15 and 55 may be gas sensors that detect odorless gas molecules generated by the test object.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although demonstrated that the camera 17 was provided in the inspection room 30, when the control part 18 can pinpoint food based on the smell which the detection part 15 detected, for example, the inspection room 30 May not necessarily include the camera 17.

  Moreover, in the said 1st Embodiment, although demonstrated that the test | inspection room 30 was provided in the refrigerator compartment 21, it was provided in another storage room, ie, the chilled room 22, the freezer compartment 23, the vegetable compartment 24, or the vacuum chamber 25. Also good. The examination room 30 may be provided in each of all the storage rooms, that is, the refrigerated room 21, the chilled room 22, the freezing room 23, the vegetable room 24, and the vacuum room 25, respectively. The examination room 30 may be at least one of the refrigerated room 21, the chilled room 22, the freezer room 23, the vegetable room 24, and the vacuum room 25.

  The examination room 30 may be controlled to have a temperature and humidity suitable for storing predetermined foods. The inspection room 30 is usually used as a storage room for predetermined foods, and when the user wants to inspect the quality of food stored in the inspection room 30, the inspection room 30 may execute an inspection according to the inspection operation. . The examination room 30 may be controlled so as to have a degree of vacuum suitable for storing predetermined foods. The inspection room 30 is normally used as a vacuum chamber for storing predetermined foods. When the user wants to inspect the quality of food stored in the inspection room 30, the inspection room 30 is inspected according to the inspection operation. Also good.

  You may arrange | position the detection part 15 in the position which does not move by opening and closing of the door with which a refrigerator is provided. You may arrange | position the detection part 15 in the back | inner side of a refrigerator especially.

  For example, as in the first embodiment, when the examination room 30 is provided in the refrigerating room 21 having a rotary door, the detection unit 15 is arranged on the side wall surface on the back side of the refrigerator 10.

  For example, when the storage room provided with the inspection room includes a drawer-type door, the inspection room may be configured independently of the storage case constituting the storage room. For example, the structure of a vegetable room when an inspection room is provided in a vegetable room equipped with a drawer-type door will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vegetable room provided with an examination room. 7A shows a state where the vegetable compartment door 84a is closed, and FIG. 7B shows a state where the vegetable compartment door 84a is opened. The vegetable room 84 includes a storage case 81 for storing food and an inspection room 90.

  The storage case 81 and the vegetable compartment door 84a operate as a unit. That is, when the user pulls out the vegetable compartment door 84a, the storage case 81 is also drawn out in the same manner as the vegetable compartment door 84a.

  On the other hand, the storage case 81 and the examination room 90 are configured independently of each other and can be operated separately. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 7B, even if the user pulls out the vegetable compartment door 84a, the position of the examination room 90 does not change without interlocking with the movement of the storage case 81.

  When a user performs an inspection process using the inspection room 90 in the vegetable room 84, the user pulls out the storage case 81, opens the rotary inspection room door 91 provided in the inspection room 90, and moves the inside of the inspection room 90. Put food in. The user closes the inspection room door 91 and also closes the storage case 81, and performs an inspection operation from the input unit provided in the refrigerator. In the examination room 90, for example, a detection unit 95, a deodorization processing unit 96, and a camera 97 are provided, and the refrigerator detects odors in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. To determine the quality of the food. In the examination room 90, the detection part 95 is provided in the back | inner side of the refrigerator.

  As described above, the detection unit 95 is provided at a position where the detection unit 95 does not move when the refrigerator is opened and closed, so that the detection unit 95 is less likely to touch the outside air when the refrigerator is opened and closed. By providing the detection unit 95 on the back side of the refrigerator, the detection unit 95 is further less likely to touch outside air. Therefore, the detection accuracy by the detection unit 95 is improved.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 50 Refrigerator 11 Outer box 11a Ceiling surface 11b Bottom surface 11c Side surface 11d Rear surface 12 Inner box 13, 53 Notification unit 14, 54 Input unit 15, 55, 95 Detection unit 16, 56, 96 Deodorization processing unit 17, 57, 97 Camera 18, 58, 68 Control unit 18a, 58a, 68a Processor 19, 59, 69 Storage unit 21 Refrigeration room 21a Refrigeration room door 22 Chilled room 22a Chilled room door 23 Freezing room 23a Freezing room door 24, 84 Vegetable room 24a, 84a Vegetable Chamber door 25 Vacuum chamber 25a Vacuum chamber door 30, 90 Inspection chamber 31, 91 Inspection chamber door 40 Management system 51, 61 Communication unit 60 Inspection device 70 Network 81 Storage case

Claims (11)

A laboratory for storing the test food;
A detection unit that detects a substance generated by the test food stored in the inspection room according to an inspection operation;
A camera that images the test food stored in the examination room;
Based on the substance detected by the detection unit and information on the test food imaged by the camera, a control unit that determines the quality of the test food,
A storage unit that stores, for each type of food, information that associates the substance from which the food is generated with the quality of the food;
Equipped with a,
The control unit estimates a food type for the test food based on information about the test food imaged by the camera, refers to the information corresponding to the estimated food type, and Judging the quality of
refrigerator.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inspection room is provided in at least one of a refrigerator room, a chilled room, a freezer room, a vegetable room, and a vacuum room.   The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the inspection room is at least one of a refrigerator room, a chilled room, a freezer room, a vegetable room, and a vacuum room.   The said detection part is a refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3 arrange | positioned in the back | inner side of the said examination room.   The said detection part is a refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4 arrange | positioned in the position which does not move by opening and closing of the said refrigerator.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a refresh process of the examination room is executed before the detection unit detects the substance.   The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a refresh process of the examination room is executed after the detection unit detects the substance.   The refrigerator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the refresh process includes at least one of deaeration and deodorization of the examination room and initialization of the detection unit. The refrigerator as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 8 further equipped with the alerting | reporting part which alert | reports the information regarding the said quality which the said control part determined. The control unit, as the quality of the test food, whether the test food is rotten, whether the test food is about to eat, the maturity of the test food, the freshness of the test food Determining at least one of the production area of the test food or the degree of pesticide residue in the test food;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 9 . A refrigerator and an inspection device,
The refrigerator includes an inspection room for storing a test food, a detection unit that detects a substance generated by the test food stored in the inspection room according to an inspection operation, and the detection room that is stored in the inspection room. A camera that images the test food; and a communication unit that transmits information about the substance detected by the detection unit and information about the test food imaged by the camera to the inspection device,
The inspection apparatus determines a quality of the test food based on the communication unit that receives the information on the substance and the information on the test food from the refrigerator, and the received information on the substance and the test food. A control unit, and a storage unit that stores, for each type of food, information that associates the substance generated by the food and the quality of the food, and the control unit is based on the information about the test food. Estimating the food type for the test food, referring to the information corresponding to the estimated food type, determining the quality of the test food ,
Management system.

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