Refrigerator and household appliance networking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161673-B2
Application number	US-201414893141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Aug 9, 2013
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a casing including storage compartments, doors attached to the casing to expose or cover the storage compartments, hinges connecting the doors to the casing and supporting the doors so that the doors are openable and closable, electrically non-conductive hinge covers detachably attached to the casing and covering the hinges, and a wireless adapter disposed on the hinge cover and including an antenna unit configured to transmit and receive radio waves.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a casing including a storage compartment;
a door attached to the casing to expose or cover the storage compartment;
a hinge connecting the door to the casing and supporting the door so that the door is openable and closable;
an electrically non-conductive hinge cover detachably attached to the casing, wherein the hinge cover covers the hinge;
a wireless adapter disposed on the hinge cover, wherein the wireless adapter includes an antenna unit configured to transmit and receive radio waves; and
an electrically non-conductive attachment interposed between the hinge cover and the wireless adapter to increase a distance between the hinge cover and the wireless adapter and fix the hinge cover and the wireless adapter.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a lighting unit provided for the attachment, wherein the lighting unit is configured to illuminate a surrounding area.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a camera provided for the attachment, wherein the camera captures an image of a surrounding area.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a human presence sensor provided for the attachment, wherein the human presence sensor senses a presence of a person in a surrounding area.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment shield disposed on an attachment surface of the attachment facing the casing, wherein the attachment shield absorbs radio waves.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless adapter shield disposed on an attachment surface of the wireless adapter facing the casing, wherein the wireless adapter shield absorbs radio waves.

7. A household appliance networking system comprising:
the refrigerator of claim 1 ;
an electrical apparatus; and
a central controller configured to control the refrigerator and the electrical apparatus,
wherein the refrigerator and the electrical apparatus are connected through the central controller.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adaptor is mounted on a top surface of the hinge cover.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adaptor is located on an upper surface of the hinge cover.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the wireless adaptor is fastened to the hinge cover.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Yamato Yasunari
• Maeda Go
• Okabe Makoto

Classifications

• A47B81/00

  Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis · CPC title

• E05Y2800/676

  Plastics · CPC title

• F25B2600/07

  Remote controls · CPC title

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• E05D11/0054

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title