Interface for controlling a device

Abstract

An interface for controlling a device is described, having a front face and a back face and comprising a plurality of layers grouped into a cover assembly and a haptic assembly, extending between the front face and the back face; the cover assembly comprising in order: a protective layer having a front face; a mask layer directly or indirectly covering the second face of the protective layer. The haptic assembly comprises an operating layer having a sensitive pad reactive to touch and optically transmissive, transparent or perforated; a base layer which is opaque and equipped with a shaped portion which is optically transmissive or transparent or perforated and aligned with the sensitive pad. The sensitive pad and / or the shaped portion are configured to form a sign designed to produce a visible luminous symbol after the interface is backlit. The mask layer is optically transmissive so that the sign cannot be seen through the mask layer when the front face is illuminated by a luminous radiation having a luminance not exceeding 4000 lx and the interface is not backlit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an interface for electronic control devices, particularly for refrigeration equipment such as vending machines, bottled beverage coolers, and refrigerated cabinets.

[0002] In particular, the interface according to the invention allows for an improved appearance compared to conventional interfaces, and allows for integration of the interface into decorative panels of vending machines or display units.

[0003] The interface according to the invention is particularly designed for a controller for a refrigerated vending machine or display unit, the refrigerated vending machine or display unit comprising an internal housing cooled by a refrigeration unit controlled by the controller.

[0004] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the interface according to the invention allows the interface to be invisible from the outside of the vending machine or display unit when it is not in use. Background Technology

[0005] Currently, existing electronic control devices include 7-segment displays designed to form programmed digital symbols or letters.

[0006] The 7-segment display is composed of an integrated device including a PCB on which LEDs covered by a screen are fixed. The screen is equipped with seven segments arranged in a figure-eight pattern. These segments are semi-transparent, so that when each LED is turned on, it illuminates the corresponding segment.

[0007] The touch-sensitive interface is fixed above the 7-segment display.

[0008] This includes: an interface screen and circuitry equipped with control symbols, the circuitry being fixed below the screen and equipped with touch-sensitive components placed at the control symbols.

[0009] The interface screen consists of two layers: a transparent outer layer and a decorative layer. The decorative layer is screen-printed on the inner surface of the outer layer to form a frame that surrounds the alphanumeric screen of the 7-segment display and displays control symbols.

[0010] Customization of such traditional equipment may involve the colors of a 7-segment display and / or the graphics of the interface screen.

[0011] In fact, special colors can be requested for backlighting of displays with colors and / or graphics that have custom control symbols or styles.

[0012] For this reason, in order to ensure the availability of such customization, it is necessary to purchase 7-segment displays in different colors, and it may be necessary to commission a large number of screens with custom screen printing from the interface screen supplier, which would harm production economics, especially in the case of small batches.

[0013] In addition, a drawback of traditional interfaces is that when the interface is closed or inactive, the sectors of the 7-segment display and / or any control icons that are backlit during operation remain visible.

[0014] This is considered detrimental to the appearance of the controller. Summary of the Invention

[0015] Therefore, the problem that forms the basis of this invention is to simplify the production of interfaces for electronic control devices.

[0016] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a solution to this problem by creating a usable interface for electronic control devices that allows for simpler and more economical customization compared to conventional interfaces.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide an interface for electronic control devices that improves the appearance of the control devices, even when the interface is inactive.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide an interface for electronic control devices that can be aesthetically integrated with vending machines or display units that integrate control devices, even when the interface is inactive.

[0019] This objective, as will be more fully shown below, and these and other objectives are achieved through an interface for controlling the device according to this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the interface for controlling the device, which are illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] -- Figure 1 A partially exploded perspective view of an interface for a control device according to the present invention is shown.

[0022] -- Figure 2 A perspective view of the components of an interface for controlling a device according to the present invention, viewed from the rear, is shown relative to a composite screen.

[0023] -- Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A simplified floor plan showing the details;

[0024] -- Figure 4 An interface for controlling a device according to the present invention is shown. Figure 3 Partial cross section of plane IV-IV. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In particular, referring to the above-mentioned attached figures, the number 10 generally represents the interface 10 used to control the device.

[0026] Interface 10 can unfold primarily on a plane and include multiple layers in its thickness, i.e. in a direction orthogonal to the plane.

[0027] Interface 10 may have a front 11 and a back 12, with multiple layers extending through the thickness between the front 11 and the back 12.

[0028] Specifically, multiple layers include:

[0029] The layers of the multiple layers are grouped together as a cover component 13 and a tactile component 14, which extend in thickness between the front side 11 and the back side 12.

[0030] The cover assembly 13 and the tactile assembly 14 can be formed into two single objects that can be fixed to each other during the assembly of the interface 10, for example by an adhesive film that may be equipped with a removable liner to expose the adhesive film when the cover assembly 13 is attached to the tactile assembly 14.

[0031] As described in more detail below, the covering component 13 and the tactile component 14 may be formed between the layers that make them up by screen printing or offset printing one layer on top of another, possibly starting from a carrier layer, which will be described below for each component.

[0032] The back side 12 of the interface 10 can be attached to a lighting device (not shown) such that when the lighting device emits light radiation, the light radiation passes through the interface 10 from the back side 12 to the front side 11.

[0033] In detail, the covering component 13 includes, from the front side 11, at least the following:

[0034] - A protective layer 15 having a first side defining the front face 11; the protective layer 15 may constitute the aforementioned carrier layer covering the component.

[0035] -A mask layer 16 that directly or indirectly covers the second side of the protective layer 15.

[0036] The mask layer 16 can then be applied directly to the protective layer 15 or an additional layer, for example, by screen printing or offset printing, which in turn is applied to the protective layer 15 or to another layer applied to the protective layer 15.

[0037] The tactile component 14 includes at least:

[0038] - Operation layer 17, which has electronic traces 18 defining electrical circuitry including touch-responsive sensitive pads 19 and connection contacts 20 designed to connect the electronic circuitry to a connector of an electronic controller, the interface 10 being designed to be assembled with the connector of the electronic controller.

[0039] - The substrate layer 21 is opaque and is equipped with a molding portion 23, which is light-transmitting, transparent, or perforated and aligned with the sensitive pad 19 along the thickness of the interface 10.

[0040] As in Figure 4 As shown by way of non-limiting example, the sensitive pad 19 and / or the forming portion 23 are configured to form the mark B.

[0041] The forming portion 23 can be fabricated on the sensitive pad 19 and / or the substrate layer 21, as a non-limiting example. Figure 4 In this process, the forming part 23 is simultaneously fabricated on both the sensitive pad 19 and the substrate layer 21.

[0042] The sensitive pads 19 are light-transmitting, transparent, or perforated, so that they provide luminous markings that can be seen by the operator facing the front 11 of the interface 10.

[0043] The protective layer 15 of the cover component 13 is configured to transmit pressure generated by touch, thereby allowing the sensitive pad 19 to be actuated through the protective layer.

[0044] At least one of the covering component 13 and the tactile component 14 includes a diffuse layer 22, which is configured to make the light passing through it radiate uniformly.

[0045] Specifically, any diffuse layer 22 covering component 13 can extend to the entire shape of the plane of protective layer 16 so as to diffuse the backlight illumination radiation laterally to the thickness of interface 10, i.e., in situ, the backlight illumination radiation originates from the back side 12 of interface 10 and points towards the front side 11.

[0046] The diffuse layer 22 of the cover component 13 (if present) may completely or partially cover the mask layer 16 towards the back surface 12.

[0047] Specifically, any diffuse layer 22 covering component 13 can be applied to mask layer 16 by screen printing or offset printing, which mask layer 16 can be applied to protective layer 15, for example, by screen printing or offset printing.

[0048] Typically, the diffuse layer 22 can be composed of a glossy ink having a gloss level between 70 and 90 gloss units at 60°, and can be made of an ink commercially known as Mara® Star SR manufactured by Marabu GmbH & Co. KG, which is available as of the date of this application.

[0049] The mask layer 16 is disposed between the front side 11 and the substrate layer 21 in terms of thickness, and is transparent such that when the front side 11 is irradiated with light radiation of brightness not exceeding 4000 lx and the interface 10 is not irradiated through the back side 12, the mark B cannot be seen through the mask layer 16.

[0050] The light transmittance of the mask layer 16 allows the mark B to be seen through the mask layer 16 when the interface 10 is illuminated by a light source having a light intensity of not less than 45 mcd through the back surface 12. The light source is, for example, an LED that emits red light and is powered by 5 mA and preferably has a light intensity between 45 mcd and 112.5 mcd; the light source is, for example, an LED that emits red light and is powered by 5 mA or between 280 mcd and 630 mcd; the light source is, for example, an LED that emits white light and is powered by 5 mA.

[0051] In other words, the mask layer 16 is translucent, which makes the mark B invisible to those who are looking at the front 11 of the interface 10 under normal ambient lighting if the interface 10 is not backlit, i.e., illuminated through its back 12.

[0052] The mask layer 16 may include a layer of solvent-based ink, or may be composed of the ink.

[0053] In addition, the mask layer 16 can typically be made by depositing the screen printing or offset printing ink onto an additional layer in a plurality of layers.

[0054] The ink can be deposited on a protective layer 15, which can be made of polycarbonate and distributed planarly throughout the entire shape of the interface 10.

[0055] Specifically, a product commercially known as Mara® Panel MPA, manufactured by Marabu GmbH & Co. KG, can be used as an ink for making the mask layer 16 and is commercially available as of the date of this application.

[0056] To make the operating layer 17 electrically insulating, the ink of the mask layer 16 can be electrically insulating and can have a resistance greater than 10¹² ohms.

[0057] The mask layer 16 may include, in sequence, the following components facing the back surface 12:

[0058] - A colored mask layer 161, which is designed to include portions of different colors, for example intended to form a logo 161a or other commercial symbols and / or functional symbols 161b, is distributed in a substrate that is complementary to them relative to the planar outline of the protective layer 15;

[0059] - Diffuse mask layer 162.

[0060] The diffuse mask layer 162 has the following function: to make the light radiation uniform so that when the mark B is illuminated through the back surface 12 of the interface 10, it appears uniform.

[0061] The protective layer 15 may include a transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) or polycarbonate layer, or may be composed of a transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) or polycarbonate layer.

[0062] Furthermore, the protective layer 15 has a transparency of not less than 80%, as defined in the test DIN EN ISO 13468-3, and preferably has a thickness between 0.75 mm and 15 mm, and preferably equal to 1 mm.

[0063] This gives the cover component 13 sufficient structural consistency, which allows for easy and safe handling when assembling the interface 10; and at the same time gives the cover component 13 sufficient transparency and a reduced overall size.

[0064] The tactile component 14 may also include a support layer 26, on which additional layers included in the tactile component 14 may be applied directly or indirectly.

[0065] The support layer 26 may include a polyester film that is stable at high temperatures, i.e., has a shrinkage rate of less than 0.2% at 170°C, and may have a thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.125 mm.

[0066] In order to electrically insulate and protect the operating layer 17, the tactile assembly 14 may include an electrically insulating coating layer 24 that coats the operating layer 17, excluding the connecting contact portion 20, facing the front side 11.

[0067] The coating 24 may be made of a dielectric material and may have a dielectric strength of at least 500 V-AC for a thickness of 30 µm or at least 2400 V-AC for a thickness of 25 µm, as determined according to ASTM D149-81 Method A.

[0068] The coating layer 24 can be made on the operating layer 17 by screen printing or offset printing of ink. For example, the ink can be made of a product commercially known as Electrodag® ML 25208 manufactured by Acheson Colloiden BV or product D 150 EI manufactured by Chimet SPA, which are commercially available as of the date of this application.

[0069] To ensure the conduction of the connection contact 20 and at the same time protect the connection contact 20, the tactile assembly 14 may include a cover element 25, which includes graphite, which may be contained in a matrix of a polymer material that may be a thermoplastic resin.

[0070] The covering element 25 can cover the remaining connection contact portion 20 that is not covered by the coating layer 24, and the covering element 25 can be complementary to the coating layer 24.

[0071] Before or after applying coating layer 24, cover element 25 can be made on operating layer 17 by screen printing or offset printing.

[0072] The ink that can be used to make the cover element 25 may be an ink produced by Acheson Colloiden BV and commercially known as Electrodag® 965 SS, which is commercially available as of the date of this application.

[0073] The substrate layer 21 may also be electrically insulating and may be made of a dielectric material and have a dielectric strength of at least 2400V-AC for a thickness of 25μm, as determined according to ASTM D149-81 Method A.

[0074] The electronic traces 18 of the operating layer 17 can be made of silver-based conductive ink, which is finely dispersed in a matrix that can be made of thermoplastic resin.

[0075] For example, such silver-based conductive inks can be selected from the following commercially known sources:

[0076] - Electrodag® PF-410 manufactured by Acheson Industries (Europe) Ltd;

[0077] -Ag515EI manufactured by Chimet SpA;

[0078] - Electrodag® 725A-6S-54 manufactured by Acheson Colloids Company.

[0079] Interface 10 may also include a colored layer 27, which is designed to give a predefined color through light that is directed toward the front 11.

[0080] The colored layer 27 can be integrated into the tactile component 14 and can include a transparent and colored shaped portion 27a that is configured to selectively align with some of the marks in the mark B in the thickness direction of the interface 10 so as to give them a predefined color only when they are backlit.

[0081] The colored layer 27 can be made, for example, by screen printing or offset printing on one side of the support layer 26, wherein, for example, the operating layer 17 is applied on the other side, or it can be applied on an additional layer, such as on the diffuse layer 22 of the tactile component 14.

[0082] The possible diffuse layer 22 of the tactile component can be shaped such that it consists of multiple parts that are shaped along the thickness of the interface 10 and aligned with the mark B so that light pointing towards them from the back side 12 is uniform.

[0083] The sensitive pad 19 can be shaped as a closed loop or an open loop, such that each sensitive pad 19 defines an area at least partially surrounding it and is aligned with or around the mark B in terms of the thickness of the interface 10.

[0084] In addition to the molding section 23, the base layer 21 may be made of an opaque ink that has a lightfastness between 7 and 8 according to the blue wool grade defined by standard DIN16525.

[0085] The interface may also include a cover layer 28, which may be integrated into the cover assembly 13 and may be shaped to form a frame that extends around the periphery of the contour in the plane of the interface 10 and has the function of concealing the presence of adhesive for fixing the interface 10 to the lighting device.

[0086] The overlay 28 may also be made of an opaque ink that has a lightfastness of 7 to 8 according to the blue wool grade defined by standard DIN16525.

[0087] Interface 10 may include a peripheral lip for ultrasonic welding to a lighting device, in which case the cover layer 28 is not required and does not need to be bonded to interface 10.

[0088] At least one of the operating layer 17, coating layer 24, and cover element 25 can be deposited directly or indirectly on one of the surfaces of the support layer 26 by screen printing or offset printing.

[0089] At least one of the diffuse layer 22, the colored layer 27, and the substrate layer 21 of the tactile component 14 may be deposited directly or indirectly on the second surface of the protective layer 15, rather than on the first surface, by screen printing or offset printing, in order to avoid interaction between one or more of these layers and the operating layer 17, thereby preserving the technical functionality of the operating layer 17.

[0090] For example, the matrix layer 21 can be applied directly to the support layer 26.

[0091] As contemplated, the present invention is readily subject to various modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0092] Furthermore, all details can be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0093] In practice, the materials used, as well as the form and size, can vary depending on the requirements and available technology.

[0094] Where structural and technical features mentioned in the following claims are marked with symbols or reference numerals, such use of symbols or reference numerals is solely for the purpose of increasing the comprehensibility of the claims themselves, and therefore they in no way constitute a limitation on the interpretation of each element identified by symbol B or reference numerals as examples only.

Claims

1. An interface (10) for controlling a device, the interface (10) having a front (11) and a back (12) and the interface (10) comprising a plurality of layers grouped into a cover component (13) and a tactile component (14) extending between the front (11) and the back (12); the back (12) being fixable to a lighting device such that when the lighting device emits light radiation, the light radiation passes from the back (12) through the interface (10) to the front (11). wherein The cover component (13) comprises, sequentially from the front side (11): - Protective layer (15), the protective layer (15) having a first surface defining the front surface (11); - Mask layer (16), which directly or indirectly covers the second side of the protective layer (15); The tactile component (14) includes: - An operating layer (17) having electronic traces (18) defining electrical circuitry including a touch-responsive sensitive pad (19) and a connecting contact (20); the sensitive pad (19) being light-transmitting, transparent, or perforated; the connecting contact (20) being designed to connect the electrical circuitry to a connector of an electronic controller, and the interface (10) being designed to be assembled with the connector of the electronic controller; - Substrate layer (21), which is opaque and has a forming portion (23) that is light-transmitting, transparent or perforated and aligned with the sensitive pad (19) along its thickness; The sensitive pad (19) and / or the forming portion (23) are configured to form a mark (B) that is capable of producing a visible luminous symbol based on backlighting of the interface (10). The protective layer (15) is configured to transmit the pressure generated by the touch, thereby allowing the sensitive pad (19) to be actuated through the protective layer. The covering component (13) and / or the tactile component (14) include: - Diffuse layer (22), the diffuse layer is configured to make the light radiation passing through the diffuse layer (22) uniform; The mask layer (16) is transparent, such that when the front side (11) is irradiated by light radiation of a light source with an intensity of not more than 4000 lx and the interface (10) is not irradiated through the back side (12), the mark (B) cannot be seen through the mask layer (16); the transparentness is such that when the interface (10) is irradiated through the back side (12) by a light source with a luminous intensity of not less than 45 mcd, the mark (B) can be seen through the mask layer (16).

2. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The mask layer (16) comprises a layer of solvent-based ink, or the mask layer (16) is composed of a layer of solvent-based ink.

3. The interface (10) according to claim 2, wherein, The solvent-based ink is deposited on one of the other layers of the plurality of layers by screen printing or offset printing.

4. The interface (10) according to claim 3, wherein, The solvent-based ink is deposited on the protective layer (15).

5. The interface (10) according to claim 2, wherein, The solvent-based ink is electrically insulating.

6. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The mask layer (16) facing the back side (12) comprises, in sequence: - A colored mask layer (161), said colored mask layer being adapted to include portions of different colors; - Diffuse mask layer (162).

7. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The diffuse layer (22) is composed of glossy ink having a luminance between 70 gloss units and 90 gloss units at 60°.

8. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The diffuse layer (22) covers the mask layer (16) facing the back side (12).

9. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The tactile component (14) includes an electrically insulating coating (24) that covers the operating layer (17) on the front side (11) except for the connecting contact (20).

10. The interface (10) according to claim 9, wherein, The tactile component (14) includes a cover element (25) comprising graphite contained in a matrix of polymer material; the cover element (25) covers the remaining connecting contact portion (20) not covered by the coating layer (24) and the cover element (25) is complementary to the coating layer (24).

11. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The substrate layer (21) is electrically insulating.

12. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic traces (18) of the operating layer (17) are composed of conductive ink based on silver powder, which is finely dispersed in the substrate.

13. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The protective layer (15) comprises a transparent layer of polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate, or the protective layer (15) is composed of a transparent layer of polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate; the protective layer (15) has a transparency of not less than 80% as defined in the DIN EN ISO 13468-3 test.

14. The interface (10) according to claim 1, the interface (10) comprising a colored layer (27) adapted to give a predefined color to light passing through the colored layer (27) and directed toward the front (11).

15. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The sensitive pads (19) are shaped as closed or open loops such that each of the sensitive pads (19) defines a region (D) at least partially surrounding the sensitive pad (19), the region (D) being aligned with the mark (B) in terms of the thickness.

16. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, In addition to the forming part (23), the base layer (21) is made of opaque ink having lightfastness between 7 and 8 according to the blue wool grade as defined by DIN16525.

17. The interface (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The tactile component (14) includes a support layer (26), and additional layers in the tactile component (14) are applied directly or indirectly to the support layer (26).

18. The interface (10) according to claim 17, wherein, The tactile component (14) includes an electrically insulating coating layer (24) that covers the operating layer (17) excluding the connecting contact (20) facing the front side (11); the tactile component (14) includes a cover element (25) comprising graphite contained in a matrix of polymeric material, the cover element (25) covering the remaining connecting contact (20) not covered by the coating layer (24) and the cover element (25) being complementary to the coating layer (24); the interface (10) includes a colored layer (27) adapted to impart a predefined color to light passing through the colored layer (27) directed toward the front side (11); wherein at least one of the operating layer (17), the coating layer (24), the cover element (25), the colored layer (27), and the matrix layer (21) is deposited directly or indirectly on one of the surfaces of the support layer (26) by screen printing.

19. The interface (10) according to claim 2, wherein, At least one of the mask layer (16), the diffuse layer (22), and the substrate layer (21) is deposited directly or indirectly on the second surface of the protective layer (15) by screen printing.

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