Switch panel and intelligent electrical appliance

Abstract

This utility model discloses a switch panel and a smart appliance. The switch panel includes a housing and a printed circuit board. The housing has an internal cavity, within which the printed circuit board is movably disposed. The printed circuit board has multiple touch signal sensing areas, each with a display light source at its center. The housing also has an opening structure for accommodating a functional display area. The orthographic projection of the opening structure onto the printed circuit board corresponds one-to-one with each of the touch signal sensing areas, and the display light source faces the functional display area. This utility model provides a switch panel that uses touch signal sensing areas to detect touch activity and positions the display light source at the center of each area, thus achieving human-computer interaction and eliminating the need for a physical touch interface. This reduces the thickness and width of the switch panel while maintaining display quality, thereby reducing the required installation space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of smart home appliance technology, and in particular to a switch panel and a smart appliance. Background Technology

[0002] Human-computer interaction is a core function of modern electrical appliances. It is generally achieved through the combination of touch buttons and button icons on the switch panel. A common solution is to screen print on the glass cover and combine it with touch display function. Springs are usually chosen as the touch medium because they are cheap and simple. A light-emitting block is placed in the middle of the spring as the light source to display the button icons. However, using springs as the touch medium results in a thicker switch panel.

[0003] In the prior art, in order to reduce the thickness of the switch panel, the touch medium is eliminated by using air-touch. However, in order to ensure the touch response effect, the light-emitting block needs to be placed on the side of the button of the diaphragm touch and completely avoid the button area. Although this solution reduces the height of the switch panel, it increases the area of ​​the switch panel.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of switch panel that can maintain the display effect of the user interface while adopting an air-touch method, and adapt to the market demand for thinner and lighter switch panels, thereby reducing the space requirements of electrical appliances. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve this technical problem, the technical solution provided in this application is as follows: On the one hand, the present invention provides a switch panel, the switch panel including a housing and a printed circuit board, the housing having an internal receiving cavity, and the printed circuit board being movably disposed in the receiving cavity; The printed circuit board is provided with multiple touch signal sensing areas, and a display light source is provided at the center of each of the multiple touch signal sensing areas; The housing is also provided with an opening structure for accommodating the functional display area. The orthographic projection area of ​​the opening structure on the printed circuit board corresponds one-to-one with the plurality of touch signal sensing areas, and the light source of the display light source faces the functional display area.

[0006] In some possible implementations, the side surface of the printed circuit board closest to the housing is the front surface of the printed circuit board, the plurality of touch signal sensing areas are disposed on the front surface of the printed circuit board, the display light source is disposed on the front or back surface of the printed circuit board, and the light source of the display light source is oriented towards the functional display area.

[0007] In some possible implementations, where the display light source is located on the back of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board has a plurality of through holes, and the plurality of through holes are located at the center of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas to accommodate the display light source, so that the light source of the display light source is oriented toward the functional display area.

[0008] In some possible implementations, the display light source is a surface-mount LED, which is mounted upside down on the printed circuit board.

[0009] In some possible implementations, the outer contour of the touch signal sensing area is any one of a circle, rectangle, square, trapezoid, or irregular shape.

[0010] In some possible implementations, a light guide sheet is provided in the function display area, and a function icon is provided in the light guide sheet, and the thickness of the light guide sheet is less than or equal to the distance between the display light source and the outer surface of the housing.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the display light source further includes a driving circuit; within the projection area of ​​the touch signal sensing area, the positive and negative traces in the driving circuit are arranged in parallel.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the surfaces of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas are provided with sensing pads, and the back of the printed circuit board is also provided with a touch chip. The induction pad and the display light source are electrically connected to the touch chip, respectively.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the sensing distance of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas is 2.5mm-4.5mm, and the thickness of the housing is less than or equal to the sensing distance.

[0014] On the other hand, this application also provides a smart appliance, which includes the switch panel described above, and the smart appliance is any one of a range hood, dishwasher, steam oven, and oven.

[0015] This utility model discloses a switch panel and a smart appliance. The switch panel includes a housing and a printed circuit board. The housing has an internal cavity, and the printed circuit board is movably disposed within the cavity. The printed circuit board has multiple touch signal sensing areas, each with a display light source at its center. The housing also has an opening structure for accommodating a functional display area. The orthographic projection of the opening structure onto the printed circuit board corresponds one-to-one with the multiple touch signal sensing areas, and the display light source faces the functional display area. In this switch panel, touch signals are identified through the touch signal sensing areas. No touch medium is provided between the surface of the housing and the touch signal sensing areas. The display light source is positioned at the center of the touch signal sensing areas, achieving human-computer interaction. This not only eliminates the touch medium but also reduces the thickness and width of the switch panel while maintaining display quality, thereby reducing the installation space requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a switch panel provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a rear view of a housing provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a front view of a housing provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a shell provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a front view of a printed circuit board provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a rear view of a printed circuit board provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a printed circuit board provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the wiring method of a display light source provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] The corresponding reference numerals in the figure are as follows: 1-Shell; 11-Receiving cavity; 12-Opening structure; 13-Mounting structure receiving cavity; 2-Printed circuit board; 21-Touch signal sensing area; 22-Display light source; 221-Drive circuit; 222-Positive trace; 223-Negative trace; 23-Through hole; 24-Sensing pad; 25-Touch chip; 26-Matching mounting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] The term "an embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of this application. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0029] When a numerical range is disclosed herein, the range is considered continuous and includes the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range, as well as every value between the minimum and maximum values. Furthermore, when the range refers to an integer, it includes every integer between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range. Additionally, when multiple ranges are provided to describe a feature or characteristic, the ranges may be combined. In other words, unless otherwise specified, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include any and all subranges to which they are included. For example, a specified range from “1 to 10” should be considered to include any and all subranges between the minimum value 1 and the maximum value 10. Exemplary subranges of the range 1 to 10 include, but are not limited to, 1 to 6.1, 3.5 to 7.8, 5.5 to 10, etc.

[0030] Please see Figures 1-9 The switch panel includes at least a housing 1 and a printed circuit board 2. The housing 1 has an internal cavity 11, and the printed circuit board 2 is movably disposed in the cavity 11. The printed circuit board 2 has multiple touch signal sensing areas 21, and each of the multiple touch signal sensing areas 21 has a display light source 22 at its center. The housing 1 also has an opening structure 12 for accommodating a functional display area. The orthographic projection area of ​​the opening structure 12 on the printed circuit board 2 corresponds one-to-one with the multiple touch signal sensing areas 21, and the light source of the display light source 22 faces the functional display area.

[0031] In this embodiment of the invention, the human-computer interaction function is achieved in the switch panel through the cooperation of the touch signal sensing area 21 and the display light source 22. For details, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a rear view of an exemplary housing 1 provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. The back of the housing 1 has a receiving cavity 11 for accommodating a printed circuit board 2, and the printed circuit board 2 is movably connected to the housing 1. The housing 1 also has an opening structure 12 for accommodating a functional display area. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the printed circuit board 2 is provided with multiple touch signal sensing areas 21. These areas 21 respond to the user's touch control requests and transmit the corresponding requests to the control system. The number of touch signal sensing areas is set according to the number of human-computer interaction functions required by different electrical appliances. Further details can be found in the following sections. Figure 3 The printed circuit board 2 also features a display light source 22 positioned at the center of each touch signal sensing area 21, emitting light in a forward-facing manner to illuminate the function icon corresponding to each touch signal sensing area 21; that is, the light source 22 faces the function display area. It should be noted that the back of the housing 1 refers to the side of the switch panel that contacts the printed circuit board 2 after installation. Please refer to... Figures 1-6The position of the opening structure 12 of the housing 1 corresponds one-to-one with the position of the multiple touch signal sensing areas 21 set on the printed circuit board 2, so as to ensure that the touch signal sensing areas 21 can sense the touch signals sent by the user through the opening structure 12.

[0032] Furthermore, the aforementioned touch signal sensing area 21 does not contain a touch medium; instead, it uses capacitive sensing for touch signal recognition. Specifically, the finger acts as a conductor, forming a coupling capacitance with the touch signal sensing area 21. When the coupling capacitance exceeds a preset capacitance, it is defined as a recognized touch signal. It should be noted that, through the above method, the switch panel provided by this utility model uses diaphragm touch technology, also known as non-contact touch, for touch signal recognition. That is, the user (or the target touch object) does not come into direct or indirect contact with the touch signal sensing area 21 (e.g., through a touch medium such as a spring).

[0033] Thus, in the switch panel provided by this utility model, touch signals are identified through the touch signal sensing area 21, and no touch medium is provided between the surface of the housing 1 and the touch signal sensing area 21. The human-computer interaction is achieved by setting the display light source 22 in the center of the touch signal sensing area 21. This not only eliminates the touch medium, but also reduces the thickness and width of the switch panel while ensuring the display effect, thereby reducing the installation space requirements of the switch panel.

[0034] In one feasible implementation, each of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas 21 is provided with a sensing pad 24, and a touch chip 25 is also provided on the back of the printed circuit board; the sensing pad 24 and the display light source 22 are electrically connected to the touch chip 25 respectively.

[0035] In one feasible implementation, the outer contour of the touch signal sensing area 21 is any one of a circle, rectangle, square, trapezoid, or irregular shape.

[0036] In this utility model, such as Figure 3 As shown, multiple independent induction pads 24 are placed on the front side of the printed circuit board 2 as touch signal sensing areas 21, and a touch chip 25 is disposed on the back side of the printed circuit board 2, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the touch chip 25 and the display light source 22 are electrically connected to the touch chip 25, thus enabling touch signal sensing and recognition. Specifically, the touch principle of the switch panel provided by this utility model is explained below: In this invention, an independent PAD (pad) is provided on the front side of the printed circuit board 2 (i.e., the side facing the housing 1) as the touch signal sensing area 21, and a display light source 22 is provided at the center of the touch signal sensing area 21. Then, the housing 1 is provided on the surface of the printed circuit board 2, and the housing 1 is provided with an opening structure 12 corresponding to the touch signal sensing area 21, thus forming a switch panel. When the user touches the surface of the opening structure 12 on the switch panel, the finger, as a conductor, forms a very small coupling capacitance with the PAD. This capacitance changes relative to the original fixed capacitance value of the touch chip. The touch chip detects this capacitance change and then determines whether it is a valid touch and responds accordingly.

[0037] In this invention, the outer contour of the touch signal sensing area 21 can be any one of a circle, rectangle, square, trapezoid, or irregular shape, and the shape of the opening structure 12 in the housing 1 is consistent with the outer contour of the touch signal sensing area 21. Irregular shapes can include star-shaped, heart-shaped, irregular polygonal, etc. Furthermore, to ensure accurate recognition of the touch signal, the area of ​​the touch signal sensing area is at least 10 mm².

[0038] In one feasible implementation, the sensing distance of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas 21 is 2.5mm-4.5mm, and the thickness of the housing 1 is less than or equal to the sensing distance.

[0039] In this embodiment of the present invention, the sensing distance of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas 21 is 2.5mm-4.5mm. In order to minimize the space of the switch panel and achieve the best touch response effect, it is preferably 3mm, and the thickness of the housing 1 of the switch panel is less than or equal to the sensing distance.

[0040] In one feasible implementation, a light guide sheet is provided in the function display area, and a function icon is provided in the light guide sheet. The thickness of the light guide sheet is less than or equal to the distance between the display light source 22 and the outer surface of the housing 1.

[0041] In this invention, a functional display area (not shown in the figure) is provided in the opening structure 12 of the housing 1. Specifically, the functional display area includes a light guide sheet and functional icons disposed in the light guide sheet. The functional icons are used to display the control functions corresponding to the functional display area. The thickness of the light guide sheet is less than or equal to the distance between the upper surface of the display light source 22 and the outer surface of the housing 1. The outer surface of the housing 1 refers to the front of the housing 1, that is, the surface of the housing 1 away from the printed circuit board 2. The function of the light guide sheet is to evenly disperse the light emitted by the light source throughout the display area, improve the light efficiency, control the light direction, reduce the thickness of the device, enhance the display effect, reduce hot spots, and improve the reliability and service life of the light source. In this way, the light guide sheet can be used to identify functional icons, evenly disperse the light emitted by the display light source 22, and isolate the external environment and the printed circuit board 2.

[0042] Alternatively, light guides are typically made of materials with high transparency and good optical properties, such as polymethyl methacrylate (acrylic) and polycarbonate (PC).

[0043] Optionally, a matching mounting hole 26 is provided on the printed circuit board 2, and a mounting structure receiving cavity 13 is provided on the housing 1. The positions of the matching mounting hole 26 and the mounting structure receiving cavity 13 are in a one-to-one correspondence, and their sizes are determined according to the corresponding mounting structure, so that the mounting structure passes through the printed circuit board 2 and fixes the printed circuit board 2 and the housing 1 together.

[0044] In one feasible implementation, the side surface of the printed circuit board 2 closest to the housing 1 is the front surface of the printed circuit board 2, the plurality of touch signal sensing areas are disposed on the front surface of the printed circuit board 2, the display light source 22 is disposed on the front or back surface of the printed circuit board 2, and the light source of the display light source 22 faces the opening structure 12.

[0045] In this utility model, such as Figure 5 As shown, to achieve better touch signal recognition, multiple touch signal sensing areas are set on the front of the printed circuit board 2. The display light source 22 can be set on either the front or back of the printed circuit board 2, as long as the light emitted by the display light source 22 is directed towards the function display area in the opening structure 12 and can penetrate the function display area, causing the function icons set in the function display area to light up, so that the user can identify whether the corresponding function has responded. In this way, the width of the switch panel can be reduced. In layman's terms, the board can be made narrower, thereby reducing the thickness and width of the switch panel, achieving a thin and narrow appearance UI solution for the more common single glass screen-printed touch display.

[0046] In one feasible implementation, when the display light source 22 is disposed on the back side of the printed circuit board 2, the printed circuit board 2 is provided with a plurality of through holes 23, and the plurality of through holes 23 are disposed at the center of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas for accommodating the display light source 22, so that the light source of the display light source 22 is directed toward the functional display area.

[0047] Please see Figures 5-7 , Figure 5 This is a front view of a printed circuit board 2 provided by this utility model. Figure 6 This is a rear view of a printed circuit board 2 provided by the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a printed circuit board 2 provided by this utility model. When the display light source 22 is located on the back side of the printed circuit board 2, multiple through holes 23 are provided at the center of multiple touch signal sensing areas on the printed circuit board 2. The display light source 22 is installed on the back side of the printed circuit board 2, but the body of the display light source 22 is exposed through the through holes 23. When the display light source 22 emits light, it shines upward through the through holes 23, so that the light emitted by the display light source 22 is still directed towards the front side of the printed circuit board 2.

[0048] Specifically, portable consumer devices typically use thinner PCBs ranging from 0.6mm to 1.6mm, while industrial or automotive applications may require PCBs thicker than 2.0mm, with 1.6mm being one of the most commonly used PCB thicknesses. When the display light source 22 is positioned on the front of the PCB, it may interfere with the sensitivity and accuracy of touch control. Furthermore, in this case, the maximum height of the receiving cavity 11 corresponding to the display light source 22 is the same as the height of the housing 1, and its proximity to the front of the switch panel results in poor uniform light distribution from the display light source 22. By placing the display light source 22 on the back of the printed circuit board 2, the height of the PCB board can be fully utilized, increasing the installation space for the display light source 22. This makes the installation height of the display light source 22 equal to the height of the PCB board plus the height of the housing 1. For example, if the height of the housing 1 is 3mm and the height of the PCB board is 1.6mm, and the display light source 22 is installed on the front of the PCB board, the corresponding installation height of the display light source 22 would be less than 3mm. In this case, the thickness of the light guide sheet would be very thin, resulting in a poor final display effect. However, if a through-hole 23 is opened on the PCB board, placing the display light source 22 on the back of the PCB board, the emitted light shines through the through-hole 23 onto the corresponding opening structure 12 of the housing 1. This not only increases the installation height of the display light source 22 but also allows the front of the PCB to be very flat without components. The thickness of the light guide sheet can also be increased to the front surface of the PCB (if the display light source 22 is on the front of the PCB, the thickness of the light guide sheet would have to be reduced by the thickness of the display light source 22 itself). This increases the thickness of the light guide sheet and the height of the display cavity of the display light source 22, resulting in a sufficiently uniform display. In addition, by placing the display light source 22 on the back, with the touch PAD on the front and the display light source 22 on the back, the interference of the display light source 22 on the air touch can be solved simultaneously through the PCB board, thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of touch sensing.

[0049] In one feasible implementation, the display light source 22 is a surface-mount LED, which is mounted upside down on the printed circuit board.

[0050] In this invention, the display light source 22 preferably uses a surface-mount LED lamp. Surface-mount LED lamps have significant advantages such as miniaturization, high brightness, low power consumption, high reliability, high color rendering, fast response, easy integration, good heat dissipation, high cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, flexible design, low voltage drive, high contrast, low heat generation, high brightness dimming capability, high brightness uniformity, high brightness stability, high brightness consistency, and high brightness adjustability. Furthermore, they are integrated onto the surface of the PCB board using an upside-down mounting method, which simplifies the assembly process and improves production efficiency.

[0051] In one feasible implementation, the display light source 22 further includes a driving circuit 221; in the projection area of ​​the touch signal sensing area 21, the positive electrode line 222 and the negative electrode line 223 in the driving circuit 221 are arranged in parallel.

[0052] like Figure 9 As shown, the display light source 22 also includes a driving circuit 221. To reduce the interference of the display light source 22 on touch sensitivity, based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, the positive terminal trace 222 and the negative terminal trace 223 of the display light source are arranged in parallel within the projection area of ​​the touch signal sensing area 21. This ensures that the current flowing through the display light source 22 is consistent regardless of polarity. Since the two traces are parallel and the current directions are opposite, they can cancel out electromagnetic induction to the greatest extent possible, thereby further reducing the interference of the display light source 22 on touch sensitivity. It should be noted that... Figure 9 The dashed area in the diagram represents the projection area of ​​the touch signal sensing area 21, while Figure 9 This is a partial view of the back of a printed circuit board.

[0053] On the other hand, this application embodiment also provides a smart appliance, which includes the switch panel described above, and the smart appliance is any one of a range hood, dishwasher, steam oven, and oven.

[0054] The above description is only an optional embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A switch panel, characterized in that, The switch panel includes a housing (1) and a printed circuit board (2). The housing (1) has an internal cavity (11), and the printed circuit board (2) is movably disposed in the cavity (11). The printed circuit board (2) is provided with multiple touch signal sensing areas (21), and each of the multiple touch signal sensing areas (21) is provided with a display light source (22). The housing (1) is also provided with an opening structure (12) for accommodating the functional display area. The orthographic projection area of ​​the opening structure (12) on the printed circuit board (2) corresponds one-to-one with the plurality of touch signal sensing areas (21), and the light source of the display light source (22) is directed toward the functional display area.

2. The switch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the printed circuit board (2) near the housing (1) is the front side of the printed circuit board (2). The plurality of touch signal sensing areas (21) are disposed on the front side of the printed circuit board (2). The display light source (22) is disposed on the front or back side of the printed circuit board (2), and the light source of the display light source (22) is directed toward the functional display area.

3. The switch panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the display light source (22) is located on the back of the printed circuit board (2), the printed circuit board (2) is provided with a plurality of through holes (23), and the plurality of through holes (23) are located at the center of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas (21) for accommodating the display light source (22) so that the light source of the display light source (22) is directed toward the functional display area.

4. The switch panel according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The display light source (22) is a surface-mount LED lamp, which is mounted upside down on the printed circuit board (2).

5. The switch panel according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The outer contour of the touch signal sensing area (21) can be any one of the following: circle, rectangle, square, trapezoid, or irregular shape.

6. The switch panel according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, A light guide sheet is provided in the functional display area, and a functional icon is provided in the light guide sheet. The thickness of the light guide sheet is less than or equal to the distance between the display light source (22) and the outer surface of the housing (1).

7. The switch panel according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The display light source (22) also includes a driving circuit (221); in the projection area of ​​the touch signal sensing area (21), the positive electrode trace (222) and the negative electrode trace (223) in the driving circuit (221) are arranged in parallel.

8. The switch panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The surfaces of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas (21) are provided with sensing pads (24), and the back of the printed circuit board (2) is also provided with a touch chip (25). The induction pad (24) and the display light source (22) are electrically connected to the touch chip (25), respectively.

9. The switch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing distance of the plurality of touch signal sensing areas (21) is 2.5mm-4.5mm, and the thickness of the housing (1) is less than or equal to the sensing distance.

10. A smart appliance, characterized in that, The smart appliance includes the switch panel as described in any one of claims 1-9, and the smart appliance is any one of a range hood, dishwasher, steam oven, and oven.

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