Household appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (1), in particular a household cooking appliance, with a treatment chamber (2), and a control knob (13, 14) for selecting an operating function by a user, wherein the control knob (13, 14) has a switch handle (28), and an axle adapter (17) with a light-reflecting inner surface (21), and wherein the axle adapter (17) has a receiving section (23) for receiving a lighting device (24).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a household appliance.

[0002] A household appliance, such as an oven, comprises a processing chamber, in particular a cooking chamber, enclosed by a muffle or oven muffle, to which a door is movably attached. A user can select an operating function of the household appliance using a control knob attached to a control panel.

[0003] Against this background, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved household appliance.

[0004] Accordingly, a household appliance, in particular a household cooking appliance, with a treatment chamber and a control knob for selecting an operating function by a user is proposed, wherein the control knob has a switch handle and an axle adapter with a light-reflecting inner surface, and wherein the axle adapter has a receiving portion for receiving a lighting device.

[0005] The household appliance can be, for example, a stove, an oven, a microwave combination oven, a double oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, a washing machine, or the like. In the event that the household appliance is a household cooking appliance, the treatment chamber can also be a cooking chamber. Preferably, a door is pivotably attached to the treatment chamber. Hinges can be provided for this purpose. Alternatively, the door can also be arranged on a baking trolley or the like that can be pulled out of the treatment chamber. In this case, the door is not pivotably attached to the treatment chamber, but can be displaced linearly relative to it. The treatment chamber is preferably cube-shaped or cuboid-shaped and comprises a floor, a ceiling arranged opposite the floor, a rear wall arranged opposite the closed door, and two side walls arranged opposite one another.

[0006] The receiving section can, in particular, be designed in a slot-shaped manner. "Slot-shaped" means that the receiving section has a significantly larger extension in one spatial direction than in the other two spatial directions. Opposite side walls of the receiving section are aligned parallel to each other. The receiving section is therefore, in particular, not tapered or wedge-shaped.

[0007] The receiving section can be arranged in a transition area of ​​the axle adapter, which refers to an area within which the contour of the inner surface of the axle adapter changes, for example, transitioning from a cylindrical shell contour to a circular disk contour. However, other arrangement options for the receiving section within the axle adapter are also conceivable.

[0008] The user of the household appliance is a person who operates, i.e. uses, the household appliance.

[0009] The lighting device is, in particular, a device for illuminating the control knob, thus illuminating the control knob from within. For this purpose, the lighting unit comprises a light-emitting diode (LED), for example, although other types of light-emitting diodes are also conceivable. Furthermore, the lighting device can be designed as a single LED, which is attached using its electrical control lines. However, it is also conceivable for the lighting device to be designed as an LED, which is designed as an SMD component (Surface Mounted Device) and arranged on an electrical circuit board.

[0010] The light-reflecting property of the inner surface of the axle adapter is to be understood in the sense that a large part of the light incident on the inner surface is reflected and returned by the inner surface, while only a negligible part of the incident light is absorbed by the axle adapter.

[0011] The control knob can be located on a control panel, which can be located above the appliance door. This allows the user to reach the control knob and select a function of the appliance in a particularly easy and ergonomic manner.

[0012] Because the spindle adapter of the control knob has a receiving section for accommodating the lighting device, the control knob can be optionally equipped with the lighting device in a particularly simple manner. In particular, this allows the control knob to be manufactured and used as a modular system in the sense of a building kit. The building kit is designed in such a way that the uniformly designed spindle adapter can be used in control knobs with or without lighting devices. This reduces manufacturing and storage costs, as well as the number of required tools.

[0013] Furthermore, the proposed household appliance advantageously allows the axle adapter to be designed as a modular component, also with regard to the type of lighting device, which allows for the arrangement of both a loose individual LED and an LED implemented as an SMD component on a circuit board. This also allows for reduced manufacturing and storage costs.

[0014] Finally, thanks to the light-reflecting inner surface, a high light output can be achieved and the entire control knob can be illuminated even with the help of a low-intensity lighting device, which is therefore cost-effective both in terms of its purchase price and its subsequent energy costs.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the axle adapter is pot-shaped.

[0016] The cup-shaped design of the axle adapter results in a particularly pronounced rounded inner surface. This rounded shape is particularly advantageous for light reflection, as even parallel light rays can be widely scattered at the rounded inner surface, thus achieving a particularly evenly distributed illumination of the control knob.

[0017] According to a further embodiment, the axle adapter has an axle adapter base, an axle adapter side wall and a concave transition region arranged between the axle adapter base and the axle adapter side wall.

[0018] The transition area thus represents a contour transition between the cylindrically designed axle adapter side wall and the disc-shaped axle adapter base. In particular, the transition area can have a radius designed such that the transition area, viewed from a body center of the axle adapter, is concave. In addition to the resulting concave area of ​​the transition area, the transition area can also have non-concave areas, for example, in the area of ​​the receiving section. However, the area of ​​the transition area with the largest area proportion is concave and thus forms the cup-shaped shape of the axle adapter.

[0019] According to a further embodiment, the axle adapter is designed to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to a rotation axis and has an axle adapter bearing for receiving an axle, which axle adapter bearing is arranged centrally on the rotation axis.

[0020] In addition to the rotationally symmetrical shape of the axle adapter, the axle adapter can also have areas that are not rotationally symmetrical, for example in the area of ​​the receiving section. The axle adapter bearing can, for example, be designed as a recess within the axle adapter or as a bordered area of ​​the axle adapter into which the axle can be inserted. However, it is also conceivable to design the axle as one piece with the axle adapter and dispense with the axle adapter bearing. A two-component injection molding process can be used for this, for example. In both cases, however, the axle adapter is designed so that the axle is positioned centrally on the rotation axis. This can advantageously enable particularly pronounced concentricity of the operating knob.

[0021] According to a further embodiment, the axle adapter has a light-reflecting surface coating and / or a light-reflecting material.

[0022] In particular, the axle adapter has the light-reflecting surface coating and / or the light-reflecting material or a surface structure, which can also be designed to scatter light. Light-reflecting means that a large portion of the incident light falling on the surface is reflected and thrown back, and only a negligible portion of the incident light is absorbed. The surface coating can be designed, for example, as a light-colored paint or varnish. However, it is also conceivable to apply a metallic material as the surface coating, for example as part of a galvanic process. Alternatively or in addition to a surface coating, the material of the axle adapter can also have light-reflecting properties, for example, it can consist of a light-colored plastic or metal.This can advantageously achieve a standardization of the entire manufacturing process chain and, for example, already existing and non-light-reflecting axle adapters can also be part of the control knob.

[0023] According to a further embodiment, the control knob has a lighting device for illuminating the control knob, wherein the lighting device is arranged such that the light emitted by it shines exclusively into the axle adapter.

[0024] The lighting device can also be arranged so that the light it emits is directed forward. The lighting device comprises the light source, which can be implemented, in particular, as an LED. This allows the control knob to be illuminated particularly cost-effectively and with minimal energy consumption. Illuminating the control knob is particularly advantageous in that it allows the user to easily identify and distinguish between the symbols displayed on the control knob for selecting an operating function. For example, this allows the user to operate the household appliance safely even in poor lighting conditions.

[0025] The lighting device can be designed in a single color, but it can also be multi-colored, for example, as a single multi-colored LED or as an arrangement of several differently colored LEDs. This advantageously allows the user to differentiate between different operating functions using color, for example, and thus prevent incorrect operation of the household appliance.

[0026] The lighting device is preferably arranged such that the light emitted by it shines exclusively into the axis adapter. The main beam direction of the lighting device points towards the axis adapter for this purpose. The light emitted by the lighting device can therefore reach the axis adapter via a direct beam path, in particular without reflections between the lighting device and the axis adapter. However, it is also conceivable that, for example due to manufacturing reasons, the lighting device also emits light with a beam direction deviating from this main beam direction and thus light rays from the lighting device also reach components other than the axis adapter via a direct beam path. However, it is preferred that all light emitted by the lighting device reaches the axis adapter via a direct beam path.In an advantageous manner, this, together with the light-reflecting inner surface of the axle adapter, can achieve a particularly pronounced reflection and distribution of the light rays within the control knob.

[0027] According to a further embodiment, the axle adapter has an axle adapter cavity, which axle adapter cavity is connected to the receiving section via a common opening, wherein the lighting device is arranged within the receiving section.

[0028] In other words, the axle adapter has two cavities. The receiving section is one of these cavities and serves to accommodate the lighting device. The receiving section is connected to the significantly larger axle adapter cavity via the shared opening. This opening is designed so that the light from the lighting device enters the axle adapter cavity. The axle adapter cavity serves, among other things, to reflect the light rays on the inner wall of the axle adapter and thus to distribute the light from the lighting device throughout the entire control knob.The arrangement of the lighting device within the separate receiving section, which is only connected to the axle adapter cavity via the small opening, serves not least to ensure the safety of the user and ensures, for example, that the user cannot reach and touch electrically conductive components even if the switch handle is removed.

[0029] According to a further embodiment, the household appliance is characterized in that the receiving section is arranged in the transition region and the opening opens the receiving section towards the axis of rotation and is arranged such that the light of the lighting device radiates substantially perpendicular to and towards the axis of rotation.

[0030] The main beam direction of the lighting device thus runs from the lighting device perpendicular to the rotation axis to the opposite side of the transition area. This advantageously reflects, scatters, and distributes the light rays within the control knob, particularly at the concave contour of the transition area. However, some of the light rays also strike the axis located centrally on the rotation axis or the axis adapter bearing located centrally on the rotation axis. The incident light is also reflected, scattered, and distributed within the control knob on their surfaces. This advantageously allows a particularly homogeneous distribution of the light rays within the control knob to be achieved.

[0031] According to a further embodiment, the household appliance is characterized in that the receiving section is arranged on the axis adapter side wall and the opening opens the receiving section towards the axis adapter base and is designed such that the light of the lighting device radiates substantially axially parallel to the axis of rotation and away from the switch handle.

[0032] For this purpose, the receiving section can, for example, be arranged perpendicular to the axis adapter side wall with respect to its main extent and penetrate the axis adapter side wall. The main beam direction of the light from the lighting device is directed from the lighting device, axially parallel to the axis of rotation, towards the axis adapter base. The light from the lighting device is therefore first reflected and distributed at the axis adapter base and from there thrown back towards the switch handle. A direct beam path between the lighting device and the switch handle is excluded. Advantageously, this ensures that the light from the lighting unit is distributed particularly evenly within the control knob. However, part of the light can also be emitted in directions that are not axially parallel to the axis of rotation.

[0033] According to a further embodiment, the switch handle is designed as a hollow, rotationally symmetrical cylinder and has a switch handle cavity, which switch handle cavity is connected to the axle adapter cavity and together with the axle adapter cavity forms a common cavity, which common cavity penetrates a control panel.

[0034] The switch handle, designed as a hollow, rotationally symmetrical cylinder, is open on one side and oriented with its open side towards the spindle adapter, while the cup-shaped spindle adapter is open on one side and oriented with its open side towards the switch handle. In this way, the switch handle cavity and the spindle adapter cavity are aligned and connected to one another, forming a common cavity. The common cavity is essentially closed off to the outside. However, particularly in the area of ​​the control panel, the common cavity can also have openings to the outside, which are caused, for example, by manufacturing reasons and / or tolerances. Outwards here means towards the environment of the household appliance. The penetration of the control panel is to be understood in such a way that the common cavity intersects a plane of the control panel.The common cavity can therefore extend in the direction of both normal directions of the control panel, where the normal direction is understood to be a direction perpendicular to a plane of the control panel. The switch handle is predominantly designed as a hollow, rotationally symmetrical cylinder. However, it can also have areas that are not rotationally symmetrical. For example, the switch handle can have contours that deviate from a rotationally shaped shape in one area or at one point on its circumference. For example, the switch handle can be flattened in an area that is used to set a specific operating function of the household appliance in order to particularly highlight and clarify this operating function for the user.

[0035] According to a further embodiment, the control knob is designed and arranged such that the light of the lighting device is reflected and scattered on the light-reflecting inner surface and reaches the switch handle only indirectly, so that the switch handle is homogeneously illuminated on the inside.

[0036] Because only indirect light from the lighting device reaches the switch handle, i.e., light that is reflected at least once on an inner surface of the control knob, the switch handle is illuminated particularly homogeneously on the inside. "Inside" means that the light from the lighting device, which is emitted inside the control knob, in particular in a hollow space in the control knob, reaches the switch handle from the center of the control knob. The center of the body here refers to the geometric center of the control knob. This does not, in particular, exclude the possibility that the switch handle may also be illuminated from the outside, for example due to natural sunlight or the light from room lighting, which may result in inhomogeneous external illumination of the switch handle.Advantageously, the homogeneous internal illumination of the switch handle can illuminate every area of ​​the switch handle, so that every area of ​​the switch handle can be perceived as illuminated by the user.

[0037] According to a further embodiment, the switch handle has a switch handle front side, which switch handle front side has both areas made of transparent and / or translucent material and areas made of opaque and non-translucent material, wherein the transparent or translucent areas are arranged in particular such that they represent one or more symbols for an operating function.

[0038] In particular, the front of the switch handle has areas made of transparent and / or translucent and / or light-diffusing and / or light-distributing material. The opaque and non-translucent areas are designed in such a way that the light from the lighting device cannot penetrate them. In contrast, the light from the lighting device can penetrate the transparent and / or translucent areas, so that when viewed from the outside, for example by the user, these appear illuminated or shining. The combination of the areas makes it possible to display illuminated or shining symbols on the front of the switch handle or a surface of the operating knob. The operating knob is designed in such a way that all symbols for operating functions on the front of the switch handle are illuminated or shine simultaneously.This advantageously allows the user to operate the household appliance safely even in poor lighting conditions, while the illumination of the symbols can be implemented particularly easily and cost-effectively.

[0039] According to a further embodiment, the switch handle is mounted rotatably about the rotation axis, wherein the switch handle has a switch handle bearing for receiving the axis, which switch handle bearing is arranged centrally on the rotation axis.

[0040] Similar to the axle adapter bearing, the switch handle bearing can be designed as a recess in the switch handle or as a framed area of ​​the switch handle in which the axle can be located. However, it is also conceivable to design the switch handle as a single piece with the axle instead of the switch handle bearing.

[0041] According to a further embodiment, the operating knob has the axis for connecting the switch handle and the axis adapter, wherein the switch handle is either rotatably mounted about the axis or the switch handle is rotatably mounted on the axis adapter together with the axis.

[0042] By rotating the axis with the switch handle, the current angular position of the switch handle, and thus the selection of a control function of the household appliance, can be detected and recognized particularly easily by the household appliance. Furthermore, the use of an axis between the switch handle and the axis adapter enables particularly simple installation of the control knob and, in particular, allows the switch handle to be positioned on one side of the control panel and the axis adapter to be positioned on an opposite side of the control panel. However, it is also conceivable for the switch handle, the axis, and the axis adapter to be designed as a single, one-piece part.

[0043] According to a further embodiment, the switch handle either rests on the control panel with an outwardly projecting edge or is designed such that the switch handle can be retracted through the control panel.

[0044] The edge can be the previously mentioned lateral surface. The switch handle can therefore have an edge that projects outwards, i.e. distally from the axis of rotation, and a larger outer diameter than the inner diameter of a hole in the control panel, so that the switch handle rests on the control panel. Resting does not necessarily mean constant contact between the switch handle and the control panel. Rather, the outwardly projecting edge of the switch handle acts as a stop function, preventing the switch handle from penetrating the control panel. Alternatively, the switch handle can also be designed so that it can be recessed through the control panel. In this case, the control panel has a hole through which the switch handle fits.This allows the user to push the switch handle through the control panel and, for example, to lower it flush with the control panel within the household appliance. For example, to select a control function, the user can push the switch handle out through the control panel again by pressing it again. This not only has aesthetic advantages but also advantageously prevents or prevents damage to the switch handle caused by the user, for example, during transport of the household appliance or due to accidental impact.

[0045] Further possible implementations of the household appliance also include combinations of features or embodiments described above or below with respect to the exemplary embodiments that are not explicitly mentioned. In this case, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the household appliance.

[0046] Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the household appliance are the subject of the dependent claims and the exemplary embodiments of the household appliance described below. The household appliance is explained in more detail below using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance; Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective sectional view of an embodiment of a control knob of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the control knob according to Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of a control knob of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a lighting device of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a switch handle of the household appliance according to Fig. 1 .

[0047] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements have been given the same reference numerals unless otherwise stated.

[0048] The Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 can be a stove, an oven, a microwave combination oven, a double oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, a washing machine, or the like. The household appliance 1 has a treatment chamber 2 that can be closed by means of a door 3. In the event that the household appliance 1 is a household cooking appliance, the treatment chamber 2 can also be a cooking chamber. The treatment chamber 2 can also be referred to as a muffle or oven muffle. The treatment chamber 2 can be arranged inside a housing of the household appliance 1.

[0049] Door 3 is in the Fig. 1 shown in a closed position. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis provided at a lower end of the door 3 or at a lower edge 4 of the door 3. Alternatively, the door 3 can be hinged laterally on the treatment room 2. Furthermore, the door 3 can be arranged on a baking trolley that can be pulled out of the treatment room 2. However, the type of movement of the door 3 when it is opened can be freely selected. This means that the door 3 can, in principle, perform any movement when it is opened.

[0050] A handle 6 can be provided on an upper section or on an upper edge 5 of the door 3. However, the door 3 can also be handleless. The treatment room 2 has a floor 7, a ceiling 8 arranged opposite the floor 7, a rear wall 9 arranged opposite the closed door 3, and two side walls 10, 11 arranged opposite one another. The treatment room 2 is preferably cuboid or cube-shaped. The treatment room 2 can be made of a metal material, in particular of sheet steel.

[0051] The household appliance 1 further comprises control knobs 13, 14 provided on a switch panel or control panel 12. The control knobs 13, 14 can be identical. In the following, reference is therefore always made to the control knob 13. However, the statements regarding the control knob 13 also apply analogously to the control knob 14. The control knob 13 can, for example, be rotatable. A control device 15, shown only schematically, for controlling the household appliance 1 can be provided on the back of the control panel 12. The control device 15 can be a regulating and / or control device. A display 16 can also be provided on the control panel 12. With the help of the display 16, an operating state of the household appliance 1 can be displayed. For example, with the help of the display 16, a temperature set using the control knob 13 can be displayed.

[0052] The household appliance 1 or the treatment room 2 is assigned a coordinate system with a width direction or x-direction x, a height direction or y-direction y, and a depth direction or z-direction z. The directions x, y, z are oriented perpendicular to each other. The x-direction x is oriented from the side wall 10 toward the side wall 11. The y-direction y is oriented from the floor 7 toward the ceiling 8. The z-direction z is oriented from the rear wall 9 toward the closed door 3.

[0053] The Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective sectional view of an embodiment of a control knob 13 of the household appliance 1 as mentioned above. The control knob 13 has a pot-shaped spindle adapter 17. The spindle adapter 17 in turn has an spindle adapter base 18, an spindle adapter side wall 19, and a concave transition region 20 arranged between the spindle adapter base 18 and the spindle adapter side wall 19. The spindle adapter base 18, the spindle adapter side wall 19, and the transition region 20 together form the pot-shaped shape of the spindle adapter 17. In addition, the spindle adapter 17 has a light-reflecting inner surface 21, the light-reflecting property of which is designed such that a large part of the light incident on it is reflected and only a negligible portion of the incident light is absorbed.The axle adapter 17 forms an axle adapter cavity 22 which is open towards the control panel 12, i.e. in the direction of the positive depth direction z.

[0054] The axle adapter 17 also has a receiving section 23 for receiving a lighting device 24. The receiving section 23 is slot-shaped, i.e., it has a significantly greater extent in one spatial direction than in the other two spatial directions, with the respective opposite side surfaces of the receiving section 23 being aligned parallel to one another. The receiving section 23 is connected to the axle adapter cavity 22 via an opening 25, i.e., the receiving section 23 is open to the axle adapter cavity 22 via the opening 25. Centrally on a rotational axis r, the axle adapter 17 has an axle adapter bearing 26, which is designed with a border and serves to receive an axle 27.

[0055] The axle adapter 17 is designed to be predominantly rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis r. This means that the axle adapter base 18, the axle adapter side wall 19, the transition area 20, and the axle adapter bearing 26 are designed to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis r, while the receiving section 23 is arranged at only one location on the axle adapter 17 and therefore does not satisfy rotational symmetry.

[0056] The inner surface 21 of the axle adapter 17 can be provided with a light-reflecting surface coating. Alternatively or additionally, the material of the axle adapter 17 can already have light-reflecting properties, for example, it can consist of a light-colored plastic or metal. The illumination device 24 is arranged within the axle adapter 17 such that the light emitted by it primarily falls onto the axle adapter 17, in particular onto the light-reflecting inner surface 21.

[0057] In addition to the spindle adapter 17 and the spindle 27, the control knob 13 has a switch handle 28, which is designed as a hollow, rotationally symmetrical cylinder. The switch handle 28 is arranged on one side of the control panel 12, while the spindle adapter 17 is arranged on a side opposite the side with the switch handle 28. The switch handle 28 forms a switch handle cavity 29, which is oriented toward the control panel 12. The switch handle cavity 29 thus forms a common cavity 30 with the spindle adapter cavity 22, which common cavity 30 penetrates the control panel 12.

[0058] In addition, the switch handle 28 has a switch handle bearing 31, which is designed as a bordered area and serves to receive the axis 27 and is arranged centrally on the rotation axis r. The switch handle 28 is rotationally fixedly connected to the axis 27, with the combination of switch handle 28 and axis 27 being rotatably mounted on the axis adapter 17.

[0059] The switch handle 28 also has a switch handle front side 32, which faces a user during use of the household appliance 1. The switch handle 28 also has an edge 33 that projects outward, i.e., distally from the rotation axis r. The edge 33 can also be referred to as a peripheral surface. This edge 33 can serve as a stop, so that the switch handle 28 can rest on the control panel 12. Alternatively, the switch handle 28 could also be designed such that the user can push the switch handle 28 through the control panel 12 and countersink it flush with the control panel 12 within the household appliance 1. In this case, the switch handle 28 does not rest on the control panel 12; instead, the stop is on the axis adapter 17.

[0060] The Fig. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the control knob 13. In the Fig. 2 and 3In the illustrated embodiment of the control knob 13, the receiving section 23 and the illumination device 24 are arranged in the transition region 20 of the axis adapter 17. The opening 25 thus opens the receiving section 23 in the direction of the rotation axis r and is arranged such that the light from the illumination device 24 radiates substantially perpendicular to and toward the rotation axis r.

[0061] The Fig. 3 also shows how the light emitted by the lighting device 24 (shown as dashed arrows) is reflected and scattered on the inner surface 21 of the axle adapter 17 and distributed within the common cavity 30 of the control knob 13, reaching the switch handle 28 only indirectly. This enables a homogeneous illumination of the control knob 13 from the inside.

[0062] The Fig. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of a control knob 13 of the household appliance 1 as mentioned above. In this embodiment of the control knob 13, the receiving section 23 is arranged on the axis adapter side wall 19. The opening 25 opens the receiving section 23 toward the axis adapter base 18 and is designed such that the light of the illumination device 24 (shown as dashed arrows) radiates essentially axially parallel to the rotation axis r and away from the switch handle 28 (i.e., in the negative depth direction -z). The light of the illumination device 24 therefore only reaches the switch handle 28 after at least one reflection on the inner surface 21.

[0063] The Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the illumination device 24 of the control knob 13. The illumination device 24 has a light source 34 in the form of an LED, which is designed as an SMD component. The illumination device 24 can also have several light sources 34, which can, for example, be multi-colored in order to emit light of different colors. Fig. 5 Several lighting devices 34 are shown, but only one of them is provided with a reference symbol. The lighting devices 34 are mounted on a circuit board 35, which could also be referred to as a printed circuit board. The circuit board 35 is designed to be mounted within the receiving section 23 of the axle adapter 17.

[0064] The Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of the switch handle 28 of the control knob 13. The switch handle 28 is shown from a typical user perspective, namely a view of the switch handle 28 in the negative depth direction -z, so that the switch handle front 32 can be seen from the front. The switch handle front 32 has areas 36, 37 made of opaque and non-translucent material through which the light from the illumination device 24 does not penetrate. In addition, the switch handle front 32 also has several areas 38 made of transparent or translucent material through which the light from the illumination device 24 penetrates and is thus visible to the user. Fig. 6 several areas 38 are shown, but only one of them is provided with a reference symbol.

[0065] In this way, one or more illuminated or shining symbols can be realized in a cost-effective manner, which symbols represent one or more operating functions of the household appliance 1. In this way, the user can easily recognize corresponding symbols even in poor lighting conditions and thus reliably select a desired operating function of the household appliance 1. The operating knob 13 is designed such that all areas 38 representing corresponding symbols for operating functions are illuminated simultaneously. In this way, corresponding lighting can be realized particularly easily and cost-effectively. The edge 33 can also be illuminated. For this purpose, translucent symbols can be provided on the edge 33.

[0066] Although the present invention has been described using exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in many ways. Reference symbols used:

[0067] 1Household appliance 2Treatment room 3Door 4Lower edge 5Top edge 6Handle 7Floor 8Ceiling 9Rear wall 10Side wall 11Side wall 12Control panel 13Control knob 14Control knob 15Control device 16Display 17Shaft adapter 18Shaft adapter base 19Shaft adapter side wall 20Transition area 21Inner surface 22Shaft adapter cavity 23Receiving section 24Lighting device 25Opening 26Shaft adapter bearing 27Shaft 28Switch handle 29Switch handle cavity 30Common cavity 31Switch handle bearing 32Switch handle front 33Edge 34Light source 35Printed circuit board 36Area 37Area 38Area rRotation axis xx-direction yy-direction zz-direction

Claims

1. Household appliance (1), in particular a household cooking appliance, with a treatment chamber (2), and a control knob (13, 14) for selection of an operating function by a user, wherein the control knob (13, 14) has a switch handle (28), and an axle adapter (17) with a light-reflecting inner surface (21), and wherein the axle adapter (17) has a receiving section (23) for receiving a lighting device (24).

2. Household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the axle adapter (17) is pot-shaped.

3. Household appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the axle adapter (17) has an axle adapter base (18), an axle adapter side wall (19), and a concave transition region (20) arranged between the axle adapter base (18) and the axle adapter side wall (19).

4. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 3, characterized in thatthe axle adapter (17) is designed rotationally symmetrically with respect to a rotation axis (r) and has an axle adapter bearing (26) for receiving an axle (27), which axle adapter bearing (26) is arranged centrally on the rotation axis (r).

5. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the axle adapter (17) has a light-reflecting surface coating and / or a light-reflecting material.

6. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the control knob (13, 14) has a lighting device (24) for illuminating the control knob (13, 14), wherein the lighting device (24) is arranged such that the light emitted by it shines exclusively into the axle adapter (17).

7. Household appliance according to claim 6, characterized in thatthe axle adapter (17) has an axle adapter cavity (22), which axle adapter cavity (22) is connected to the receiving section (23) via a common opening (25), wherein the lighting device (24) is arranged within the receiving section (23).

8. Household appliance according to claims 3, 4 and 7, characterized in that the receiving section (23) is arranged in the transition region (20) and the opening (25) opens the receiving section (23) towards the axis of rotation (r) and is arranged such that the light of the illumination device (24) radiates substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (r) and towards it.

9. Household appliance according to claims 3, 4 and 7, characterized in thatthe receiving section (23) is arranged on the axle adapter side wall (19) and the opening (25) opens the receiving section (23) towards the axle adapter base (18) and is designed such that the light of the lighting device (24) radiates substantially axially parallel to the axis of rotation (r) and away from the switch handle (28).

10. Household appliance according to one of claims 7 - 9, characterized in that the switch handle (28) is designed as a hollow, rotationally symmetrical cylinder and has a switch handle cavity (29), which switch handle cavity (29) is connected to the axle adapter cavity (22) and together with the axle adapter cavity (22) forms a common cavity (30), which common cavity (30) penetrates a control panel (12).

11. Household appliance according to one of claims 6 - 10, characterized in thatthe operating knob (13, 14) is designed and arranged such that the light of the lighting device (24) is reflected and scattered on the light-reflecting inner surface (21) and reaches the switch handle (28) only indirectly, so that the switch handle (28) is homogeneously illuminated on the inside.

12. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 - 11, characterized in that the switch handle (28) has a switch handle front side (32), which switch handle front side (32) has both areas (38) made of transparent and / or translucent material and areas (36, 37) made of opaque and non-translucent material, wherein the transparent or translucent areas (38) are arranged in particular such that they represent one or more symbols for an operating function.

13. Household appliance according to one of claims 4 - 12, characterized in thatthe switch handle (28) is mounted rotatably about the rotation axis (r), wherein the switch handle (28) has a switch handle bearing (31) for receiving the axis (27), which switch handle bearing (31) is arranged centrally on the rotation axis (r).

14. Household appliance according to claim 13, characterized in that the operating knob (13, 14) has the axis (27) for connecting the switch handle (28) and the axis adapter (17), wherein the switch handle (28) is either rotatably mounted about the axis (27) or the switch handle (28) is rotatably mounted on the axis adapter (17) together with the axis (27).

15. Household appliance according to one of claims 10 - 14 characterized in that the switch handle (28) either rests on the control panel (12) with an outwardly projecting edge (33), or that the switch handle (28) is designed such that the switch handle (28) can be retracted through the control panel (12).

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