Indicator lamp assembly, door body assembly and dishwasher

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are an indicator lamp assembly, a door body assembly and a dishwasher. The indicator lamp assembly comprises a housing, a lamp source assembly, a convex lens and a light guide column, wherein a light guide cavity is formed inside the housing, the light guide cavity is provided with a light inlet and a light outlet, and the inner diameter of the light guide cavity gradually increases in a direction from the light inlet to the light outlet; the lamp source assembly comprises a circuit board fixed to the housing and a lamp source mounted on the circuit board; the convex lens is fixed to the housing and is arranged at the light outlet; the light guide column is fixed to the housing and is located between the lamp source and the convex lens; and the light guide column is configured to guide light, which is emitted by the lamp source, into the light inlet, and part of the light is reflected by a cavity wall of the light guide cavity and is emitted to the convex lens.

Description

Indicator light assembly, door assembly and dishwasher

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application with application number 2023112808526 and invention name “Indicator light assembly, door assembly and dishwasher” submitted to the China Patent Office on September 28, 2023, and the Chinese patent application with application number 202322666662X and invention name “Indicator light assembly, door assembly and dishwasher”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to an indicator light assembly, a door assembly, and a dishwasher. Background Art

[0003] There are many types of household appliances, such as dishwashers, vegetable washers, disinfection cabinets, etc. Some household appliances are equipped with indicator lights, which can indicate the working status of the electrical equipment. For example, when the household appliance is a dishwasher, the information displayed by the display spot projected by the indicator light on the ground can represent the working status of the dishwasher, such as operation, pause, etc.

[0004] However, in the exemplary technology, the display effect of the display light spot projected by the indicator light on the lighting surface is not good.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides an indicator light assembly, a door assembly and a dishwasher, which can effectively improve the display effect of the display light spot projected by the indicator light assembly on the ground, making it easier for users to clearly understand the usage status of the dishwasher through the display light spot.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an indicator light assembly, the indicator light assembly comprising:

[0008] The housing is formed with a light guide cavity, the light guide cavity having a light inlet and a light outlet, and the inner diameter of the light guide cavity gradually increases in a direction from the light inlet to the light outlet;

[0009] a light source assembly, comprising a circuit board fixed to the housing and a light source mounted on the circuit board;

[0010] a convex lens, fixed to the housing and disposed at the light outlet; and

[0011] A light guide column is fixed to the housing and is located between the light source and the convex lens. The light guide column is configured to guide the light emitted by the light source to the light inlet, and part of the light is reflected by the cavity wall of the light guide cavity and emitted to the convex lens.

[0012] In some embodiments, the light-guiding cavity has a contour in the form of a frustum;

[0013] The angle between the center line of the light guide cavity and the contour line obtained by intersecting the cross section passing through the center line of the light guide cavity is greater than or equal to 10 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees.

[0014] In some embodiments, the light guide column includes a light emitting surface facing the light incident port, and a distance is provided between the light emitting surface and the light incident port.

[0015] In some embodiments, the spacing is less than or equal to 9 mm.

[0016] In some embodiments, the light guide column includes a light emitting surface facing the light entrance, and a distance between the light emitting surface and a focal plane of the convex lens located on the light entrance side thereof is 20 mm to 50 mm.

[0017] In some embodiments, the housing further forms a mounting cavity communicating with the light guide cavity, and the lamp source assembly and the light guide column are fixed in the mounting cavity.

[0018] In some embodiments, the housing includes a main housing and a housing cover.

[0019] In some embodiments, the main shell is hollow and forms the light guide cavity. The shell cover is buckled onto one end of the main shell and cooperates with the main shell to form the installation cavity.

[0020] In some embodiments, the housing is further provided with a wire hole communicating with the mounting cavity.

[0021] In some embodiments, the wire hole is configured to allow a wire connected to the circuit board to pass through.

[0022] In some embodiments, a water retaining portion is further provided on the outer side of the shell.

[0023] In some embodiments, the water retaining portion is located above the wire passing hole.

[0024] In some embodiments, a winding portion is further provided on the outer side of the housing.

[0025] In some embodiments, the winding portion is disposed adjacent to the wire passing hole.

[0026] In some embodiments, the light guide column includes a light incident surface and a light emitting surface at both ends in the length direction thereof, and a peripheral surface, wherein the peripheral surface is connected between the light incident surface and the light emitting surface.

[0027] In some embodiments, the peripheral surface is formed with a plurality of inclined surfaces spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the light guide column, and the inclined surfaces extend from the light incident surface toward the light emitting surface.

[0028] In some embodiments, an end of the inclined surface facing the light incident surface is disposed closer to the center of the light guide column than an end of the inclined surface facing the light emitting surface.

[0029] In some embodiments, a fixing frame fixed to the outer periphery of the light guide column is further included.

[0030] In some embodiments, the fixing frame is connected to the housing and presses against the circuit board, so that the circuit board and the housing are relatively fixed.

[0031] In some embodiments, the fixing frame includes a fixing plate and a plurality of supporting rods connected to each other.

[0032] In some embodiments, the fixing plate is disposed around the outside of the light guide column and is fixedly connected to the housing, and the plurality of support rods press the circuit board onto the housing.

[0033] In some embodiments, a positioning post is further provided on the housing, and a positioning hole for plugging and cooperating with the positioning post is provided on the circuit board.

[0034] In some embodiments, a mounting bracket is further included, and the mounting bracket is fixed to the housing.

[0035] In some embodiments, the convex lens is mounted on the mounting bracket and covers the light outlet.

[0036] In some embodiments, the light source is a multi-color LED light;

[0037] And / or, the convex lens is a biconvex lens.

[0038] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a door body assembly, which includes a door body and an indicator light assembly as described above, wherein a connecting portion is provided on the outer wall of the door body, and an installing portion is provided on the shell, and the installing portion is fixedly connected to the connecting portion.

[0039] In some embodiments, the mounting portion is a sliding buckle provided on the outer side of the housing, and the connecting portion is a sliding groove formed on the outer wall surface of the door body;

[0040] Wherein, the slide buckle is adaptively connected to the slide groove so that the shell is fixedly connected to the door body.

[0041] In some embodiments, the slider includes a first slider, the slide groove includes a first slide groove, the first slider includes an elastic arm and a buckling portion, one end of the elastic arm is connected to the outer side of the shell, and the other end is connected to the buckling portion, and the elastic arm can be elastically deformed so that the buckling portion is engaged in the first slide groove;

[0042] And / or, the slide includes a second slide, the slide groove includes a second slide, the second slide includes a connecting section and a buckling section arranged at an angle, one end of the connecting section is connected to the outside of the shell, and the other end is connected to the buckling section, and the buckling section is engaged with the second slide groove, wherein the number of the second slides is two, the number of the second slide grooves corresponds to the number of the second slides, and the two adjacent buckling sections extend in opposite directions along the length direction of the shell.

[0043] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a dishwasher, which includes a body and the door assembly as described above, wherein the door is mounted on the body.

[0044] Based on the indicator light assembly, door assembly and dishwasher of the embodiments of the present application, a light guide column and a convex lens are provided in the indicator light assembly, and the light guide column is provided between the light source and the convex lens, so that the light emitted by the light source can be guided by the light guide column and can be transmitted from the light source to the convex lens with minimal loss, thereby reducing the loss of light during the propagation process, thereby making the overall brightness of the display light spot presented on the ground uniform and improving the display effect.

[0045] At the same time, the present application further forms a light guide cavity in the shell, so that after the light guided by the light guide column enters the entrance of the light guide cavity, part of the light can be reflected by the cavity wall of the light guide cavity and directed toward the convex lens, so that the light emitted by the light guide column is more concentrated and evenly projected onto the convex lens, so that the size of the light spot emitted by the convex lens meets the use requirements, and the light emitted by the light guide column can be concentrated and mapped within the same range on the ground through the convex lens, finally presenting a light spot effect with uniform brightness, achieving a significant improvement in the display effect, and making it easier for users to observe. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0047] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of an indicator light of the present application;

[0048] FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the indicator light shown in FIG1 ;

[0049] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the indicator light shown in FIG1 from another perspective;

[0050] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the indicator light shown in FIG1 from one perspective;

[0051] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the indicator light shown in FIG1 from another perspective;

[0052] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the indicator light shown in FIG1 from another perspective.

[0053] Description of the accompanying drawings: 100, indicator light assembly; 10, housing; 10a, light guide cavity; 10b, light inlet; 10c, light outlet; 10d, Mounting cavity; 10e, wire hole; 11, main shell; 111, winding part; 113, second slider; 1131, connecting section; 1133, fastening section; 115, positioning column; 13, shell cover; 131, stop rib; 133, water retaining part; 135, first slider; 1351, elastic arm; 1353, fastening part; 30, light source assembly; 31, circuit board; 31a, positioning hole; 33, light source; 331, light; 50, mounting bracket; 70, convex lens; 71, double convex lens; 80, fixing frame; 81, fixing plate; 83, support rod; 90, light guide column; 91, light incident surface; 93, light exit surface; 95, peripheral surface; 97, inclined surface; L1, contour line; L2, center line; L3, spacing.

[0054] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the following part will further describe the embodiments of this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0057] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and subsequent associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0058] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0059] Currently, household appliances include a device body and an indicator light. The indicator light can indicate the working status of the device body. For example, when the household appliance is a dishwasher, the indicator light can project a light spot on the ground to indicate the working status of the dishwasher, such as running, paused, etc.

[0060] However, in the exemplary technology, the display effect of the display spot projected by the indicator light on the lighting surface is poor. For example, the overall brightness of the display spot projected on the ground is uneven, which makes the indication effect of the indicator light poor and affects the user experience.

[0061] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present application provides a dishwasher. In an embodiment of the present application, the dishwasher includes a body and a door assembly.

[0062] The machine body includes a washing chamber and an opening connected to the washing chamber. The washing chamber can be a chamber for placing dishes, and the opening can be configured to allow a user to remove and place dishes. A door assembly is mounted on the machine body. Specifically, the door assembly can be openably and closably disposed at the opening of the machine body, allowing the opening to be opened or closed.

[0063] Another aspect of the present application provides a door assembly. Please refer to FIG. 1 . In an embodiment of the present application, the door assembly includes a door body and an indicator light assembly 100 .

[0064] The door body may be installed on the machine body. Specifically, the door body may be openably and closably arranged at the opening of the machine body to be set to open the opening or close the opening.

[0065] The indicator light assembly 100 can be fixedly connected to the door body, for example, it can be fixedly connected to the outer wall surface of the door body. It is understood that in actual use, the outer wall surface of the door body is the wall surface of the door body facing the user. A connecting portion can be provided on the outer wall surface of the door body, and correspondingly, a mounting portion can be provided on the indicator light assembly 100. The mounting portion can be fixedly connected to the connecting portion so that the indicator light assembly 100 can be fixedly connected to the door body. Of course, the indicator light assembly 100 can also be connected to the door body through bonding or other connection methods, which is not limited in this application.

[0066] The indicator light assembly 100 can be electrically connected to the body of the dishwasher, for example, the indicator light assembly 100 can be electrically connected to the body via a wire. In this way, the indicator light assembly 100 can project a display light spot onto the ground outside the dishwasher, and the display state of the display light spot can represent the operating state of the dishwasher. For example, when the dishwasher is in the operating state, the indicator light assembly 100 can project a display light spot with a warm color on the ground, such as a red or orange color on the ground. When the dishwasher is in the idle state, the indicator light assembly 100 can project a display light spot with a cool color on the ground, such as a blue or green color on the ground.

[0067] In order to prevent the indicator light assembly 100 from projecting a poor display effect during actual use, which would prevent the user from being able to clearly understand the current operating status of the device from the displayed light spot, the present application focuses on improving the indicator light assembly 100. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , in the present embodiment, the indicator light assembly 100 may include a housing 10, a light source assembly 30, a convex lens 70, and a light guide column 90. The light source assembly 30, the convex lens 70, and the light guide column 90 may be fixed to the housing 10, with the light guide column 90 located between the light source assembly 30 and the convex lens 70.

[0068] The shell 10 may be a shape roughly in the shape of a cuboid, a cube, or a combination of multiple rectangles and have multiple outer walls. This application does not impose any restrictions on the outer shape of the shell 10. The main structure of the shell 10 may be a non-transparent material, such as metal or other non-transparent plastic materials. This application does not impose any restrictions on this. The shell 10 may be fixedly connected to the door body, that is, the mounting portion may be provided on the shell 10, so that the shell 10 is fixedly connected to the door body through the fixed connection between the mounting portion and the connecting portion.

[0069] The shell 10 may be hollow and formed with a mounting cavity 10d and a light guide cavity 10a. The light source assembly 30 and the light guide column 90 may be fixed in the mounting cavity 10d to achieve fixation on the shell 10. The light guide cavity 10a may be connected to the mounting cavity 10d and have a light inlet 10b and a light outlet 10c. It is understandable that in other structural forms, the shell 10 may also be formed with only the light guide cavity 10a, and the light source assembly 30 and the light guide column 90 may be directly fixed to the shell 10 through a connector. It should be noted that the shape of the display light spot is adapted to the shape of the convex lens 70, and the shape of the light outlet 10c is adapted to the convex lens 70. For example, when the convex lens 70 is circular, the shape of the light outlet 10c is also circular. After the light 331 is emitted through the convex lens 70, the shape of the display light spot finally presented on the ground is circular.

[0070] The light source assembly 30 has the function of emitting light 331, and the light source assembly 30 may include a circuit board 31 and a light source 33 installed on the circuit board 31. The circuit board 31 may be fixed to the housing 10, that is, the circuit board 31 may be fixed in the installation cavity 10d, and the light source 33 may emit light 331. The housing 10 may be provided with a wire hole 10e connected to the installation cavity 10d, and the wire hole 10e may be used for the wire connected to the circuit board 31 to pass through. When the light source assembly 30 is fixed to the door body, the circuit board 31 may be electrically connected to the master control module on the machine body through a wire. In this way, the master control module of the machine body may output a signal to the circuit board 31 of the indicator light assembly 100 according to the current state of the machine body, and the circuit board 31 may drive the light source 33 to emit light 331 of the corresponding color, thereby achieving the effect of the light source 33 automatically emitting light 331.

[0071] Specifically, the light source 33 can be a single-color LED light or a multi-color LED light. When the light source 33 is a multi-color LED light, it can emit multiple colors of light 331 by combining colors. For example, when the multi-color LED light includes three lamp beads, the three lamp beads can emit red, green, and blue light 331 respectively. Red, green, and blue are the three primary colors in the optical system. Not only can the light source 33 emit red, green, and blue light, but it can also produce different colors of light 331 by mixing the light of two or three of red, green, and blue and adjusting the light intensity of the different colors 331. Of course, the multi-color LED light can also include four lamp beads, and the four lamp beads can emit red, green, blue, and white light 331 respectively. This application is not limited to this.

[0072] Thus, when the light source 33 is a multi-color LED light, it can emit more different colors of light 331, ultimately presenting a variety of different color display spots. This allows the indicator light assembly 100 to represent more operating states of the device, and users can also choose the display color of the display spot according to their own preferences to meet the needs of different users. The following content uses the light source 33 being a multi-color LED light as an example to further explain the content of this application.

[0073] The convex lens 70 can be disposed at the light outlet 10c of the light guide cavity 10a and serves to converge the light 331. The convex lens 70 can be made of a transparent plastic material. Suitable exemplary materials include, but are not limited to, PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate), PC (Polycarbonate), and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). Of course, the convex lens 70 can also be made of optical glass, but this application is not limited thereto. During the actual emission of the light 331, the light 331 emitted by the lamp source assembly 30 is guided by the light guide column 90 to the entrance of the light guide cavity 10a. After passing through the light guide cavity 10a, the light 331 is emitted from the exit of the light guide cavity 10a. The convex lens 70 then converges the light 331, creating a high-brightness display spot on the ground.

[0074] Among them, the convex lens 70 can be a double convex lens 71 or a plano-convex lens. When the convex lens 70 is a double convex lens 71, it can effectively refract the light 331 and better concentrate the light 331, and finally form a high-brightness display spot, thereby improving the display effect of the display spot.

[0075] The light guide column 90 is arranged in a cylindrical shape and is located between the light source 33 of the light source assembly 30 and the convex lens 70. The light guide column 90 includes a light input surface 91 and a light output surface 93 at both ends thereof in the length direction, and a peripheral surface 95. The peripheral surface 95 is connected between the light input surface 91 and the light output surface 93. The light output surface 93 is arranged toward the light input port 10b. The main structure of the light guide column 90 can be made of transparent plastic material. For example, suitable exemplary materials that can be used include but are not limited to PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate), PC (Polycarbonate), and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene plastic). Of course, the main structure of the light guide column 90 can also be optical glass, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0076] The light guide column 90 guides the light 331 emitted by the light source 33 to the light entrance 10b of the light guide cavity 10a. Specifically, after the light 331 is incident on the light entrance surface 91, it enters the interior of the light guide column 90. After being conducted through the interior of the light guide column 90, it is emitted from the exit surface and directed toward the light entrance 10b of the light guide cavity 10a. In this way, the majority of the light 331 emitted by the light source 33 can be guided by the light guide column 90 and transmitted from the light source 33 to the light entrance 10b of the light guide cavity 10a with minimal loss. This reduces the loss of light 331 and ensures a uniform overall brightness of the displayed light spot on the ground. Moreover, when the light source 33 emits a plurality of light rays 331 of different colors, the plurality of light rays 331 of different colors can be totally reflected multiple times inside the light guide column 90, that is, the light rays 331 are reflected by the peripheral surface 95, thereby achieving the effect of uniform color mixing, so that the color of the final displayed light spot is uniform, making it convenient for users to clearly display the specific color of the light spot, so as to clearly know the current working status of the body.

[0077] During the processing of the light guide column 90, the inner surface of its circumference 95 will have a certain surface roughness. As a result, when the light 331 is emitted through the light emitting surface 93, a part of the light 331 will be emitted into the light guide cavity 10a in a direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface 93, while another part of the light 331 will be emitted in a direction intersecting with the direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface 93, and this direction will be set at an angle to the direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface 93. As a result, when this part of the light 331 is projected onto the ground, the overall area of ​​the display light spot will become larger and too dispersed, resulting in a reduction in the brightness of the display light spot, affecting the display effect.

[0078] In this regard, please refer to Figure 2. The present application gradually increases the inner diameter of the light guide cavity 10a in the direction from the light inlet 10b to the light outlet 10c, so that the light 331 emitted in a direction intersecting with the direction perpendicular to the light exit surface 93 is reflected by the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 10a and the direction of the light 331 emitted toward the convex lens 70 will change. This allows the light 331 emitted by the light guide column 90 to be more concentrated and evenly projected onto the convex lens 70, and the light 331 can be concentrated and projected on the same range on the ground by the convex lens 70, thereby improving the display effect. Furthermore, in order to improve the reflectivity of the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 10a, the present application can also provide a reflective film layer on the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 10a or perform a polishing process to improve the reflectivity of the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 10a.

[0079] The technical solution of the present application is to provide a light guide column 90 and a convex lens 70 in the indicator light assembly 100, and to set the light guide column 90 between the light source 33 and the convex lens 70, so that the light 331 emitted by the light source 33 can be guided by the light guide column 90 and can be transmitted from the light source 33 to the convex lens 70 with minimal loss, thereby reducing the loss of the light 331 during the propagation process, thereby making the overall brightness of the display light spot presented on the ground uniform and improving the display effect.

[0080] At the same time, the present application further forms a light guide cavity 10a in the shell 10, so that after the light 331 guided by the light guide column 90 enters the entrance of the light guide cavity 10a, part of the light 331 can be reflected by the cavity wall of the light guide cavity 10a and emitted to the convex lens 70, so that the light 331 emitted by the light guide column 90 is more concentrated and evenly projected onto the convex lens 70, so that the size of the light spot emitted by the convex lens 70 meets the use requirements, and the light 331 emitted by the light guide column 90 can be concentrated and mapped within the same range on the ground through the convex lens 70, and finally presents a light spot effect with uniform brightness, thereby significantly improving the display effect and making it easier for users to observe.

[0081] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 2 , the light guide cavity 10a has a frustum-shaped profile. The cross-sectional area of ​​the light inlet 10b of the light guide cavity 10a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the light outlet 10c. In the direction from the light inlet 10b to the light outlet 10c, the peripheral surface 95 extends obliquely toward the outside of the light guide cavity 10a.

[0082] The angle between the contour line L1 obtained by intersecting the light guide cavity 10a with the cross section passing through its centerline L2 and its centerline L2 is greater than or equal to 10 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees. When the angle is within this range, the light 331 from the light source, after changing direction within the light guide cavity 10a, can be concentrated and projected on the ground within the same range as the remaining light 331, thereby achieving a compact housing 10. When the angle is less than 10 degrees, the upper surface 95 in the direction from the light inlet 10b to the light outlet 10c will be tilted too slightly toward the outside of the light guide cavity 10a. As a result, even after being reflected by the walls of the light guide cavity 10a, the exit direction of the light 331 will not differ much from the original exit direction. This portion of the light 331 will still be outside the range of the displayed light spot when projected onto the ground. When the angle is greater than 45 degrees, the volume of the light guide cavity 10a is too large, which in turn causes the overall volume of the housing 10 to be too large, making it impossible to achieve a compact indicator light assembly 100. In addition, the installation space occupied by the indicator light assembly 100 on the door body is too large. For example, the angle can be 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, 35 degrees, 40 degrees, or 45 degrees, etc., and this application is not limited to this.

[0083] In one embodiment, referring again to FIG. 2 , a distance L3 is defined between the light-emitting surface 93 of the light guide 90 and the light inlet 10b. This means that the light guide 90 is not inserted into the light guide cavity 10a through the light inlet 10b. Thus, since the light guide cavity 10a does not need to accommodate the light guide 90, it does not need to be expanded to accommodate the volume of the light guide 90. This prevents the housing 10 from being excessively large, resulting in a more compact indicator light assembly 100.

[0084] The spacing L3 may be less than or equal to 9 mm. This allows the light 331 to be transmitted from the light exit surface 93 of the light guide column 90 to the light entrance 10b of the light guide cavity 10a while minimizing loss, thereby reducing the loss of the light 331 and making the overall brightness of the display light spot on the ground uniform. When the spacing L3 is greater than 9 mm, it will cause excessive loss of the light 331 when it is transmitted between the light exit surface 93 of the light guide column 90 and the light entrance 10b. Exemplarily, the spacing L3 may be 1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm or 9 mm, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0085] Of course, in some other structural forms, the light guide column 90 can be inserted into the light guide cavity 10a through the light inlet 10b, so that the light output surface 93 will be in the light guide cavity 10a, which can reduce the loss of light 331 during the transmission process. This application does not limit this.

[0086] The distance between the light emitting surface 93 and the focal plane of the convex lens 70 on its light incident side is 20 mm to 50 mm. When the distance is within this range, the area of ​​the display spot finally presented on the ground can be moderate, and the length of the shell 10 is not too long. Based on the principle of planar imaging, when the distance is less than 20 mm, the distance between the light emitting surface 93 and the focal plane of the convex lens 70 will be too close, so that the area of ​​the display spot finally presented on the ground is too large, resulting in the display spot occupying too much area of ​​the ground. When the spacing L3 is greater than 50 mm, the distance between the light emitting surface 93 and the focal plane of the convex lens 70 will be too far, so that the area of ​​the display spot finally presented on the ground is too small, which is inconvenient for the user to observe the display spot, and will cause the overall length of the shell 10 to be lengthened, and the indicator light assembly 100 cannot be made compact. Exemplarily, the distance can be 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm or 50 mm, etc., and this application is not limited to this.

[0087] Please refer to Figures 4 to 6 in combination. In one structural form, the circumferential surface 95 is formed with multiple inclined surfaces 97 arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the light guide column 90, and the inclined surfaces 97 extend from the light incident surface 91 toward the light output surface 93, wherein the end of the inclined surface 97 facing the light incident surface 91 is arranged closer to the center of the light guide column 90 than the end facing the light output surface 93.

[0088] Since the light 331 is regularly reflected when it is transmitted in the light guide column 90, part of the light 331 will appear as some small spots in the display spot, affecting the display effect of the display spot. In this setting, the irregular bevel 97 can interrupt the regular reflection of this part of the light 331 in the light guide column 90, so as to reduce the possibility of small spots being generated and improve the display effect of the display spot. In the exemplary embodiment, the number of bevels 97 can be four, and the four bevels 97 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the light guide column 90 to achieve the ability to interrupt the regular reflection of the light 331 in the light guide column 90 in the circumferential direction. Of course, the number of bevels 97 can also be two, four, or five, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0089] The above content describes the advantage of the indicator light assembly 100 of the present application projecting a display spot on the ground with a better display effect from the perspective of the arrangement of the light source 33, the convex lens 70 and the light guide column 90. On this basis, based on the perspective of facilitating the disassembly and assembly of the shell 10, please refer to Figures 4 to 6. The shell 10 of the present application includes a main shell 11 and a shell cover 13. The main shell 11 is hollow and forms a light guide cavity 10a. The shell cover 13 is buckled onto one end of the main shell 11 and cooperates with the main shell 11 to form an installation cavity 10d. The shell cover 13 and the main shell 11 are jointly enclosed to form a wire hole 10e. During the actual disassembly and assembly process, the shell cover 13 can be removed from one end of the main shell 11, or the shell cover 13 can be buckled onto one end of the main shell 11. This makes disassembly and assembly convenient, and facilitates the maintenance of the light source assembly 30 and the light guide column 90 in the installation cavity 10d by the staff or the user.

[0090] Specifically, referring to FIG3 , the present application may be provided with a first snap fastener on the outer side of the shell cover 13, and a first slot on the outer side of the main housing 11. The first snap fastener and the first slot engage with each other to achieve snapping of the shell cover 13 onto one end of the main housing 11. On this basis, the present application may further provide a first position-limiting portion on the outer side of the shell cover 13. The first position-limiting portion is provided adjacent to the first snap fastener. When the first snap fastener and the first slot are engaged, the first position-limiting portion can stop the outer surface of the structure of the main housing 11 where the first slot is formed, preventing the first snap fastener from separating from the first slot. This can improve the connection stability between the shell cover 13 and the main housing 11.

[0091] In order to further improve the connection stability between the shell cover 13 and the main shell 11, the number of the first clips and the first slots can be at least two, and the first clips and the first slots correspond one to one, wherein the first clips can be arranged on opposite sides of the shell cover 13 along the length direction of the shell 10.

[0092] During actual use, when the wire passes through the wire hole 10e, part of the wire body is exposed outside the installation cavity 10d, and there is a possibility that liquids such as water droplets or dirt will fall on the cabinet, or when the user places tableware in the washing cavity, the tableware may also fall liquid. When liquid falls, if the liquid falls on the wire body exposed outside the installation cavity 10d, there is a possibility that the liquid will flow along the wire body to the terminal of the wire, causing damage to the terminal and creating an electrical hazard.

[0093] In this regard, please refer to Figures 3 and 4 . The present application further provides a water retaining portion 133 on the outer side of the housing cover 13 of the housing 10 . Water retaining portion 133 is located above the wire hole 10e. This arrangement blocks liquid that might flow toward the wires and directs the liquid away from the wires, preventing it from flowing toward the wires. This extends the life of the indicator light assembly 100 and ensures electrical safety when the user is using the dishwasher.

[0094] Furthermore, the water shielding portion includes a first water retaining section, an intermediate section and a second water retaining section connected in sequence, wherein the first water retaining section and the second water retaining section can be inclined downward in the thickness direction of the shell 10, so that the liquid can be directed to the ground to avoid liquid residue on the water shielding portion, and the water shielding portion can be kept in a dry state. In this way, the water shielding portion is not prone to mold, bacteria growth, etc. due to moisture, and, under such a setting, the water shielding portion can avoid interference with the structure of the first card slot formed in the main shell 11, achieve avoidance, and leave space for the first buckle to connect with the first card slot, which is convenient for staff or users to operate.

[0095] In order to further prevent the liquid from flowing toward the wire, the water shielding portion may also include a third water retaining portion 133, which is connected to the side composed of the first water retaining section, the middle section and the second water retaining section, and extends in the height direction of the shell 10, so as to prevent the liquid from flowing toward the wire from the side composed of the first water retaining section, the middle section and the second water retaining section.

[0096] In some configurations, as shown in Figures 3 to 5 , a wire winding portion 111 is provided on the outside of the main housing 11 of the housing 10, adjacent to the wire hole 10e. When the wire is too long, it can cause the wire routing to become cluttered, and portions of the wire may sag, impacting both electrical safety and the aesthetics of the indicator light assembly 100. Therefore, with the provision of the wire winding portion 111, portions of the wire can be wound around the winding portion 111, preventing cluttered routing and sagging.

[0097] Specifically, the winding part 111 may include a winding post and a limiting post. The opposite ends of the winding post are respectively connected to the outer side of the main shell 11 of the shell 10 and the limiting post. The extension direction of the winding post and the extension direction of the limiting post have an angle, wherein the winding post can be used for winding part of the wire body, and the limiting post can stop the wire body in the wire wound on the winding post to prevent the wire body from falling off.

[0098] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 4 to 6, the indicator light assembly 100 also includes a fixing frame 80, the fixing frame 80 is fixed to the outer periphery of the light guide column 90, the fixing frame 80 is connected to the housing 10, and presses against the circuit board 31, so that the circuit board 31 and the housing 10 are relatively fixed. Among them, the fixing frame 80 can be provided with a through hole, and the light guide column 90 is passed through the through hole, so that the fixing frame 80 is fixed to the outer periphery of the light guide column 90. In addition, the fixing frame 80 can be set against the circuit board 31, so that the circuit board 31 can be more stable when fixed in the installation cavity 10d, and can remain relatively fixed with the housing 10. In this way, in the actual working process, even if the machine body causes the door body to shake during operation, causing the indicator light assembly 100 to shake, the present application can also reduce the possibility of relative movement between the circuit board 31 and the housing 10.

[0099] Furthermore, the fixing frame 80 includes a fixed plate 81 and a plurality of support rods 83 connected thereto. The fixed plate 81 is disposed around the exterior of the light guide column 90 and is fixedly connected to the main housing 11 of the housing 10. The plurality of support rods 83 press the circuit board 31 against the housing 10. With this arrangement, the circuit board 31 can be pressed against the shell cover 13 of the housing 10 by the plurality of support rods 83, achieving the effect of circumferentially pressing against the circuit board 31, further improving the stability of the circuit board 31 when fixed within the mounting cavity 10d. The number of support rods 83 can be two, three, or four, etc., and this application does not impose any limitation thereto.

[0100] To facilitate the angle at which the fixing plate 81 is fixed within the mounting cavity 10d, the present application can also provide fixing grooves on the side panels of the fixing plate 81, and fixing ribs on the wall of the mounting cavity 10d. The fixing ribs are fixed in the fixing grooves to secure the fixing plate 81 to the wall of the mounting cavity 10d. Furthermore, the positional accuracy of the light guide 90 within the mounting cavity 10d can be ensured, allowing the light guide 90 to accurately guide the light 331 emitted by the lamp source 33 to the light inlet 10b of the light guide cavity 10a.

[0101] In one embodiment, the main housing 11 of the housing 10 is provided with a positioning post 115, and the circuit board 31 is provided with a positioning hole 31a. The positioning post 115 engages with the positioning hole 31a. The positioning and engagement of the positioning post 115 with the positioning hole 31a allows the circuit board 31 to be precisely secured within the mounting cavity 10d. This ensures that the light source 33 mounted on the circuit board 31 is precisely positioned within the mounting cavity 10d, directly facing the light incident surface 91 of the light guide 90. Furthermore, the positioning post 115 supports the circuit board 31, securing it within the cavity.

[0102] Furthermore, the cover 13 of the housing 10 is provided with a stop rib 131, which is configured to abut the circuit board 31 to limit the circuit board 31 from moving relative to the positioning post 115 and thus preventing it from coming off the positioning post 115. This arrangement further improves the stability of the circuit board 31 in the accommodating cavity and prevents the circuit board 31 from coming off the positioning post 115 and shifting or falling.

[0103] In some structural forms, the indicator light assembly 100 further includes a mounting bracket 50, which is fixed to the main housing 11 of the housing 10. The mounting bracket 50 can be connected to the main housing 11 of the housing 10 by means of snap connection, bonding, or threaded connection.

[0104] The convex lens 70 is mounted on the mounting bracket 50 and is arranged to cover the light outlet 10c. In this arrangement, the convex lens 70 can be indirectly fixed to the main housing 11 of the housing 10 via the mounting bracket 50, which facilitates installation and provides a stable connection. Furthermore, when the convex lens 70 is positioned at the light outlet 10c and covers the light outlet 10c, there is no spacing L3 between the convex lens 70 and the light outlet 10c, or the spacing L3 is very small. This can reduce the overall length of the indicator light assembly 100, achieving a more compact indicator light assembly 100.

[0105] Furthermore, the mounting bracket 50 may include a frame body and two connecting feet arranged on opposite sides of the frame body. The convex lens 70 is installed on the frame body, and the two connecting feet are buckled on opposite sides of the main shell 11 of the shell 10, thereby improving the connection stability and facilitating disassembly.

[0106] In one embodiment, the mounting portion is a slider provided on the outside of the housing 10, and the connecting portion is a slide groove formed on the outer wall of the door body. The slider and the slide groove are adapted to connect to each other, so that the housing 10 is fixedly connected to the door body. With the cooperation of the slider and the slide groove, the housing 10 can be fixed to the door body with a simple structure and quick assembly and disassembly. Of course, the housing 10 and the door body can also be connected by bonding, magnetic connection, or threaded connection, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0107] Further, referring to Figure 5 , the slider includes a first slider 135 and a second slider 113, and the slot includes a first slot and a second slot. The first slider 135 and the second slider 113 may be spaced apart in the height direction of the housing 10. This improves the connection stability between the housing 10 and the door body in the height direction of the housing 10.

[0108] The first slider 135 includes an elastic arm 1351 and a locking portion 1353. One end of the elastic arm 1351 is connected to the outer side of the shell cover 13 of the housing 10, and the other end is connected to the locking portion 1353. The elastic arm 1351 can be elastically deformed to allow the locking portion 1353 to be engaged with the first slide groove. In this way, the elastic arm 1351 can be manipulated to elastically deform the elastic arm 1351, so that the locking portion 1353 moves closer to or away from the first slide groove, thereby achieving the locking or disengagement of the locking portion 1353 from the first slide groove.

[0109] In which, the outer surface of the shell cover 13 can be provided with a groove, and the elastic arm 1351 is connected to the bottom wall of the groove, so that the length of the elastic arm 1351 can be extended so that the elastic arm 1351 has a better elastic deformation, so as to make it easier to realize the snapping part 1353 close to or away from the first sliding groove.

[0110] The second slider 113 includes a connecting section 1131 and a snap-fit ​​section 1133, which are arranged at an angle. One end of the connecting section 1131 is connected to the outside of the main housing 11 of the housing 10, and the other end is connected to the snap-fit ​​section 1133. The snap-fit ​​section 1133 engages with the second chute. There are two second sliders 113, and the number of second chute is proportional to the number of second sliders 113. Adjacent snap-fit ​​sections 1133 extend in opposite directions along the length of the housing 10. With this arrangement, when both snap-fit ​​sections 1133 are engaged in the second chute, in the assembled state, one snap-fit ​​section 1133 prevents the other snap-fit ​​section 1133 from moving in the opposite direction of its engagement with the second chute, thereby ensuring a secure connection.

[0111] During the actual assembly process, the two second slide buckles 113 can be respectively engaged with the two slide grooves to achieve preliminary fixation between the shell 10 and the door body, and the relative position between the shell 10 and the door body is determined. At this time, the elastic arm 1351 is pressed to make the locking portion 1353 of the first slide groove engaged in the first slide groove, thereby achieving the final fixed connection between the shell 10 and the door body. The operation is convenient and the connection is stable.

[0112] The same or similar numbers in the drawings of this embodiment correspond to the same or similar parts; in the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. indicate an orientation or position relationship, they are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms describing the position relationship in the drawings are only used for illustrative purposes and cannot be understood as a limitation on this patent. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0113] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An indicator light assembly, wherein: The indicator light assembly comprises: The housing is formed with a light guide cavity, wherein the light guide cavity has a light inlet and a light outlet, and the inner diameter of the light guide cavity gradually increases in the direction from the light inlet to the light outlet; A light source assembly, comprising a circuit board fixed to the housing and a light source mounted on the circuit board; A convex lens is fixed to the housing and disposed at the light outlet; and A light guide column is fixed to the housing and is located between the light source and the convex lens. The light guide column is configured to guide the light emitted by the light source to the light inlet. Part of the light is reflected by the wall of the light guide cavity and emitted to the convex lens.

2. The indicator light assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The outline of the light-guiding cavity is arranged in the shape of a frustum; The angle between the center line of the light-guiding cavity and a contour line obtained by intersecting a cross section passing through the center line of the light-guiding cavity is greater than or equal to 10 degrees and less than or equal to 45 degrees.

3. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The light guide column includes a light emitting surface facing the light incident port, and there is a distance between the light emitting surface and the light incident port, and the distance is less than or equal to 9 mm.

4. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The light guide column comprises a light emitting surface facing the light entrance, and the distance between the light emitting surface and the focal plane of the convex lens located on the light entrance side thereof is 20 mm to 50 mm.

5. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The housing is further formed with an installation cavity communicated with the light guide cavity, and the light source assembly and the light guide column are fixed in the installation cavity.

6. The indicator light assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The shell comprises a main shell and a shell cover. The main shell is hollow and forms the light guide cavity. The shell cover is buckled on one end of the main shell and cooperates with the main shell to form the installation cavity.

7. The indicator light assembly according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The shell is also provided with a wire hole connected with the installation cavity, and the wire hole is configured to allow a wire connected to the circuit board to pass through. The outer side of the shell is also provided with a water retaining portion, and the water retaining portion is located above the wire hole.

8. The indicator light assembly according to claim 7, wherein: A wire winding portion is also disposed on the outer side of the shell, and the wire winding portion is disposed adjacent to the wire passing hole.

9. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The light guide column comprises a light incident surface and a light emitting surface at both ends of the light guide column in the length direction, and a peripheral surface, wherein the peripheral surface is connected between the light incident surface and the light emitting surface; The circumferential surface is formed with a plurality of inclined surfaces arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the light guide column, and the inclined surfaces extend from the light incident surface toward the light emitting surface, wherein an end of the inclined surface facing the light incident surface is arranged closer to the center of the light guide column than an end facing the light emitting surface.

10. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: It also includes a fixing frame fixed to the outer periphery of the light guide column, the fixing frame is connected to the shell and presses against the circuit board, so that the circuit board and the shell are relatively fixed.

11. The indicator light assembly of claim 10, wherein: The fixing frame includes a fixing plate and a plurality of supporting rods connected to each other. The fixing plate is arranged around the outside of the light guide column and is fixedly connected to the shell. The plurality of supporting rods press the circuit board against the shell.

12. The indicator light assembly according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: The housing is also provided with a positioning post, and the circuit board is provided with a positioning hole which is plugged and matched with the positioning post.

13. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: It also includes a mounting bracket, which is fixed to the shell, and the convex lens is mounted on the mounting bracket and covers the light outlet.

14. The indicator light assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The light source is a multi-color LED light; And / or, the convex lens is a double convex lens.

15. A door assembly, wherein: include: The door body has a connecting portion arranged on its outer wall surface; and According to any one of claims 1 to 14, the housing is provided with a mounting portion, and the mounting portion is fixedly connected to the connecting portion.

16. The door assembly of claim 15, wherein: The mounting portion is a sliding buckle arranged on the outer side of the housing, and the connecting portion is a sliding groove formed on the outer wall surface of the door body; Wherein, the slide buckle is adaptively connected to the slide groove so that the shell is fixedly connected to the door body.

17. The door assembly of claim 16, wherein: The slide buckle includes a first slide buckle, the slide slot includes a first slide slot, the first slide buckle includes an elastic arm and a buckle portion, one end of the elastic arm is connected to the outer side of the shell, and the other end is connected to the buckle portion, and the elastic arm can be elastically deformed so that the buckle portion is clamped in the first slide slot; And / or, the slide buckle includes a second slide buckle, the slide slot includes a second slide slot, the second slide buckle includes a connecting section and a buckling section arranged at an angle, one end of the connecting section is connected to the outside of the shell, and the other end is connected to the buckling section, and the buckling section is engaged with the second slide slot, wherein the number of the second slide buckles is two, the number of the second slide slots corresponds to the number of the second slide buckles, and two adjacent buckling sections extend in opposite directions along the length direction of the shell.

18. A dishwasher, wherein: It comprises a machine body and a door assembly as described in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the door is mounted on the machine body.

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