A button assembly for an appliance

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a button assembly (100) for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly (100) including: a button body (105); and a lighting assembly (130) operatively associated with the button body (105), wherein the lighting assembly (130) comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED (139); and an array of spaced-apart LEDs (137) arranged to at least partially surround the central LED (139), wherein the button body (105) includes a translucent or diffusing layer disposed over the lighting assembly (130), and wherein the button assembly (100) further includes a clear or transparent layer disposed over the translucent or diffusing layer of the button body (105).

Description

A BUTTON ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPLIANCECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2024902012, filed on 28 June 2025. The entire disclosure of Australian Patent Application No. 2024902012 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a button assembly for an appliance. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a button assembly for use with a kitchen appliance, and methods of operating the kitchen appliance using the button assembly.BACKGROUND

[0003] Kitchen appliances such as toasters typically include a user interface that allows the user to control the operation of the toaster. Such user interface arrangements may be in the form of a mechanical button that is actuatable by the user to send a signal to a controller to raise or lower the toaster carriage assembly. Typical user interface arrangements such as mechanical buttons do not adequately account for the various toaster functions or modes. Mechanical buttons of known user interface arrangements may also lack sophistication and robustness in tactile capabilities as they typically have a hollow or flimsy construction.SUMMARY

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of existing arrangements, or at least provide a useful alternative to existing arrangements.

[0005] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a button assembly for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly including: a button body; anda lighting assembly operatively associated with the button body, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED; and an array of spaced-apart LEDs arranged to at least partially surround the central LED, wherein the button body includes a translucent or diffusing layer disposed over the lighting assembly, and wherein the button assembly further includes a clear or transparent layer disposed over the translucent or diffusing layer of the button body.

[0006] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a button assembly for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly including: a button body having a central portion and a contact portion extending from central portion, the button body including a central axis and the contact portion including a contact portion axis that is offset from the central axis; and a lighting assembly adapted to be mounted to the button body and aligned with the button body, the lighting assembly further including a switch portion that is aligned with the contact portion of the button body, whereby the button body is actuatable by a user to cause the contact portion to engage the switch portion and activate the lighting assembly.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, the lighting assembly includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED; and an array of spaced-apart LEDs arranged to at least partially surround the central LED.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the button body is actuatable to cause the central LED and / or the array of spaced-apart LEDs to produce one or more lighting effects or one or more patterns of light.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the central LED and / or the array of spaced-apart LEDs is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein each LED is adapted to be activated or deactivated in one or more states to produce the one or more lighting effects or the one or more patterns of light.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to be sequentially activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to be simultaneously activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the one or more lighting effects or one or more patterns of light includes one or more of: a pulsing or flashing effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is simultaneously activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals; a breathing effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is simultaneously and gradually activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals; and a rotating effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is activated and deactivated to follow a predetermined sequence.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the array of spaced-apart LEDs is arranged in a circular configuration to at least circumferentially surround the central LED.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to emit one or more light colours.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the button assembly further includes a lens member adapted to be mounted to the button body, wherein the lens member provides the clear or transparent layer of the button assembly.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the lens member includes a central portion and a plurality of projections arranged to at least partially surround the central portion.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the plurality of projections of the lens member circumferentially surrounds the central portion of the lens member.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the central portion of the lens member is one or more of: clear or transparent; and translucent or diffusing.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, the central portion of the lens member is aligned with a central portion of the button body, and the button body includes an outer area arranged to at least partially surround a central portion of the button body.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the outer area of the button body circumferentially surrounds the central portion of the button body.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the outer area of the button body is one or more of: clear or transparent; and translucent or diffusing.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, the outer area of the button body includes a plurality of projections.

[0023] In one or more embodiments, the outer area of the button body has a transparency property that is different to a transparency property of the central portion of the button body.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the central portion of the button body is one or more of: translucent or diffusing; and clear or transparent.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the projections of the lens member are adapted to align with the outer area of the button body.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the button assembly further includes a dampening member located between the button body and the lighting assembly.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the dampening member is formed from a resiliently deformable material. In some embodiments, the dampening member is formed from silicone.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the lighting assembly further includes a switch portion that is aligned with a contact portion of the button body, whereby the button body is actuatable by a user to cause the contact portion to engage the switch portion and activate the lighting assembly.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the contact portion includes a contact portion axis that is offset from a central axis of the button body.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the lighting assembly is operatively associated with a controller and one or more sensors of the kitchen appliance.

[0031] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a kitchen appliance including the button assembly as disclosed above. In one or more embodiments, the lighting assembly is operatively associated with a controller and one or more sensors of the kitchen appliance.

[0032] There is disclosed herein a button assembly for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly including: a button body; and a lighting assembly operatively associated with the button body, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED; and a plurality of LEDs arranged to circumferentially surround the central LED, wherein the plurality of LEDs are adapted to be activated to produce a pattern of light, wherein the button assembly further includes a lens member having a plurality of projections or fins arranged in a circular configuration, the lens member being formed from a clear or transparent material, and wherein the button body includes a translucent or diffusing layer.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference signs designate like parts and in which:

[0034] Figure l is a schematic isometric view of a kitchen appliance including a button assembly according to one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded isometric view of a button assembly for the kitchen appliance shown in Figure 1;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic exploded side cross-sectional view of the button assembly shown in Figure 2;

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the button assembly shown in Figure 2;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic front view of the button assembly shown in Figure 2;

[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic exploded and assembled front view of the button assembly shown in Figure 2;

[0040] Figure 7 is a schematic front view of one operation mode of a lighting array of the button assembly; and

[0041] Figure 8 is a schematic front view of another operation mode of a lighting array of the button assembly.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted an embodiment of a kitchen appliance 10 including a button assembly 100. In Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted an embodiment of the button assembly 100 for the kitchen appliance. For the purposes of this specification, the button assembly 100 and various alternative embodiments thereof will be described for use in a toaster appliance. It will, however, be appreciated that the button assembly 100 and various alternative embodiments may be associated with any other type of kitchen appliance having a user interface that may be used to operate the kitchen appliance.

[0043] The button assembly 100 includes a button body 105 having a central axis 110 and a central portion 115 that is aligned with the central axis 110. In some embodiments, the central portion 115 may be translucent or include diffusing properties and in other embodiments, the central portion 115 may be clear or transparent or at least partially clear or transparent. The central portion 115 may alternatively be a combination of translucent or include diffusing properties and clear or transparent or at least partially clear or transparent. In embodiments whereby the central portion 115 is translucent or includes diffusing properties, it will be appreciated that the central portion 115 may diffuse or mask light that travels through the button body 105 so as to provide a diffusing effect. In some embodiments, the central portion 115 may be a layer of the button body 105 and in such embodiments, the layer is a translucent or diffusinglayer. In some embodiments, the central portion 115 may include an icon or any other visual indication of a function.

[0044] The central portion 115 may be coated or formed from polymer or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the material may be coated with a reflective coating such as, but not limited to, paint, chrome, or the like. In some embodiments, the central portion 115 may be formed from an opaque thermoplastic such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) with a non-conductive vacuum metallisation (NCVM) coating. In the depicted embodiment, the button body 105 has a generally circular or radial arrangement, although it will be appreciated that the configuration of the button body 105 is not necessarily limited to the configuration as shown in the drawings or described above, and may be adjusted depending on the design requirements of the button assembly 100.

[0045] The button body 105 may include an outer area 118 arranged to at least partially surround or encircle the central portion 115. In some embodiments, the outer area 118 may circumferentially surround the central portion 115 of the button body 105. In some embodiments, the outer area 118 that at least partially surrounds the central portion 115 of the button body is clear or transparent. In other embodiments, the outer area 118 that at least partially surrounds the central portion 115 of the button body 105 is translucent or diffusing.

[0046] In some embodiments, the outer area 118 that at least partially surrounds the central portion 115 of the button body 105 includes a plurality of projections or fins. It will be appreciated that the plurality of projections or fins may provide a “crystal -like” appearance or effect for a sense of depth for any light that travels through the button body 105. The plurality of projections or fins may have uniform dimensions, or may have varying dimensions, depending on the design requirements of the assembly 100. The outer area 118 may be formed from a different type of polymer to the central portion 115 or other parts of the button body 105. In some embodiments, the outer area 118 and the central portion 115 may be formed from different types of polymers with different transparency properties. For example, the button body 105 may be an over-moulded part with two (or more) different materials. In some embodiments, the outer area 118 does not include any reflective coating to thereby allow light to pass through the outer area 118 unobstructed.

[0047] The button body 105 may further include a contact portion 120 that extends from the central portion 115. The contact portion 120 may include a contact portion axis 125 (see Figure3) that is offset from the central axis 110 by a distance. In some embodiments, the button body 105 may include one or more additional portions or projections, such as a mounting portion 123, to facilitate the mounting of the button body 105 to other components of the button assembly 100 and / or to one or more components of the appliance 10. The contact portion 120 and any other part or component of the button body 105, such as the mounting portion 123, may be formed from polymer or any other suitable material. The material is preferably a structurally sound material. As discussed above in relation to the central portion 115, the material may be coated with a reflective coating such as, but not limited to, paint, chrome, or the like. In some embodiments, the contact portion 120 and any other part or component of the button body 105 may be formed from an opaque thermoplastic such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) with a non-conductive vacuum metallisation (NCVM) coating. It will be understood that the button body 105 may provide a diffusing effect, and one or more properties of the button body 105 may be adjusted to provide the diffusing effect. The one or more properties of the button body 105 may include, but is not limited to, the thickness or depth, the transparency property of the material, or the texture. It will be appreciated that the configuration of the button body 105 is not necessarily limited to the shape and configuration as shown in the drawings or described above, and may be adjusted depending on the design requirements of the button assembly 100.

[0048] The button assembly 100 further includes a lighting assembly 130 that is adapted to be mounted to the button body 105 or otherwise operatively associated with the button body 105. In the depicted embodiment, the lighting assembly 130 includes a lighting arrangement 135 that is aligned with the button body 105. In one or more embodiments, the lighting arrangement 135 is aligned with the outer area 118 and / or the central portion 115 of the button body 105. In some embodiments, the central portion 115 (or the translucent or diffusing layer) of the button body 105 may be disposed over the lighting arrangement 135.

[0049] The lighting arrangement 135 may be operatively associated with a controller (not shown) of the appliance 10. The lighting assembly 130 may further include a printed circuit board (PCB) 140 or any other suitable substrate on which the lighting arrangement 135 is disposed or located, and which may provide the electrical connection between the lighting arrangement 135 and the controller. As will be described in further detail below, the lighting assembly 130 may also be operatively associated with one or more functional sensors (not shown) of the appliance 10 via the controller.

[0050] The lighting assembly 130 may include a switch portion 145 (see Figure 3) that is aligned with the contact portion 120 of the button body 105. In the embodiment shown, the switch portion 145 is formed on or mounted to the PCB 140. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments (not shown), the switch portion 140 may form part of another component of the lighting assembly 130.

[0051] In the depicted embodiment, the button body 105 is actuatable by a user to cause a corresponding movement of the contact portion 120 such that it engages the switch portion 145 (or any other component of the lighting assembly 130). In particular, the central portion 115 of the button body 105 may be actuatable by the user, which in turn causes the contact portion 120 (which is offset from the central portion 115) to move and to engage the switch portion 145 (or any other component of the lighting assembly 130). In one example, the engagement of the contact portion 120 and the switch portion 145 in turn causes a signal to be sent to a controller to activate the lighting arrangement 135. In one or more embodiments, the button body 105 is actuatable to cause the lighting arrangement to 135 produce one or more lighting effects or one or more patterns of light.

[0052] In some embodiments, the lighting assembly 130 / lighting arrangement 135 includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted or disposed on PCB. In one or more embodiments, the plurality of LEDs may be arranged in a circular configuration. The plurality of LEDs may be spaced apart from one another. The plurality of LEDs may be activated to produce a pattern of light, and may also be adapted to emit one or more light colours.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the lighting arrangement 135 / the plurality of LEDs includes a central LED 139 and an array of spaced-apart LEDs 137. The array of spaced-apart LEDs 137 are arranged to at least partially surround the central LED 139. In some embodiments, the plurality of spaced-apart LEDs 137 are arranged in a circular configuration to at least partially surround or encircle the central LED 139. The central LED 139 and the array of spaced-apart LEDs 137 may be activated to produce a pattern of light, and may also be adapted to emit one or more light colours.

[0054] Each LED of the plurality of LEDs may be adapted to be activated or deactivated in or more states to produce the one or more lighting effects. In some embodiments, each LED is adapted to be sequentially activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects. The plurality of LEDs may additionally or alternatively be simultaneously activated ordeactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects. In one or more embodiments, and as will be described in further detail below, the one or more lighting effects may include a pulsing or flashing effect, whereby the plurality of LEDs are simultaneously activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals. Additionally or alternatively, and as will be described in further detail below, the one or more lighting effects may include a breathing effect, whereby the plurality of LEDs are simultaneously and gradually activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals. Additionally or alternatively, and as will be described in further detail below, the one or more lighting effects may include a rotating effect, whereby each of the plurality of LEDs is activated and deactivated to follow a predetermined sequence. It will be appreciated that the configuration of the lighting arrangement 135 is not necessarily limited to the shape and configuration as shown in the drawings or described above, and may be adjusted depending on the design requirements of the button assembly 100.

[0055] The button assembly 100 may further include a dampening member 150 disposed or located between the button body 105 and the lighting assembly 130. In some embodiments, the dampening member 150 is located between the contact portion 120 of the button body 105 and the switch portion 145 of the lighting assembly 130. The dampening member 150 may be formed from a resiliently deformable material such as silicone or any other material suitable for dampening the movement between the button body 105 and the lighting assembly 130, and more specifically between the contact portion 120 and the switch portion 145.

[0056] The button assembly 100 may further include a lens member 155 that is adapted to be mounted to the button body 105 (or any other component of the button assembly 100). The lens member 155 may include a central portion 157 and in a preferred form, the central portion 157 of the lens member 155 is clear or transparent. In other embodiments, the central portion 157 may be translucent. In some embodiments, the lens member 155 may be a layer of the button assembly 100 and in such embodiments, the layer is disposed over the translucent or diffusing layer of the button body 105. In one or more embodiments, the central portion 157 of the lens member 155 is aligned with the central portion 115 of the button body 105. The lens member 155 may be formed from polymer or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the lens member 155 is formed from a clear or transparent polymer or other clear or transparent material, including any other types of plastic. In some embodiments, the lens member 155 is formed from polycarbonate (PC). It will be understood that the lens member 155 may provide a diffusing effect, and one or more properties of the lens member 155 may be adjusted to provide thediffusing effect. The one or more properties of the lens member 155 may include, but is not limited to, the thickness or depth, the transparency property of the material, or the texture. It is envisaged that the lens member 155 may be actuated by a user to cause a corresponding movement of the button body 105. In some embodiments, the lens member 155 may include a surface feature or shape that facilitates the tactility of the lens member 155. In one example, the lens member 155 may include a depression or indentation at the user contact point.

[0057] In some embodiments, the lens member 155 may include a plurality of projections or fins 158 that are arranged to at least partially surround or encircle the central portion 157. In some embodiments, the plurality of projections or fins 158 are arranged to circumferentially surround the central portion 157. In the depicted embodiment, the plurality of projections or fins 158 are disposed on a surface of the lens member 155 that faces the button body 105. In some embodiments, the projections or fins 158 of the lens member 155 are adapted to align with the outer area 118 of the button body 105. It will be appreciated that the plurality of projections or fins 158 may provide a “crystal-like” appearance or effect for a sense of depth. In a preferred form, the projections or fins 158 of the lens member 155 are configured to extend towards a first direction and in embodiments whereby the outer area 118 of the button body 105 includes a plurality of projections of fins, the projections or fins are configured to extend towards a second direction, with the first direction being different to the second direction. In some embodiments, the first direction and the second direction are opposite so as to provide a three-dimensional appearance or effect for any light that travels through the button body 105. An exemplary illustration of an effect provided with this arrangement is shown in Figure 6. In the depicted embodiment, the lens member 155 has a generally circular or radial arrangement, although it will be appreciated that the configuration of the lens member 155 is not necessarily limited to the shape and configuration as shown in the drawings or described above, and may be adjusted depending on the design requirements of the button assembly 100.

[0058] The button assembly 100 may further include a decorative or fascia component 160 that is adapted to be mounted to one or more of the other components of the button assembly 100 and / or to one or more components of the appliance 10. The decorative or fascia component 160 may be formed from polymer or any other suitable material. The material may be coated with a reflective coating such as, but not limited to, paint, chrome, or the like. In some embodiments, the decorative or fascia component 160 may be formed from an opaque thermoplastic such asAcrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) with a non-conductive vacuum metallisation (NCVM) coating.

[0059] Turning to the operation of the button assembly 100, and as discussed above, each LED of the plurality of LEDs / the lighting arrangement 135 may be adapted to be activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects. The plurality of LEDs may be sequentially activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects. The plurality of LEDs may additionally or alternative be simultaneously activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects. In one example, activation of the plurality of LEDs / the lighting arrangement 135 may occur through the actuation of the button body 105 by the user and the control of the one or more lighting effects may be provided by a controller of the appliance.

[0060] In one example, the button body 105 is pushed by the user to move in a direction facing the lighting assembly 130, which causes a corresponding movement of the contact portion 120 towards the switch portion 145 of the lighting assembly 130. It will be appreciated that this arrangement, i.e. whereby the interface between the contact and switch portion 120, 145 is offset from the button body 105, may at least allow for the actuation point (i.e. the button body 105) to be located away from the switch point (i.e. the interface between the contact portion 120 and switch portion). Locating the actuation point away from the switch point is advantageous as it may at least allow for uniform lighting to be achieved over a large button area. As the switch point is located away from the actuation point, this also means that the switch point does not physically block light travelling from the lighting array through the actuation point, thereby allowing the lighting array to also be positioned in line with the actuation point. From a user experience perspective, the part of the appliance that the user is contacting is also the part that lights up.

[0061] In one method of operating the button assembly, the one or more lighting effects produced by the lighting assembly 130 / lighting arrangement 135 may include a rotating effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is activated and deactivated in accordance with a predetermined sequence. It is envisaged that one exemplary application of this rotating effect may be at the initial start-up stage of the appliance, i.e. when the appliance is powered on, or during operation of a particular function of the appliance, e.g. when a toasting function is occurring.

[0062] In such embodiments, and with reference to the example shown in Figure 7, the predetermined sequence may include a first stage in which light is emitted from a first LED 137a at first brightness level whilst simultaneously emitting light from a second LED 137b at a second brightness level. The second LED 137b may be located on either side of the first LED 137a. Light may also be emitted from a third LED 137c at a second brightness level. The third LED 137c may be located on a side of the first LED 137a that is opposite to the side that the second LED 137b is located on. In the example shown in Figure 7, the third LED 137c is located to the left of the first LED 137a and the second LED 137b is located to the right of the first LED 137a. In this example, the first brightness level may be higher than the second brightness level.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 7, the predetermined sequence may also include a second stage after the first stage, in which the second LED 137b is controlled to emit light at the first (higher) brightness level, whilst the first LED 137a is controlled to emit light at the second (lower) brightness level and the third LED 137c is controlled to emit no light. During this second stage, a fourth LED 137d is also controlled to emit light at the second (lower) brightness level.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 7, the predetermined sequence may also include a third stage after the second stage, in which the movement or transition of the brightest LED follows a similar pattern as discussed above in relation to the first to second stages. In particular, the fourth LED 137d is controlled to emit light at the first (higher) brightness level, whilst the second LED 137b is controlled to emit light at the second (lower) brightness level and the first LED 137a is controlled to emit no light. During this second stage, a fifth LED 137e is also is controlled to emit light at the second (lower) brightness level.

[0065] It will be appreciated that between each stage, the brightest LED effectively moves or transitions to a different location along the array. In the example shown in Figure 7, the brightest LED transitions from the first LED 137a, to the second LED 137b, to the third LED 137c, and so on, and movement occurs in a clockwise direction to create a rotating effect. It will be understood that the predetermined sequence may include additional stages after the third stage until the brightest LED returns to the original location (i.e. the first LED 137a), whereby the sequence may either stop or continue again on a loop or for as many cycles as desired. The direction of the transition or movement of the brightest LED may also be counter-clockwise along the array.

[0066] In the example shown in Figure 7 and described above, the central LED 139 may be controlled to emit a light or to emit no light. It is envisaged that in one example of a predetermined sequence, the central LED 139 may be controlled to emit a white light whilst the LEDs 137a, 137b, 137c, etc. are controlled to emit a coloured (e.g. green) light at various brightness levels.

[0067] In another method of operating the button assembly, the one or more lighting effects produced by the lighting arrangement 135 may include a depth and multiple colour animation effect, which is similar to rotating effect described above, but the central LED 139 is controlled to emit a coloured (e.g. red or blue) light.

[0068] In another method of operating the button assembly, the one or more lighting effects produced by the lighting arrangement 135 may include a breathing effect, whereby the plurality of LEDs are simultaneously and gradually activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals. It is envisaged that one exemplary application of this breathing effect may be at a standby state of the appliance, i.e. when the appliance is not operating and is in between functions, or during operation of a particular function of the appliance.

[0069] In such embodiments, and with reference to the example shown in Figure 8, a first stage of the predetermined sequence for this breathing effect is to emit light from the plurality of LEDs simultaneously and at a first brightness level. Following the first stage, a second stage of the predetermined sequence for this breathing effect is to emit light from the plurality of LEDs simultaneously and at a second brightness level. In this example, the first brightness level may be higher than the second brightness level. Following the first stage, a third stage of the predetermined sequence for this breathing effect is to emit light from the plurality of LEDs simultaneously and at a third brightness level or to emit no light. Following the third stage, the predetermined sequence for this breathing effect may loop back to the first stage, where the plurality of LEDs revert to simultaneously emitting light at a first brightness level.

[0070] It will be appreciated that one or more of the lighting effects produced by the plurality of LEDs / the lighting arrangement 135 described above may correlate to different functions or modes of the appliance.

[0071] In one example in which the button assembly 100 is incorporated into a toaster and operatively associated with a controller of the toaster, the rotating effect may be produced toindicate a lowering of the bread carriage following the placement of a slice of bread on the bread carriage via the toaster slot(s). In this example, the button body 105 may be actuated to enable a motor to drive the movement of the bread carriage whilst simultaneously activating the lighting array 130 to produce the rotating effect, and the one or more sensors of the toaster may detect the presence of the bread in the toaster slot(s). If bread is detected in the slot(s), the sensors send a signal to the controller to commence a toasting function. If bread is not detected in the slot(s), the sensors send a signal to the controller to abort the cycle.

[0072] In the above example, the depth and multiple colour animation effect may be produced following the rotating effect to indicate that a toasting function has commenced. The depth and multiple colour animation effect may be repeated on a loop or for as many cycles as desired and / or according to the toasting time.

[0073] In the above example, the breathing effect may be produced following the depth and multiple colour animation effect to indicate that the toaster is in a standby or other mode. The breathing effect may likewise be repeated on a loop or for as many cycles as desired and / or according to the standby time.

[0074] In the above example, a different depth and multiple colour animation effect may be produced following the breathing effect to indicate that another toasting or other function has commenced. This depth and multiple colour animation effect may be repeated on a loop or for as many cycles as desired and / or according to the toasting time.

[0075] It will be appreciated that the methods of operation of the button assembly 100 are not necessarily limited to the examples as shown in the drawings or described above, and may be customised depending on the design requirements of the appliance 10. It is envisaged that the lighting array 130 may be controlled to product the various lighting effects in any sequence, alone or even simultaneously with one another, and the various lighting effects may be assigned to any number or combination of different functions or modes of the appliance. It is also envisaged that with any of the lighting effects described above, the speed, timing, and / or direction of the various effects may be controlled to correlate to various modes or functions of the appliance 10.

[0076] Various forms of the bottom assembly 100 and methods of operation described above may have one or more of the following advantages. The arrangements described above may atleast allow for a connection to be made between the one or more functional sensors of the appliance and the button assembly (i.e. the user actuation point of the appliance). In the example of a toaster, a connection may be made between the functional sensors of the toaster (which typically utilise green and infrared LEDs to detect the shade of the bread) and the button assembly of the toaster. The arrangements described above may additionally allow for the specific modes or functions of an appliance to be demonstrated via the user actuation point of the appliance in a visual manner. In the example of the rotating effect described above, a moving lighting feature may be created using static parts, i.e. without having to rely upon physically moving parts. The arrangements described above may also produce various lighting effects that provide a depth in visual appearance, for example through the lens member and projections or fins of the lens member and / or the button body, and / or through controlling the brightness levels and colours of the LEDs. The arrangements described above may also allow for the appliance to distinguish between use cases in which the functional sensors may or may not be working. For example, the lighting array may be controlled to product the rotating effect described above in “sensor modes” and a constant lighting effect in another mode, such as a “timer and bun warmer mode”. The arrangements described above may also provide improvements in the sophistication and robustness in tactile capabilities of the user actuation point, at least due to the robust physical construction of the button assembly.

[0077] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and / or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0078] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts orelements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A button assembly for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly including: a button body; and a lighting assembly operatively associated with the button body, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED; and an array of spaced-apart LEDs arranged to at least partially surround the centralLED, wherein the button body includes a translucent or diffusing layer disposed over the lighting assembly, and wherein the button assembly further includes a clear or transparent layer disposed over the translucent or diffusing layer of the button body.

2. A button assembly for a kitchen appliance, the button assembly including: a button body having a central portion and a contact portion extending from central portion, the button body including a central axis and the contact portion including a contact portion axis that is offset from the central axis; and a lighting assembly adapted to be mounted to the button body and aligned with the button body, the lighting assembly further including a switch portion that is aligned with the contact portion of the button body, whereby the button body is actuatable by a user to cause the contact portion to engage the switch portion and activate the lighting assembly.

3. The button assembly according to claim 2, wherein the lighting assembly includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the plurality of LEDs including: a central LED; and an array of spaced-apart LEDs arranged to at least partially surround the central LED.

4. The button assembly according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the button body is actuatable to cause the central LED and / or the array of spaced-apart LEDs to produce one or more lighting effects or one or more patterns of light.

5. The button assembly according to claim 4, wherein the central LED and / or the array of spaced-apart LEDs is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein each LED is adapted to be activated or deactivated in one or more states to produce the one or more lighting effects or the one or more patterns of light.

6. The button assembly according to claim 5, wherein each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to be sequentially activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects.

7. The button assembly according to claim 5 or 6, wherein each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to be simultaneously activated or deactivated to produce the one or more lighting effects.

8. The button assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the one or more lighting effects or one or more patterns of light includes one or more of: a pulsing or flashing effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is simultaneously activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals; a breathing effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is simultaneously and gradually activated and deactivated at predetermined time intervals; and a rotating effect, whereby each LED of the plurality of LEDs is activated and deactivated to follow a predetermined sequence.

9. The button assembly according to any one of claims 1 or 3 to 8, wherein the array of spaced-apart LEDs is arranged in a circular configuration to at least circumferentially surround the central LED.

10. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each LED of the plurality of LEDs is adapted to emit one or more light colours.

11. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a lens member adapted to be mounted to the button body, wherein the lens member provides the clear or transparent layer of the button assembly.

12. The button assembly according to claim 11, wherein the lens member includes a central portion and a plurality of projections arranged to at least partially surround the central portion.

13. The button assembly according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of projections of the lens member circumferentially surrounds the central portion of the lens member.

14. The button assembly according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the central portion of the lens member is one or more of: clear or transparent; and translucent or diffusing.

15. The button assembly according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the central portion of the lens member is aligned with a central portion of the button body, and the button body includes an outer area arranged to at least partially surround a central portion of the button body.

16. The button assembly according to claim 15, wherein the outer area of the button body circumferentially surrounds the central portion of the button body.

17. The button assembly according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the outer area of the button body is one or more of: clear or transparent; and translucent or diffusing.

18. The button assembly according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the outer area of the button body includes a plurality of projections.

19. The button assembly according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the outer area of the button body has a transparency property that is different to a transparency property of the central portion of the button body.

20. The button assembly according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the central portion of the button body is one or more of: translucent or diffusing; and clear or transparent.

21. The button assembly according to any one of claims 15 to 20, wherein the projections of the lens member are adapted to align with the outer area of the button body.

22. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a dampening member located between the button body and the lighting assembly.

23. The button assembly according to claim 22, wherein the dampening member is formed from a resiliently deformable material.

24. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting assembly further includes a switch portion that is aligned with a contact portion of the button body, whereby the button body is actuatable by a user to cause the contact portion to engage the switch portion and activate the lighting assembly.

25. The button assembly according to claim 24, wherein the contact portion includes a contact portion axis that is offset from a central axis of the button body.

26. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting assembly is operatively associated with a controller and one or more sensors of the kitchen appliance.

27. A kitchen appliance including the button assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

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