Household appliance comprising a detection unit optically bonded to a cover

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a domestic appliance (1) comprising a detection unit (7), in particular for detecting an object (8) approaching the domestic appliance (1), and comprising a cover (9), behind which the detection unit (7) is provided and through which signals, in particular signals relating to the identification of the object and the approach of the object, are transmitted and received, an additional element (13) being provided between the cover (9) and the detection unit (7) in the beam path of the detection unit (7), the additional element being used to optically bond the detection unit (7) to the cover (9).

Description

[0001] 202401763

[0002] 1 / 11

[0003] Household appliance with a detection unit optically bonded to a cover

[0004] One aspect of the invention relates to a household appliance with a detection unit and with a cover behind which the detection unit is arranged.

[0005] Household appliances are known to have various operating and / or display units. Typically, a control panel is provided in this context, behind which the operating and / or display unit is located.

[0006] Furthermore, household appliances are also known that have a detection unit with which an object in the vicinity can be identified as a household appliance. Proximity sensors are also known in this context, which are an example of such a detection unit. These detection units are also typically located behind a cover.

[0007] Especially when there is an air gap between the detection unit and the cover, unwanted reflections can occur, which can impair the detection result. These unwanted reflections can also cause interference in the system and have a greater effect the closer a transmitter and receiver of the detection unit are to each other. Similarly, larger distances between the detection unit and the cover also negatively affect the detection result.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to create a household appliance in which the functionality of a detection unit arranged behind a cover is improved.

[0009] This problem is solved by a household appliance which has the features according to claim 1.

[0010] One aspect of the invention relates to a household appliance with at least one detection unit. The detection unit is particularly intended for detecting the environment of the appliance (202401763).

[0011] 2 / 11

[0012] The appliance is designed to detect objects in its vicinity, particularly when an object approaches the appliance. The appliance has a separate cover behind which the detection unit is located. Specifically, the detection unit is arranged so that signals, particularly for object recognition and proximity detection, are transmitted and received through the cover. Therefore, the detection unit includes a transmitter and a receiver. An additional element of the appliance is positioned in the detection unit's beam path between the cover and the detection unit, optically connecting the detection unit to the cover.

[0013] In particular, it is intended that the area between the detection unit, especially the transmitter and receiver of the detection unit, and the cover is free of air space. Specifically, this space between the detection unit and the cover is completely filled, particularly with the material that enables optical bonding. This design significantly improves the functionality of the detection unit, especially when it is located behind a cover. The aforementioned undesirable reflections and their associated disadvantages, namely degraded detection results and / or other system malfunctions, can thereby be significantly reduced, and in particular, prevented.

[0014] In one embodiment, the additional element is an adhesive. The adhesive is then also specifically designed and positioned to hold the detection unit to the cover. The adhesive is transparent across the spectral range of both the emitted and reflected rays. This specification of the additional element not only achieves highly advantageous optical bonding but also provides a holding function. The additional element is therefore designed to be multifunctional.

[0015] The adhesive may be a tape or an adhesive sheet. This allows for the provision of a very thin additional element, which can be designed differently with regard to the surface optical bonding and thus also 202401763

[0016] 3 / 11 A wide variety of situations can be met. Full-surface optical bonding with such an adhesive tape or sheet is also possible. The adhesive can also be a liquid adhesive.

[0017] In one embodiment, the adhesive is intended to be optically clear. These adhesives, also known as OCA adhesives, are very advantageous for optical bonding. A LOCA adhesive is also possible, which in this context would be an optically clear, liquid adhesive.

[0018] In one embodiment, the additional element has a thickness between 0.10 mm and 2.00 mm. Any value between these limits, particularly in 0.10 mm increments, is considered disclosed. Therefore, corresponding intervals are also considered disclosed. In this respect, exemplary thicknesses of the additional element are very small, so that the structure of the household appliance is only insignificantly or negligibly altered in this direction, where the detection unit, the additional element, and the cover are arranged in series. Nevertheless, the full functionality of the optical bonding and the associated optical advantages are achieved. The additional retention of the additional element on the cover is particularly advantageous in this way.

[0019] In one embodiment, the detection unit is sensitive in the infrared spectral range. In particular, the detection unit can be a lidar sensor. A lidar sensor is compact in this respect and particularly advantageous for detecting objects in the vicinity of the household appliance, especially at close range, in order to reliably and quickly detect dynamic movement, particularly the approach of the object to the household appliance.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cover is a front panel of the household appliance. It can be a visible front component of the appliance. The cover can also be made of plastic (PMMA, PC, etc.). For example, it can be either the entire front panel or a window as part of a stainless steel front panel. 202401763

[0021] 4 / 11

[0022] In one embodiment, the cover is a plate. It can be made of glass, particularly real glass. It is completely transparent, especially in the infrared spectral range.

[0023] In one embodiment, the household appliance is designed for preparing food. It can be, in particular, a cooking appliance. For example, it can be an oven. This can also have microwave functionality and / or steam cooking functionality.

[0024] In addition to the aforementioned bonding methods such as OCA (optical clear adhesive) and LOCA (liquid optical clear adhesive), hybrid bonding can also be used. Hybrid bonding combines the advantages of the LOCA and OCA processes.

[0025] An optical bonding adhesive is specifically an adhesive material used to bond optical components together. Optical bonding eliminates any air gap between the two surfaces that can cause reflections, refractions, and other visual distortions.

[0026] The adhesive used for optical bonding is typically a clear, epoxy- or silicone-based material that is transparent and has a low refractive index to minimize visual distortion. It is applied in a thin layer to one or both optical components, the cover and the detection unit, and cured under heat or UV light.

[0027] One of the following can be used as the optical bonding adhesive:

[0028] An epoxy adhesive. These are two-component adhesives that cure when mixed. They are known for their high strength and durability and are therefore a popular choice for optical bonding.

[0029] A UV-curing adhesive. This adhesive hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light, making it a faster alternative to epoxy adhesives. It is also known for its high transparency and low yellowing.

[0030] A silicone adhesive. Silicone adhesives are flexible and have good temperature and humidity resistance. 202401763

[0031] 5 / 11

[0032] An acrylic adhesive. These adhesives offer good optical clarity and excellent resistance to UV light and weathering. They are also known for their high strength and good adhesion to various surfaces.

[0033] A cyanoacrylate adhesive. These adhesives cure quickly and adhere well to various surfaces.

[0034] Suitable optical bonding adhesives include acrylics, silicones, and polyurethanes. Acrylates are used because they offer particularly good optical clarity and are easy to process. Silicones are also advantageous due to their flexibility and resistance to high temperatures. Polyurethanes are known for their high strength and durability.

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. These show:

[0036] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention; and

[0037] Fig. 2 shows a schematic sectional view through a section of the

[0038] Household appliance as shown in Fig. 1.

[0039] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference symbols.

[0040] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a household appliance 1. Here, the household appliance 1 is specifically designed for preparing food. It could, for example, be a cooking appliance. It is also possible that the household appliance 1 is designed for storing and preserving food. In that case, it could, for example, be a household refrigeration appliance. For instance, it could be a refrigerator, a freezer, or a combination refrigerator-freezer.

[0041] However, a household appliance 1 for the care of laundry items, such as a washing machine, a tumble dryer, or a washer-dryer, is also possible. 202401763

[0042] 6 / 11

[0043] The household appliance 1 has a housing 2. At least one receiving compartment 3 is formed in the housing 2. Here, the receiving compartment 3 is a cooking chamber. This receiving compartment 3 can be closed at the front, i.e., on the side facing the viewer or user, by a door 4. The door 4 can, for example, have a handle 5. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the household appliance 1 has a control and / or display unit 5. For this purpose, a control panel 6 is provided, which here covers the control and / or display unit 5 at the front. The control panel 6 can be a visible front component. It is thus arranged on the front, vertical surface of the household appliance 1. It can be a plate. In particular, it can be made of glass.

[0044] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the household appliance 1 has an electronic detection unit 7. The detection unit 7 is specifically designed to detect the environment of the household appliance 1. It is specifically designed to detect an object 8 (Fig. 2) in the environment of the household appliance 1. In particular, it is designed to detect an object 8 approaching the household appliance 1. The detection unit 7 is particularly sensitive in the infrared spectral range. The detection unit 7 is specifically a lidar sensor.

[0045] The detection unit 7 is located behind a cover 9 when viewed from the front of the household appliance 1. The cover 9 can, in particular, be formed by the control panel 6. The cover 9 can be a plate and, in particular, can be completely transparent, especially in the infrared spectral range.

[0046] Figure 2 shows a schematic sectional view along the section length 11-11 in Figure 1, depicting a partial view of components of the household appliance 1. The cover 9 and the detection unit 7 positioned behind it are shown. The detection unit 7 comprises a transmitter 7a and a receiver 7b. The transmitter 7a and the receiver 7b are completely covered by the cover 9 on the side facing the cover 9.

[0047] As can be seen in Fig. 2, signals 10 are emitted from transmitter 7a through the cover 9 into the surroundings 11 of the household appliance 1. (An 202401763)

[0048] 7 / 11 These signals 10 are reflected by any object 8 that may be present in the vicinity 11 and received by the receiver 7b. These reflected signals 12 also pass through the cover 9.

[0049] As can be seen, an additional element 13 is arranged between the cover 9 and the detection unit 7, in particular the transmitter 7a and the receiver 7b.

[0050] With this additional element 13, the detection unit 7 is optically bonded to a rear surface 9a of the cover 9. The additional element 13 is preferably an adhesive, which is also arranged to hold the detection unit 7 to the cover 9. The adhesive is, in particular, an optically clear adhesive. It preferably has a thickness d between 0.10 mm and 2.00 mm.

[0051] 202401763

[0052] 8 / 11

[0053] Reference symbol list

[0054] 1 household appliance

[0055] 2 cases

[0056] 3 Recording room

[0057] 4-door

[0058] 5 Display unit

[0059] 6 Control panel

[0060] 7 Detection unit

[0061] 7a Transmitter

[0062] 7b Recipient

[0063] 8 objects

[0064] 9 Cover

[0065] 9a Reverse side

[0066] 10 signals

[0067] 11 Environment

[0068] 12 signals

[0069] 13 Additional element

Claims

202401763 9 / 11 Patent claims 1. Household appliance (1) with a detection unit (7), in particular for detecting an approach of an object (8) to the household appliance (1), and with a cover (9) behind which the detection unit (7) is arranged and through which signals, in particular for object recognition and object approach, are sent and received, characterized in that an additional element (13) is arranged between the cover (9) and the detection unit (7) in the beam path of the detection unit (7), with which the detection unit (7) is optically bonded to the cover (9).

2. Household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the additional element (13) is an adhesive for holding the detection unit (7) to the cover (9), wherein the adhesive is transparent for the spectral range of the emitted rays and the reflected rays.

3. Household appliance (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the adhesive is an adhesive tape or an adhesive sheet.

4. Household appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adhesive is an optically clear adhesive.

5. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional element (13) has a thickness (d) between 0.10 mm and 2.00 mm.

6. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection unit (7) is sensitive in the infrared.

7. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection unit (7) is a lidar sensor. 202401763 10 / 11 8. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (9) is a front panel (6) of the household appliance (1).

9. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (9) is a plate made of glass.

10. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a cooking appliance, in particular an oven.

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