Domestic Appliance Panel Coating with Localized Opacity Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing domestic appliances lack design freedom and comfort, particularly in hob devices, due to limitations in opacity and visibility of functional areas, which hinders user experience and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A domestic appliance with a partially transparent panel unit featuring a coating structure that has different opacity values in distinct areas, allowing for enhanced design flexibility and user comfort by creating a clear distinction between functional and display areas while maintaining a cohesive appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a coating structure with different opacity values in different areas is applied, then design freedom and visibility of functional areas are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coating structure applies different opacity values to different areas of the panel unit. The first partial area has a first opacity value while the second partial area has a second opacity value different from the first, allowing functional areas to be highlighted or hidden locally without affecting the entire panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating structure is divided into at least two distinct partial areas (first and second partial areas) with different optical properties. This segmentation allows independent optimization of visibility and aesthetics for different functional zones on the panel unit.
2Manufacturing precision
If different materials are used for different coating areas, then opacity control is improved, but production simplicity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention varies the opacity parameter of the coating by changing the colorant concentration or type in different areas, rather than using fundamentally different materials. This allows precise control of optical properties while maintaining material compatibility for streamlined production.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating structure uses a composite approach where the same base coating material is combined with different colorants or colorant concentrations in different areas to achieve the desired opacity variations, balancing material performance with manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
The home appliance device (12) comprise a partially transparent plate unit (14) and a coating structure (16) provided on the disk drive unit. The coating structure has, in first (22) and second (24) partial regions, a main plane of the plate unit at right angles to a main plane of different opacity. The coating structure is transparent in the first partial region, and has a shade in the first and second partial regions. The first and second partial regions are formed by the same material, and have different thicknesses. The coating structure is partially formed by an enamel-like material. The home appliance device (12) comprise a partially transparent plate unit (14) and a coating structure (16) provided on the disk drive unit. The coating structure has, in first (22) and second partial regions, a main plane of the plate unit at right angles to a main plane of different opacity. The coating structure is transparent in the first partial region, and has a shade in the first and second partial regions. The first and second partial regions are formed by the same material, and have different thicknesses. The coating structure is partially formed by an enamel-like material, and extends with respect to the main plane over the entire disk drive unit. The second partial region is provided as an operating and/or a display region. An independent claim is included for a method for preparing a household appliance device.