Consumer appliance and user interface having one or more touch sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating touch sensors and light sources in consumer appliance user interfaces poses challenges due to the need for separate components and increased assembly complexity and cost, as well as the requirement for light sources to be positioned far from the dielectric panel for adequate light dispersion.
Innovation Solution
A user interface design that integrates a touch sensor and light source on a common element, where the touch sensor is mounted on a control board with a light aperture and a reflector plate positioned rearward to direct light emissions through the aperture, allowing for mutual positioning without increasing assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a touch sensor and light source are incorporated into a user interface, then the user interface provides a clean appearance and user feedback, but the assembly complexity and cost increase due to multiple separate components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the touch sensor and light source onto a single control board, eliminating the need for separate control panels. The control board serves as a common mounting surface for both components, reducing the number of separate parts and simplifying assembly operations while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control board is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as the mounting structure for the touch sensor, the mounting structure for the light source, and the electrical circuit board. This multi-functional design reduces the overall component count and simplifies the user interface assembly.
2Illumination intensity
If a light source is positioned far from the dielectric panel, then adequate light dispersion is achieved, but the distance requirement increases assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reflective cavity as an intermediary structure between the light source and the dielectric panel. This cavity reflects and redirects light emissions from the LED, achieving adequate light dispersion and illumination without requiring the light source to be positioned at a large distance from the panel.
3Reliability
If separate control panels are provided for touch sensor and light source, then each component can be optimized independently, but the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate control panels into a single control board that accommodates both the touch sensor and light source. This consolidation reduces the number of control panels from two to one, simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing assembly steps while maintaining the functional integrity of both components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design simplifies assembly, reduces costs, and maintains a clean appearance by allowing the touch sensor and light source to be positioned closer together while ensuring adequate light dispersion and user feedback.
Implementation Method 1
capacitive touch sensors can detect a change in capacitance when the user touches the control panel
Implementation Method 2
light sources must generally be held relatively far from the dielectric panel... in order to ensure adequate dispersion of light emissions
Data Source
AI summary
A consumer appliance, a provided herein, may include a cabinet and a user interface disposed on the cabinet. The user interface may include an external panel, a control board, a touch sensor, a reflector plate, and a light source. The external panel may include an outer surface facing outward and an inner surface positioned opposite from the outer surface. The control board may be positioned behind the external panel and include a forward surface facing the external panel and a rearward surface facing away from the external panel. The control board may define a light aperture extending therethrough. The touch sensor may be mounted on the control board and spaced apart from the forward surface. The reflector plate may be spaced rearward from the control board to define an open region. The light source may be mounted on the control board at the rearward surface and face rearward.