Control panel for an apparatus, in particular for a domestic appliance, and a method for assembling said control panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control panels for domestic appliances cannot be assembled automatically, resulting in a flush surface on the front sides of the front and inner panels, which limits manufacturing efficiency and requires manual labor.
Innovation Solution
A control panel design where the support frame is directly connected to the rear side of the front panel, with the inner panel integrated between them, allowing for automatic assembly by a robot. The inner panel consists of a flat front and rear portion, with the flat front portion complementary to the cut-out of the front panel and the flat rear portion complementary to the recess of the support frame, enabling a flush surface and accommodating manufacturing tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the inner panel is separately fixed to the support frame and front panel, then a flush surface is achieved, but the assembly process becomes complex and cannot be automated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fixation functions for the inner panel, support frame, and front panel into a single integrated snap-in mechanism. The inner panel's peripheral rabbet encloses the support frame, which in turn snaps into the front panel, creating a unified assembly sequence that achieves flush surface alignment without requiring separate fixation operations for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner panel is segmented into a flat front portion and flat rear portion with a peripheral rabbet connecting them. This segmentation allows the single-piece inner panel to be properly received and positioned by the support frame's recess, enabling automatic assembly while maintaining the flush surface requirement.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual assembly is used to achieve precise alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel assembly is designed to be self-aligning through the geometric relationships between components. The peripheral rabbet of the inner panel, the recess of the support frame, and the complementary shapes automatically guide each component into proper alignment during the single snap-in operation, eliminating the need for manual alignment adjustments and enabling robotic automation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the inner panel is made as a single-piece part with peripheral rabbet, then manufacturing is simplified, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inner panel is designed as a single-piece part with an integrated peripheral rabbet that encloses the support frame. This segmentation is built into the monolithic structure, allowing the inner panel to be manufactured as one component while providing the necessary geometric features for automatic assembly and proper positioning within the control panel assembly.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a control panel for an apparatus, in particular for a domestic appliance. The control panel (10) comprises at least one front panel (12) including at least one cut-out (14). The control panel (10) comprises at least one inner panel (16) including a peripheral rabbet (18). Said peripheral rabbet (18) encloses at least partially the circumference of the inner panel (16), so that a smaller flat front portion and a bigger flat rear portion of said inner panel (16) are formed. The control panel (10) comprises at least one support frame (20) including at least one recess (22) at its front side. The support frame (20) is connected or connectable to the rear side of the front panel (12). The inner panel (16) is arranged or arrangeable between the front panel (12) and the support frame (20), so that the flat front portion of the inner panel (16) is received or receivable by the cut-out (14) of the front panel (12), while the flat rear portion of the inner panel (16) is received or receivable by the recess (22) of the support frame (20). Further, the present invention relates to a method for assembling a control panel for an apparatus, in particular for a domestic appliance.