Display and operating device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display and control devices for household appliances, such as stoves and refrigerators, lack a simple structure that enables effective backlighting and capacitive control.
Innovation Solution
A display and operating device with a support housing containing a printed circuit board, a light guide, and electrical sensor surfaces, where the light guide is held between the sensor surfaces and light sources, allowing for multiple control panels with backlighting and capacitive touch functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is arranged behind the display panel for backlighting, then the display can be illuminated, but the device structure becomes more complex and thicker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light source arrangement with the existing circuit board structure. The light source is mounted on the circuit board which serves as the support structure, eliminating the need for separate backlight housing and reducing overall device complexity. The light guide panel is integrated into the display assembly, further merging components.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connections for the display elements, supports the light source, and acts as a structural support for the entire display assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control panels are arranged horizontally next to one another, then more settings can be made, but the device width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a vertical stacking arrangement to a horizontal arrangement of control panels. By utilizing the horizontal dimension more effectively and making the display panel translucent, multiple control panels can be arranged side-by-side without significantly increasing the perceived device footprint, as the translucent panel allows visual integration of multiple control areas.
3Illumination intensity
If the light source is placed close to the display panel for efficient backlighting, then illumination is improved, but the capacitive sensor functionality is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light source into multiple individual light-emitting elements arranged in an array, with each element corresponding to a specific control panel region. This segmentation allows the light to be directed precisely where needed without excessive spread that would interfere with capacitive sensing in adjacent areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The light emission characteristics are optimized locally for each control panel region. The light source arrangement provides targeted illumination to specific areas, ensuring sufficient brightness for each control zone while maintaining the electrical field integrity needed for capacitive touch detection in those same zones.
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 results in a slimmer, cost-effective, and easily manufacturable display and control device with improved backlighting and capacitive control, enabling efficient user interaction through capacitive proximity switches.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide on an inner side of the display and operating panel facing away from the user, with a flat light guide section with an edge-side light entry surface
Implementation Method 2
touch-sensitive pushbutton switches or touch and/or proximity switches are often used, which, for example, trigger a certain switching operation and/or change a device setting by simply touching or approaching them by a user or a user's finger
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5
AI summary
One aspect of the invention relates to a display and control device (30) for making settings on a household appliance (1), comprising a carrier housing (40) with a display and control panel (41) having a control panel (BF) on an outer surface (41a) of the display and control panel (41) facing the user, a circuit board (60) on an inner surface (41b) of the display and control panel (41) facing away from the user, and a light guide (50) on an inner surface (41b) of the display and control panel (41) facing away from the user, with a planar light guide section (51) having a peripheral light entry surface (511), wherein the circuit board (60) has an outer main surface (60a) facing the display and control panel (41), on which a light source (63) for backlighting the display and control panel (41) and an electrical sensor surface corresponding to the control panel (BF) are provided. (65) is provided for,wherein the planar light guide section (51) is held between the electrical sensor surface (65) and an inner surface (41b) of the display and control panel (41) facing away from the user, wherein the light source (63) is arranged outside the electrical sensor surface (65) on the outer main surface (60a) of the circuit board (60) and a main emission axis (A) of the light source (63) is directed towards the edge-side light entry surface (511).