Extractor Hood Touch Control for Seamless Fan and Light Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extractor hoods have complex structures in the operating unit area, making them difficult to manufacture and maintain, and require multiple actuations for fan speed selection and other operational settings.
Innovation Solution
A simplified extractor hood design featuring a central control element connected to the fan blower unit, lighting unit, and sensors, allowing for flexible operation through a capacitive proximity switch or slide switch, enabling stepless adjustment of fan and lighting settings without the need for physical buttons or separate seals, and integrating a control unit for various ventilation and lighting modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate actuating elements (buttons, switches) are provided for different functional units, then each function can be operated independently, but the design complexity of the control unit area increases and manufacturing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A single actuating element is designed to control multiple functional units (fan, lighting) through different actuation modes. The element can detect different interaction patterns (touch position, touch duration, number of presses) to selectively activate different functions, eliminating the need for separate buttons for each function while maintaining full operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple control functions that were previously separated into distinct buttons and switches are merged into one integrated actuating element. This consolidation simplifies the control unit area design, reduces the number of components, and makes manufacturing easier while preserving all necessary functional controls for the extractor hood.
2Ease of operation
If physical buttons and switches are installed on the control panel, then direct mechanical actuation is achieved, but openings in the panel are created that require seals and allow contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical button and switch system is replaced with a capacitive touch-sensitive actuating element. This electronic sensing system detects finger proximity and touch patterns through capacitive coupling, eliminating the need for physical openings in the control panel. The panel remains continuous and sealed, preventing contamination while maintaining full actuation functionality through touch-based control.
3Measurement precision
If multiple separate control elements are used for fan speed selection, then precise control is achieved, but the number of actuations required increases and operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element detects dynamic characteristics of user interaction, such as the position where the finger is released during a sliding gesture. Different release positions along the actuating element's length correspond to different fan speed levels. This dynamic detection method allows precise fan speed selection in a single continuous motion, eliminating the need for multiple discrete presses or complex button combinations.
4Ease of manufacture
If a continuous panel surface is maintained without openings, then manufacturing is simplified and cleaning is easier, but traditional mechanical control elements cannot be installed
Solution Approach 1:
Traditional mechanical control elements requiring panel openings are replaced with a capacitive touch-sensitive actuating element that can be integrated into the continuous panel surface. The capacitive sensor detects touch through the panel material, allowing the panel to remain unbroken and seamless. This enables both simplified manufacturing with continuous surfaces and easy cleaning, while maintaining full control functionality through touch-based operation.
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
The solution simplifies the structure and operation of the extractor hood, allowing for easy manufacturing and cleaning, with precise control over fan and lighting settings, reducing energy consumption and maintaining a continuous, contamination-resistant surface.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive proximity switch or slide switch
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The hood (1) has a functional unit for performing functions of the hood, and an operating unit for setting operating conditions of the hood. The operating unit is arranged behind an aperture (20), and a non-contact actuated control element (221) sets operating conditions of the hood, and is connected with the functional unit. The control element represents a sliding switch without mechanically movable elements. The operating unit includes selection elements (223, 224, 225) i.e. sensor elements, for selecting the operating conditions, where the aperture is made of glass. The functional is selected from a control unit, a fan blower unit, a lighting unit, a time-control unit and an ultrasonic sensor unit.