Hidden UI Panel Baffle Assembly for Oral Cleaning Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hidden user interface panels in oral cleaning devices are expensive to manufacture and prone to bleed-through or hot spot illumination, detracting from their utility and visual appeal.
Innovation Solution
A hidden panel design featuring a baffle assembly with a thin film that disperses light evenly, ensuring only the selected mode indicator is illuminated, using a translucent handle portion with a masking layer and light-transmitting layer to prevent bleed-through, and employing LEDs with varying intensities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a hidden panel is painted or colored and subsequently illuminated with light during use, then the panel provides visual indication of selected modes, but the light produces hot spots where the center is brighter than the edges, detracting from utility and visual appeal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thin film diffuser layer over the illuminating elements and indicia. This thin film evenly disperses the light emitted by LEDs, eliminating hot spots and ensuring uniform illumination across the entire panel surface while maintaining the hidden panel aesthetic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a baffle assembly with individual baffle sections that direct light locally to specific indicia regions. Each baffle section controls the light distribution to its corresponding indicia, ensuring that illumination is concentrated where needed rather than creating unwanted hot spots in other areas.
2Shape
If a hidden panel structure is implemented to provide blank appearance when off and illuminated indications when on, then the appliance attractiveness is improved, but the panel becomes structurally complex and more expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components. The baffle assembly serves both as a structural support for LEDs and as a light-directing element. The thin film diffuser layer simultaneously protects the LEDs and provides uniform light distribution. This integration reduces the number of separate parts compared to traditional hidden panel designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle portion serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, acts as a translucent window for the hidden panel, and diffuses light when the thin film is applied. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, simplifying the overall structure.
3Reliability
If individual baffle sections are used to direct light to specific indicia, then light bleed-through between sections is prevented, but the manufacturing process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle assembly is divided into multiple individual baffle sections, each corresponding to a specific indicia. This segmentation ensures that light from each LED is directed only to its associated indicia, preventing bleed-through to adjacent indicia and maintaining clear visual distinction between different modes.
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 provides an affordable, time-efficient manufacturing process for hidden panels that eliminate bleed-through and hot spot illumination, enhancing the user interface's clarity and visual appeal by ensuring only the selected mode is clearly visible.
Implementation Method 1
the baffle includes a thin film of material that disperses the light evenly through the housing
Implementation Method 2
At least a portion of the body is translucent and includes a plurality of illuminating elements mounted within individual baffle sections
Data Source
AI summary
An oral cleaning device comprising a handle portion (12) with a plurality of indicia (15) and a plurality of illuminating elements (31); and a user interface assembly (24), the user interface assembly including an interface panel (26) and a baffle assembly (30), the baffle assembly including a plurality of baffle sections (49) each corresponding with a respective one of the plurality of illuminating elements and a respective one of the plurality of indicia, and further where each of the plurality of baffle sections including a cover portion (49a) covering the baffle section and positioned between the respective one of the plurality of illuminating elements and the respective one of the plurality of indicia. The user interface assembly is structured to be blank when the device is powered off, and to illuminate one of the indicia when the device is powered on.