Home appliance having display unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional home appliances with hidden displays often use different materials for penetration windows and the rest of the front surface panel, leading to an aesthetic mismatch and reduced sense of unity in design.

Innovation Solution

A home appliance design featuring a front surface panel made entirely of steel plate with penetrating holes for light to pass through, eliminating the need for a separate penetration window, and incorporating a display unit with a printed circuit board, guide member, display film, and cover member to prevent moisture ingress, while maintaining an improved aesthetic appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a separate penetration window made of resin or glass is used in the front surface panel, then light can be transmitted from the display, but the aesthetic sense is reduced and material uniformity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight transmissionVSAvoidaesthetic sense

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies homogeneity by making the entire front surface panel including the penetration window area from the same steel plate material. The penetration window is formed by removing paint or coating from a steel plate rather than using a separate resin or glass component, ensuring uniform material appearance and eliminating the aesthetic mismatch between different materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the penetration window function from a separate component and integrates it directly into the steel plate front surface panel. By removing paint or coating in a specific pattern to create light-transmitting areas, the design eliminates the need for separate resin or glass penetration windows while maintaining the light transmission function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the front surface panel is made entirely of steel plate with penetrating holes, then aesthetic sense is improved and material uniformity is achieved, but moisture penetration to the printed circuit board becomes a risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic senseVSAvoidmoisture penetration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cover member as an intermediary protective layer between the external environment and the printed circuit board. This cover member, made of resin or similar material, seals the internal cavity containing the PCB while allowing light to pass through to the display elements, thus protecting against moisture penetration while maintaining the steel plate aesthetic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a nested structure where the display unit with the printed circuit board is housed within a cavity formed in the steel plate front surface panel. The cover member then nests over this cavity, creating a protective enclosure that integrates with the overall door structure while shielding the electronic components from moisture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If multiple separate components are used for the display unit, then functionality is achieved, but the number of parts increases and assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay functionalityVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple display components into an integrated display unit assembly. The printed circuit board, light-transmitting elements, and cover member are combined into a single functional unit that is mounted as one component onto the door structure, reducing the number of separate parts and simplifying assembly while maintaining full display functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances the aesthetic appeal and durability of the appliance by using a single material for the front surface panel, ensures reliable operation by preventing moisture penetration, and simplifies assembly, reducing parts and costs.

Implementation Method 1

a display configured to display operation information of the home appliance... a guide member configured to guide the light radiated from the at least one light emitting element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight radiation and guidance: Light

Implementation Method 2

a cover member provided at the guide member so as to prevent moisture from penetrating at the printed circuit board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMoisture barrier protection:

Data Source

PatentUS9683731B2Home appliance having display unit

Publication Date: 2017.06.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a home appliance having a front surface panel provided with penetrating holes formed thereto as to have light penetrated therethrough, a door having a rear surface panel, and a display unit provided inside the door and configured to display operation information through the penetrating holes of the front surface panel. The display unit includes a printed circuit board provided with at least one light emitting element, a guide member configured to guide light radiated from the at least one light emitting element, a display film having penetration portions corresponding with the penetrating holes of the front surface panel, and attached to the guide member, and a cover member provided at the guide member so as to prevent moisture from penetrating at the printed circuit board, and thus the exterior appearance of the door may be improved.