Household appliance component
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances face challenges in integrating illumination devices due to limitations in power supply, installation space, temperature resistance, and chemical resistance, making it difficult to use light effects for visual alerts and design features in components like cooktops and ovens.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance component featuring a photoluminescent layer and a light guide that can transmit light of an excitation wavelength, combined with an optical switch that routes light based on temperature, allowing for flexible illumination and temperature indication without direct exposure to high or low temperatures, and enabling placement of the light source away from the photoluminescent layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional illumination devices (light bulbs or LEDs) are integrated into household appliance components, then visual alerts and design features can be achieved, but installation space requirements increase and temperature/chemical resistance becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is extracted from the household appliance component itself and placed in a separate location. The light guide transmits light from this external source to the photoluminescent layer within the component, eliminating the need to house the light source within the component's limited space while still achieving the desired illumination effect
Solution Approach 2:
A light guide acts as an intermediary element between the external light source and the photoluminescent layer. This mediator transmits light over distances and through paths that would be impossible with direct illumination, enabling flexible positioning of both the light source and the illumination point while maintaining effective light transmission
2Use of energy by moving object
If traditional illumination devices are placed close to the photoluminescent layer for efficient illumination, then illumination effectiveness improves, but the photoluminescent layer is exposed to high temperatures and chemical exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide serves as a mediator that decouples the physical proximity requirement for efficient illumination from the thermal exposure problem. Light is transmitted through the light guide to the photoluminescent layer, maintaining illumination effectiveness while keeping the light source physically separated from high-temperature zones
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination system is segmented into separate functional components: the light source is positioned in a cool zone, the light guide transmits light through intermediate space, and the photoluminescent layer is positioned near the heat source. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal environmental conditions
3Reliability
If the light source is placed away from the photoluminescent layer to avoid temperature exposure, then temperature resistance improves, but illumination effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide acts as an efficient light transmission intermediary that maintains high illumination effectiveness even when the light source is positioned at a distance from the photoluminescent layer. The light guide preserves light intensity and directionality, ensuring that remote light sources can still effectively illuminate the photoluminescent layer
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from direct one-to-one coupling of light source and photoluminescent layer to a distributed configuration where the light guide creates new spatial relationships. Light can be transmitted through three-dimensional paths, allowing the light source to be positioned in locations that would be impossible with direct illumination while maintaining effectiveness
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 solution provides flexible and space-efficient illumination, allowing for temperature-dependent light emission, reducing the risk of photoluminescent layer degradation and enabling effective visual alerts and design features in appliances with limited installation space.
Implementation Method 1
a base element with at least one photoluminescent layer and at least one light guide, wherein the light guide is configured to couple in and transmit light comprising at least one excitation wavelength of the photoluminescent layer to said photoluminescent layer
Implementation Method 2
The light guide can also be denoted as an optical waveguide and is a physical structure that guides electromagnetic waves in the optical spectrum comprising at least one excitation wavelength of the photoluminescent layer
Implementation Method 3
In a further development, an optical switch is assigned to the light guide to route light coupled in the light guide depending on the temperature of the optical switch
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance component has a base element with at least one photoluminescent layer and at least one light guide. The light guide is configured to couple in and transmit light containing at least one excitation wavelength of the photoluminescent layer to the photoluminescent layer. An optical switch is assigned to the light guide to route light coupled in the light guide depending on the temperature of the optical switch. Further a household appliance contains the at least one household appliance component.