Domestic appliance comprising a display device with a variable-intensity light image, and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional household appliance display devices rely on expensive and complex light guides to provide clear progress history visualization, which are difficult to install and require numerous components, limiting adaptability and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A display device with luminous areas delimited by partition walls, where light cones overlap to achieve uniform illumination, eliminating the need for light guides by using light-emitting elements on the rear side to create a homogeneous light intensity change across the luminous surface, allowing for adjustable geometry and reduced component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional light guides are used to provide clear progress history visualization, then the display clarity is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the light guide component from the display system. Instead of using conventional light guides to distribute light, the invention uses individual light-emitting elements (LEDs) positioned directly behind each segment of the display, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining display clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The display is divided into multiple independent segments, each with its own light-emitting element. This segmentation allows each segment to be controlled independently and eliminates the need for a complex light guide system that would be required to distribute light uniformly across the entire display area.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional light guides are used to provide clear progress history visualization, then the display clarity is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the light guide component entirely and using direct LED illumination behind each display segment, the manufacturing process is simplified. The display can be assembled by positioning individual LED modules behind corresponding segments, eliminating the complex alignment and installation procedures required for conventional light guides.
3Illumination intensity
If conventional light guides are used to provide clear progress history visualization, then the display clarity is improved, but the adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented display structure with independent LED modules behind each segment allows for high geometric adaptability. The display can be configured in various shapes and sizes by simply arranging the modular segments and their corresponding LEDs, whereas conventional light guides are typically designed for specific geometries and are difficult to adapt.
4Illumination intensity
If conventional light guides are used to provide clear progress history visualization, then the display clarity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By eliminating the expensive light guide component and using simple, inexpensive LED modules positioned directly behind each display segment, the overall manufacturing cost is reduced. The modular approach also allows for easier replacement and maintenance, further reducing long-term costs.
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 enables cost-effective, adaptable, and efficient display of progress history without the need for light guides, providing a seamless and uniform light intensity transition, enhancing user perception of operating values in household appliances.
Implementation Method 1
a single luminous element is arranged on a rear side of the display device in each luminous area and is designed to emit light in the direction of the luminous surface
Implementation Method 2
the partition walls extending in sections from the rear side of the display device extend in the direction of the luminous surface, with adjacent partitions delimiting a light cone of the emitted light
Implementation Method 3
adjacent light cones overlapping in the respective overlapping area in order to ensure uniform illumination of the luminous area
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a domestic appliance (100) comprising an appliance wall (107) and a display device (117) for displaying an operational value of the domestic appliance (100), wherein the display device (117) is arranged on the appliance wall (107), wherein a luminous area (121) facing an external region (111) of the domestic appliance (100) is arranged on a display front side (119) of the display device (117). The display device (117) comprises a plurality of luminous regions (129, 129-1, 129-2, 129-3, 163) that are arranged next to one another and separated from one another by separation walls (131), wherein respectively one luminous element (125) is arranged in each luminous region (129, 129-1, 129-2, 129 to 3, 163) at a back side (123) of the display device (117) and embodied to emit light (127) in the direction of the luminous area (121), wherein the separation walls (131) extend in sections from the back side (123) of the display device (117) in the direction of the luminous area (121), wherein separation walls (131) that are adjacent in each case restrict a light cone (136) of the emitted light, wherein the separation walls (131) each have a separation wall end (133) that is spaced apart from the luminous area (121), wherein an overlap region (135) is arranged in each case between the respective separation wall end (133) and the luminous area (121) and wherein light cones (136) that are adjacent each case overlap in the respective overlap region (135) in order to ensure a uniform illumination of the luminous area (121).