Household appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance control arrangements, such as those using optical coupling with coding disks, require significant installation space due to the overall height of the transmitting and receiving elements, which can be a challenge in space-constrained environments like hobs or gas stoves, and often necessitate openings in the appliance surface.
Innovation Solution
A compact operating arrangement where the transmitting and receiving elements are arranged on the same side relative to a radiation-guiding element, allowing for a low overall height and reduced installation space, with the radiation-guiding element enabling radiation to penetrate a transparent facing element without breaking through it, and using a deflection or wavelength shifting mechanism to direct radiation between the elements based on the position of the control element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If optical coupling with coding disks is used for control arrangements, then control functionality is achieved, but the overall height and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a vertical stacking arrangement (transmitter above coding disk above receiver) to a lateral arrangement where transmitter and receiver are positioned side-by-side on the same side of the radiation-guiding element. This dimensional change eliminates the need for vertical space accumulation, reducing overall height while maintaining optical coupling functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation-guiding element serves as an intermediary component that directs radiation from the transmitter to the receiver laterally. This mediator enables the side-by-side arrangement by providing a path for radiation to travel horizontally through or along the element, rather than requiring vertical passage through a coding disk.
2Measurement precision
If coding disks are placed on the axis of rotary knobs, then position detection is enabled, but openings in the hob plate or facing element are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the coding disk from its traditional position on the rotary knob axis and relocates it to the radiation-guiding element. This extraction eliminates the need for openings in the hob plate or facing element, as the coding disk no longer needs to be accessed from above through the appliance surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a functional copy of the traditional optical encoder arrangement by implementing the transmitter, receiver, and radiation-guiding element in a lateral configuration. This copied arrangement replicates the position detection functionality without requiring the structural modifications (openings) of the original design.
3Reliability
If transmitting and receiving elements are arranged vertically with a coding disk between them, then optical coupling is achieved, but installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reconfigures the optical coupling arrangement from a vertical dimension (transmitter-coding disk-receiver stacked arrangement) to a lateral dimension (transmitter-radiation-guiding element-receiver side-by-side arrangement). This dimensional transformation maintains reliable optical coupling while significantly reducing the volume required for installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of the transmitter, receiver, and radiation-guiding element into a compact lateral assembly. By combining these components in a side-by-side configuration rather than stacking them vertically, the overall installation space is reduced while maintaining the integrity of optical coupling.
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 allows for a more compact design with reduced installation space requirements, enabling the detection of control element positions and angles without increasing the overall height, facilitating a flat and space-efficient household appliance layout.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitting element (2) for generating a transmitted radiation (L)
Implementation Method 2
a radiation-guiding element (4) which is movably arranged in such a way that, depending on the position of a control element (6) of the household appliance, the transmitted radiation (L) is transmitted from the transmitting element (2) in the direction of the receiving element (3) is changed
Implementation Method 3
a receiving element (3) for detecting a received radiation (L')
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Operating arrangement (1) for a household appliance, comprising a transmitter (2) for generating a transmitted radiation (L), a receiver (3) for detecting a received radiation (L') and a radiation guide element (4) which is movably arranged such that, depending on the position of an operating element (6) of the household appliance, the transmission of the transmitted radiation (L) from the transmitter (2) in the direction of the receiver (3) is changed, wherein the transmitter (2) and the receiver (3) are arranged on the same side of the radiation guide element (4).