Lighting module for a household appliance, and household appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances with additional functionalities, such as lighting and sensors, have complex structures due to separate installation of electrical components, requiring additional openings in the housing that complicate design and manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
Integrating the light source, sensor unit, and connection unit into a common lighting module with a carrier, such as a circuit board, which simplifies the structure and manufacturing by using a single connection unit for both light sources and sensors, eliminating the need for separate openings in the appliance housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electrical and electronic components for additional functionalities are installed separately in the housing, then each component can be independently installed and maintained, but the design becomes complex and requires separate openings in the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electrical and electronic components (light source, sensor unit, connection unit) into a single integrated lighting module. This merging eliminates the need for separate installations and reduces design complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting module serves multiple functions: it provides lighting through the light source, environmental sensing through the sensor unit, and electrical connection through the connection unit. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed in the housing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate openings are provided in the housing for each component, then each component can access the environment or appliance interior, but the housing design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the light source, sensor unit, and connection unit into a single lighting module, the patent reduces multiple separate openings in the housing to a single opening or integrated access point, thereby maintaining component accessibility while simplifying housing design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the sensor unit on the side of the carrier facing the housing opening, allowing the sensor to detect environmental conditions through the same opening used for lighting, effectively utilizing the same spatial dimension for multiple functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are installed in the housing, then each functionality can be independently implemented, but the space requirements and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the light source, sensor unit, and connection unit onto a single carrier board, allowing all functionalities to be manufactured together as one module. This reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining full functionality and adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a lighting module for a household appliance (1), the lighting module (10) being characterised in that the lighting module (10) has at least one light source (101), at least one sensor unit (102) and at least one connector unit (105), which is connected to the at least one light source (101) and the at least one sensor unit (102) and is used to connect the lighting module (10) to at least one control unit of the household appliance (1). The invention also relates to a household appliance (1) comprising such a lighting module (10).