Selector device for a domestic appliance, and domestic appliance comprising said selector device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current selector devices for domestic appliances are inefficient and functionally limited as they separate the selection of programs or functions, activation, and signaling, leading to a lack of integration and practicality.
Innovation Solution
A selector device with a rotatable knob for selecting functions or programs, a drive button integrated within the knob for switching the appliance on/off, and lighting means for signaling, where a light guide ring diffuses light between the button and knob to create a luminous ring indicating the appliance's status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If selection means, drive means, and lighting means are separated into distinct components, then each component can be optimized independently, but the overall device complexity increases and functionality is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the selection means (rotatable knob), drive means (drive button), and lighting means (lighting element) into a single integrated selector device. The drive button is positioned within the knob structure, and the lighting element is integrated into the same assembly, creating a unified control interface that reduces overall device complexity while maintaining full functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated selector device serves multiple functions simultaneously: the rotatable knob selects programs or functions, the drive button activates the appliance, and the lighting element signals operational status. This multi-functional design allows a single device to replace what would traditionally require separate components, enhancing adaptability while controlling complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the drive button is positioned in a remote location separate from the selection knob, then each control element can be independently accessed, but the user interface becomes less intuitive and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive button is positioned within the knob structure rather than at a remote location. This integration allows the selection and activation functions to be closely coupled in space, creating a more intuitive user interface where related controls are physically adjacent, thereby improving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If lighting means are separate from the selection and drive controls, then lighting can be independently controlled, but the signaling effectiveness and compactness of the interface are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting element is integrated into the selector device assembly, positioned to provide visual feedback related to the selection and drive functions. This integration enhances signaling effectiveness by directly associating the light with the control elements, while simultaneously improving interface compactness by eliminating the need for separate lighting components located elsewhere on the appliance.
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
Enables quick, reliable, and effective selection, activation, and signaling of domestic appliance functions, providing a compact and practical solution that integrates selection, activation, and signaling in a single, intuitive interface.
Implementation Method 1
the selector device comprising at least a diffusion element of the light emitted by the lighting means, in which the diffusion element is positioned between the button and the knob and configured to deliver at least a light beam emitted by the lighting means at least between the knob and the button when the button is activated or de-activated
Data Source
AI summary
A selector device for a domestic appliance includes selection means to select a determinate program and/or function of the domestic appliance; drive means able to switch the domestic appliance on or off and positioned in the selection means; and lighting means, suitable to signal that the apparatus is switched on or off and associated with the selection means and with the drive means.