Laundry appliance provided with a control-panel assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry appliances face challenges in easy mounting and maintenance of control panels, particularly with capacitive sensors, and are vulnerable to liquid splashes that can damage the printed circuit board.
Innovation Solution
A control-panel assembly with a protecting box that compresses spring detectors for proper functioning, includes head zones for maximum sensitivity and liquid protection, and features projecting barriers to divert spills away from the printed circuit board, enhancing ease of mounting and protection against water damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If spring detectors are used with capacitive sensors in the control panel, then capacitive touch detection is enabled, but the spring detectors may hook adjacent detectors or be damaged during handling before mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a protective box that houses the printed circuit board and spring detectors during handling and installation. This protective enclosure prevents mechanical damage and prevents spring detectors from hooking onto adjacent detectors before mounting, while still allowing proper compression during operation for capacitive touch detection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective box acts as an intermediary structure between the spring detectors and the external environment during handling. It provides a controlled environment that protects the delicate spring detectors while allowing them to function properly once installed, separating the protection function from the detection function.
2Ease of operation
If the outer dashboard is positioned close to the detergent drawer for easy access, then user convenience is improved, but liquid splashes can spill through the dashboard towards the printed circuit board
Solution Approach 1:
The protective box serves as an intermediary barrier between the outer dashboard (exposed to liquid splashes) and the printed circuit board (sensitive to liquid damage). It allows the dashboard to remain in its convenient position near the detergent drawer while providing a protective barrier that prevents liquid from reaching the electronic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the vulnerable printed circuit board and spring detectors from direct exposure to the liquid-prone environment by housing them in a separate protective box, while maintaining the outer dashboard's position for ease of operation. This separates the functional requirements of user interaction from the protection requirements of electronic components.
3Reliability
If the control panel components are firmly fixed to ensure stability, then mounting reliability is improved, but mounting and maintenance time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the printed circuit board, spring detectors, and protective housing into a single integrated assembly. This combined structure maintains firm fixation and stability for reliable operation, while the pre-assembled nature of the protective box allows for quicker installation and maintenance compared to securing individual components separately, thus reducing mounting and maintenance time.
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
The solution facilitates easier and more secure mounting of the control panel during manufacturing and maintenance while effectively preventing liquid spills from reaching the printed circuit board, ensuring reliable operation and extending the lifespan of the appliance.
Implementation Method 1
one or more spring detectors which transmit to the one or more sensors a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface is touched
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry appliance (1) has a control-panel assembly (3, 30) having:an outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface;an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors; anda protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell and the printed circuit board;one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to the one or more sensors a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface is touched.The protecting box (7) has one or more head zones (11) compressing the one or more spring detectors (18) when the protecting box (7) is attached to the printed circuit board (6). The capacitive variation is sensed by the one or more spring detectors (18) through the one or more head zones (11).