LED Control Panel Assembly for Uniform Light Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing control panel assemblies for washing machines face issues with non-uniform light emission from LEDs, leading to diffusion of light into unintended positions, which increases manufacturing costs and assembly time, thereby reducing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A control panel assembly with an LED bracket and LED window that includes light guide holes with varying cross-sectional areas and a light diffusion part to uniformly diffuse light, eliminating the need for additional components like films, ensuring focused and uniform light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a film is disposed between the LED and the display panel to remove diffusion of light or uniformly diffuse light, then light uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembling time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the film component from the system entirely and replaces it with an integrated light guide structure formed directly on the circuit board. This extraction of the unnecessary film element simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining the light uniformity function through the light guide's geometric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide function is merged with the circuit board structure itself, combining two previously separate elements (circuit board and light guide film) into a single integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate film attachment while preserving light diffusion control.
2Illumination intensity
If a film is disposed between the LED and the display panel to remove diffusion of light or uniformly diffuse light, then light uniformity is improved, but assembling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide structure is pre-formed as an integral part of the circuit board during board manufacturing, rather than being added as a separate component during assembly. This preliminary action of creating the light guide structure in advance eliminates the need for separate film attachment steps in the assembly process.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cross-sectional area of light guide holes is uniform, then manufacturing is simpler, but light diffusion becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different cross-sectional areas to different light guide holes based on their specific functional requirements. Rather than using a uniform design for all holes, each light guide hole's dimensions are locally optimized to achieve uniform light diffusion across the display panel while maintaining manufacturability.
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 achieves uniform light diffusion and focused light transmission without additional components, enhancing user experience and improving product reliability while reducing manufacturing costs and assembly time.
Implementation Method 1
an LED bracket coupled to the circuit board, configured to accommodate the at least one LED to guide light emitted from the LED to front of the control panel, and having at least one light guide hole, of which a cross-sectional area is not uniform in at least a portion of the light guide hole in a direction in which the light emitted from the LED is guided
Implementation Method 2
a light diffusion part configured to allow the light emitted from the LED to be uniformly diffused when passing through the light transmission part
Data Source
AI summary
A control panel assembly includes a control panel; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED); and an LED bracket to accommodate the plurality of LEDs, the LED bracket including a plurality of light guide holes, each of the plurality of light guide holes being configured to guide light from one of the plurality of LEDs. Each of the plurality of light guide holes includes a first portion to accommodate one of the plurality of LEDs; and a second portion to guide light emitted from the LED accommodated in the first portion, a cross-sectional area of the first portion decreases toward the second portion.