LED Touch Control Layout for Compact Appliance Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED chain electronics for household appliances require a large footprint due to separate components for each adjustable operating parameter, making them bulky and expensive, while maintaining user-friendliness and ergonomics.
Innovation Solution
A compact LED chain electronics design with strategically spaced touch-sensitive control panels and shared selection fields, allowing for multiple control panels to be operated within a minimal footprint, featuring adjustable brightness levels for clear user differentiation and robust construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate LED chain electronics are provided for each adjustable operating parameter, then each control panel can be clearly identified and operated, but the overall footprint becomes large and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple LED chain electronics for different operating parameters are merged into a single integrated unit. The patent combines several separate control panel strips into one consolidated LED chain electronics assembly, allowing multiple control panels to be arranged in a compact configuration rather than requiring separate discrete units for each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panels are arranged in a two-dimensional grid pattern rather than a single linear sequence. This spatial reorganization allows multiple control panels to be positioned both horizontally and vertically, efficiently utilizing available space and reducing the overall footprint while maintaining accessibility to all control elements.
2Ease of operation
If the distance between individual control panels is increased for ergonomic operability, then user-friendliness is improved, but the overall size of the LED chain electronics increases
Solution Approach 1:
By transitioning from a one-dimensional linear arrangement to a two-dimensional grid layout, the patent achieves better spacing between control panels in multiple directions. This allows ergonomic distances to be maintained between adjacent panels while the overall structure remains compact due to the vertical arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated LED chain electronics serves multiple functions simultaneously by incorporating control panels for various operating parameters within a single unified structure. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple separate control units, achieving space efficiency while maintaining operational comfort.
3Adaptability or versatility
If TFT displays are used for control panels, then information display is flexible and adjustable, but the cost becomes very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive TFT display technology with more cost-effective LED-based control panels. While TFT displays offer flexible information adjustment, the invention uses simpler, cheaper LED indicators and display elements that provide sufficient functionality at a lower manufacturing cost, making the appliance more economically viable.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panels use LED technology with adjustable brightness and visibility parameters rather than full-color TFT displays. This parameter-based approach maintains essential display functionality (visibility, information presentation) while significantly reducing manufacturing costs by using simpler, more economical display components.
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 provides a compact, user-friendly, and cost-effective LED chain electronics that reduces the overall size while ensuring reliable operation and clear user interface differentiation, allowing for efficient use in space-constrained areas without compromising usability.
Implementation Method 1
LED chain electronics are also known for use as control panels
Implementation Method 2
The control panels can be designed as touch-sensitive layers or layer stacks that act, for example, as inductive proximity switches, capacitive proximity switches or electrical contact switches
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
LED chain electronics (3), in particular for a household appliance (2), with several touch-sensitive control panels (SF1, SF2, E1-4 - E1-4, E2-4 - E2-4, KF) arranged in a series, comprising at least two selection fields (SF1, SF2), when activated, control panels belonging to the same control string (BS-1, BS-2) in the form of setting fields (E1-4 - E1-4, E2-4 - E2-4) can be selected exclusively by a user, and wherein the setting fields of different control strings (BS-1, BS-2) are arranged alternately next to each other, setting fields that cannot be selected by the user glow less brightly than setting fields that can be selected but are not selected, and setting fields that can be selected but are not selected glow less brightly than setting fields that can be selected by the user (E1-2, E2-3).A method serves to operate an LED chain electronics (3), wherein, when an actuation of a selection field is detected, the associated setting fields are activated to illuminate for selection and the remaining setting fields are deactivated under dark mode, and if an actuation of a selectable setting field is detected, it is set to illuminate brightly.