Light-emitting knob assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of devices providing heat sources or fire, such as gas stoves and furnaces, cannot easily determine the strength of the heat or fire from a distance, making it inconvenient to adjust settings without approaching the device.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting knob assembly that includes a knob, a light-sensing plate, an axial bush, and a light generating unit, where the light generating unit, comprising a printed circuit board assembly, light sensors, and light-emitting diodes, displays different brightnesses and colors based on the rotation of the knob, allowing users to determine the heat source or fire strength from a distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the heat source strength is displayed only on panels near the device, then the device structure remains simple, but users cannot determine the heat strength from a distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light-generating unit as an intermediary component that converts the heat source strength information into visible light signals. This mediator transmits the information from the device to users at a distance, resolving the contradiction by adding a specific functional component rather than fundamentally changing the device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes different colors and brightness levels of light to represent different heat source strengths. The light-generating unit emits light with varying intensity and color characteristics corresponding to the heat strength, allowing users to visually assess the heat level from a distance without complicating the overall device structure.
2Ease of operation
If users must approach the device to check the heat source strength, then no additional components are needed, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of visually inspecting physical panels near the device with an optical signaling system. The light-generating unit provides remote visual feedback through light emission, eliminating the need for users to physically approach the device and improving ease of operation with minimal structural addition.
3Loss of information
If the light generating unit emits light continuously, then users can always see the heat source strength, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or conditional light emission rather than continuous illumination. The light-generating unit activates based on operational conditions or at intervals, providing necessary information visibility while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
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 users to easily and conveniently assess the strength of the heat source or fire from a distance, while also providing a decorative function through light emission.
Implementation Method 1
senses different lights reflected by figures of the different regions of the light-sensing plate
Implementation Method 2
the control unit control the at least one light-emitting diode to generate different brightnesses and/or different colors of lights
Data Source
AI summary
A light-emitting knob assembly is disclosed. The light-emitting knob assembly is disposed on a device for providing a heat source or a fire and includes a knob, a light-sensing plate, an axial bush, a base, and a light generating unit. The knob is utilized for being rotated to control the strength of the heat source or the strength of the fire of the device and driving the light-sensing plate and the axial bush to be rotated relative to the light generating unit. The light generating unit generates different brightnesses and/or different colors of lights to correspondingly display the strength of the heat source or the strength of the fire after the light-sensing plate is rotated. A user can distinguish the strength of the heat source or the strength of the fire via the light-emitting knob assembly from a distance.