Cooking apparatus and touch sensor assembly for cooking apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooking apparatuses with touch control panels have limitations due to their glass exteriors and capacitive sensors, restricting design flexibility and touch recognition accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus with a metallic exterior and a touch sensor assembly featuring a machined, elastically deformable touching part on the outer cover, which enhances touch recognition by transferring pressure to touch sensors effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a glass exterior is used for the control panel, then the exterior appearance is maintained, but the design flexibility is restricted and only capacitive sensors can be used
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is divided into separate components: a metallic outer cover and an inner panel structure. This segmentation allows the outer cover to be made of metallic material for design flexibility while the inner structure can accommodate different sensor types, thus resolving the contradiction between exterior material options and design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control panel uses a composite structure combining metallic material for the outer cover with transparent or translucent material for the inner panel. This composite approach enables both aesthetic metallic appearance and functional requirements for sensor operation, addressing the limitation of single-material glass construction.
2Measurement precision
If a rigid outer cover is used, then structural strength is maintained, but touch recognition accuracy deteriorates due to inability to deform and transfer pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover transitions from a uniformly rigid structure to one with locally differentiated properties: most areas remain rigid for structural strength, while specific touch-sensitive zones are made elastically deformable. This local quality change enables pressure transfer for accurate touch recognition without compromising overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer cover incorporates dynamic characteristics by allowing elastic deformation in touch-sensitive regions while maintaining rigidity elsewhere. This dynamic property enables the cover to respond to touch inputs through controlled deformation and pressure transfer, improving touch recognition accuracy without sacrificing structural strength.
3Measurement precision
If the touch module is in close contact with the outer cover, then touch operation recognition rate is enhanced, but the outer cover becomes difficult to deform
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover is designed with locally differentiated mechanical properties: regions underlying touch sensors are made elastically deformable to enable close contact and pressure transfer, while other regions maintain rigidity. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between touch recognition rate and deformation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastic layer or deformable intermediate structure is introduced between the rigid outer cover and the touch module. This intermediary enables the outer cover to deform and transfer pressure to the touch sensors for accurate recognition, while the rigid outer cover maintains its structural integrity and resistance to deformation in non-touch areas.
4Measurement precision
If the outer cover is made elastically deformable for touch sensing, then touch recognition is improved, but simultaneous key inputs may occur due to deformation spreading
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover incorporates spatially varying elastic properties with stiffer regions between touch-sensitive zones. These stiffer intermediate regions act as mechanical barriers that prevent deformation from spreading between adjacent keys, ensuring that only the intended key registers when pressed, thus improving input accuracy while maintaining touch recognition rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic deformation zones are segmented and isolated from each other by rigid or semi-rigid partitions. This segmentation confines the deformation to specific key areas, preventing cross-contamination of pressure signals between adjacent keys, thereby eliminating simultaneous key input errors while preserving accurate touch recognition.
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 metallic exterior and deformable touching parts improve the recognition rate of touch operations, allowing for more convenient and accurate input on the cooking apparatus, preventing simultaneous key inputs and maintaining recognition performance over time.
Implementation Method 1
a touching part which is formed by machining a rear surface of the outer cover which is in contact with the touch sensor, and easily elastically deformed when being touched by a user, and thus transfers a pressure to the touch sensor is formed
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a cooking apparatus and a touch sensor assembly. The touch sensor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an outer cover formed of a metallic material and configured to form a part of an exterior of the cooking apparatus; and a touch module installed to be in contact with a rear surface of the outer cover, and having a plurality of touch sensors, wherein a touching part which is formed by machining a rear surface of the outer cover which is in contact with the touch sensor, and easily elastically deformed when being touched by a user, and thus transfers a pressure to the touch sensor is formed.