Lighting assembly for an over-the-range appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional over-the-range appliances experience harsh lighting conditions due to focused light sources, which are undesirable for users and degrade image quality in cameras monitoring cooking processes.
Innovation Solution
An over-the-range appliance with a lighting assembly featuring a lighting box and diffuser plate that disperses light from multiple sources, providing improved illumination with reduced reflections and enhanced visibility for both users and camera systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional focused light sources are used, then illumination intensity is improved, but harsh lighting conditions and reflections are created
Solution Approach 1:
A diffuser plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the light source and the cooktop surface. This diffuser plate scatters the focused light into a softer, more diffuse illumination pattern, eliminating harsh reflections while maintaining adequate brightness for viewing the cooktop and camera feeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system changes the parameters of light distribution by using multiple light sources arranged in a specific pattern behind the diffuser plate. This transforms the light from a single focused beam into a distributed, softened illumination field that covers the cooktop area uniformly without creating hot spots or harsh reflections.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple light sources are used, then illumination coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light sources are merged into a single integrated lighting assembly unit that is mounted together with the camera system. This combination approach provides broad illumination coverage across the cooktop while managing complexity through integrated design and shared mounting structure.
3Measurement precision
If lighting is improved for user visibility, then image quality captured by cameras is improved, but harsh reflections may still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser plate serves as a mediator that improves image quality by providing even, shadow-free illumination across the cooktop surface while simultaneously eliminating harsh reflections that would interfere with camera imaging. This creates optimal lighting conditions for both user visibility and camera capture.
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 offers improved lighting conditions for cooktop surfaces, enhancing user visibility and image quality captured by cameras, while minimizing harsh reflections.
Implementation Method 1
a diffuser plate positioned over the one or more light sources and enclosing the lighting recess
Data Source
AI summary
An over-the-range appliance mountable over a cooktop appliance is provided. The over-the-range appliance includes a cabinet comprising a bottom panel defining a central aperture, a lighting box mounted within the central aperture. The lighting box defines a lighting recess and one or more light sources are mounted to the lighting box and are positioned within the lighting recess. A diffuser plate is positioned over the one or more light sources and encloses the lighting recess.