Household appliance with removable haptic operating element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of household appliances with display panels and haptic control elements often need to switch attention between the rotary knob and the display panel, leading to decreased usability.

Innovation Solution

A touch-sensitive display panel integrated into the haptic control element allows users to operate settings without diverting attention, providing a context-related and clearly structured interface, with optional removable and detachable designs for improved safety and usability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a separate rotary knob and display field are used, then the appliance can provide clear visual information and haptic control, but users must shift attention between the rotary knob and display field when operating the appliance

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveusabilityVSAvoidattention switching time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the rotary control element and display field into a single integrated control element. The display field is positioned on the front surface of the rotary control element, allowing users to see visual information and perform haptic control through the same component, thereby eliminating the need to shift attention between separate elements and reducing operational time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the control element is fixed to the appliance, then the structure is stable, but cleaning becomes more difficult and child safety is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecleanabilityVSAvoidmounting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control element is designed to be detachably mountable on the appliance rather than permanently fixed. This dynamic mounting approach allows the control element to be removed for easy cleaning and stored in a safe location to prevent child access, while still providing stable operation when attached. The detachable design balances cleaning ease and safety requirements with operational stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This solution enhances usability by allowing single-handed operation of household appliances, improving child safety, cleanability, and providing an intuitive interface that reduces the need for attention switching, resulting in a more focused and efficient user experience.

Implementation Method 1

the detachable control element can include at least one coil for transformer-based data transmission as the data interface. The coil also enables the detachable control element to be powered by induction or transformation.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3545237B1Household appliance with removable haptic operating element
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3545237B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3545237B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a haptic operating element (7) for a household appliance (1), comprising a display field (8) which is at least partially designed as a touch-sensitive screen. The household appliance comprises at least one haptic operating element (7) and an additional screen (6) fixed relative to the device, wherein the household appliance (1) has in particular a control device (10) for operating the display field (8) of the operating element (7) and the screen (6) fixed relative to the device. The invention can be particularly advantageously used in cooking devices.