Touch Sensor Door Assembly With Coated Micro-Holes for Uniform Display
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances with display assemblies face challenges in maintaining uniform light brightness and preventing foreign materials from entering through minute holes, while also achieving a luxurious exterior appearance and clear display of information.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance with a display assembly that uses a urethane coating liquid with an anti-foaming agent to fill holes in a metal exterior member, ensuring uniform light diffusion and preventing foreign materials from entering, without the need for an additional diffusive sheet, and featuring a touch sensor assembly for user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a diffusive sheet is used to uniformly diffuse light, then light uniformity is improved, but device complexity and exterior luxury appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light diffusion function with the exterior member by forming a resin layer directly on the metal plate that contains both diffuse reflecting particles and reflective particles. This integration eliminates the need for a separate diffusive sheet, reducing structural complexity while maintaining light uniformity and preserving the luxurious metal exterior appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite resin layer containing both diffuse reflecting particles (for uniform light distribution) and reflective particles (for maintaining brightness and luxury appearance). This composite material approach allows simultaneous achievement of light diffusion and exterior aesthetic requirements without adding structural complexity.
2Loss of information
If minute through holes are formed for display, then information display capability is improved, but foreign material entry and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a resin layer that fills the minute through holes before final assembly, preventing foreign materials from entering the holes during subsequent manufacturing or usage processes. This preliminary protective action eliminates the need for additional sealing operations while maintaining display capability through the filled holes.
3Illumination intensity
If a separate diffusive sheet is added for light diffusion, then light uniformity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light diffusion function with the exterior member by forming a resin layer directly on the metal plate surface. This integration eliminates the need for separate diffusive sheet manufacturing and assembly steps, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining effective light diffusion through the embedded particles.
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 brighter and more uniform light emission through the display window, maintaining a luxurious exterior appearance and ensuring clear information display while preventing foreign materials from entering, thus enhancing the operational state visibility and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
light emitted from a display assembly through a display window formed with a group of a plurality of minute through holes formed at an exterior member may be transmitted and an operation state of a refrigerator may be displayed
Implementation Method 2
the plurality of through holes are filled with a coating liquid including an anti-foaming agent
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a front panel forming an exterior, a display window formed with a plurality of through holes having minute or fine sizes formed at the front panel, and the plurality of through holes are filled with a coating liquid including an anti-foaming agent.