Touch sensor assembly and door including the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensor assemblies for household appliances, such as refrigerators, face challenges in accurately sensing movement displacement during touch operations due to inadequate recognition rates and sensitivity, particularly when used on exterior members like steel or glass surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor assembly is designed with a sensor housing on the rear surface of an external member, incorporating a sensor PCB and an elastic member that presses the PCB against the exterior member, enhancing sensitivity by concentrating force at the center and preventing inclination, along with a sensor terminal and touch transfer plate for accurate displacement sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a touch sensor assembly is mounted on an exterior member without an elastic member, then the structure is simpler, but the sensor cannot maintain consistent contact with the exterior member, reducing recognition rate and sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic member is introduced as an intermediary component between the sensor PCB and the exterior member. This elastic member maintains consistent contact pressure between the sensor and the exterior member surface, ensuring reliable touch recognition while allowing for simple installation through a dedicated accommodation portion.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor PCB is pressed against the exterior member without proper positioning, then contact is established, but the sensor may incline, reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor housing incorporates a specifically designed accommodation portion for the elastic member, creating a localized structured support region. This local structural feature positions and supports the elastic member to prevent sensor inclination, ensuring accurate movement displacement sensing without requiring complex overall housing structures.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive members are used to attach the sensor assembly, then installation is simplified, but static electricity damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member serves as a mechanical intermediary that provides both attachment and electrical isolation functions. By mounting the sensor PCB onto the elastic member through its accommodation portion, the system achieves secure installation without adhesive members, thereby eliminating static electricity damage risks while maintaining ease of installation.
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 improves touch recognition rates and sensitivity by maintaining consistent contact with the exterior member, preventing inclination, and reducing the risk of sensitivity failure during installation, while also protecting against static electricity damage.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member which is disposed at the rear of the sensor PCB and presses the sensor PCB toward a rear surface of the external member
Data Source
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AI summary
A touch sensor assembly (500) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sensor housing (500a) disposed at a rear surface of an external member (10) on which a touch operation unit on which a user touches is marked, a sensor PCB (700) accommodated in the sensor housing (500a), and an elastic member (720) which is disposed at a rear side of the sensor PCB (700) and presses the sensor PCB (700) toward a rear surface of the external member (10), wherein the elastic member (720) is mounted in an elastic member accommodation portion (526) formed at a bottom surface of the sensor housing (500a).