Integrated Touch Sensor and Light Guide for Flush Cooktop Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor element devices for electric cooktops face challenges in simplifying and reliably mounting capacitive touch switches and luminous displays, with issues in manufacturing and integration, particularly in ensuring proper electrical and mechanical connections.
Innovation Solution
A sensor element device featuring a light-transmissive light guide, light-nontransmissive shielding material, and metallic sensor elements, produced through injection molding, which forms an integrated module with a capacitive touch switch and luminous display, allowing for minimal protrusion and easy electrical connection, and can be securely fastened using SMD connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate components are used for sensor element, light guide, and shielding material, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sensor element, light guide, and shielding material into a single integrated component manufactured via injection molding. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps while maintaining the functional benefits of each individual component, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing flexibility and assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-molded component serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides capacitive sensing, light guidance, and electromagnetic shielding. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed and simplifies the device structure while maintaining ease of manufacture through a single production process.
2Reliability
If sensor element protrudes beyond lower side for electrical connection, then electrical connectivity is improved, but mechanical stability and mounting reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor element is nested within the injection-molded component structure, with connection elements positioned to engage with corresponding features in the mounting substrate. This nesting approach provides both electrical connectivity and mechanical stability by integrating the connection function into the overall component geometry rather than relying on protruding elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of conductive polymers or composite materials in the sensor element allows electrical connection functionality to be distributed throughout the material rather than concentrated at protruding contact points. This maintains mechanical stability while ensuring reliable electrical connectivity through the composite material's inherent conductive properties.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If light guide is fully enclosed by shielding material, then electromagnetic shielding is improved, but light transmission and luminous display quality worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding material is strategically positioned to provide electromagnetic shielding in specific regions while leaving light transmission paths clear. The injection molding process allows for precise control of shielding material placement, creating local variations in shielding density that protect against interference while maintaining optimal light transmission for the luminous display.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide acts as an intermediary between the light source and the display surface, channeling light through optimized paths that bypass shielding material. The shielding material and light guide work in tandem, with the light guide's geometric design ensuring light transmission while the shielding material provides electromagnetic protection in non-critical regions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate parts are assembled, then adaptability and customization are improved, but production time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of multiple functional elements into a single injection-molded component dramatically reduces production time by eliminating assembly steps. The component can be directly installed in the final device without requiring separate assembly operations, thereby maintaining adaptability while significantly improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding process allows for easy modification of design parameters such as sensor element geometry, light guide dimensions, and shielding material distribution. These parameter changes can be implemented through software adjustments to the molding process rather than requiring new tooling or assembly procedures, maintaining customization capability while improving production efficiency.
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 configuration enables simple, reliable, and economical production of sensor element devices that can be easily integrated into operating devices, ensuring long-term electrical connectivity and maintaining a uniform light pattern for the luminous display while providing a sensitive capacitive touch switch.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide (20), with which the luminous display is formed. The light guide consists of light-transmissive material
Implementation Method 2
shielding material (26), which encloses the light guide (20) while substantially leaving only the input region (22) and the emission region (23) free
Implementation Method 3
at least one metallic sensor element (15a, 15b), which consists of at least one metal part
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor element device for an operating device having a luminous display comprises a sensor element for a capacitive touch switch, a light guide for the luminous display, having an input region and an emission region, and light-nontransmissive shielding material which encloses the light guide except for the input region and the emission region. It furthermore comprises a lower side and an upper side, as well as at least one metallic sensor element. The sensor element extends from the lower side to the upper side. The sensor element device forms an integrated module with the light guide, shielding material and sensor element. The sensor element projects as far as a plane of the lower side. No part of the sensor element device protrudes downward.