Washing Machine LED Bracket Structure for Uniform Panel Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing control panel assemblies for washing machines face issues with non-uniform light emission from LEDs, leading to diffusion problems and increased manufacturing costs due to the need for additional components like films to address these issues, which negatively impact productivity.
Innovation Solution
The proposed control panel assembly features a light guide system with gradually varying cross-sectional areas in its light guide holes and an LED window with a light transmission part and a diffusion part, including uneven forms or a film member, to ensure uniform light diffusion without additional components, preventing light from being diffused into unintended areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a film is disposed between the LED and the display panel to remove diffusion of light or uniformly diffuse light, then light uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembling time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light guide function and light diffusion function into a single integrated display panel structure. The display panel includes a light guide portion with light guide holes and a light diffusion portion with uneven forms, eliminating the need for a separate film component. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by achieving light uniformity without adding assembly steps or increasing productivity costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel uses a composite structure combining transparent resin material for light transmission and opaque resin material for light diffusion. The light guide portion is made of transparent resin to allow light passage, while the light diffusion portion uses opaque resin with uneven forms to scatter and uniformize light distribution. This composite material approach achieves both light uniformity and manufacturing efficiency.
2Illumination intensity
If a film is disposed between the LED and the display panel to remove diffusion of light or uniformly diffuse light, then light uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light guide function and light diffusion function into a single integrated display panel structure. The display panel includes a light guide portion with light guide holes and a light diffusion portion with uneven forms, eliminating the need for a separate film component. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by achieving light uniformity without adding assembly steps or increasing productivity costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel uses a composite structure combining transparent resin material for light transmission and opaque resin material for light diffusion. The light guide portion is made of transparent resin to allow light passage, while the light diffusion portion uses opaque resin with uneven forms to scatter and uniformize light distribution. This composite material approach achieves both light uniformity and manufacturing efficiency.
3Area of stationary object
If light emitted from the LED is allowed to diffuse freely, then light coverage area is increased, but light intensity becomes non-uniform and diffuses into unintended areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different regions within the display panel with distinct light interaction properties. The light guide portion has light guide holes that direct light along specific paths, while the light diffusion portion has uneven forms that scatter light locally. This localized control of light properties ensures light is diffused only where needed (in the display area) while maintaining intensity uniformity and preventing diffusion into unintended areas.
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 achieves uniform light diffusion and appealing lighting effects without additional components, enhancing user experience and improving productivity by eliminating the need for extra manufacturing steps and materials.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide system configured to guide light emitted from the at least one LED along a predetermined path to a display panel
Implementation Method 2
a light diffusion part configured to allow the light emitted from the LED to be uniformly diffused when passing through the light transmission part
Data Source
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AI summary
A washing machine having a control panel assembly (100) including a control panel (110), a circuit board (120) disposed at an inner side of the control panel (110), at least one LED (122) disposed on said circuit board (120) and emitting light, whereby an LED bracket (130), coupled to the circuit board (120), accommodates the at least one LED (122), guides the light emitted from the LED (122) to the front of the control panel (110), and has at least one light guide hole (133) having a non-uniform cross-sectional area in the direction along which the light of the LED (122) is guided, said LED bracket (130) further comprises an LED window (140) disposed at its front part and allowing the light emitted from the LED (122) to be transmitted to the front of the control panel (110).