Washer Control Panel Light Guide for Continuous LED Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating apparatuses lack an aesthetically pleasing and integral lighting pattern that effectively guides user interaction and information display, resulting in a less elegant and confusing user experience.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light guide with ribs that accommodate LEDs, where the ribs have varying thickness and inclined portions to focus light emission, creating a continuously connected lighting pattern on the control panel window, enhancing visibility and aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If LEDs are mounted directly on the control panel without a light guide, then the structure is simple, but the lighting pattern is discontinuous and aesthetically unpleasing
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the LEDs and the control panel window. The light guide includes ribs with inclined portions that act as mediators to redirect and focus light from discrete LEDs into a continuous lighting pattern on the window, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and lighting continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide ribs extend in the thickness dimension of the control panel, creating a three-dimensional structure that manipulates light paths. The inclined portions of the ribs utilize this additional dimension to redirect light at specific angles, achieving continuous lighting patterns that would not be possible with simple planar LED mounting.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple discrete LEDs are used for different functions, then functional versatility is achieved, but the lighting pattern becomes fragmented and confusing
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is segmented into multiple ribs, with each rib or group of ribs associated with specific LEDs for different functions. This segmentation allows functional differentiation while the overall continuous structure of the light guide maintains visual coherence, preventing user confusion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light guide have different rib configurations (varying heights, angles, and positions) to locally optimize light distribution for specific functions. This local quality variation enables functional versatility while maintaining overall pattern continuity, as each region can be tailored to its specific indication requirement.
3Illumination intensity
If uniform thickness ribs are used in the light guide, then manufacturing is simple, but light distribution is uneven and aesthetic appeal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs in the light guide have non-uniform thickness and inclined portions with varying angles and heights. This local variation in rib geometry allows precise control over light distribution, creating uniform and aesthetically pleasing illumination patterns while accommodating different functional requirements at different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib parameters (thickness, height, inclination angle) are systematically varied along the length and position of the ribs to optimize light distribution. This parameter change approach enables control over illumination intensity and pattern shape, achieving uniform light distribution and aesthetic appeal through controlled geometric variations.
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 neat and elegant lighting pattern that clearly indicates treatment courses and functions, minimizing user confusion and enhancing the overall appearance of the laundry treating apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
The ribs are configured to reflect the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs outside the window
Implementation Method 2
Each rib includes an inclined portion that increases in thickness as a distance from the window increases
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry treating apparatus is described. The laundry treating apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The laundry treating apparatus further includes a light guide that includes an inner wall and an outer wall and ribs located between the inner wall and the outer wall, the ribs defining cells that are configured to accommodate the plurality of LEDs. The laundry treating apparatus further includes a window that is configured to allow light emitted from the plurality of LEDs to pass through. Each rib includes a ridge portion that decreases in thickness toward the window and is pointed toward the window.