Touch sensor assembly and refrigerator door with touch sensor assembly and method for manufacturing the same

• US 10,007,385 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunki, Park, Seungje, Park, Jinseung, Park, Kihyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bibbee, Chayce
• Application Number:
  US14/921,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/02 Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/005 Mounting of control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9643 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607

Abstract

Provided are a touch sensor assembly that is maintained in a state in which the touch sensor is closely attached to an exterior member to accurately detect displacement when touch manipulation is performed to improve a recognition rate, a refrigerator door including a touch sensor assembly that is capable of preventing a sensor control part from being damaged by static electricity and having an improved front outer appearance, and a method for manufacturing the refrigerator door.

Claims

1. A home appliance comprising:

a front panel defining a frontal appearance of the home appliance, the front panel including a touch manipulation part;

a housing cover attached to a rear surface of the front panel by an adhesion member, a front surface of the housing cover defining an opening at a position corresponding to a position of the touch manipulation part;

a touch booster that is inserted within the opening and movably coupled to the housing cover, the touch booster being configured to directly contact the front panel;

a sensor PCB configured to detect a displacement of the front panel through a movement of the touch booster; and

an elastic member contacting a rear surface of the sensor PCB and configured to support the sensor PCB by pressing the sensor PCB toward the front panel,

wherein the sensor PCB comprises;

a plastic member;

a copper film disposed on an upper surface of the plastic member;

a plurality of sensor supports defined by the copper film and the plastic member, the plurality of sensor supports being placed apart from each other;

a plurality of metal plates that contact the copper film and cover the plurality of sensor supports;

a plurality of ceramic devices attached to an upper surface of the metal plate, each of the ceramic devices having a smaller area than each of the metal plates;

a spacer disposed on an upper surface of the copper film, the spacer defining a first through hole and a plurality of sensor holes formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of ceramic devices; and

a conductive foil attached to the copper film via the spacer, the conductive foil defining a second through hole at a position corresponding to the first through hole such that the first and second through holes are aligned, the conductive foil further including a conductive line having a mesh shape on a lower surface of the conductive foil.

2. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein, based on the sensor PCB being pressed by the elastic member, a front surface of the touch booster is positioned closer to the rear surface of the front panel than the front surface of the housing cover.

3. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the touch booster is movably coupled to the housing cover by a plurality of hooks.