User interface arrangement

• US 10,051,726 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Gustafsson, Agne
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien T
• Application Number:
  US15/036,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0044 Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09072 Hole or recess under component or special relationship between hole and component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10113 Lamp

Abstract

A user interface arrangement may include a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface, and a light emitting unit. The printed circuit board may include a first non-conductive layer provided with at least one aperture. The light emitting unit may be arranged to emit light through the at least one aperture of the first non-conductive layer in a direction from the second surface to the first surface of the printed circuit board to thereby define an image visible at the first surface of the printed circuit board. Embodiments of an electric apparatus comprising a user interface arrangement, a use of a printed circuit board to provide a user interface arrangement, and a method for visualizing an image on a user interface arrangement are also provided.

Claims

1. A user interface arrangement comprising;

a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface, and

a light emitting unit,

wherein (a) the printed circuit board comprises (i) a first non-conductive layer provided with at least one aperture, (ii) a second non-conductive layer, and (iii) a light diffuser layer arranged between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer and (b) said second non-conductive layer is provided with at least one aperture arranged substantially in a position corresponding to a position of the at least one aperture of the first non-conductive layer on the printed circuit board, (c) the size and the shape of said at least one aperture of the second non-conductive layer substantially corresponds to the size and the shape of the at least one aperture of said first non-conductive layer, and (d) the light emitting unit is arranged to emit light through the at least one aperture of the first non-conductive layer and the at least one aperture of the second non-conductive layer in a direction from the second surface to the first surface of said printed circuit board to thereby define an image visible at the first surface of said printed circuit board.

2. The user interface arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the first non-conductive layer is provided on said first surface of said printed circuit board.

3. The user interface arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first non-conductive layer is a solder mask layer.

4. The user interface arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second non-conductive layer is a solder mask layer.

5. The user interface arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a touch sensing electrode layer configured to detect presence of a touch event.

6. The user interface arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board further comprises a ground plate layer.

7. The user interface arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second surface of the printed circuit board comprises a reflective layer.

8. The user interface arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the reflective layer is a silk screen layer.

9. An electric apparatus comprising a user interface arrangement according to claim 1.

10. The electric apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said electric apparatus is a dishwasher.

11. A printed circuit board for use as a user interface arrangement, the printed circuit board comprising:

a first surface;

a second surface;

a first non-conductive layer provided with at least one first aperture;

a second non-conductive layer provided with at least one second aperture;

a light diffuser layer arranged between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer; and

a light emitting unit;

wherein (a) the at least one second aperture is arranged substantially in a position corresponding to a position of the at least one first aperture on the printed circuit board, (b) the size and the shape of the at least one second aperture substantially corresponds to the size and the shape of the at least one first aperture, and (c) the light emitting unit is arranged to emit light through the at least one first aperture and the at least one second aperture in a direction from the second surface to the first surface of the printed circuit board to thereby define an image visible at the first surface of said printed circuit board.

12. A method for visualizing an image on a user interface arrangement, said method comprising the steps of;

providing a user interface arrangement, said user interface arrangement comprising a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface and a light emitting unit,

said printed circuit board comprising a first non-conductive layer provided with at least one aperture and a second non-conductive layer provided with at least one aperture, and a light diffuser layer arranged between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer, wherein the size and the shape of the at least one aperture of the second non-conductive layer substantially corresponds to the size and the shape of the aperture of the first non-conductive layer; and

emitting light through said at least one aperture of the first non-conductive layer in a direction from the second surface to the first surface of said printed circuit board,

whereby an image is visualized at the first surface of said printed circuit board.