Appliance with membrane overlay

• US 20060164397A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Dunsbergen, Kirk M., Bullock, S. Luke, Bruntz, Jordan S.
• Application Number:
  US11/045,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/54 Changing between normal operation mode and special operation modes, e.g. service mode, component cleaning mode or stand-by mode
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

An appliance includes a console, a control member attached to the console manually shiftable to selectively establish a desired setting for the appliance, and a membrane overlay upon the console having at least one embedded indicator light for indicating the desired setting, at least one embedded switch to activate a special cycle for the appliance, or a combination of indicator light and embedded switch. The membrane overlay and the control member each having a ribbon cable that extends into the console to attach to a control board. User feedback of the selected setting of the control member is provided through the illuminated indicator around the perimeter of the control member.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a cabinet including an access opening;

a lid, pivotally attached to the cabinet;

a console attached to the cabinet;

a control member attached to the console manually shiftable through a predetermined range of travel adapted to selectively establish a desired setting;

a membrane overlay upon the console having at least one embedded indicator light adapted to indicate the desired setting.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the control member is a rotary encoder.

3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the membrane overlay is positioned around the control member.

4. The appliance of claim 2 wherein the console has a fascia, a hollow upon the fascia with a back face and side edge, and the membrane overlay lies within the hollow.

5. The appliance of claim 4 wherein the membrane overlay has a front face that is approximately flush with the console.

6. The appliance of claim 4 wherein the membrane overlay creates a water resistant seal with the fascia.

7. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the membrane overlay is positioned adjacent the control member.

8. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the control member is a slider switch.

9. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the control member is a button array.

10. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the control member is a rotary controller.

11. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a control board in communication with both the control member and the membrane overlay.

12. The appliance of claim 11 further comprising an intelligent controller receiving input from the control member and controlling illumination of the indicator light.

13. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the membrane overlay includes at least one embedded switch adapted to activate a special cycle.

14. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the control member has a removable knob with an outer skirt, the embedded switch located beneath the outer skirt.

15. An appliance comprising:

a cabinet including an access opening;

a lid pivotally attached to the cabinet;

a console attached to the cabinet;

a control member attached to the console manually shiftable to selectively establish a desired setting for the appliance;

a membrane overlay upon the console having at least one embedded switch adapted to activate a special cycle.

16. The appliance of claim 15 wherein the control member has a rotatable knob.

17. The appliance of claim 16 wherein the knob has an outer skirt, the embedded switch located beneath the outer skirt.

18. The appliance of claim 16 wherein the membrane overlay has a plurality of embedded indicator lights.

19. The appliance of claim 18 wherein at least one of the embedded indicator lights illuminates to display a desired cycle.

20. The appliance of claim 18 wherein at least one of the embedded indicator lights illuminates to display a cycle status.

21. The method of assembling a console of an appliance comprising:

providing a console having a fascia with a hollow;

providing a rotary encoder having a first wire ending in a first plug;

providing a membrane overlay having at least one of either an embedded indicator light or an embedded switch, the membrane overlay having a second wire ending in a second plug, the membrane overlay having an opening for the rotary encoder;

providing a control board leading to an intelligent controller having a first connector and a second connector;

fitting the membrane overlay into the hollow and placing the second plug in position upon the second connector;

fitting the rotary encoder within the opening of the membrane and placing the first plug in position upon the first connector.