Control Panel for an Automatic Machine for Preparing Hot Beverages and Automatic Machine Comprising Such a Control Panel

• US 20090084269A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versuni Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Saeco IPR Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Innocenti, Roberto, Pozzari, Stefano, Nostro, Massimo
• Granted Patent: US 10,143,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/275
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4407 Lids, covers or knobs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/52 Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus ; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus

Abstract

A control panel for an automatic machine adapted to prepare hot beverages according to a plurality of formulations comprises: a main input element for receiving inputs from a user; a display element for displaying the inputs to the user through a plurality of input identifiers; a control unit in data communication with the main input element and the display element. The main input element comprises a sense element adapted to detect a motion thereon of a touch of the user the main input element and the display element are in data communication through said control unit so that said motion determines a scrolling through the plurality of input identifiers on the display element, thereby selecting at least one formulation of said plurality of formulations or at least one operation parameter of a plurality of operation parameters of the automatic machine. The control panel has a particular although not exclusive use for automatic machines for preparing hot beverages, in particular automatic coffee machines for domestic use.

Claims

1. Control panel for an automatic machine adapted to prepare hot beverages according to a plurality of formulations, comprising:

a main input element for receiving inputs from a user;

a display element for displaying said inputs to said user through a plurality of input identifiers;

a control unit in data communication with said main input element and said display element,

wherein said main input element comprises a sense element adapted to detect a motion thereon of a touch of said user and in that said main input element and said display element are in data communication through said control unit so that said motion determines a scrolling through said plurality of input identifiers on said display element, thereby selecting at least one formulation of said plurality of formulations or at least one operation parameter of a plurality of operation parameters of said automatic machine.

2. Control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sense element comprises a capacitive sensor.

3. Control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sense element is substantially ring-shaped.

4. Control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sense element is substantially straight-shaped.

5. Control panel according to claim 1, comprising an activation element adapted to activate the preparation of a hot beverage according to the formulation selected from said plurality of formulations or to set an operation parameter of said plurality of operation parameters of said automatic machine.

6. Control panel according to claim 5, wherein said activation element is provided in proximity of said sense element.

7. Control panel according to claim 6, wherein said sense element is substantially ring-shaped and said activation element is provided at a portion of said control panel spatially delimited by said sense element.

8. Control panel according to claim 5, wherein said activation element comprises a capacitive sensor.

9. Control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sense element comprises a plurality of sensing portions spaced apart from each other and wherein said control panel comprises an acoustic signaling device emitting an acoustic signal while the touch of said user moves on said sense element passing from one of said sensing portions to another.

10. Control panel according to claim 9, wherein said acoustic signaling device is adapted to emit a first acoustic signal when the motion on said sense element is in a first direction, and a second acoustic signal different from said first acoustic signal, when the motion on said sense element is in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

11. Control panel according to claim 1, comprising at least one auxiliary input element adapted to switch the operation of said main input element between at least a first set band a second set of said plurality of formulations.

12. Control panel according to claim 11, wherein said at least one auxiliary input element comprises a capacitive sensor.

13. Control panel according to claim 1, comprising a substantially flat front surface.

14. Control panel according to claim 13, wherein said front surface is covered by a single protective layer.

15. Automatic machine for preparing hot beverages comprising a control panel according to claim 1.