OPERATING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRIC APPLIANCE COMPRISING CONTACT SWITCHES AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING ON A SUPPLEMENTARY HEATING DEVICE
First Claim
1. An operating device for an electric appliance has contact switches and a cover over said contact switches, said contact switches comprising capacitive sensor elements, wherein visually visible marks are provided for an operator on said cover over said sensor elements, so as to indicate a contact position provided for triggering said operating function symbolized by said mark by applying a finger on said mark, wherein said sensor element is constructed in a spread out manner covering an area, wherein at least two said visible marks are arranged over each said sensor element for at least two sensor element functions, at least one said mark being arranged outside a center of said area of said sensor element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The design and evaluation of sensor elements, such as used in an electric hob, of an operating device is simplified. For this purpose, the sensor elements are configured in such a manner so as to have differently sized sub-area regions. When a finger is placed on a cover above the sensor element according to the mark provided thereon, a contact surface is created above the sensor element. By this contact surface a corresponding operating signal having variable characteristics is triggered, which can then be associated with a corresponding operating function.
9 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. An operating device for an electric appliance has contact switches and a cover over said contact switches, said contact switches comprising capacitive sensor elements, wherein visually visible marks are provided for an operator on said cover over said sensor elements, so as to indicate a contact position provided for triggering said operating function symbolized by said mark by applying a finger on said mark, wherein said sensor element is constructed in a spread out manner covering an area, wherein at least two said visible marks are arranged over each said sensor element for at least two sensor element functions, at least one said mark being arranged outside a center of said area of said sensor element.
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9. A method for activating a supplementary heating device to a heating device in an electric appliance comprising a hob wherein said operating device comprises contact switches and a cover over said contact switches, said contact switches comprising capacitive sensor elements, wherein visually visible marks are provided for an operator on said cover over said sensor elements, so as to indicate a contact position provided for triggering said operating function symbolized by said mark by applying a finger on said mark, wherein said sensor element is constructed in a spread out manner covering an area, wherein at least two said visible marks are arranged over each said sensor element for at least two sensor element functions, at least one said mark being arranged outside a center of said area of said sensor element, wherein said supplementary heating device is deactivated if said heating device is started by initial actuation of a minus button for power reduction and is activated if said heating device is started by contacting of a plus button for increasing power.
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10. An electric appliance comprising:
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a cover having a first side facing a user and a second side facing away from a user, said cover configured to be touched by a user'"'"'s finger thereby defining a touch area wherein said user'"'"'s finger contacts said cover; a first visible indicia and a second visible indicia on said first side of said cover, said first and second visible indicia indicating a first and a second contact position for placement of said user'"'"'s finger to trigger an operating function of said electric appliance, wherein said first visible indicia and said second visible indicia symbolize complementary inputs associated with said operating function; and at least one capacitive contact switch comprising a sensor element attached to said second side of said cover, said sensor element having a symmetrical shape having a first sub-area wherein a central point of said first sub-area is located underneath said first visible indicia, said first sub-area having a first area greater than said touch area of said user'"'"'s finger, said sensor element having a second sub-area wherein a central point of the second sub-area is located underneath said second visible mark, and wherein said second sub-area has a second area that is smaller than said touch area. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification