HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE HAVING A USER INTERFACE WITH A USER-EXCHANGEABLE TOUCH WHEEL AND ROTARY ENCODER

• US 20130062176A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: SCHUH, ERIC J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,575,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5.A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/22 Operating parts, e.g. handle
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/066 replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

A household appliance having a touch user interface that includes a touch panel with a touch area and a printed circuit board with a capacitive touch switch trace and wherein the printed circuit board is mounted to the touch panel such that the capacitive touch switch trace is aligned with the touch area.

Claims

1. A user interface for an appliance, comprising:

a printed circuit board having a microprocessor for executing an operating program to implement a cycle of operation;

a face plate overlying the printed circuit board and having indicia corresponding to user inputs;

a rotary encoder having a knob located relative to the face plate such that a rotational position of the knob provides for selecting one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a first output indicative of the selected indicia; and

a touch panel having multiple switches located relative to the face plate such that each of the switches corresponds to one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a second output indicative of selected indicia;

wherein the knob is removably mounted and configured in size and location relative to the multiple switches to block access to the multiple switches thereby providing a user with the ability to select either the rotary encoder or touch panel for user input of the indicia depending on the user'"'"'s preference by removing or installing the knob.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the rotary encoder comprises a hollow-shaft rotary encoder.

3. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the knob has a shaft and the face plate has an opening through which the shaft passes.

4. The user interface of claim 3, further comprising a plug for closing the opening when the shaft is not present.

5. The user interface of claim 3 wherein the indicia is arranged about the opening.

6. The user interface of claim 5 wherein the indicia at least partially circumscribes the opening.

7. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the multiple switches comprise multiple capacitive touch switches.

8. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the face plate comprises a glass panel overlying an indicia layer on which the indicia is provided.

9. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising an indicator array having at least one indicator for each indicia and controllable by the microprocessor for illumination of the selected indicia.

10. The user interface of claim 9 wherein the indicator array comprises an array of lights.

11. The user interface of claim 10 wherein the array of lights at least partially circumscribes a rotational axis of the knob.

12. The user interface of claim 11 wherein the indicia at least partially circumscribes the rotational axis of the knob.

13. The user interface of claim 12 wherein the knob defines an outer periphery and the multiple switches define an outer periphery, with the outer periphery of the knob being greater than the outer periphery of the multiple switches.

14. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the touch panel is integrated into the printed circuit board.

15. A household appliance comprising:

a housing;

a user interface provided on the housing and having a printed circuit board including a microprocessor for executing a cycle of operation of the household appliance, a face plate overlying the printed circuit board and having indicia corresponding to user inputs, and a touch panel having multiple switches located relative to the face plate such that each of the multiple switches corresponds to one of the indicia and each of the multiple switches is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a first output indicative of selected indicia; and

a rotary encoder having a knob that is removably mounted to the user interface;

wherein when the knob is mounted to the user interface the knob is located relative to the face plate such that a rotational position of the knob provides for selecting one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a second output indicative of the selected indicia and wherein the knob is configured in size and location relative to the multiple switches to block access to the multiple switches thereby providing a user with the ability to select either the rotary encoder or touch panel for user input of the indicia depending on the user'"'"'s preference by removing or installing the knob.

16. The household appliance of claim 15 wherein the knob has a shaft and the face plate has an opening through which the shaft passes.

17. The household appliance of claim 16, further comprising a plug for closing the opening when the shaft is not present.

18. The household appliance of claim 16 wherein the multiple switches comprise multiple capacitive touch switches.

19. The household appliance of claim 18 wherein the multiple capacitive touch switches form a capacitive wheel circumscribing the opening.

20. The household appliance of claim 15, further comprising an indicator array having at least one indicator for each indicia and controllable by the microprocessor for illumination of the selected indicia.

21. The household appliance of claim 15 wherein the household appliance includes a dishwasher.