Laundry Appliance Provided with a Control-Panel Assembly

• US 20160194804A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: RUSSO, Riccardo
• Granted Patent: US 9,903,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/34 characterised by mounting or attachment features, e.g. detachable control panels or detachable display panels
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96076 with spring electrode

Abstract

A laundry appliance (1) comprises a control-panel assembly (3, 30) having:—An outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface;—an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors; and—a protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell and the printed circuit board;—one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to the one or more sensors a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface is touched, wherein the protecting box (7) has one or more head zones (11) compressing the one or more spring detectors (18) when the protecting box (7) is attached to the printed circuit board (6), the capacitive variation being sensed by the one or more spring detectors (18) through the one or more head zones (11).

Claims

1. Laundry appliance (1) comprising a control-panel assembly (3, 30) having:

an outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface (I);

an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors (D); and

a protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell (5) and circuit board (6);

one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to said one or more sensors (D) a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface (I) is touched,

wherein the protecting box (7) has one or more head zones (11) compressing said one or more spring detectors (18) when the protecting box (7) is attached to the printed circuit board (6), said capacitive variation being sensed by said one or more spring detectors (18) through said one or more head zone (11).

2. Laundry appliance according to claim 1, wherein said one or more spring detectors (18) are fixed to the printed circuit board (6).

3. Laundry appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said shell (5) comprises one or more seats (10) for housing said one or more head zones (11), said one or more head zones (11) being provided with a respective touch surface (M) for a user.

4. Laundry appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said one or more head zones (11) face respective one or more touch points (60) of the shell (5).

5. Laundry appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protecting box (7) comprises one or more projecting barriers (T, 15, 61, 63) having a wall to divert drops rolling on the protecting box (7) and hitting said one or more projecting barriers (T, 15, 61, 63) from spilling towards the printed circuit board (6) through the protecting box (7).

6. Laundry appliance according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said one or more head zones (11) are attached to a relative projecting barrier (15) facing the spring detector (18) compressed by said head zone (11).

7. Laundry appliance according to any of claims 5 to 6, wherein the wall of at least one of said one or more projecting barriers (15) comprises a tubular wall.

8. Laundry appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more head zones (11) are a single body with the protecting box (7).

9. Laundry appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protecting box (7) comprises one or more light guides (12) for transmitting to the shell (5) light signals emitted by the printed circuit board (6).

11. Laundry appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of said one or more spring detectors (18) comprises a metallic plate (19) pressed against the head zone (11) compressing said spring detector (18).

12. Laundry appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protecting box (7) comprises a wall (16) interconnecting said one or more head zones (11), said wall (16) having at least a portion interposed between the outer shell (5) and the printed circuit board (6).

10. Laundry appliance according to claim 10, wherein said one or more light guides (12) are a single body with the protecting box (7).

13. Method for manufacturing a laundry appliance (1) comprising a control panel (3, 30) having:

an outer shell (5) which is coupled to a casing (2) of the laundry appliance and provides a user interface (I);

an internal printed circuit board (6) provided with one or more sensors (D); and

a protecting box (7) firmly attached to the printed circuit board (6) and at least partially interposed between the outer shell (5) and the printed circuit board (6);

one or more spring detectors (18) which transmit to the one or more sensors (D) a signal related to the capacitive variation that is generated when the user interface (I) is touched;

the method comprising the steps of;

attaching the printed circuit board (6) to the protecting box (7) so that one or more head zones (11) of the latter compress said one or more spring detectors (18);

afterwards, attaching the protecting box (7) to the shell (5), said capacitive variation being sensable in use by said one or more spring detectors (18) through said one or more head zones (11).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the protecting box (7) comprises one or more projecting barriers (T, 15, 61, 63) engaging a respective seat (10) of the shell (5) to define at least a part of the user interface (I) and the step of attaching of the protecting box (7) to the shell (5) is such that said one or more projecting barriers (15) engage a respective seat (10) along a straight line.