BACKLIGHTING APPLIANCE DEADFRONTED USER INTERFACES

• US 20170187378A1
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wilford, Gregory Howard
• Granted Patent: US 9,871,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

A capacitive touch switch is disclosed which includes a transparent insulating panel, a filtering layer having an opaque color, a transparent icon being defined in the filtering layer, a transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode, the transparent substrate being tinted to substantially match the opaque color of the filtering layer, and a light source configured to transmit light through the transparent substrate, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized. A user interface and a method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A capacitive touch switch comprising:

a transparent insulating panel;

a filtering layer positioned behind the transparent insulating panel, wherein the filtering layer has an opaque color and a transparent icon is defined in the filtering layer;

a tinted polymeric material positioned behind the filtering layer that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer, wherein the tinted polymeric material includes a capacitive electrode;

an opaque printed circuit board positioned adjacent to the tinted polymeric material; and

a light source configured to transmit light through the tinted polymeric material, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized.

2. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transparent insulating panel comprises a colorless material.

3. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the opaque color of the filtering layer is a color other than black or white.

4. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the filtering layer contacts both the transparent insulating panel and the tinted polymeric material.

5. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the tinted material of the tinted polymeric material is a tinted plastic.

6. The capacitive touch switch of claim 5, wherein the capacitive electrode is disposed on a surface of the tinted plastic of the tinted polymeric material.

7. The capacitive touch switch of claim 5, wherein the capacitive electrode is disposed within the tinted plastic of the tinted polymeric material.

8. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller secured to the printed circuit board, the controller electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode and to the light source.

9. The capacitive touch switch of claim 8, further comprising a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the tinted polymeric material opposite the filtering layer and the transparent insulating panel.

10. The capacitive touch switch of claim 9, further comprising an opaque cover positioned on a side of the light guide opposite the tinted polymeric material, the opaque cover having a color that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer.

11. A method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch, the method comprising:

defining a transparent icon in a filtering layer;

positioning the filtering layer on an insulating panel;

aligning the insulating panel with a transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode;

positioning the transparent substrate adjacent to the filtering layer such that the filtering layer is positioned behind the insulating panel and the transparent substrate is positioned behind the filtering layer;

positioning a light guide adjacent to the transparent substrate; and

securing an opaque cover adjacent to the light guide, the opaque cover colored to substantially match an opaque color of the filtering layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein aligning the insulating panel and the transparent substrate comprises bringing the transparent icon defined by the filtering layer into alignment with the capacitive electrode of the transparent substrate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein securing the transparent substrate adjacent to the filtering layer comprises (i) securing the transparent substrate to a printed circuit board and (ii) securing the printed circuit board to the insulating panel.

14. A user interface, comprising:

a filtering layer positioned behind an insulating panel, the filtering layer having an opaque color and defining a plurality of transparent icons;

a printed circuit board positioned behind the filtering layer;

a transparent substrate including a plurality of capacitive electrodes, the transparent substrate being formed of a tinted material; and

a plurality of light-emitting diodes operably coupled with the printed circuit board, each of the light-emitting diodes configured to transmit light through a portion of the transparent substrate, at least one of the plurality of transparent icons, and a portion of the insulating panel when energized.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the opaque color of the filtering layer is a color other than black or white.

16. The user interface of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of light guides positioned to transmit light from the plurality of light-emitting diodes to a side of the transparent substrate opposite the filtering layer and the insulating panel.

17. The user interface of claim 16, further comprising an opaque cover positioned adjacent to the plurality of light guides, the opaque cover having a color that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer.

18. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a non-tinted, non-frosted glass sheet.