Backlit appliance control console

• US 5,464,955 A
• Filed: 01/09/1995
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Cole, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Application Number:
  US08/395,282
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 200/317, 200/316, 200/312, 200/311
• US Class Current: 200/317
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators

Abstract

A household appliance operated by electromechanical controls has a control console that contains a light source to project light onto selected portions of a plastic control console faceplate to illuminate data such as appliance functions and control settings. Data on the control console plastic faceplate can be illuminated upon the occurrance of a predetermined event and in different colors. Control knobs carry a plastic disk that has illuminated data, a clear selection window, and a translucent portion which aligns with illuminated data on the plastic control console faceplate.

Claims

1. A backlit appliance control console, comprising:

(a) a housing having an interior and a control mounting plate with control openings and light windows;

(b) a light source carried in a light box in the housing interior projecting light through the light windows; and

,

(c) a multi-function rotary switching mechanism carried in the housing interior and mounted to the control mounting plate having a shaft extending through one of the control openings and the light box for selecting appliance functions;

(d) a console annunciator carried by the control mounting plate for receiving light from the light source projected through the light windows and the light box to illuminate selected areas with data indicating appliance functions, the console annunciator having at least one opening through which the shaft extends; and

,

(e) a control annunciator disposed around the periphery of the shaft between a control knob and the console annunciator for receiving light from the light source to illuminate data indicating control positions in relation to illuminated data on the console annunciator.

2. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1 wherein the control annunciator permits viewing available appliance functions while identifying the control position.

3. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1 wherein the control annunciator is plastic.

4. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1, wherein the control console further comprises:

a light channel for directing the light to designated areas of the console annunciator.

5. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1 wherein the console annunciator is plastic.

6. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an information notice that is illuminated when a predetermined appliance condition is met.

7. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 1 wherein the console annunciator contains data indicating appliance functions in color.

8. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 7 wherein the console annunciator contains data indicating appliance functions in the color red.

9. A method of annunciating functions in a home appliance with light, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a housing having an interior and a control mounting plate with control openings and light windows;

(b) providing a light box mounted in the housing interior carrying a light source to project light through the light windows;

(c) providing a multi-function rotary switching mechanism carried in the housing interior and mounted to the control mounting plate having a control shaft extending through the light box and a console annunciator;

(d) providing an opaque console annunciator with selected translucent portions mounted to the control mounting plate having data written on selected translucent portions;

(e) providing a control annunciator mounted on the control shaft;

(f) annunciating appliance functions by the light source illuminating data written on selected translucent portions of the opaque console annunciator; and

,

(g) annunciating control position by the light source illuminating data on the control annunciator indicating control position in relation to illuminated data on the opaque console annunciator.

10. The backlit appliance control console as recited in claim 9 wherein the multi-function rotary switching mechanism is a cam-operated timer.