Washing machine with operation panel including display device and operation switches

• US 5,694,793 A
• Filed: 11/01/1995
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Imai, Toru, Tani, Kazutoshi, Imai, Masahiro, Matsumoto, Satoru, Makino, Yoshiyuki, Nishimura, Nobuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/551,738
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 68/12.27, 349/60, 349/69, 349/149, 349/86
• US Class Current: 68/12.27
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/04 Quantity, e.g. weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

A full automatic washing machine includes in an operation panel a display device together with power ON and OFF switches and a light-emitting diode serving as a pilot lamp. The display device is formed into the shape of a rectangular flat plate and has elasticity. The display device is constituted by a nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) liquid crystal panel and a reflecting plate. The display device includes a plurality of display sections for displaying a plurality of pieces of information about the washing operation. A membrane switch is disposed on the back of the display device. The membrane switch is turned on when the display device is depressed. The membrane switch has a plurality of key switches positioned so as to correspond to the display sections of the display device.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a display device provided for displaying information about a washing operation and including an NCAP liquid crystal panel permitting light to pass therethrough when a voltage is applied thereto and having elasticity, and light-reflecting means disposed in a rear of the NCAP liquid crystal panel, the display device having a plurality of unit display areas displaying a plurality of pieces of information, respectively, about the washing operation, the light-reflecting means having portions corresponding to each unit display area and colored by a plurality of colors;

switch means disposed in a rear of the display device so as to be operated in response to a depressing operation to the display device, the switch means including a plurality of key switches corresponding to the unit display areas of the display devices respectively; and

control means for controlling the display device so that one or more of the unit display areas display the information when the corresponding key switches are operated.

2. A washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the unit display areas include another plurality of unit display areas for displaying progress of steps of the washing operation, and the control means controls the display device so that only one of said another plurality of unit display areas corresponding to the step being currently executed performs the displaying operation.

3. A washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of unit display areas include another plurality of unit display areas for displaying progress of steps of the washing operation, and the control means controls the display device so that said another plurality of unit display areas are switched to the displaying state during the washing operation and so that an intermittent displaying operation is performed only by one of said another plurality of unit display areas corresponding to the step being currently executed.

4. A washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising an overlay covering a surface of the NCAP liquid crystal panel, the overlay being printed with contents displayed by the NCAP liquid crystal panel.

5. A washing machine according to claim 4 wherein the overlay includes a predetermined portion to which a luminous agent is applied.

6. A washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the light-reflecting means is printed with contents displayed by the NCAP liquid crystal panel.

7. A washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the light-reflecting means includes a predetermined portion to which a luminous agent is applied.