Control panel assembly

• US 7,192,102 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Dong Ha, Park, Hye Yong, Gong, Sung Rak, Kim, Dong In
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo; Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawk; Noah Chandler
• Application Number:
  US10/717,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 312/279, 312/278, 312/228, 312/265.5, 312/265.6, 312/257.1, 312/236, 126/37.R, 126/39.B, 126/211, 126/50, 68/3.R, 68/13.R
• US Class Current: 312/265.5
• 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

Abstract

A control panel assembly of a home appliance enables a planar contact to be made during a thermal fusion of a display panel to a control panel, so that a secure adhesion between the display panel and control panel can be established regardless of design contours of the home appliance. The assembly includes a control panel having a contour according to a design of the home appliance; and a display panel attached to the control panel, wherein a planar contact between the display panel and the control panel is established through a thermal fusion technique. The display panel is provided with a triangular protrusion along rear edge, and the control panel is provided with a recess for receiving the protrusion.

Claims

1. A control panel assembly of a home appliance, the assembly comprising:

a control panel having a curved contour;

a display panel having a portion that follows the curved contour of said control panel; and

a fused planar contact between said display panel and said control panel, wherein said display panel is provided with a first interlocking part along one edge and said control panel is provided with a second interlocking part that receives the first interlocking part.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first interlocking part of said display panel includes a protrusion and the second interlocking part of said control panel includes a recess.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the protrusion and recess each have a triangular cross-section.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second interlocking part is adjacent to the curved contour of said control panel.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said control panel includes an inclined portion, and wherein the contour of the display panel follows the inclined portion.

6. A control panel assembly of a home appliance, the assembly comprising:

a control panel including a portion having a nonplanar contour; and

a display panel having a contour that follows the nonplanar contour of the control panel;

wherein the display panel is secured to the non-planar portion of the control panel by fused portions, said display panel is provided with a first interlocking part along one edge and said control panel is provided with a second interlocking part that receives the first interlocking part.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the nonplanar contour of said control panel includes a curved contour.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first interlocking part of said display panel includes a protrusion and the second interlocking part of said control panel includes a recess.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion and the recess have triangular cross sections.

10. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the fused portions comprise:

a protrusion disposed on an edge of the display panel that interlocks with a recess of the control panel.

11. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said control panel includes an inclined portion, and wherein the display panel contours the inclined portion.