Operating configuration for a household appliance, operating element and household appliance

• US 7,399,936 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Hurrle, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KYUNG S
• Application Number:
  US10/888,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 200/4, 200310-315, 200/5.R, 200/18, 362 23- 29
• US Class Current: 200/313
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/126 on ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/161 comprising light emitting elements

Abstract

An operating device for a household appliance is formed with an aperture, and an operating element is guided through an assembly hole in the aperture. A plurality of light sources in the operating element, indicate the operational state of the household appliance. The information content is increased with the plurality of light sources that indicate at least two mutually different operational states of the household appliance.

Claims

1. An operating configuration for a household appliance having an operating panel, comprising:

an operating element, the operating element being manipulable to effect an operation concerning a household appliance and the operating element having an encroachment portion that extends through an installation opening of the operating panel;

a plurality of light sources in said operating element for indicating an operating state of the household appliance, said light sources being configured to emit energy providing a visual indication of indicate at least two mutually different operating states of the household appliance and at least one of the energy emitted by each light source and the light source itself respectively passing through or extending into the encroachment portion of the operating element that extends through the installation opening.

2. The operating configuration according to claim 1, wherein said light sources are connected to be activated simultaneously, and to simultaneously indicate the different operating states.

3. The operating configuration according to claim 1, wherein a respective said light source assigned to one operating state is configured to light up in a color different from a color of another light source.

4. The operating configuration according to claim 1, wherein the light source assigned to one operating state lights up at a flashing frequency which differs from that of the other light sources.

5. The operating configuration according to claim 1, wherein the operating configuration is configured to operate functions of the household appliance.

6. An operating element for an operating configuration in a household appliance, the household appliance having an operating panel, the operating element comprising:

a frame structure configured to be mounted in an installation opening of the operating panel;

a multiplicity of light sources in said frame structure for indicating an operating state of the household appliance, said light sources being configured to emit energy providing a visual indication of indicate at least two mutually different operating states of the household appliance and at least one of the energy emitted by each light source and the light source itself respectively passing through or extending into the frame structure of the operating element that extends through the installation opening.

7. An operating configuration for a household appliance having an operating panel, comprising:

an operating element, the operating element being manipulable to effect an operation concerning a household appliance and the operating element having an encroachment portion that extends through an installation opening of the operating panel;

a plurality of light sources in said operating element for indicating an operating state of the household appliance, said light sources being configured to emit energy providing a visual indication of indicate at least two mutually different operating states of the household appliance and at least one of the energy emitted by each light source and the light source itself respectively passing through or extending into the encroachment portion of the operating element that extends through the installation opening;

a guide part included with said operating element and secured to the operating panel; and

an operating knob adjustably mounted to said guide part.

8. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein a multiplicity of light-guiding lines are formed in said guide part, and said guide part contains partition walls separating said light-guiding lines.

9. The operating configuration according to claim 8, wherein said light sources are disposed within said light-guiding lines.

10. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said guide part is formed of a transparent material.

11. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said guide part is formed of a translucent material.

12. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said operating knob is assigned a respective said light source to indicate an operating state that is adjustable by said operating knob.

13. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said operating knob is a push-down knob displaceably mounted in said guide part and/or a rotary knob.

14. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said operating knob is a rotary push-down knob displaceably mounted in said guide part.

15. The operating configuration according to claim 7, wherein said operating knob is a rotary knob rotatably mounted in said guide part.

16. An operating configuration for a household appliance having an operating panel, comprising:

an operating element, the operating element being manipulable to effect an operation concerning a household appliance and the operating element having an encroachment portion that extends through an installation opening of the operating panel; and

a plurality of light sources in said operating element for indicating an operating state of the household appliance, said light sources being configured to emit energy providing a visual indication of indicate at least two mutually different operating states of the household appliance and at least one of the energy emitted by each light source and the light source itself respectively passing through or extending into the encroachment portion of the operating element that extends through the installation opening and a respective one of said light sources being illuminable to indicate a selected one of the presence and the non-presence of a respective one operating state of the household appliance, whereby the non-illumination of the respective one light source is an indication of the other of the presence and the non-presence of the respective one operating state of the household appliance, and another respective one of said light sources being illuminable to indicate a selected one of the presence and the non-presence of another respective operating state of the household appliance that is a different operating state of the household appliance than the respective one operating state of the household appliance, whereby the non-illumination of the another respective light source is an indication of the other of the presence and the non-presence of the another respective operating state of the household appliance, and the operating configuration controlling the illumination and non-illumination conditions of the one respective light source and the another respective light source such that, during a period of time in which the respective one light source is in a selected one of its illuminated condition and its non-illuminated condition to thereby indicate the corresponding presence or non-presence of the respective one operating state of the household appliance and there is a change in the status of the another respective operating state of the household appliance between its presence status and its non-presence status, the another respective light source is correspondingly changed between its illuminated condition and its non-illuminated condition and thereby indicates the new respective presence or non-presence status of the another respective operating state of the household appliance.

17. The operating configuration according to claim 16, wherein the household appliance is formed of at least two burners each for heating a cooking utensil disposed thereabove, the operating configuration controls the one respective light source to be illuminated to thereby indicate an operating state of the household appliance in which one of the at least two burners has been brought into operation, and the operating configuration controls the another respective light source to change from its non-illuminated condition to its illuminated condition to thereby indicate the presence of an operating state of the household appliance that an energization source for energizing the burners has been made available to the burners.

18. The operating configuration according to claim 17, wherein the household appliance is formed of at least two gas burners and the operating configuration controls the another respective light source to change from its non-illuminated condition to its illuminated condition to thereby indicate the presence of an operating state of the household appliance that a gas energization source for energizing the burners has been made available to the burners.