Operating device for an electrical appliance and electrical appliance having such an operating device

• US 7,561,216 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Baier, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLEVINS, JERRY M
• Application Number:
  US11/699,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 404/48, 362/561
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

In an operating device for a cooktop with a liquid crystal display with two LCD plates, on the top of the lower of the two LCD plates is directly applied a microcontroller in the form of semiconductor chip, for example using COG technology. The semiconductor chip not only controls the LCD, but there are also provided capacitive sensor elements located on said LCD that are evaluated by the semiconductor chip, so that an independent module is formed. The module can be connected by suitable electrical connections to the cooktop and can at least partly or completely control the same.

Claims

1. An operating device for an electrical appliance, with a liquid crystal display (“

LC display”

) having two parallel, superimposed plates, said LC display being constructed for displaying individual segments or symbols, said operating device having touch switch sensor elements, wherein on one side of one of said plates a semiconductor chip is placed thereon and said semiconductor chip functions to control said LC display and evaluate data from said sensor elements, wherein said LC display and said semiconductor chip are constructed as a module, and wherein for electrical connection to said electrical to said electrical appliance, said operating device only has connections for a supply voltage, for ground and for a serial bus for control of a power part of said electrical appliance by said semiconductor chip.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor chip is applied directly to said LC display or one of said plates of said LC display and together forming the module unit.

3. The operating device according to claim 2, wherein said semiconductor chip is applied directly to said LC display using chip-on-glass technology.

4. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor chip is applied to a thin, flexible support, said support being connected to said LC display or one of said plates of said LC display.

5. The operating device according to claim 4, wherein said support is thin and flexible, having conductive tracks printed on it.

6. The operating device according to claim 4, wherein said semiconductor chip is applied to said support using chip-on-foil technology.

7. The operating device according to claim 4, wherein said support is connected and bonded flat with one side of one of said plates of said LC display and on said support electrical conductors are provided leading to contacting means for connection to an electrical contacting means of said electrical appliance.

8. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor chip is also constructed for control of said electrical appliance as its sole control.

9. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor chip is applied to a top of one of said plates not on an outside or not reachable in an operating state.

10. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said electrical appliance has a plurality of operating elements and said plurality of operating elements of said electrical appliance are provided on said operating device.

11. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said operating device or said LC display is less than 3 mm thick.

12. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein a further plate is connected to said LC display, which is located above said LC display.

13. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor elements are located within said plates.

14. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said sensor element is located on top of said lower plate.

15. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein there is a back lighting of said LC display.

16. An electrical appliance comprising an operating device comprising a liquid crystal display (“

LC display”

) having two parallel, superimposed plates, said LC display being constructed for displaying individual segments or symbols, said operating device having touch switch sensor elements, wherein on one side of one of said plates a semiconductor chip is placed thereon and said semiconductor chip functions to control said LC display and evaluate data from said sensor elements, wherein said LC display and said semiconductor chip are constructed as a module, said electrical appliance comprising a cooktop with a glass ceramic heating area and said operating device is located in an outer area or frame area of said cooktop and is fixed directly to a top of said glass ceramic heating area.

17. An electrical appliance comprising an operating device comprising a liquid crystal display (“

LC display”

) having two parallel, superimposed plates, said LC display being constructed for displaying individual segments or symbols, said operating device having touch switch sensor elements, wherein on one side of one of said plates a semiconductor chip is placed thereon and said semiconductor chip functions to control said LC display and evaluate data from said sensor elements, wherein said LC display and said semiconductor chip are constructed as a module, said electrical appliance comprising a hob with a glass ceramic hob plate and said operating device is located next to said hob directly neighboring said glass ceramic hob plate.