Operating device for an electrical appliance and control panel

• US 7,943,878 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Hamm, Wolfgang Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/690,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20100181175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 200/316, 200/313, 200/310, 200/5.A, 200/296, 200/293, 200/314, 200/5.R, 200/336
• US Class Current: 200/316
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/105 comprising arrangements for illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/0293 with an integrated touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/085 Retractable turn knobs, e.g. flush mounted

Abstract

An operating device for an electrical appliance with a control panel has a control element for operation through rotary actuation arranged in the control panel, said control element being disposed and mounted in a receptacle behind the control panel. The receptacle has light-conducting and/or light transmitting material in the manner of a light guide, and is illuminated through an LED at a posterior end facing away from the control panel and with light apertures provided at another anterior end on the control panel around the control element extending forwardly beyond the control panel.

Claims

1. An operating device for an electrical appliance with a control panel and a control element arranged in said control panel for operation through rotary actuation of said control element, wherein said control element is a retractable rotary knob with a rotary switching device on a posterior end of said receptacle, wherein said control element is disposed in a receptacle behind said control panel and is mounted in said control panel, wherein said receptacle has light-conducting and/or light-transmitting material in the manner of a light guide and is illuminated through lighting means at said posterior end facing away from said control panel, wherein light apertures facing forwards are provided and disposed on an anterior end of said receptacle on said control panel, around said control element, or in said control element.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said light apertures are narrow and are formed around said control element in a circular ring segment form.

3. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein collar-like sections are provided projecting outwards from said receptacle to a side, said collar-like sections being formed as one piece with said receptacle and are in form of flat light apertures.

4. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary switch device is secured to said receptacle for support on said operating device.

5. Control panel for an electrical appliance with an operating device according to claim 1, wherein said operating device is inserted in an opening in said control panel and is secured therein.

6. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle has a plurality of light-conducting segments in a light-conducting direction from said posterior end of said receptacle to said anterior end divided in a circumferential direction through non-light-conducting inserts and/or longitudinal sections, such that separate and/or different light apertures are formed at said anterior end of said receptacle.

7. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein at least one said lighting means is disposed on each of said light-conducting segments, wherein said lighting means of different light-conducting segments are controllable independently of one another.

8. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein said receptacle is manufactured from light-conduction regions and non-light-conducting regions through two-component injection moulding.

9. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle is cup-like and round, and is formed circumferentially in the manner of a pipe.

10. The operating device according to claim 9, wherein said receptacle is substantially closed at said posterior end aside from an opening for a shaft on which said control element is fixed, said shaft connecting it to a switching device fixed to said posterior end.

11. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein it is insertable as a separate component in a control panel, wherein said receptacle is also insertable into said control panel.

12. The operating device according to claim 11, wherein it is insertable flush in said control panel.

13. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein light-conducting means are provided from said receptacle around said control element, into said control element, and on an anterior side or outer side of said control element.

14. The operating device according to claim 13, wherein said light-conducting means are integrated or injection moulded into said control element.

15. The operating device according to claim 14, wherein said light-conducting means are integrated or injection moulded into said receptacle.