Household appliance having a user interface with a user-exchangeable touch wheel and rotary encoder
First Claim
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1. A user interface for an appliance, comprising:
- a printed circuit board having a microprocessor for executing an operating program to implement a cycle of operation;
a face plate overlying the printed circuit board and having indicia corresponding to user inputs, and an opening;
a rotary encoder having a knob located relative to the face plate such that a rotational position of the knob provides for selecting one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a first output indicative of the selected indicia, the knob having a shaft adapted to pass through the opening;
a plug for closing the opening when the shaft is not present in the opening; and
a touch panel having multiple switches located relative to the face plate such that each of the switches corresponds to one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a second output indicative of selected indicia;
wherein the knob is removably mounted and configured in size and location relative to the multiple switches to block access to the multiple switches thereby providing a user with the ability to select either the rotary encoder or touch panel for user input of the indicia depending on the user'"'"'s preference by removing or installing the knob.
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Abstract
A household appliance having a touch user interface that includes a touch panel with a touch area and a printed circuit board with a capacitive touch switch trace and wherein the printed circuit board is mounted to the touch panel such that the capacitive touch switch trace is aligned with the touch area.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A user interface for an appliance, comprising:
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a printed circuit board having a microprocessor for executing an operating program to implement a cycle of operation; a face plate overlying the printed circuit board and having indicia corresponding to user inputs, and an opening; a rotary encoder having a knob located relative to the face plate such that a rotational position of the knob provides for selecting one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a first output indicative of the selected indicia, the knob having a shaft adapted to pass through the opening; a plug for closing the opening when the shaft is not present in the opening; and a touch panel having multiple switches located relative to the face plate such that each of the switches corresponds to one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a second output indicative of selected indicia; wherein the knob is removably mounted and configured in size and location relative to the multiple switches to block access to the multiple switches thereby providing a user with the ability to select either the rotary encoder or touch panel for user input of the indicia depending on the user'"'"'s preference by removing or installing the knob. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A household appliance comprising:
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a housing; a user interface provided on the housing and having a printed circuit board including a microprocessor for executing a cycle of operation of the household appliance, a face plate overlying the printed circuit board and having an opening, indicia corresponding to user inputs, and a touch panel having multiple switches located relative to the face plate such that each of the multiple switches corresponds to one of the indicia and each of the multiple switches is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a first output indicative of selected indicia; a rotary encoder having a knob that is removably mounted to the user interface, the knob having a shaft adapted to pass through the opening; and a plug for closing the opening when the shaft is not present in the opening, wherein when the knob is mounted to the user interface the knob is located relative to the face plate such that a rotational position of the knob provides for selecting one of the indicia and is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to provide a second output indicative of the selected indicia and wherein the knob is configured in size and location relative to the multiple switches to block access to the multiple switches thereby providing a user with the ability to select either the rotary encoder or touch panel for user input of the indicia depending on the user'"'"'s preference by removing or installing the knob. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification