Operator control apparatus for an electrical household appliance

• US 8,937,261 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diehl AKO Stiftung & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Diehl AKO Stiftung & Company KG
• Inventors: Heimann, Uwe, Prinz, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD C
• Application Number:
  US13/270,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20120112818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 200/512, 200/517, 200/257, 200/284, 200/292, 200/295, 200/296, 200/299, 200/308, 200/311, 200/312, 200/317, 200/318, 200/320, 200/345, 200/310, 200/314, 361761-763, 361/779, 361/781, 338/248, 338/250, 338/226, 338/334, 338/64, 174/257
• US Class Current: 200/512
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/34 characterised by mounting or attachment features, e.g. detachable control panels or detachable display panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96077 comprising an electrode which is floating

Abstract

An operator control apparatus for an electrical household appliance has an operator control panel on that side of the operator control apparatus that faces a user and defines an operator control area. A functional assembly is arranged on that face of the operator control panel that is averted from the user. The functional assembly has touch- and/or proximity-sensitive touch-operated switch. The at least one touch-operated switch of the functional assembly is positioned so as to correspond to operator control area of the operator control panel. A connecting apparatus is permanently connected to the operator control panel and releasably connected to the functional assembly, or in the alternative it is permanently connected to the functional assembly while it is releasably connected to the operator control panel. In this way, the functional assembly is releasably attached to the operator control panel but without play.

Claims

1. An operator control apparatus for an electrical household appliance, comprising:

an operator control panel arranged on a side of the operator control apparatus intended to face a user and said operator control panel having a surface being formed with at least one operator control area, said surface of said operator control panel being closed at said operator control area;

a connecting apparatus mounted to and permanently connected with said operator control panel said connecting apparatus having a face that is permanently connected onto a face of said operator control panel to be averted from the user; and

a functional assembly arranged on a side of the operator control panel to be averted from the user, said functional assembly being releasably attached to said connecting apparatus and thereby releasably connected to said operator control panel without play; and

said functional assembly having at least one touch- and/or proximity-sensitive touch-operated switch disposed in alignment and in correspondence with said at least one operator control area of said operator control panel, said at least one touch-operated switch including a sensor film, said functional assembly including a support having a planar face, said sensor film being mounted on said planar face with an adhesive film.

2. The operator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting apparatus has a multiplicity of attachment elements for releasably attaching said functional assembly to said connecting apparatus.

3. The operator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said releasable connection of said functional assembly to said operator control panel is selected from the group of connectors consisting of latching connections, snap-action connections, clamping connections, joggle connections, screw connections, and combinations thereof.

4. The operator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting apparatus is configured to elastically prestress said functional assembly against said operator control panel.

5. The operator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said functional assembly further includes at least one indicator element.

6. The operator control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said operator control panel has at least one transparent indicator area positioned so as to correspond to said at least one indicator element of said functional assembly.

7. The operator control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said functional assembly further includes at least one light guide element disposed between said at least one indicator element of said functional assembly and said at least one indicator area of said operator control panel.

8. The operator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said functional assembly further includes a printed circuit board mounted on a face of said support averted from said operator control panel.

9. An operator control apparatus for an electrical household appliance, comprising:

an operator control panel arranged on a side of the operator control apparatus intended to face a user and said operator control panel having a surface being formed with at least one operator control area, said surface of said operator control panel being closed at said operator control area;

a functional assembly arranged on a side of the operator control panel to be averted from the user;

a connecting apparatus permanently connected to said functional assembly; and

said operator control panel being releasably attached to said connecting apparatus and thereby connected to said functional assembly releasably and without play; and

said functional assembly having at least one touch- and/or proximity-sensitive touch-operated switch disposed in alignment and in correspondence with said at least one operator control area of said operator control panel, said at least one touch-operated switch including a sensor film, said functional assembly including a support having a planar face, said sensor film being mounted on said planar face with an adhesive film.

10. The operator control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said connecting apparatus has a multiplicity of attachment elements for releasably attaching said operator control panel to said connecting apparatus.

11. The operator control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said connecting apparatus is configured to elastically prestress said functional assembly against said operator control panel.

12. The operator control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said releasable connection of said functional assembly to said operator control panel is selected from the group of connectors consisting of latching connections, snap-action connections, clamping connections, joggle connections, screw connections, and combinations thereof.

13. The operator control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said functional assembly further includes at least one indicator element.

14. The operator control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said operator control panel has at least one transparent indicator area positioned so as to correspond to said at least one indicator element of said functional assembly.

15. The operator control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said functional assembly further includes at least one light guide element disposed between said at least one indicator element of said functional assembly and said at least one indicator area of said operator control panel.

16. The operator control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said functional assembly further includes a printed circuit board mounted on a face of said support averted from said operator control panel.