Cooktop-interface having projection display device

• US 9,140,458 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation NV (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation NV (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Harald, Pojda, Armin, Edenharter, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): REILLY-DIAKUN, JORI S
• Application Number:
  US13/639,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 353 13- 14, 353/22, 353 28- 29, 353/39, 353/119, 353121-122, 362/23.01, 362 2307- 2312, 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 126/1.R, 126/37.R, 126/37.A, 126/39.BA, 126/213, 126217-218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/124 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2006 characterised by the light source

Abstract

A cooktop-interface includes at least one display device, a display sign layer with at least one display sign provided in connection with the display device and back illumination lighting for projecting the display sign to the lower side of a cooktop-panel arranged upstream the back illumination lighting and the display sign layer.

Claims

1. A cooktop-interface (2) comprising:

at least one display device (5),

a display sign layer (3) comprising at least one display sign (8) provided in connection with the display device (5), and

at least one back illumination lighting (4) for projecting the at least one display sign (8) on a cooktop-panel (1) arranged upstream the back illumination lighting (4) and the display sign layer (3),

wherein the back illumination lighting (4) comprises at least one illumination foil arranged on a lower side of the display sign layer (3), and

wherein the display device (5) is arranged on a lower side of the back illumination lighting (4).

2. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one switching element (11) provided with or at the cooktop-panel (1) and at least one switching element sign (10) displaying at least one of switching operation, switching status and position of the switching element (11).

3. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one further sign (9) for providing additional information.

4. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the cooktop-panel (1) is a glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic panel.

5. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the back illumination lighting (4) further comprises at least one thin film transistor back lighting and/or at least one light guide.

6. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one illumination foil is a phosphoric illumination foil.

7. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the display sign layer (3) comprises a mask;

and wherein the at least one display sign (8), a switching element sign (10), and a further sign (9) are defined by transparent sections (7) of the display sign layer (3).

8. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 7, wherein the display sign layer (3) comprises a black printed foil mask.

9. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the mask and the back illumination lighting (4) comprises cutouts (6, 7) and is transparent in areas (6, 7) in which display sites (12) of the at least one display device (5) face the cooktop-panel (1).

10. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the display sign layer (3) is applied to a lower face of the cooktop-panel (1), the back illumination lighting (4) is arranged at a side of the display device layer (3) averted from the cooktop-panel (1), and display device electronics of the display device (5) are arranged at a side of the back illumination lighting (4) averted from the display sign layer (3) and facing the cooktop-panel (1).

11. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the back illumination lighting (4) comprises at least one of colored and color change lighting elements, and/or transparent sections (7) of the at least the display sign layer (3) comprise at least one of colored and color change elements.

12. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the display sign layer (3) and the back illumination lighting (4) comprises cutouts (6, 7) and is transparent in areas (6, 7) in which display sites (12) of the at least one display device (5) face the cooktop-panel (1).

13. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor element for sensing cooking utensils placed on the cooktop-panel (1).

14. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor element is a capacitive sensor element.

15. A cooktop-panel (1) comprising at least one cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1.

16. A cooking device comprising a cooktop-panel (1) according to claim 15.

17. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one back illumination lighting (4) is arranged between the display sign layer (3) and the display device (5).

18. The cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 1, wherein the back illumination lighting (4) comprises at least one illumination foil arranged between the display sign layer (3) and a surface of the back illumination lighting (4) facing the display sign layer (3).

19. A method of operating a cooktop-interface (2), comprising the steps of:

projecting at least one display sign (8), a switching element sign (10), and a further sign (9) to a lower side of a cooktop-panel (1) by illuminating a display sign layer (3) with a back illumination lighting (4), and

displaying information via at least one display device (5), wherein a display site (12) of the at least one display device (5) faces the cooktop-panel (1) through transparent sections (6, 7) of the display sign layer (3) and/or the back illumination lighting (4),

wherein the back illumination lighting (4) comprises at least one illumination foil arranged on a lower side of the display sign layer (3), and

wherein the at least one display device (5) is arranged on a lower side of the back illumination lighting (4).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the cooktop-interface (2) is fully inactivated when cooktop hub regions of the cooktop-panel (1) are switched off, and wherein the cooktop-interface (2) is at least partially activated when at least one cooktop hub region of the cooktop-panel (1) is switched on.

21. A method of operating a cooktop-interface (2) according to claim 19, wherein the display sign layer (3) is a mask.