Appliance with dead front user interface

• US 9,528,696 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Bach, James Carter, McPherson, Jaime Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/709,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0044 Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/083 on tops, hot plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control

Abstract

An appliance and a user interface assembly configured to provide a uniform user interface background appearance when features of the user interface are not illuminated are provided. More specifically, an ink may be applied to a component of the user interface assembly such that when light is directed toward the ink to illuminate the features, the light passes through the ink to the user interface and the illuminated features of the user interface are clearly visible against the background of the user interface. However, when light is not directed toward the ink to illuminate the features, the user interface appears to be a substantially opaque, uniform color. Thus, the user interface may have a dead front appearance.

Claims

1. A user interface assembly, comprising:

a user interface substrate having a primary surface and a secondary surface opposite the primary surface, the primary surface accessible by a user of the user interface assembly;

an opaque coating selectively applied to the secondary surface of the user interface substrate such that a portion of the secondary surface is uncoated, the uncoated portion defining a window;

a display assembly spaced apart from the user interface substrate, the display assembly having a light source for directing light through the window to illuminate a feature of the user interface assembly; and

a light transmissive layer disposed between the user interface substrate and the display assembly, the light transmissive layer comprising

a support substrate having a first surface facing the user interface and a second surface facing the display assembly, and

a first ink applied to at least a portion of the support substrate, the first ink configured such that when the light source is not directing light to the window, the user interface substrate appears to be an opaque, essentially uniform color.

2. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ink is translucent.

3. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the opaque coating applied to the secondary surface of the user interface substrate has a color, and where the first ink is colored to match the color of the opaque coating.

4. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the light transmissive layer is a light diffusive material.

5. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ink is applied to a portion of the support substrate of the light transmissive layer adjacent the window defined on the secondary surface of the user interface substrate.

6. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the light transmissive layer further comprises a second ink applied to at least a portion of the support substrate.

7. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the second ink is opaque.

8. The user interface assembly of claim 7, wherein the second ink is applied to the second surface of the support substrate.

9. The user interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the support substrate of the light transmissive layer is a plastic film that has been frosted on one of the first or second surfaces of the support substrate.

10. A cooktop appliance, comprising:

a cooking panel for supporting a cooking utensil thereon; and

a user interface assembly including

a user interface substrate having a primary surface and a secondary surface opposite the primary surface, the primary surface accessible to a user of the user interface assembly;

an opaque coating selectively applied to the secondary surface of the user interface substrate such that a portion of the secondary surface is uncoated, the uncoated portion defining a window;

a display assembly spaced apart from the user interface substrate, the display assembly having a light source for directing light through the window to illuminate a feature of the user interface assembly; and

a light transmissive layer disposed between the user interface substrate and the display assembly, the light transmissive layer comprising

a support substrate having a first surface facing the user interface substrate and a second surface facing the display assembly, and

a first ink applied to at least a portion of the support substrate, the first ink configured such that when the light source is not directing light to the window, the user interface substrate appears to be an opaque, essentially uniform color.

11. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the first ink is translucent.

12. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the opaque coating applied to the secondary surface of the user interface substrate has a color, and wherein the first ink is colored to match the color of the opaque coating.

13. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the light transmissive layer is a light diffusive material.

14. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the user interface substrate is a portion of the cooking panel.

15. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the first ink is applied to a portion of the support substrate of the light transmissive layer adjacent the window defined on the secondary surface of the user interface substrate.

16. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein the light transmissive layer further comprises a second ink covering at least a portion of the support substrate.

17. The cooktop appliance of claim 15, wherein the second ink is opaque.

18. The cooktop appliance of claim 15, wherein the second ink is printed on the second surface of the support substrate.

19. The cooktop appliance of claim 15, wherein the first ink has a color and the second ink has a color, and wherein the color of the second ink is selected to essentially match the color of the first ink.

20. The cooktop appliance of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first or second surfaces of the support substrate is frosted to diffuse light from the light source of the display assembly.