Dead-front user interface

• US 9,595,960 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wilford, Gregory Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): MA, CALVIN
• Application Number:
  US12/773,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/169, 345/173, 715/701
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

A capacitive touch switch is disclosed which includes a transparent insulating panel, a filtering layer having an opaque color, a transparent icon being defined in the filtering layer, a transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode, the transparent substrate being tinted to substantially match the opaque color of the filtering layer, and a light source configured to transmit light through the transparent substrate, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized. A user interface and a method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A capacitive touch switch comprising:

a transparent insulating panel;

a filtering layer positioned behind the transparent insulating panel, wherein the filtering layer has an opaque color and a transparent icon is defined in the filtering layer;

a transparent substrate positioned behind the filtering layer, wherein the transparent substrate includes a capacitive electrode and is formed of a tinted material that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer; and

a light source configured to transmit light through the transparent substrate, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized.

2. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transparent insulating panel comprises a colorless material.

3. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the opaque color of the filtering layer is a color other than black or white.

4. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the filtering layer contacts both the transparent insulating panel and the transparent substrate.

5. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the tinted material of the transparent substrate is a tinted plastic.

6. The capacitive touch switch of claim 5, wherein the capacitive electrode is disposed on a surface of the tinted plastic material of the transparent substrate.

7. The capacitive touch switch of claim 5, wherein the capacitive electrode is disposed within the tinted plastic material of the transparent substrate.

8. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, further comprising:

an opaque printed circuit board positioned adjacent to the transparent substrate; and

a controller secured to the printed circuit board, the controller electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode and to the light source.

9. The capacitive touch switch of claim 8, further comprising a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the transparent substrate opposite the filtering layer and the transparent insulating panel.

10. The capacitive touch switch of claim 9, further comprising an opaque cover positioned on a side of the light guide opposite the transparent substrate, the opaque cover having a color that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer.

11. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1, wherein the transparent insulating panel comprises a non-tinted, non-frosted glass sheet.

12. A method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch, the method comprising:

aligning (i) an insulating panel having a filtering layer disposed thereon, the filtering layer having an opaque color and defining a transparent icon, and (ii) a transparent substrate formed of a tinted material that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer, the transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode; and

securing the transparent substrate adjacent to the filtering layer disposed on the insulating panel such that the filtering layer is positioned behind the insulating panel and the transparent substrate is positioned behind the filtering layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein aligning the insulating panel and the transparent substrate comprises bringing the transparent icon defined by the filtering layer into alignment with the capacitive electrode of the transparent substrate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein securing the transparent substrate adjacent to the filtering layer comprises (i) securing the transparent substrate to a printed circuit board and (ii) securing the printed circuit board to the insulating panel.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioning a light guide adjacent to the transparent substrate and adjacent to a light source secured to the printed circuit board, such that light is transmitted through the transparent substrate and the transparent icon when the light source is energized.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising securing an opaque cover adjacent to the light guide, the opaque cover colored to substantially match the opaque color of the filtering layer.

17. A user interface, comprising:

a transparent insulating panel;

a filtering layer positioned behind the transparent insulating panel, the filtering layer having an opaque color and defining a plurality of transparent icons;

a printed circuit board positioned behind the filtering layer, the printed circuit board having a void formed therein;

a transparent substrate including a plurality of capacitive electrodes, the transparent substrate being disposed at least partially within the void of the printed circuit board and formed of a tinted material that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer; and

a plurality of light-emitting diodes soldered to the printed circuit board, each of the light-emitting diodes configured to transmit light through a portion of the transparent substrate, one of the plurality of transparent icons, and a portion of the transparent insulating panel when energized.

18. The user interface of claim 17, wherein the opaque color of the filtering layer is a color other than black or white.

19. The user interface of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of light guides positioned to transmit light from the plurality of light-emitting diodes to a side of the transparent substrate opposite the filtering layer and the transparent insulating panel.

20. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising an opaque cover positioned adjacent to the plurality of light guides, the opaque cover having a color that substantially matches the opaque color of the filtering layer.