Backlighting appliance deadfronted user interfaces

• US 10,666,253 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• 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 C
• Application Number:
  US16/269,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20190173468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 345158, 345169, 345173, 345174
• 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. An appliance, comprising:

a body including an interface panel; and

a user interface proximate the interface panel, wherein the user interface comprises;

an insulating panel;

a capacitive touch switch including a capacitive electrode;

a filtering layer positioned proximate the insulating panel and including an icon proximate the capacitive touch switch, the icon having an upper region and a lower region, wherein the lower region encircles an indicia and the upper region extends over the lower region and the indicia;

a printed circuit board in electrical communication with the capacitive touch switch;

a substrate positioned adjacent to the filtering layer, wherein the substrate includes an electrode terminal block in communication with the printed circuit board; and

a light source operable between activated and deactivated conditions, wherein one of the upper region and the lower region of the icon is selectively visible through the filtering layer when the light source is in the activated condition to define a function of the indicia and further wherein one of the upper and lower regions of the icon is generally selectively concealed from view by the filtering layer when the light source is in the deactivated condition.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulating panel includes a smooth front surface of the user interface and serves as a dielectric material between a user and the capacitive electrode.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the capacitive electrode comprises a conductive polymer.

4. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the substrate opposite the filtering layer and the insulating panel.

5. The appliance of claim 4, further comprising:

a cover positioned adjacent to the light guide.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulating panel includes a non-conductive material, wherein the non-conductive material is one of a plastic, glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material.

7. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller secured to the printed circuit board.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode and to the light source.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board defines a void, the printed circuit board including a circuit board terminal block that extends partially into the void.

10. A user control for an appliance, comprising:

a capacitive touch switch;

a filtering layer proximate an insulating panel and including an icon that has an upper region and a lower region, the lower region surrounding an indicia;

a polymeric material proximate the filtering layer;

a printed circuit board comprising electronic components configured to communicate with the capacitive touch switch; and

a light source operable between activated and deactivated conditions and configured to transmit light through the polymeric material, the light source independently transmitting light through at least one of the upper region and the lower region of the icon when in the activated condition to define a functionality of the indicia.

11. The user control of claim 10, wherein the icon is associated with the capacitive touch switch in said user control.

12. The user control of claim 10, wherein the filtering layer includes a thin film disposed on a first face of a glass sheet.

13. The user control of claim 10, wherein the icon is visible through the filtering layer when the light source is in the activated condition, and further wherein the icon is generally concealed from view by the filtering layer when the light source is in the deactivated condition.

14. The user control of claim 10, wherein the polymeric material is a tinted plastic that substantially matches the filtering layer.

15. The user control of claim 14, further comprising:

a plurality of capacitive electrodes disposed on a surface of the tinted plastic of the polymeric material.

16. The user control of claim 15, wherein the plurality of capacitive electrodes are disposed within the tinted plastic of the polymeric material.

17. The user control of claim 15, further comprising:

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

18. The user control of claim 17, wherein the controller and the light source are coupled to a side of the printed circuit board opposite the insulating panel and the filtering layer.

19. The user control of claim 10, further comprising:

a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the polymeric material opposite the filtering layer.

20. The user control of claim 10, wherein the light source independently illuminates the upper region of the icon when in the activated condition.