Control panel and method of manufacturing

• US 20060073272A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clearpath Technologies Corp.
• Original Assignee: Clearpath Technologies Corp.
• Inventors: Carel, Alain
• Application Number:
  US11/236,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073272A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/126.300
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

A control panel and method of manufacturing a control panel that can be used with an electrically sensitive control device (e.g., a touch sensor, etc.) is disclosed. The control panel includes a substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface. A conductive coating is provided that is viewable from the first surface. The conductive coating defines at least one of a background area and a fill area. The background area is electrically isolated from the fill area. According to one embodiment, the background area and the fill area are both defined by the conductive coating.

Claims

1. A control panel comprising:

a substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface;

a key area on the substrate layer and having a fill area electrically isolated from a background area; and

a conductive coating provided behind the second surface and viewable from the first surface,

wherein the conductive coating defines at least one of the fill area and the background area.

2. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is a relatively rigid member.

3. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive coating is coupled to the second surface of the substrate layer.

4. The control panel of claim 3, wherein the conductive coating is directly coupled to the second surface.

5. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the key area corresponds to an intended location of an electrically sensitive control device.

6. The control panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of key areas each having fill areas electrically isolated from the other plurality of key areas.

7. The control panel of claim 1, wherein a boarder region electrically isolates the fill area from the background area.

8. The control panel of claim 1, further comprising a marking provided in the fill area, wherein the marking includes nomenclature corresponding to a function of the control panel.

9. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive coating defines the fill area and the background.

10. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive coating provides a metallic finish.

11. A control panel comprising:

a substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface;

a plurality of key areas on the substrate layer corresponding to intended locations of electrically sensitive control devices; and

a conductive coating provided behind the second surface and viewable from the first surface,

wherein the conductive coating defines the key areas and a background area surrounding the key areas.

12. The control panel of claim 11, wherein a gap electrically isolates the key areas from the background area.

13. The control panel of claim 12, wherein a nonconductive coating fills the gap between the key area and the background area.

14. A method of manufacturing a control panel for use with an electrically sensitive control device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate layer having a first surface and a second surface;

adding a first coating behind the second surface of the substrate layer; and

removing a portion of the first coating to form a gap between a background area and a fill area,

wherein the fill area corresponds to an intended location for a electrically sensitive sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first coating is a conductive coating.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first coating provides a metallic finish.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first coating defines the background area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprises the step of adding a second coating behind the second surface of the substrate layer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second coating is a nonconductive coating defining the fill area.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second coating is a conductive coating defining the fill area.