Operator Control Panel for a Domestic Appliance

• US 20100078304A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diehl AKO Stiftung & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Diehl AKO Stiftung & Company KG
• Inventors: Frommelt, Thomas, Kaps, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 8,101,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• 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 2217/960765 Details of shielding arrangements

Abstract

An operator control panel for a domestic appliance includes a panel body having an operator control face facing a user and a rear face facing away from the operator control face. A sensor element of an electrically conductive material forms a capacitive sensor area together with the panel body. A conversion electronics system converts capacitance values generated in the sensor area into digital signals. The conversion electronics system is electrically conductively connected to the sensor element and is disposed on the rear face of the panel body. The sensor element and the conversion electronics system are firmly connected to the panel body and are two components which are mechanically decoupled from a control electronics system of the domestic appliance.

Claims

1. An operator control panel for a domestic appliance having a control electronics system, the operator control panel comprising:

a panel body having an operator control face facing towards a user and a rear face facing away from said operator control face;

a sensor element disposed on said rear face of said panel body, firmly connected to said panel body and formed of an electrically conductive material, said sensor element and said panel body together forming a capacitive sensor area;

a conversion electronics system disposed on said rear face of said panel body for converting capacitance values generated in said sensor area into digital signals, said conversion electronics system being firmly connected to said panel body and electrically conductively connected to said sensor element; and

said sensor element and said conversion electronics system being two components mechanically decoupled from the control electronics system of the domestic appliance.

2. The operator control panel according to claim 1, which further comprises a shielding element firmly connected to said panel body and surrounding said sensor element in a peripheral direction.

3. The operator control panel according to claim 2, wherein said shielding element includes a shielding layer of an electrically conductive material connected to said panel body and an insulation layer of an electrically insulating material substantially completely surrounding said shielding layer.

4. The operator control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sensor element is printed onto said rear face of said panel body.

5. The operator control panel according to claim 2, wherein said shielding element is printed onto said rear face of said panel body.

6. The operator control panel according to claim 1, which further comprises a connection element of an electrically conductive material interconnecting said sensor element and said conversion electronics system.

7. The operator control panel according to claim 1, which further comprises a retaining apparatus for pressing said conversion electronics system and said sensor element against one another.

8. The operator control panel according to claim 1, wherein said sensor element is one of a plurality of sensor elements disposed on said rear face of said panel body.

9. The operator control panel according to claim 1, which further comprises a cable connection electrically connecting said conversion electronics system to the control electronics system of the domestic appliance.

10. An operator control panel for a domestic appliance having a control electronics system, the operator control panel comprising:

a panel body having an operator control face facing towards a user and a rear face facing away from said operator control face;

a sensor element disposed on said rear face of said panel body, firmly connected to said panel body and formed of an electrically conductive material, said sensor element and said panel body together forming a capacitive sensor area;

a conversion electronics system disposed on said rear face of said panel body for converting capacitance values generated in said sensor area into digital signals, said conversion electronics system being firmly connected to said panel body and electrically conductively connected to said sensor element; and

a flexible cable connection electrically connecting said conversion electronics system to the control electronics system of the domestic appliance.

11. An operator control panel for a domestic appliance having a control electronics system, the operator control panel comprising:

a panel body having an operator control face facing towards a user and a rear face facing away from said operator control face;

a plurality of sensor elements of an electrically conductive material printed onto said rear face of said panel body, said sensor elements each forming a respective capacitive sensor area together with said panel body;

at least one conversion electronics system disposed on said rear face of said panel body for converting capacitance values generated in said sensor areas into digital signals, said conversion electronics system being firmly connected to said panel body and electrically conductively connected to said sensor elements; and

said sensor elements and said at least one conversion electronics system being components mechanically decoupled from the control electronics system of the domestic appliance.