EP3164538A1

EP3164538A1 - Built-in household appliance unpowered control and status indication device

Info

Publication number: EP3164538A1
Application number: EP14736366.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hasret GURSOY; Fatih BASARAN; Didem POLAT; Mustafa Tezel; Mehmet DIKSAN
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2014-07-02
Filing date: 2014-07-02
Publication date: 2017-05-10
Also published as: WO2016000771A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical household appliance comprising an electronic board (6) for performing different task associated with the household appliance, the electronic board (6) having a transmitting microcontroller, said electrical household appliance further comprising an outer front surface on which an outer panel (1) is mountable so as to conceal the electrical household appliance behind.

Description

BUILT-IN HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE UNPOWERED CONTROL AND STATUS INDICATION DEVICE

The present invention relates to a built-in household appliance on the outer surface of which a panel door is mounted. The present invention more particularly relates to an unpowered device by which the operational status of the appliance is monitored and controlled.
In built-in household appliances, for instance dishwashers, generally a decorative wooden panel is mounted on the outer surface of the appliance and the appliance itself is reached only after the wooden panel is opened. Since the built-in appliance is embedded in the furniture, one therefore needs to open the wooden panel or board to operate the appliance.
Likewise, there might be cases where no direct user intervention is intended but only the operational status of the appliance is intended to be checked. For example, the user may need a confirmation that the appliance is properly functioning, such confirmation being simply obtainable by a basic visual check, or the user may need detailed information in respect of the ongoing wash cycles or expected remaining durations in the case of a dishwasher.
To this end, the wooden panel or door intended to conceal the household appliance in the furniture due to visual concerns needs to be opened each time a user will interact with the appliance, either actively to operate the same or just for monitoring purposes.
Therefore, the present invention is devised under the recognition that a system by which the users are allowed to control the appliance from the outer wooden panel surface without opening the same and obtain information with regard to the operational status of the appliance therefrom remains a need. It is further to be noted that an outer control and status indication device mountable on the wooden panel needs to be a passive device demanding no power dissipation.
A prior art publication in the technical field of the present invention may be referred to as WO2013064572 among others, the document disclosing a device having a carrier unit comprising a base body that holds a touch control element of an operator interface unit at a user interface element i.e. cooktop plate. A fixing unit projects laterally beyond the base body for a lateral fastening of the carrier unit on a body in a form-fit manner. A clamping force unit i.e. spiral spring produces clamping force, which biases the operator interface unit against the user interface element. The carrier unit comprises a locking unit to fix an electrical cable i.e. power cable.
The present invention provides an unpowered control and indication device communicating with an electrical household appliance to retrieve information as to the operating status thereof and providing control options as defined by the characterizing features as defined in Claim 1 and subsequent Claims.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an outer control and indication device mountable on an outer wooden panel of a built-in electrical household appliance, such control and indication device continuously operable in a non-powered state.
The present invention relates to a built-in household appliance such as a dishwasher or washing/drying machine fitted behind an outer panel. The appliance has a transmitting coil or transmitting coil group feeding power in a non-wired manner to a receiving coil or receiving coil group disposed in a control and status indication device mounted on the outer panel. The receiving coil or receiving coil group feeds power to at least one lighting means so that at least one indication means in the form of a written description is illuminated.
In case multiple receiving coils are present, each one is energized alone by a corresponding transmitting coil. The control and status indication device may also have a receiving-side microcontroller to process data signals received by said receiving coil so that a plurality of LEDs of the control and status indication device is driven by said receiving-side microcontroller according to a scheme as predetermined by a transmitting-side microcontroller.
The control and status indication device may also have a control button so that the user controls a certain function of the appliance. In this case, a data signal indicative of the associated function is sent to the transmitting coil by the receiving coil.
Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying an electrical household appliance, whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.
The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention.
Fig. 1 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil according to the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 demonstrates a front view of a receiving coil according to the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 demonstrates a front view of an indication means according to the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil-receiving coil pair according to the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil with an indication means according to the first alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil group according to the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 7 demonstrates a front view of a receiving coil group according to the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 8 demonstrates a front view of an indication means group according to the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 9 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil group with a receiving coil group according to the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 10 demonstrates a general perspective view of a transmitting coil group with an indication means group according to the second alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 11 demonstrates a general perspective view of the furniture having an outer panel with a control and status indication device according to the present invention.
Fig. 12a and 12b respectively demonstrate lateral cross-sectional and general perspective views of the outer panel with the electrical household appliance housing according to the present invention.
Fig. 13 demonstrates a general perspective view of the electronic board in the housing of the household appliance according to the present invention.
Fig. 14a and 14b respectively demonstrate front and inner structural views of the control and status indication device according to the third alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 15 demonstrates a front view of the control and status indication device having a 7-segment display according to the third alternative embodiment of the present invention.
The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:

Outer panel
Transmitting coil
Receiving col
Control and status indication device
Household appliance housing
Electronic board
Transmitting coil group
Receiving coil group
Indication means
Control button
Indication means group
7-segment display

The present invention provides an electrical household appliance such as for instance a dishwasher, said appliance being embedded in the furniture such that a generally wooden decorative outer panel (1) is mounted on the outer surface of the appliance. To this end, while the household appliance is operated, i.e. when it performs certain program cycles, the current operational status of the appliance is presented to the users via a control and status indication device (4) as will be delineated hereinafter.
The control and status indication device (4) is a passive unpowered device and it comprises a receiving coil (3) to perform its functions such that said receiving coil (3) receives power inductively from a transmitting coil (2) through the air, said transmitting coil (2) being in electrical communication with an electronic board (6) in the household appliance housing (5). Said electronic board (6) conventionally comprises a transmitting-side microcontroller overseeing all aspects of the transmission and control operation as will be delineated below.
As there is no conductive connection between the transmitting and receiving coils (2, 3), the transmitting coil (2) ring provided with an oscillating current generates an oscillating magnetic field in response to which the receiving coil (3) in the direct vicinity near the transmitting coil (2) picks up the energy over a gap in space, the gap between the transmitting and receiving coils (2, 3) being occupied by the outer panel (1), best demonstrated in Fig. 12a. Resonant inductive coupling and wireless power transfer using electromagnetic resonance is comprised in the state of the art in very diverse applications and as such, being known to the skilled worker, needs not be further elaborated herein.
The control and status indication device (4) in accordance with the invention has a substantially thin and planar housing accommodating the receiving coil (3). It has a front side presented to the user serving as a control and status indication means. The front side control and status indication device (4) has an indication means (9) in the form of a written description indicative of the ongoing process of the appliance. The indication means (9) is illuminated by a lighting means such as a LED element, which is energized by the receiving coil (3) picking up the oscillating magnetic field from the transmitting coil (2). The LED will light up as long as the receiving coil (3) is energized and the information as to the active operational status of the household appliance will be presented to the user without requiring him/her to open the outer panel (1). Alternatively, to save energy, the LED can be energized only when the processing of the appliance is terminated. The microcontroller in the electronic board (6) in communication with the transmitting coil (2) accordingly drives the power stage of the circuit energizing the transmitting coil (2). The positioning of the control and status indication device (4) relative to the transmitting coil (2) is shown in Fig. 4 and 5.
In a second alternative embodiment, the front side control and status indication device (4) may have more than one written description, i.e. multiple indication means (9) are provided such as washing cycle, drying cycle etc. In this case, while a transmitting coil group (7) communicating with a receiving coil group (8), each LED associated with an indication means (9) is energized by an individual receiving coil (3) electromagnetically coupled with a corresponding transmitting coil (2). In other words, power transfer is occurring between a coupled transmitting and receiving coil (2, 3) of a specific pair among a plurality of transmitting and receiving coil (2, 3) pairs. To ensure effective power transfer only between the specified pair elements facing each other and to prevent powering of the neighboring receiving coils (3), the control and status indication device (4) is designed to have a certain predetermined distance between each receiving coil (3) therein, relative to the distance between the transmitting coils (3) and the control and status indication device (4). In practice, it is generally enough and safe to separate each of the multiple receiving coils (3) from each other as much as the distance between a facing transmitting and receiving coil (2, 3) to be electromagnetically coupled.
In this alternative embodiment, a specific indication means (9) on the control and status indication device (4) will be illuminated by a corresponding LED element as energized by the respective receiving coil (3) and no power transfer will occur between other transmitting and receiving coils (2, 3). In this case, the transmitting-side microcontroller in the electronic board (6) provides that only the appropriate transmitting coil (2) is energized.
In a third alternative embodiment in accordance with the invention, the control and status indication device (4) may itself comprise a receiving-side microcontroller, which is energized by a single receiving coil (3) couplable with a single transmitting coil (2). The control and status indication device (4) may comprise a plurality of LED elements power transfer scheme to which is controlled by the control and status indication device (4) microcontroller. Both the LED elements and the receiving-side microcontroller are powered by the receiving coil (2) and the information as to the time-dependent illumination scheme of various LEDs is also received by the receiving coil (3). In this regard, according to the present embodiment of the invention, the transmitting coil (2) also conveys data in addition to effecting power transfer. The data as to the illumination scheme of the LEDs can be transferred in different predetermined oscillation frequencies and can as such be processed by the receiving-side microcontroller to drive the LEDs as specified by the transmitting-side microcontroller. In this case, a 7-segment display (12) can also be controlled by the receiving-side microcontroller and the expected remaining duration information can be conveyed to the user on the control and status indication device (4).
In a fourth alternative embodiment according to the invention, a given user can control the household appliance by pressing a control button (10) provided on the control and status indication device (4). Such a button can start/restart or stop the operation of the household appliance without opening the outer panel (1). It is to be noted that either an external motion sensor is employed to communicate with the electronic board (6) so that energizing of the transmitting coil (2) is initiated and the receiving coil (3), when energized, acts as a transmitting coil to send a data signal back to the transmitting coil (2), in which case the transmitting-side microcontroller performs the requested function, i.e. start or stop the ongoing operation, or the transmitting coil (2) continuously energizes the receiving coil (3) during a program cycle of the selected treatment program so that the receiving coil (3) will remain energized throughout the operation to respond to a button press by the user. According to the present embodiment of the invention, the receiving coil (3) only transmits data signal back to the transmitting coil (2) and then the transmitting coil (2) performs the operation. To achieve this, the receiving coil (3) will either remain energized as long as the household appliance is actively operational, or an external motion sensor will communicate presence of a nearby user to the transmitting-side microcontroller and it will power the transmitting coil (2) and therefore the receiving coil (3).
In a nutshell, the present invention provides an electrical household appliance comprising an electronic board (6) for performing different tasks associated with the household appliance, the electronic board (6) having a transmitting-side microcontroller, the electrical household appliance further comprising an outer front surface on which an outer panel (1) is mountable so as to conceal the electrical household appliance behind.
In one embodiment of the invention, a control and status indication device (4) is provided to be mountable on the outer panel (1), comprising at least one receiving coil (3) receiving power inductively from at least one transmitting coil (2) being in electrical communication with the electronic board (6).
In another embodiment of the invention, the control and status indication device (4) comprises a lighting means powered by the receiving coil (3) and illuminating an indication means (9), the indication means (9) being informative of the active operational status of the household appliance.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the control and status indication device (4) has a substantially thin and planar housing accommodating the receiving coil (3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the lighting means of the control and status indication device (4) is a LED element.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the lighting means continuously lights up while the receiving coil (3) is energized by the transmitting coil (2).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the lighting means is energized only when processing of the household appliance is terminated.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, a transmitting coil group (7) being in electrical communication with the electronic board (6) inductively transfer power to a receiving coil group (8) of the control and status indication device (4).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, each receiving coil (3) in the receiving coil group (8) energizes a lighting means illuminating a separate indication means (9).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, each receiving coil (3) in the receiving coil group (8) is coupled with a different corresponding transmitting coil (2).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the transmitting-side microcontroller of the electronic board (6) provides that only the appropriate transmitting coil (2) is energized.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, a predetermined indication means (9) of the control and status indication device (4) is illuminated by a corresponding lighting means being energized by a respective receiving coil (3) such that no power transfer occurs between other than the predefined pair of transmitting and receiving coils (2, 3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the control and status indication device (4) comprises a receiving-side microcontroller and a plurality of lighting means, both being energized by a receiving coil (3) couplable with a transmitting coil (2) of the electronic board (6).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the transmitting coil (2) conveys data in addition to effecting power transfer to the receiving coil (3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, information as to time-dependent illumination scheme of the plurality of lighting means is received by the receiving coil (3) and processed by the receiving-side microcontroller.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, power transfer scheme to the plurality of lighting means is controlled by the receiving-side microcontroller.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the plurality of lighting means is arranged in the form of a 7-segment display (12) being controlled by the receiving-side microcontroller to dynamically display a time duration.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, a control button (10) is provided on the control and status indication device (4), the button being effective in performing an operational task of the electrical household appliance.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, a remote motion sensor communicates with the electronic board (6) so that energizing of the transmitting coil (2) is initiated and the receiving coil (3) being energized acts as a transmitting coil to send a data signal back to the transmitting coil (2) in response to a control button (10) press, upon which the transmitting-side microcontroller performs said operational task of the electrical household appliance.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the transmitting coil (2) continuously energizes the receiving coil (3) during a program cycle of a selected treatment program of the electrical household appliance so that the receiving coil (3) remains energized to respond to a control button (10) press.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, a control and status indication device (4) is provided, having at least one receiving coil (3) receiving power inductively from at least one transmitting coil (2) being in electrical communication with an electronic board (6) of an electrical household appliance.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the control and status indication device (4) comprises at least one lighting means and a receiving-side microcontroller, both being powered by at least one receiving coil (3).
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, information as to powering scheme of a plurality of lighting means is received by said at least one receiving coil (3) and applied by said receiving-side microcontroller.
In a yet still further embodiment of the invention, the control and status indication device (4) comprises a control button (10) functioning such that a data signal is conveyed to the transmitting coil (2) by the receiving coil (3), upon which a transmitting-side microcontroller of the electrical household appliance performs a function associated with the control button (10).
The invention therefore advantageously provides an unpowered control and indication device communicating with an electrical household appliance to retrieve information as to the operating status thereof and providing essential control options.

Claims

An electrical household appliance comprising an electronic board (6) for performing different tasks associated with the household appliance, the electronic board (6) having a transmitting-side microcontroller, the electrical household appliance further comprising an outer front surface on which an outer panel (1) is mountable so as to conceal the electrical household appliance behind, characterized in that

a control and status indication device (4) is provided to be mountable on the outer panel (1), comprising at least one receiving coil (3) receiving power inductively from at least one transmitting coil (2) being in electrical communication with the electronic board (6).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that the control and status indication device (4) comprises a lighting means powered by the receiving coil (3) and illuminating an indication means (9), the indication means (9) being informative of the active operational status of the household appliance.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 2, characterized in that the lighting means continuously lights up while the receiving coil (3) is energized by the transmitting coil (2) or is energized only when processing of the household appliance is terminated.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that a transmitting coil group (7) being in electrical communication with the electronic board (6) inductively transfer power to a receiving coil group (8) of the control and status indication device (4).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 4, characterized in that each receiving coil (3) of the receiving coil group (8) energizes a lighting means illuminating a separate indication means (9) and each receiving coil (3) of the receiving coil group (8) is coupled with a different transmitting coil (2).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 5, characterized in that the transmitting-side microcontroller of the electronic board (6) provides that only an appropriate transmitting coil (2) is energized.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 6, characterized in that a predetermined indication means (9) of the control and status indication device (4) is illuminated by a corresponding lighting means being energized by a respective receiving coil (3) such that no power transfer occurs between other than a predefined pair of transmitting and receiving coils (2, 3).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 1, characterized in that the control and status indication device (4) comprises a receiving-side microcontroller and a plurality of lighting means, both being energized by a receiving coil (3) couplable with a transmitting coil (2) of the electronic board (6).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 8, characterized in that the transmitting coil (2) conveys data in addition to effecting power transfer to the receiving coil (3).
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 9, characterized in that information as to time-dependent illumination scheme of the plurality of lighting means is received by the receiving coil (3) and processed by the receiving-side microcontroller in the manner that power transfer scheme to said plurality of lighting means is controlled by the receiving-side microcontroller.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 10, characterized in that the plurality of lighting means is arranged in the form of a 7-segment (12) display being controlled by the receiving-side microcontroller to dynamically display a certain time duration.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that a control button (10) is provided on the control and status indication device (4), said control button (10) being effective in performing an operational task of the electrical household appliance.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 12, characterized in that a remote motion sensor communicates with the electronic board (6) so that energizing of the transmitting coil (2) is initiated and the receiving coil (3) being energized acts as a transmitting coil to send a data signal back to the transmitting coil (2) in response to a control button (10) press, upon which said transmitting-side microcontroller performs the operational task of the electrical household appliance.
An electrical household appliance as in Claim 12, characterized in that the transmitting coil (2) continuously energizes the receiving coil (3) during a program cycle of a selected treatment program of the electrical household appliance so that the receiving coil (3) remains energized to respond to a control button (10) press.
A control and status indication device (4) having at least one receiving coil (3) receiving power inductively from at least one transmitting coil (2) being in electrical communication with an electronic board (6) of an electrical household appliance as in Claim 1.