EP3333869B1 - Operating component for a domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a control element for a household appliance, the control element having an adapter part for connecting a control element head and a light guide, and the adapter part and the light guide being joined together and together forming a slot for a light source carrier. A household appliance has at least one such control element. The invention can be used particularly advantageously on control elements for front control panels, in particular oven or stove control panels.

DE 10 2012 204 223 A1 discloses a control element for a household appliance, with a control element head, which is rotatably arranged in a carrier sleeve, and a circuit carrier, which is associated with a setpoint generator, on which circuit carrier electrical contacts are arranged, which are connected to electrical contacts of a rotary actuator of the setpoint generator, which is connected to the control element head is coupled, can be contacted, wherein the rotary actuator can be moved relative to the circuit carrier as a function of the movement of the control element head, and the rotational position of the control element head can be detected depending on this, with at least one light source being arranged on the circuit carrier, and adjacent to the light source a separate one from the carrier sleeve Light guide is arranged, in which the light of the light source can be coupled and guided into the interior of the support sleeve, wherein the light guide is partially formed as a light-conducting fastener. The invention also relates to an operating device with such an operating element.

the WO 2012/089506 A1 discloses a household appliance having a control panel made of glass, a circular opening disposed on the control panel, a knob disposed in the opening, a housing attached to the rear of the control panel, extending inwardly from the control panel and protecting the knob, light source LEDs placed on the back wall of the housing and a light guide placed in the housing and providing the periphery of the button to be illuminated.

DE 200 1 0 428 U1 discloses an arrangement for illuminating the control button of an input unit by means of transmitted light, the input unit having a rotary switch attached to a partition wall, the control shaft of which carrying the control button reaches through to the opposite side of the partition wall, and at least one light source located on the side of the rotary switch is provided, with a Light guide is provided, on the light guide a light guide surface corresponding to the area of the control knob to be transilluminated is formed, the light guide is fastened to the partition wall on the control knob side and the light guide extends through the partition wall to the light source. DE 10 2005 015814 A1 discloses a control element according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide an operating element for a household appliance that can be installed particularly reliably and is inexpensive. This object is solved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in particular in the dependent claims.

This operating element has the advantage that the light source carrier can only be mounted when the light guide has been combined with the adapter part. This results in an inevitability in the assembly, which ensures that the light guide is always assembled. The light guide cannot be forgotten in the assembly process, so that a specified illumination quality (e.g. in terms of uniformity) and illumination brightness are reliably maintained. In addition, such a control element can be produced inexpensively with a particularly small number of parts.

The receiving part and the light guide are thus, in particular, separate components which are only connected to one another subsequently.

The household appliance is in particular an electrically operated household appliance. The household appliance can be a large household appliance (e.g. a cooking appliance, a laundry care appliance, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, etc.) or a small household appliance (e.g. a coffee maker, a toaster, etc.). If the household appliance is a cooking appliance, it can be an oven, a microwave oven, a steamer, a hob or any combination thereof (for example a cooker, possibly with a microwave and/or steamer function).

The adapter part is mechanically connected in particular to the operating element head. The adapter part can hold the control element head. The adapter part can transmit a mechanical movement of the operating element head to a corresponding sensor. The adapter part can also be used to attach the control element to a technical Carrier part (e.g. on a control panel or on a switch carrier or panel carrier) be equipped. The technical support part can in particular be an oven, stove or hob control panel. The control panel can be a front panel.

The control head is intended for actuation by a user, e.g., by the user grasping or pressing the control head.

The light guide is used for the internal guidance of light, for example through an internally mirrored hollow channel or through total internal reflection. A body that guides light by total internal reflection can also be referred to as a TIR body. A TIR body can be made of transparent material such as glass or plastic, e.g. Plexiglas.

The light guide can be used to transmit light emitted by at least one light source of the light source carrier, for example for backlighting or interior lighting of the control element head and/or a light element surrounding the control element head (e.g. a light ring or similar).

The fact that the adapter part and the light guide are joined to one another can include, in particular, that these components are connected directly to one another, ie without intermediate pieces or the like. The joining can include positive, non-positive and/or material-to-material joining.

The slide-in shaft is designed so that a light source carrier can be slid or plugged into it. The light source carrier can be held in the slot in a form-fitting, force-fitting and/or material-fitting manner.

The light source carrier is equipped with at least one light source. The at least one light source can be at least one LED or at least one laser diode. The light source carrier can have a circuit board or printed circuit board or, for example, also a plate-shaped ceramic substrate. The light source carrier can therefore in particular be an LED circuit board.

In a further development, the control element has the light source carrier that is inserted or received in the insertion slot. From the at least Light emitted by a light source can then be coupled into the light guide and is guided within the light guide. In particular, the light can be coupled out of the light guide again at a point where it backlights at least a partial area of the operating element.

Claim 1 further discloses that the adapter part has a support area with a rear support surface for supporting the light source carrier, the light guide areas ("wings") which rest on a front support surface of the support area, and the wings are bent backwards at their end sections, so that they encompass the support area in such a way that the insertion shaft is formed by means of a gap between the support area and the end sections. This configuration has the advantage that it is particularly easy to assemble, is robust and can form the slide-in slot with low tolerances. The rear support surface and the end areas can hold the light source carrier at least in a form-fitting manner (i.e. only in a form-fitting manner or in a form-fitting manner and additionally in a force-fitting manner and/or in a material-bonding manner) in the insertion slot.

A rear bearing surface can in particular be understood to mean a bearing surface which faces away from the viewer when the built-in operating element is viewed from the front.

A wing can be understood in particular as a region of the light guide which, when viewed from the front, extends to the side or laterally, in particular to the left or to the right. The wing can in particular be an elongate area. In particular, the wings can be two wings. They can be mirror-symmetrical. The wings can also be called arms.

A wing can rest on the support area or on its front support surface, in particular up to its end section. The adapter can in particular have the shape of a plate or disc, with a first flat side having or forming the front bearing surface and a second flat side having or forming the rear bearing surface. The light guide can be accommodated in part in a front depression of the adapter area, in particular in an at least approximately complementary shaped depression.

It is a further development that the wings, in particular their end area, are elastically deformable. This simplifies assembly even further. A further advantage is that the end sections can serve as spring-back holding areas for the light source carrier in order to hold it in a clamping fit in the insertion slot.

It is a further development that the adapter part and the light guide are made of plastic. In particular, the adapter part can consist of a non-light-conducting plastic and the light guide can consist of a light-conducting, in particular transparent, plastic.

Another configuration is that the contact area has an opening which is at least partially covered by the light guide at the front and the light guide has a light guide section projecting backwards through the opening for coupling in the light from the light source carrier. This results in the advantage that light losses can be kept particularly low due to the rear fiber-optics section. Light coupled in there at a short distance from the at least one light source can be guided through the opening to the front side, from where it can be emitted in the direction of the control element head or the like.

In a further development, the light guide has a light-guiding section that protrudes at the front. This advantageously makes it possible for the light guided by the light guide to be brought close to the operating element head in order to backlight a predetermined area there with high brightness. The rearwardly protruding fiber optics section and the frontally protruding fiber optics section can in particular be collinear with one another.

In a further embodiment, the adapter part has a rearwardly projecting, elastically bendable locking area for locking the light source carrier in the insertion shaft at least with a positive fit. This can prevent the light source carrier from slipping out of the slot unintentionally. The locking area can be designed as a latching hook or locking tab.

In yet another embodiment, the adapter part, in particular its support area, has at least one rib serving as a spacer. The rib can represent at least part of the rear bearing surface. As a result, for example, a distance from a rear light-guiding area of the light guide can be set precisely. An air gap between the light source carrier and the adapter part is also made possible in this way. The air gap can be used to accommodate light sources and/or other electrical and/or electronic components. The air gap can also serve to dissipate heat from the light source carrier through air convection. The rear support surface can comprise an edge of the rib serving to support the light source carrier.

It is also an embodiment that the adapter part has at least one rib for engaging in a recess of the light source carrier. As a result, a blocking against a sideways or lateral movement of the light source carrier is achieved. The at least one rib used for this purpose can be the same rib that also serves as a spacer. In this case in particular, the rib can have a stepped shape.

It is also an embodiment that the adapter part has at least one projection serving as a rear delimitation of the slide-in slot. This projection can advantageously serve as an insertion aid. The projection can also serve to prevent the circuit board carrier from bending.

It is also an embodiment that the operating element head can be internally illuminated by light that can be coupled out of the light guide. For this purpose, the operating element head can have translucent windows, holes, etc., at least in certain areas.

It is also an embodiment that the operating element head is a toggle switch and the adapter part has a shaft connected to the toggle switch. Such a control element can also be referred to as a rotary knob or rotary knob.

The object is also achieved by a household appliance having at least one control element as discussed above, in particular a control panel with at least one control element as discussed above. The household appliance can be analogous to the control element be trained and has the same advantages. The adapter part can, for example, be attached to the control panel, possibly to an associated switch carrier.

In one embodiment, the adapter part is attached to the rear of the control panel or to a technical support part assigned to the control panel, and the control element head is arranged on the front of the control panel. The light guide can protrude through the control panel or can remain completely behind the control panel. In the case of an arrangement completely behind the control panel, the light guide can radiate light through a hole in the control panel onto the control element head or the like.

The control panel can be a front control panel.

Fig.1

zeigt ein Adapterteil eines Bedienelements in einer Ansicht von schräg hinten;

Fig.2

zeigt das Adapterteil aus Fig.1 in einer Ansicht von schräg vorne;

Fig.3

zeigt eine Leiterplatte eines Lichtquellenträgers des Bedienelements in einer Ansicht von schräg hinten;

Fig.4

zeigt einen Lichtleiter gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel in einer Ansicht von schräg vorne;

Fig.5

zeigt den Lichtleiter des Bedienelements gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel in einer Ansicht von schräg hinten;

Fig.6

zeigt einen Lichtleiter gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel in einer Ansicht von schräg vorne;

Fig.7

zeigt den Lichtleiter des Bedienelements gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel in einer Ansicht von schräg hinten;

Fig.8

zeigt das Bedienelement in einer Explosionszeichnung von schräg hinten; und

Fig.9

zeigt in einer Ansicht von schräg hinten das zusammengesetzte Bedienelement.

The characteristics, features and advantages of this invention described above, and the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment, which will be explained in more detail in connection with the drawings.

Fig.1

shows an adapter part of a control element in a view at an angle from behind;

Fig.2

shows the adapter part Fig.1 in an oblique view from the front;

Fig.3

shows a printed circuit board of a light source carrier of the operating element in a view at an angle from behind;

Fig.4

shows a light guide according to the first embodiment in a view obliquely from the front;

Fig.5

shows the light guide of the operating element according to the first exemplary embodiment in a view at an angle from behind;

Fig.6

shows a light guide according to a second embodiment in a view obliquely from the front;

Fig.7

shows the light guide of the operating element according to the second exemplary embodiment in a view at an angle from behind;

Fig.8

shows the control element in an exploded view from diagonally behind; and

Fig.9

shows the assembled control element in an oblique view from behind.

Fig.1 shows a component of a control element 1 for a household appliance H, namely an adapter part 2, in an oblique view from behind. Fig.2 shows the adapter part 2 in an oblique view from the front.

The adapter part 2 is constructed in several parts and is made of plastic. The adapter part 2 is described below with reference to a typical installation position shown. However, the adapter part 2 and thus also the operating element 1 can have a different orientation in space.

The adapter part 2 has a rotatable shaft 3 which can be connected at the front to a control element head in the form of a rotary switch or rotary knob (not illustrated). The rotatable shaft 3 can be connected at the rear to a rotation angle sensor or the like (not shown).

Above the shaft 3, the adapter part 2 has a receiving or support area 4 with a plate-like basic shape. Two ribs 5 and 6 that are stepped on the upper side protrude from the support area 4 at the rear. At a rear distance from the support area 4, a lobe-like projection 7 protrudes from a shaft housing. Two side edges 28 also protrude from the support area 4 on the sides of the ribs 5 , 6 . These protrude in the rearward direction e.g. just as far as vertical sections 27 of steps of the ribs 5, 6.

In addition, there is an opening 8 and two fixing holes 9 in the support area 4. In addition, an elastically bendable locking tab 10 extends from the support area 4 in the rearward direction. The locking tab 10 is located above the ribs 5, 6 and the opening 8.

At the front, in the support area 4, there is a support surface for a light guide 14 (see Fig.4 and Fig.5 ) Serving depression 29 available.

Fig.3 shows a circuit board 11 of a light source carrier of the operating element 1 in the form of an LED circuit board 12 in a view obliquely from behind. The circuit board 11 has a bottom slit 13 for engagement with a lower step of the rib 5 .

At the front, the printed circuit board 11 can be equipped with at least one LED and possibly with at least one associated electrical component (not illustrated).

Fig.4 shows a light guide 14 in a view obliquely from the front. The light guide 14 is a transparent plastic part that can be produced, for example, as an injection molded part. The light guide 14 has wings 15 extending to the left and right in a mirror-symmetrical manner. The wings 15 are bent twice backwards at their end sections 16 by 90°. The light guide 14 also has a light guide section 17 protruding in the center at the front.

Fig.5 shows the light guide 14 in a view obliquely from behind. A light-guiding section 18 goes backwards in the middle. From each of the wings 15 a pin 19 protrudes to the rear, which is provided for engagement with a respective fixing hole 9 . Two further pin-shaped projections 20 protrude from the end sections 16 at the rear.

Fig.6 shows a light guide 21 in a view obliquely from the front. The light guide 21 is a transparent plastic part that can be produced as an injection molded part. The light guide 21 has wings 22 extending to the left and right in a mirror-symmetrical manner. The wings 22 are bent backwards twice at their end sections 23 by 90°. The light guide 21 also has a light-guiding section 24 that protrudes centrally on the front side and has a different shape than the light-guiding section 17 .

Fig.7 shows the light guide 21 in a view obliquely from behind. A light-guiding section 25 goes backwards in the middle. A pin 19 projects rearward from each of the wings 22 and is provided for engagement with a respective fixing hole 9 . No pin-shaped projections protrude from the rear of the end sections 16 here.

Fig.8 shows the operating element 1 in an exploded view from diagonally behind. Typically, first the light guide 14 and the adapter part 2 are joined together so that together they form a slide-in slot 26 (see Fig.9 ) for the LED circuit board 12, as indicated by the wide arrows.

Fig.9 shows the assembled control element 1 in an oblique view from behind. The light guide 14 and the adapter part 2 form a slot 26 into which the LED circuit board 12 has been pushed from above.

The front side of the LED circuit board 12 rests on vertical sections 27 of the steps of the ribs 5 and 6 and on the side edges 28 protruding from the support area 4 at the rear. The lower-lying step sections of the ribs 5, 6 also support the LED circuit board 12 downwards. The ribs 5 and 6 and the side edges 28 thus provide a rear support surface 5, 6, 28 for supporting the LED circuit board 12.

The end sections 16 are bent backwards in such a way that they encompass the support area 4 in such a way that the insertion shaft 26 is formed by means of a gap between the support area 4 or the support surface 5 , 6 , 28 and the end sections 16 . The ribs 5, 6 also serve as spacers for the support area 4 relative to the LED circuit board 12 because of their gradation. The rib 5 engages in the slot 13 of the LED circuit board 12 in order to prevent lateral displacement. The protrusion 7 serves as a touch guard or barrier in the event that the LED board 12 and light guide 14 are not installed. The projection 7 can also be omitted.

The locking tab 10 is provided for at least positive locking of the LED circuit board 12 in the slide-in slot 26 . The locking tab 10 is pushed in again when mounting on a technical support part (e.g. a panel support). This reduces the spring deflection during assembly and allows additional coverage in the final assembled state.

The rear side of the light guide 14 rests on the front side of the recess 29 of the support area 4 , its position being fixed by the pins 19 engaging in the holes 9 . The light guide 14 covers the opening 8 at the front in such a way that the rear light-guiding section 18 protrudes through the opening 8 in the direction of the LED circuit board 12 . Light emitted forwards by the LEDs of the LED circuit board 12 is coupled into the rear fiber-optics section 18 at the front and is coupled out again from the front-side fiber-optics section 17 at the front. The light passes through the opening 8 within the light guide 14.

The decoupled light can, for example, illuminate an inside of the rotary knob so that it can be illuminated from the inside or backlit.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown.

Thus, instead of the light guide 14, the light guide 21 can be used. For example, while the light guide 14 is used to illuminate a rotary knob used to set the temperature, the light guide 21 can be used, for example, to illuminate a rotary knob used to set the function. Advantageously, only the appropriate light guide needs to be selected, while the adapter part 2 and the LED circuit board 12, for example, can remain the same.

In general, "a", "an" etc. can be understood as a singular or a plural number, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more" etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression "exactly a" etc.

A numerical specification can also include exactly the specified number as well as a usual tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded.

Reference List

1

control element

2

adapter part

3

Wave

4

support area

5

rib

6

rib

7

head Start

8th

breakthrough

9

fixation hole

10

locking tab

11

circuit board

12

LED circuit board

13

slot

14

light guide

15

wing

16

end section

17

light guide section

18

light guide section

19

cones

20

Cone-shaped protrusion

21

light guide

22

wing

23

end section

24

light guide section

25

light guide section

26

slot

27

Vertical step section

28

margin

29

deepening

H

household appliance

Claims (10)

1. Operating element (1) for a household appliance (H), having an adapter part (2) for connecting an operating element head and having an optical fibre (14; 21),
   characterised in that

   - the adapter part (2) and the optical fibre (14; 21) are joined to one another and together form an insertion shaft (26) for a light source carrier (12),

   - the adapter part (2) has a support region (4) with a rear support surface (5, 6, 28) for supporting the light source carrier (12),

   - the optical fibre (14; 21) has blades (15; 22) which rest on a front support surface (29) of the support region (4),

   - the blades (15; 22) are bent rearwards at their end sections (16; 23) so that they encompass the support region (4) such that

   - the insertion shaft (26) is formed by means of a gap between the support region (4) and the end sections (16; 23).
2. Operating element (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that

   - the support region (4) has an aperture (8) which is covered at the front by the optical fibre (14; 21),

   - the optical fibre (14; 21) has a light guiding section (18; 25) which projects in a rearward direction through the aperture (8) in order to couple the light of the light source carrier (12) and

   - the optical fibre (14; 21 has a light guiding section (17; 24) which projects at the front.
3. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adapter part (2) has a rearwardly projecting, elastically flexible locking region (10) for the at least form-fit locking of the light source carrier (12) in the insertion shaft.
4. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adapter part (2) has at least one rib (5, 6) serving as a spacer with respect to the light source carrier (12).
5. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adapter part (2) has at least one rib (5) for engagement in a cut-out (13) of the light source carrier (12).
6. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adapter part (2) has at least one protection which serves as a rearward boundary of the insertion shaft (26).
7. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the optical fibre (14; 21) is configured so as to illuminate the operating element head from the inside using light which can be coupled out from the optical fibre (14; 21).
8. Operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adapter part (2) has a shaft (3), which is embodied to be connectable to an operating element head in the form of a switch knob.
9. Household appliance (H), having a control panel with at least one operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims.
10. Household appliance (H) according to claim 9, characterised in that the household appliance (H) has an operating element head and the adapter part (2) is attached to the rear of the control panel and the operating element head is arranged on the front of the control panel.

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