WO2011095861A1

WO2011095861A1 - Control device with a touch screen

Info

Publication number: WO2011095861A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/000147
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carlo Orsi
Original assignee: Blucasa S.R.L.
Priority date: 2010-02-02
Filing date: 2011-01-31
Publication date: 2011-08-11
Also published as: IT1397826B1; ITBO20100057A1

Abstract

The control panel with a touch screen comprises a body 1 and a touch screen 2 associated to the body I5 so that the active side 2a of the screen 2 is visible and accessible to the outside at the front side Ia of the body 1. The same body 1 also accommodates a processing unit 3 electrically connected to the screen 2. The control panel 100 includes, on the front side Ia of the body 1, a recess 11 open to the outside, with dimension not smaller than the touch screen 2 and shape substantially complementary thereto. The touch screen 2 is secured inside the recess 11, with its active side 2a arranged substantially flush with the front side Ia of the body 1. The processing unit 3 is secured to the rear side of the body 1, within the outline defined by the edges of the recess 11, to allow wall mounting of the panel 100 independently of the size of the touch screen 2.

Description

CONTROL DEVICE WITH A TOUCHSCREEN'

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention fits in the technical field concerning the production of digital control panels.

In particular, the invention relates to a touch screen digital control panel, which is intended primarily, but not exclusively, to the supervision and control of enhanced electrical systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

It is well known that the management of present-day electrical systems, both domestic and industrial, is implemented with increasing frequency by means of computerized control and implementation systems. The most advanced of these systems operate with distributed intelligence structures, and include several types of sensors and actuators equipped with its own processing logic, connected via a standard bus to one or more control units. These units, which are in turn provided with a microprocessor and user interface devices, monitor the status of the different components and send operational commands thereto. In this way, the activation and deactivation of equipment and devices most commonly used in a house or office, from lighting to appliances, from air conditioning to alarm systems, can be remotely controlled.

It is also known that the control units of such systems typically include a panel, made of metal or other suitable material, to which a display device and possibly a set of buttons, sliders or knobs, are mounted. The display device may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or, in simpler models, an array of properly arranged LED (light emitting diodes). The panel can be mounted in turn, together with the printed circuit board that contains the control electronics, in a special container, and then mounted on a panel wall or set resting on a plane.

The latest configurations of the control panel of the above mentioned

l control units include the use of touch screen liquid crystal displays, commonly known by the English expression "touch screen", combined with advanced graphic display of control and monitoring functions. In this way a considerable simplification of procedures for the supervision can be obtained, as well as the elimination of control buttons from the panel, or at least a significant reduction thereof.

Known touch screen control panels include, as already mentioned above, a box-like body, usually made of metal or a suitable plastic material, intended to support the LCD in an operational position. In this regard, the box- like body is provided with a seat thereinside, capable of accommodating the above mentioned screen. This seat is exposed on the front side of it with a window, having substantially rectangular shape and smaller than the screen, through which the screen is visible and accessible from the outside.

Inside the box-like body is also housed the printed circuit board that accommodates the microprocessor and various interface circuits with the screen and with various sensors and actuators of the supervision and control system of the electrical system.

The screen is mounted on the inner wall of the front side of the box-like body. As already mentioned, the window made therein is smaller than the screen itself, so that the edges of the latter are set in abutment against the inner wall. The screen is then secured in its mounting position by means of suitable fastening means.

The printed circuit board is also usually held in the inner wall of the front side of the box-like body, with interposition of spacers threaded rods mounted on studs, in turn sunk into the afore cited front side.

The above described prior art control panels can be installed, as noted, in a wall or countertop. However, they have some drawbacks, which may limit the functionality and use flexibility.

First, with the screen assembly system as described above, a step will inevitably be formed between the front surface of the panel and the surface of the screen, because this latter rests on the inner wall of the panel. The presence of this step involves, on one hand, limits of aesthetic nature, as it is not possible to obtain a uniform and flat panel design, and the other hand it can cause problems for functional reasons. The area of the screen located close to the step, is in fact not easily accessible, and can lead to inaccuracies and errors in the selection of options for which you must touch the periphery areas of the screen. This problem is the more remarkable the more the screen is small. Moreover, dust and other dirt naturally present in the air or transferred with the fingers during use, can more likely settle and accumulate over time in the region of the step.

Another drawback encountered in the known control panels is that the devices for securing the microprocessor board must be necessarily laid, on the inner wall of the panel, in a location outside of the shape of the screen. The encumbrance of the same board and said fastening means is, in any case, greater than that of the screen. This means that, in order to allow installation of the panel on a wall, a window must be provided in the wall itself, as large as the dimensions of the panel are.

Since in practice every manufacturer offers, for each product line, panels with screens of different sizes, and usually the products of various manufacturers are different dimensionally from one another, it is easy to understand that it is substantially impossible to define a standard size for wall boxes that must accommodate the panels, and that any preparatory work must be tailored according to the panel intended to be installed.

Another drawback is also due to the fact that often the fastening means of the microprocessor board are made by studs mounted on the panel box-like body. Since the end of such studs dipped in the panel is visible from the outside, a cover plate must be provided on the same, to make it aesthetically acceptable and marketable. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to propose a touch screen panel for control and supervision of enhanced electrical systems, in which the screen is installed flush with the front wall of the panel.

Another object of the invention is to propose a touch screen panel which can be wall mounted using a standard wall box, regardless of the size of the screen.

Another object of the invention is to propose a touch screen panel which can be wall mounted, in particular using a standard switch element holder wall box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned objects are achieved, in accordance with the contents of the claims, by a touch screen control panel including a body and a touch screen associated with the body so that the active side of the screen is visible and accessible at the outside of the front side of the body. The same body also accommodates a processing unit electrically connected to the screen.

The control panel includes, on the front side of said body, a recess open to the outside, with dimension not smaller than the touch screen and shape substantially complementary thereto.

The touch screen is secured inside the recess, with its active side arranged substantially flush with the front side of the body.

The processing unit is secured to the rear side of the body, within the outline defined by the edges of the recess, to allow wall mounting of the panel independently of the size of the touch screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS

The features of the invention, as they will result in the claims, are highlighted in the following detailed description, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the front part of a touch screen panel made in accordance with the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a perspective exploded view of the front part of the panel in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 shows a perspective exploded view of the rear part of the panel in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 shows schematically a sectional side view of a touch screen in accordance with the invention, mounted wall-wise in a standard wall box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE

INVENTION

Referring to Figure 1, numeral 100 generally indicates a microprocessor digital panel for supervision and control of enhanced electrical systems, or any other computerized system, in which one or more devices are provided for control of operational functions of the same. The panel 100 includes a body 1, and is suitably provided with a display 2 and means for the input of commands in a control microprocessor 3. Location and fixing of the panel 100 will be described in more detail later.

Advantageously, the screen 2 is, for example, touch type or "touch screen", and means for input of commands are entirely or partly made by the touch sensing device of the same screen 2.

In the embodiment of the panel 1 depicted in the Figures, which is intended to be exemplary and not limitative, the body 1 consists of a rectangular shaped plate, having rounded corners. The plate is preferably made of metal, such as anodized aluminium or stainless steel, but can be equally advantageously made of other suitable materials, such as plastic or wood, which have sufficient mechanical strength and pleasant aesthetic appearance.

The touch screen 2, a liquid crystal type, has a parallelepiped shape with a thickness of some millimetres, depending on the size of the screen and the technology used to make both the screen and the touch sensing devices. In accordance with the present invention, the thickness of the plate 1 is conveniently greater than the thickness of the screen 2.

A recess 11 is made in the front side la of the plate 1, open to the outside and with parallelepiped shape, capable of receiving the above mentioned touch screen 2 therein. The dimensions of the recess 11 are substantially not less than that of the screen 2 that it is intended to accommodate. In particular, both the depth and size in length and width of the recess 11 are substantially identical to those of said screen 2, so as to enable the latter to be evenly fit into it. In this way, the active side 2a of the screen 2 is substantially coplanar with the front side la of the plate 1.

As for the depth, in practice, it is possible to provide a recess 11 made with the maximum depth expected for the thicker model of screen 2 intended to be installed. Any possible model of screen 2 having smaller thickness can also be installed in the recess 11 with the use of filler elements properly selected.

Fixing the screen 2 to the plate 1 can be done by gluing or by using a layer of bi-adhesive material having adequate bonding characteristics.

In the plate 1 there are also made openings 4, 4a (see also Figures 2 and 3) designed to set the recess 11 in communication with the rear part of the same plate 1. Electrical connections, which provide power supply and input/output lines from the screen to the above mentioned microprocessor 34, can be conveyed through the afore cited openings 4, 4a.

The shaped plate 1, as shown in the above Figures, also provides a seat 8, made in the vicinity of one of its side edge, designed to accommodate possible additional sensors provided in the panel 100, such as a temperature sensor or any other environmental parameter sensor. However, this seat 8 is not relevant to the invention, and may be omitted without constituting a limitation for the same.

The microprocessor 3, already mentioned above, substantially consists of a printed circuit board containing the processor and interface devices required for the correct operation of the panel 1. Its structure and its circuit configuration is not the subject of the invention, and will not be further discussed. However, it is useful to consider that present-day technologies allow to obtain microprocessors with high processing power, and thus capable of supporting supervision and control programs with highly sophisticated operational features and graphical user interfaces. The circuitry of these microprocessors can be implemented on small size printed circuit boards, typically with sides of a few centimeters.

According to an aspect of the invention (see Figures 3 and 4), the board containing the microprocessor 3 is secured to the rear side lb of the shaped plate 1 by fastening means 5. These fastening means 5 are advantageously located in the portion of the rear side lb inner with respect to the edges of the recess 11. This is possible due to the particular arrangement of the screen at the front side la of the plate 1, as previously described.

In the embodiment shown, not to be considered limitative, the fastening means 5 include a plurality of threaded studs 51, which protrude from the rear side lb of the plate 1. To each stud 51, an end of a corresponding spacer turret 52 is fastened with a screw coupling, the opposite end of the turret being also suitably threaded. The arrangement of the studs matches with the arrangement of a plurality of holes 31 made in the board of the microprocessor 3, in which the threaded ends of the spacer turrets 52 are inserted. The microprocessor 3 can then be secured to the turrets 52 by further turrets 53 or by means of simple threaded nuts. In this way we obtain a compact and stable coupling between the different components of the control panel 100.

Figure 4 shows schematically the wall installation of a panel 100 in a wall box 20. From the above mentioned Figure it is clear that neither the size of the shaped plate 1, nor the size of the touch screen 2 are an obstacle to the installation in any standard box. The board of the microprocessor 3, which is the only critical component in this sense, as already stated, can be easily sizes in a such way that it can be housed, for example, in a standard switch element holder wall box. The panel 100 also includes a frame 6, provided with a corresponding window 7, capable of being attached to the front side of the plate 1 to change the design according to specific needs. Conveniently, the window size 7 is slightly smaller than that of the screen 2, so as to cover the interface with the plate 1 without significantly limiting the usable area of the same. The frame 6 can be secured to the plate 1, for example, by gluing, or an inner adhesive surface can be provided thereon.

The possibility to install wall- wise the panel 100 in standard wall boxes represents a significant advantage offered by the invention, which allows those who install a system to carry out preparatory works freeing themselves of the choice of type and size of the control panel to install, and possibly to replace it later on with a screen larger or smaller than the one originally provided.

Another advantage of the invention is that control panels can be made with the active side of the touch screen perfectly coplanar with that of the front side of the panel. This facilitates the use of the screen itself, prevents settlement of dust and accumulation of dirt along the edges of the screen, and also provides a very pleasant overall appearance of the panel, allowing designers to develop models with innovative and attractive design.

It is understood that the above has been described by way of mere example and is not limiting. Therefore, possible modifications and variations are considered within the protection scope of the invention granted to this technical solution, as described above and claimed below.

Claims

Control panel with a touch screen, comprising a body 1, a touch screen 2 associated to said body 1 so that the active side 2a of said screen 2 is visible and accessible to the outside at the front side la of said body 1, the same body 1 being moreover fit to receive at least one processing unit 3 electrically connected to said touch screen 2, said control panel 100 being characterized in that a recess 11 is provided in the front side la of said body 1, the opening of said recess 11 toward the outside having a size not smaller than the size of the active side 2a of said touch screen 2, this latter being secured inside said recess 11 so that its active side 2a is substantially co-planar with the front side la of said body.

A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that aid recess 11 also has a shape which is substantially complementary to that of said touch screen.

A control panel according to claim 1, characterized in that said body 1 is formed as a shaped plate, and that said processing unit 3 is secured to said body 1 with fastening means 5 provided in the rear side lb of the same body 1, opposite to the front side la from which said recess 11 extends.

A control panel according to claim 3, characterized in that said fastening means 5 is located in a portion of the rear side lb inner with respect to the edges of the recess 11.

A control panel according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that said fastening means 5 includes a plurality of studs 51, extending from said rear side lb, and a plurality of threaded spacer turrets 52, engaged at one end with said studs 51 and having opposite threaded ends inserted into corresponding holes 31 made in said processing unit 3.

A control panel according any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized by further including a frame 6, provided with a corresponding window 7 having size slightly smaller than that of said touch screen 2, said frame being secured to said front side of said body 1.