A knob assembly includes a light guide and a control knob that is independently rotatable relative to the light guide. The light guide is positioned at an aperture formed on a surface such that the light guide receives light emitted by a light source positioned below the surface along a vertical direction. The light guide also defines a guide opening, and further includes an opaque and translucent region. The control knob defines a light opening and is rotatably coupled to a stem extending through the guide opening. The control knob is rotatable between a first and second position. In the first position, the light opening is positioned entirely over the opaque region of the light guide along the vertical direction. In the second position, the light opening is positioned entirely over the translucent region of the light guide along the vertical direction. A related cooktop appliance is provided.

The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) comprising a control panel (2) having an area (A) designated thereon which provides the user to select the desired program parameters by touching, a board holder (3) situated behind the control panel (2), a circuit board (4) situated in the board holder (3), at least one touch button (7) having at least one spring (5) one end of which is fixed to the circuit board (4) and which transmits to the circuit board (4) the capacitive difference that is formed when the designated area (A) is touched and having a plate (6) which is fixed to the free end of the spring (5) so as to contact the control panel (2), and a cover (8) mounted onto the circuit holder (3) and providing the circuit board (4) to be fixed in the board holder (3). The household appliance further comprises a first element (9) that is situated on the cover (8) and that extends outwards from the cover (8) in parallel to the spring (5), and a guide (11) that provides the cover (8) to be fixed on the board holder (3) by being mounted onto the cover (8) and that has a second element (10) that forms a housing (Y) surrounding the spring (5) by joining with the first element (9) when mounted onto the cover (8).

A user interface includes a touch-sensitive display and a display control unit for controlling the touch-sensitive display. A method for controlling a household appliance using the graphical user interface includes the steps of: displaying a first graphical representation on the touch-sensitive display, the first graphical representation including one or more symbols (V1, V2), each symbol (V1, V2) being associated with an appliance subunit of the household appliance; touching a symbol (V1, V2) by a touching means in order to change of a setting value of the appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol (V1) by moving the touching means; determining the moving speed of the touching means by the display control unit; and displaying information at the touch-sensitive display depending on the determined moving speed of the touching means.

Methods, systems and media are provided for hands-free operation of an appliance. For example, the appliance may detect input from a hands-free user, where the detected input is voice or gesticular. The appliance may compare the detected input to known inputs and retrieving the user's profile based on the detected input corresponding to a known input. Based upon retrieval of the user's profile, the appliance may output recognition of the user input and modify operation of a burner according to both the user input and the retrieved user profile. Based upon the detected input being unrecognized, the appliance may create a new user profile associated with the detected input and modify operation of a burner according to the detected input.

A knob assembly includes a knob, a light assembly, a light socket, and a receptacle. The light assembly includes a light diffuser, a light source, and a light connector prong. Light from the light source is transmitted through the light diffuser. The light connector prong is electrically connected to the light source to provide power to the light source when the knob is rotated. The light socket includes a socket housing, a light connector aperture wall, an electrical connector aperture wall, and an internal conductor. The light connector prong is mounted within the light connector aperture wall. A power connector prong connectable to a power source is mounted within the electrical connector aperture wall. The connector housing of the receptacle is configured to house the light socket. The light connector prong is inserted into the light connector aperture wall through a first wall of the device.

A touch sensing apparatus includes a first plate configured to receive a touch input, a second plate spaced apart from the first plate, a piezoelectric element disposed between the first and second plates, the piezoelectric element being configured to generate electrical signals corresponding to the touch input received on the first plate, an ultrasonic output unit configured to output ultrasonic signals based on the electrical signals generated from the piezoelectric element, a plurality of microphones configured to receive the ultrasonic signals, and a processor configured to determine a position of the touch input on the first plate based on the ultrasonic signals received by the plurality of microphones.

An oven appliance is provided with features for locking out a cooking chamber to boost the preheat performance of and thereby decrease the time required to preheat another cooking chamber of the oven appliance. A method for operating an oven appliance also is provided. The method includes features for locking out a cooking chamber to boost the preheat performance of and thereby decrease the time required to preheat another cooking chamber of the oven appliance.

According to one example, a system includes a heat source operable to provide an amount of energy to be used to cook a food item. The system further includes a processor operable to establish a first communication link with a wireless device having a cooking recipe for the food item. The processor is further operable to receive, via the first communication link, an indication of a first temperature associated with the cooking recipe. The processor is further operable to establish a second communication link with a cooking device system operable to be used in cooking the food item, and to receive, via the second communication link, an indication of a current temperature associated with the food item. The processor is further operable to, based on the indication of the first temperature and the indication of the current temperature, adjust the amount of energy provided by the heat source.

A cooking apparatus capable of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging is provided. Food packaging capable of being read or detected by a cooking apparatus is also provided. The cooking apparatus sets cooking time and cooking temperature as a result of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging. The cooking apparatus is capable of interacting with a user of the cooking apparatus to further assist the cooking process started as a result of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging. The cooking apparatus capable of connecting to a remote computer and server and receiving and displaying web pages generated by the remote server to further assist the cooking process.

An operating device for a domestic appliance includes an electronic display field, a guide, and an operating element which is movable relative to the electronic display field to set operating conditions of the domestic appliance. The operating element is comprised of multiple parts and includes a sliding ring and a front part resting on the sliding ring. The front part and the sliding ring are coupled to the guide such that the front part is rotatable in a guided manner relative to the sliding ring by the guide.