A user interface for a home appliance comprises a circuit board having at least one mechanically actuated switch having a first area. The user interface further comprises an input interface having at least one button defining a second area, greater than the first area, and having an actuator corresponding to the switch. The button is coupled to at least one of the circuit board or the input interface for relative movement between an actuation position, where the actuator actuates the switch, and a non-actuation position, where the actuator does not actuate the switch.

An actuation unit for a household appliance, preferably an electrically drivable, household appliance, includes an actuation element, having an actuation element base. The actuation element has a protrusion portion extending from the actuation element base, which is inserted into a recess of an actuation button, such that the actuation element and the actuation button have, in an assembled state, a degree of freedom in a direction corresponding to the extension of the protrusion portion and in a further direction.

The invention is a high temperature control knob that is installed on the power control knob stem of an existing appliance to prevent a material being heated from reaching a predetermined maximum temperature (e.g., the burning point temperature for oil), and thereby preventing an undesired event (e.g., a fire). The high temperature control knob comprises an alignment means having at least one stop that is adjustable about a set of temperature markings containing the predetermined maximum temperature, and may further comprise a dial with an arm that mounts of the power control knob stem. The at least one stop may be aligned to the predetermined maximum temperature by rotating the alignment means about the power control knob stem and tightening a fixing means to hold the alignment means in place. The arm of the dial contacts the at least one stop preventing the appliance from exceeding the predetermined maximum temperature.

A thermal protector includes, in a fixed manner, a first terminal and a second terminal that are respectively connected to external circuits, at lower left/right ends of the longitudinal directions of a base, and a right end at which a movable plate and a bimetal are superimposed is fixed to the right end of the upper surface of the base and is connected to the second terminal. A fixed contact is fixed to an internal end of the first terminal that is exposed in the left end of the base. A movable contact is fixed at a position facing the fixed contact on the lower surface of the left end of the movable plate. A partition wall that encloses the movable contact and the fixed contact from three directions is provided and bent plate planes are formed on both sides of the movable plate in the vicinity of the movable contact. The bent plate planes adjust the flow direction of hot air in cooperation with the partition wall so as to prevent a malfunction of a breaking arc flying to surrounding conductive members.

An illumination system and method are disclosed for maintaining a consistent change in illumination value among a group of illumination devices whenever a change command is manually sent from a keypad to those illumination devices. The consistent change results from maintaining a common start illumination value among not only the group, but also the keypad which controls the group. From the start illumination value, the keypad can then compute an end illumination value depending upon the amount of time that an increase or decrease in illumination value button is depressed and held. Since the change command can arrive at different illumination devices within the group depending upon where each illumination device is geographically located, a masking time is reserved after the button is released so that enough time is allocated for each of the illumination devices within that group to arrive at a common end illumination value.

A user interface for a home appliance comprises a circuit board having at least one mechanically actuated switch having a first area. The user interface further comprises an input interface having at least one button defining a second area, greater than the first area, and having an actuator corresponding to the switch. The button is coupled to at least one of the circuit board or the input interface for relative movement between an actuation position, where the actuator actuates the switch, and a non-actuation position, where the actuator does not actuate the switch.

An interactive window treatment can include an interactive cord. The interactive cord can include a plurality of non-conductive lines; a plurality of conductive lines arranged together with one or more of the plurality of non-conductive lines to form a touch-sensitive area and a non-touch-sensitive area along the interactive cord. The interactive object can include at least one processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations. The operations can include detecting a user gesture using one or more of the plurality of conductive lines. The interactive cord can be connected with an upper attachment point at a first end of the interactive cord.

A temperature switch includes a base having a receiving hole, and a conducting mechanism mounted on the base and having first and second conductive modules, a connection module connected electrically and releasably to the first and second conductive modules, and two deformable rods that are disposed in the receiving hole and that push the second conductive module to abut against the connection module. The second conductive module is moved away from the connection module when one of the deformable rods is deformed by temperature to switch the temperature switch from an energized position to a safety cut-off position.

An appliance includes a position switch retention device for use with an appliance includes a body defining a generally cylindrical profile extending through a first portion thereof along an axis and having a first radius. The body further defines a pin-receiving channel open on at least a first end thereof and positioned within the generally cylindrical profile. The device further includes a first tab extending from a side of the body. The tab defines a ramp and an edge with the ramp extending away from the first end of the body to the edge. A cap extends outwardly from a second end of the body opposite the first end. The cap is spaced apart from the edge of the tab at a first distance and has a second radius greater than the first radius.

A clothes treating apparatus includes a filter insertion detecting device that detects whether a filter has been inserted in the clothes treating apparatus. The filter insertion detecting device, which is installed in a clothes drying machine or the like, may be moved in response to insertion of a filter assembly to generate a contact signal that indicates insertion of the filter assembly.