OPERATING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR AN ELECTRONIC HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

Abstract

An operating device for electronic household appliances has a cover plate with an operating section that is elastically deformable and/or movable with the operating section. A carrier plate is arranged on a side of the cover plate facing away from a user side and at a spacing distance from the cover plate. A sensor on the carrier plate detects a distance variation from the inner side of the cover plate in the region of the operating section of the cover plate. A geometrically stable light guide element is furthermore provided, which extends in a region outside the operating section of the cover plate from the cover plate to the carrier plate. The cover plate has a signal section that is at least partially light-transmissive in the region of the light guide element.

Claims

1. An operating device, comprising: a cover plate having a user side facing toward a user, and an inner side facing away from the user, said cover plate defining an operating section within which said cover plate is at least partially elastically deformable and/or movable; a carrier plate disposed at a spacing distance from said inner side of said cover plate; a sensor disposed on said carrier plate and configured to detect a variation in a distance from said inner side of said cover plate in a region of said operating section of said cover plate; and a geometrically stable light guide element extending between said cover plate and said carrier plate in a region outside said operating section of said cover plate, and said cover plate being formed with a signal section that is at least partially light-transmissive in a region of said light guide element.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein: said sensor is an optical sensor; and said light guide element is configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation used by said sensor.

3. The operating device according to claim 2, which comprises a lens element arranged between said sensor and said cover plate, and said lens element being formed integrally with said light guide element.

4. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a sensor housing formed integrally with the light guide element.

5. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein: said signal section of said cover plate is formed with at least one opening; and said at least one opening of said signal section is closed with a light-transmissive casting compound.

6. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said light guide element comprises first latching devices configured to engage with second latching devices of said carrier plate.

7. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said light guide element is adhesively bonded to said cover plate.

8. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein: said sensor comprises a transmitter for emitting electromagnetic radiation and a receiver for detecting the electromagnetic radiation; and said receiver is configured to enable a position-resolved detection of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by said transmitter and reflected following the emission.

9. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein: said cover plate defines a plurality of mutually separated operating sections next to one another; a plurality of sensors disposed next to one another on said carrier plate; and said geometrically stable light guide elements are disposed in regions between said operating sections.

10. The operating device according to claim 1 configured for an electronic household appliance.

11. An electronic household appliance, comprising at least one operating device according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view of an operating device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIGS. 2A and 2B are a very simplified representations of the functional principle of the operating device according to one preferred alternative embodiment, with FIG. 2A showing the unactuated functional state and FIG. 2B showing the actuated functional state;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an operating device of the operating device to explain the assembly of the operating device;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a perspective sectional view of an operating device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of an operating device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 (i.e., 2A, 2B) thereof, there is shown a first exemplary embodiment of an operating device configured according to the invention.

[0041] The operating device comprises a cover plate 10 in the form of a control panel. The cover plate 10 is, for example, made of metal (for example sheet stainless steel) or an opaque plastic material. The cover plate 10 has a user side 10a facing toward the user (at the top in FIG. 1), which corresponds to the outer side of the control panel, and an inner side 10b facing away from the user (at the bottom in FIG. 1).

[0042] The cover plate 10 comprises an operating section 12a, which defines an operating element for the user, which he can actuate. The operating section 12a is integrated into the cover plate 10, or formed in one piece therewith, or fitted as a separate component therein and optionally connected thereto. As is shown by a comparison between FIGS. 2A and 2B, the operating section 12a is configured to be elastically deformable or movable by a force action F from the user side 10a, for example with a finger of the user. That is to say, after the end of the force action F, the operating section 12a returns into its initial state of FIG. 1 or 2A.

[0043] The operating device furthermore comprises a carrier plate 14 in the form of a printed circuit board. This carrier plate 14 is essentially oriented parallel to the cover plate 10 and arranged at a distance therefrom on the side of the cover plate 10 facing away from the user side 10a. On this carrier plate 14—in this exemplary embodiment on its side facing toward the cover plate 10—a sensor is arranged in a position corresponding to the operating section 12a.

[0044] In this exemplary embodiment, the sensor is configured as an optical sensor which comprises a transmitter 16, for example in the form of a light-emitting diode, and a receiver 18, for example in the form of a CCD chip. The transmitter 16 emits electromagnetic radiation, preferably in the visible or infrared wavelength range, and the receiver 18 detects electromagnetic radiation of the same wavelength range.

[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the radiation E emitted by the transmitter 16 strikes the inner side 10b of the cover plate 10, which is provided with a reflection face 12b in the region of the operating section 12a. The radiation E is thus reflected at the operating section 12, and the reflected radiation R1, R2 then strikes the receiver 18 and is detected thereby. The receiver 18 is configured in such a way that it can detect the electromagnetic radiation in a positionally resolved manner. In the initial state of FIG. 2A, i.e. without an actuation of the operating section 12a by the user, the operating section 12a is in its undeformed initial state and the reflection face 12b reflects the radiation R1 to the receiver 18. In the actuation state of FIG. 2B, i.e. in the event of a force action F by the user on the operating section 12a, the operating section 12a is deformed and the reflection face 12b reflects the radiation R2 to the receiver 18. The comparison between FIGS. 2A and 2B shows that even in the event of a small deformation of the operating section 12a, a very significant variation of the detection position of the reflected radiation R2 already takes place. This relative variation of the detection position is detected by the position-resolving receiver 18. The control device 22, which is connected in a wired or wireless fashion to the transmitter 16 and to the receiver 18 and may for example likewise be arranged on the carrier plate 14, controls the transmitter 16 and evaluates the measurement signals generated by the receiver 18.

[0046] As represented in FIG. 1, the sensor also comprises a sensor housing 20, which is substantially configured in the form of a plate or frame and is mounted on the carrier plate 14. The sensor housing 20 is formed with recesses for receiving the transmitter 16 and the receiver 18, which are separated from one another by a separating wall. The sensor housing 20 is preferably made of a plastic material. Furthermore, the sensor housing 20 is preferably configured to be essentially absorbent or nontransmissive for the electromagnetic radiation used by the sensor, in order to prevent direct optical closure between the transmitter 16 and the receiver 18.

[0047] The substantially circular operating section 12a of the cover plate 10 is surrounded by a substantially annular signal section 24. This signal section 24 comprises numerous openings 30, and is therefore configured to be light-transmissive. With this signal section 24, the operating section 12a can be visually identified for the user. Furthermore, for example, the operating state of the operating device may be displayed to the user with the aid of the signal section 24.

[0048] On the inner side 10b of the cover plate 10, a geometrically stable light guide element 26 is assigned to the signal section 24. The light guide element 26 is therefore likewise arranged outside the operating section 12a and is configured substantially annularly. The light guide element 26 extends from the cover plate 10, or its inner side 10b, to the carrier plate 14. In other words, the light guide element 26 bears on the one hand against the cover plate 10 and on the other hand against the carrier plate 14. Because of the geometrical stability of the light guide element 26, deformation or movement of the cover plate 10 in the region outside the operating section 12a is prevented.

[0049] The light guide element 26 is preferably made of a plastic material and configured in order to guide electromagnetic radiation in the visible wavelength range. The input face of the light guide element 26, facing toward the carrier plate 14, is coupled to one or more light sources 28, which are for example produced using light-emitting diodes on the carrier plate 14. The output face of the light guide element 26, facing toward the cover plate 10, is coupled to the signal section 24, or to its openings 30.

[0050] The openings 30 of the signal section 24 of the cover plate 10 are preferably cast with a transparent adhesive or synthetic resin. This casting compound may also be used as an adhesive bond between the cover plate 10 and the light guide element 26; as an alternative, an additional transparent adhesive layer may be provided in order to apply the required holding force.

[0051] The light guide element 26 is preferably configured in such a way that it preferably fully absorbs the electromagnetic radiation used by the sensor. Furthermore, a different wavelength range is preferably used for the light sources 28 than for the sensor. In this way, it is possible to prevent the light guide element 26 from interfering with the functionality of the sensor; instead, the light guide element 26 may be used as a shield of the sensor.

[0052] During production of the operating device, the light guide element 26 is initially adhesively bonded to the inner side 10b of the cover plate 10, as represented in FIG. 3. On the other hand, the sensors 16-20 and the light sources 28 are mounted on the carrier plate 14. Thus, a technical module and a design module may separately be prepared, and optionally tested, and then assembled.

[0053] The light guide element 26 is for example provided with latching lugs 34 as first latching devices, which may for example engage with holes 36 as second latching devices in the carrier plate 14. Thus, the carrier plate 14 with the electronics mounted thereon may be snap-fastened onto the light guide element 26 on the cover plate 10. Instead of the latching connection, clamp or screw connections may for example also be envisioned.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of an operating device according to the invention. Components which are the same or correspond to one another are provided with the same references as in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the sensor housing 20 of the sensor and the light guide element 26 are configured intricately with one another. Thus, for example, the two components 20, 26 may be manufactured in one piece with one another, or one component may be injection-molded onto the other component. If the two components are intended to be made from different plastic materials, 2C injection molding methods may for example be envisioned for this.

[0056] By the reduction of the number of separate component parts, the assembly process can be simplified in this exemplary embodiment.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a third exemplary embodiment of an operating device according to the invention. Components which are the same or correspond to one another are provided with the same references as in the first exemplary embodiment.

[0058] In this exemplary embodiment, a lens element 32 is additionally provided between the sensor housing 20 and the cover plate 10.

[0059] This lens element 32 may preferably be formed integrally with the light guide element 26 and/or the sensor housing 20. In particular, the components 20, 26, 32 may be manufactured in one piece with one another, for example, or one component may be injection-molded onto the other component(s). If the components are intended to be made from different plastic materials, 2C injection molding methods may for example be envisioned for this.

[0060] By the reduction of the number of separate component parts, the assembly process can be simplified in this exemplary embodiment.

[0061] With the operating device according to the invention, particularly because of the geometrically stable light guide element 26 as a mechanical support, it is possible to arrange a plurality of buttons closely next to one another. Thus, the production of a slider having a plurality of buttons next to one another is also possible as a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0062] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

[0063] cover plate

[0064] 10a user side

[0065] 10b inner side

[0066] 12a operating section

[0067] 12b reflection face

[0068] 14 carrier plate

[0069] 16 transmitter of a sensor

[0070] 18 receiver of a sensor

[0071] 20 sensor housing

[0072] 22 control device

[0073] 24 signal section

[0074] 26 light guide element

[0075] 28 light source

[0076] 30 openings

[0077] 32 lens element

[0078] 34 latching lugs

[0079] 36 latching holes

[0080] E emitted radiation

[0081] F force action

[0082] R1 reflected radiation

[0083] R2 reflected radiation