Actuating element and electronic domestic appliance having at least one actuating element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10157709-B2
Application number	US-201514943072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

An actuating element for an electronic domestic appliance has an electrically non-conductive carrier which defines at least one preferably substantially cylindrical detection portion. A plurality of electrically conductive measuring electrodes is spaced apart from one another along the detection portion of the carrier. A preferably substantially annular operating element is disposed at a first predefined distance from the measuring electrodes and is movable relative thereto. The operating element additionally has at least one sensor portion which is at least partially electrically conductive and is disposed at a second predefined distance from the measuring electrodes. The second predefined distance is different from the first predefined distance, so that a movement of the sensor portion and therefore of the operating element relative to the configuration of measuring electrodes can be detected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An actuating element, comprising:
an electrically non-conductive carrier defining at least one detection portion;
a plurality of electrically conductive measuring electrodes spaced apart from one another along said detection portion of said carrier; and
an operating element disposed at a first predefined distance from said measuring electrodes and being movable relative to said measuring electrodes;
said operating element having at least one sensor portion being at least partially electrically conductive and disposed at a second predefined distance from said measuring electrodes, said second predefined distance being different from said first predefined distance.

2. The actuating element according to claim 1 , wherein the actuating element is an electronic domestic appliance actuating element.

3. The actuating element according to claim 1 , wherein:
said detection portion of said carrier is formed substantially as a lateral surface of a cylinder; and
said operating element is substantially annular and is disposed substantially coaxially with said detection portion of said carrier.

4. The actuating element according to claim 1 , wherein said operating element is formed of an electrically conductive material.

5. The actuating element according to claim 1 , which further comprises at least one of at least one electrically non-conductive insulation element or an air gap provided between said measuring electrodes and said operating element.

6. The actuating element according to claim 1 , wherein said operating element is at least partially resiliently deformable.

7. The actuating element according to claim 6 , wherein said operating element is deformable up to a third predefined distance from said measuring electrodes, and said third predefined distance is different from said first predefined distance and from said second predefined distance.

8. The actuating element according to claim 6 , wherein said operating element is deformable only in regions in which no sensor portion is provided on said operating element.

9. The actuating element according to claim 6 , which further comprises at least one of at least one compressible, electrically non-conductive insulation element or an air gap provided between said measuring electrodes and said operating element.

10. The actuating element according to claim 1 , which further comprises a control device disposed in or on the actuating element, said measuring electrodes being connected to said control device.

11. The actuating element according to claim 1 , which further comprises an actuating element cover facing toward a user, said cover being at least partially permeable to light and having at least one indicating element.

12. An electronic domestic appliance, comprising:
an operator control panel; and
at least one actuating element according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Diehl Ako Stiftung Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Lyszus Joachim
• Fuhge Bruno

Classifications

• H03K2217/96054

  Double function: touch detection combined with detection of a movable element · CPC title

• H03K2217/94089

  Wireless transmission · CPC title

• H03K2217/94073

  with capacitive detection · CPC title

• H03K17/98

  having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard · CPC title

• H03K17/975

  using a capacitive movable element · CPC title