Touch screen control panel and kitchen appliance comprising such a control panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10976842-B2
Application number	US-201414906569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 19, 2013
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

Touchscreen control panel (3) configured to be implemented with a kitchen appliance (1), preferably with a home kitchen appliance or a commercial kitchen appliance, and operable from a front or top side of the appliance (1), wherein the touchscreen control panel (3) comprises a cover plate (4) with a transparent section (4a), a transparent touchsensitive layer (5) arranged and attached within the transparent section (4a) to the back side of the cover plate (4), a bracket frame (6) implemented at the back side of the cover plate (4) and surrounding at least partially the transparent section (4a), and a display unit (7) comprising an active display (9). The bracket frame (6) is adapted to retain the display unit (7) at the back side of the cover plate (4) preferably in such a way that the display unit (7) is in alignment, especially in proper alignment with the touchsensitive layer (5).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A touchscreen control panel configured to be implemented with a kitchen appliance, and operable from a front or top side of the kitchen appliance, wherein the touchscreen control panel comprises: a cover plate with a transparent section,
a transparent touch-sensitive layer arranged and attached within the transparent section to a back side of the cover plate,
a bracket frame implemented at the back side of the cover plate and surrounding at least partially the transparent section,
a display unit comprising an active display, and
a housing supporting the display unit, said display unit being attached to a back side of the housing such that a display surface of the active display is visible through a cutout window provided in the housing, wherein the housing is removably connected to the bracket frame,
at least one electronics board supported by the housing,
wherein the bracket frame is adapted to retain the display unit at the back side of the cover plate in such a way that the display unit is in alignment with the touch-sensitive layer,
wherein the housing, the electronics board and the touch-sensitive layer are configured such that electronic contacts between the touch-sensitive layer and electronics board are automatically established upon mounting the housing to the bracket frame.

2. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive layer is glued to the back side of the cover plate.

3. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the cover plate comprises a frame member surrounding the transparent section.

4. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 3 , wherein the transparent section is implemented as or as a part of an inlay.

5. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 4 , wherein the inlay covers a cutout provided in the bracket frame or frame member.

6. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the housing and bracket frame comprise corresponding fixing elements configured such that the housing can be removably connected to the bracket frame.

7. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronics board is configured to at least drive the active display of the display unit.

8. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the at least one electronics board is arranged besides or behind the active display.

9. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 7 , wherein the housing, the active display and at least one of the at least one electronics board are configured such that electric contacts between the active display and electronics board are automatically connected during assembly of the housing.

10. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket frame and housing are configured such that the display surface is arranged at a predefined distance from the touch-sensitive layer, wherein a circumferential gap between the display surface and touch-sensitive layer is sealed by a sealing element.

11. A kitchen appliance comprising a touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 .

12. A cooking hob comprising a cooktop with a glass pane and the touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent section is integrally formed with the glass pane of the cooktop, or formed as an insert embedded in the glass pane.

13. An oven with the touchscreen control panel according to claim 1 .

14. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 3 , said frame member holding the transparent section.

15. The touchscreen control panel according to claim 4 , said transparent section being attached to or integrally designed with said bracket frame or frame member.

16. The touchscreen control panel of claim 6 , said fixing elements being snap elements such that said housing is or can be removably snap connected to the bracket frame.

17. The cooking hob of claim 12 , said glass pane being a ceramic glass pane.

18. The touchscreen control panel of claim 1 , where the active display comprises an electronic display screen adapted to display information that is relevant for operating the kitchen appliance.

19. The touchscreen control panel of claim 1 , wherein the cover plate is a glass plate, glass pane, or a plate made of a plastic material, and the bracket frame is made of a plastic material or a metal material.

20. The touchscreen control panel of claim 19 , wherein the cover plate is implemented as an inlay and is received within a cutout provided in the bracket frame.

Assignees

• Electrolux Appliances AB

Inventors

• Winkelmann Klaus
• Ferrozzi Roberto
• Scotto D'Apollonia Adriano

Classifications

• F24C7/086 Primary

  touch control · CPC title

• F24C7/081

  on stoves · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title