Light sensor device and domestic electrical appliance equipped therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11982036-B2
Application number	US-202217737763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2022
Priority date	May 5, 2021
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

A light sensor device is disclosed for installation in a heat-using domestic electrical appliance such as, for example, a washing machine or a dishwasher and permits the implementation of a touch-free operating function, for example an automatic door opening function. The light sensor device includes in some embodiments: a window element which is formed of light-permeable material and is arranged with space on a first window side for hand movements; a first light source arrangement arranged to radiate visible light into the window element; a second light source arrangement which is arranged to radiate infrared light through the window element from a second window side opposite the first window side; and a photodetector arrangement which is sensitive to infrared light of the second light source arrangement and is arranged on the second window side, for detecting infrared light which strikes the photodetector arrangement from the window element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light sensor device for a domestic electrical appliance, comprising:
a window element formed of a light-permeable material;
at least one infrared-light source element arranged to radiate infrared light through the window element from an interior side of the window element towards an exterior side thereof;
at least one infrared-sensitive photodetector element arranged to detect infrared light which strikes the photodetector element from the interior side of the window element; and
at least one visible-light source element arranged to radiate visible light into the window element from the interior side thereof;
wherein the at least one infrared-light source element and the at least one visible light-source element are mounted on opposite faces of a circuit board, wherein the window element is arranged adjacent to an edge of the circuit board to project beyond the circuit board on both faces thereof;
wherein the at least one infrared-light source element and the at least one infrared-sensitive photodetector element are mounted on a first face of a circuit board; and
wherein the at least one visible-light source element is mounted on a second face of the circuit board opposite the first face.

2. The light sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the window element is formed as an elongate, arcuate strip, wherein the at least one infrared-light source element and the at least one infrared-sensitive photodetector element are arranged at an arc-inner side of the window element, and wherein the at least one infrared-light source element is arranged to radiate infrared light through the window element from the arc-inner side of the window element towards an arc-outer side thereof.

3. The light sensor device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one infrared-light source element is mounted on a circuit board which is oriented substantially parallel to an arc plane of the window element.

4. The light sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the window element is formed as an elongate strip, wherein the at least one infrared-light source element includes a plurality of infrared-light source elements arranged distributed along a strip longitudinal direction of the window element, wherein the at least one photodetector element includes a plurality of photodetector elements arranged distributed along the strip longitudinal direction, and wherein the at least one visible-light source element includes a plurality of visible-light source elements arranged distributed along the strip longitudinal direction.

5. The light sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of infrared-sensitive photodetector elements are arranged along the strip longitudinal direction of the window element in interleaved distribution with the plurality of infrared-light source elements.

6. The light sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the window element has an opaque or other scattering form, said window element appearing to a user as a luminous operating panel due to the illumination with the visible light from the at least one visible-light source element.

7. The light sensor device of claim 1 , wherein a main beam axis of each of the at least one infrared-light source element is oriented substantially parallel or at an acute angle of not more than ±30 degrees or not more than ±20 degrees or not more than ±10 degrees to the first face of circuit board.

8. The light sensor device of claim 7 , wherein a main beam axis of each of the at least one visible-light source element is oriented substantially parallel or at an acute angle of not more than ±30 degrees or not more than ±20 degrees or not more than ±10 degrees to the second face of circuit board.

9. The light sensor device of claim 7 , further comprising a diaphragm member disposed between the window element and the edge of the circuit board, the diaphragm member projecting beyond the first face of the circuit board, wherein the diaphragm member defines at least one of:
a diaphragm contour in relation to each of the at least one photodetector element for limiting a spatial detection range of the at least one photodetector element; and
a diaphragm contour in relation to each of the at least one infrared-light source element for limiting a spatial emission range of the at least one infrared-light source element.

10. The light sensor device of claim 9 , wherein the diaphragm member comprises a single diaphragm body formed of infrared-impermeable material and having a diaphragm contour for each of the at least one photodetector element and each of the at least one infrared-light source element.

11. The light sensor device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of an outer surface of the window member forms a light deflection face for deflecting, by total reflection, visible light, which has been radiated from the at least one visible-light source element into the window element, towards a region of the window element through which infrared light is radiated from the at least one infrared-light source element.

Assignees

• Emz Hanauer Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Signorino Manfredi
• Brabec Martin
• Schade Lukas
• Spiessl Georg

Classifications

• D06F34/30 Primary

  characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials · CPC title

• D06F34/20 Primary

  Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors · CPC title

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title

• A47L15/4259

  Arrangements of locking or security/safety devices for doors, e.g. door latches, switch to stop operation when door is open · CPC title

• A47L2401/30

  Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities · CPC title