Patent Application
20160116756
Many devices have human machine interfaces that allow a person to operate the device. Example human machine interface elements include decorative elements such as illuminated icons, indicators, depictions and images.
Increasingly, human machine interfaces include illuminated decorative elements such as illuminated icons, indicators, depictions, images, etc. Some conventional human machine interfaces include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a thru hole (i.e., a via) the size of a decorative element that is to be illuminated. Because of the relatively large size of these thru holes, light exits a thru hole at varying angles, which leads to undesirable light bleed. That is, light is often emitted beyond the boundaries of the decorative element. Such light bleed may result in decorative elements appearing to have a halo, looking diffuse, looking muddled, looking cheap, looking unclear, less crisp, etc., all of which can lead to diminished perceived aesthetics, a perception of low quality, diminished customer satisfaction, etc.
To overcome at least these problems, human machine interfaces having a plurality of substantially parallel light collimators beneath a decorative element that is to be illuminated are disclosed. The example human machine interfaces disclosed herein may be used as part of any apparatus or device having a human machine interface with illuminated decorative elements. Example apparatuses and devices include, but are not limited to, a domestic appliance such as a refrigerator, a stove, a range, an oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, a washing machine, a dryer, a freezer, an ice maker, a wine cooler, a beer cooler, a clothes refresher, etc., and/or in any other apparatus, device, etc. having a human machine interface.
As used herein, terms such as up, down, top, bottom, side, end, front, back, etc. are used with reference to a currently considered or illustrated orientation of an item. Were the item considered with respect to another orientation, it will be understood that such terms need to be correspondingly modified.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of this disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the examples disclosed herein are, for ease of illustration, flat human machine interfaces, it should be understood that human machine interfaces according to this disclosure may be curved. Moreover, for ease of discussion, the examples disclosed herein are described with reference to a rigid PCB. However, it should be understood that the examples disclosed herein may be implemented using other electronic substrates such as, but not limited to, other types rigid substrate, a flexible substrate (e.g., a flexible PCB), and a thin and sometimes transparent electronic film.
The example fascia 110 of
To form light used to illuminate the decorative element 120, the example human machine interface 100 includes a light source 130 mounted to the bottom 135 of the PCB 105. The example light source 130 is a visible light emitting diode (LED), however, other applicable light sources may be used. In the example of
To direct the light emitted by the light source 130 back toward the decorative element 120, the example human machine interface 100 includes a reflector 140. The reflector 140 reflects the light emitted by the light source 130 back toward the bottom 135 of the PCB 105. The example reflector 140 has an ellipsoid shape (e.g., a hemispherical shape) and an interior reflective surface 150. Alternatively, the visible light LED 130 may be replaced with a ultra-violet (UV) or phosphor-less LED, and the reflector 140 replaced by a phosphor diffusion material at least partially encompassing the phosphor-less LED and surrounded by, for example, substantially opaque material. Alternatively, the phosphor-less LED 130 may be at least partially encompassed by a phosphor material by painting, coating and/or otherwise depositing a phosphor material on the interior surface of the reflector 140. In some examples, a light guide directs the light emitted by the light source 130 toward the collimators
To collimate and direct the light reflected by the reflector 140 toward the decorative element 120, the example PCB 105 of
The example collimators 145 of
Returning to
Terms such as, but not limited to, approximately, substantially, generally, etc. are used herein to indicate that a precise value, relationship, position, orientation, etc. is not required, need not be specified, etc. As used herein, such terms will have ready and instant meaning to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” do not exclude the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Further, conjunctions such as “and,” “or,” and “and/or” used in this specification and the appended claims are inclusive unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, “A and/or B” includes A alone, B alone, and A with B; “A or B” includes A with B; and “A and B” includes A alone, and B alone. Further still, connecting lines or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements, It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the embodiments disclosed herein unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”.
Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.
