The present invention relates generally to the field of appliances, and particularly to status displays and operating controls used on appliances.
Professional and high end domestic appliances have become increasingly sophisticated in function and appearance in response to evolving consumer tastes and needs.
Appliances, particularly appliances which include digital control systems, may incorporate complicated status displays and operating controls to support sophisticated functionality. However such displays and controls are often perceived as complicated, non-intuitive, and visually unattractive. It can be difficult to design an appliance that provides the controls and status displays needed to support sophisticated functionality along with a clean, uncluttered appearance.
Usability and ergonomics also play an important role in consumer purchasing decisions. For example, an appliance design which places a display of actual oven temperature directly adjacent to the knob which controls the oven temperature setpoint may make an appliance easier to operate and understand.
For these reasons, a method and apparatus including a control knob with a built in status display would appeal to consumers and increase sales of appliances which incorporate the method and apparatus.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus which includes an appliance control knob incorporating a microprocessor and a status display built into the control knob housing. According to another aspect of the invention, the appliance control knob incorporates a bipolar connector which serves both as an axle for rotation of the control knob, and as an electrical connector for transmission of both data and power to the control knob.
Such a control knob allows a user of the appliance both to control the appliance, for example by adjusting the oven temperature setpoint, and to be informed of the status of the appliance, for example the actual oven temperature, in a way that is easy to understand and to use. Such a control knob can display appliance status information that would otherwise require a separate display unit, making the appearance of the appliance cleaner and more appealing.
Such a control knob may be formed as a separate sealed component which plugs into a socket, allowing the control knob to be easily removed and replaced, for example for maintenance, repair, or cleaning of the knob and appliance.
A appliance control knob according to the invention may include a second control surface, to form a composite control knob assembly. For example, such a composite control knob assembly may provide an outside rotating bezel to set the oven cooking mode (e.g. bake, broil, or convection) with an inner control knob according to the invention used to adjust oven temperature setpoint and display actual oven temperature.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
In the drawings:
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In a preferred embodiment, the rotation of the control knob 27 may be limited, for example to plus or minus 15 degrees, so the display on the knob is never hidden by the rotation. The rotation of the control knob 27 may also be spring-loaded so that the control knob 27 returns to its nominal centered position after adjustment.
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The shaft assembly 24 includes a bipolar connector, indicated generally at 60, which is preferably a standard ¼″ phone plug having a sleeve 57, an insulator 58, and a tip 59. The sleeve 57 and the tip 59 of the bipolar connector 60 are each connected electrically to one of the bipolar connector to circuit board plugs 51, which may be plugged into the bipolar connector socket 43 on the digital electronic circuit 23.
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The bipolar connector 60 may be plugged into a socket, indicated generally at 26. The socket 26 may have a shaft assembly receiver 68, to mate with the shaft assembly 24. The shaft assembly 24 may bear key slots 56, for example to ensure that the shaft assembly 24 can only be inserted into the socket 26 in one way. The socket 26 may convert rotation of the shaft assembly 24 into a signal, for example an analog resistance or capacitance value or a digital coded value, which may be transmitted to the control system for the appliance (not shown). Presence of the bipolar connector 60 in the socket 26 may be monitored by the control system for the appliance (not shown), so that the appliance may be automatically shut down if the control knob 27 is removed.
The socket 26 may also have a second control surface receiver 67 which mates with the second control surface actuator 66. The socket 26 may convert rotation of the second control surface into a signal, for example an analog resistance or capacitance value or a digital coded value, which may be transmitted to the control system for the appliance (not shown).
In a preferred embodiment, a bipolar connector 60, for example a standard ¼″ phone plug, carries both power and status information on the bipolar connector tip 59, with the bipolar connector sleeve 57 used as the return or ground. The signal on the bipolar connector tip 59 may carry the status information to be displayed by the knob as serial data, for example RS-232C, and also a carrier voltage, for example +5 volts DC, which may provide power for the electronic circuitry.
In a preferred embodiment, the signal on the bipolar connector tip 59 alternates between two states, a rest state and a data transmission state. During the rest state, a voltage, for example 5 volts DC, is maintained on the bipolar connector tip 59. During the data transmission state, a data transmission cycle is initiated by lowering the signal at the input to ground and then transmitting data, for example using RS-232 serial communications.
In a preferred embodiment, the voltage maintained during the rest state voltage supplies power to the electronic circuit 23. One or more capacitors 42 may be used to store charge and maintain power to the electronic circuit 23 during the data cycle. Preferably, separate capacitors may be used to provide power to the display 41 and the microprocessor 44.
In a preferred embodiment, the microprocessor 44 receives the serial data during the data transmission state, and drives the display 41, which is preferably a light emitting diode (LED) having a three digit, 7 segment display. The serial data may consist of a single numeric value for display, for example actual oven temperature, or it may consist of multiple numeric values, for example oven temperature setpoint plus actual oven temperature. The serial data may include formatting information, such as color or blinking, in addition to the numeric values.
There are various possibilities with regard to alternative embodiments and methods including a control knob according to the invention.
For example, the display 41 may produce more than one color, for example red and black, to match the color of the knob housing or for other aesthetic reasons. The display 41 may also produce more than one color, for example red and green, to indicate different status information, such as error conditions, or preheat cycle, or for other functional reasons.
Although in a preferred embodiment the rotation of the control knob may be limited to plus or minus 15 degrees, the limit of the rotation may be a lesser or greater selected number of degrees, for example plus or minus 45 degrees, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Although in a preferred embodiment, a bipolar connector carries power and status information, other types of connectors could be used having more than two conductors. For example, a tripolar (three conductor) connector such as a stereo phone plug could be used, with one conductor for power, a second conductor for status information, and a third conductor for ground. A tripolar connector could also be used to support multiple displays within a single control knob by using, for example, one conductor for power and status to one display, a second conductor for power and status to a second display, and a third conductor for ground. A tripolar connector could also be used to support bidirectional communication between the control knob and the appliance control system, for example by using one conductor for power and status to one display, a second conductor for status or control information from the knob, and a third conductor for ground.
Although in a preferred embodiment, the control knob is sealed using washers and O-rings, this result can be accomplished with other means for sealing, for example using glue, sealing tape, tight fitting joints, foam, rubber, threads, or other materials or methods known in the art.
The display 41 may provide multiple types of information, for example oven temperature setpoint, actual oven temperature, probe setpoint, probe temperature, and error codes. The multiple types of information could be provided at the same time using non-numeric indicators, for example different colors or blinking, or by alternating between two different types of information, for example, by alternating between oven temperature setpoint and actual oven temperature.
It is understood that the invention is not confined to the embodiments set forth herein as illustrative, but embraces all such forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.
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