# US 10,375,829 B2 · Human-machine interface assemblies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,829 B2 - Document ID: US10375829B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/938,980 - Filed: 2015-11-12 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-12 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Matthew P. Ebrom; Neomar Giacomini; Mark E. Glotzbach; Brian N. Radford - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375829B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - G06F 1/1637: {Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - H05K 1/144: {Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards} - H05K 3/325: by abutting or pinching; Mechanical auxiliary parts therefor - G06F 2203/04103: Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices - H05K 2201/0367: Metallic bump or raised conductor not used as solder bump - H05K 2201/041: Stacked PCBs, i.e. having neither an empty space nor mounted components in between - H05K 2201/10106: Light emitting diode [LED] - H05K 2201/10598: Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Example human-machine interface (HMI) assemblies are disclosed. An example HMI assembly includes a fascia, a touch film having a first raised contact, a printed circuit board (PCB) having a second raised contact, and a backer having an extending member and attached to the fascia, the member configured to press the first contact against the second contact by applying a force to the PCB at substantially the second raised contact. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A human-machine interface assembly, comprising: a fascia; a touch film having a first raised contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) having a second raised contact; and a backer attached to the fascia, the backer having an extending member configured to bias the second raised contact against the first raised contact by applying a force to the PCB at substantially the second raised contact. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second raised contacts have complimentary shapes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the fascia includes plastic having an in-molded label, an in-molded decorative element, a lens, a label, a polycarbonate layer, and/or a glass layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the extending member is a stiff member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the extending member is at least partially flexible. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 5, wherein the extending member includes an angled finger shape, a z-shape, or an accordion shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 5, wherein the extending member applies a spring force to the PCB. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the extending member includes a compressible portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the backer is selectively flexible between a first curved state and a second flexed state, the backer attached to the fascia by flexing the backer from the first curved state to the second flexed state, the extending member configured to apply the force to the PCB when the backer is attached to the fascia in the second flexed state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 9, wherein the second flexed state is generally parallel to the fascia. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 9, wherein the backer is attached to the fascia by a snap fitting or a screw while the backer is held in the second flexed state against the fascia. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an area of the touch film outside a boundary of the PCB; and a second extending member of the backer compressing the area against the fascia. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an area of the touch film outside a boundary of the PCB; and at least one of an electrical component, a circuit, or a light emitting diode on the area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising an area of the touch film outside a boundary of the PCB that is adhered to the fascia. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising an area of the touch film outside a boundary of the PCB, wherein at least a top portion of the area is exposed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an area of the touch film outside a boundary of the PCB; and a light emitting diode (LED) on the PCB configured to emit light that passes through the area of the touch film outside the boundary of the PCB. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 16, further comprising a cavity defined in the backer configured to direct the light from the LED through the area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an area of the touch film aligned with an opening defined through the PCB; and a light emitting diode on the PCB configured to emit light that passes through the area of the touch film. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 1, wherein the backer is attached to the fascia by a spring force element that draws the backer and the fascia toward each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The human-machine interface assembly of claim 19, wherein the spring force element includes a spring attached at one end to the fascia, and at another end to the backer by a first feature of the spring that engages a second feature defined through the backer.