Appliance control panel
AssigneeAmerican Trim, LLC
InventorsRobert M. Byrne, Bret E. Kline, Steven J. Couvillon, Michael Standley, Rick Hemmelgarn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An appliance control panel is described. The control panel includes a front metal panel, a rearwardly positioned polymeric decorated film and an adhesive layer disposed between the panel and the decorated film. The film overlies an electronic control module which typically includes various displays and press-type switches. Various markings and indicia on the decorated film are visible through openings in the panel and the adhesive layer. The appliance control panel includes one or more capacitance touch switches.
Claims20
A panel assembly having a capacitive touch switch, the assembly comprising:
- a panel defining front and rear faces and at least one aperture;
- a decorated transparent polymer film, the film defining front and rear faces and including a switch indicator region on the rear face;
- an optional adhesive layer between the panel and the film, the adhesive layer defining at least one aperture aligned with an aperture defined in the panel;
- and
- an electronic control module disposed rearward of the rear face of the polymer film and including a capacitive sensor in electrical field communication with the switch indicator region of the polymer film, wherein upon contact between a user and the front face of the polymer film, the capacitive sensor undergoes a change in capacitance.
A panel assembly having a capacitive touch switch, the assembly comprising:
- a panel defining front and rear faces and at least one aperture;
- a decorated transparent polymer film, the film defining front and rear faces and including a switch indicator region on the rear face;
- an optional adhesive layer between the panel and the film, the adhesive layer defining at least one aperture aligned with an aperture defined in the panel;
- and
- an electronic control module disposed rearward of the rear face of the polymer film and including a capacitive sensor and a secondary electrode, the secondary electrode being in electrical field communication with the switch indicator region of the polymer film, wherein upon contact between a user and the front face of the polymer film, the secondary electrode undergoes a change in capacitance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.