Backlighting appliance deadfronted user interfaces
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorGregory Howard Wilford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitive touch switch is disclosed which includes a transparent insulating panel, a filtering layer having an opaque color, a transparent icon being defined in the filtering layer, a transparent substrate including a capacitive electrode, the transparent substrate being tinted to substantially match the opaque color of the filtering layer, and a light source configured to transmit light through the transparent substrate, the transparent icon, and the transparent insulating panel when energized. A user interface and a method of manufacturing a capacitive touch switch are also disclosed.
Claims20
An appliance, comprising:
- a body including an interface panel;
- and
- a user interface proximate the interface panel, wherein the user interface comprises:
- an insulating panel;
- a capacitive touch switch including a capacitive electrode;
- a filtering layer positioned proximate the insulating panel, and including an icon proximate the capacitive touch switch;
- a printed circuit board in electrical communication with the capacitive touch switch;
- a substrate positioned adjacent to the filtering layer;
- and
- a light source operable between activated and deactivated conditions, wherein the icon is visible through the filtering layer when the light source is in the activated condition, and further wherein the icon is generally concealed from view by the filtering layer when the light source is in the deactivated condition.
A user control for an appliance, comprising:
- a capacitive touch switch;
- a filtering layer proximate an insulating panel, wherein the filtering layer includes an icon;
- a polymeric material proximate the filtering layer;
- a printed circuit board comprising electronic components configured to communicate with the capacitive touch switch;
- and
- a light source operable between activated and deactivated conditions and configured to transmit light through the polymeric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.