# US 2019/0173468 A1 · Backlighting appliance deadfronted user interfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173468 A1 - Document ID: US20190173468A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/269,177 - Filed: 2019-02-06 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-04 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Gregory Howard Wilford - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173468A1 ## CPC - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches - H03K 2217/960785: with illumination - H03K 2217/96079: using a single or more light guides - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulating panel includes a smooth front surface of the user interface and serves as a dielectric material between a user and the capacitive electrodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the capacitive electrode comprises a conductive polymer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, further comprising: a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the substrate opposite the filtering layer and the insulating panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The appliance of claim 4, further comprising: a cover positioned adjacent to the light guide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulating panel includes a non-conductive material, wherein the non-conductive material is one of a plastic, glass, ceramic, or glass-ceramic material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, further comprising: a controller secured to the printed circuit board. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The appliance of claim 7, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the capacitive electrode and to the light source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The appliance of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board defines a void, the printed circuit board including a circuit board terminal block that extends partially into the void. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, wherein the insulating panel is formed of a glass material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, wherein the icon is associated with the capacitive touch switch in said user control. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, wherein the filtering layer includes a thin film disposed on a first face of a glass sheet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, wherein the polymeric material is a tinted plastic that substantially matches the filtering layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The user control of claim 15, further comprising: a plurality of capacitive electrodes disposed on a surface of the tinted plastic of the polymeric material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The user control of claim 16, wherein the plurality of capacitive electrodes are disposed within the tinted plastic of the polymeric material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The user control of claim 16, further comprising: a controller secured to the printed circuit board, the controller electrically coupled to the plurality of capacitive electrodes and to the light source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The user control of claim 10, further comprising: a light guide positioned to transmit light from the light source to a side of the polymeric material opposite the filtering layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The user control of claim 18, wherein the controller and the light source are coupled to the side of the printed circuit board opposite the insulating panel and the filtering layer.