Light blocking film for use with a camera assembly in an oven appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorEugenio Gomez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An oven appliance includes a cooking chamber positioned within a cabinet and a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet for providing selective access to the cooking chamber, the door comprising a window. A camera assembly is positioned within the door and a light blocking film configured for selectively blocking light from entering the cooking chamber through the window. Images obtained by the camera assembly are displayed on an appliance display or a remote application (e.g., via mobile phone) and the light blocking film is activated prior to obtaining the images to prevent light from passing through the window and creating undesirable reflections.
Claims20
An oven appliance defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, the oven appliance comprising:
- a cooking chamber positioned within a cabinet;
- a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet for providing selective access to the cooking chamber, the door comprising a window;
- a camera assembly configured for obtaining one or more images of the cooking chamber;
- and
- a light blocking film configured for selectively blocking light from entering the cooking chamber through the window.
A method of operating an oven appliance, the oven appliance comprising a cooking chamber, a door providing selective access to the cooking chamber and comprising a window, a camera assembly for monitoring the cooking chamber, and a light blocking film for selectively blocking light from passing through the window into the cooking chamber, the method comprising:
- receiving a command to obtain one or more images of the cooking chamber;
- activating the light blocking film by applying a voltage to transition the light blocking film from transparent to opaque;
- and
- operating the camera assembly to obtain the one or more images after the light blocking film has been activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.