Operation panel with a display unit for use in washing machines
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsTakashi Nonogaki, Takashi Nishimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An operation panel for use in a washing machine includes a display unit with a circular liquid crystal display having a central display section for displaying the name of a washing course and circumferential display sections for displaying the names of steps of the washing course and an electrically conductive transparent sheet disposed on the display screen of the display unit. The conductive sheet has portions corresponding to the display sections of the display unit respectively. Selecting switching elements responsive to the touch of user's finger are formed on these portions of the conductive sheet.
Claims10
An operation panel for use in a washing machine, comprising:
- a) a display unit having a display screen on which contents of a washing course including wash and rinse steps is displayed;
- b) touch detecting means for detecting an external touch to a part of the display screen of the display unit, which part corresponds to each step of the washing course;
- c) means responsive to detection by the touch detecting means for selecting a desirable step and changing contents of a step on display from contents of a previously selected step to contents of a currently selected step;
- and
- d) means for controlling the display unit so that progress of the step in execution is displayed on the display screen of the display unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.