EP1576632B2 - Optical operation indicator for a domestic appliance, in addition to domestic appliance, in particular a built-in domestic appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a domestic appliance, in particular a built-in domestic appliance. The aim of the invention is to improve the visibility of the light signal of at least one optical operation indicator (7, 7', 20). To achieve this, the optical operation indicator (7, 7', 20) is configured in such a way that at least one light signal (8, 8', 26) emitted by the optical operation indicator (7, 7', 20) can be reproduced on a projection surface (9, 9', 28).

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher according to the preamble of claim 1.

There are various household appliances known, such as kitchen appliances, which essentially include stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers. Especially in refrigerators and dishwashers, there are so-called fully integrated household appliances, the entire front surface is provided with a front panel, which can be adapted to surrounding furniture fronts. In a special form of a built-in domestic appliance, a fully integrated household appliance, also called, there is the problem that an optical power indicator is hidden in a closed front door of fully integrated household appliance through the front panel, so that the operating state of fully integrated household appliance is not verifiable.

Out EP 0 691 100 A1 a built-in home appliance with a housing and a front door is known, wherein at a top edge of the front door a light signaling device is provided which indicates a particular operating state of the device and which is hidden when the front door is closed. There are provided between the upper edge of the front door and a plane extending parallel to this edge means, which transmit a light emitted from the light emitting device light toward the front of the front door.

In DE 100 22 206 C2 a built-in dishwasher with a hinged door is described having on its upper face a visual indicator with one or more light sources, which are covered with the door closed by a resting on top of the dishwasher countertop. There, a light guide is connected to a position fixed to the worktop base over the door fume protection element which directs the signal light of the overlaid optical operating indicator to the front of the device.

The disadvantage of in EP 0 691 100 A1 and in DE 10022206 C2 means that the signal light in the light guide is poorly visible to a user standing in front of the built-in domestic appliance or the dishwasher because the light guide is located in a gap between the worktop underside and the door of the appliance door and is covered from above by the worktop. In particular, detection of the signal light when using a device front panel of great strength is made more difficult since in this way the light conductor is additionally covered from below by the front panel of the device.

Furthermore, from the EP 1 207 353 a device comprising a stove and a cooker hood known. An extractor hood is arranged above the stove, wherein the extractor hood has a display device designed for light projection. The display device is in communication with hearth sink electronics and projects graphic symbols onto a projection surface that represent functional processes and states of the cooker.

The invention is based on the object for a dishwasher, in particular a built-in dishwasher, to improve the visibility of the signal light at least one optical operating indicator.

This object is achieved by a dishwasher according to claim 1.

According to the invention, the projection surface is a floor area. In this way, an arrangement of the optical operating display in the dishwasher is particularly simple and inexpensive to carry out and, moreover, the signal light projected onto the floor area is particularly clearly visible to the user.

According to a feature of the invention, the projection surface is outside the dishwasher. Thus, an area can be selected that is particularly visible to the user. In this way, the user can always recognize the operating state of the dishwasher, which increases the user-friendliness.

The optical operating display comprises at least one light source such as a light-emitting diode or a laser diode. Light emitting diodes or laser diodes are particularly suitable as light sources for the optical operating display, since due to their emission characteristics, the signal light on the projection surface for the user is clearly visible.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the optical operating display is designed such that for different operating states signal light of different color can be radiated. This has the advantage that different operating states are particularly easy to recognize by the user for the different colors.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the optical operating display is designed such that for different operating conditions signal light can be emitted from a different number of light sources. Also in this way, the different operating conditions are easy for the user to distinguish.

Further features of the invention and advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

With the invention, in a dishwasher, in particular in a built-in dishwasher, the visibility of the signal light of at least one optical operating display is substantially improved.

Figur 1

eine Geschirrspülmaschine in schematischer perspektivischer Darstellung,

Figur 2

schematische Darstellungen verschiedener Betriebszustände mit projiziertem Signallicht nach Figur 1 und

Figur 3

eine der optischen Betriebsanzeigen nach Figur 1 in schematischer Darstellung.

The invention will be explained below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a dishwasher in a schematic perspective Presentation,

FIG. 2

schematic representations of different operating states with projected signal light after FIG. 1 and

FIG. 3

one of the optical operating displays of Figure 1 in a schematic representation.

An in FIG. 1 perspective obliquely from the front, schematically illustrated domestic appliance 1 has a front door 2 and a base 3. In front of the front door 2 of the household appliance 1, a front panel 4 is mounted. In FIG. 1 Two alternative positions for a visual status indicator and various floor areas on which a signal light can be projected are shown. At a lower edge 4 of the front door 2, there is a first possible position 6 for an optical operating display 7. By means of this operating display 7, a signal light 8 is projected onto a first floor area 9. On the front side 3 'of the base 3 there is an alternative position 6' for the optical operating display 7 '. By the operation display 7 ', a signal light 8' is projected onto a second floor area 9 '.

It is how to FIG. 1 described, particularly advantageous if the signal light 8, 8 'on floor areas 9, 9' is projected, since these floor areas 9, 9 'are visible to a user and thus visibility of the signal light 8, 8' is guaranteed. But there are also other projection surfaces possible, such as one of the front door 2 opposite wall or cabinet surface. Also possible positions for the optical operating display 7, 7 'are not on the in FIG. 1 specified positions 6, 6 'limited.

In FIG. 2 are schematic representations of various operating conditions with projected signal light FIG. 1 shown.

The household appliance 1 is a dishwasher with the four operating states: CLEAN, RINSE, DRY, FINISHED. For the representation of these four operating states can in FIG. 2 be at four juxtaposed positions 14, 15, 16 and 17 signal light points on or off.

The projected signal light 10 represents the operating state CLEANING and consists of a red signal light spot at the position 14. The signal light points of the positions 15, 16 and 17 are switched off. The projected signal light 11 represents the operating state RINSING and consists of a red signal light point at the positions 14 and 15. The signal light points of the positions 16 and 17 are switched off. The projected signal light 12 represents the DRY state and consists of one red signal light spot at positions 14, 15 and 16. The signal light point of position 17 is switched off. The projected signal light 13 represents the operating state DONE and consists of a red signal light point at the positions 14, 15 and 16 and a green signal light point at position 17.

Other combinations of the signal light points are also possible for the representation of the four operating states. For example, the DONE state may also be represented by the red signal light points at positions 14, 15 and 16 being off and only the green signal light at position 17 being turned on. It can e.g. also be selected to represent the different operating conditions, a signal light point with a different color.

It's like in FIG. 2 shown to use combinations of individual points of light particularly advantageous for the representation of different operating conditions, since this is to accomplish particularly cost using LED or laser diodes. However, the representation of different operating states is not limited to the projection of individual points of light. It can, for example, a whole lettering, such as CLEANING be projected

In the FIG. 3 shown in detail optical operational display 20 is one of the optical operating displays after FIG. 1 , It consists of an electronic board 21 with a light source 22. The electronic board 21 is connected by a cable 23 via a serial interface 24 with a control electronics 25 of the household appliance 1. In this way, the light source 22 can be switched on or off via the control electronics 25. A signal light 26 emitted by the light source 22 is projected by an optical system 27 onto the projection surface 28.

With the help of the optics 27, the signal light 26 can be increased, for example. If a light-emitting diode is used as the light source 22, optics 27 can be dispensed with in the simplest case, resulting in a particularly cost-effective variant.

With the invention, the visibility of the signal light of at least one optical operating display 7, 7 ', 20 is substantially improved in a dishwasher, in particular in a built-in dishwasher.

Claims (7)

1. Dishwasher, in particular built-in dishwasher, with an optical operating display, which is embodied such that at least one signal light (8, 8', 26) emitted by the optical operating display (7, 7', 20) can be mapped on a projection surface (9, 9', 28), wherein the projection surface (28) is a floor region (9, 9') outside of the dishwasher,
   characterised in that
   the optical operating display (7, 7') consists of an electronic circuit board (21) with at least one light source (22), and that the electronic circuit board (21) is connected by means of a cable (23) to control electronics (25) of the dishwasher (1) via a serial interface (24).
2. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one operating state (10, 11, 12, 13) can be signalled by the at least one signal light (8, 8').
3. Dishwasher according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the at least one light source (22) is an LED.
4. Dishwasher according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the at least one light source (22) is a laser diode.
5. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the optical operating display (7, 7') is embodied such that signal light (8, 8') of different colours (14,17) can be emitted for different operating states (10, 13).
6. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the optical operating display (7, 7') is embodied such that signal (8, 8') from a different number of light sources (14, 15, 16, 17) can be emitted for different operating states (10, 11, 12, 13).
7. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the optical operating display (7, 7') is embodied such that signal light (8, 8') can be mapped at different positions (14, 15, 16, 17) of the projection surface (9, 9') for different operating states (10, 11, 12, 13).

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