US20220236937A1 - Appliance handle with automatic shutoff of input interface elements - Google Patents
Appliance handle with automatic shutoff of input interface elements Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20220236937A1 US20220236937A1 US17/717,737 US202217717737A US2022236937A1 US 20220236937 A1 US20220236937 A1 US 20220236937A1 US 202217717737 A US202217717737 A US 202217717737A US 2022236937 A1 US2022236937 A1 US 2022236937A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- handle
- door
- input interfaces
- grasping surface
- sensors
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24C—DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES ; DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F24C7/00—Stoves or ranges heated by electric energy
- F24C7/08—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
- F24C7/082—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
- F24C7/085—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination on baking ovens
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
- D06F34/20—Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00
- D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
- D06F39/14—Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24C—DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES ; DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F24C15/00—Details
- F24C15/02—Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges
- F24C15/024—Handles
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
- G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
- G06F3/044—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by capacitive means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/14—Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00
- D06F39/12—Casings; Tubs
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24C—DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES ; DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F24C15/00—Details
- F24C15/16—Shelves, racks or trays inside ovens; Supports therefor
- F24C15/162—Co-operating with a door, e.g. operated by the door
Definitions
- Consumer appliances such as ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, and the like typically include doors to enclose internal chambers.
- Such doors typically include some kind of handle or grip to allow the door to be easily operated by the user.
- the handle might include additional functional features, such as lights for illuminating the appliance, displays to show time or operating status, and input mechanisms that can be used to operate or program the appliance.
- the inventors have determined that the state of the art of appliance handle interfaces can be improved.
- a method for operating an appliance having a cabinet, a door connected to the cabinet and movable in an opening direction from a closed position to an open position, and a handle connected to the door.
- the handle has a first side facing against the opening direction and forming a grasping surface, a second side facing along the opening direction, and an interface region having one or more input interfaces on the second side of the handle.
- the appliance has one or more shutoff sensors configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when an object is detected adjacent the grasping surface.
- At least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more capacitive proximity sensors.
- At least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more capacitive touch sensors.
- At least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more optical sensors.
- At least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more mechanical switches.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable all of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected adjacent the grasping surface.
- the one of the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected in contact with the grasping surface.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected in proximity to the grasping surface.
- the handle comprises a housing attached to the door, a cover attached to the housing and comprising at least a portion of the interface region, and a printed circuit board contained by the housing and the cover.
- the printed circuit board may have a first side facing the cover and a second side facing opposite the cover, and at least one of the one or more input interfaces may be mounted on the first side of the printed circuit board, and at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors may be mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board.
- the one or more shutoff sensors may be completely enclosed within the housing and cover.
- the handle may also include a display trim located between the first side of the printed circuit board and the cover, the display trim comprising a plurality of openings, each opening configured to surround one of more input interfaces or output interfaces.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are mounted on the handle.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are mounted on the door.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable the at least one of the one or more input interfaces when an object is detected adjacent a predetermined region of the grasping surface.
- the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable the at least one of the one or more input interfaces when an object is detected adjacent any portion of the grasping surface.
- the door is movably mounted to the cabinet by a pivot, and the opening direction comprises an arcuate path centered on a rotation axis of the pivot.
- the door is movably mounted to the cabinet by one or more sliders, and the opening direction comprises a linear path parallel to a travel path of the one or more sliders.
- the handle is elongated in a longitudinal direction, and is connected to the door at longitudinal ends of the handle.
- the handle is formed by a pocket or groove in the door.
- the handle is formed by a portion of the door that extends beyond a perimeter of the cabinet.
- FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an appliance having a shutoff sensor.
- FIG. 2 is a partially cut away side view of the appliance of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative appliance having a different handle configuration.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an alternative appliance having a different handle configuration.
- FIG. 5 is an exploded front isometric view of the handle of the appliance of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 6 is an exploded rear isometric view of the handle of the appliance of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 7 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having an alternative shutoff sensor.
- FIG. 8 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having another alternative shutoff sensor.
- FIG. 9 is a rear side view of another embodiment of an appliance handle having another alternative shutoff sensor.
- FIG. 10 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having another alternative shutoff sensor.
- the inventors have determined that a more favorable solution to addressing accidental inputs during operation of a control handle is to disable one or more of the input interfaces when an operator is using the handle to open the door, and more particularly when a user has positioned their hand in preparation for opening the door by reaching behind and grasping the handle. Examples of such solutions are described in detail below.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of an appliance 100 in the form of an oven (e.g., steam, convection, microwave, etc.).
- the appliance 100 is a movable tabletop unit, but it could be configured as a built-in unit.
- the appliance has a cabinet 102 with a door 104 attached to the cabinet 102 by hinges, sliders, or the like.
- the door 104 is movable between a closed position (shown), in which it covers an internal chamber 106 (in this case, a cooking chamber), and an open position in which the door 104 opens the chamber 106 for user access.
- the door 104 may be opaque, or it may include one or more transparent panes 108 to allow viewing inside the chamber 106 .
- the door 104 includes a handle 110 that is positioned to enable the operator to move the door 104 from the closed position to the open position.
- the door 104 is mounted on a horizontal pivot 112 that extends along the bottom of the door 104 , such that pulling on the handle 110 causes the door 104 to move in an opening direction D defined by an arc having its center at the pivot 112 .
- the opening direction D will generally be an arcuate path centered on the axis (usually vertical or horizontal) of the pivot, while doors having sliding mounts will have an opening direction D along a linear path.
- the handle 110 has a grasping surface 114 that faces against the opening direction D. Some or all of the grasping surface 114 may face directly against the opening direction D, such as by having a planar surface or region that is perpendicular to the opening direction D, but this is not strictly required.
- the illustrated exemplary handle 110 is attached to the front face 116 of the door 104 , such that the grasping surface 114 is spaced from the front face 116 with a gap 118 formed between the front face 116 and the grasping surface 114 .
- the gap 118 is dimensioned to allow an operator to fit their fingers behind the handle 110 to contact the grasping surface 110 .
- the handle 110 is connected to the door 104 only at the lateral ends of the handle 110 , such that the grasping surface 114 is not connected to the front face 116 along the span of the handle 110 .
- the gap 118 extends along the entire back side of the handle 110 to allow an operator to reach behind the handle 110 from above or below the handle 110 .
- FIG. 3 schematically shows a top view of an appliance 100 having a door 104 with a handle 110 formed by a groove or pocket 300 in the side of the door 104 .
- the pocket 300 has a grasping surface 114 facing the opening direction D.
- the opening direction is an arcuate path about a vertical pivot 112 , such that the door 104 opens to the side, rather downward as in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- FIG. 4 shows a cut away schematic side view of an appliance 100 having a door 104 mounted to a lower portion of the chamber 106 .
- the lower portion of the chamber 106 and the door are mounted to the cabinet 102 by sliders 400 . This provides a linear opening direction D.
- a handle 110 is provided as a vertical extension from the door 110 , with the grasping surface 114 on the back side of the extension and facing the opening direction D. In any event, the handle 110 has a first side facing against the opening direction to provide a grasping surface 114 .
- Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure.
- the handle 110 includes an interface region 120 having one or more input interfaces.
- the interface region 120 is located on a second side of the handle that faces along the opening direction D. Thus, the interface region 120 is generally opposite the grasping surface 114 .
- An input interface can include any type of mechanism by which the operator can input commands to the appliance 100 . Such devices include switches, buttons, dials, sliders, capacitive touch switches or panels, resistive touch switches or panels, optical switches, and the like.
- the interface region 120 also may include output interfaces, such as LED lights, liquid crystal displays, and other indicators to express the operating settings and conditions of the appliance 100 .
- the interface region 120 also may include other features, such as lights that are configured to illuminate the surroundings or provide decorative accents.
- the interface region 120 is located where it can be accessed by the operator in order to use the appliance 100 .
- the interface region 120 may be located to face along the opening direction D, so that it is directed directly away from the cabinet 102 (such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ), or at some angle away from the cabinet 102 .
- At least some of the input interfaces may be located on the interface region 120 at locations where the operator's hand can potentially reach when the operator is grasping the handle 110 to open or close the door 104 .
- one or more input interfaces may be located on a front side of the handle 110 opposite to the grasping surface 114 . However, this leads to the potential problem of accidentally activating one or more input interfaces when the operator grasps the handle 110 .
- shutoff sensors 122 are positioned in a region that the operator's hand will occupy during opening or closing of the door 104 , and configured to disable one or more of the input interfaces when a hand is detected.
- FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate details of an exemplary handle 110 , including exemplary input and output interfaces and shutoff sensors 122 that may be integrated into the handle 110 .
- the handle 110 comprises a housing 500 , a printed circuit board (PCB) 502 , a display trim 504 and a display cover 506 .
- the housing 500 is has a mounting post 508 at each end for connecting the handle 110 to the door 104 . When so connected, the back side of the handle 110 faces towards the door 104 and provides a grasping surface 114 for pulling the door 104 open, while the interface region 120 faces towards the operator.
- PCB printed circuit board
- the PCB 502 is mounted to the housing 500 and covered by the display trim 506 and the display cover 506 .
- the display trim 506 may comprise one or more parts that are configured to help isolate the different input and output interfaces from each other, such as by providing an opaque bezel surrounding each illuminated display to prevent light from one display being visible at the other display.
- the display cover 506 seals the assembly to prevent direct contact with the PCB 502 , and may comprise one or more transparent or semi-transparent regions to allow viewing of the input and output interfaces.
- the display cover 506 and/or display trim 504 may be marked with symbols or words to identify the different input and output interfaces.
- the display cover 506 also may include features to facilitate operation of the input interfaces, such as openings to allow access to toggle switches or dial controls.
- the display cover 506 also may be configured to permit the use of proximity or touch controls, such as by being formed of a thin plastic, glass or metal material.
- the interface region 120 comprises a number of input interfaces 510 located along the length of the handle 110 .
- a variety of output interfaces 512 also may be provided along the length of the interface region 120 .
- one or more of the input interfaces 510 might include an underlying LED light to indicate when the operation associated with the input interface 510 is active.
- the input interfaces 510 and output interfaces 512 are configured to operate and monitor the appliance 100 , such as by being wired to a computer processor unit (CPU) that is programmed to receive controls and issue commands to the operating parts of the appliance 100 (e.g., heaters, fans, pumps, etc.) to effectuate operation thereof.
- CPU computer processor unit
- the details of such electrical connections and controls are not relevant to the present disclosure, and will be readily understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, such details are not described herein.
- the appliance 100 also includes one or more shutoff sensors 122 that are configured to disable one or more of the input interfaces 510 when a user's hand is detect in proximity with or in contact with the grasping surface 114 .
- the capacitive proximity sensors operate by detecting a change in capacitance between two locations, and more specifically by responding to the change in the dielectric constant within the electromagnetic field between the two locations that is caused by displacing air with the operator's hand.
- Such devices are known in the art, and available from various sources, such as Allied Electronics & Automation of Fort Worth, Tex.
- the shutoff sensors 122 are wired to the electrical control system (e.g., PCB 502 and CPU) to disable operation of one or more of the input interfaces when an operator's hand is detected adjacent to the grasping surface 114 .
- the CPU can be programmed to (a) monitor the shutoff sensors 122 to detect the capacitance value at each shutoff sensor 122 , (b) detect a change in capacitance at one or more shutoff sensors 122 , (c) determine whether the detected change in capacitance is above a predetermined threshold value, and (d) issue a logical command to disable all input interfaces 510 until the detected change in capacitance drops below the threshold value.
- the system may be programmed such that activation (i.e., detecting a hand or other object) of a single shutoff sensor 122 disables all of the input interfaces 510 , or only a subset of the input interfaces 510 .
- the control system also may be configured to identify the particular shutoff sensor 122 or shutoff sensors 122 that are experiencing the threshold change in capacitance, and only disable input interfaces 510 associated with those shutoff sensors 122 . Thus, for example, if an operator grasps one end of the handle 110 , only the input interfaces 510 at the grasped end of the handle 110 are disabled.
- the shutoff sensors 122 comprise three capacitive proximity sensors, which are distributed along the length of the handle at a spacing selected to detect the proximity of an operator's hand at any location that is adjacent to the grasping surface 114 and behind one or more of the input interfaces 510 .
- Other embodiments may use different numbers and locations of shutoff sensors 122 . For example, if the input interfaces 510 are all located at one end of the handle 110 , then the shutoff sensors 122 may be located only at that end of the handle 110 to avoid having shutoff sensor 122 that are not necessary to avoid accidental activation of the input interfaces 510 .
- shutoff sensors 122 may be configured to only disable one or more of the input interfaces 510 when the operator's hand is detected at predetermined locations along the handle 110 , such as at locations where incidental contact with the input interfaces 510 is more likely to occur (e.g., directly behind the input interfaces 510 ).
- the shutoff sensors 122 may be configured to only disable one or more of the input interfaces 510 when the operator's hand is detected at predetermined locations along the handle 110 , such as at locations where incidental contact with the input interfaces 510 is more likely to occur (e.g., directly behind the input interfaces 510 ).
- shutoff sensor 122 may be programmed to operate according to different control logic.
- a typical capacitive proximity sensor can be operated as a capacitive touch sensor, by monitoring the sensor to detect an additional change in capacitance caused by physical contact with the sensor or its surroundings (i.e., more than mere proximity).
- the shutoff sensors 122 may be configured as contact sensors or as a hybrid of proximity sensors and contact sensors (e.g., disable some inputs upon detecting proximity, and disable other inputs upon detecting contact).
- the shutoff sensors 122 are configured to detect when an operator's hand (or potentially other objects) is adjacent to (near or touching) the grasping surface 114 .
- the control logic of the system also may vary depending on the type of sensor and individual preferences.
- a capacitive proximity or touch sensor package may be configured with internal control logic that is calibrated to output a simple logical signal (i.e., “on” or “off”) upon internally detecting a threshold change in capacitance.
- the capacitive proximity or touch sensor may be integrated into the appliance's control system as a simple on/off logical switch, without having to perform capacitive value detection remotely from the switch.
- steps (a) through (c) of the exemplary control logic described above could be replaced by a single step of monitoring for a change in status of the shutoff sensor 122 between “off” (nothing detected) and “on” (an object detected in the region of interest).
- steps (a) through (c) of the exemplary control logic described above could be replaced by a single step of monitoring for a change in status of the shutoff sensor 122 between “off” (nothing detected) and “on” (an object detected in the region of interest).
- the shutoff sensors 122 are conveniently packaged into the handle 110 by attaching them to the reverse side of the PCB 502 .
- the shutoff sensors 122 can be contained within the handle housing 500 without any external exposure, and thereby be protected from the environment.
- the shutoff sensors 122 may include electrical contacts that are located on the grasping surface 114 to be directly contacted by the operator's hand.
- the handle 110 can be packaged with the PCB 502 being enclosed between the housing 500 and the cover 506 , with the input interfaces 510 and output interfaces 512 being mounted to face away from the outward-facing side of the PCB 502 , and the shutoff sensors 122 being mounted to face away from the inward-facing side of the PCB 502 .
- This provides a convenient and cost-effective arrangement of the parts.
- the shutoff sensors 122 also may be supplemented by conventional door switches 124 , such as shown in FIG. 2 , that detect whether the door 104 is closed.
- the control system may have another logical control circuit that disables one or more of the input interfaces 510 when the door switch 124 indicates that the door 104 is open. This would help prevent accidental activation of input interfaces 510 when the handle 110 is pushed to close the door 104 .
- the door switch 124 may comprise a microswitch, capacitive contact sensor, or any other suitable proximity or contact sensor.
- FIGS. 7 through 10 illustrate exemplary alternative configurations of shutoff sensors 122 .
- the shutoff sensor 122 comprises a capacitive proximity sensor that is located in the front face of the door 104 , to face towards the grasping surface 114 of the handle 110 .
- one or more input interfaces 510 may be provided on the handle 110 generally opposite to the grasping surface 114 .
- the shutoff sensor 122 comprises an optical switch having a light transmitter/receiver 800 and a retroreflector 802 .
- the transmitter/receiver 800 generates a light beam that strikes the retroreflector 802 and returns to the transmitter/receiver 800 .
- the operator's hand interrupts the light beam when it is placed behind the handle 110 , and the shutoff sensor 122 is configured to disable one or more input interfaces 510 upon detecting the absence of the reflected light beam.
- FIG. 9 is similar to that of FIG. 8 , but in this case, the shutoff sensor 122 is configured as an optical transmitter 900 located at one lateral end of the handle 110 , and an optical receiver 902 located at the other lateral end of the handle 110 .
- the transmitter 900 and receiver 902 may be mounted, for example, inside the mounting posts 508 of the handle 110 .
- the shutoff sensor 122 is configured to disable one or more input interfaces 510 (not visible in FIG. 9 ) when the light beam is interrupted by an operator's hand. It will be readily appreciated that the embodiment of FIG.
- FIG. 9 may be modified by using a single optical transmitter/receiver at one end of the handle 110 , and a reflector at the other end of the handle 110 , and similarly the embodiment of FIG. 8 may be modified by using separate emitters and receivers instead of a single transmitter/receiver and a reflector.
- FIG. 10 is an example of a shutoff sensor 122 in the form of a mechanical contact sensor.
- the grasping surface 114 is mounted to the handle 110 on a movable base, such as a pivot 1000 or a sliding mount, and the shutoff sensor 122 comprises a microswitch 1002 or other position-sensitive switch that is configured to detect when the grasping surface 114 is moved to pull the door 104 open.
- the capacitive proximity sensors of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be replaced by pressure sensors, resistive touch sensors, or the like.
- the handle 110 has one or more associated shutoff sensors 122 that are configured to temporarily disable one or more input interfaces 510 (and optionally output interfaces 512 ) located on the handle 110 , when the operator places his or her hand into contact or proximity with the handle's grasping surface 114 .
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Abstract
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/837,363, filed on Apr. 1, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- Consumer appliances such as ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, and the like typically include doors to enclose internal chambers. Such doors typically include some kind of handle or grip to allow the door to be easily operated by the user. In some cases, the handle might include additional functional features, such as lights for illuminating the appliance, displays to show time or operating status, and input mechanisms that can be used to operate or program the appliance.
- An example of an appliance having a door handle with input and output interfaces is described in U.S. Publication No. 2018/0216830, which is incorporated herein by reference. This publication describes a cooking oven having an LED (light emitting diode) display or indicator on the front side of the door handle. This publication also suggests that the handle can include a touch sensor or a touch dimmer.
- Another example of an appliance having a door handle with input and output interfaces is described in U.S. Publication No. 2018/0325312, which is incorporated herein by reference. This publication describes a double-sided grill having a handle to open and close the grill elements, and an input/output interface on the handle.
- Other appliances having input and/or output interfaces in the handle are shown in Chinese Application Nos. CN102327069A and CN202419736U, and WO97/26486, which are all incorporated herein by reference.
- The inventors have determined that the state of the art of appliance handle interfaces can be improved.
- In a first exemplary aspect, there is provided a method for operating an appliance having a cabinet, a door connected to the cabinet and movable in an opening direction from a closed position to an open position, and a handle connected to the door. The handle has a first side facing against the opening direction and forming a grasping surface, a second side facing along the opening direction, and an interface region having one or more input interfaces on the second side of the handle. The appliance has one or more shutoff sensors configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when an object is detected adjacent the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more capacitive proximity sensors.
- In some exemplary embodiments, at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more capacitive touch sensors.
- In some exemplary embodiments, at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more optical sensors.
- In some exemplary embodiments, at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors comprises one or more mechanical switches.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable all of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected adjacent the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one of the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected in contact with the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable at least one of the one or more input interfaces on the interface region when the object is detected in proximity to the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the handle comprises a housing attached to the door, a cover attached to the housing and comprising at least a portion of the interface region, and a printed circuit board contained by the housing and the cover. The printed circuit board may have a first side facing the cover and a second side facing opposite the cover, and at least one of the one or more input interfaces may be mounted on the first side of the printed circuit board, and at least one of the one or more shutoff sensors may be mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board. The one or more shutoff sensors may be completely enclosed within the housing and cover. The handle may also include a display trim located between the first side of the printed circuit board and the cover, the display trim comprising a plurality of openings, each opening configured to surround one of more input interfaces or output interfaces.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are mounted on the handle.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are mounted on the door.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable the at least one of the one or more input interfaces when an object is detected adjacent a predetermined region of the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the one or more shutoff sensors are configured to disable the at least one of the one or more input interfaces when an object is detected adjacent any portion of the grasping surface.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the door is movably mounted to the cabinet by a pivot, and the opening direction comprises an arcuate path centered on a rotation axis of the pivot.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the door is movably mounted to the cabinet by one or more sliders, and the opening direction comprises a linear path parallel to a travel path of the one or more sliders.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the handle is elongated in a longitudinal direction, and is connected to the door at longitudinal ends of the handle.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the handle is formed by a pocket or groove in the door.
- In some exemplary embodiments, the handle is formed by a portion of the door that extends beyond a perimeter of the cabinet.
- Examples of various inventions described herein are illustrated in the following drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to like parts.
-
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an appliance having a shutoff sensor. -
FIG. 2 is a partially cut away side view of the appliance ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative appliance having a different handle configuration. -
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an alternative appliance having a different handle configuration. -
FIG. 5 is an exploded front isometric view of the handle of the appliance ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 6 is an exploded rear isometric view of the handle of the appliance ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 7 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having an alternative shutoff sensor. -
FIG. 8 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having another alternative shutoff sensor. -
FIG. 9 is a rear side view of another embodiment of an appliance handle having another alternative shutoff sensor. -
FIG. 10 is a partial side view of another embodiment of an appliance door and handle having another alternative shutoff sensor. - The inventors have determined that existing appliance handle interfaces can have limitations. For example, when input interfaces are provided across a large area of the handle, it may be difficult to grasp the handle to open the door without accidentally activating one or more inputs. This can lead to improper appliance operation, and user frustration. These problems are exasperated by the use of modern touch inputs, which require only a slight contact to activate an input. Such problems can be mitigated by isolating the input features into a distinct region (e.g., a discrete part of the handle having input buttons), while leaving other portions of the handle available to grasp without concern for accidentally touching the inputs, but this limits the available space for providing inputs. Such problems can also be mitigated by generating an audible signal to indicate when a setting has been changed, but the operator might not notice or pay attention to the audible signal, and might still have difficultly determining which setting was changed. Thus, such solutions have their own associated shortcomings.
- The inventors have determined that a more favorable solution to addressing accidental inputs during operation of a control handle is to disable one or more of the input interfaces when an operator is using the handle to open the door, and more particularly when a user has positioned their hand in preparation for opening the door by reaching behind and grasping the handle. Examples of such solutions are described in detail below.
-
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of anappliance 100 in the form of an oven (e.g., steam, convection, microwave, etc.). In this case, theappliance 100 is a movable tabletop unit, but it could be configured as a built-in unit. The appliance has acabinet 102 with adoor 104 attached to thecabinet 102 by hinges, sliders, or the like. Thedoor 104 is movable between a closed position (shown), in which it covers an internal chamber 106 (in this case, a cooking chamber), and an open position in which thedoor 104 opens thechamber 106 for user access. Thedoor 104 may be opaque, or it may include one or moretransparent panes 108 to allow viewing inside thechamber 106. - The
door 104 includes ahandle 110 that is positioned to enable the operator to move thedoor 104 from the closed position to the open position. In this case, thedoor 104 is mounted on ahorizontal pivot 112 that extends along the bottom of thedoor 104, such that pulling on thehandle 110 causes thedoor 104 to move in an opening direction D defined by an arc having its center at thepivot 112. For doors having pivot mounts, the opening direction D will generally be an arcuate path centered on the axis (usually vertical or horizontal) of the pivot, while doors having sliding mounts will have an opening direction D along a linear path. To facilitate movement in the opening direction D, thehandle 110 has agrasping surface 114 that faces against the opening direction D. Some or all of thegrasping surface 114 may face directly against the opening direction D, such as by having a planar surface or region that is perpendicular to the opening direction D, but this is not strictly required. - The illustrated
exemplary handle 110 is attached to thefront face 116 of thedoor 104, such that thegrasping surface 114 is spaced from thefront face 116 with agap 118 formed between thefront face 116 and thegrasping surface 114. Thegap 118 is dimensioned to allow an operator to fit their fingers behind thehandle 110 to contact thegrasping surface 110. In the example ofFIGS. 1 and 2 , thehandle 110 is connected to thedoor 104 only at the lateral ends of thehandle 110, such that thegrasping surface 114 is not connected to thefront face 116 along the span of thehandle 110. Thus, thegap 118 extends along the entire back side of thehandle 110 to allow an operator to reach behind thehandle 110 from above or below thehandle 110. - Other embodiments may use different handle configurations. For example,
FIG. 3 schematically shows a top view of anappliance 100 having adoor 104 with ahandle 110 formed by a groove or pocket 300 in the side of thedoor 104. The pocket 300 has agrasping surface 114 facing the opening direction D. In this case, the opening direction is an arcuate path about avertical pivot 112, such that thedoor 104 opens to the side, rather downward as inFIGS. 1 and 2 .FIG. 4 shows a cut away schematic side view of anappliance 100 having adoor 104 mounted to a lower portion of thechamber 106. The lower portion of thechamber 106 and the door are mounted to thecabinet 102 bysliders 400. This provides a linear opening direction D. A handle 110 is provided as a vertical extension from thedoor 110, with thegrasping surface 114 on the back side of the extension and facing the opening direction D. In any event, thehandle 110 has a first side facing against the opening direction to provide agrasping surface 114. Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. - Referring back to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , thehandle 110 includes aninterface region 120 having one or more input interfaces. Theinterface region 120 is located on a second side of the handle that faces along the opening direction D. Thus, theinterface region 120 is generally opposite thegrasping surface 114. An input interface can include any type of mechanism by which the operator can input commands to theappliance 100. Such devices include switches, buttons, dials, sliders, capacitive touch switches or panels, resistive touch switches or panels, optical switches, and the like. Theinterface region 120 also may include output interfaces, such as LED lights, liquid crystal displays, and other indicators to express the operating settings and conditions of theappliance 100. Theinterface region 120 also may include other features, such as lights that are configured to illuminate the surroundings or provide decorative accents. - The
interface region 120 is located where it can be accessed by the operator in order to use theappliance 100. To this end, theinterface region 120 may be located to face along the opening direction D, so that it is directed directly away from the cabinet 102 (such as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 ), or at some angle away from thecabinet 102. At least some of the input interfaces may be located on theinterface region 120 at locations where the operator's hand can potentially reach when the operator is grasping thehandle 110 to open or close thedoor 104. For example one or more input interfaces may be located on a front side of thehandle 110 opposite to thegrasping surface 114. However, this leads to the potential problem of accidentally activating one or more input interfaces when the operator grasps thehandle 110. To help reduce the likelihood of such accidental contact, one ormore shutoff sensors 122 are positioned in a region that the operator's hand will occupy during opening or closing of thedoor 104, and configured to disable one or more of the input interfaces when a hand is detected. -
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate details of anexemplary handle 110, including exemplary input and output interfaces andshutoff sensors 122 that may be integrated into thehandle 110. In this case, thehandle 110 comprises ahousing 500, a printed circuit board (PCB) 502, adisplay trim 504 and adisplay cover 506. Thehousing 500 is has a mountingpost 508 at each end for connecting thehandle 110 to thedoor 104. When so connected, the back side of thehandle 110 faces towards thedoor 104 and provides agrasping surface 114 for pulling thedoor 104 open, while theinterface region 120 faces towards the operator. - The
PCB 502 is mounted to thehousing 500 and covered by thedisplay trim 506 and thedisplay cover 506. Thedisplay trim 506 may comprise one or more parts that are configured to help isolate the different input and output interfaces from each other, such as by providing an opaque bezel surrounding each illuminated display to prevent light from one display being visible at the other display. The display cover 506 seals the assembly to prevent direct contact with thePCB 502, and may comprise one or more transparent or semi-transparent regions to allow viewing of the input and output interfaces. Thedisplay cover 506 and/ordisplay trim 504 may be marked with symbols or words to identify the different input and output interfaces. Thedisplay cover 506 also may include features to facilitate operation of the input interfaces, such as openings to allow access to toggle switches or dial controls. Thedisplay cover 506 also may be configured to permit the use of proximity or touch controls, such as by being formed of a thin plastic, glass or metal material. - In the shown example, the
interface region 120 comprises a number ofinput interfaces 510 located along the length of thehandle 110. Similarly, a variety ofoutput interfaces 512 also may be provided along the length of theinterface region 120. For example, one or more of the input interfaces 510 might include an underlying LED light to indicate when the operation associated with theinput interface 510 is active. The input interfaces 510 andoutput interfaces 512 are configured to operate and monitor theappliance 100, such as by being wired to a computer processor unit (CPU) that is programmed to receive controls and issue commands to the operating parts of the appliance 100 (e.g., heaters, fans, pumps, etc.) to effectuate operation thereof. The details of such electrical connections and controls are not relevant to the present disclosure, and will be readily understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, such details are not described herein. - As noted above, the
appliance 100 also includes one ormore shutoff sensors 122 that are configured to disable one or more of the input interfaces 510 when a user's hand is detect in proximity with or in contact with thegrasping surface 114. The capacitive proximity sensors operate by detecting a change in capacitance between two locations, and more specifically by responding to the change in the dielectric constant within the electromagnetic field between the two locations that is caused by displacing air with the operator's hand. Such devices are known in the art, and available from various sources, such as Allied Electronics & Automation of Fort Worth, Tex. - The
shutoff sensors 122 are wired to the electrical control system (e.g.,PCB 502 and CPU) to disable operation of one or more of the input interfaces when an operator's hand is detected adjacent to thegrasping surface 114. For example, the CPU can be programmed to (a) monitor theshutoff sensors 122 to detect the capacitance value at eachshutoff sensor 122, (b) detect a change in capacitance at one ormore shutoff sensors 122, (c) determine whether the detected change in capacitance is above a predetermined threshold value, and (d) issue a logical command to disable allinput interfaces 510 until the detected change in capacitance drops below the threshold value. The system may be programmed such that activation (i.e., detecting a hand or other object) of asingle shutoff sensor 122 disables all of the input interfaces 510, or only a subset of the input interfaces 510. The control system also may be configured to identify theparticular shutoff sensor 122 orshutoff sensors 122 that are experiencing the threshold change in capacitance, and only disableinput interfaces 510 associated with thoseshutoff sensors 122. Thus, for example, if an operator grasps one end of thehandle 110, only the input interfaces 510 at the grasped end of thehandle 110 are disabled. - In the example of
FIGS. 5 and 6 , theshutoff sensors 122 comprise three capacitive proximity sensors, which are distributed along the length of the handle at a spacing selected to detect the proximity of an operator's hand at any location that is adjacent to thegrasping surface 114 and behind one or more of the input interfaces 510. Other embodiments may use different numbers and locations ofshutoff sensors 122. For example, if the input interfaces 510 are all located at one end of thehandle 110, then theshutoff sensors 122 may be located only at that end of thehandle 110 to avoid havingshutoff sensor 122 that are not necessary to avoid accidental activation of the input interfaces 510. In other cases, theshutoff sensors 122 may be configured to only disable one or more of the input interfaces 510 when the operator's hand is detected at predetermined locations along thehandle 110, such as at locations where incidental contact with the input interfaces 510 is more likely to occur (e.g., directly behind the input interfaces 510). Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. - Other embodiments may use different types of
shutoff sensor 122, or may be programmed to operate according to different control logic. For example, a typical capacitive proximity sensor can be operated as a capacitive touch sensor, by monitoring the sensor to detect an additional change in capacitance caused by physical contact with the sensor or its surroundings (i.e., more than mere proximity). Thus, theshutoff sensors 122 may be configured as contact sensors or as a hybrid of proximity sensors and contact sensors (e.g., disable some inputs upon detecting proximity, and disable other inputs upon detecting contact). In any case, theshutoff sensors 122 are configured to detect when an operator's hand (or potentially other objects) is adjacent to (near or touching) the graspingsurface 114. - The control logic of the system also may vary depending on the type of sensor and individual preferences. For example, a capacitive proximity or touch sensor package may be configured with internal control logic that is calibrated to output a simple logical signal (i.e., “on” or “off”) upon internally detecting a threshold change in capacitance. Thus, the capacitive proximity or touch sensor may be integrated into the appliance's control system as a simple on/off logical switch, without having to perform capacitive value detection remotely from the switch. In such a case, steps (a) through (c) of the exemplary control logic described above could be replaced by a single step of monitoring for a change in status of the
shutoff sensor 122 between “off” (nothing detected) and “on” (an object detected in the region of interest). Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. - In the example of
FIGS. 5 and 6 , theshutoff sensors 122 are conveniently packaged into thehandle 110 by attaching them to the reverse side of thePCB 502. Thus, when provided as capacitive proximity sensors, theshutoff sensors 122 can be contained within thehandle housing 500 without any external exposure, and thereby be protected from the environment. In other examples, such as when a resistive touch sensor or a capacitive touch sensor is used, theshutoff sensors 122 may include electrical contacts that are located on thegrasping surface 114 to be directly contacted by the operator's hand. In either event, thehandle 110 can be packaged with thePCB 502 being enclosed between thehousing 500 and thecover 506, with the input interfaces 510 andoutput interfaces 512 being mounted to face away from the outward-facing side of thePCB 502, and theshutoff sensors 122 being mounted to face away from the inward-facing side of thePCB 502. This provides a convenient and cost-effective arrangement of the parts. - The
shutoff sensors 122 also may be supplemented by conventional door switches 124, such as shown inFIG. 2 , that detect whether thedoor 104 is closed. For example, the control system may have another logical control circuit that disables one or more of the input interfaces 510 when thedoor switch 124 indicates that thedoor 104 is open. This would help prevent accidental activation ofinput interfaces 510 when thehandle 110 is pushed to close thedoor 104. Thedoor switch 124 may comprise a microswitch, capacitive contact sensor, or any other suitable proximity or contact sensor. -
FIGS. 7 through 10 illustrate exemplary alternative configurations ofshutoff sensors 122. - In
FIG. 7 , theshutoff sensor 122 comprises a capacitive proximity sensor that is located in the front face of thedoor 104, to face towards the graspingsurface 114 of thehandle 110. In this case, one or more input interfaces 510 may be provided on thehandle 110 generally opposite to thegrasping surface 114. - In
FIG. 8 , theshutoff sensor 122 comprises an optical switch having a light transmitter/receiver 800 and aretroreflector 802. The transmitter/receiver 800 generates a light beam that strikes theretroreflector 802 and returns to the transmitter/receiver 800. The operator's hand interrupts the light beam when it is placed behind thehandle 110, and theshutoff sensor 122 is configured to disable one or more input interfaces 510 upon detecting the absence of the reflected light beam. - The embodiment of
FIG. 9 is similar to that ofFIG. 8 , but in this case, theshutoff sensor 122 is configured as anoptical transmitter 900 located at one lateral end of thehandle 110, and anoptical receiver 902 located at the other lateral end of thehandle 110. Thetransmitter 900 andreceiver 902 may be mounted, for example, inside the mountingposts 508 of thehandle 110. Here again, theshutoff sensor 122 is configured to disable one or more input interfaces 510 (not visible inFIG. 9 ) when the light beam is interrupted by an operator's hand. It will be readily appreciated that the embodiment ofFIG. 9 may be modified by using a single optical transmitter/receiver at one end of thehandle 110, and a reflector at the other end of thehandle 110, and similarly the embodiment ofFIG. 8 may be modified by using separate emitters and receivers instead of a single transmitter/receiver and a reflector. -
FIG. 10 is an example of ashutoff sensor 122 in the form of a mechanical contact sensor. Here, the graspingsurface 114 is mounted to thehandle 110 on a movable base, such as apivot 1000 or a sliding mount, and theshutoff sensor 122 comprises amicroswitch 1002 or other position-sensitive switch that is configured to detect when thegrasping surface 114 is moved to pull thedoor 104 open. - Other embodiments may have other configurations. For example, the capacitive proximity sensors of
FIGS. 5 and 6 may be replaced by pressure sensors, resistive touch sensors, or the like. In each case, thehandle 110 has one or more associatedshutoff sensors 122 that are configured to temporarily disable one or more input interfaces 510 (and optionally output interfaces 512) located on thehandle 110, when the operator places his or her hand into contact or proximity with the handle'sgrasping surface 114. - The present disclosure describes a number of inventive features and/or combinations of features that may be used alone or in combination with each other or in combination with other technologies. The embodiments described herein are all exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. It will also be appreciated that the inventions described herein can be modified and adapted in various ways, and all such modifications and adaptations are intended to be included in the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.
Claims (21)
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AU2019253228A1 (en) * | 2018-04-12 | 2020-09-10 | Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag | Automatic door for a domestic appliance |
US11340853B2 (en) * | 2020-04-01 | 2022-05-24 | Anova Applied Electronics, Inc. | Appliance handle with automatic shutoff of input interface elements |
JP2023017534A (en) * | 2021-07-26 | 2023-02-07 | 株式会社東海理化電機製作所 | Operation detection device |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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CN115461583A (en) | 2022-12-09 |
CA3166285A1 (en) | 2021-10-07 |
US11340853B2 (en) | 2022-05-24 |
KR20220156079A (en) | 2022-11-24 |
JP2023519947A (en) | 2023-05-15 |
WO2021202360A1 (en) | 2021-10-07 |
US20210311681A1 (en) | 2021-10-07 |
EP4127581A1 (en) | 2023-02-08 |
AU2021245770A1 (en) | 2022-09-01 |
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