Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Timothy David Kaiser

Kyle James Brewer

Brian J Morman

Michelle Diana Gross Berry

Brett Alan Farris

Brian Steven Riddle

Michelle Diana Gross

Andrew Leroy Reder

Ricardo Alberto Aguiar, Jr

Jason Allen Rowe

Maria Alejandra Contreras

Ricardo Alberto Aguiar

Sanchit Jitendra Patel

Sajeev Lathika Ranasinghe

Yang AiSong

A control panel for an appliance includes a printed circuit board defining a top surface, a light source mounted to the top surface of the printed circuit board for selectively generating light, a control cover mounted to the top surface of the printed circuit board, the control cover comprising a bottom surface, a top surface, and an indicator zone, the control cover defining light diffusion channel extending into the bottom surface of the control cover, and a light diffuser extending into the light diffusion channel to define a light recess configured to receive the light source, light recess being offset from the indicator zone by a diffusion distance measured perpendicular to an illumination direction.

Diffused light source for appliance control panel display

A control panel for an appliance defines a display direction and includes a printed circuit board defining a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface along the display direction, and a through hole passing through the printed circuit board from the first surface to the second surface. A console cover is mounted to the first surface of the printed circuit board, a standoff feature is positioned between the console cover and the printed circuit board to create a localized gap between the console cover and the printed circuit board, a retention feature engages the second surface to retain the printed circuit board against the console cover, and an electronic component mounted to the printed circuit board and having an electrical contact that extends through the through hole where it forms a connection joint that is positioned within the localized gap.

Mounting assembly for a printed circuit board within an appliance control panel

An appliance, as provided herein, can include a direct current load and a current sensing circuit that can be coupled to the direct current load. The current sensing circuit can be configured to collect electrical data corresponding to the direct current load. The appliance can include one or more processors that can be coupled to the current sensing circuit. The one or more processors can be configured to identify at least one attribute of the direct current load based, at least in part, on the electrical data and activate at least one operation of the direct current load or the appliance based, at least in part, on identification of the at least one attribute of the direct current load.

Direct current load identification system

A door for an appliance includes a control panel mounted on the door and defining an illumination direction. The control panel includes a printed circuit board defining a top surface, a light source mounted to the top surface of the printed circuit board, a control cover mounted to the top surface of the printed circuit board over the light source and defining a light directing channel extending from a bottom surface of the control cover to a top surface of the control cover, and wherein the control cover further defines a reflective surface for redirecting the light generated by the light source toward the top surface of the control cover, and an overlay panel mounted on the top surface of the control cover, the overlay panel comprising one or more diffused indicator zones.

Appliance control panel with light diffusion features

A refrigerator appliance assembly includes a cabinet having at least one chamber for receipt of an item, a door permitting access to the at least one chamber, a temperature port within the at least one chamber, and a temperature probe communicatively coupled with the temperature port. The temperature probe is configured to generate one or more first temperature signals representative of an actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the temperature probe. Thus, upon receipt of the one or more first temperature signals, the controller determines the actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber. Further, the refrigerator appliance also includes a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller. Accordingly, the user interface displays the actual temperature to a user and allows the user to adjust the actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber to a desired temperature of the item.

Temperature probe for a refrigerator appliance

A door assembly for an appliance includes a door frame having a top edge and a user interface board positioned at the top edge of the door frame. A console cover is positioned over the user interface board and has a top surface defining a plurality of touch buttons and a front surface defining a front indicator extending at least partially along the vertical direction adjacent the top edge of the door frame. A side-fire light source is mounted on the user interface board for selectively emitting light energy toward the front indicator.

Front indicator lighting assembly for an appliance door

A door assembly for an appliance includes an inner door panel and outer door panel that define an interior chamber for receiving at least a first light source and a second light source. An indicator lens extends from a split receiving surface facing the light sources to an indicator aperture defined in the outer door panel. The split receiving surface has a first surface for receiving light from the first light source and a second surface for receiving light from the second light source. In addition, an opaque partition is positioned between the first light source and the second light source for at least partially blocking light from first light source and the second light source from bleeding onto the second surface and the first surface, respectively.

Status indicator and lighting assembly for an appliance door

An appliance includes a user interface assembly. The user interface assembly includes a plurality of indicator lights mounted on a printed circuit board. An opaque material is disposed within the printed circuit board between adjacent indicator lights of the plurality of indicator lights. The adjacent indicator lights are optically separated by the opaque material.

Light blocking features for indicator lights in an appliance

An appliance includes a user presence detector having an emitter and a sensor. The emitter is configured to emit waves having a wavelength, and the sensor is configured to sense waves of the wavelength, such as emitted waves which have been reflected back to the sensor from an object external to the appliance. There is no internal path within the appliance between the sensor and the emitter for either direct or reflected waves. The appliance also includes a user interface panel and a user input device. The user interface panel and the user input device are offset along at least one direction. The sensor is positioned on one of the user interface panel or the user input device and the emitter is positioned on the other of the user interface panel or the user input device.

Appliance with user presence detection

Appliances that include a ground fault door latch trip circuit that leverages a door latch circuit of the appliance to open one or more component relays upon detection of a current leakage event are provided. In particular, the ground fault door latch trip circuit can provide one or more shunt paths when a ground fault event is detected. The shunt paths can shunt current from a door latch to ground, such that the door latch circuit operates as if the door of the appliance has been opened.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Timothy David Kaiser