The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 15, 2019
Filed:
Jul. 27, 2016
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Melissa J. Burchill, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Sanghayan Y. Gajbhiye, Hyderabad, IN;
Neomar Giacomini, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Robert B. Womack, Chattanooga, TN (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A user interface assembly for a household appliance is designed and adapted to provide good lighting execution maintaining a directly coupled touch field unit. The user interface includes a decorative overlay, a structural light box, and a printed circuit board with an integrated touch field unit and plurality of top-fire LED. The printed circuit board is mounted to a mounting frame extending from the inner surface of the structural light box without the use of adhesive. The structural light box is box includes a conical light aperture and dimensioned to maximize thickness to improve lighting diffusion, but keeping the overall thickness of the structural light box within the maximum range acceptable for optimal functionality and sensitivity of the touch field unit through direct coupling.