US20050178166A1 - Button assembly for electric home appliance and control panel assembly using the same - Google Patents
Button assembly for electric home appliance and control panel assembly using the same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20050178166A1 US20050178166A1 US10/965,761 US96576104A US2005178166A1 US 20050178166 A1 US20050178166 A1 US 20050178166A1 US 96576104 A US96576104 A US 96576104A US 2005178166 A1 US2005178166 A1 US 2005178166A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- button
- assembly
- sleeves
- sleeve
- control panel
- 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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- 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
- D06F34/28—Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
- D06F34/30—Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/02—Details
- H01H13/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
- H01H13/14—Operating parts, e.g. push-button
-
- 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
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
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- 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
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/58—Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
- H01H2229/064—Eliminating tolerances
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2231/00—Applications
- H01H2231/012—Household appliance
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2233/00—Key modules
- H01H2233/002—Key modules joined to form button rows
- H01H2233/004—One molded part
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electric home appliance, and more particularly, to a button assembly for an electric home appliance and a control panel assembly using the same, in which the button assembly is made up of a plurality of sleeves, which are joined by a unifying member for collectively inserting the sleeves into a corresponding plurality of through holes formed in a panel of the control panel assembly.
- Contemporary washing machines are typically provided with control means comprising a plurality of switches, such as tactile switches, mounted on a substrate of a control panel assembly for controlling one or more wash cycles.
- the tactile switches are respectively positioned behind a corresponding plurality of push buttons, each of which is inserted into one of a plurality of sleeves installed in a panel of the control panel assembly, so that each push button has one end operably coupled to the tactile switches and the other end protruding from the panel's outer surface to allow manipulation by a user.
- An exemplary drum-type washing machine having such display means is shown in FIG. 1
- FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates an exemplary control panel assembly of a general home appliance such as a washing machine.
- a cabinet 2 forms the exterior of a washing machine 1 in which a tub (not shown) is mounted.
- a drum 4 for accommodating laundry is rotatably disposed inside the tub, to be rotated by a motor (not shown) coupled to the rear of the drum.
- a plurality of lifters 8 for lifting the laundry in the drum 4 to a predetermined height from which the laundry may fall due to gravity, is installed on an inner surface of the drum.
- a cabinet cover 12 having a laundry opening 10 centrally formed in the cabinet cover for accessing the laundry in the drum 4 , is mounted on a front side of the cabinet 2 , and a door 16 for closing the laundry opening is hinged with respect to the cabinet cover.
- a control panel assembly 14 for controlling operation of the washing machine 1 , is disposed above the cabinet cover 12 and is mounted with respect to the cabinet 2 .
- the control panel assembly 14 includes a panel 20 in which a plurality of through holes 26 are formed as an arrangement for facilitating user operation of the washing machine 1 , a substrate 30 disposed behind the panel, and a plurality of button sleeves 40 respectively inserted into the through holes formed in the panel.
- a rotary switch 32 and a plurality of tactile switches 34 are mounted on the substrate 30 .
- the panel 20 is provided with a rotary dial 22 and a plurality of push buttons 24 to be coupled with corresponding elements mounted on the substrate 30 , i.e., the rotary switch and tactile switches, respectively, to allow a physical force to be transmitted from the panel to the substrate.
- the rotary dial 20 is used to select a wash cycle of a washing machine, and the push buttons 24 are used to control the operation of the washing machine.
- each push button 24 extends through a corresponding button sleeve 40 inserted in a corresponding through hole 26 formed in the panel 20 , while the other end makes contact with a corresponding tactile switch 34 mounted on the substrate 30 .
- Each button sleeve 40 which is generally annular to correspond to the shape of the through hole 26 , serve to guide the manipulation of the push button 24 for a smooth and stable operation and to guard against an abrasion of the push button's circumference on sharp edges of the panel 20 , which would result due to the contrasting hardnesses of the material (e.g., molded plastic) forming the push button and the material (e.g., sheet metal) forming the panel.
- the material e.g., molded plastic
- the material e.g., sheet metal
- buttons 40 are contoured, and the material forming the button sleeves is typically imparted with a coordinated color, i.e., a color matching or contrasting that of the push buttons 24 .
- the button sleeves 40 are sometimes referred to as “button decorations.”
- the button sleeves 40 are injection-molded members formed for an insertion into a corresponding through hole 26 and simultaneous reception of a corresponding push button 24 .
- the button sleeves 40 which are individually formed, are respectively assembled with the panel 20 , by an assembly step of insertion into and fixing to each through hole 26 , which makes for a tedious and cumbersome assembly process, since the number of assembly steps corresponds to the number of push buttons/button sleeves.
- the large number of components i.e., button sleeves
- increases the part count for manufacturing the control panel assembly 14 thereby complicating the assembly process, burdening assembly component storage and tracking requirements for the control panel assembly, and increasing the likelihood that some number of the button sleeves may be misplaced or lost.
- the present invention is directed to a button assembly for an electric home appliance that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, by which a plurality of button sleeves are formed as a unified body.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a compensation of dimensional discrepancies in a control panel assembly resulting from normal manufacturing processes.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enhances assembly efficiency of a control panel assembly.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which resolves a product deficiency caused by dimensional discrepancies resulting from normal manufacturing processes.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a plurality of button sleeves to be joined by a unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a manufacturing operation to increase an error tolerance.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a control panel assembly suitable for implementing the button assembly of the present invention.
- a button assembly for an electric home appliance.
- the button assembly comprises a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
- a control panel assembly comprising a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface; a substrate disposed behind the panel; and the above button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly, which is disposed between the panel and the substrate, such that the plurality of button sleeves are aligned with and respectively inserted into the plurality of through holes.
- a washing machine comprising a cabinet and the above control panel assembly, which is mounted with respect to the cabinet.
- the unifying member of a first embodiment may be comprised of a plurality of button sleeve couplers and at least one group joining member in accordance with a second embodiment.
- the elements perform a function of joining adjacent sets of button sleeves and maintaining a mean separation distance between the adjacent sets.
- the flexible portion and the group joining members are formed of a flexible material, such as a pliable plastic, to provide dimensional flexibility between adjacent button sleeve groups and may be have a U-shaped form or may have a V-shaped form, a semicircular form, or a similar form providing an excess length to the flexible material.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a general drum-type washing machine
- FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a control panel assembly of the washing machine of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel assembly according to the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a plan view of a button assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a plan view of a button assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- a button assembly 80 includes a plurality of button sleeves 82 for receiving a plurality of push buttons 70 and a unifying member 84 joining the button sleeves 82 and having at least one flexible portion.
- the push buttons 70 may be respectively captured in the button sleeves 82 , so that the button assembly according to the present invention may include the push buttons in a unified assembly to be collectively assembled to a panel of a control panel assembly. In doing so, the above flexible portion also serves to join (combine) the push buttons 70 indirectly.
- the control panel assembly 110 includes a panel 60 having a plurality of through holes 72 , a substrate 90 disposed behind the panel 60 and having a plurality of push buttons 70 , and a button assembly 80 provided between the panel 60 and the substrate 90 .
- the button assembly 80 includes the plurality of button sleeves 82 , having a plurality of holes for receiving the plurality of push buttons 70 and being respectively inserted in the plurality of through holes 72 , and a unifying member 84 joining the button sleeves 82 and having at least one flexible portion 86 .
- the washing machine includes a cabinet 2 and a control panel assembly 110 formed on the cabinet 2 .
- the control panel assembly 110 includes a panel 60 having a plurality of push buttons 70 , a substrate 90 disposed behind the panel 60 , and a button assembly 80 provided between the panel 60 and the substrate 90 .
- the button assembly 80 includes a plurality of button sleeves 82 , for receiving the plurality of push buttons 70 and being respectively inserted in the plurality of through holes 72 , and a unifying member 84 joining the button sleeves 82 and having at least one flexible portion 86 , wherein the flexible portion has a U-shaped form, a V-shaped form, or a semicircular form.
- the unifying member 84 may include a plurality of button sleeve couplers 85 and a plurality of group joining members 86 ′ for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers 85 .
- Each button sleeve coupler 85 gangs together the button sleeves 82 of a button sleeve group, and similar to the flexible portion 86 of the first embodiment, each group joining member 86 ′ has a U-shaped form, a V-shaped form, or a semicircular form.
- the control panel assembly 110 includes a panel 60 mounted on a cabinet 2 of a drum-type washing machine 1 , a substrate 90 disposed behind the panel 60 and having a rotary switch 92 , a plurality of tactile switches 94 , and a plurality of push buttons 70 connected to and coupled with each tactile switch 94 .
- the control panel assembly 110 also includes a button assembly 80 being simultaneously inserted into the plurality of through holes 72 formed in the panel 60 and having a structure that can compensate for a dimensional discrepancy due to minute variations in size, shape, and/or positioning of the through holes or button assembly.
- the panel 60 which is an assembly component for controlling the operation of the washing machine and displaying the operation status of the washing machine, is connected to the front surface of the cabinet 2 by engaging a plurality of hooks 60 a with a corresponding plurality of slots 52 a formed in surfaces of or adjacent to the cabinet.
- a rotary dial 62 and a plurality of push buttons 70 are provided on an exterior surface of the panel 60 .
- a rotary switch 92 and a plurality of tactile switches 94 are provided on a forward-facing surface of a substrate 90 , to oppose the rotary dial 62 and the push buttons 70 of the panel 60 .
- the rotary switch 92 is activated by the rotary dial 62 , thereby setting up the wash cycle of the drum-type washing machine.
- the tactile switches 94 are activated by the push buttons 70 , thereby controlling the operation of the drum-type washing machine.
- a display screen 96 for displaying a current washsing status of the drum-type washing machine may be provided on the forward-facing surface of the substrate 90 , to be viewed through a view screen 100 .
- a plurality of display elements, such as light-emitting diodes 98 protruding through a corresponding plurality of display holes 101 may be used to indicate the washing machine's operation and controlled conditions.
- the button assembly 80 includes the plurality of button sleeves 82 , each being inserted into and received by the inner circumference of each through hole 72 , and the unifying members 84 joining the button sleeves 82 to form a unified body and having a plurality of flexible portions 86 that can absorb a dimensional discrepancy in each through hole 72 occurring during the assembly process of the control panel assembly 110 .
- the button assembly 80 includes the plurality of button sleeves 82 , each being inserted into and received by the inner circumference of a through hole 72 ; the button sleeve couplers 85 , for ganging together the button sleeves 82 to form a unified body, each button sleeve coupler being connected to a flexible portion that can absorb a dimensional discrepancy in each through hole 72 occurring during the assembly process of the control panel assembly 110 ; and at least one group joining member 86 ′ for flexibly joining the button sleeve couplers 85 to form a unified body while absorbing the above dimensional discrepancy.
- the group joining member 86 ′ is a flexible portion.
- Each flexible portion 86 or group joining member 86 ′ has a sufficient length for absorbing any dimensional discrepancies occurring due to normal variations in fabricating components of an electric home appliance such as a washing machine having a control panel.
- the flexible portion is formed of a flexible material, such as a pliable plastic, to provide dimensional flexibility between adjacent button sleeve groups and may be have a U-shaped form, as shown in FIGS. 3-5 , or may have a V-shaped form, a semicircular form, or a similar form providing an excess length to the flexible material.
- the unifying member 84 of the button assembly consists of the plurality of button sleeve couplers 85 for ganging together the button sleeves 82 of each of a predetermined set of button sleeve groups G 1 , G 2 , and G 3 , and the plurality of group joining members 86 ′ flexibly connecting the button sleeves 82 , which are divided into the groups G 1 , G 2 , and G 3 by joining the button sleeve couplers 85 .
- the button sleeves 82 are injection-molded members disposed between the inner edge of a corresponding through hole 72 and the outer perimeter of a corresponding push button 70 , by being inserted into the through hole and receiving the push button.
- the button sleeves 82 are stably inserted into the through holes 72 from the rear side of the panel 60 .
- At least one catch 88 is formed on the outer surface of one end of each button sleeve 82 .
- an opposing pair of catches 88 are provided.
- the unifying member 84 of the first embodiment and the button sleeve couplers 85 and the group joining members 86 ′ of the second embodiment each perform a function of joining adjacent sets of button sleeves and maintaining a mean separation distance between the adjacent sets.
- a predetermined number (i.e., a set) of button sleeves 82 of any group e.g., two adjacent button sleeves, can be arranged in variety of control panel patterns, as desired, for example, a linear, curved, or grid pattern.
- the group joining members 86 ′ join the groups G 1 , G 2 , and G 3 , which are divided by the button sleeve couplers 85 , to form an assembly of button sleeves as a unified body. Therefore, the button sleeves 82 of the button assembly 80 are simultaneously inserted into the through holes 72 , thereby simplifying the assembly process of the control panel assembly 110 .
- the flexible portions 86 of the first embodiment and the group joining members 86 ′ of the second embodiment are formed to have a U-shape (or a V-shape or a semicircular shape) and absorb the dimensional discrepancy occurring between each of the button sleeves 82 . Meanwhile, the dimensional discrepancy occurs during the fabrication process of the button sleeves 82 and the through holes 72 of the button assembly 80 . In other words, the dimensional discrepancy may occur during the injection-molding process of the button assembly 80 or may occur during the perforation process of the through holes 72 in the panel 60 .
- the button assembly 80 is formed as a single body, to enable the button sleeves 82 of the button assembly 80 to be simultaneously assembled with the through holes 72 of the panel 60 , the influence of the dimensional discrepancy may be greater in the present invention than as compared with the related art button assembly, where the button sleeves are individually inserted into the through holes.
- the plurality of group joining members 86 ′ can flexibly expand and contract in back-and-forth directions and in left-and-right directions, thereby compensating the degree of modification caused by the dimensional discrepancy occurring between each of the groups G 1 , G 2 , and G 3 .
- the dimensional discrepancy can be compensated by the flexible portions of the button assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which are formed of a flexible material, thereby facilitating the assembly of the button assembly 80 to the panel 60 .
- the button assembly 80 is assembled to the panel 60 from the rear side thereof, so that the plurality of button sleeves 82 are simultaneously inserted into the plurality of through holes 72 formed in the panel 60 .
- some of the button sleeves 82 may be misaligned and misassembled with the corresponding through holes 72 .
- the flexible portions 86 or group joining members 86 ′ of the button assembly 80 may expand and contract in back-and-forth directions or in left-and-right directions in order to compensate the misaligned assembly position.
- the flexible portions 86 or group joining members 86 ′ absorb the dimensional discrepancy occurring between the button assembly 80 and each through hole 72 .
- the substrate 90 is coupled with the rear surface of the panel 60 , such that the push buttons 70 are respectively inserted into the button sleeves 82 , which are in turn inserted into each through hole 72 .
- the rotary switch 92 and the tactile switches 94 mounted on the substrate 90 are respectively engaged with the rotary dial 62 and the push buttons 70 mounted on the panel 60 .
- the rotary switch 92 rotates accordingly, thereby setting up the washing cycle of the drum-type washing machine according to the present invention.
- the corresponding tactile switches 94 are also pressed accordingly, thereby controlling the operation of the drum-type washing machine.
- At least one unifying member joins the button sleeves to form a unified body, thereby facilitating the assembly of the control panel assembly. Furthermore, since the flexible joining members can also compensate the dimensional discrepancies, high fabrication accuracy is not required when forming the button assembly and the through holes. Thus, the productivity of the control panel assembly can be enhanced. Finally, since the unifying members are formed of a flexible material that can expand and contract in back-and-forth directions and in left-and-right directions, the dimensional discrepancy occurring between the button sleeves and the through holes can be compensated, thereby preventing deficiency in the control panel assembly.
Abstract
A button assembly for an electric home appliance and a control panel assembly using the same are provided. The button assembly includes a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion. The unifying member has a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and the at least flexible portion has at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers. The plurality of button sleeves may be made up of at least two button sleeve groups, each button sleeve group having at least one button sleeve, adjacent button sleeve groups of the at least two button sleeve groups being separated by a predetermined distance. The at least one flexible portion has a predetermined length, the predetermined length being greater than the predetermined distance, to compensate for dimensional discrepancies in a control panel assembly resulting from normal manufacturing processes. The control panel assembly includes a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface; and a substrate disposed behind the panel. The button assembly is disposed between the panel and the substrate, and the plurality of button sleeves of the button assembly are respectively inserted into the plurality of through holes.
Description
- This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2004-0009707, filed on Feb. 13, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to an electric home appliance, and more particularly, to a button assembly for an electric home appliance and a control panel assembly using the same, in which the button assembly is made up of a plurality of sleeves, which are joined by a unifying member for collectively inserting the sleeves into a corresponding plurality of through holes formed in a panel of the control panel assembly.
- 2. Discussion of the Related Art
- Contemporary washing machines are typically provided with control means comprising a plurality of switches, such as tactile switches, mounted on a substrate of a control panel assembly for controlling one or more wash cycles. The tactile switches are respectively positioned behind a corresponding plurality of push buttons, each of which is inserted into one of a plurality of sleeves installed in a panel of the control panel assembly, so that each push button has one end operably coupled to the tactile switches and the other end protruding from the panel's outer surface to allow manipulation by a user. An exemplary drum-type washing machine having such display means is shown in
FIG. 1 , andFIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates an exemplary control panel assembly of a general home appliance such as a washing machine. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , acabinet 2 forms the exterior of a washing machine 1 in which a tub (not shown) is mounted. A drum 4 for accommodating laundry is rotatably disposed inside the tub, to be rotated by a motor (not shown) coupled to the rear of the drum. A plurality oflifters 8, for lifting the laundry in the drum 4 to a predetermined height from which the laundry may fall due to gravity, is installed on an inner surface of the drum. Acabinet cover 12, having a laundry opening 10 centrally formed in the cabinet cover for accessing the laundry in the drum 4, is mounted on a front side of thecabinet 2, and adoor 16 for closing the laundry opening is hinged with respect to the cabinet cover. Acontrol panel assembly 14, for controlling operation of the washing machine 1, is disposed above thecabinet cover 12 and is mounted with respect to thecabinet 2. - Referring to
FIG. 2 , thecontrol panel assembly 14 includes apanel 20 in which a plurality of throughholes 26 are formed as an arrangement for facilitating user operation of the washing machine 1, asubstrate 30 disposed behind the panel, and a plurality ofbutton sleeves 40 respectively inserted into the through holes formed in the panel. Arotary switch 32 and a plurality oftactile switches 34 are mounted on thesubstrate 30. To operate these switches, thepanel 20 is provided with arotary dial 22 and a plurality ofpush buttons 24 to be coupled with corresponding elements mounted on thesubstrate 30, i.e., the rotary switch and tactile switches, respectively, to allow a physical force to be transmitted from the panel to the substrate. Thus, therotary dial 20 is used to select a wash cycle of a washing machine, and thepush buttons 24 are used to control the operation of the washing machine. - When the
control panel assembly 14 is assembled, thebutton sleeves 40, which are individually inserted into the throughholes 26 from the rear side of thepanel 20, respectively receive thepush buttons 24. Thus, one end of eachpush button 24 extends through acorresponding button sleeve 40 inserted in a corresponding throughhole 26 formed in thepanel 20, while the other end makes contact with a correspondingtactile switch 34 mounted on thesubstrate 30. Eachbutton sleeve 40, which is generally annular to correspond to the shape of the throughhole 26, serve to guide the manipulation of thepush button 24 for a smooth and stable operation and to guard against an abrasion of the push button's circumference on sharp edges of thepanel 20, which would result due to the contrasting hardnesses of the material (e.g., molded plastic) forming the push button and the material (e.g., sheet metal) forming the panel. Upon insertion into the throughholes 26, one end of eachbutton sleeve 40 is exposed on the user's side of thepanel 20, to thereby form part of the washing machine's exterior surface by joining a push button surface with the surrounding panel surface and by creating a visual outline around thepush button 24. Therefore, for aesthetic purposes, the exposed ends of thebutton sleeves 40 are contoured, and the material forming the button sleeves is typically imparted with a coordinated color, i.e., a color matching or contrasting that of thepush buttons 24. For this reason, thebutton sleeves 40 are sometimes referred to as “button decorations.” - The
button sleeves 40 are injection-molded members formed for an insertion into a corresponding throughhole 26 and simultaneous reception of acorresponding push button 24. Thebutton sleeves 40, which are individually formed, are respectively assembled with thepanel 20, by an assembly step of insertion into and fixing to each throughhole 26, which makes for a tedious and cumbersome assembly process, since the number of assembly steps corresponds to the number of push buttons/button sleeves. Furthermore, the large number of components (i.e., button sleeves) increases the part count for manufacturing thecontrol panel assembly 14, thereby complicating the assembly process, burdening assembly component storage and tracking requirements for the control panel assembly, and increasing the likelihood that some number of the button sleeves may be misplaced or lost. - Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a button assembly for an electric home appliance that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, by which a plurality of button sleeves are formed as a unified body.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a compensation of dimensional discrepancies in a control panel assembly resulting from normal manufacturing processes.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enhances assembly efficiency of a control panel assembly.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which resolves a product deficiency caused by dimensional discrepancies resulting from normal manufacturing processes.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a plurality of button sleeves to be joined by a unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a button assembly for an electric home appliance, which enables a manufacturing operation to increase an error tolerance.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a control panel assembly suitable for implementing the button assembly of the present invention.
- Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
- To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a button assembly for an electric home appliance. The button assembly comprises a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
- In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control panel assembly comprising a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface; a substrate disposed behind the panel; and the above button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly, which is disposed between the panel and the substrate, such that the plurality of button sleeves are aligned with and respectively inserted into the plurality of through holes.
- In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine comprising a cabinet and the above control panel assembly, which is mounted with respect to the cabinet.
- The unifying member of a first embodiment may be comprised of a plurality of button sleeve couplers and at least one group joining member in accordance with a second embodiment. In each case, the elements perform a function of joining adjacent sets of button sleeves and maintaining a mean separation distance between the adjacent sets. The flexible portion and the group joining members are formed of a flexible material, such as a pliable plastic, to provide dimensional flexibility between adjacent button sleeve groups and may be have a U-shaped form or may have a V-shaped form, a semicircular form, or a similar form providing an excess length to the flexible material.
- It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
- The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a general drum-type washing machine; -
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a control panel assembly of the washing machine ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a control panel assembly according to the present invention; -
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a button assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a button assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. - Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
- Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4 , abutton assembly 80 according to the present invention includes a plurality ofbutton sleeves 82 for receiving a plurality ofpush buttons 70 and a unifyingmember 84 joining thebutton sleeves 82 and having at least one flexible portion. Though not specifically shown in the drawings, thepush buttons 70 may be respectively captured in thebutton sleeves 82, so that the button assembly according to the present invention may include the push buttons in a unified assembly to be collectively assembled to a panel of a control panel assembly. In doing so, the above flexible portion also serves to join (combine) thepush buttons 70 indirectly. - The
control panel assembly 110 according to the present invention includes apanel 60 having a plurality of throughholes 72, asubstrate 90 disposed behind thepanel 60 and having a plurality ofpush buttons 70, and abutton assembly 80 provided between thepanel 60 and thesubstrate 90. Thebutton assembly 80 includes the plurality ofbutton sleeves 82, having a plurality of holes for receiving the plurality ofpush buttons 70 and being respectively inserted in the plurality of throughholes 72, and a unifyingmember 84 joining thebutton sleeves 82 and having at least oneflexible portion 86. - The washing machine according to the present invention includes a
cabinet 2 and acontrol panel assembly 110 formed on thecabinet 2. Thecontrol panel assembly 110 includes apanel 60 having a plurality ofpush buttons 70, asubstrate 90 disposed behind thepanel 60, and abutton assembly 80 provided between thepanel 60 and thesubstrate 90. Thebutton assembly 80 includes a plurality ofbutton sleeves 82, for receiving the plurality ofpush buttons 70 and being respectively inserted in the plurality of throughholes 72, and a unifyingmember 84 joining thebutton sleeves 82 and having at least oneflexible portion 86, wherein the flexible portion has a U-shaped form, a V-shaped form, or a semicircular form. - As shown in the embodiment of
FIG. 5 , the unifyingmember 84 may include a plurality ofbutton sleeve couplers 85 and a plurality ofgroup joining members 86′ for flexibly joining the plurality ofbutton sleeve couplers 85. Eachbutton sleeve coupler 85 gangs together thebutton sleeves 82 of a button sleeve group, and similar to theflexible portion 86 of the first embodiment, eachgroup joining member 86′ has a U-shaped form, a V-shaped form, or a semicircular form. - A button assembly and a control panel assembly of an electric home appliance (e.g., a washing machine) according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The
control panel assembly 110 includes apanel 60 mounted on acabinet 2 of a drum-type washing machine 1, asubstrate 90 disposed behind thepanel 60 and having arotary switch 92, a plurality oftactile switches 94, and a plurality ofpush buttons 70 connected to and coupled with eachtactile switch 94. Thecontrol panel assembly 110 also includes abutton assembly 80 being simultaneously inserted into the plurality of throughholes 72 formed in thepanel 60 and having a structure that can compensate for a dimensional discrepancy due to minute variations in size, shape, and/or positioning of the through holes or button assembly. Thepanel 60, which is an assembly component for controlling the operation of the washing machine and displaying the operation status of the washing machine, is connected to the front surface of thecabinet 2 by engaging a plurality ofhooks 60 a with a corresponding plurality ofslots 52 a formed in surfaces of or adjacent to the cabinet. Arotary dial 62 and a plurality ofpush buttons 70 are provided on an exterior surface of thepanel 60. - As described above, a
rotary switch 92 and a plurality oftactile switches 94 are provided on a forward-facing surface of asubstrate 90, to oppose therotary dial 62 and thepush buttons 70 of thepanel 60. Therotary switch 92 is activated by therotary dial 62, thereby setting up the wash cycle of the drum-type washing machine. The tactile switches 94 are activated by thepush buttons 70, thereby controlling the operation of the drum-type washing machine. Adisplay screen 96 for displaying a current washsing status of the drum-type washing machine may be provided on the forward-facing surface of thesubstrate 90, to be viewed through aview screen 100. A plurality of display elements, such as light-emittingdiodes 98 protruding through a corresponding plurality of display holes 101, may be used to indicate the washing machine's operation and controlled conditions. - In the first embodiment of the present invention as shown in
FIG. 4 , thebutton assembly 80 includes the plurality ofbutton sleeves 82, each being inserted into and received by the inner circumference of each throughhole 72, and theunifying members 84 joining thebutton sleeves 82 to form a unified body and having a plurality offlexible portions 86 that can absorb a dimensional discrepancy in each throughhole 72 occurring during the assembly process of thecontrol panel assembly 110. - On the other hand, in the second embodiment of the present invention as shown in
FIG. 5 , thebutton assembly 80 includes the plurality ofbutton sleeves 82, each being inserted into and received by the inner circumference of a throughhole 72; thebutton sleeve couplers 85, for ganging together thebutton sleeves 82 to form a unified body, each button sleeve coupler being connected to a flexible portion that can absorb a dimensional discrepancy in each throughhole 72 occurring during the assembly process of thecontrol panel assembly 110; and at least onegroup joining member 86′ for flexibly joining thebutton sleeve couplers 85 to form a unified body while absorbing the above dimensional discrepancy. Here, thegroup joining member 86′ is a flexible portion. - Each
flexible portion 86 orgroup joining member 86′ has a sufficient length for absorbing any dimensional discrepancies occurring due to normal variations in fabricating components of an electric home appliance such as a washing machine having a control panel. The flexible portion is formed of a flexible material, such as a pliable plastic, to provide dimensional flexibility between adjacent button sleeve groups and may be have a U-shaped form, as shown inFIGS. 3-5 , or may have a V-shaped form, a semicircular form, or a similar form providing an excess length to the flexible material. - More specifically, the unifying
member 84 of the button assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention consists of the plurality ofbutton sleeve couplers 85 for ganging together thebutton sleeves 82 of each of a predetermined set of button sleeve groups G1, G2, and G3, and the plurality ofgroup joining members 86′ flexibly connecting thebutton sleeves 82, which are divided into the groups G1, G2, and G3 by joining thebutton sleeve couplers 85. Thebutton sleeves 82 are injection-molded members disposed between the inner edge of a corresponding throughhole 72 and the outer perimeter of acorresponding push button 70, by being inserted into the through hole and receiving the push button. Thebutton sleeves 82 are stably inserted into the throughholes 72 from the rear side of thepanel 60. - At least one
catch 88 is formed on the outer surface of one end of eachbutton sleeve 82. Preferably, an opposing pair ofcatches 88 are provided. When thebutton sleeves 82 are inserted into each corresponding throughhole 72 from the rear side of thepanel 60, eachcatch 88 prevents thecorresponding sleeve 82 from passing through the through hole by catching on a rear surface of thepanel 60. Therefore, thecatches 88 determine the inserting position for eachbutton sleeve 82. - As described above, the unifying
member 84 of the first embodiment and thebutton sleeve couplers 85 and thegroup joining members 86′ of the second embodiment each perform a function of joining adjacent sets of button sleeves and maintaining a mean separation distance between the adjacent sets. A predetermined number (i.e., a set) ofbutton sleeves 82 of any group, e.g., two adjacent button sleeves, can be arranged in variety of control panel patterns, as desired, for example, a linear, curved, or grid pattern. Also, in the second embodiment of the present invention, thegroup joining members 86′ join the groups G1, G2, and G3, which are divided by thebutton sleeve couplers 85, to form an assembly of button sleeves as a unified body. Therefore, thebutton sleeves 82 of thebutton assembly 80 are simultaneously inserted into the throughholes 72, thereby simplifying the assembly process of thecontrol panel assembly 110. - The
flexible portions 86 of the first embodiment and thegroup joining members 86′ of the second embodiment are formed to have a U-shape (or a V-shape or a semicircular shape) and absorb the dimensional discrepancy occurring between each of thebutton sleeves 82. Meanwhile, the dimensional discrepancy occurs during the fabrication process of thebutton sleeves 82 and the throughholes 72 of thebutton assembly 80. In other words, the dimensional discrepancy may occur during the injection-molding process of thebutton assembly 80 or may occur during the perforation process of the throughholes 72 in thepanel 60. Since thebutton assembly 80 is formed as a single body, to enable thebutton sleeves 82 of thebutton assembly 80 to be simultaneously assembled with the throughholes 72 of thepanel 60, the influence of the dimensional discrepancy may be greater in the present invention than as compared with the related art button assembly, where the button sleeves are individually inserted into the through holes. - In the second embodiment of the present invention, however, the plurality of
group joining members 86′ can flexibly expand and contract in back-and-forth directions and in left-and-right directions, thereby compensating the degree of modification caused by the dimensional discrepancy occurring between each of the groups G1, G2, and G3. In addition, although a small degree of dimensional discrepancy may occur between thebutton sleeves 82 and the throughholes 72, the dimensional discrepancy can be compensated by the flexible portions of the button assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which are formed of a flexible material, thereby facilitating the assembly of thebutton assembly 80 to thepanel 60. - The assembly process of the control panel assembly of the drum-type washing machine according to the present invention will now be described in detail. The
button assembly 80 is assembled to thepanel 60 from the rear side thereof, so that the plurality ofbutton sleeves 82 are simultaneously inserted into the plurality of throughholes 72 formed in thepanel 60. At this point, when dimensional discrepancy occurs during the injection-molding process of thebutton assembly 80 or during the perforation process of the throughholes 72 in thepanel 60, some of thebutton sleeves 82 may be misaligned and misassembled with the corresponding through holes 72. Meanwhile, theflexible portions 86 orgroup joining members 86′ of thebutton assembly 80 may expand and contract in back-and-forth directions or in left-and-right directions in order to compensate the misaligned assembly position. In other words, theflexible portions 86 orgroup joining members 86′ absorb the dimensional discrepancy occurring between thebutton assembly 80 and each throughhole 72. - As described above, after coupling the
button assembly 80 with the rear surface of thepanel 60, thesubstrate 90 is coupled with the rear surface of thepanel 60, such that thepush buttons 70 are respectively inserted into thebutton sleeves 82, which are in turn inserted into each throughhole 72. At the same time, therotary switch 92 and thetactile switches 94 mounted on thesubstrate 90 are respectively engaged with therotary dial 62 and thepush buttons 70 mounted on thepanel 60. When the user turns therotary dial 62, therotary switch 92 rotates accordingly, thereby setting up the washing cycle of the drum-type washing machine according to the present invention. When the user presses thepush buttons 70, the correspondingtactile switches 94 are also pressed accordingly, thereby controlling the operation of the drum-type washing machine. - In the button assembly for an electrical home appliance according to the present invention, at least one unifying member joins the button sleeves to form a unified body, thereby facilitating the assembly of the control panel assembly. Furthermore, since the flexible joining members can also compensate the dimensional discrepancies, high fabrication accuracy is not required when forming the button assembly and the through holes. Thus, the productivity of the control panel assembly can be enhanced. Finally, since the unifying members are formed of a flexible material that can expand and contract in back-and-forth directions and in left-and-right directions, the dimensional discrepancy occurring between the button sleeves and the through holes can be compensated, thereby preventing deficiency in the control panel assembly.
- It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims (36)
1. A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising:
a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and
a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
2. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of button sleeves comprises at least two button sleeve groups, each button sleeve group having at least one button sleeve, adjacent button sleeve groups of the at least two button sleeve groups being separated by a predetermined distance.
3. The button assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a predetermined length, the predetermined length being greater than the predetermined distance.
4. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a U-shaped form.
5. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a V-shaped form.
6. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a semicircular form.
7. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is formed to be inserted into one of a plurality of through holes formed in a panel.
8. The button assembly as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.
9. The button assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes from a rear side of the panel.
10. The button assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.
11. A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising:
a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively;
a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves; and
at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.
12. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a U-shaped form.
13. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a V-shaped form.
14. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a semicircular form.
15. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.
16. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is formed to be inserted into one of a plurality of through holes formed in a panel.
17. The button assembly as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.
18. The button assembly as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes from a rear side of the panel.
19. The button assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.
20. A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising:
a plurality of button sleeves;
a plurality of push buttons respectively captured in the plurality of button sleeves;
a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves; and
at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.
21. A control panel assembly, comprising:
a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface;
a substrate disposed behind the panel; and
a button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly comprising:
a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and
a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
22. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is inserted into one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.
23. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end extending through one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.
24. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 22 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.
25. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.
26. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.
27. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.
28. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons is captured in one of the plurality of buttons sleeves.
29. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of tactile switches mounted on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end in contact with one of the plurality of tactile switches.
30. A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet; and
a control panel assembly mounted with respect to the cabinet, the control panel assembly comprising:
a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface;
a substrate disposed behind the panel; and
a button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly comprising:
a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and
a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.
31. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is inserted into one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.
32. The control panel assembly as claimed in claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end extending through one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.
33. The washing machine as claimed in claim 31 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.
34. The washing machine as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.
35. The washing machine as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.
36. The washing machine as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
KRP2004-0009707 | 2004-02-13 | ||
KR1020040009707A KR20050081462A (en) | 2004-02-13 | 2004-02-13 | Button deco mounting structure of drum washer |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20050178166A1 true US20050178166A1 (en) | 2005-08-18 |
Family
ID=34836751
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/965,761 Abandoned US20050178166A1 (en) | 2004-02-13 | 2004-10-18 | Button assembly for electric home appliance and control panel assembly using the same |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20050178166A1 (en) |
KR (1) | KR20050081462A (en) |
Cited By (6)
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ES2304891A1 (en) * | 2007-04-04 | 2008-10-16 | Bsh Electrodomesticos España, S.A. | Keyboard for a household appliance and method for its installation |
US20100177494A1 (en) * | 2009-01-14 | 2010-07-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Control panel assembly and washing machine having the same |
US8178802B2 (en) | 2008-07-31 | 2012-05-15 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Unitized appliance control panel assembly and components of the assembly |
CN102535096A (en) * | 2012-02-10 | 2012-07-04 | 深圳市振邦实业有限公司 | Cleaning product, and cleaning control method and cleaning controller for cleaning product |
US9741508B2 (en) | 2014-03-27 | 2017-08-22 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Panel assembly and button tree therefor |
WO2023277414A1 (en) * | 2021-06-28 | 2023-01-05 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Clothes processing apparatus |
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KR100715539B1 (en) * | 2005-10-24 | 2007-05-08 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Washing machine |
US8616026B2 (en) | 2006-08-31 | 2013-12-31 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Control panel assembly for laundry device and laundry device including the same |
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US6336732B1 (en) * | 1999-12-23 | 2002-01-08 | Shoei-Shuh Shiau | Flashlight with a waterproof switching device |
US6552282B2 (en) * | 2001-09-19 | 2003-04-22 | Palm, Inc. | Floating button design for a handheld computer |
US20030150699A1 (en) * | 2001-06-22 | 2003-08-14 | Song Young Han | Control panel assembly for home appliances and method for manufacturing the same |
US20040061686A1 (en) * | 2002-09-17 | 2004-04-01 | Shen-Chang Tsao | Pushbutton of touch pad of electronic device |
US6964532B1 (en) * | 2004-05-24 | 2005-11-15 | Lite-On It Corporation | Key array structure |
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2004
- 2004-02-13 KR KR1020040009707A patent/KR20050081462A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2004-10-18 US US10/965,761 patent/US20050178166A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US6336732B1 (en) * | 1999-12-23 | 2002-01-08 | Shoei-Shuh Shiau | Flashlight with a waterproof switching device |
US20030150699A1 (en) * | 2001-06-22 | 2003-08-14 | Song Young Han | Control panel assembly for home appliances and method for manufacturing the same |
US6552282B2 (en) * | 2001-09-19 | 2003-04-22 | Palm, Inc. | Floating button design for a handheld computer |
US20040061686A1 (en) * | 2002-09-17 | 2004-04-01 | Shen-Chang Tsao | Pushbutton of touch pad of electronic device |
US6964532B1 (en) * | 2004-05-24 | 2005-11-15 | Lite-On It Corporation | Key array structure |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ES2304891A1 (en) * | 2007-04-04 | 2008-10-16 | Bsh Electrodomesticos España, S.A. | Keyboard for a household appliance and method for its installation |
US8178802B2 (en) | 2008-07-31 | 2012-05-15 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Unitized appliance control panel assembly and components of the assembly |
US20100177494A1 (en) * | 2009-01-14 | 2010-07-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Control panel assembly and washing machine having the same |
US8179697B2 (en) * | 2009-01-14 | 2012-05-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Control panel assembly and washing machine having the same |
CN102535096A (en) * | 2012-02-10 | 2012-07-04 | 深圳市振邦实业有限公司 | Cleaning product, and cleaning control method and cleaning controller for cleaning product |
US9741508B2 (en) | 2014-03-27 | 2017-08-22 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Panel assembly and button tree therefor |
WO2023277414A1 (en) * | 2021-06-28 | 2023-01-05 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Clothes processing apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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KR20050081462A (en) | 2005-08-19 |
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Legal Events
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LG ELECTRONICS INC., KOREA, REPUBLIC OF Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KIM, JAE KYUM;KIM, GEON;HUR, CHI WAN;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:015906/0595 Effective date: 20040720 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |