IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,915,553
Granted Patent B2
US 7,915,553 · App. 12/719,887 · Granted Mar 29, 2011

Touch switch for electrical appliances and electrical appliance provided with such switch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,915,553
App. No.
12/719,887
Granted
Mar 29, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A touch switch for an electrical appliance having a capacitive flat electrode, a light source, a transparent cover and a printed circuit board connected to the electrode is disclosed. The light source is mounted on a face of the printed circuit board opposite the transparent cover and the printed circuit board presents a cut-out for allowing light transmission from the light source towards the transparent cover.

Claims (15)

1. A capacitive touch switch for an appliance comprising:

a non-conductive transparent cover;

a printed circuit board below the non-conductive transparent cover, said printed circuit board including a first side, an opposing second side and a cut-out portion;

an electrode mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board adjacent the cut-out portion and opposite the non-conductive transparent cover; and

a light source mounted across the cut-out portion with an air gap being maintained between the light source and the transparent cover, and the light emitted by the light source being directed through the cut-out portion of the printed circuit board towards the non-conductive transparent cover.

2. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , wherein the light source is mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board.

3. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , further comprising: a capacitive flat sensor portion provided on the non-conductive transparent cover.

4. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , further comprising: a second electrode mounted on the second side of the printed circuit board adjacent the cut-out portion and opposite the non-conductive transparent cover.

5. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a seven-segment display.

6. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a reverse-mounted LED.

7. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board is fixed to the non-conductive transparent cover by a non-conductive adhesive.

8. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , further comprising: an auxiliary layer interposed between the non-conductive transparent cover and the printed circuit board, the auxiliary layer having a transparent zone through which the light from the light source is directed.

9. The capacitive touch switch of claim 8 , further comprising: an opaque icon provided at the transparent zone of the auxiliary layer.

10. The capacitive touch switch of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary layer is a light filtering polymeric film.

11. The capacitive touch switch of claim 1 , further comprising: metal pins fixing the light source to the printed circuit board.