Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE INCLUDING INFORMATION LIGHT DEVICE
[0001] This application is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application
Number 2,795,986 filed on November 2, 2012.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a household appliance and more
particularly,
to a household appliance including an information light device and method
thereof that allows
a user of the household appliance to determine when the household appliance is
in operation
or not.
2. Related Art
[0003] In the related art, household appliances, such as dishwashers
typically generate
enough noise that a user may tell by the noise whether or not the dishwasher
is in operation.
However, some dishwashers may be so quiet that a user cannot hear when the
dishwasher is in
operation. Therefore, some of these dishwashers currently have an "infolight
spot" where a
light spot projected from the dishwasher shines on a kitchen floor, indicating
that the
dishwasher is in operation. When the wash cycle ends and the dishwasher turns
off, the
dishwasher turns off the infolight spot so that the light spot on the kitchen
floor disappears. By
the appearance and disappearance of the light spot, the user knows when the
dishwasher is in
operation or not.
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[0004] The present invention introduces a household appliance with an
information light
device referred herein as an "infolight glow", where instead of a light spot,
the infolight glow
produces a band or stripe of light (e.g., about as long as a width of the
household appliance) onto
the floor to indicate an operating status of the household appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] One aspect of the invention is to provide a visual indication of
whether or not an
appliance is in operation which can be seen from relatively far distances
(e.g., from the other side
of the room or from an adjacent room).
[0006] Another aspect of the invention relates a household appliance
comprising an
information light device disposed adjacent a side portion of the appliance.
The information light
device includes a light guide that extends along a substantial length of the
side portion and is
configured to emit light in accordance with an on/off status of the appliance.
[0007] Another aspect of the invention relates a a method of indicating
an operating status
of a household appliance comprising the steps of providing a light guide on an
appliance;
generating light by a light source through the light guide when the appliance
is in operation; and
projecting the light onto an exterior surface of the appliance or a surface
adjacent the appliance.
10008] Another aspect of the invention relates a household appliance
comprising a main
body, at least one light emitting diode (LED) disposed in an upper portion of
the main body, and a
door pivotally coupled to the main body, wherein the LED is configured to emit
light in
accordance with an on/off status of tli;appliance, the LED is configured to
project the light away
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from the LED such that the light appears as an area of light on a surface, and
the surface is
part of the door or part of a member adjacent the door.
[0008a] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a
method of indicating an operating status of a household appliance, the
household appliance
comprising at least one information light device and at least one light guide,
each at least one
light guide corresponding to each at least one information light device, and a
plurality of
windows positioned in a spaced arrangement on the household appliance, the
method
comprising: generating light from the at least one information light device
along a
longitudinal axis of the corresponding at least one light guide in accordance
with a status of
the household appliance; and simultaneously directing the light from the at
least one
information light device through the plurality of windows in a direction
perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the corresponding at least one light guide to project the
light onto an
exterior surface of the household appliance or a surface adjacent to the
household appliance to
signal to a user the status of the household appliance.
[0008b] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a
household appliance comprising: at least one information light device; at
least one light guide,
each at least one light guide corresponding to each at least one information
light device; and a
plurality of windows positioned in a spaced arrangement on the household
appliance, wherein
the at least one information light device is configured to generate light
along a longitudinal
axis of the corresponding at least one light guide in accordance with a status
of the household
appliance; and wherein the at least one information light device is configured
to
simultaneously direct the light through the plurality of windows in a
direction perpendicular to
the longitudinal axis of the corresponding at least one light guide to project
the light onto an
exterior surface of the household appliance or a surface adjacent to the
household appliance to
signal to a user the status of the household appliance.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other features of this disclosure will be more readily
understood
from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the
disclosure taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various exemplary
embodiments of
the disclosure, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of a household appliance including an information light
device known as an "infolight glow" according to an exemplary embodiment of
the invention;
Fig. 2 depicts a light guide according to an exemplary embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 3 depicts the light guide of Fig. 2 disposed on an inside at a bottom
area of
a door of the household appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 4 depicts the light guide of Fig. 2 assembled on a bottom surface of the
household appliance, such as on a lower side of a toe panel according to an
exemplary
embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a light guide in a
lower portion thereof according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the dishwasher door of Fig. 5;
Fig. 6-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 6-1 --6-1 in Fig. 6;
Fig. 6-2 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 6-1;
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Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having a toe panel and
including
a door having a light guide in a lower Portion thereof according to another
embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 7-1 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 6-2 showing an adjustment
mechanism for adjusting a location of the light guide according to another
embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a light guide in an
upper
portion thereof according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 9 is a top view of the dishwasher door of Fig. 8;
Fig. 9-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 9-1--9-1 in Fig. 9;
Fig. 9-2 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 9-1;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a dishwasher door having a recessed handle
area
and a light guide disposed in an upper portion of the door according to
another embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. ills a front view of the dishwasher door of Fig. 10;
Fig. 11-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 11-1--11-1 in Fig. 11;
Fig. 11-2 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 11-1;
Fig. 12 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having a light guide in
an upper
portion thereof according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 13 is a¨top view of the dishwasher of Fig. 12;
Fig. 13-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 13-1--13-1 in Fig. 13;
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Fig. 13-2 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 13-1;
Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail taken from a cross-sectional view of a
dishwasher
according to another embodiment of the invention similar to the view in Fig.
13-2;
Fig. 14-1 is an enlarged detail taken from a cross-sectional view of a
dishwasher
according to another embodiment of the invention similar to the view in Fig.
13-2;
Fig. 15 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having light guides or
LED's in
an upper portion thereof according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 16 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having light guides or
LED's in
an upper portion thereof and a door with a recessed handle area according to
another embodiment
of the invention;
Fig. 17 is a partial perspective view of a dishwasher having light guides or
LED's in
an upper portion thereof according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 18 is a top view of the dishwasher of Fig. 17;
Fig. 18-1 is a cross-sectional view along the line 18-1-48-1 in Fig, 18;
Fig. 18-2 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 18-1;
Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the light guide of Fig. 2;
Fig. 20 is a front view of the light guide of Fig. 19;
Fig. 21 is a right side view of the light guide of Fig. 19;
Fig. 22 is a left side view of the light guide of Fig. 19; and
Figi-..23-1 and 23-2 are block diagrams representing a process of indicating
an
operating status of a household appliance according to an exemplary embodiment
of the invention.
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[0010] The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to
portray specific
parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict only typical
embodiments of the
invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the
invention. In the
drawings, like numbering represents like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION .
100111 Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance of
the present
invention, such as a dishwasher 10. The dishwasher 10 may comprise a door 2
which is suitable
for tiltable opening via a pivotable connection to the dishwasher. On a lower
side of the door 2,
the dishwasher 10 may include a base cover or toe panel 3. The base cover/toe
panel 3 may
protect a user of the dishwasher 10 from inadvertently accessing a space where
the electronics and
other functional components (not shown) of the dishwasher 10 may be located,
thereby protecting
both the user for safety purposes and the electronic components from damage.
The dishwasher 10
may further include a door seal 4 plugged onto the base cover/toe panel 3 to
seal a space between
the door 2 of the household appliance and the toe panel 3.
[00121 On a lower side of the door 2 or base cover/toe panel 3, the
dishwasher may include
an information light device 20 known as an "infolight glow" that produces a
band or stripe of light
on a floor of the dishwasher across a substantially large width of the
dishwasher to indicate an
operating status of the dishwasher. The information light device 20 is
configured to produce the
stripe of light when the on/off status of the dishwasher is "on," or in other
words, during a wash
cycle. Not only does the information light device 20 project light over a
larger area on the floor
which increases visibility particularly from relatively far distances (e.g.,
across a room), but the
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information light device 20 also produces a glow as compared to the "infolight
spot" which also
enhances visibility especially from relatively far distances.
[0013] Fig. 2 depicts an information light device 20 according to an
exemplary
embodiment of the invention. The information light device 20 may include a
housing 21 as a light
guide or wave guide as known in the art and shown in Figs. 2 and 19-22. A
light source 22 may be
disposed on at least one end of the light guide 21, wherein the light source
22 generates light that
travels through the light guide 21. The light guide 21 may be structured to
allow at least part of the
light to exit the light guide 21 in a direction that is perpendicular to the
light guide and onto the
floor. The light guide 21 may be formed of a side glow fiber or other material
known in the art for
use as a light guide or wave guide. Further, the light source 22 may be a
light-emitting diode
(LED).
[0014] The light guide 21 may be placed on the household appliance in
locations that allow
for light to shine in a band or stripe of light along the floor on which the
dishwasher is disposed.
Fig. 3 depicts the light guide 21 disposed on an inside at a bottom area of
the door 2. Fig. 4
depicts the light guide 21 assembled on a bottom surface of the dishwasher,
such as on a lower side
of the toe panel 3. As depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, the length of the light
guide may be about equal to
the width of the dishwasher/household appliance 10.
[0015] The door seal 4 that seals a space between the door 2 of the
dishwasher/household
appliance 10 and the toe panel 3 may be formed, for example, from a
transparent Polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) material that allows the light exiting the light guide 21 to
travel fr-om the light
guide 21, through the door seal 4, and onto a floor where the household
appliance is disposed. Of
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course, other materials may be used for the door seal 4 that typically include
a hard component for
support and a soft component for flexibility. Further, in another embodiment
of the
dishwasher/household appliance 10, tir door seal 4 may be disposed of entirely
so that the light
that perpendicularly exits the light guide 21 shines directly onto the floor.
[0016] To ensure that the band or stripe of light along the floor of the
dishwasher/household appliance 10 is crisp or clear, one or more lenses (not
shown) may be
included to focus the light that exits the light guide 21.
[0017] In another embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to 6-2, a dishwasher door
210 may include
a window 220 in a bottom surface 218 thereof through which light from the
light guide 21 is
projected onto the floor adjacent the door 210. The "windows" described herein
include openings
fitted with a transparent material. It is noted that inclusion of the
transparent material is optional.
As best shown in Fig. 5, the door 210 also includes side surfaces 214 (only
one is shown), a front
surface 212, and a top surface 216. Referring particularly to Fig. 6-2, the
light guide 21 extends
along a bottom portion of the door 210 and projects light through the window
220. The
transparent material of the window 220 may have a planar configuration, or may
be angled as
shown in Fig. 6-2.
[0018] In another embodiment, a dishwasher 300 includes a toe panel 322
below the door
210, as shown in Fig. 7. .
[0019] Additionally, the location of the light guide 21 in the dishwasher
may be adjusted to
control the location and/or width W of the band or stripe of light which
appears on the floor, as
shown for example in Fig. 7-1. The dishwasher may include a mechanism for
adjusting the
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location of the light guide both horizontally in the directions of the arrow A
and vertically in the
directions of the arrow B. The mechanism may be used to prevent the band or
stripe of light from
appearing on the toe panel 322.
[0020] Instead of projecting light onto the floor adjacent the
dishwasher, the light guide
may be arranged in a top portion of the dishwasher door to project light onto
an adjacent surface
(e.g., underside of countertop, recessed handle area of dishwasher).
[0021] For example, in an embodiment shown in Figs. 8 to 9-2, a
dishwasher door 410 may
include a window 420 in a top surface 416 thereof through which light from a
light guide 21 is
projected above the door 410 and onto a surface (e.g., underside of
countertop) adjacent the door.
The door 410 may include a handle 424 disposed on a front surface of the door
which a user may
grasp to aid in opening the door 410.
[0022] Turning to Figs. 10 to 11-2, in another embodiment, a dishwasher
door 510 includes
a recessed handle area 526 disposed on a front surface 512 thereof. The
recessed handle area 526
is recessed into the front surface 526 and may include a handle portion to aid
in opening/closing
the door. The recessed handle area 526 includes a window 520 extending in the
width direction of
the door 510 and an adjacent inclined surface 528. The light guide 21 is
disposed in an upper
portion of the door 510 and projects light downwardly through the window 520
and onto the
inclined surface 528 where the light is visible to a user.
100231 In another embodiment, a dishwasher 600 includes a main body 605
and a door
610, as shown in Figs. 12 to 13-2. The door 610 includes a window 620 in a top
surface 616
thereof. A light guide 21 is disposed in an upper portion of the main body
605. The light guide 21
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projects light through an interior window 630 in the main body 605 and into an
adjacent upper
portion of the door 610 which includes a window 640. The upper portion of the
door 610 also
houses a reflector 632 which reflects the light through the window 620 formed
in the top surface
616 of the door 610. The reflector 632 may be angled appropriately to direct
the light as desired.
[0024] The main body 605 may also include a window 650 below the light
guide which
may be utilized to direct light downwardly into the main body 605 of the
dishwasher when the
door 610 is open. The light may have a blue or red hue to provide an
aesthetically appealing
effect. It will be appreciated that other colors may be used.
[0025] In yet another embodiment, a door 710 having a recessed handle
area 726 may be
used with the main body 605, as shown in Fig. 14. The recessed handle area 726
includes a
window 720 extending in the width direction of the door 710 and an adjacent
inclined surface 728.
In this configuration, the upper portion of the door 710 houses a reflector
732 which reflects the
light downwardly through the window 720 and onto the inclined surface 728 in
the recessed area
726. The reflector 732 may be angled appropriately to direct the light as
desired. In another
embodiment, shown in Fig. 14-1, the recessed handle area 726-1 may extend into
an interior of the
main body 605 when the door 710-1 is closed. By this arrangement, light from
the light guide 21
may be directed downwardly through a window 720-1 in the recessed handle area
and onto the
inclined surface 728-1.
10026] In alternative embodiments the light guide 21 may only extend
partially across a
width of the dishwasher. Multiple light guides may also be used. Additionally,
to meet space
requirements, the information light device 20 may exist only of an LED. For
instance, the
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arrangements shown in Figs. 12 to 13-2 and 14 may be modified as shown in
Figs. 15 and 16 to
include two shorter spaced-apart light guides (or two spaced-apart LED's) 21.
As a result, the top
surface of the door may include two spaced-apart windows 820 aligned with the
light guides or
LED's, as shown in Fig. 15. Likewise, in an embodiment including a recessed
handle area, light
may be directed downwardly through two spaced-apart windows 920, as shown in
Fig. 16. In yet
another embodiment, a dishwasher main body 1005 may include the spaced-apart
light guides or
LED's 21 and may be configured to direct the light directly upwardly through
windows 1020
formed in the main body, as shown in Figs. 17 to 18-2.
[0027] It is noted that the windows described herein may be open areas or
areas including a
material sufficiently transparent to allow the light to pass therethrough.
Further, the information
light device may be disposed near any side of the appliance (e.g, dishwasher)
or appliance door,
including lateral sides in addition to the upper and lower regions described
herein.
[0028] An exemplary method of the invention is depicted in Fig. 23-1. In
step 510, the
method may include generating light by a light source through a light guide,
wherein light exits the
light guide in at least a direction that is perpendicular to the light guide.
In step 520, the method
may include focusing the light as it exits the light guide.
[0029] In another example represented in Fig. 23-2, the method may
include a step 610 of
providing a light guide on an appliance. In step 620, the method may include
generating light by a
light source through the light guide when the appliance is in operation. In
step 630, the light is
projected onto an exterior surface of the appliance or a surface adjacent the
appliance.
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[0030] The appliance (e.g. dishwasher) may include a controller having at
least one
programmable processor that is controlled by instructions on a computer
readable medium to
implement a method according to the disclosed technology (e.g., the method
steps described
above).
[0031] It is noted that the steps described above are not intended to be
an exhaustive list of
the numerous steps of the disclosed method that may be carried out through
control of a processor.
Further, steps 610,620 and 630 may each belong to a separate method, or may be
implemented as
part of any of steps 510 and 520, or may further be carried out as separate
steps in any suitable
order with regard to steps 510 and 520.
[0032) While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated
and described
herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art.
It is, therefore, to be
understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such
modifications and changes as
fall within the true spirit of the invention.
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