DE102023131399A1 - household appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (1) which is a laundry treatment machine, such as a washing machine, dryer or washer-dryer, a cooking appliance, a refrigeration appliance or a dishwasher (1) with an outer wall section (3) arranged on a first side (2) of the household appliance (1) and having a door opening (4), and a lighting element (6) arranged in an inner circumferential region (5) of the door opening (4) along a circumferential direction of the door opening (4). The lighting element (6) has at least one lighting element segment (7). Each of the at least one lighting element segments (7) has a light guide body (71) and a light source device (72) which is designed to emit light. The light guide body (71) has a light coupling region (73) opposite the light source device (72), a light coupling region (74), and light distribution structures (75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 76a) which are designed to distribute light emitted by the light source device (72) and coupled into the light coupling region (73) uniformly over the light coupling region (74) by means of at least two of light refraction, light reflection, and light transmission.

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance, for example a laundry treatment machine, according to claim 1 and to lighting structures in the region of a door of the household appliance.

Front-loading or front-loading appliances, such as washing machines or tumble dryers, typically have a loading opening at their front for loading or unloading laundry to be treated. This loading opening can be closed by a door. Such a door typically comprises at least a door element and a door panel.

In known laundry treatment machines, it is possible to illuminate the interior or the loading opening. In known laundry treatment machines, it is also possible to create lighting effects within the user's field of vision. The location of these lighting effects is essentially limited to a specific area around a light source. To overcome this limitation, light guides are also known that can guide light from a light source to a location spaced apart from the light source.

Individually arranged light sources or fiber optic outputs lead to visible fluctuations in the light intensity of lighting and lighting effects.

To suppress such fluctuations, the light source density and thus the number of light sources usually has to be increased.

On the one hand, a large number of light sources leads to increased production costs. On the other hand, a large number of light sources requires more space. In the area of laundry treatment machines, this also leads to increased complexity with regard to the electrical supply of the light sources, particularly with regard to the necessary water protection of both the light sources and the corresponding supply and control lines.

There is therefore a need to achieve homogeneous lighting in the area of a door of a laundry treatment machine with the smallest possible number of necessary light sources.

According to the invention, the described problem is solved by a household appliance according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

A household appliance according to the invention comprises an outer wall section arranged on a first side of the appliance with a door opening, and a lighting element arranged in an inner circumferential region of the door opening along a circumferential direction of the door opening. The lighting element has at least one lighting element segment. Each of the at least one lighting element segments has a light guide body and a light source device configured to emit light. The light guide body has a light coupling region opposite the light source device, a light coupling region, and light distribution structures configured to distribute light emitted by the light source device and coupled into the light coupling region evenly over the light coupling region by means of at least two effects of light refraction, light reflection, and light transmission.

In the following, reference is made to a laundry treatment machine, but the measures and effects mentioned generally apply to front-loading household appliances.

By utilising at least two optical-physical effects such as light refraction, i.e. a change in the direction of propagation of the light in the light guide when the light is deflected at the interface between two media with different densities or refractive indices, light reflection, i.e. a return of the light, and light transmission, i.e. a propagation of the light in the medium of the light guide without deflection or without a change in direction, objects or areas can not only be illuminated in a point-by-point manner but, in the best case, can be illuminated or illuminated almost homogeneously through a principle-based division and distribution of one or more beams of rays emanating from the light source device, which can also enlarge the illuminated or illuminated area. The use of at least two optical-physical effects enables, in particular, a needs-based design of the light or illumination pattern.

A light coupling region is an area (e.g., an outer surface area) of the light guide body where light can enter the light guide body. A light coupling region is also an area (e.g., an outer surface area) of the light guide body where light can exit the light guide body.

According to the invention, the light distribution structures can be formed by means of interfaces between two different optical media.

This enables particularly simple exploitation of optical-physical effects such as light refraction and light reflection.

According to the invention, the light distribution structures can have an effect region of a second optical medium different from a first optical medium of the light coupling region, which effect region is formed in the light guide body opposite the light coupling region.

By introducing such an effect region into the beam path or at least part of the beam path of the coupled light, desired optical-physical effects can be advantageously imposed on the light.

According to the invention, the effect region can be designed in such a way to reflect light coming from the light coupling region in a first section of the effect region to an outer peripheral section of the lighting element formed by the light guide body of the lighting element segment, and the light distribution structures can have a wave-shaped surface of the outer peripheral section of the lighting element formed by the light guide body of the lighting element segment, which is designed in such a way to reflect light reflected from the effect region in the direction of a first partial section of the light coupling region.

By reflecting light toward an outer periphery of the lighting element, a large spread of the light can be achieved, which would lead to a distribution of the light across the light output region even without the wave-shaped surface of the outer periphery of the lighting element. However, the wave-shaped design of the surface of the outer periphery of the lighting element also ensures that at least a large portion of the light rays from a lighting element segment (a large portion of the light from the light source device of the lighting element segment) reaches the light output region of the same lighting element segment. In other words, this also prevents stray light from neighboring lighting element segments from entering a lighting element segment. In addition to a homogeneous light distribution across the light output region, this also allows different light output regions (of different lighting element segments) to be illuminated differently by appropriately controlling the respective light source devices. In this way, different light or illumination patterns can be triggered across the entire (optionally circumferential) lighting element. Such light or lighting images can serve aesthetic purposes on the one hand, but on the other hand they can also be used to transmit information (e.g. the status of the laundry treatment machine, a user instruction).

The outer peripheral portion of the lighting element formed by the light guide body of the lighting element segment can essentially be circular segment-shaped. However, it is also conceivable for the outer peripheral portion of the lighting element to form, for example, a straight line or a convex polygon.

According to the invention, the effect region can have a triangular basic cross-section with a tip facing the light coupling region, and the first section can be provided on two leg surfaces of the effect region adjacent to the tip facing the light coupling region.

In this way, an even larger area can be illuminated or illuminated through simple design measures. Because two sides of a triangle or a triangular structure serve to split or spread one or more beams emanating from the light source device, with the respective splitting or spreading occurring in opposite directions, the distances traveled by light rays in the light guide body are shorter for equally sized partial areas of the light output region reached. Conversely, without such a two-sided splitting or spreading, the partial areas of the light output region reached by light rays would be smaller for equally long distances traveled by light rays in the light guide body.

A triangular basic cross-section should not be limited to a triangle with straight sides. In particular, the leg surfaces adjacent to the tip facing the light coupling area can be concavely rounded. Microstructures can also be incorporated into these leg surfaces for targeted reflection. The side opposite the tip does not have to be straight, but can be concave or convex, or in another complex shape, as long as the basic triangular appearance is retained. Likewise, the corners of the triangular basic shape do not have to be a point, but can also be chamfered, rounded, or formed by a polygon. While an isosceles triangle, in which the base forms the side opposite the tip, is preferred as the basic shape, the invention not limited to such a basic shape. In particular, the invention is not limited to a symmetrical design of the triangular basic cross-section of the effect area.

According to the invention, the effect region can be designed in such a way to allow light coming from the light coupling region to enter the effect region in a second section of the effect region, and the effect region can have scattering structures in a third section of the effect region which are designed in such a way to scatter light which has passed through the effect region by means of light refraction in the direction of a second partial section of the light coupling region.

By refraction of light, a large spread of the light can be achieved. This leads to a homogeneous light distribution, at least over a portion of the light output area. The special inventive design of the effect area also allows the change between optical media on the rear side of the effect area—as seen in the direction of the luminous flux—to be utilized.

In the simplest case, the scattering structures can be designed as a flat surface, whereby the spreading of the light is achieved solely by different angles of incidence and thus different angles of refraction. According to the invention, however, a greater spreading and a more homogeneous distribution can be achieved by changing the normal direction of the surface at which the change between optical media takes place. The changes can be regular or irregular. For example, a composition of essentially flat surfaces that are not or only partially parallel to one another is conceivable. In general, the changes can be embodied by depressions and elevations. The scattering structures can also comprise prisms or microprisms of various shapes.

According to the invention, the scattering structures can have groove depressions with a triangular cross-section.

This design allows the refraction directions of incident light to be set in a particularly predictable manner.

Triangular cross-section should not be understood as being limited to a geometrically exact triangle, but should include deviations such as rounded corners or concave or convex side surfaces, as long as the basic triangular appearance is retained.

The groove depressions can also be trapezoidal or have rounded waves.

Furthermore, the grooves do not have to be uniform across their entire length. This means that the cross-section of a groove can vary along its length, or the cross-sections of two adjacent grooves can be different.

According to the invention, the scattering structures can have ridge elevations with a triangular cross-section.

This design allows the refraction directions of incident light to be set in a particularly predictable manner.

Triangular cross-section should not be understood as being limited to a geometrically exact triangle, but should include deviations such as rounded corners or concave or convex side surfaces, as long as the basic triangular appearance is retained.

The ridge elevations can also be trapezoidal or designed using rounded waves.

The ridge elevations also do not have to be uniform across their entire length. This means that the cross-section of a ridge elevation can vary along its length, or the cross-sections of two adjacent ridge elevations can be different.

According to the invention, the effect region may have a triangular basic cross-section with a tip facing the light coupling region, and the second section may be provided at the tip facing the light coupling region.

A triangular basic cross-section should not be limited to a triangle with straight sides. In particular, the side surfaces adjacent to the apex facing the light coupling area can be concavely rounded. The side opposite the apex does not have to be straight either, but can be concave or convex or have another complex shape, as long as the basic triangular appearance is retained. Likewise, the corners of the triangular basic shape, and in particular the apex facing the light coupling area, do not have to be designed as actual apex, but can also be chamfered or rounded, or formed by a polygonal line. While an isosceles triangle, While a preferred basic shape is a triangular cross-section, in which the base forms the side opposite the tip, the invention is not limited to such a basic shape. In particular, the invention is not limited to a symmetrical design of the triangular basic cross-section of the effect area.

According to the invention, the effect area can be an air-filled recess in the light guide body.

In this way, material and weight can be advantageously saved, since air is also an optical medium and, in particular, a different optical medium from the light guide material according to the invention. Furthermore, the use of an air-filled recess simplifies the manufacturing process compared to filling it with another light-conducting medium.

However, the invention is not limited to an air filling. Filling with another optical medium is also conceivable, for example, to achieve specific refraction or reflection performance (or angles).

According to the invention, the light guide body can be designed in such a way as to guide light coming from the light coupling region past the effect region in the direction of a third partial region of the light coupling region.

In this way, light can also be advantageously supplied to areas of the light output region that cannot be reached by refraction and reflection in order to promote homogeneous illumination of the entire light output region.

According to the invention, the light guide body can be made of a transparent or translucent material.

Transparent material refers to material that allows light to pass through. Translucency refers to partial light transmission. In particular, light rays propagate in a straight line through transparent material, whereas light rays are scattered to a greater or lesser extent through translucent material.

According to the invention, each of the at least one lighting element segments can be partially circular.

Combining multiple lighting element segments into one lighting element (or the combined production of multiple lighting element segments as a lighting element) advantageously results in a circular or circular-like or at least substantially circumferential shape, which preferably matches the geometry of the door opening of the laundry treatment machine. Substantially circumferential means that one circuit of the lighting element may also be interrupted, for example, due to design or installation reasons.

According to the invention, the light guide body can have at least one rough surface.

By using rough surfaces, diffuse light can be generated, which can promote homogeneous illumination of the entire light output area or of objects or areas illuminated by it.

According to the invention, the light source device can comprise a first light source and a second light source, wherein preferably the first light source is configured to emit light of a first color and the second light source is configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color.

By using multiple colors, different light or lighting images can be created even more specifically for aesthetic purposes and, for example, for the transmission of information (e.g., a status of the laundry treatment machine, a user instruction).

The light source device may, for example, also comprise a single light source which is a multi-color light source (for example a multi-color LED).

The light source device may also comprise more than two light sources, each of which differs in the color of the light emitted. The light source device may also comprise multiple light sources of the same color.

According to the invention, the laundry treatment machine can have a door element arranged in the door opening with a door panel attached to the door element, wherein in a closed state of the door element a circumferential gap remains between the door panel and the outer wall section, wherein the light decoupling region is designed to couple out light in the direction of the circumferential gap.

In this way, the emitted light (and thus, for example, the transmitted information) can be perceived by a user at any time without the lighting element or even the light source devices involved having to be visible.

In general, a front-loading household appliance can be a laundry machine, such as a washing machine, dryer, or washer-dryer, a cooking appliance, a refrigeration appliance, or a dishwasher. All versions can also be designed for commercial use.

• 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Wäschebehandlungsmaschine;
• 2 schematisch eine weitere perspektivische Ansicht einer Wäschebehandlungsmaschine;
• 3 einen Türspaltbereich entlang eines Schnittes A-A' in 2;
• 4 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Abschnitts eines Beleuchtungselements an einer Außenwand der Wäschebehandlungsmaschine;
• 5 eine Vorderansicht eines Abschnitts eines Beleuchtungselements;
• 6 eine Vorderansicht eines Abschnitts eines Beleuchtungselementsegments;
• 7 eine schematische Darstellung des Türspaltbereichs entlang eines Schnittes A-A' in 2; und
• 8 eine Draufsicht eines Abschnitts eines Beleuchtungselements.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment with reference to the figures.

• 1 a perspective view of a laundry treatment machine;
• 2 schematically shows another perspective view of a laundry treatment machine;
• 3 a door gap area along a section AA' in 2 ;
• 4 a perspective view of a portion of a lighting element on an outer wall of the laundry treatment machine;
• 5 a front view of a portion of a lighting element;
• 6 a front view of a portion of a lighting element segment;
• 7 a schematic representation of the door gap area along a section AA' in 2 ; and
• 8 a plan view of a section of a lighting element.

1 shows a perspective view of a laundry treatment machine 1, in particular a drum washing machine as an example of a laundry treatment machine 1. In its front side (front, 2), in particular also in an outer wall 3 of the front side 2, the drum washing machine 1 has a loading opening or door opening 4, which can be closed by means of a door 8.

2 shows schematically a further perspective view of the laundry treatment machine 1. The door opening 4 has an inner circumference 5, which, in a closed state of the door 8, together with the door 8, forms a gap 9. In 2 a section AA' is drawn. 3 shows a door gap area along section AA' in 2 .

As from 3 As can be seen, a lighting element 6 is arranged in the region of the inner circumference 5 of the door opening. A light output region 74 of the lighting element 6 is oriented toward the gap 9 between the inner circumference 5 of the door opening (bounded by the outer wall 3) and the door 8 (in particular a door panel 81) in order to illuminate at least one of the gap 9 itself, the door panel 81, and the outer wall 3.

Gap lighting can serve both decorative and functional purposes. Gap lighting illuminates the gap 9 between the front or outer wall 3 and the door 8 of washing machines or tumble dryers, so that the emitted light can be seen by a user at any time.

Functional purposes include, for example, the transmission of information to the user. For example, during loading and washing operation, an entire ring formed by the lighting element 6 according to the invention can illuminate white. A running light that visualizes the rotation of a drum of the laundry treatment machine 1 is also conceivable. When, after the end of a laundry treatment program, for example a washing program, the door 8 is released for opening, for example, only two segments 7 of the lighting element 6, which are arranged in an area in which the door 8 is usually touched to open it, can illuminate. In this case, the two segments 7 of the lighting element 6 can also illuminate in a different color (for example yellow or green). The remaining segments 7 of the lighting element 6 can continue to illuminate white or not illuminate at all.

Other color combinations and segment selections are conceivable depending on the information to be transmitted. For example, in the event of an error, one or more segments 7 of the lighting element 6 can be triggered to illuminate red.

4 shows a perspective view of a section of a lighting element 6 on an outer wall 3 of the laundry treatment machine 1.

5 shows a front view of a section of a lighting element 6. 6 shows a front view of a section of a lighting element segment 7 (in particular half of a lighting element segment 7), wherein exemplary beam paths and illuminated partial regions 74a, 74b, 74c of the light output region 74 are shown.

As in 4 to 6 As shown, in the exemplary drum washing machine 1, a light guide 6 constructed in segments according to the invention can be used, with which, for example, a round or circumferential slit illumination can be realized.

Each segment (lighting element segment) 7, 71 of the light guide (lighting element) 6 spans, for example, an angle of 20° and can couple in light from two independently controllable light-emitting diodes (LEDs, as an example of light sources) 72a, 72b (72), distribute it, and then couple it out again homogeneously via the inner arc (light output region) 74. For a closed circle, for example, 18 segments 7, 71 are therefore required. These can be manufactured individually or in one piece. The segment-by-segment construction makes it possible to create not only a completely closed circle, but also circular segments. Furthermore, it is conceivable to construct the light guide segments (lighting element segments) 7, 71 not as circular arcs, but in a straight, elongated form.

Because light from two LEDs 72a, 72b (72) can be coupled into each fiber optic segment 7, 71, it is possible to illuminate individual segments 7, 71 in different colors. This also allows for functional lighting, such as indicating when and where a door 8 can be opened or whether a malfunction is present.

The light guide segments 7,71 are made of a transparent or translucent material and can be provided with rough surfaces (erosion structures) in places to improve the homogeneity of the outgoing light.

7 shows a schematic representation of the door gap area along section AA' in 2 , wherein exemplary beam paths are shown within the lighting element segment 7 or the light guide body 71 of the lighting element segment 7 and outside the lighting element segment 7 (outgoing from the light coupling-out region 74). 8 shows a plan view of a section of a lighting element 6, wherein exemplary beam paths are shown in the region of the light coupling region 73 of the lighting element segment 7.

Based on 6 to 8 the functioning of the light guide segment 7, 71 is described in detail.

The light emitted by the LEDs 72a, 72b (72) is captured by the coupling surfaces (as an example of the light coupling area) 73 of the light guide 6 or a segment 7, 71 of the light guide 6. To increase efficiency, light rays that fall further out into the coupling area (light coupling area) 73 are refracted by angularly arranged surfaces so that they can be distributed further in the light guide (see 8 ).

The coupled-in light strikes a recess (as an example of the effect area) 75a in the light guide 7, 71, where a portion of the light enters the air through the tip of the recess (as an example of the second section of the effect area) 75c. At the opposite end of the recess (as an example of the third section of the effect area) 75d, there are triangularly arranged scattering surfaces that recouple the light from the air and scatter it so that it can exit homogeneously from the output surface (second subsection of the light output area) 74, 74b.

Another portion of the light that strikes the recess (as an example of the first section of the effect area) 75a, 75b is reflected due to the flat angle of incidence and transmitted laterally in the light guide 7, 71. Light that has been reflected at the recess 75a and is distributed over the flanks of the light guide 7, 71 is deflected and scattered by a series of cylindrical surfaces (as an example of the wave-shaped surface) 76a, so that it is transmitted towards the output surfaces (first subsection of the light output area) 74, 74a, where it can be homogeneously output.

Another part of the coupled-in light does not hit the recess 75a and passes it directly in the direction of the output surfaces (third part of the light output region) 74, 74c.

As from 7 As can be seen, a portion of the light from the output surface (light output region) 74 is visible to the user directly through the gap 9 between the front wall 3 and the door 8, 81. Another portion is captured at the edge of the front wall 3, which is, for example, a glass cover, and the door or its panel 81, which is, for example, also a glass cover, and is also directly output again, so that the edges of the glass covers (front wall 3, door panel 81) also appear to glow. The front wall 3 and door panel 81 are preferably designed as matte or translucent glass covers.

The invention enables a space-saving combination of decorative and functional lighting. Lighting element 6 of the laundry treatment machine 1 according to the invention is capable of capturing light from two differently colored LEDs 72a, 72b (72) per segment 7 and distributing it homogeneously over the circumference 74.

Both completely closed rings and ring segments can be realized. The fiber optic segments 7, 71 can be used as individual components or as multiple segments connected together.

Claims (15)

Household appliance (1), with an outer wall section (3) arranged on a first side (2) of the appliance (1) with a door opening (4), and a lighting element (6) arranged in an inner circumferential region (5) of the door opening (4) along a circumferential direction of the door opening (4), wherein the lighting element (6) has at least one lighting element segment (7), each of the at least one lighting element segment (7) has a light guide body (71) and a light source device (72) which is designed to emit light, characterized in that the light guide body (71) has a light coupling region (73) opposite the light source device (72), a light coupling region (74), and light distribution structures (75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 76a) which are designed to distribute light emitted by the light source device (72) and coupled into the light coupling region (73) by means of at least two light refraction, Light reflection and light transmission to be distributed evenly over the light output region (74). Household appliance (1) by Claim 1 , wherein the light distribution structures (75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 76a) are formed by means of interfaces between two different optical media. Household appliance (1) by Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the light distribution structures (75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 76a) have an effect region (75a) of a second optical medium different from a first optical medium of the light coupling region (73), which effect region is formed in the light guide body (71) opposite the light coupling region (73). Household appliance (1) by Claim 3 , wherein the effect region (75a) is designed such that it reflects light coming from the light coupling region (73) in a first section (75b) of the effect region (75a) to an outer peripheral section of the lighting element (6) formed by the light guide body (71) of the lighting element segment (7), and the light distribution structures (75a, 75b, 75c, 75d, 76a) have a wave-shaped surface (76a) of the outer peripheral section of the lighting element (6) formed by the light guide body (71) of the lighting element segment (7), which surface is designed such that it reflects light reflected from the effect region (75a) in the direction of a first partial section (74a) of the light coupling-out region (74). Household appliance (1) by Claim 4 , wherein the effect region (75a) has a triangular basic cross-section with a tip facing the light coupling region (73), and the first section (75b) is provided on two leg surfaces of the effect region (75a) adjacent to the tip facing the light coupling region (73). Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 3 until 5 , wherein the effect region (75a) is designed in such a way to allow light coming from the light coupling region (73) to enter the effect region (75a) in a second section (75c) of the effect region (75a), and the effect region (75a) has scattering structures in a third section (75d) of the effect region (75a) which are designed in such a way to scatter light which has passed through the effect region (75a) by means of light refraction in the direction of a second partial region (74b) of the light coupling region (74). Household appliance (1) by Claim 6 , wherein the scattering structures have groove depressions with a triangular cross-section, or the scattering structures have ridge elevations with a triangular cross-section. Laundry treatment machine (1) according to Claim 6 or 7 , wherein the effect region (75a) has a triangular basic cross-section with a tip facing the light coupling region (73), and the second section (75c) is provided at the tip facing the light coupling region (73). Laundry treatment machine (1) according to one of the Claims 3 until 8 , wherein the effect region (75a) is an air-filled recess in the light guide body (71). Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 3 until 9 , wherein the light guide body (71) is designed in such a way as to direct light coming from the light coupling region (73) to the effect region (75a) past in the direction of a third partial area (74c) of the light output area (74). Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , wherein the light guide body (71) is formed from a transparent or translucent material, and/or each of the at least one lighting element segments (7) is formed in a part-circular shape, and/or the light guide body (71) has at least one rough surface, and/or the light source device (72) comprises a first light source (72a) and a second light source (72b), wherein preferably the first light source (72a) is designed to emit light of a first color, and the second light source (72b) is designed to emit light of a second color different from the first color. Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 11 , wherein two or more lighting element segments (7) are arranged over the inner circumferential region (5) of the door opening (4) along a circumferential direction of the door opening (4), such that in each case a single lighting element segment (7) occupies a partial region of the inner circumference. Household appliance (1) by Claim 12 , with the door opening being circular or oval. Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 13 , further comprising a door element (8) arranged in the door opening (4) with a door panel (81) attached to the door element (8), wherein in a closed state of the door element (8) a circumferential gap (9) remains between the door panel (81) and the outer wall section (3), wherein the light decoupling region (74) is designed in such a way as to couple out light in the direction of the circumferential gap (8). Household appliance (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 14 which is a laundry treatment machine, such as a washing machine, dryer or washer-dryer, a cooking appliance, a refrigeration appliance or a dishwasher.

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