Laundry treatment apparatus

A laundry treatment apparatus is described. The laundry treatment apparatus includes a rotary control. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a lighting surface that includes a plurality of first parts that have a first translucence, where a first set of the first parts that are located at lower positions of the circumference have shorter arc lengths than a second set of the first parts that are located at upper positions of the circumference.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0047651, filed on Apr. 21, 2014 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, whose entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This application relates to a laundry treatment apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In general, a laundry treatment apparatus is an apparatus that applies physical and chemical actions to laundry for treating the laundry. The laundry treatment apparatus includes a washer for removing contaminants from laundry, a spin-dryer for rotating a washing tub, in which laundry is placed, to spin-dry the laundry, and a dryer for supplying cool air or hot air into a washing tub to dry wet laundry.

The laundry treatment apparatus is provided with a control panel having various input means for allowing a user to manipulate the laundry treatment apparatus. In particular, a rotary switch may be mounted at the control panel. Menus selected by the rotary switch may be displayed around the rotary switch. In addition, a plurality of light sources assigned to the respective menus may be mounted at the control panel. The light sources may be turned on according to rotation of the rotary switch to indicate currently selected menus.

In general, the surface of the control panel on which the menus are displayed is directed ahead of the laundry treatment apparatus such that a user located ahead of the laundry treatment apparatus can easily manipulate the rotary switch. The light sources are arranged along a predetermined circumference. Bright parts are formed on the surface on which the menus are displayed by light emitted from the light sources. The positions of the bright parts function to indicate currently selected menus.

SUMMARY

According to an innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a laundry treatment apparatus includes a rotary control; and a lighting surface that includes a plurality of first parts that have a first translucence, where a first set of the first parts that are located at lower positions of the circumference have shorter arc lengths than a second set of the first parts that are located at upper positions of the circumference.

The laundry treatment apparatus may include one or more of the following optional features. The first set of the first parts are located within a visual angle increase section of the circumference, and the visual angle increase section includes a section of the circumference in which visual angles to arc segments on the circumference that have a same length gradually increase when viewed from above as the arc segments have lower positions on the circumference. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a control panel that includes the lighting surface; a plurality of light sources that are located along the circumference and that are configured to blink the first parts along the circumference in response to a rotation of the rotary control; and a light guide that is located inside the control panel, that defines a light source receiving space around a circumference of the light guide, and that includes a plurality of division walls that divide the light source receiving space into a plurality of receiving units that are each configured to receive at least one of the plurality of light sources.

A first set of the receiving units that are located at lower positions of the circumference and that correspond to the first set of the bright parts are configured to have shorter arc lengths than a second set of the receiving units that are located at upper positions of the circumference. A first set of the division walls that are located at lower positions of the circumference and that are configured to divide the receiving units that correspond to the first set of the first parts have longer arc lengths than a second set of the division walls that are located at lower positions of the circumference.

The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a window that includes an incident surface, upon which light emitted from the plurality of light sources is incident, and a light path that is configured to guide the incident light to the lighting surface, where the window includes light transmission regions that each correspond to a respective receiving unit and light shielding regions each located between respective light transmission regions, the light transmission regions each being configured to transmit light emitted from a respective light source to a respective first part, the light shielding regions each being configured to transmit light emitted from the respective light source to a respective second part of the lighting surface that has a second translucence that is lower than the first translucence. Some of the light shielding regions located in the visual angle increase section have gradually increasing arc lengths as the light shielding regions have lower positions of the circumference.

Some of the light transmission regions located in the visual angle increase section have gradually decreasing arc lengths as the light transmission regions have lower positions of the circumference. The rotary control is configured to select menus on the control panel. The lighting surface includes an indication region that is configured to indicate, using the first parts, a selected menu and a non-indication region that is different from the indication region. The first set of the first parts are located in the indication region.

According to another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a laundry treatment apparatus includes a rotary control; and a lighting surface that includes a plurality of first parts that have a first translucence, where based on the circumference being viewed from a predetermined visual point located above the lighting surface, some of the first parts, located in a visual angle increase section of the circumference, and where visual angles, to arc segments on the circumference that have a same length gradually increase as the arc segments are gradually more distant from the visual point, have shorter arc lengths along the circumference as the first parts are more distant from the predetermined visual point.

The laundry treatment apparatus may include one or more of the following optional features. The rotary control is a rotary knob. The lighting surface has a plurality of second parts that have a second translucence that is lower than the first translucence. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a plurality of light sources that are located along the circumference and that are configured to blink the first parts along the circumference in response to a rotation of the rotary control.

It is an object of the subject matter described in this application to provide a laundry treatment apparatus that is capable of enabling a user to correctly recognize a menu selected according to rotation of a rotary knob.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates an example laundry treatment apparatus.FIG. 2illustrates an example control panel. Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the laundry treatment apparatus may include a cabinet2forming the external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus and a control panel4supported by the cabinet2.

The cabinet2is provided at the inside thereof with a space, in which a drum6for receiving laundry is disposed. Other components, such as a motor and a pump, are disposed in the cabinet2. Furthermore, the cabinet2may be provided with a laundry introduction port3, through which laundry is introduced into the cabinet2.

The cabinet2may be formed by bending a single member a plurality of times. Alternatively, a plurality of members may be coupled to form the cabinet2. The cabinet2may include a base pan, a cabinet body8mounted at the base pan, the cabinet body8having a space in which a tub is disposed, a cabinet cover10disposed at the front of the cabinet body8, the laundry introduction port3being formed at the cabinet cover10, and a top cover12disposed at the top of the cabinet body8.

The cabinet body8may be formed of a single member or a plurality of members. The cabinet body8may include a left cover disposed on the left side of the base pan, a right cover disposed on the right side of the base pan, and a rear cover disposed on the rear side of the base pan.

A door14for opening and closing the laundry introduction port3may be mounted at the cabinet2. The door14may be rotatably connected to the cabinet2for opening and closing the laundry introduction port3. Alternatively, the door14may be slidably connected to the cabinet2for opening and closing the laundry introduction port3. The door14may be connected to the cabinet2via a hinge mechanism such that the door14can be hingedly rotated about the hinge mechanism for opening and closing the laundry introduction port3.

The control panel4may include a manipulation unit for allowing a user to manipulate the laundry treatment apparatus. The control panel4may include a display unit for displaying an operation state of the laundry treatment apparatus. The control panel4may include both the manipulation unit and the display unit.

The control panel4may be mounted at the cabinet2. The control panel4may be disposed at the upper side of the cabinet cover10. The control panel4may be located at the upper part of the front of the cabinet2. The control panel4may form a portion of the external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus.

The control panel4may include a control panel body20forming the external appearance of the control panel4. The control panel body20may be located at the upper side of the cabinet cover10. The manipulation unit, which allows the user to manipulate the laundry treatment apparatus, and the display unit, which displays the operation state of the laundry treatment apparatus, may be disposed at the control panel body20.

The control panel4may include a rotary knob50. The control panel body20is provided at the front thereof with an opening22, in which the rotary knob50is mounted. A plurality of menus23to29and33to39, which can be selected according to rotation of the rotary knob50, is displayed around the opening22. The menus may correspond to courses that can be performed by the laundry treatment apparatus.

The menus23to29and33to39are indicated by predetermined indicating lines40. In a case in which bright parts BP are formed on a lighting surface84aby a plurality of light sources60, which will hereinafter be described, the indicating lines40function to indicate menus corresponding to the bright parts BP.

The control panel4may include a knob decoration56located around the rotary knob50. The knob decoration56may be located between the outer circumference of the rotary knob50and the opening22. The knob decoration56may aesthetically improve the external appearance around the rotary knob50. The knob decoration56may have the same color as the control panel body20.

Inside the control panel body20may be provided a plurality of light sources60for emitting light. The light sources60are sequentially blinked according to rotation of the rotary knob50. The control panel4may include a window80forming bright parts BP using light emitted from the light sources60. The window80may include an incident plate81having an incident surface81a, upon which light emitted from the light sources60is incident, and a ring-shaped light path84protruding from the front of the incident surface81a. As the light path84is partially exposed to the outside of the control panel4through the opening22, a ring-shaped lighting surface84ais formed around the rotary knob50. On the lighting surface84aare formed bright parts BP corresponding to the light sources60which are turned on and dark parts DP corresponding to the light sources60which are turned off. The positions of the bright parts BP on the window80are changed depending upon the positions of the light sources60which are blinked. In some implementations, the lighting surface84ais integrally formed at the window80. In some implementations, the lighting surface84amay be formed of a member separated from the window80.

The light sources60are not necessarily blinked according to rotation of the rotary knob50. A predetermined lighting pattern may be formed on the window80. The lighting pattern may be stationary. Alternatively, the lighting pattern may be dynamic. In this case, the shape of the lighting pattern, which is formed by one or more bright parts, may be changed, or the lighting pattern may be moved. In order to achieve various lighting patterns, a larger number of light sources60than the menus23to29and33to39may be provided. In this case, bright parts may be formed not only on the sections of the window80on which the selectable menus23to29and33to39are displayed but also on the other sections of the window80. For example, as shown inFIG. 2, a first menu display region corresponding to the menus23to29and a second menu display region corresponding to the menus33to39may be formed on the control panel body20at opposite sides of the rotary knob50. The window80may include a first indication region A, on which bright parts BP indicating the menus23to29on the first menu display region are formed, a second indication region B, on which bright parts BP indicating the menus33to39on the second menu display region are formed, and at least one non-indication region C and D provided between the first indication region A and the second indication region B. In some implementations, the at least one non-indication region includes a first non-indication region C connected between the first indication region A and the second indication region B at the upper part of the window80, and a second non-indication region D connected between the first indication region A and the second indication region B at the lower part of the window80.

The non-indication regions C and D are lit by the light sources60but do not indicate selectable menus. The non-indication regions C and D may be used to achieve various lighting pattern through the window80. For example, the non-indication regions C and D may be used as welcome lighting. The welcome lighting may have a predetermined lighting pattern provided on the window80when a user pushes a power button of the laundry treatment apparatus. When the welcome lighting is turned on, all of the indication regions A and B and the non-indication regions C and D are lit. As a result, a ring-shaped bright part may be formed over the entire region of the window80. Alternatively, a dynamic lighting pattern, in which a bright part having a predetermined pattern is moved along the non-indication regions C and D as well as the indication regions A and B, may be formed on the window80.

FIG. 3illustrates of an example control panel.FIG. 4illustrates example main components of a control panel.FIG. 5illustrates an example array of light sources.FIG. 6illustrates example light source receiving units.FIG. 7illustrates an example of a side view of a control panel (a) and a reference view (b).FIG. 8illustrates an example window.

Referring toFIGS. 3 to 5, a circuit board21may be disposed at the inside of the control panel4, and the light sources60may be arranged on the circuit board21in the shape of a circle. The circuit board21may be a printed circuit board. In addition, a rotary switch46may be mounted at the circuit board21. The rotary switch46may include a rotary shaft46b, to which the rotary knob50is connected, a switching device46afor switching a predetermined circuit formed at the circuit board21to turn on or off the light sources60.

Referring toFIG. 5, the light sources60are divided into groups. Light sources64(1) to64(7) belonging to a group A′, light sources62(1) to62(7) belonging to a group B′, light sources63(1) and63(2) belonging to a group C′, and light sources61(1) to61(4) belonging to a group D′ form bright parts on the indication region A, the indication region B, the non-indication region C, and the non-indication region D ofFIG. 2, respectively.

The laundry treatment apparatus may further include a light guide90. The light guide90guides light emitted from the light sources60such that the light is intensively incident upon the incident surface81aof the window80. The light guide90may include a base97having through holes94, through which light emitted from the light sources60disposed at the rear of the light guide90passes, formed along a circumference O thereof, a ring-shaped inner circumferential partition wall92and a ring-shaped outer circumferential partition wall91protruding from the front of the base97, and a plurality of division walls93connected between the inner circumferential partition wall92and the outer circumferential partition wall91. The through holes94are located between the inner circumferential partition wall92and the outer circumferential partition wall91. Each of the light sources60exposed through the through holes94is received in a light source receiving unit96defined by the inner circumferential partition wall92, the outer circumferential partition wall91, and a pair of the division walls93. At least one of the light sources may be received in each light source receiving unit96. The division walls93may be provided to form a plurality of light source receiving units corresponding to the number of the menus. In some implementations, spaces for receiving the light sources60are provided by the division walls93even in the sections corresponding to the non-indication regions C and D. Since each of the light sources60in a corresponding one of the light source receiving units96is surrounded by the inner circumferential partition wall92, the outer circumferential partition wall91, and a pair of the division walls93, it is possible to prevent light from being dispersed to a region other than the incident surface81aof the window80.

Meanwhile, the base97may be provided with a through hole90h, through which the rotary shaft46bof the rotary switch46extends.

Referring toFIG. 8, the window80is provided with a light transmission region86and a light shielding region87. In some implementations, the light transmission region86and the light shielding region87are formed at the incident surface81aof the window80. In some implementations, the light transmission region86and the light shielding region87may be formed at the lighting surface84aof the window80or the front of the window80from which the light path84protrudes.

A plurality of light transmission regions86is formed along a circumference O of the window80. Light shielding regions87are located between neighboring ones of the light transmission regions86. The light transmission regions86correspond to the respective light source receiving units96of the light guide90. Consequently, one bright part BP is formed by one light source60located in each light source receiving unit96and one light transmission region86corresponding thereto, and light emitted from the light source60is prevented from being transmitted through adjacent light transmission regions86by the division walls93of the light guide90.

The light transmission regions86and the light shielding regions87have different light transmissivities. The light transmission regions86transmit light at a higher rate than the light shielding regions87. Light transmitted through the light transmission regions86forms bright parts BP on the lighting surface84aof the window80, and the light shielding regions87form dark parts DP on the lighting surface84aof the window80. Although the light shielding regions87do not completely shield light, it is necessary for the light shielding regions87to exhibit sufficient light shieldability to distinguish between the dark parts DP and the bright parts BP. Particularly in a case in which the light shielding regions87exhibit high light shieldability, boundaries between the bright parts due to the dark parts become distinct with the result that it is difficult to achieve a pattern having unity. For this reason, the light shielding regions87may transmit light to some extent. The light shielding regions87may be formed over the entire region of the incident surface81aof the window80excluding the light transmission regions86.

The window80may be formed of a transparent material. A paint exhibiting high light shieldability may be applied to the entire region of the transparent incident surface81aof the window80excluding the light transmission regions86to form the light shielding regions87. Alternatively, a paint exhibiting high light shieldability may be applied to the transparent incident surface81a, and then the paint may be removed from portions of the incident surface31acorresponding to the light shielding regions87using a solvent.

In addition, a paint may also be applied to the lighting surface84aof the window80. The paint applied to the lighting surface84aof the window80exhibits higher light transmissivity than that applied to form the light shielding regions87. Consequently, light transmitted through the light transmission regions86may pass through the paint layer to form bright parts on the lighting surface84aof the window80. Since at least a portion of the lighting surface84aof the window80is exposed to the outside of the control panel4, the external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus is aesthetically improved by the applied paint. In addition, dim bright parts BP are formed on the lighting surface84aof the window80.

According to rotation of the rotary knob50, the bright parts BP are sequentially blinked on the lighting surface84aof the window80along a circumference O thereof. At this time, at least some of the bright parts BP are configured such that the bright parts BP located at lower positions along the circumference O have shorter lengths to occupy the circumference O (hereinafter, referred to as bright part lengths).

FIG. 7is a side view of the control panel (a) and a reference view illustrating a principle in which a visual angle difference occurs depending upon the position of an arc segment on a circumference. Referring toFIG. 7, in a structure in which the front of the control panel4, specifically the control panel body20on which the menus are displayed, is directed ahead of the laundry treatment apparatus, a user located ahead of the laundry treatment apparatus generally looks down the lighting surface84aof the window80in consideration of heights of the user and the laundry treatment apparatus. (X ofFIG. 7(a)indicates a visual point of the user.) In this case, since the lighting surface84aof the window80extends along a circumference O (hereinafter, the circumference will be defined as a circle or an arc), the bright part lengths recognized by the user are changed depending upon the positions of the bright parts BP on the circumference O.

For example, referring toFIG. 7(b), when a first arc segment AR1and a second arc segment AR2, which actually have the same length on the circumference O, are viewed from the same visual point X, a visual angle θ2to the second arc segment AR2is greater than a visual angle θ2to the first arc segment AR1. This is because the first arc segment AR1or the second arc segment AR2is taken from the circumference O. The user recognizes that a lower arc segment, i.e. the second arc segment AR2, is longer than a higher arc segment, i.e. first arc segment AR1, within a specific section of the circumference O. Hereinafter, on the assumption that arc segments have the same length, a section of the circumference O in which a lower arc segment seems to be longer will be defined as a visual angle increase section. On the other hand, when the user looks down the circumference O from the view point X located above the lighting surface84aof the window80, the visual angle increase section may be defined as a section of the circumference O in which visual angles to the arc segments having the same length on the circumference O are gradually increased as the arc segments are gradually more distant from the view point X.

The visual angle increase section may be changed depending upon the position of the view point X of the user. Considering that a general view point X of the user is above the front of the laundry treatment apparatus, however, visual angle increase sections may be formed at opposite sides of the lower part of the circumference O, i.e. the region of the circumference O below a horizontal center line H, on the basis of a vertical center line V (LL and RL).

In the laundry treatment apparatus, the bright parts BP are sequentially blinked on the lighting surface84aof the window80along the circumference O thereof according to rotation of the rotary knob50. At this time, at least some of the bright parts BP are configured such that the bright parts BP located at lower positions along the circumference O have shorter lengths to occupy the circumference O (hereinafter, referred to as bright part lengths).

In particular, the bright parts BP seem to be longer in the visual angle increase sections LL and RL. As a result, light spreading in the left and right directions is excessive, and therefore it is not possible to clearly recognize which menus are indicated by the bright parts BP. Consequently, it is necessary to decide the bright part lengths in consideration of a light spreading phenomenon in parts S1and S2belonging to the visual angle increase sections LL and RL of the indication regions A and B of the lighting surface84aof the window80. From this point of view, the bright parts BP located at lower positions may have shorter bright part in the indication regions S1and S2belonging to the visual angle increase sections LL and RL.

Referring toFIG. 6, the light guide90is configured such that at least some of the division walls93(1a),93(2a),93(3a),93(4a),93(1b),93(2b),93(3a), and93(4a) belonging to the indication regions S1and S2become thicker toward lower positions (D0<D1<D2<D3). As a result, the light source receiving units96defined by the division walls93(1a),93(2a),93(3a),93(4a),93(1b),93(2b),93(3a), and93(4a) are configured such that the light source receiving units96located at lower positions have shorter lengths to occupy the circumference O (hereinafter, referred to as receiving unit lengths). In particular, the receiving unit lengths have an influence on a light diffusion range. Consequently, light spreading is reduced as the receiving unit lengths are decreased, whereby it is possible to clearly recognize which menus are indicated by the bright parts BP. In addition, in a case in which the receiving unit lengths are set as described above, the bright part lengths are set in response to the receiving unit lengths although the light transmission regions86and the light shielding regions87are not formed on the incident surface81aof the window80, thereby improving menu discrimination. In addition, the lengths of the light transmission regions86on the incident surface81aof the window80to occupy the circumference O (hereinafter, referred to as light transmission region lengths) and the lengths of the light shielding regions87on the incident surface81ato occupy the circumference O (hereinafter, referred to as light shielding region lengths) may also be set in response to the receiving unit lengths and the change in thickness of the division walls.FIG. 8shows an example of the above-described array. Referring toFIG. 8, the light shielding region lengths on the indication regions S1and S2are gradually increased toward lower positions in response to the change in thickness of the division walls84(1a),84(2a),84(3a),84(1b),84(2b), and84(3b) (D0′<D1′<D2′<D3′). On the other hand, the light transmission region lengths are gradually decreased toward lower positions (see86(1a) to86(3a) and86(1b) to86(3b)).

The laundry treatment apparatus has the effect of enabling a user to correctly recognize a menu selected according to rotation of the rotary knob. Particularly in a case in which the control panel is mounted at the laundry treatment apparatus such that the user located ahead of the laundry treatment apparatus looks down the control panel, it is possible to improve discrimination among menus.

In addition, it is possible for the user to intuitively recognize a currently selected menu through blinking of the light sources assigned to the respective menus. Furthermore, it is possible to compensate for a discrimination error due to a visual angle difference of the user. Consequently, the laundry treatment apparatus has the effect of enabling the user to correctly recognize the menu indicated by lighting.