Indicator light for an appliance

An indicator for an appliance includes a light bar formed of molded plastic material. The bar is interconnected to the control elements of the appliance so the periphery of the bar lights whenever any element of the appliance is active. The bar is designed so the periphery of the light bar is exposed along the exterior edge of the appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an indicator light for an appliance. The 
indicator light is particularly useful for a cooking appliance, but can 
also be used for other home appliances such as dishwashers, washers, 
dryers and microwave ovens. 
It is common in the industry to provide an indicator light on cooking 
appliances that is illuminated during operation of any of the cooking 
elements. This is done, for example, by placing a light source such as a 
light emitting diode on the front or top of the appliance. This light 
source is then interconnected to each of the control elements so that 
activation of any of the surface cooking elements also activates this 
light. Another approach is that of backlighting the control knobs so an 
indication is provided as to which of the elements is active. 
Placing an indicator light on the front of the appliance is not considered 
to provide an aesthetically pleasing design. Additionally, a light placed 
in the front or top of the appliance cannot always be seen from all 
angles. This is frequently important because a consumer may move about the 
kitchen. Additionally, it is common for more than one person to be in the 
kitchen. It is therefore important to have an indicator that is generally 
visible throughout the kitchen. While the backlighting of the control 
knobs provides a more aesthetically pleasing indication, it suffers from 
the inability to be seen from all angles. These approaches, while 
adequate, do not provide a complete solution to the need. 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an indicator 
light for an appliance that is easily visible from many angles. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an indicator light for an 
appliance that is aesthetically pleasing. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing objects are achieved by an indicator light for an appliance 
comprising a light bar that conforms to the contour of the appliance. The 
light bar is made from a plastic material, the outer periphery of which is 
exposed around the control panel of the appliance and which emits light 
when any element of the appliance is active.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a cooktop 50 is shown, including booking elements 
52 and control elements 56,58,60,62 included in a control housing 54. A 
light bar 10 is included in the control housing 54 and will be described 
in detail below. The light bar 10 is mounted into the control housing 54 
so that the lighted periphery 12 of the light bar 10 extends around the 
front edge of the control housing 54. The light bar 10, shown in FIGS. 1 
and 2, is formed of molded plastic. Incandescent lamps 13 are housed in 
the light bar 10. The light is directed to the periphery 12 of the light 
bar 10 via a reflecting bar 11 within the light bar 10. When the 
incandescent lamps 13 are illuminated the light from the lamps is directed 
towards the top of the light bar 10. The top of the light bar 10 includes 
a reflecting bar 11. The reflecting bar 11 is formed to reflect light 
impinging upon it towards the periphery 12 of the light bar 10. Thus, 
light from the lamps 13 is redirected upon hitting the reflecting bar 11 
to illuminate the periphery 12 of the light bar 10. 
The molded plastic may be colored to accentuate the light. For example, in 
the present design the light is used as an indication of activation of a 
cooking element; the plastic is appropriately red. When the lamps 13 are 
activated the periphery 12 of the light bar 10 is illuminated and appears 
as a line of red light. This reddish color is generally recognized by 
users as an activation indication. 
The light bar 10 further includes fastener tabs 4, for fastening the light 
bar 10 to the control housing 54. An electrical connecter 6 is provided on 
the bottom of the light bar 10 to provide power to the lamps 13. The 
control housing 54 includes locations 22 for each of the control elements 
56,58,60,62. An electrical interconnection is provided so that upon 
activation of any of the healing surface control elements 56,58,60,62 
electrical power is provided to activate the lamps 13 in the light bar 10. 
This can be done either via a hard-wired electrical circuit connection or 
under the control of a microprocessor control if available. As shown in 
FIG. 5, if any of several control elements is activated, power is 
interconnected to the lamps 13. These signals are connected in a logical 
"OR" so activation of any element illuminates the light bar 10. The light 
bar is attached to the control housing 54 via screws or other fasteners 
(not shown) through the fastener tabs 4. 
The control housing 54 is mounted to a cooktop 50. The outer periphery 12 
of the light bar 10 is exposed along the front of the cooktop 50. A facia 
70 is attached to the top of the control housing 54, covering all but the 
outer periphery of the light bar 10. In this way, the light 10 becomes 
integral to the control housing 54. 
Upon activation of any of the control elements 56,58,60,62 power is 
supplied to the lamps 13 of the light bar 10 as described previously. The 
outer periphery 12 is then illuminated, giving an aesthetically pleasing 
indication of activation. Because the light bar periphery 12 extends 
around the front and sides of the control housing 54, the indication light 
is visible from either side and the front of the cooktop. Thus, the outer 
periphery 12 of the light bar 10 extends in more than one plane. This 
allows a user to identify activation of a heating element from a wide 
range of angle and distances from the appliance. 
In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred 
embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, 
these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for 
purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as 
well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as 
circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the 
spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following 
claims.