Patent Description:
In particular, the electronic control device which forms the subject of the present invention has a structure which can be made and personalized more easily compared to conventional electronic control devices. Examples of conventional electronic control devices can be found in the following prior art documents: <CIT>) and <CIT>).

Nowadays, in fact, a conventional electronic control device comprises a <NUM>-segment display which is designed to form numerical symbols or stylized letters.

A <NUM>-segment display consists of an integrated device which comprises a PCB having, fixed thereon, LEDs covered by a screen provided with seven segments, arranged in a figure of <NUM>, which are translucent so that lighting-up of each LED corresponds to the illumination of a segment.

A tactile interface is fixed above the <NUM>-segment display.

It comprises an interface screen provided with command symbols and a circuit fixed underneath the screen and provided with touch-sensitive components situated opposite the command symbols.

The interface screen is composed of two layers, an outer transparent layer and a finishing layer which is silkscreen-printed onto the inner face of the outer layer so as to form a rim surrounding the alphanumeric screen of the <NUM>-segment display and having the command symbols.

The personalization of this conventional device may relate to the color of the <NUM>-segment display and/or to the graphics of the interface screen.

In fact, a particular color for the backlighting of the color display and/or graphics may be required, with a personalized color or style of the command symbols.

Therefore, in order to ensure the availability of such personalized features it is necessary to provide <NUM>-segment displays with different colors and it may be necessary to commission, from the supplier, interface screens with personalized printed effects, thereby negatively affecting the production economy in particular in the case of small batches.

The problem underlying the present invention is therefore that of simplifying the production of electronic control devices.

The task of the present invention is therefore that of finding a solution to this problem by providing an electronic control device which requires simpler components and which can be more easily personalized.

In connection with this task, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control device where it is possible to dispense with the use of a <NUM>-segment display.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electronic control device which is able to allow simple operation by means of a tactile interface.

This task, as well as these and other objects which will become clearer below are achieved by an electronic control device according to the attached independent claim <NUM>.

Detailed characteristic features of an electronic control device according to the invention are contained in the dependent claims.

Further characteristic features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description of a preferred, but non-exclusive embodiment of an electronic control device according to the invention, shown by way of a non-limiting example in the attached sets of drawings in which:.

With particular reference to the said figures, <NUM> denotes overall an electronic control device <NUM> which, in accordance with the present invention, may comprise:.

The diffuser layer <NUM> may be configured to ensure a homogeneous light intensity of a light radiation from the LEDs <NUM> output from each of the first channels <NUM> such that the light image, provided by the cross-sectional form of the first channels <NUM>, visible on the outside of the composite screen <NUM>, has a uniform intensity.

The electronic control device <NUM> further comprises at least one connector <NUM> which electrically connects the connection contacts <NUM> to the electronic circuit <NUM> in order to transmit to the latter electrical signals following touching, by a user, of at least one of the sensitive pads <NUM> on the composite screen <NUM>.

The electronic circuit <NUM> is configured to process signals received from the sensitive pads <NUM>.

In particular, the electronic circuit <NUM> may form part of or constitute a controller for refrigerating apparatus such that it may be configured to process said signals so as to operate said refrigerating apparatus depending on said signals. An electronic control device <NUM> according to the present invention therefore does not require a preconfigured <NUM>-segment display in order to be made and assembled.

In fact, the function of the <NUM>-segment display may be defined by the cooperation of the frame <NUM> with the composite screen <NUM> and the LEDs <NUM>.

As described below in greater detail, in effect, the composite screen <NUM> and/or the frame <NUM> may be configured so that, following lighting-up of the LEDs <NUM>, luminous images are formed on the composite screen <NUM> and may therefore comprise segments designed to form digits and letters and/or symbols or icons.

The color of these luminous images may be easily modified by arranging, between the LEDs and the outside of the composite screen <NUM>, means for modifying the color of the light emitted by the LEDs <NUM>, such as a colored film, as described below in greater detail.

A manufacturer of an electronic control device <NUM> according to the present invention will therefore not have to procure <NUM>-segment displays designed with specific coloring, thus avoiding the problems associated with the warehouse management and supply of these devices.

The form of the aforementioned images may be defined by a preformed film which is incorporated in the composite screen <NUM> and has light-permeable, for example perforated, zones designed to define, in negative, matrices for said images.

Or these images may be defined by light-permeable zones which are formed through an opaque film or an opaque layer incorporated in the composite screen <NUM>, in which case these images may for example be obtained by means of selective removal of parts of said opaque film or the opaque layer, for example by means of laser.

Both the use of the aforementioned preformed film and of the opaque film or opaque layer shaped by means of selective removal make it extremely easy to personalize the electronic control device <NUM> according to the present invention, making it possible to form the aforementioned images according to the specific requirements of the client without a substantial increase in the production costs. Owing to the incorporation of the operative layer <NUM> in the composite screen <NUM>, the electronic control device <NUM> may be easily operated, allowing the signals resulting from the operative layer <NUM> to be transferred to the electronic circuit <NUM> by means of suitable electric transmission means illustrated more clearly below. In greater detail, the first channels <NUM> may form at least one first group 14a of first channels <NUM>, where the first channels <NUM> of the first group 14a are at least seven in number and are configured and arranged so as to form a digit or letter for a <NUM>-segment display.

For example, the electronic control device <NUM> may comprise three of the first groups 14a, as shown for example in <FIG>, so as to be able to display three letters and/or digits on the composite screen <NUM> during operation of the electronic control device <NUM>.

The first channels <NUM> may also comprise channels designed to form a full stop A and/or a comma or, more generally, a separator, such as a hyphen between two consecutive digits and/or letters, or a symbol B.

The first channels <NUM> may also form a second group 14b of first channels <NUM>, where the first channels <NUM> of the second group 14b face the sensitive pads <NUM> in order to illuminate the composite screen <NUM> opposite the latter, so that the user is able to view symbols C identifying the commands which can be operated by means of the sensitive pads <NUM>.

Thus, in general, according to a possible aspect of the present invention, the electronic control device <NUM> may be configured to form a plurality of luminous signs on the composite screen <NUM> by means of backlighting of the composite screen <NUM> following selective switching-on of the LEDs <NUM> of the electronic circuit <NUM> which face the first channels <NUM> of the second group 14b.

An example of these luminous signs are the aforementioned symbols C.

In order to form these luminous signs, the electronic control device <NUM> may have the composite screen <NUM> which comprises an opaque matrix layer provided with transparent or perforated light-permeable portions which are configured to form the luminous signs.

With particular reference to <FIG>, for example, the transparent or perforated light-permeable portions of the matrix layer may be shaped so as to form the symbols C which are shown in this figure by means of a broken line on both sides of the seven-segment numbers.

Alternatively, the frame <NUM> may comprise walls for closing the first channels <NUM> of the second group 14b, where the closing walls will be opaque and have transparent or perforated light-permeable parts configured to form said luminous signs.

The sensitive pads <NUM> may be shaped as a closed ring, as for example shown in <FIG>, or open ring, so as to each delimit a zone D of the composite screen <NUM>, surrounding it at least partially.

Each first channel <NUM> of the second group 14b may face a zone D of the composite screen <NUM> so as to convey there light generated by an LED <NUM>.

The frame <NUM> may also have at least one second channel <NUM> facing the connection contacts <NUM>.

Generally, the at least one connector <NUM> may extend across the at least one second channel <NUM>, between the electronic circuit <NUM> and the composite screen <NUM>.

For example, in the embodiment of the attached figures there are two connectors <NUM> which extend across a corresponding number of second channels <NUM> so as to connect the electronic circuit <NUM> to the composite screen <NUM> and specifically to the sensitive pads <NUM> of the operative layer <NUM>.

In one embodiment of the present invention, not shown in the attached figures, the at least one connector <NUM> comprises an electrically conductive element having a matrix of elastomer material which extends between the electronic circuit <NUM> and the connection contacts <NUM> with which it is in electrical contact.

The matrix of elastomer material may be fixed inside the at least one second channel <NUM>, so as to avoid an excessive pressure being exerted on the composite screen, which could weaken the strength of the connection thereof to the frame <NUM>.

In a possible alternative, shown by way of example in <FIG>, the at least one connector <NUM> comprises a protuberance 20a from which elastically yielding metal contacts 20b project.

The protuberance 20a will extend between the electronic circuit <NUM> and the connection contacts <NUM> with which the metal contacts 20a make electrical contact by means of the elastic action, or reaction, of the latter.

The composite screen <NUM> may be fixed to the frame <NUM>, for example by means of ultrasound welding, via at least one sealing lip integral with the composite screen <NUM> or the frame <NUM> and fastened by means of melting to the frame <NUM> or the composite screen <NUM>, respectively.

Alternatively, the composite screen <NUM> may be fixed to the frame <NUM>, by means of adhesion, for example by means of a double-sided adhesive film arranged between the composite screen <NUM> and the said frame <NUM>, for example along at least one perimetral edge section of the composite screen <NUM>.

The composite screen <NUM> may also comprise a chromatic layer and/or a protective layer <NUM>, where the chromatic layer is configured to confer a predefined color to the light emitted by the LEDs.

The protective layer <NUM> may be transparent or translucent or may define an outer face of the composite screen <NUM> so as to be exposed on the outside of the electronic control device <NUM> for touching by a user in order to operate the sensitive pads <NUM>.

The diffuser layer <NUM> may be silkscreen-printed or applied onto the protective layer <NUM>, and in turn the matrix layer, if present, the chromatic layer, if present, and the operative layer <NUM> may be silkscreen-printed or applied, in series, thereon.

In this way, the production of an electronic control device <NUM> is greatly simplified compared to the conventional solutions, allowing moreover a high degree of personalization of both the color of the composite screen and the color of the luminous signs and the digits and/or numbers which may be displayed thereon. The invention thus conceived may be subject to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the accompanying claims.

Moreover all the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Claim 1:
Electronic control device (<NUM>) comprising:
- an electronic circuit (<NUM>) having an operative face (11a) on which a plurality of LEDs (<NUM>) are mounted;
- a frame (<NUM>) defining a plurality of first channels (<NUM>) which face said LEDs (<NUM>) so as to guide their light radiation;
- a composite screen (<NUM>) which covers said first channels (<NUM>) so as to be crossed by a light radiation coming from said LEDs (<NUM>) and guided by said first channels (<NUM>) towards said composite screen (<NUM>);
said composite screen (<NUM>) comprises:
- a diffuser layer (<NUM>) configured to homogenize a light radiation that crosses it;
- an operative layer (<NUM>) having electronic tracks comprising touch-sensitive pads (<NUM>) and respective connection contacts (<NUM>);
said electronic control device (<NUM>) further comprising at least one connector (<NUM>) which electrically connects said respective connection contacts (<NUM>) of the touch-sensitive pads (<NUM>) to said electronic circuit (<NUM>) in order to transmit to the latter electrical signals following touching, by a user, of at least one of said sensitive pads (<NUM>) on said composite screen;
wherein said frame (<NUM>) has at least one second channel (<NUM>) facing said connection contacts (<NUM>);
wherein said at least one connector (<NUM>) extends through said at least one second channel (<NUM>) between said electronic circuit (<NUM>) and said composite screen (<NUM>);
wherein said electronic circuit (<NUM>) is configured to process signals received from said touch-sensitive pads (<NUM>); and
wherein said at least one connector (<NUM>) comprises an electrically conductive element having a matrix made of elastomeric material and extending between said electronic circuit (<NUM>) and said connection contacts (<NUM>) with which it is in electrical contact.