US 11,946,632 B2
Control device interface, especially for vending machines and displays
Stefano Tobio, Brugine (IT); Paolo Marafin, Brugine (IT); Francesco Del Zoppo, Brugine (IT); and Gianpaolo Zilio, Brugine (IT)
Appl. No. 17/756,746
Filed by CAREL INDUSTRIES S.p.A., Brugine (IT)
PCT Filed Dec. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/061502
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 1, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/111389, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102019000023187 (IT), filed on Dec. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0003362 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. F21V 3/00 (2015.01); F21V 9/08 (2018.01); G06F 3/041 (2006.01); F21W 111/00 (2006.01); F21Y 115/10 (2016.01)
CPC F21V 3/00 (2013.01) [F21V 9/08 (2013.01); G06F 3/041 (2013.01); F21W 2111/00 (2013.01); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An interface (10) for control device having a front face (11) and a rear face (12) and comprising a plurality of layers grouped in a covering assembly (13) and a tactile assembly (14) extending between said front face (11) and said rear face (12); said rear face (12) being fixable to a lighting device so that when the latter emits a light radiation it crosses said interface (10), from said rear face (12) to said front face (11);
wherein said covering assembly (13) comprises, in sequence from said front face (11):
a protective layer (15) having a first face defining said front face (11);
a masking layer (16) directly or indirectly covering a second face of said protective layer (15);
wherein said tactile assembly (14) comprises:
an operative layer (17) having electronic traces (18) defining an electrical circuit comprising sensitive pads (19), which are touch-responsive, and connection contacts (20); said sensitive pads (19) being permeable to light, transparent or perforated;
a matrix layer (21), opaque and provided with shaped portions (23) which are permeable to light or transparent or perforated and are aligned with said sensitive pads (19), along said thickness;
wherein said sensitive pads (19) and/or said shaped portions (23) are configured to form signs (B) capable of generating visible luminous symbols following a backlighting of said interface 10;
wherein said protective layer (15) is configured to transmit a touch generated pressure so as to allow the actuation of said sensitive pads (19) through it;
wherein said covering assembly (13) and/or said tactile assembly (14) comprises:
a diffuser layer (22) configured to homogenise a light radiation passing through it;
wherein said masking layer (16) has a light permeability so that said signs (B) are not visible through said masking layer (16) when said front face (11) is illuminated by a light radiation which determines an illumination not more than 4000 lx and said interface (10) is not illuminated through said rear face (12); said light permeability being such that said signs (B) are visible through said masking layer (16) when said interface (10) is illuminated through said rear face (12) by a light source having a luminous intensity of not less than 45 mcd,
wherein said diffuser layer (22) consists of a glossy ink having a brilliance comprised between 70 Gloss Units and 90 Gloss Units, at 60°.