Box-shaped control panel.

The invention relates to a box-shaped control panel for a domestic appliance, with a front face and at least three side surfaces.

In particular, household appliances, which are used as built-in appliances in kitchens (dishwashers, stoves) there is a desire to equip them with a control panel of metal, preferably stainless steel to provide the correct an upscale appearance.

In one manufactured and sold by the applicant dishwasher G 601 Sci PLUS the control panel is equipped with a flat front surface, which only has openings for the control and display elements, for a door handle and a blow outlet. Since the controls and indicators are generally below the height level of a work surface, they are difficult to see from an upright user. Fully inclined operating panel can not be used in built-in appliances, there are then the lateral outer surfaces of the furniture that surround the built-in device visible. Therefore, there are control panels are known in which the portion, which includes the operating and display elements, is chamfered. Such panels are made of metal in one piece difficult to manufacture because the required for this drag operation would lead to large, optically unacceptable radii in operating / display area.

The invention thus provides the problem, to reveal a control panel of the aforementioned type, in which the visible parts of metal (preferably stainless steel) are made, and which is nevertheless easy to manufacture.

According to the invention this problem is solved by a control panel with the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention will become apparent from the following dependent claims.

Be achieved with the invention consist in the fact that in a simple way a control panel can be manufactured in stainless steel look without complicated deep drawing operations.

In an advantageous embodiment of the set-back portion extends from its lower edge to its upper edge inclined backwards. This of standing in front of the device user can see the control and display elements better.

It is also advantageous if the fastening of the switching plate is effected by an adhesive connection, as this can be performed during the assembly process quickly and without tools. It is expedient to use an adhesive film for producing the adhesive bond.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in greater detail below. It shows<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>an isometric view of a control panel 1 for a dishwasher from above the front;</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>an isometric view of the control panel 1 of Figure 1 from the inside;</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>the control panel 1 of Figure 1 and 2 in an exploded view;</dd><dt>figure 4</dt><dd>the control panel 1 of Figure 1 and 2 in section.</dd></dl>

The illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 box-shaped control panel 1 is fixed in a known manner on the door of a dishwasher, not shown, and (not shown) in well known manner on its rear side by an inner door panel closed. She takes an example from DE 196 51 821 A1 known electronic housing (not shown).

The control panel 1 includes a fabricated from plastic insert part 2, which serves as a support of the diaphragm parts described below. The insert 2 has a circumferential outer frame 3 and with respect to the front side 5 of the frame 3 recessed retaining plate 4 which, starting from its bottom edge 6 up to its upper edge 7 is inclined to the rear and thus the basis for a control panel 1 with an inclined switching and display area forms. In the retaining plate 4, differently shaped openings 8 for switching plunger and display elements (not shown) from the underlying electronics housing are provided.

On insert 2 a stainless steel-panel frame 9 is fixed. This consists of a closed door vertically aligned front part 10, which has a central opening 11, thereby forming the frame. In the upper part a bulge 12 is present, behind which there is a handle insert (not shown). The directed to the opening edge 13, as Figure 4 shows bent inwardly. A first bevel faces 14 are formed to 17th The right 14 and left 15 side is closed, in the top 16 is a cutout behind the bulge 12 18 arranged in a curved inwardly recessed grip 19 is glued. In the bottom 17 are rectangular openings 20 whose function is explained later. By a second angled portion and the upper side of the right and left retainer edge 22 is formed by forming a groove 21 through which the control panel 1 is screwed to the door inner panel, not shown. For this purpose, corresponding recesses 23 are provided. For fixing of the insert part 2 in the front frame 9, it is first pushed into the front frame 9 until locking hooks 26 engage at its lower edge 27 in the apertures 20 (s. Fig. 4). Then clamp pieces 24 are pressed with a projection 25 in the groove 21 and tilted to the upper edge 28 of the insert outer frame 3 towards. For this purpose, recesses 34 are provided. Subsequently, the clamping pieces are moved laterally so that its edge 35 engages is provided on the insert grooves 36th

Finally, a switching plate 31 is mounted on the stainless steel insert part with the interposition of a plate-shaped light guide 30th For this, the switch plate 31 is coated with an adhesive film 29, the 37 naturally has corresponding recesses for retaining plate 4 in the switch plunger and display elements. The switch plate 31 is pressed onto the plate. 4 Care must be taken to ensure that the switching lifters are from the electronics housing and the light guide 30 molded studs 32, carried out by the proposed shift plate 31 openings 33, of which only a part is shown. The same is true (not shown) for a possibly existing ad display.