Description:The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:

Field of the invention
[0001] This disclosure relates to a control panel in a household appliance and a method of operating of the household appliance.

Background of the invention
[0002] In existing appliances present in the market, an AC power is used to operate components in the appliance like bulb, buzzer, switches etc. Some appliances use complete electronics board to run DC power operated components. Such kind of electronics boards are very expensive to implement in such a low-cost single door refrigerator. The present invention provides a low-cost solution for converting the AC power to the DC power and to detect any malfunction in the appliance with the converted DC power

[0003] A Chinese patent application CN 202005023 discloses a mains input LED driving circuit with low power consumption relates to application circuits of home appliances, and is characterized in that input 220V alternating current passes through a resistance-capacitance voltage reducing circuit and a temperature fuse F1 prior to being connected to a full-wave rectifier circuit, the full-wave rectifier circuit output direct current for powering an LED serially connected to an output loop of the full-wave rectifier circuit, and a filter capacitor and a voltage stabilizing tube are further connected in parallel to the output loop. The mains input LED driving circuit is low in power consumption, low in cost, simple in structure, low in external interference, low in heating amount and complete in safety protection measures.

Brief description of the invention:
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a control panel in a household appliance and a method of operating the control panel in the household appliance.

[0005] The objects are solved by a control panel in a household appliance and a method of operating the control panel in the household appliance having the features according to claims 1 and 10.

[0006] The invention relates to a control panel in a household appliance. The household appliance comprises an outer cover enclosing the appliance. The control panel comprises alarm unit and a converter circuit. The control panel adapted to power the appliance via the converter circuit and adapted to generate an alarm with the converted power via the alarm unit when at least one component in the appliance is malfunctioning.

[0007] A feature of this invention is that the converter circuit is a combination of plurality of the resistors and capacitors for converting an AC power to a DC power.

[0008] Another feature of this invention is that the alarm unit comprises a sound generator and a timer for generating an alarm upon detection of the malfunction for a predefined amount of time.

[0009] Another feature of this invention is that the control panel comprises a display adapted to display/indicate the malfunction in at least one component of said appliance when said alarm unit is activated.

[0010] Another feature of this invention is that the alarm unit and the display are supplied with the converted DC power in the control panel.

[0011] Another feature of this invention is that the at least one component of appliance comprises a LED light, at least one sensor in the appliance, a door of the appliance.

[0012] Another feature of this invention is that the alarm unit is activated when any one of following functions are occurred comprising when the LED light is not working and when at least one sensor is not operating and when the door of the appliance is opened for a predefined amount of time.

[0013] Another feature of this invention is that the control panel is chosen from a group of control panels comprising a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital circuit, an integrated chip.

[0014] Another feature of this invention is that the control panel is encapsulated with an external covering for insulation.

[0015] A method of operating of operating a control panel in a household appliance is explained in the claim 9 according to the present invention. The control panel comprises an alarm unit and a converter circuit. The method comprises the following steps. In step S1, the control panel powered the appliance via the converter circuit. In step S2, a malfunction is detected in at least one component of the appliance. In step S3, an alarm is generated via the alarm unit when the at least one component is detected malfunctioned.

[0016] Another feature of this invention is that the method comprises further step of activating the alarm unit when any one of following functions comprising when the LED light is not working and when at least one sensor is not operating and when the door of the appliance is opened for a predefined amount of time.

[0017] With the above-disclosed control panel in the household appliance and the method of operating the control panel in the household appliance, the complexity in converting the AC power to the DC power is minimized. The control panel comprising the alarm unit helps in understanding the malfunction occurred in the appliance without much delay. The display unit displaying the same helps in identifying and rectifying the malfunction in a faster rate and thus improving the efficiency of the appliance. The combination of having the converter unit and the alarming unit makes the present invention a cost-effective solution.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
An embodiment of the disclosure is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
[0018] Figure 1 illustrates a control panel in a household appliance, in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, and
[0019] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart for a method of operating the household appliance according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0020] Figure 1 illustrates a control panel in a household appliance, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The household appliance 10 comprises an outer cover 12 enclosing the appliance 10. The control panel 14 comprises alarm unit 18 and a converter circuit 16. The control panel 14 adapted to power the appliance 10 via the converter circuit 16 and adapted to generate an alarm with the converted power via the alarm unit 18 when at least one component in the appliance 10 is malfunctioning.

[0021] Further, the construction of the household appliance 10 and the components of the household appliance 10 are explained as follows. According to one embodiment of the invention, the household appliance 10 is a single door refrigerator. In another embodiment of the invention, the household appliance is not limited to the single door refrigerator, but can be any other appliance comprising a dishwasher, a microwave oven and the like. The converter circuit 16 of the control panel 14 is a combination of plurality of the resistors and capacitors for converting an AC power to a DC power. The combination of plurality of resistors and capacitors minimizes the cost of the conversion of AC power to the DC power. The alarm unit 18 comprises a sound generator 20 and a timer 22 for generating an alarm upon detection of the malfunction for a predefined amount of time. The control panel 14 comprises a display 24 adapted to display/indicate the malfunction in at least one component of the appliance 10 when the alarm unit 18 is activated.

[0022] The at least one component 28 of appliance 10 comprises a LED light, at least one sensor in the appliance 10, a door 26 of the appliance 10. However, it is to be understood that the at least one component 28 of the appliance 10 is not limited to the above disclosed components, but to any other component that is known in the state of the art. The alarm unit 18 is activated when any one of following functions comprising when the LED light is not working and when at least one sensor is not operating and when the door 26 of the appliance 10 is opened for a predefined amount of time.

[0023] The control panel 14 comprises a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital circuit, an integrated chip. The control panel 14 is encapsulated with an external covering 27 for insulation. The external covering 27 is made of an insulating material that is known to a person skilled in the art (for instance, a rubber material).

[0024] A method of operating of operating a control panel 14 in a household appliance 10 is explained in the claim 10 according to the present invention. The control panel 14 comprises an alarm unit 18 and a converter circuit 16. The method comprises the following steps. In step S1, the control panel 14 powered the appliance 10 via the converter circuit 16. In step S2, a malfunction is detected in at least one component 28 of the appliance 10. In step S3, an alarm is generated with the converted power via the alarm unit 18 when the at least one component 28 is detected malfunctioned. In step S4, the alarm unit 18 is activated, when any one of following functions comprising when the LED light is not working and when at least one sensor is not operating and when the door 26 of the appliance 10 is opened for a predefined amount of time.

[0025] The method is explained in detail. The control panel 14 comprising the alarm unit 18 and the converter circuit 16 is positioned /fitted on the outer cover 12 of the appliance 10, in such a place where the user of the appliance 10 has the access. However, in another embodiment of the invention, the control panel 14 is fitted inside the appliance 10, having the display 24 present on the outer cover 12 of the appliance 10. The converter circuit 16 present in the appliance 10 converts the AC power supplying from the mains (For instance, 230V, 60Hz supply) into a DC power. The combination of the resistors and the capacitors present in the converter circuit 16 forms a converter kind of configuration, where it is used to convert the supplied AC power to the DC power. The conversion of the AC power to the DC power is not explained in detail, as it is known to a person skilled in the art.

[0026] The converted DC power is supplied to the alarm unit 18 and the timer 22 present in the control panel 14. The control panel 14 continuously operates multiple components of the appliance 10. As mentioned above, the components can be of any other type but not restricted to only LED light, at least one sensor or the door 26 of the appliance 10. For instance, if the LED light or the door switch is not working in the appliance 10 when the door 26 of the appliance 10 is opened, then the control panel 14 activates the alarm unit 18 and the same is displayed in the display 24 for the user to understand the malfunction of the component 28.

[0027] In another instance, if the door 26 of the appliance 10 is opened for a predefined amount of the time, the timer 22 will be automatically ON from the time the door 26 is opened. After a predefined amount of time in the timer 22, the control panel 14 detects the same and activates the alarm unit 18 to generate an alarm through the sound generator 20. The same is displayed in the display 24 that is present on the outer cover 12 of the appliance 10. In another embodiment of the invention, upon detection of the open of the door 26 for more than a predefined amount of time and the generation of the alarm via the sound generator 20, the control panel 14 automatically closes the door 26 of the appliance 10.

[0028] In another instance, the appliance 10 comprises at least one sensor, wherein one such sensor is a temperature sensor (not shown). The temperature sensor continuously monitors the temperature inside the appliance 10. Upon detection of the variation in the temperature inside the appliance 10, it transmits a signal to the control panel 14 and the control panel 14 activates the sound generator 20 for generating an alarm and the same is displayed in the display 14.

[0029] This arrangement of the converter circuit 16 and the alarm unit 18 which is powered by the converted DC power helps in identifying the malfunction in the appliance 10 with ease. With the above-disclosed control panel 14 in the household appliance 10 and the method of operating the control panel in the household appliance 10, the complexity in converting the AC power to the DC power is minimized. The control panel 14 comprising the alarm unit 18 helps in understanding the malfunction occurred in the appliance 10 without much delay. The display unit 24 displaying the same helps in identifying and rectifying the malfunction in a faster rate and thus improving the efficiency of the appliance 10. The combination of having the converter unit 16 and the alarming unit 18 makes the present invention a cost-effective solution.

[0030] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.

List of Reference Signs
10 household appliance
12 outer casing
14 control panel
16 converter circuit
18 alarm unit
20 sound generator
22 timer
24 display
26 door of the appliance
27 external covering
28 at least one component

, Claims:We Claim:
1. A control panel (14) in a household appliance (10), said appliance (10) comprising
- an outer casing (12) enclosing said appliance (10);
characterized in that:
- said control panel (14) comprising an alarm unit (18) and a converter circuit (16);
said control panel (14) adapted to power said appliance (10) via said converter circuit (16) and adapted to generate an alarm with a converted power, via said alarm unit (18) when at least one component (28) in said appliance (10) is malfunctioning.

2. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converter circuit (16) is a combination of plurality of said resistors and capacitors for converting an AC power to a DC power.

3. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm unit (18) comprises a sound generator (20) and a timer (22) for generating an alarm upon detection of said malfunction for a predefined amount of time.

4. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control panel (14) comprises a display (24) adapted to display/indicate said malfunction in said at least one component of said appliance (10) when said alarm unit (18) is activated.

5. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm unit (18) and said display (24) are supplied with the converted DC power in said control panel (14).

6. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one component (28) of appliance (10) comprises a LED light, at least one sensor in said appliance (10), a door (26) of said appliance (10).

7. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said alarm unit (18) is activated when any one of following functions comprising when said LED light is not working and when at least one sensor is not operating and when said door of said appliance (10) is opened for a predefined amount of time.

8. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control panel (14) is chosen from a group of control panels comprising a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital circuit, an integrated chip.

9. The appliance (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control panel (14) is encapsulated with an external covering (27) for insulation.

10. A method of operating a control panel (14) in a household appliance (10), said control panel (14) comprising an alarm unit (18) and a converter circuit (16); said method comprising:
- powering said appliance (10) via said converter circuit (16) by said control panel (14);
characterized in that:
- detecting a malfunction in at least one component (28) of said appliance (10);
- generating an alarm with a converted power, via said alarm unit (18) when said at least one component (28) is detected malfunctioned.