HOME APPLIANCE HAVING LIGHT EMITTING MODULE

Abstract

 A home appliance having a light emitting module (10), comprising a housing assembly (100), wherein the light emitting module (10) is located on the housing assembly (100), the light emitting module (10) includes a base (2), a light source (4) and a light shield (6), the light source (4) is located between the base (2) and the light shield (6), the base (2) has a diffuse reflection area (26) that receives illumination from the light source (4), an outer part opposite to the diffuse reflection area (26) has a light transmission area (8), and a light ray emitted by the light source (4) passes through the light transmission area (8) after being reflected by the diffuse reflection area (26). By using principles of diffuse reflection and shielding, light emitted has high purity, low light intensity attenuation, and a uniform and soft color in a light emitting area.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a structural feature of a light emitting module mounted on a housing assembly of a home appliance.

[0002] Decorating a cabinet of a home appliance, such as a washing machine or a refrigerator, with a light source has become relatively common. With regard to a light emitting manner of the light source, currently, an LED point light source is relatively widely used, and light can be diffused by using a light guide member or a diffusion plate. For example, Chinese invention publications CN1553974A and CN105780390A describe such a display apparatus. However, this light emitting manner usually sacrifices light intensity, leading to poor light purity. Secondly, a bright spot at the light source cannot be avoided, and distribution of light is uneven, leading to a rough visual effect. A combination of a point light source and a light guide member has a complex structure and a high requirement on assembly. In addition, the light guide member or the diffusion plate is usually a transparent member or a translucent member with diffusion powder, and has a relatively high price.

[0003] An objective of the present invention is to provide a home appliance having a light emitting module, where the light emitting module emits uniform and soft light, and has a simple structure and relatively low costs.

[0004] For the above objective, the present invention provides a home appliance as defined in the independent claim attached. Preferred facultative embodiments of the invention with various features (which may also be combined among themselves for yielding further preferred embodiments of the invention) added are defined in dependent claims, described in the subsequent description, or exhibited in the attached drawing.

[0005] Accordingly the present invention provides a home appliance having a light emitting module, including a housing assembly, where the light emitting module is located on the housing assembly, the light emitting module includes a base, a light source and a light shield, the light source is located between the base and the light shield, the base has a diffuse reflection area that receives illumination from the light source, an outer part opposite to the diffuse reflection area has a light transmission area, and a light ray emitted by the light source passes through the light transmission area after being reflected by the diffuse reflection area, where the light transmission area is formed on at least one of the base and the light shield, and/or on a gap formed between the base and the light shield.

[0006] The light emitting module using the above structure has a simple structure, and can be conveniently assembled and disassembled. A price is low because no transparent light guide member or diffusion plate is used. By using principles of diffuse reflection and shielding, light emitted has high purity, low light intensity attenuation, and a uniform color in a light emitting area, and a light ray does not directly irradiate an eye and is relatively soft, and there is not an area with uneven brightness or a bright spot.

[0007] The home appliance may be a washing machine, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, or a kitchen appliance.

[0008] The housing assembly may be a combination of parts that are disposed around internal parts and that form an appearance of the home appliance, and for example, includes a housing body, a door body/cover body, and a control panel.

[0009] The light transmission area being formed on at least one of the base and the light shield means that at least one of the base and the light shield has a light-transmitting hollow portion or a transparent portion.

[0010] The "outer part" is relative to an internal space surrounded by the housing assembly.

[0011] Preferably, the light emitting module is externally covered with a protection cover that is at least partially transparent. In a specific implementation, the protection cover may be entirely transparent or entirely translucent, or at least a portion of the protection cover that covers the light transmission area is transparent or translucent, thereby allowing light to pass through.

[0012] The light shield includes a light-shielding area made from an opaque material, and the light-shielding area externally shields the entire light source to prevent the light ray emitted by the light source from directly emitting outside the light shield. In this way, the light ray received by a user is softer and not dazzling.

[0013] The light source is a strip structure, and the light transmission area is a strip structure that matches the light source in shape and equidistantly extends along with the light source. Such a structural relationship between the light transmission area and the light source brings uniform light rays passing through the light transmission area.

[0014] The light source is an LED strip. Hence, a wire harness, a PCB, and a control panel are integrated, so that a quantity of parts is reduced, assembly is simple, and damage is unlikely to be caused.

[0015] The diffuse reflection area may be implemented as a curved-surface structure. The diffuse reflection area of the curved-surface structure can receive more light rays and emit light rays that relatively more intensive, so that a clearer and brighter visual effect can be produced.

[0016] Preferably, the housing assembly includes a door body, the light emitting module is located on the door body, and the light transmission area is close to an edge of the door body and is of a closed loop structure.

[0017] Preferably, the light emitting module is in a loop shape, and constitutes a part of the door body.

[0018] Preferably, the home appliance of the present invention includes a control apparatus connected to the light source, where the control apparatus is set to be capable of controlling at least one of an emitted light color, a switching frequency, brightness, a brightness change, and the like of the light source.

[0019] The following further describes the present invention by using a washing machine as an example with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawing. It can be understood that the present invention may be also applied to other home appliances. When the light emitting module is applied to home appliances other than a washing machine, construction principles thereof are consistent. Hence, the present invention may be fully explained by merely using a washing machine as an example. In the drawing,

FIG. 1

is a schematic exploded view of a light emitting module applied to a door body of a washing machine;

FIG. 2A

is a front view of a door body of a washing machine;

FIG. 2B

is a sectional view along an A-A direction in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A

is a schematic diagram of an assembly status of a base and a light source of a light emitting module; and

FIG. 3B

is a sectional view along a B-B direction in FIG. 3A.

[0020] In a specific implementation, a light emitting module 10 is mounted on a door body 100 of a washing machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the light emitting module includes a base 2, a light source 4, and a light shield 6. The light source 4 is located between the base 2 and the light shield 6.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the base 2 is provided with a circle of locating wall 22, and several locating columns 24 disposed close to the locating wall 22. There is a gap between the locating column 24 and the locating wall 22, so that the locating column 24 and the locating wall 22 clamp the light source 4 therebetween to hold the light source 4.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the light shield 6 covers the base 2 and light source 4, and abuts against the locating wall 22. The base 2 has a diffuse reflection area 26 that receives illumination from the light source 4. The diffuse reflection area 26 is a curved-surface structure that curves toward the light source 4 and the light shield 6. There is a gap between the base 2 and the light shield 6, so that a light transmission area 8 is formed on the gap. The light transmission area 8 is located at an outer part opposite to the diffuse reflection area 26. The light shield 6 includes a light-shielding area 62 made from an opaque material. The light-shielding area 62 externally shields the entire light source 4 to prevent a light ray emitted by the light source 4 from directly emitting outside the light shield 6. Hence, the light ray emitted by the light source 4 can pass through the light transmission area 8 only after being reflected by the diffuse reflection area 26, so as to be observed by a human eye outside the door body 100.

[0023] The light emitting module 10 is externally covered with a protection cover 12 that may be transparent. The protection cover 12 also seals the gap between the base 2 and light shield 6. Hence, a closed light emitting chamber 40 is formed among the base 2, the light shield 6, and the protection cover 12. The light source 4 is accommodated in the light emitting chamber 40 to be prevented from being intruded and damaged by water and dust.

[0024] In this embodiment, the light source 4 is an LED strip in a closed loop shape. The light transmission area 8 is a strip structure that matches the light source 4 in shape and equidistantly extends along with the light source 4. Referring to FIG. 2A, in this embodiment, the light transmission area 8 is formed as a strip structure in closed loop shape. In addition, the light transmission area 8 is close to an edge of the door body.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the light emitting module 10 is in a loop shape on the whole, and constitutes a part of the door body.

[0026] In addition, the washing machine includes a control apparatus (not shown in the accompanying drawing) connected to the light source 4. The control apparatus is set to be capable of controlling at least one of an emitted light color, a switching frequency, brightness, a brightness change, and the like of the light source 4. Hence, the light source 4 may be controlled by the control apparatus to emit light in various forms, and present the light to users through the light transmission area 8. The various forms of the light may include a color change, a brightness change, a flicker, and the like.

Claims

1. A home appliance having a light emitting module, comprising a housing assembly (100), wherein the light emitting module (10) is located on the housing assembly, characterized in that, the light emitting module comprises a base (2), a light source (4) and a light shield (6), the light source is located between the base and the light shield, the base has a diffuse reflection area (26) that receives illumination from the light source, an outer part opposite to the diffuse reflection area has a light transmission area (8), and a light ray emitted by the light source passes through the light transmission area after being reflected by the diffuse reflection area, wherein the light transmission area is formed on at least one of the base and the light shield, and/or on a gap formed between the base and the light shield.

2. The home appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: the light emitting module is externally covered with a protection cover (12) that is at least partially transparent.

3. The home appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: the light shield comprises a light-shielding area (62) made from an opaque material, and the light-shielding area externally shields the entire light source to prevent the light ray emitted by the light source from directly emitting outside the light shield.

4. The home appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: the light source is a strip structure, and the light transmission area is a strip structure that matches the light source in shape and equidistantly extends along with the light source.

5. The home appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that: the light source is an LED strip.

6. The home appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: the diffuse reflection area is a curved-surface structure.

7. The home appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: the housing assembly comprises a door body (100), the light emitting module is located on the door body, and the light transmission area is close to an edge of the door body and is of a closed loop structure.

8. The home appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that: the light emitting module is in a loop shape, and constitutes a part of the door body.

9. The home appliance according to claim 1, comprising a control apparatus connected to the light source, wherein the control apparatus is set to be capable of controlling at least one of an emitted light color, a switching frequency, brightness, a brightness change, and the like of the light source.

Drawing