Control element for a household appliance

Abstract

A control element for a household appliance is provided. The control element has a base member made of plastic. The base member has a nickel coating, and a noble metal coating is applied to the nickel coating.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A control element for a household appliance, the control element comprising a base member made of plastic, wherein the base member has a nickel coating, and wherein a noble metal coating is applied to the nickel coating. 
     
     
         17 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein the control element is a knob. 
     
     
         18 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein the noble metal coating is one of a palladium coating and a coating with a palladium alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein the noble metal coating has a coating thickness between 0.5 μm and 1.5 μm. 
     
     
         20 . The control element of  claim 19 , wherein the coating thickness is between between 0.8 μm and 1.2 μm. 
     
     
         21 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein a surface of the nickel coating is mechanically processed. 
     
     
         22 . The control element of  claim 21 , wherein the surface of the nickel coating is one of ground and brushed. 
     
     
         23 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein the nickel coating has a coating thickness between 10 μm and 25 μm. 
     
     
         24 . The control element of  claim 23 , wherein the coating thickness is between 15 μm and 25 μm. 
     
     
         25 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein a copper coating is applied to the base member underneath the nickel coating. 
     
     
         26 . The control element of  claim 25 , wherein the copper coating has a coating thickness between 10 μm and 25 μm. 
     
     
         27 . The control element of  claim 26 , wherein the coating thickness is between 14 μm and 25 μm. 
     
     
         28 . The control element of  claim 16 , wherein the plastic of the base member contains at least one of a polycarbonate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and a polyamide. 
     
     
         29 . The control element of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the nickel coating, the noble metal coating, and the copper coating are galvanically applied. 
     
     
         30 . The control element of  claim 25 , wherein the sum of the respective coating thicknesses of the nickel coating, the noble metal coating, and the copper coating applied to the base member does not exceed 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         31 . A method for manufacturing a control element for a household appliance, wherein the control element has a base member made of plastic, the method comprising:
 galvanically applying a nickel coating;   mechanically processing a surface of the nickel coating; and   galvanically applying a noble metal coating.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the control element is a knob. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein, prior to the application of the nickel coating to the base member, a copper coating is galvanically applied. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the noble metal coating is one of a palladium coating and a coating with a palladium alloy. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the noble metal coating is applied with a coating thickness between 0.5 μm and 1.5 μm. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the coating thickness is between 0.8 μm and 1.2 μm. 
     
     
         37 . A household appliance, comprising:
 a control element having a base member made of plastic, wherein the base member has a nickel coating, and wherein a noble metal coating is applied to the nickel coating.   
     
     
         38 . The household appliance of  claim 37 , wherein the household appliance is a gas cooktop.