Operator control device for an electrical appliance, and electrical appliance

Abstract

An operator control device for a hob has a hob plate as an operator control panel, and a component carrier including conductor tracks and contact areas beneath the hob plate. A sensor element device including a sensor element housing is arranged on the component carrier, with electrically conductive material for forming a capacitive sensor element on a top face. In order to make electrical contact with the electrically conductive material on the component carrier, a spring element receptacle is provided in the sensor element housing, an electrically conductive spring element being inserted into the spring element receptacle, which electrically conductive spring element is composed of a material which is different from the electrically conductive material for the capacitive sensor element. The spring element, in the state in which it is inserted into the spring element receptacle, projects out of the spring element receptacle and establishes the electrical contact-connection under compression when the sensor element device is fastened to the component carrier.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . An operator control device for an electrical appliance comprising:
 an operator control panel;   a component carrier which is arranged beneath said operator control panel;   said component carrier comprises conductor tracks and contact areas for making electrical contact with components being arranged on said component carrier;   at least one of said components being arranged on said component carrier is a sensor element device comprising a sensor element housing, said sensor element device comprising electrically conductive material on said sensor element housing for forming a capacitive sensor element, wherein said electrically conductive material is arranged on a top face or on an upper region of said sensor element device,   
       wherein
 in order to make electrical contact of said electrically conductive material to said component carrier, a spring element receptacle is provided in at least one of said sensor element housing and said component carrier; 
 an electrically conductive spring element is inserted into said spring element receptacle; 
 said electrically conductive spring element is composed of a material being different from said electrically conductive material for said capacitive sensor element; and 
 said spring element, in a state in which said spring element is inserted into said spring element receptacle, projects out of said spring element receptacle in order to establish an electrical contact-connection under compression in an instance in which said sensor element device is fastened to said component carrier. 
 
     
     
         2 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said spring element receptacle is an elongate channel. 
     
     
         3 . The operator control device according to  claim 2 , wherein said spring element receptacle is an elongate channel with a longitudinal direction at a right angle to said surface of said component carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said spring element receptacle is cylindrical. 
     
     
         5 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said spring element receptacle is provided in said sensor element housing. 
     
     
         6 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive material on said sensor element housing extends as far as said spring element receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The operator control device according to  claim 6 , wherein said electrically conductive material forms an upper stop of said spring element receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The operator control device according to  claim 6 , wherein said electrically conductive material runs on a side in said upper region of said spring element receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrical contact of said spring element projecting out of said sensor element housing is made on said component carrier by means of a contact area being applied to said top face of said component carrier, wherein a conductor track is connected to said contact area. 
     
     
         10 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said spring element receptacle is provided on said component carrier as a bore in said component carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The operator control device according to  claim 10 , wherein an inner wall of said bore is electrically conductive and is electrically conductively connected to one said conductor track on said component carrier. 
     
     
         12 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one said spring element is provided for each said capacitive sensor element and is electrically conductively connected to said capacitive sensor element. 
     
     
         13 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said spring element is composed of an electrically conductive and foamed flexible or elastic plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive material on said sensor element housing runs at least partially in recesses in said sensor element housing. 
     
     
         15 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said electrically conductive material runs in recesses on a top face of said sensor element housing. 
     
     
         16 . The operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein light-permeable regions are provided in said sensor element housing, said light-permeable regions passing through said sensor element housing from bottom to top. 
     
     
         17 . The operator control device according to  claim 16 , wherein said light-permeable regions are filled with light guide material. 
     
     
         18 . An electrical appliance comprising an operator control device according to  claim 1 , wherein said operator control panel is part of an outer wall or side wall of said electrical appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The electrical appliance according to  claim 18 , wherein said electrical appliance comprises a hob and said operator control panel comprises a hob plate.