WO2025198179A1 - Home appliance including inductive sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a home appliance including an inductive sensor is disclosed. The home appliance may comprise: a first PCB including a patterned and printed coil; a second PCB soldered to the first PCB to form a cavity on the upper part of the coil; a metal panel supported by the second PCB and including a touch key; and a processor for detecting that a touch has occurred on the touch key as a current value flowing through the coil changes on the basis of a displacement difference of the touch key.

Description

Home appliances containing inductive sensors

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a home appliance including an input interface using an inductive sensor.

Home appliances may include electrical appliances and machines used in the home. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, home appliances may include devices that are fixedly placed in the home or devices that are movable in the home. Here, home may refer to not only a home but also an indoor space such as an office. Home appliances may include televisions, digital video disk (DVD) players, audio equipment, refrigerators, air conditioners, air dressers, vacuum cleaners, ovens, microwave ovens, washing machines, air purifiers, set-top boxes, home automation control panels, security control panels, media boxes (e.g., Samsung HomeSync ^™ ), game consoles, electronic dictionaries, electronic keys, camcorders, electronic picture frames, speakers, e-book readers, desktop PCs, laptop PCs, netbook computers, workstations, servers, PDAs, portable multimedia players (PMPs), MP3 players, medical devices, cameras, and the like. Home appliances may include an input interface for receiving input from a user and an output interface for outputting information to the user. The input interface may include various input interfaces, for example, a touch-type input key. Touchscreens can be categorized into capacitive and inductive sensing. In home appliances requiring metal panels, inductive sensing can be used. While capacitive sensing can be used for input keys on surfaces made of glass or plastic, many home appliances have metal or stainless steel surfaces. In these cases, capacitive sensing is difficult to implement, requiring inductive sensing.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a home appliance including an inductive sensor is disclosed. The home appliance may include a PCB including a cavity formed by etching the PCB. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a coil patterned and printed on the PCB. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a metal panel positioned on the cavity and supported by at least a portion of the PCB, the metal panel including a touch key. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in a current value flowing through the coil based on a displacement difference of the touch key.

A home appliance including an inductive sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is disclosed. The home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first PCB including a patterned and printed coil. The home appliance according to one embodiment may include a second PCB soldered to the first PCB to form a cavity over the coil. The home appliance according to one embodiment may include a metal panel supported by the second PCB and including a touch key. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in a current value flowing through the coil based on a displacement difference of the touch key.

FIG. 1a is a drawing for explaining an induction heating device as a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1b is a drawing for explaining a dishwasher as a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 2a is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key that adopts a capacitive method.

Figure 2b is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key using a capacitive method.

FIG. 3a is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key employing an inductive method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3b is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key employing an inductive method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a home appliance that implements an inductive sensor using a spacer.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a home appliance in which an inductive sensor is driven through a cavity created by etching a PCB according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cavity formed in a PCB of a home appliance for inductive sensing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a plurality of PCBs soldered to form a space for inductive sensing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a plurality of PCBs for implementing an inductive sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a circuit connected by a via hole in a PCB having a cavity formed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a circuit connected by a via hole in a PCB having a cavity formed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a vacuum cleaner using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a drawing showing an air conditioner using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a drawing showing a refrigerator using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a drawing showing a washing machine using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a drawing showing an electric oven using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 17 is a block diagram of an induction heating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

The terms used in this disclosure will be briefly explained, and one embodiment of the present disclosure will be specifically described.

The terms used in this disclosure are selected from widely used, current terms, taking into account the functions of one embodiment of the disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the description of the relevant embodiments of the disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the disclosure.

In this disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b or c” may refer to “a”, “b”, “c”, “a and b”, “a and c”, “b and c”, “all of a, b and c”, or variations thereof.

Throughout this disclosure, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "part," "module," etc., used in this disclosure refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and "part" and "module" may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, one embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted to clearly describe one embodiment of the present disclosure, and similar parts are designated with similar drawing reference numerals throughout the present disclosure.

Home appliances include input interfaces for receiving user commands. Touch-sensing is increasingly being used as input interfaces. Among touch-sensing methods, inductive methods can be used when a metal panel is required as the input interface. Inductive methods require space to allow for changes in metal displacement, requiring a simple structure without spacers.

FIG. 1a is a drawing for explaining an induction heating device as a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1A, an induction heating device (2000) as a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of cooking areas (201, 202, 203, 204). Hereinafter, the induction heating device (2000) may be expressed as an induction heating device, an induction heating device, an induction cooking device, or simply a heating device. Not all of the components illustrated in FIG. 1A are essential components. The induction heating device (2000) may be implemented with more components than the illustrated components, or may be implemented with fewer components.

The cooking vessel (101) may be a device for heating the contents inside the cooking vessel (101). The contents inside the cooking vessel (101) may be liquids such as water, tea, coffee, soup, juice, wine, oil, etc., or solids such as butter, meat, vegetables, bread, rice, etc., but are not limited thereto.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cooking vessel (101) can wirelessly receive power from an induction heating device (2000) using electromagnetic induction. Therefore, the cooking vessel (101) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may not include a power cord connected to a power outlet.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the type of cooking vessel (101) that wirelessly receives power from the induction heating device (2000) may vary. The cooking vessel (101) may be a general induction heating (IH) vessel (hereinafter, IH vessel) containing a magnetic material. The cooking vessel (101) may have a magnetic field induced in the vessel (IH metal) itself.

The cooking vessel (101) may be a general IH vessel, such as a pot, a frying pan, or a steamer. The cooking vessel (101) may include a cooker device. The cooker device may be a device into which a general IH vessel may be inserted or removed. In one embodiment, the cooker device may be a device capable of automatically cooking contents according to a recipe. The cooker device may be referred to as a pot, a rice cooker, or a steamer depending on its use. For example, if an inner pot for cooking rice is inserted into the cooker device, the cooker device may be referred to as a rice cooker. Hereinafter, the cooker device may be defined as a smart pot (or smart pot).

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cooking vessel (101) includes a communication interface, the cooking vessel (101) can communicate with the induction heating device (2000). The communication interface may include a short-range communication unit, a long-range communication unit, etc. The short-range wireless communication interface may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication interface (NFC), a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, an UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an ANT+ communication unit, etc. The long-range communication unit may be used to communicate with a server (not shown) when the cooking vessel (101) is remotely controlled by a server in an IoT (Internet of Things) environment. The telecommunications unit may include the Internet, a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN), and a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit may include, but is not limited to, a 3G module, a 4G module, a 5G module, an LTE module, an NB-IoT module, an LTE-M module, and the like.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cooking vessel (101) can transmit information to a server (not shown) via the induction heating device (2000). For example, the cooking vessel (101) can transmit information obtained from the cooking vessel (101) (e.g., temperature information of the contents, etc.) to the induction heating device (2000) via short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, BLE, etc.). At this time, the induction heating device (2000) can transmit the information obtained from the cooking vessel (101) to the server by connecting to the server using a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit or a long-distance communication unit (e.g., the Internet). Meanwhile, the server can provide the information obtained from the cooking vessel (101) received from the induction heating device (2000) to the user via a mobile terminal (not shown) connected to the server. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the induction heating device (2000) may directly transmit information obtained from the cooking vessel (101) to the user's mobile terminal through D2D (device to device) communication (e.g., WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication or BLE communication).

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cooking vessel (101) may directly transmit information (e.g., temperature information of the contents, etc.) of the cooking vessel (101) to a server via a communication interface (e.g., a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit). In addition, the cooking vessel (101) may directly transmit information (e.g., temperature information of the contents, etc.) obtained from the cooking vessel (101) to a user's mobile terminal via short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, BLE, etc.) or D2D (device to device) communication.

An induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be a device that wirelessly transmits power to a cooking vessel (101) positioned on a top plate of the induction heating device (2000) using electromagnetic induction. The induction heating device (2000) may include a working coil that generates a magnetic field for inductively heating the cooking vessel (101). The working coil is a coil that forms a magnetic field through an electric flow, and may be referred to as a heating coil throughout the present disclosure.

Generating a magnetic field by a heating coil may include transmitting power by utilizing a magnetic field induced in an IH metal (e.g., iron component) through magnetic induction. For example, an induction heating device (2000) may generate eddy currents in a cooking vessel (101) by flowing a current through a heating coil to form a magnetic field.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the induction heating device (2000) may include a plurality of heating coils. For example, if the top plate of the induction heating device (2000) includes a plurality of cooking zones, the induction heating device (2000) may include a plurality of heating coils corresponding to each of the plurality of cooking zones. In addition, the induction heating device (2000) may include a high-power cooking zone in which a first heating coil is provided on the inside and a second heating coil is provided on the outside. The high-power cooking zone may include two or more heating coils.

The top plate of the induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be made of reinforced glass, such as ceramic glass, to prevent it from being easily damaged. In addition, the top plate of the induction heating device (2000) may include a guide mark to guide the cooking zone where the cooking vessel (101) should be positioned.

An induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can detect that a cooking vessel (101) including a magnetic body is placed on a top plate. For example, the induction heating device (2000) can detect that the cooking vessel (101) is positioned on the top plate of the induction heating device (2000) based on a change in the current value (inductance) of a heating coil due to the approach of the cooking vessel (101). In addition, the vessel detection coil of the induction heating device (2000) can detect when the cooking vessel (101) is placed on the top plate.

An induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can detect the temperature of a cooking vessel (101) when the cooking vessel (101) is placed on a top plate and is being cooked. For example, the induction heating device (2000) can detect the temperature of the cooking vessel (101) through a temperature sensor. When the cooking vessel (101) is being heated without any contents, the induction heating device (2000) can detect that the cooking vessel (101) is being heated through a temperature sensor, thereby preventing overheating of the cooking vessel (101) and the induction heating device (2000). An induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can detect, through a temperature sensor, that a cooking area is being heated through a heating coil even when the cooking vessel (101) is not placed on the top plate.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the induction heating device (2000) may include a communication interface for communicating with an external device. For example, the induction heating device (2000) may communicate with a cooking vessel (101) or a server through the communication interface. The communication interface may include a short-range communication unit (e.g., an NFC communication unit, a Bluetooth communication unit, a BLE communication unit, etc.), a mobile communication unit, etc.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an induction heating device (2000) can display various information and receive user commands through a user interface (15). The user interface (15) may include an input unit as an input interface for receiving operation commands from a user and a display unit as an output interface for displaying operation information of the induction heating device (2000). As an input interface, the input unit may include a touch key that operates by touch. The touch key that operates by touch may be a capacitive touch key or an inductive touch key. A detailed description of the user interface (15) will be provided later.

The input unit can provide an electrical output signal corresponding to a user input to a control unit (not shown) including a processor. The input unit can include, for example, input buttons such as a power button, an operation button, and a heating stage setting button. The input buttons can include, for example, mechanical keys such as tact keys, push keys, slide switches, toggle switches, and micro switches, and electronic keys such as touch keys.

The display unit can receive a signal from the processor and display information corresponding to the received signal. The display unit can include a display (2411) that displays a heating stage, etc. The display unit can include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, etc.

FIG. 1b is a drawing for explaining a dishwasher as a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1B, a dishwasher (3000) may be composed of a main body (303) and a door (301) for putting dishes to be washed into and taking them out of the main body (303). A user interface (15) may be included at the upper end of the door (301). The user interface (15) of the dishwasher (3000) according to FIG. 1B is arranged in a cross-section that appears only when the door (301) is opened from the main body (303), but is not limited thereto. The user interface (15) may be arranged in the main body (303) or may be arranged in the front portion of the door (301). When the door (301) is made of metal, the touch keys among the input interfaces of the user interface (15) may be manufactured as inductive touch keys rather than capacitive touch keys.

The user interface (15) may include an output interface capable of displaying information to the user.

Figure 2a is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key that adopts a capacitive method.

Referring to Fig. 2a, a first capacitance (401) exists between the touch key (1401) and the ground. When the SW (1403) operates, the first capacitance (401) between the power source and the ground is charged, and the charging time at this time is t1. If a person touches the touch key (1401), the entire circuit becomes a circuit with a second capacitance (402) added between the person and the ground when viewed from the power source side, so the size of the capacitance that must be finally charged becomes C1+C2. Therefore, the final charging time becomes a charging time (>t1) equal to the amount of the second capacitance (402) added. Fig. 2b is a graph representing this.

Figure 2b is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key using a capacitive method.

As described in FIG. 2b, when SW (1403) in the preceding FIG. 2a operates, the first capacitance (401) between the power supply and the ground is charged, and the charging time at this time is t1. When a person touches the touch key (1401), the entire circuit becomes a circuit in which a second capacitance (402) is added between the person and the ground when viewed from the power supply side, so the size of the capacitance that must be finally charged becomes C1+C2. Accordingly, when a touch occurs, the second capacitance (402) is added to the first capacitance (401), and the final charging time becomes t2 (>t1).

In this way, it is possible to identify whether a touch has been made to the touch key (1403) based on changes in the charging time. This is the operating principle of a touch key using a capacitive method.

FIG. 3a is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key employing an inductive method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Fig. 3a, the operating principle of an inductive metal touch key (1501) is illustrated. The inductive touch key can detect the presence or absence of a conductive object such as a metal based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. When an AC current flows through a coil (1510), a magnetic field is generated. This magnetic field changes along with the displacement change of a nearby conductive object such as a metal - approaching or moving away. This change in the magnetic field causes a change in the inductance of the path through which the AC current flows. Based on this change in inductance, the value of the AC current also changes. The home appliance can detect the change in the AC current to determine whether a push pressure has been applied to the metal touch key (1501) (whether a touch has been made).

FIG. 3b is a drawing explaining the operating principle of a touch key employing an inductive method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

In Fig. 3b, when a high-frequency voltage is applied to the coil (1510), a current inversely proportional to the inductance size of the coil flows. At this time, when a metal (1502), which is a material with high permeability, approaches the coil (1510), the overall inductance of the coil increases, resulting in a decrease in the current. This decrease in current detects the approach of the metal (1502), which is the operating principle of the inductive touch key. The 'detection distance' at which the approach of the metal (1502) to the coil (1501) is detected is the longest for a high-permeability metal such as iron, and the shortest for a relatively low-permeability metal such as aluminum. For example, the detection distance of aluminum is about half of the detection distance of iron. Therefore, an inductive sensor using this principle is a sensor that can detect a touch only when there is movement (displacement difference) of the metal (1502). Ultimately, when implementing an inductive sensor in a home appliance, a structure that can cause movement of the metal (1502) is required.

Inductive sensors use the magnetic force of an electromagnetic field to detect the proximity of metal (touch). Capacitive sensors, on the other hand, use the electric force of an electromagnetic field to detect the user's touch. While capacitive sensors measure changes in capacitance, inductive sensors measure changes in inductance.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a home appliance that implements an inductive sensor using a spacer.

The home appliance (400) according to FIG. 4 is composed of a main body (1100) and a metal panel (1010) including a touch key. The metal panel (1010) can be used as a user input interface. When a user presses a touch-sensitive metal key included in the metal panel (1010), a displacement difference of the metal key included in the metal panel (1010) must occur in order for an inductance change to occur in the inductive sensor (1030) of the PCB (1020). The displacement difference of the metal key can be generated by a spacer (1040) placed between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010). An inductance change occurs in the inductive sensor (1030) due to the displacement difference of the touch key, and a touch on the metal key is detected by a current change of the inductive sensor (1030) due to the inductance change that occurs. The inductive sensor (1030) can include a coil. In the present disclosure, the touch key on the metal panel (1010) includes a metal key.

As shown in FIG. 4, in order for a displacement difference to occur due to a user's pressing motion on the metal key included in the metal panel (1010), a space must be formed between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010). The spacer (1040) creates a space between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010). Accordingly, in order for the inductive sensor (1030) to operate, a space is required between the inductive sensor (1030) and the metal panel (1010), and therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a separate spacer (1040) inserted between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010) is required.

The spacer (1040) may be made of rubber or double-sided tape. A space for inductive sensing is created only through the spacer (1040) having this mechanical structure between the metal panel (1010) and the PCB (1020).

An inductive sensor (1030) such as that shown in FIG. 4 may be installed, for example, on the door panel of a refrigerator. The inductive sensor (1030) may be implemented in home appliances, including not only refrigerators but also air conditioners, washing machines, dryers, air dressers, ovens, gas ranges, microwave ovens, and the like, when a touch key must be implemented on a metal panel on the surface.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a home appliance in which an inductive sensor is driven through a cavity created by etching a PCB according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to one embodiment, the home appliance (1000) according to FIG. 5 has a structure in which there is an air gap between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010) without a spacer (1040).

The metal panel (1010) can be used as a user input interface. When a user presses a metal key included in the metal panel (1010), a displacement difference of the metal key included in the metal panel (1010) must occur in order for an inductance change to occur in the inductive sensor (1030) of the PCB (1020). The displacement difference of the metal key can be generated by a cavity (1050) placed between the PCB (1020) and the metal panel (1010). The cavity (1050) is a type of air gap. The cavity (1050) can be created through a process of cutting the PCB (1020) with a laser or cutting the PCB (1020) with sandblasting. According to FIG. 5, a structure having a cavity (1050) provides a space in which a displacement difference of the metal key can be created between the metal panel (1010) and the inductive sensor (1030) without a separate spacer.

A change in inductance occurs in the inductive sensor (1030) due to a displacement difference of the metal key, and a touch is detected by a change in current of the inductive sensor (1030) due to the change in inductance that occurs. The inductive sensor (1030) may include a coil. According to one embodiment, the coil included in the inductive sensor (1030) may be placed on the surface of the PCB (1020) that contacts the cavity.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cavity formed in a PCB of a home appliance for inductive sensing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Fig. 6, a cross-sectional view is provided showing a cavity formed by laser etching of a PCB (1020) of a home appliance (1000). The PCB (1020) is first manufactured by inserting a masking layer (1029) in advance.

In one embodiment, a PCB (1020) manufactured by pre-inserting a masking layer (1029) is filled with a cavity-corresponding portion (1049) before laser etching is performed. As shown in FIG. 6, the laser etching may vertically etch up to the masking layer (1029) to separate the cavity-corresponding portion (1049) from the PCB (1020) to form a space. In one embodiment, a coil corresponding to an inductive sensor (1030) may be patterned and printed on the masking layer (1029).

When the cavity corresponding portion (1049) is etched and removed, a cavity is formed. When the cavity is formed, an interposer layer (1025) may be formed around the cavity. The interposer layer (1025) may serve to support the metal panel when the metal panel is placed on the PCB (1020). Of course, the interposer layer (1025) is not limited to simply supporting the metal panel. In one embodiment, since the interposer layer (1025) is also a part of the PCB (1020), a circuit may be patterned and printed on top of the interposer layer (1025), and a component may be soldered thereon. In addition, the interposer layer (1025) may include a plurality of pattern layers. The plurality of pattern layers may be a plurality of stacked PCBs. According to one embodiment, a circuit may be patterned and printed on each of the plurality of pattern layers included in the interposer layer (1025), and each circuit may be electrically connected to a circuit included in the slave layer (1027) through a via hole (through hole). The slave layer (1027) may also include a plurality of pattern layers. The plurality of pattern layers may be a plurality of stacked PCBs. Each of the plurality of pattern layers may include a printed circuit. According to one embodiment, a processor for controlling the home appliance (1000) and a memory for storing instructions for control may be soldered to the interposer layer (1025).

In one embodiment, a slave layer (1027) of a PCB (1020) is formed below the cavity. The slave layer (1027) may include one or more pattern layers on which circuits are printed and laminated. Active and passive components, including a processor and memory for operating the home appliance (1000), may be soldered to the slave layer (1027). In addition, electrical circuits required for the home appliance (1000) may be printed on the slave layer (1027). The slave layer (1027) may include one pattern layer or may include multiple pattern layers. According to one embodiment, a coil corresponding to an inductive sensor (1030) may be printed on a masking layer (1029) bonded to the slave layer (1027) as described above, and the inductive sensor (1030) may be electrically connected to a processor soldered on the slave layer (1027) or the interposer layer (1025). The processor may recognize a user's touch detected by the inductive sensor (1030) as a user input and process it.

A structure such as that shown in Fig. 6 does not require a separate spacer, compared to a method in which a separate spacer is provided between a metal panel and an inductive sensor (1030) for the inductive sensor (1030) to operate. In addition, since the PCB (1020) is etched to form a cavity for the inductive sensor (1030) to operate, manufacturing is simple and durability is ensured.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a plurality of PCBs soldered to form a space for inductive sensing according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

A PCB (1020) according to FIG. 7 may be configured by soldering a first PCB (1021) that serves as a base and a second PCB (1022) that can function as an interposer layer to the first PCB (1021). In order for the two PCBs to be soldered to each other, a metal for soldering may be printed on each PCB at a portion where the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022) are joined to each other. By soldering the second PCB (1022) onto the first PCB (1021), a cavity may be formed by the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022). The thickness of the cavity formed by the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022) may vary depending on the case, but may be 0.5 to 2.0 mm. The metal panel may be placed on the second PCB (1022). When a user touches the metal key included in the metal panel, a displacement difference may occur in the metal key due to the space formed by the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022), thereby causing the inductive sensor (1030) to operate. The inductive sensor (1030) may be positioned on the first PCB (1021).

The second PCB (1022) may serve as an interposer layer that supports the metal panel when the metal panel is placed thereon. In one embodiment, since the second PCB (1022) is a type of PCB, a circuit may be patterned and printed on a pattern layer included in the second PCB (1022), and components may be soldered onto the second PCB (1022). In addition, the second PCB (1022) may include a plurality of pattern layers (a plurality of layers). A circuit may be patterned and printed on each of the plurality of pattern layers. In addition, the circuit printed on each pattern layer may be electrically connected to the circuit printed on each layer through a via hole (through hole). In one embodiment, a processor that controls the home appliance (1000) and a memory that stores instructions for control may be soldered to the second PCB (1022).

In one embodiment, the first PCB (1021) may include one or more pattern layers on which circuits are printed and laminated. Active and passive components, including a processor and memory for operating the home appliance (1000), may be soldered to the first PCB (1021). In addition, the first PCB (1021) may have electrical circuits required for the home appliance (1000) printed thereon. In one embodiment, a coil corresponding to an inductive sensor (1030) may be printed on the first PCB (1021). The inductive sensor (1030) may be electrically connected to a processor soldered on the first PCB (1021). The processor may recognize a user's touch detected by the inductive sensor (1030) as a user input and process the same.

The printed circuit including the plurality of pattern layers included in the second PCB (1022) can be electrically connected to the circuit printed on the first PCB (1021) through the soldered joint between the second PCB (1022) and the first PCB (1021).

A structure like that of Fig. 7 does not require a separate spacer, compared to a method in which a separate spacer is provided between the metal panel and the inductive sensor (1030) for the inductive sensor (1030) to operate. The spacer role is taken over by the second PCB (1022).

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a plurality of PCBs for implementing an inductive sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a plan view from above of the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022) of Fig. 7 before soldering.

According to one embodiment, a coil corresponding to an inductive sensor (1030) is printed on the first PCB (1021). According to one embodiment, an etched portion (1122) of the second PCB (1022) occupies an area slightly wider than an area occupied by the coil corresponding to the inductive sensor (1030) and is a portion removed from the second PCB (1022). The second PCB (1022) from which the etched portion (1122) has been removed is soldered onto the first PCB (1021). A portion of the second PCB (1022) other than the etched portion (1122) may serve as a kind of spacer, so that a cavity may be formed when a metal panel is placed on the second PCB (1022). Accordingly, when the second PCB (1022) from which the etched portion (1122) has been removed is placed on the first PCB (1021) and the metal panel is placed on the second PCB (1022), when a user presses the metal key of the metal panel, the coil corresponding to the inductive sensor (1030) can detect the touch by the displacement difference of the metal key.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a circuit connected by a via hole in a PCB having a cavity formed therein according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing electrical circuit connections when a PCB (1020) is etched by a laser or sandblast according to FIG. 6 to create a cavity (1050) for an inductive sensor (1030). Referring to FIG. 9, an interposer layer (1025) that serves to support a metal panel according to one embodiment may include a first pattern layer (10251) and a second pattern layer (10252), which are a plurality of pattern layers (10251, 10252). Although the interposer layer (1025) is shown as two layers in FIG. 9, the interposer layer (1025) may be composed of more than two pattern layers according to one embodiment and may be a single layer. However, since the thickness of the cavity formed for inductive sensing must be 0.5 to 2.0 mm, the number of pattern layers of the interposer layer (1025) must also be set to match the thickness of the cavity. Each pattern layer can be formed of a separate PCB substrate.

According to one embodiment, the slave layer (1027) of FIG. 9 is composed of four pattern layers (10271, 10272, 10273, 10274), but this is merely an example and the slave layer (1027) may be composed of more or fewer pattern layers. As shown in FIG. 9, since the interposer layer (1025) is also a part of the PCB (1020), the first pattern layer (10251) of the interposer layer (1025) may be connected to the third pattern layer (10273) of the slave layer (1027) through the first via hole (1031). Accordingly, the circuit printed on the first pattern layer (10251) can be electrically connected to the circuit printed on the third pattern layer (10273) through the first via hole (1031). Throughout the present disclosure, the term “via hole” may be used interchangeably with “through hole.” In addition, the first pattern layer (10251) of the interposer layer (1025) can be connected to the fourth pattern layer (10274) of the slave layer (1027) through the second via hole (1033). Accordingly, the circuit printed on the first pattern layer (10251) can be electrically connected to the circuit printed on the fourth pattern layer (10274) through the second via hole (1032).

As another example, a circuit printed on the second pattern layer (10252) of the interposer layer (1025) may be electrically connected to a printed circuit on the fourth pattern layer (10274) of the slave layer (1027) through a third via hole (1033). As another example, a circuit printed on the second pattern layer (10252) of the interposer layer (1025) may be electrically connected to a circuit printed on the lower portion of the fourth pattern layer (10274) of the slave layer (1027) through a fourth via hole (1034).

In this way, the circuit printed on the interposer layer (1025) can be electrically connected to the circuit printed on the slave layer (1027) through the via hole.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a circuit connected by a via hole in a PCB having a cavity formed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing electrical circuit connections when a cavity for inductive sensing is formed by joining a first PCB (1021) and a second PCB (1022) within a PCB (1020) according to FIG. 7. As also described in FIG. 7, the second PCB (1022) serves to support a metal panel and is soldered on the first PCB (1021) to form a cavity for inductive sensing. As shown in FIG. 10, the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022) can be soldered by a joint (1060). The joint (1060) is a conductor attached to both the first PCB (1021) and the second PCB (1022) to join the two PCBs to each other by soldering.

Referring to FIG. 10, a second PCB (1022) that serves to support a metal panel according to one embodiment may include a first pattern layer (10221) and a second pattern layer (10222), which are a plurality of pattern layers (10221, 10222). Although the second PCB (1022) is shown as having two layers in FIG. 10, the second PCB (1022) may be configured with more than two pattern layers or may be configured as a single layer. However, since the thickness of a cavity formed for inductive sensing must be 0.5 to 2.0 mm, the number of pattern layers of the second PCB (1022) must also be set to match the thickness of the cavity. Each pattern layer may be formed as a separate PCB substrate.

According to one embodiment, the first PCB (1021) of FIG. 10 is composed of four pattern layers (10211, 10212, 10213, 10214), but this is merely an example, and the first PCB (1021) may be composed of more or fewer pattern layers. As shown in FIG. 10, since the second PCB (1022) is also a part of the PCB (1020), the first pattern layer (10221) of the second PCB (1022) may be connected to the joint (1060) through the first via hole (1041). The joint (1060) may be connected to the fourth pattern layer (10214) of the first PCB (1021) through the second via hole (1042). Accordingly, the circuit printed on the first pattern layer (10221) of the second PCB (1022) can be electrically connected to the circuit printed on the fourth pattern layer (10214) of the first PCB (1021) through the first via hole (1041) - the joint (1060) - the second via hole (1043).

In this way, the circuit printed on the second PCB (1022) can be connected to the circuit printed on the first PCB (1021) through the via hole and the joint (1060).

FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a vacuum cleaner using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11, a home appliance (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vacuum cleaner (4000). The vacuum cleaner (4000) may include a cordless vacuum cleaner that may have a built-in rechargeable battery and does not require a power cord to be connected to an outlet during cleaning. In one embodiment, the vacuum cleaner (4000) may include a corded vacuum cleaner that is used by connecting a power cord to an outlet during cleaning. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 11 will focus on a cordless vacuum cleaner. A user may move the vacuum cleaner (4000) back and forth using a handle mounted on the vacuum cleaner body (4100) to allow the brush device (vacuum cleaner head) to suck up dust or debris.

Referring to FIG. 11, a vacuum cleaner (4000) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be a stick-type vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner body (4100), a brush device (4200), and an extension tube (4300). However, not all of the components illustrated in FIG. 11 are essential components. The vacuum cleaner (4000) may be implemented with more components than the components illustrated in FIG. 11, or may be implemented with fewer components. For example, the vacuum cleaner (4000) may be implemented with a vacuum cleaner body (4100) and a brush device (4200), excluding the extension tube (4300). In addition, the vacuum cleaner (4000) may further include a station (not illustrated) for dust discharge and battery charging of the vacuum cleaner body (4100).

The suction motor included in the main body (4100) of the vacuum cleaner (4000) performs a motion to suck up dust during cleaning.

The vacuum cleaner (4000) may include a user interface panel (4400). The user interface panel (4400) may allow a user to selectively input a cleaning intensity during cleaning, and a charging status or cleaning mode may be displayed through a display included in the user interface panel (4400).

The user interface panel (4400) according to FIG. 11 may include a metal panel including a touch key according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. When a touch is made on the touch key of the metal panel, the touch may be detected by an inductive sensor (1030) underneath. The metal panel may be positioned on the PCB (1020) according to the preceding FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 12 is a drawing showing an air conditioner using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of an air conditioner among home appliances according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

An air conditioner (5000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can absorb heat from an air-conditioned space (hereinafter referred to as "indoor") and release heat from the outside of the air-conditioned space (hereinafter referred to as "outdoor") for cooling the air-conditioned space, which is the target of air conditioning. In addition, the air conditioner (5000) can absorb heat from the outdoors and release heat to the indoors for heating the indoor space.

An air conditioner (5000) may include one or more outdoor units (5100) installed outdoors and one or more indoor units (5200) installed indoors. The outdoor unit (5100) may be electrically connected to the indoor unit (5200). For example, a user may input information (or commands) for controlling the indoor unit (5200) through a user interface panel (5220), and the outdoor unit (5100) may operate in response to the user input of the indoor unit (5200).

The outdoor unit (5100) can be fluidly connected to the indoor unit (5200) through a refrigerant pipe.

The outdoor unit (5100) is installed outdoors. The outdoor unit (5100) can perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and outdoor air by utilizing a phase change of the refrigerant (e.g., evaporation or condensation). This heat exchange can be achieved through an outdoor heat exchanger included in the outdoor unit (5100). For example, while the refrigerant condenses in the outdoor unit (5100), the refrigerant can release heat to the outdoor air. While the refrigerant evaporates in the outdoor unit (5100), the refrigerant can absorb heat from the outdoor air.

An indoor unit (5200) is installed indoors. The indoor unit (5200) can perform heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air by utilizing a phase change of the refrigerant (e.g., evaporation or condensation). At this time, the heat exchange can be performed through an indoor heat exchanger included in the indoor unit (5200). For example, while the refrigerant evaporates in the indoor unit (5200), the refrigerant can absorb heat from the indoor air, thereby cooling the indoor space. While the refrigerant condenses in the indoor unit (5200), the refrigerant can release heat to the indoor air, thereby heating the indoor space. The air conditioner (5000) may include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger. The air conditioner (5000) may include a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion device, and the indoor heat exchanger.

An indoor unit (5200) of an air conditioner (5000) may include a user interface panel (5220) that displays operation information of the air conditioner (5000) and can receive commands from a user. A display unit of the user interface panel (5220) may receive information regarding the operation of the air conditioner (5000) from a processor that controls the operation of the air conditioner (5000) and display information corresponding to the received information. The display unit may include an indicator that displays the operation type of the air conditioner (5000) selected by the user or whether the power of the indoor unit (5200) is on/off. The indicator may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, or a plurality of LEDs.

The outdoor unit (5100) includes an outdoor unit body (5101) forming the exterior of the outdoor unit (5100), and an outdoor unit fan (5102) provided on one side of the outdoor unit body (5101) to discharge heat-exchanged air.

The indoor unit (5200) may include an indoor unit body (5201) forming the exterior of the indoor unit (5200), an indoor unit discharge port (5202) provided on the front of the indoor unit body (5201) for discharging heat-exchanged air, and a user interface panel (5220) for receiving operation commands for the air conditioner (5000) from a user.

The user interface panel (5220) according to FIG. 12 may include a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The metal panel may include a touch key (metal key) that receives a touch input. An inductive sensor (1030) located below the touch key of the metal panel may detect a touch as the displacement of the touch key changes. The metal panel may be positioned on the PCB (1020) according to the above FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 13 is a drawing showing a refrigerator using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

A refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body (6010).

The main body (6010) may include an inner case, an outer case arranged on the outside of the inner case, and an insulating material provided between the inner case and the outer case.

The "inner case" may include a case, plate, panel, or liner forming a storage compartment. The inner case may be formed as a single body or may be formed by assembling multiple plates. The "outer case" may form the outer appearance of the main body and may be joined to the outer surface of the inner case so that insulation is placed between the inner case and the outer case.

"Insulation" can insulate the interior and exterior of a storage room so that the temperature inside the storage room can be maintained at a set temperature without being affected by the external environment of the storage room. In one embodiment, the insulation can include foam insulation. The foam insulation can be formed by injecting and foaming urethane foam, a mixture of polyurethane and a foaming agent, between the inner and outer layers after securing them with a jig or the like.

In one embodiment, the insulation may include a vacuum insulation in addition to the foam insulation, or the insulation may consist solely of the vacuum insulation instead of the foam insulation. The vacuum insulation may include a core material and an outer shell material that accommodates the core material and seals the interior at a vacuum or near-vacuum pressure. The vacuum insulation may further include an adsorbent that adsorbs gases and moisture to stably maintain a vacuum state. However, the insulation is not limited to the foam insulation or vacuum insulation described above, and may include various materials that can be used for insulation.

A refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cold air supply device configured to supply cold air to a storage compartment.

A "refrigeration supply device" may include a system comprising a machine, mechanism, electronic device and/or a combination thereof that can generate and guide cold air to cool a storage room.

In one embodiment, a refrigeration supply device can generate refrigeration through a refrigeration cycle comprising the processes of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation of a refrigerant. To this end, the refrigeration supply device can include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator capable of driving the refrigeration cycle.

A refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a machine room in which at least some components belonging to a cold air supply device are arranged.

The "machine room" may be designed to be partitioned and insulated from the storage room to prevent heat generated by components placed within the machine room from being transferred to the storage room. The interior of the machine room may be configured to be in communication with the exterior of the main body to dissipate heat from components placed within the machine room.

A refrigerator (6000) is a type of home appliance that supplies cold air generated by a compressor in a refrigeration supply unit to a storage compartment, allowing various foods to remain fresh for long periods of time. In addition to this long-term preservation function, the refrigerator (6000) is equipped with various additional functions. Representative functions include a communication function that enables the establishment of an IoT network and a function that outputs sound via speakers built into the refrigerator (6000).

Referring to FIG. 13, another refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body (6010) and doors (6030a, 6030b, 6030c, 6030d) that can open and close a storage compartment.

A refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a door (6030) configured to open and close an open side of a storage compartment.

The refrigerator (6000) according to FIG. 13 is illustrated with four doors (6030), but the number of doors (6030) is not limited thereto. The upper door (6030a) and the lower door (6030b) on the right side of the refrigerator (6000) may be configured as one door, and the upper door (6030c) and the lower door (6030d) on the left side of the refrigerator (6000) may be configured as one door. In addition, the number of doors of the refrigerator (6000) may be more or less than four. In addition, the positions of the doors (6030) may also be varied. Depending on the arrangement of the doors (6030) and the storage compartment, the refrigerator (6000) may be a French door type refrigerator, a side-by-side type refrigerator, etc. Between the plurality of doors (6030a, 6030b, 6030c, 6030d), there may be a handle area, which is a space where a user can insert a hand to open and close the door (6030).

The door (6030) may be configured to seal the storage compartment when the door (6030) is closed. The door (6030) may include insulation, similar to the body (6010), to insulate the storage compartment when the door (6030) is closed.

A refrigerator (6000) according to one embodiment may include a user interface panel (6220) on a door (6030). The user interface panel (6220) may be located on any one of the doors (6030a, 6030b, 6030c, 6030d).

The user interface panel (6220) according to FIG. 13 may be a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and the metal panel may include a touch key (metal key) as a touch input. The touch key of the metal panel may be detected by an inductive sensor (1030) below. The metal panel may be positioned on the PCB (1020) according to the above FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 14 is a drawing showing a washing machine using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

A washing machine (7000) according to FIG. 14 may include a main body (7010), a water tank (not shown) installed inside the main body (7010), and a drum (7011) installed inside the water tank. A lifter (7012) may be installed inside the drum (7011) to lift laundry upward while the drum (7011) rotates and then drop it by gravity. The drum (7011) may perform washing, rinsing, and/or dehydration while rotating inside a tub described below. The drum (7011) may include a hole connecting the internal space of the drum (7011) and the internal space of the tub. The drum (7011) may have a generally cylindrical shape with one end open.

The main body (7010) may generally have a hexahedral shape, but is not limited thereto. An opening (7013) may be formed at the front center of the main body (7010) through which laundry may be placed or removed from the drum (7011), and a door (7014) for opening and closing the opening (7013) may be rotatably installed. At least a portion of the door (7014) may be transparent or translucent so as to allow the interior surrounding the drum (7011) to be visible.

Although not illustrated in FIG. 14, the washing machine (7000) may include a tub provided inside the tank to store water. The tub may be supported inside the tank. The tub may have a generally cylindrical shape with one end open. The tub may be elastically supported from the tank by a damper. The damper may connect the tank and the tub. The damper may be provided to absorb vibration energy between the tub and the tank and attenuate vibration when vibration generated when the drum (7011) rotates is transmitted to the tub and/or the tank.

A user interface panel (7220) may be installed on the front upper side of the main body (7010) to display the operating status of the washing machine (7000) to the user or to enable the user to directly control the washing operation. The user interface panel (7220) may include an input unit as an input interface for receiving operation commands from the user and a display unit as an output interface for displaying operation information of the washing machine.

The input unit can provide an electrical output signal corresponding to a user input to a control unit (not shown) including a processor. The input unit can include, for example, a power button, an operation button, a course selection dial (or a course selection button), and a wash/rinse/spin setting button. The input button can include, for example, a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, or a touch switch. When the surface of the washing machine (7000) is made of metal, the input unit can include a metal panel including a metal key as a touch key, and the metal key can be touched by an inductive sensor. The metal panel can be located on the PCB (1020) according to the above-described FIGS. 5 to 7.

The display unit can receive a signal from the processor and display information corresponding to the received signal. The display unit can include a screen that displays a washing course selected by rotating the course selection dial (or pressing the course selection button) and the operating time of the washing machine, and an indicator that displays a washing setting/rinse setting/spin setting selected by the setting button. The display unit can include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, or the like.

Although not shown in FIG. 14, the washing machine (7000) may include a driving device configured to rotate the drum (7011).

A driving device (not shown) may include a driving motor and a rotating shaft (not shown) for transmitting driving force generated by the driving motor to the drum (7011). The rotating shaft may pass through the tub and be connected to the drum (7011). The driving device may be arranged to rotate the drum (7011) forward or backward to perform washing, rinsing, and/or dehydration operations.

A water supply device (not shown) can supply water to the tub. The water supply device can include a water supply pipe and a water supply valve provided on the water supply pipe. The water supply pipe can be connected to an external water source. The water supply pipe can extend from the external water source to the detergent supply device and/or the tub. Water can be supplied to the tub via the detergent supply device. Water can be supplied to the tub without passing through the detergent supply device.

A water supply valve (not shown) can open or close the water supply line in response to an electrical signal from the processor. The water supply valve can allow or block the supply of water to the tub from an external water source. The water supply valve may include, for example, a solenoid valve that opens and closes in response to an electrical signal.

The washing machine (7000) may include a detergent supply device (not shown) configured to supply detergent to the tub. The detergent supply device may be configured to supply detergent into the tub during the water supply process. Water supplied through the water supply pipe may be mixed with detergent via the detergent supply device. The water mixed with detergent may be supplied into the tub. The detergent may include not only laundry detergent but also a dryer rinse, a deodorizer, a sterilizer, or an air freshener.

The washing machine (7000) may include a drainage device (not shown). The drainage device may be configured to discharge water contained in the tub to the outside. The drainage device may include a drainage pipe extending from the bottom of the tub to the outside of the housing, and a pump provided on the drainage pipe. The pump may pump water in the drainage pipe to the outside of the tank.

A drain hole (not shown) may be formed at the bottom of the tub to drain water stored in the tub to the outside of the tub. The drain hole may be connected to a drain pipe. The drain pipe may be provided with a drain valve to open and close the drain pipe.

A control unit including a processor can control various components of a washing machine (e.g., a drive motor, a water inlet valve). The control unit can control various components of the washing machine to perform at least one operation, including water supply, washing, rinsing, and/or spin-drying, according to user input inputted to a control panel. For example, the control unit can control the drive motor to adjust the rotation speed of a tub, or control the water inlet valve of a water supply device to supply water to the tub.

The control unit may include hardware such as a CPU or memory, and software such as a control program. For example, the control unit may include an algorithm for controlling the operation of components within the washing machine, at least one memory storing program-type data, and at least one processor performing the aforementioned operation using data stored in the at least one memory. The memory and the processor may each be implemented as separate chips. The processor may include one or more processor chips or one or more processing cores. The memory may include one or more memory chips or one or more memory blocks. Additionally, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single chip.

A front loading washing machine (7000) according to Fig. 14 can wash laundry by rotating the drum (7011) to repeatedly raise and lower the laundry.

FIG. 15 is a drawing showing an electric oven using a metal panel according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

An electric oven (8000) is a cooking appliance that enables cooking, such as baking. Because the internal temperature of an electric oven (8000) is high, the external panel is often made of metal rather than plastic.

An electric oven (8000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a user interface panel (8220). The user interface panel (8220) may include a display unit for displaying information to a user and a touch key for receiving user input. Since the surface of the electric oven (8000) may be formed of metal, when a touch is made on the touch key (metal key), the touch may be detected by an inductive sensor (1030). The metal panel may be positioned on the PCB (1020) according to the above-described FIGS. 5 to 7.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, a home appliance (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a processor (1200), a communication interface (1300), a user interface (1400), and a memory (1500).

Below, we will look at the above components in turn.

The processor (1200) can control the overall operation of the home appliance (1000). The processor (1200) is a hardware device that controls the overall operation of the home appliance (1000). The processor (1200) is a hardware component (chip) that includes an integrated circuit in which electrical circuits are integrated. The processor (1200) can control the communication interface (1300), the user interface (1400), and the memory (1500) by executing programs stored in the memory (1500). The home appliance (1000) can include at least one processor. For example, the processor (1200) may be one or multiple. In addition, when multiple processors are provided, the operations by the processor in the present disclosure can be performed by any one of the multiple processors. The home appliance (1000) may include only a main processor, or may include a main processor and at least one sub-processor.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a home appliance (1000) may be equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI) processor. The AI processor may be manufactured in the form of a dedicated hardware chip for artificial intelligence (AI), or may be manufactured as part of an existing general-purpose processor (e.g., CPU or application processor) or a graphics-only processor (e.g., GPU) and equipped in the home appliance (1000).

The communication interface (1300) may include one or more components that enable communication between the home appliance (1000) and a server device (not shown) or between the home appliance (1000) and a user terminal (not shown). For example, the communication interface (1300) may include a short-range wireless communication interface (1310) and a long-range wireless communication interface (1320). The short-range wireless communication interface (1310) may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication interface, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication interface, a near field communication interface, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication interface, a Zigbee communication interface, an IrDA (infrared Data Association) communication interface, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication interface, an UWB (Ultra Wideband) communication interface, an Ant+ communication interface, etc. The remote communication unit (1320) may include the Internet, a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN), and a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit transmits and receives wireless signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signals may include various types of data according to transmission and reception of voice call signals, video call signals, or text/multimedia messages. The mobile communication unit may include, but is not limited to, a 3G module, a 4G module, an LTE module, a 5G module, a 6G module, an NB-IoT module, an LTE-M module, and the like.

The user interface (1400) may include an output interface (1410) and an input interface (1420). The output interface (1410) is for outputting an audio signal or a video signal and may include a display and an audio output unit, etc.

When the display and the touchpad are configured as a touch screen in a layered structure, the display can be used as an input interface (1420) in addition to the output interface (1410). The display can include at least one of a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode (LED), an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, a 3D display, and an electrophoretic display. In addition, depending on the implementation form of the home appliance (1000), the home appliance (1000) can include two or more displays.

The audio output unit can output audio data received from the communication interface (1300) or stored in the memory (1500). In addition, the audio output unit can output audio signals related to functions performed in the home appliance (1000). The audio output unit can include a speaker, a buzzer, etc.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the output interface (1410) can display information about the home appliance (1000). For example, the output interface (1410) can output a GUI (Graphical User Interface) corresponding to the current status, fault information, or product type information of the home appliance (1000).

The input interface (1420) is for receiving input from a user. The input interface (1420) may be at least one of a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (contact electrostatic capacitance type, pressure resistive film type, infrared detection type, surface ultrasonic conduction type, integral tension measurement type, piezo effect type, etc.), a jog wheel, and a jog switch, but is not limited thereto.

The input interface (1420) may include a metal panel (1010) having a metal touch portion. When pressure is applied to the metal panel (1010) having a metal touch portion by a user's push, the inductive sensor (1030) may detect the touch by a displacement difference of the metal. The displacement difference of the metal may be caused by a cavity (or air gap) formed between the metal panel (1010) and the inductive sensor (1030). The cavity formed between the metal panel (1010) and the inductive sensor (1030) may be created by etching the PCB (1020) as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, or may be created by soldering two PCBs to each other. The inductive sensor (1030) may include a coil printed on the PCB (1020) under the metal panel (1010).

The input interface (1420) may include a voice recognition module. For example, the home appliance (1000) may receive a voice signal, which is an analog signal, through a microphone, and convert the voice portion into computer-readable text using an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) model. The home appliance (1000) may interpret the converted text using a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) model to obtain the user's speech intent. Here, the ASR model or the NLU model may be an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be processed by an artificial intelligence-dedicated processor designed with a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence model may be created through learning. Here, being created through learning means that a basic artificial intelligence model is learned using a plurality of learning data by a learning algorithm, thereby creating a predefined operation rule or artificial intelligence model set to perform a desired characteristic (or purpose). The artificial intelligence model may be composed of a plurality of neural network layers. Each of the multiple neural network layers has multiple weight values, and performs neural network operations through operations between the operation results of the previous layer and the multiple weight values.

Linguistic understanding is the technology of recognizing, applying, and processing human language/characters, including natural language processing, machine translation, dialog systems, question answering, and speech recognition/synthesis.

The memory (1500) may store a program for processing and controlling the processor (1200) and may store input/output data. The memory (1500) may also store an artificial intelligence model.

The memory (1500) may include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. In addition, the home appliance (1000) may also operate a web storage or cloud server that performs a storage function on the Internet.

The block diagram and features of the home appliance (1000) according to FIG. 16 can be applied to all home appliances according to FIGS. 1, 2, 11 to 15 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 17 is a block diagram of an induction heating device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, an induction heating device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an induction heating unit (2100), a processor (2200), a communication interface (2300), a user interface (2400), and a memory (2500).

Below, we will look at the above components in turn.

The induction heating unit (2100) may include, but is not limited to, a driving unit (2110) and a heating coil (2120). The driving unit (2110) may receive power from an input power source and supply current to the heating coil (2120) according to a driving control signal of the processor (2200). The driving unit (2110) may include, but is not limited to, an EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) filter (2111), a rectifier circuit (2112), an inverter (2113), a distribution circuit (2114), and a current detection unit (2115). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving unit (2110) may be broadly referred to as an inverter. When the driving unit (2110) is referred to as an inverter, the inverter (2113) of FIG. 17 may only mean a switching element that performs a switching operation to supply current to the heating coil (2120).

The EMI filter (2111) blocks high-frequency noise contained in AC power supplied from the input power source and can pass AC voltage and AC current of a predetermined frequency (e.g., 50 Hz or 60 Hz). A fuse and a relay for blocking overcurrent may be provided between the EMI filter (2111) and the input power source. The AC power from which high-frequency noise has been blocked by the EMI filter (2111) is supplied to the rectifier circuit (2112).

The rectifier circuit (2112) can convert an AC voltage into a DC voltage. For example, the rectifier circuit (2112) can convert an AC voltage whose magnitude and polarity (positive voltage or negative voltage) change over time into a DC voltage whose magnitude and polarity are constant, and can convert an AC current whose magnitude and direction (positive current or negative current) change over time into a DC current whose polarity does not change over time. The rectifier circuit (2112) can include a bridge diode as a rectification element. For example, the rectifier circuit (2112) can include four diodes. The bridge diode can convert an AC voltage whose polarity changes over time into a positive voltage whose polarity is constant, and can convert an AC current whose direction changes over time into a positive current whose direction is constant. The rectifier circuit (2112) can be connected to a DC link capacitor that smoothes the rectified DC voltage.

The inverter (2113) may include a switching circuit that supplies or blocks driving current to the heating coil (2120) and a resonant capacitor that causes resonance together with the heating coil (2120).

The inverter (2113) can control the current supplied to the heating coil (2120). For example, the size and direction of the current flowing to the heating coil (2120) can change depending on the turning on/off of a plurality of switches included in the inverter (2113).

The current detection unit (2115) may include a current sensor that measures the current output from the inverter (2113) and flowing through the heating coil (2120). The current sensor may transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the measured current value to the processor (2200). Although not shown, the induction heating device (2000) may further include a voltage sensor that senses the voltage of the heating coil (2120) in addition to the current detection unit (2115).

The processor (2200) can determine the switching frequency (turn-on/turn-off frequency) of the switching circuit included in the inverter (2113) based on the output intensity (power level) of the induction heating device (2000). The processor (2200) can generate a driving control signal for turning the switching circuit on/off according to the determined switching frequency. The induction heating device (2000) can include a driving processor separate from the processor (2200) to control the operation of the induction heating unit (2100) during the operation of the processor (2200).

The heating coil (2120) can generate a magnetic field for heating the cooking vessel (101). For example, when a driving current is supplied to the heating coil (2120), a magnetic field can be induced around the heating coil (2120). When a current whose size and direction change over time, i.e., an alternating current, is supplied to the heating coil (2120), a magnetic field whose size and direction change over time can be induced around the heating coil (2120). The magnetic field around the heating coil (2120) can pass through the top plate made of tempered glass and reach the cooking vessel (101) placed on the top plate. Due to the magnetic field whose size and direction change over time, an eddy current that rotates around the magnetic field can be generated in the cooking vessel (101), and due to the eddy current, electric resistance heat can be generated in the cooking vessel (101). Electrical resistance heat is heat generated in a resistor when current flows through the resistor, and is also called Joule heat. The cooking vessel (101) is heated by the electrical resistance heat, and the contents inside the cooking vessel (101) can be heated.

The processor (2200) can control the overall operation of the induction heating device (2000). The processor (2200) is a hardware device that controls the overall operation of the induction heating device (2000). The processor (2200) may be a hardware device (chip) including an integrated circuit in which electrical circuits are integrated. The processor (2200) can control the induction heating unit (2100), the communication interface (2300), the user interface (2400), and the memory (2500) by executing programs stored in the memory (2500). The induction heating device (2000) may include at least one processor. For example, the processor (2200) may be one or multiple. In addition, when multiple processors are provided, operations by the processor in the present disclosure may be performed by any one of the multiple processors. The induction heating device (2000) may include only a main processor, or may include a main processor and at least one sub-processor.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the induction heating device (2000) may be equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI) processor. The AI processor may be manufactured in the form of a dedicated hardware chip for artificial intelligence (AI), or may be manufactured as part of an existing general-purpose processor (e.g., CPU or application processor) or a graphics-only processor (e.g., GPU) and equipped in the induction heating device (2000).

The processor (2200) can establish a short-range wireless communication channel (e.g., a BLE communication channel) with the cooking vessel (101) through the communication interface (2300) when the unique identification information of the cooking vessel (101) is stored in the memory (2500).

The communication interface (2300) may include one or more components that enable communication between the induction heating device (2000) and the cooking vessel (101), the induction heating device (2000) and a server device (not shown), or the induction heating device (2000) and a user terminal (not shown). For example, the communication interface (2300) may include a short-range wireless communication interface (2310) and a long-range wireless communication interface (2320). The short-range wireless communication interface (2310) may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication interface, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication interface, a near field communication interface, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication interface, a Zigbee communication interface, an IrDA (infrared Data Association) communication interface, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication interface, an UWB (Ultra Wideband) communication interface, an Ant+ communication interface, etc. The remote communication unit (2320) can be used to communicate with a server device (not shown) when the cooking vessel (101) is remotely controlled by a server device in an IoT (Internet of Things) environment. The remote communication unit (2320) can include the Internet, a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN), and a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit transmits and receives a wireless signal with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. Here, the wireless signal can include various types of data according to a voice call signal, a video call call signal, or a text/multimedia message transmission and reception. The mobile communication unit can include, but is not limited to, a 3G module, a 4G module, an LTE module, a 5G module, a 6G module, an NB-IoT module, an LTE-M module, etc.

The user interface (2400) may include an output interface (2410) and an input interface (2420). The output interface (2410) is for outputting an audio signal or a video signal and may include a display and an audio output unit, etc.

When the display and the touchpad are configured as a touch screen in a layered structure, the display can be used as an input interface (2420) in addition to the output interface (2410). The display can include at least one of a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode (LED), an organic light-emitting diode, a flexible display, a 3D display, and an electrophoretic display. In addition, depending on the implementation form of the induction heating device (2000), the induction heating device (2000) can include two or more displays.

The audio output unit can output audio data received from the communication interface (2300) or stored in the memory (2500). In addition, the audio output unit can output audio signals related to functions performed in the induction heating device (2000). The audio output unit can include a speaker, a buzzer, etc.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the output interface (2410) can display information regarding the cooking vessel (101). For example, the output interface (2410) can output a GUI (Graphical User Interface) corresponding to identification information or product type information of the cooking vessel (101). Additionally, the output interface (2410) can output information regarding the current location of the cooking vessel (101).

The input interface (2420) is for receiving input from a user. The input interface (2420) may be at least one of a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (contact electrostatic capacitance type, pressure resistive film type, infrared detection type, surface ultrasonic conduction type, integral tension measurement type, piezo effect type, etc.), a jog wheel, and a jog switch, but is not limited thereto.

The input interface (2420) may include a metal panel (1010) having a metal touch portion. When pressure is applied to the metal panel (1010) having a metal touch portion by a user's push, the inductive sensor (1030) may detect the touch by a displacement difference of the metal. The displacement difference of the metal may be generated by a cavity (or air gap) formed between the metal panel (1010) and the inductive sensor (1030). The cavity formed between the metal panel (1010) and the inductive sensor (1030) may be created by etching the PCB (1020) as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, or may be created by soldering two PCBs together. The inductive sensor (1030) may include a coil printed on the PCB (1020) under the metal panel (1010).

The input interface (2420) may include a voice recognition module. For example, the induction heating device (2000) may receive a voice signal, which is an analog signal, through a microphone, and convert the voice portion into computer-readable text using an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) model. The induction heating device (2000) may interpret the converted text using a Natural Language Understanding (NLU) model to obtain the user's speech intent. Here, the ASR model or the NLU model may be an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be processed by an artificial intelligence-dedicated processor designed with a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence model may be created through learning. Here, being created through learning means that a basic artificial intelligence model is learned using a plurality of learning data by a learning algorithm, thereby creating a predefined operation rule or artificial intelligence model set to perform a desired characteristic (or purpose). The artificial intelligence model may be composed of a plurality of neural network layers. Each of the multiple neural network layers has multiple weight values, and performs neural network operations through operations between the operation results of the previous layer and the multiple weight values.

Linguistic understanding is the technology of recognizing, applying, and processing human language/characters, including natural language processing, machine translation, dialog systems, question answering, and speech recognition/synthesis.

The memory (2500) may store a program for processing and controlling the processor (2200), and may store input/output data (e.g., unique identification information of the cooking vessel (101), variable identification information of the cooking vessel (101), multiple power transmission patterns, cooking progress information of the cooking vessel (101), etc.). The memory (2500) may also store an artificial intelligence model.

The memory (2500) may include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. In addition, the induction heating device (2000) may also operate a web storage or cloud server that performs a storage function on the Internet.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a home appliance including an inductive sensor is disclosed. The home appliance may include a PCB including a cavity formed by etching the PCB. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a coil patterned and printed on the PCB. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a metal panel positioned on the cavity and supported by at least a portion of the PCB, the metal panel including a touch key. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in a current value flowing through the coil based on a displacement difference of the touch key.

According to one embodiment, the processor detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key of the metal panel based on a change in the current value flowing in the coil according to a change in inductance based on a displacement difference of the touch key of the metal panel.

In one embodiment, the displacement of the touch key is caused by at least a portion of the touch key moving into the cavity due to pressure applied to the touch key.

In one embodiment, the coil is placed on the surface of the PCB that contacts the cavity.

In one embodiment, etching the PCB to form a cavity includes etching the PCB with a laser to form a cavity.

In one embodiment, etching the PCB to form a cavity includes etching the PCB by sand blasting to form a cavity.

In one embodiment, at least a portion of the PCB supporting the metal panel includes printed circuitry and soldered components.

According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the PCB is characterized by having a plurality of patterned layers stacked on top of each other.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of pattern layers comprising at least a portion of the PCB comprises a printed circuit. In one embodiment, the printed circuit included in the plurality of pattern layers is electrically connected to the printed circuit on the PCB below the cavity through a via hole.

According to one embodiment, the touch key includes a metal key made of metal.

A home appliance including an inductive sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is disclosed. The home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first PCB including a patterned and printed coil. The home appliance according to one embodiment may include a second PCB soldered to the first PCB to form a cavity over the coil. The home appliance according to one embodiment may include a metal panel supported by the second PCB and including a touch key. According to one embodiment, the home appliance may include a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in a current value flowing through the coil based on a displacement difference of the touch key.

According to one embodiment, the processor detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in the current flowing in the coil according to a change in inductance based on a displacement difference of the touch key.

In one embodiment, the displacement of the touch key is caused by at least a portion of the touch key moving into the cavity due to pressure applied to the touch key.

In one embodiment, the coil is placed on a first PCB corresponding to a bottom surface within the cavity.

In one embodiment, the second PCB includes circuitry printed on the second PCB and components soldered thereon.

In one embodiment, the second PCB is characterized by stacking a plurality of patterned PCBs.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of patterned PCBs included in the second PCB comprises a printed circuit. In one embodiment, the printed circuit is electrically connected to the printed circuit on the first PCB via a soldered joint between the second PCB and the first PCB.

According to one embodiment, the touch key includes a metal key made of metal.

A method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present disclosure or may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by a computer. Computer-readable media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. Furthermore, computer-readable media may include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media typically contains computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented as a computer program or computer program product containing computer-executable instructions, such as a computer program executed by a computer.

A device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

Claims (15)

The PCB comprising a cavity formed by etching the PCB; A coil patterned and printed on the PCB; and A metal panel positioned on the cavity and supported by at least a portion of the PCB and including a touch key; and A home appliance, comprising a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key as the current value flowing through the coil changes based on the displacement difference of the touch key. In the first paragraph, A home appliance in which the processor detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key of the metal panel based on a change in the current value flowing in the coil according to a change in inductance based on a displacement difference of the touch key of the metal panel. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 2, A home appliance in which the displacement difference of the touch key is caused by at least a part of the touch key moving into the cavity due to pressure applied to the touch key. In any one of claims 1 to 3, A home appliance, wherein the coil is placed on the surface of the PCB that contacts the cavity. In any one of claims 1 to 4, A home appliance, wherein the PCB is etched to form the cavity, wherein the PCB is etched with a laser to form the cavity. In any one of claims 1 to 5, A home appliance, wherein at least a portion of the PCB supporting the metal panel includes printed circuits and soldered components. In any one of claims 1 to 6, At least a portion of the above PCB is characterized in that a plurality of pattern layers are laminated, A home appliance, wherein each of the plurality of pattern layers, which at least a portion of the PCB comprises, comprises a printed circuit, and the printed circuit included in the plurality of pattern layers is electrically connected to a circuit printed on the PCB below the cavity through a via hole. In any one of claims 1 to 7, A home appliance, wherein the above touch key includes a metal key made of metal. A first PCB comprising a patterned and printed coil; A second PCB soldered to the first PCB to form a cavity above the coil; and A metal panel supported by the second PCB and including a touch key; and A home appliance, comprising a processor that detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key as the current value flowing through the coil changes based on the displacement difference of the touch key. In paragraph 9, A home appliance in which the processor detects that a touch has occurred on the touch key based on a change in the current value flowing in the coil according to a change in inductance based on a displacement difference of the touch key. In any one of paragraphs 9 to 10, A home appliance in which the displacement difference of the touch key is caused by at least a part of the touch key moving into the cavity due to pressure applied to the touch key. In any one of paragraphs 9 to 11, A home appliance, wherein the coil is placed on the first PCB corresponding to the bottom surface within the cavity. In any one of paragraphs 9 to 12, A home appliance, wherein the second PCB includes a circuit printed on the second PCB and a soldered component. In any one of paragraphs 9 to 13, The above second PCB is characterized by having a plurality of patterned PCBs laminated, A home appliance, wherein each of the plurality of patterned PCBs included in the second PCB includes a printed circuit, and the printed circuit is electrically connected to the circuit printed on the first PCB through a soldered joint between the second PCB and the first PCB. In any one of paragraphs 9 to 14, A home appliance, wherein the above touch key includes a metal key made of metal.