Button assembly for electric home appliance and control panel assembly using the same

Abstract

A button assembly for an electric home appliance and a control panel assembly using the same are provided. The button assembly includes a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion. The unifying member has a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and the at least flexible portion has at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers. The plurality of button sleeves may be made up of at least two button sleeve groups, each button sleeve group having at least one button sleeve, adjacent button sleeve groups of the at least two button sleeve groups being separated by a predetermined distance. The at least one flexible portion has a predetermined length, the predetermined length being greater than the predetermined distance, to compensate for dimensional discrepancies in a control panel assembly resulting from normal manufacturing processes. The control panel assembly includes a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface; and a substrate disposed behind the panel. The button assembly is disposed between the panel and the substrate, and the plurality of button sleeves of the button assembly are respectively inserted into the plurality of through holes.

1 . A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising: 
 a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and    a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.    
   
   
       2 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of button sleeves comprises at least two button sleeve groups, each button sleeve group having at least one button sleeve, adjacent button sleeve groups of the at least two button sleeve groups being separated by a predetermined distance.  
   
   
       3 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a predetermined length, the predetermined length being greater than the predetermined distance.  
   
   
       4 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a U-shaped form.  
   
   
       5 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a V-shaped form.  
   
   
       6 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible portion has a semicircular form.  
   
   
       7 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is formed to be inserted into one of a plurality of through holes formed in a panel.  
   
   
       8 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.  
   
   
       9 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes from a rear side of the panel.  
   
   
       10 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.  
   
   
       11 . A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising: 
 a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively;    a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves; and    at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.    
   
   
       12 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a U-shaped form.  
   
   
       13 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a V-shaped form.  
   
   
       14 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one group joining member has a semicircular form.  
   
   
       15 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.  
   
   
       16 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is formed to be inserted into one of a plurality of through holes formed in a panel.  
   
   
       17 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.  
   
   
       18 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes from a rear side of the panel.  
   
   
       19 . The button assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.  
   
   
       20 . A button assembly for an electric home appliance, comprising: 
 a plurality of button sleeves;    a plurality of push buttons respectively captured in the plurality of button sleeves;    a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves; and    at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.    
   
   
       21 . A control panel assembly, comprising: 
 a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface;    a substrate disposed behind the panel; and    a button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and  
 a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.  
   
   
   
       22 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is inserted into one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.  
   
   
       23 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end extending through one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.  
   
   
       24 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.  
   
   
       25 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.  
   
   
       26 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.  
   
   
       27 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.  
   
   
       28 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons is captured in one of the plurality of buttons sleeves.  
   
   
       29 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of tactile switches mounted on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end in contact with one of the plurality of tactile switches.  
   
   
       30 . A washing machine, comprising: 
 a cabinet; and    a control panel assembly mounted with respect to the cabinet, the control panel assembly comprising: 
 a panel having a plurality of through holes formed in an exterior surface;  
 a substrate disposed behind the panel; and  
 a button assembly disposed between the panel and the substrate, the button assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of button sleeves for receiving a plurality of push buttons, respectively; and  
 a unifying member for joining the button sleeves, the unifying member having at least one flexible portion.  
 
   
   
   
       31 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of button sleeves is inserted into one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.  
   
   
       32 . The control panel assembly as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of push buttons has one end extending through one of the plurality of through holes of the panel.  
   
   
       33 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 31 , further comprising at least one catch, protruding from a perimeter of one end of each button sleeve, for preventing the one end from passing through a corresponding through hole when the button sleeves are inserted into the through holes.  
   
   
       34 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the unifying member comprises a plurality of button sleeve couplers, each button sleeve coupler ganging together a predetermined group of the plurality of button sleeves, and wherein the at least flexible portion comprises at least one group joining member for flexibly joining the plurality of button sleeve couplers.  
   
   
       35 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the button sleeves of the predetermined group are arranged in one of a linear pattern, a curved pattern, and a grid pattern.  
   
   
       36 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the button sleeve couplers are formed of a rigid material.