Capacitive touch sensor with moisture management features

Abstract

A dishwashing appliance includes a cabinet and a tub. The tub defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing. A door is rotatably mounted to the cabinet for movement between a closed position wherein the wash chamber is sealingly enclosed and an open position permitting access to the wash chamber for loading and unloading of articles from the dishwashing appliance. The dishwashing appliance also includes a control console positioned on the door. The control console includes a console cover on an exterior surface of the door, a console bracket mounted within an interior of the door and proximate the console cover, and a circuit board attached to an interior surface of the console cover with a double-sided adhesive film. The console bracket includes a drainage surface. The drainage surface may have a three-dimensional hydrophilic surface texture and/or may slope towards a drain hole in the console bracket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub in the cabinet, the tub defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;   a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet for movement between a closed position wherein the wash chamber is sealingly enclosed and an open position permitting access to the wash chamber for loading and unloading of articles from the dishwashing appliance; and   a control console positioned on the door, the control console comprising a console cover on an exterior surface of the door, a console bracket mounted within an interior of the door and proximate the console cover, and a circuit board attached to the console cover with a double-sided adhesive film, wherein the console bracket comprises a drainage surface having a three-dimensional hydrophilic surface texture.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drainage surface slopes towards a drain hole in the console bracket. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drainage surface extends across a back side of the console bracket and a base portion of the console bracket. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the drainage surface is disposed on the console bracket facing the circuit board. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the console bracket and the console cover define an enclosure with the circuit board encompassed within the enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the control console comprises a capacitive touch sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a front panel and a back panel, and wherein the console cover extends from the front panel of the door to the back panel of the door. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the console bracket is positioned entirely within the interior of the door. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the console bracket does not form a part of the exterior surface of the door. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the control console is positioned on a top surface of the door. 
     
     
         11 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub in the cabinet, the tub defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;   a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet for movement between a closed position wherein the wash chamber is sealingly enclosed and an open position permitting access to the wash chamber for loading and unloading of articles from the dishwashing appliance; and   a control console positioned on the door, the control console comprising a console cover on an exterior surface of the door, a console bracket mounted within an interior of the door and proximate the console cover, and a circuit board attached to the console cover with a double-sided adhesive film, wherein the console bracket comprises a drainage surface which slopes towards a drain hole in the console bracket.   
     
     
         12 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the drainage surface comprises a three-dimensional hydrophilic surface texture. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the drainage surface extends across a back side of the console bracket and a base portion of the console bracket. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the drainage surface is disposed on the console bracket facing the circuit board. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the console bracket and the console cover define an enclosure with the circuit board encompassed within the enclosure. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the control console comprises a capacitive touch sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the door comprises a front panel and a back panel and wherein the console cover extends from the front panel of the door to the back panel of the door. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the console bracket is positioned entirely within the interior of the door. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the console bracket does not form a part of the exterior surface of the door. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the control console is positioned on a top surface of the door.