Abstract: A sensor device to measure a force or pressure in a washing handling apparatus includes a light source, a light receiver, a light-reflecting surface that reflects light emitted by the light source toward the light receiver, and one or more spring elements that biases the light-reflecting surface into a predefined initial position with respect to the light source and the light receiver where the light-reflecting surface is disposed to be displaceable with respect to the light source and the light receiver in response to application of an external force or pressure against a resetting force of the one or more spring elements.

Abstract: A device to capture the relative position of a component (14) of which the position can change relative to a reference component (12) of a washing handling device (10), in particular a washing machine or drier, includes at least one light source (34, 38, 42), at least one light receiver (36, 40, 44), a light-reflecting surface (50, 52), which reflects light which the light source (34, 38, 42) emits to the light receiver (36, 40, 44). The device is designed to capture the present relative position of the changeable-position component (14) relative to the reference component (12), according to the reflected light which the light receiver (36, 40, 44) captures.

Abstract: An optical sensor for use in a washing machine or dishwasher comprises a housing, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and a light-conducting structure, which is made from a transparent material, having a light entry point, a first reflection surface, a second reflection surface and a light exit point. A light measurement path runs from the light-emitting element, via the light entry point, the first reflection surface, the second reflection surface and the light exit point, to the light-receiving element wherein the light undergoes total reflection on the first reflection surface and on the second reflection surface and where a light beam that runs from the first reflection surface to the second reflection surface has a cross-sectional area of not less than 0.9 mm2.

Abstract: A device to capture the relative position of a component (14) of which the position can change relative to a reference component (12) of a washing handling device (10), in particular a washing machine or drier, includes at least one light source (34, 38, 42), at least one light receiver (36, 40, 44), a light-reflecting surface (50, 52), which reflects light which the light source (34, 38, 42) emits to the light receiver (36, 40, 44). The device is designed to capture the present relative position of the changeable-position component (14) relative to the reference component (12), according to the reflected light which the light receiver (36, 40, 44) captures.

Abstract: An optical sensor for use in a washing machine or dishwasher comprises a housing, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and a light-conducting structure, which is made from a transparent material, having a light entry point, a first reflection surface, a second reflection surface and a light exit point. The light-emitting element, the light-receiving element and the light-conducting structure define a light measurement path that runs, in this sequence, from the light-emitting element, via the light entry point, the first reflection surface, the second reflection surface and the light exit point, to the light-receiving element. In this case, on a section located between the first and the second reflection surface, the light measurement path runs outside the housing. The light that reaches the light-receiving element, along the light measurement path, from the light-emitting element undergoes total reflection on the first reflection surface and on the second reflection surface.