EP0671681B1 - Retractable turning knob - Google Patents

Retractable turning knob Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0671681B1
EP0671681B1 EP19940103552 EP94103552A EP0671681B1 EP 0671681 B1 EP0671681 B1 EP 0671681B1 EP 19940103552 EP19940103552 EP 19940103552 EP 94103552 A EP94103552 A EP 94103552A EP 0671681 B1 EP0671681 B1 EP 0671681B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
knob
end part
cavity
retention member
retention
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19940103552
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0671681A1 (en
Inventor
Massimo C/O Whirlpool Italia S.R.L. Porrini
Vincenzo C/O Whirlpool Italia S.R.L. Cuoco
Elio C/O Whirlpool Italia S.R.L. Gimelli
Silvano C/O Whirlpool Italia S.R.L. Venturini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Europe BV
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Europe BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Europe BV filed Critical Whirlpool Europe BV
Priority to EP19940103552 priority Critical patent/EP0671681B1/en
Priority to DE1994611534 priority patent/DE69411534T2/en
Priority to ES94103552T priority patent/ES2120526T3/en
Publication of EP0671681A1 publication Critical patent/EP0671681A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0671681B1 publication Critical patent/EP0671681B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
    • G05G1/00—Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members
    • G05G1/08—Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
    • G05G1/087—Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels retractable; Flush control knobs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/50—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member
    • H01H13/56—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force
    • H01H13/562—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a single operating member the contact returning to its original state upon the next application of operating force making use of a heart shaped cam
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/02—Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch
    • H01H3/08—Turn knobs
    • H01H2003/085—Retractable turn knobs, e.g. flush mounted

Definitions

  • EP-A-0 173 820 discloses a control member according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • the knob or control member in particular of the push-pull type, of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance, for example an oven or the like, is connected to a control element (in particular a control shaft having at least one flat face) on the control panel of the appliance.
  • a control element in particular a control shaft having at least one flat face
  • This connection is made during the final stages in the construction of the appliance by inserting the knob into a usual switch support associated with a front cover on the control panel and comprising an aperture which cooperates with a hole in said cover in order to receive the knob.
  • This latter comprises, within a usual cavity in its end part or stem, an insert fixed to the cavity walls and provided with a hole of such shape as to receive the said control shaft and to cooperate torsionally with it.
  • a knob having the aforesaid known characteristics allows proper use of the appliance, but has the drawback of not being always easy to connect to the control shaft during the construction of the appliance.
  • even small defects in the construction of the stem and of the insert within its cavity can result in an undesirable inclination of the axis of the hole in the insert (relative to the longitudinal axis of the knob) such that the said connection is totally impossible or is made very difficult to effect.
  • the knob is associated with the switch support in such a manner that the connection can be made only if this alignment exists, the insertion of said shaft into the insert in the stem is prevented or made very difficult. In this latter case the insertion can be achieved only by forcing, which can lead to the breakage of the insert and/or stem (these being generally of plastics construction), leading to obvious problems in using the appliance.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a knob for easy and reliable connection to a control shaft located on the control panel of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance, a high fidelity system or a similar electrical apparatus.
  • a particular object of the invention is to provide a knob which can be connected to the control shaft even if the knob stem (and hence the knob itself) and said shaft are misaligned.
  • a further object is to provide a knob of reliable use and low construction cost.
  • a knob of push-pull type is indicated overall by M and comprises a tubular body 1 closed at its free end by an endpiece 2 and supporting at its other end 3 a usual hook or shoe 4 connected to the body 1 by a known elastic pin 5.
  • the body 1 comprises an inner cavity 6 bounded by a portion 7 (internal to said cavity) positioned in proximity to said endpiece 2. On said portion 7 there rests the end 8 of a compression spring 9, the other end 10 of which acts on the inner part 11 of a socket-shaped end 12 of the end part or stem 13 of the knob M.
  • the body 1 cooperates torsionally with the stem 13 and can move longitudinally (ie along an axis X) relative to this latter.
  • This latter is of polygonal shape, a side 15 thereof comprising a usual labyrinth 16 for the shoe 4.
  • the stem 13 is tubular and comprises a cavity containing an insert 18 independent of said part 13 and internally comprising a cavity 19 which opens into one end 20 of said stem.
  • the cavity 19 comprises internally a flat spring 22 (of known use) and is of a usual shape enabling it to be torsionally coupled to a control shaft of an apparatus such as an electric oven (not shown).
  • the insert 18 comprises in a side face 23 an oval arched-wall recess 24 able to cooperate with an oval projection 25 of slightly smaller dimensions than said recess and projecting from an inner wall 26 bounding the cavity 17 in the stem 13.
  • the projection 25 (which is preferably elastically deformable in the sense that it can undergo slight compression to enable the insert 18 to be inserted into the cavity 17) projects into the recess 24 to axially retain the insert within the end part 13 of the knob.
  • the engagement between these parts allows the insert 18 to undergo movement along a plurality of planes containing the knob longitudinal axis X.
  • the insert 18 is able to move within the cavity 17 such that the longitudinal axis Y of the cavity 19 and hence of the insert 18 (generally coaxial with the axis X) can assume any inclination to the longitudinal axis of the knob.
  • FIGS 3 and 4 show a modification of the invention.
  • the insert 18 comprises a transverse through hole 30 (in place of the recess 24) perpendicular to the axis Y of the insert 18 and arranged to cooperate with a pin 31. This latter cooperates with elongate through slots 35 provided in the opposing sides 32 and 33 of the end part 13 of the knob M.
  • the insert 18 is inserted into the cavity 17 of the part 13 and when the hole 30 and the slots 35 are aligned, the insert is retained within this cavity by inserting the pin 31 through said hole and slots. Said pin is locked in position in known manner so as not to escape from the hole 30.
  • the cooperation between the pin (or rather its ends 31A projecting from the hole 30) and the slots 35 defines a sort of hinge about which the insert 18 is able to rotate and hence assume positions in which its longitudinal axis (shown coaxial to the axis X in the figures) is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the part 13 and hence of the knob M.
  • the control shaft on the control panel can in any event be inserted into the hole 19 in the insert 18, so that rotating the knob M results in rotation of the shaft and hence activation and/or adjustment of the operation of the household electrical appliance.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
  • Cookers (AREA)
  • Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)

Description

This invention relates to a control member or knob in accordance with the introduction to the main claim. EP-A-0 173 820 discloses a control member according to the preamble of claim 1.
As is well known, the knob or control member, in particular of the push-pull type, of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance, for example an oven or the like, is connected to a control element (in particular a control shaft having at least one flat face) on the control panel of the appliance. This connection is made during the final stages in the construction of the appliance by inserting the knob into a usual switch support associated with a front cover on the control panel and comprising an aperture which cooperates with a hole in said cover in order to receive the knob.
This latter comprises, within a usual cavity in its end part or stem, an insert fixed to the cavity walls and provided with a hole of such shape as to receive the said control shaft and to cooperate torsionally with it.
A knob having the aforesaid known characteristics allows proper use of the appliance, but has the drawback of not being always easy to connect to the control shaft during the construction of the appliance. In this respect, even small defects in the construction of the stem and of the insert within its cavity can result in an undesirable inclination of the axis of the hole in the insert (relative to the longitudinal axis of the knob) such that the said connection is totally impossible or is made very difficult to effect. In other words, because of imperfect alignment between the axis of the hole in the insert within the knob body and the axis of the control shaft, and because the knob is associated with the switch support in such a manner that the connection can be made only if this alignment exists, the insertion of said shaft into the insert in the stem is prevented or made very difficult. In this latter case the insertion can be achieved only by forcing, which can lead to the breakage of the insert and/or stem (these being generally of plastics construction), leading to obvious problems in using the appliance.
An object of the present invention is to provide a knob for easy and reliable connection to a control shaft located on the control panel of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance, a high fidelity system or a similar electrical apparatus.
A particular object of the invention is to provide a knob which can be connected to the control shaft even if the knob stem (and hence the knob itself) and said shaft are misaligned.
A further object is to provide a knob of reliable use and low construction cost.
This and further objects which will be apparent to the expert of the art are attained by a control member or knob in accordance with the accompanying claims.
The present invention will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example and in which:
  • Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a push-pull knob according to the invention;
  • Figure 2 is an exploded perspective partial view of a part of the knob of Figure 1;
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; and
  • Figure 4 is an exploded view of a part of the knob of Figure 3.
    • With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a knob of push-pull type is indicated overall by M and comprises a tubular body 1 closed at its free end by an endpiece 2 and supporting at its other end 3 a usual hook or shoe 4 connected to the body 1 by a known elastic pin 5.
    The body 1 comprises an inner cavity 6 bounded by a portion 7 (internal to said cavity) positioned in proximity to said endpiece 2. On said portion 7 there rests the end 8 of a compression spring 9, the other end 10 of which acts on the inner part 11 of a socket-shaped end 12 of the end part or stem 13 of the knob M.
    The body 1 cooperates torsionally with the stem 13 and can move longitudinally (ie along an axis X) relative to this latter.
    This latter is of polygonal shape, a side 15 thereof comprising a usual labyrinth 16 for the shoe 4.
    According to the invention, the stem 13 is tubular and comprises a cavity containing an insert 18 independent of said part 13 and internally comprising a cavity 19 which opens into one end 20 of said stem. The cavity 19 comprises internally a flat spring 22 (of known use) and is of a usual shape enabling it to be torsionally coupled to a control shaft of an apparatus such as an electric oven (not shown).
    The insert 18 comprises in a side face 23 an oval arched-wall recess 24 able to cooperate with an oval projection 25 of slightly smaller dimensions than said recess and projecting from an inner wall 26 bounding the cavity 17 in the stem 13.
    When the insert 18 is positioned within the cavity 17, the projection 25 (which is preferably elastically deformable in the sense that it can undergo slight compression to enable the insert 18 to be inserted into the cavity 17) projects into the recess 24 to axially retain the insert within the end part 13 of the knob.
    At the same time, as the projection 25 is smaller than the recess 24, the engagement between these parts allows the insert 18 to undergo movement along a plurality of planes containing the knob longitudinal axis X. In other words, the insert 18 is able to move within the cavity 17 such that the longitudinal axis Y of the cavity 19 and hence of the insert 18 (generally coaxial with the axis X) can assume any inclination to the longitudinal axis of the knob.
    In this manner, when connecting this latter to a control shaft of the control panel of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance, even if the knob and the shaft are not perfectly coaxial this latter can still be inserted into the cavity 19 and be torsionally coupled to the knob, because of the possible different orientation of the axis Y of the insert 18 relative to the axis X of the knob (and of the cavity 17 which it contains).
    Figures 3 and 4 show a modification of the invention. In these figures, in which parts corresponding to those of the already described figures are indicated by the same reference numerals, the insert 18 comprises a transverse through hole 30 (in place of the recess 24) perpendicular to the axis Y of the insert 18 and arranged to cooperate with a pin 31. This latter cooperates with elongate through slots 35 provided in the opposing sides 32 and 33 of the end part 13 of the knob M.
    In the illustrated embodiment the insert 18 is inserted into the cavity 17 of the part 13 and when the hole 30 and the slots 35 are aligned, the insert is retained within this cavity by inserting the pin 31 through said hole and slots. Said pin is locked in position in known manner so as not to escape from the hole 30.
    The cooperation between the pin (or rather its ends 31A projecting from the hole 30) and the slots 35 defines a sort of hinge about which the insert 18 is able to rotate and hence assume positions in which its longitudinal axis (shown coaxial to the axis X in the figures) is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the part 13 and hence of the knob M. In this manner the control shaft on the control panel can in any event be inserted into the hole 19 in the insert 18, so that rotating the knob M results in rotation of the shaft and hence activation and/or adjustment of the operation of the household electrical appliance.

    Claims (4)

    1. A control member or knob of push-pull type able to cooperate with a control element on a control panel of an apparatus such as a household electrical appliance or an electrical apparatus,
      said knob comprising an end part (13) with a retention member (18) able to receive and cooperate torsionally with said control element,
      said end part cooperating with a body (1) movable axially along said end part and along the longitudinal axis (X) of the knob against the action of a spring (9) and cooperating torsionally with said end part,
      characterised in that
      said retention member (18) is positioned movable with respect to said longitudinal axis (X) within a cavity (17) provided in said end part (13); and
      axial retention means (24, 25; 30, 31, 35) are provided such to prevent said retention member (18) escaping from said cavity but are able to allow movement of said retention member relative to said end part.
    2. A control member as claimed in claim 1,
      characterised in that
      said retention means (24, 25) include
      a projection (25) with at least one curved portion projecting from an inner wall (26) which bounds said cavity (17),
      said projection cooperates with a recess (24) provided in a side face (23) of said retention member (18), and
      said recess has larger dimensions than said projection.
    3. A control member as claimed in claim 2,
      characterised in that
      said recess (24) is an arched-wall recess.
    4. A control member as claimed in claim 1,
      characterised in that
      said retention means (30, 31, 35) include
      a pin (31) stably inserted in a transverse through hole (30) provided in said retention member (18),
      said hole is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Y) of said retention member,
      said pin (31) cooperates with elongate through slots (35) provided in opposing side walls (32, 33) of said end part (13), and
      the ends (31A) of said pin projecting from said transverse through hole define with said through slots a hinge about which said retention member can rotate within said cavity (17).
    EP19940103552 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 Retractable turning knob Expired - Lifetime EP0671681B1 (en)

    Priority Applications (3)

    Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
    EP19940103552 EP0671681B1 (en) 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 Retractable turning knob
    DE1994611534 DE69411534T2 (en) 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 Retractable rotary knob
    ES94103552T ES2120526T3 (en) 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 ROTARY ROTARY BUTTON.

    Applications Claiming Priority (1)

    Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
    EP19940103552 EP0671681B1 (en) 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 Retractable turning knob

    Publications (2)

    Publication Number Publication Date
    EP0671681A1 EP0671681A1 (en) 1995-09-13
    EP0671681B1 true EP0671681B1 (en) 1998-07-08

    Family

    ID=8215755

    Family Applications (1)

    Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
    EP19940103552 Expired - Lifetime EP0671681B1 (en) 1994-03-09 1994-03-09 Retractable turning knob

    Country Status (3)

    Country Link
    EP (1) EP0671681B1 (en)
    DE (1) DE69411534T2 (en)
    ES (1) ES2120526T3 (en)

    Cited By (1)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    EP2244152A1 (en) 2009-04-23 2010-10-27 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Switching and/or adjusting element for an appliance, especially for a domestic appliance

    Families Citing this family (7)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    EP1526422B1 (en) * 2003-10-22 2007-02-14 Lisi Automotive Rapid Retractable rotating knob of a switch or positioning device, especially of a household appliance
    EP1712974B1 (en) * 2005-04-13 2008-08-27 Lisi Automotive Rapid Retractable rotating knob of a switch or positioning device, especially of a household appliance
    TR201002246A2 (en) * 2010-03-24 2011-10-21 Bora Bükülmez Mehmet A push pull mechanism.
    ES2353292B1 (en) * 2010-10-28 2012-01-17 Pladomin, S.A. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTATING SCAMOTABLE CONTROLS.
    DE202016001358U1 (en) 2016-03-02 2016-03-24 I.T.R. Industria Trasformazione Resine S.R.L. Retractable knob for ovens or other household appliances
    KR102683539B1 (en) * 2020-01-17 2024-07-11 삼성전자주식회사 Knob assembly and cooking apparatus having the same
    CN111463035A (en) * 2020-04-17 2020-07-28 杭州乐垚生物科技有限公司 Genetic engineering device with high safety performance and good stability

    Family Cites Families (3)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    DE2250621C3 (en) * 1972-10-16 1979-09-06 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart Rotary knob for a setting
    AU1734483A (en) * 1982-08-26 1984-03-01 Smeg Elettrodomestici S.P.A. Rotary control device with retractable knob
    DE3427378A1 (en) * 1984-07-25 1986-01-30 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Retractable rotary knob

    Cited By (1)

    * Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
    Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
    EP2244152A1 (en) 2009-04-23 2010-10-27 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Switching and/or adjusting element for an appliance, especially for a domestic appliance

    Also Published As

    Publication number Publication date
    DE69411534D1 (en) 1998-08-13
    ES2120526T3 (en) 1998-11-01
    DE69411534T2 (en) 1998-12-17
    EP0671681A1 (en) 1995-09-13

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