GB2318214A

GB2318214A - A timer with time setting means

Info

Publication number: GB2318214A
Application number: GB9620988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Stekelenburg
Original assignee: Grasslin Far East Corp
Current assignee: Grasslin Far East Corp
Priority date: 1996-10-08
Filing date: 1996-10-08
Publication date: 1998-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-08
Also published as: GB9620988D0; GB2318214B

Abstract

A timer with easily controllable time setting means includes a dial 2 with a plurality of time setting keys 21 around it and a push-button means 3 located next to the dial. The time setting keys can be pulled out or pushed in to set an ON or OFF time. When a desired setting key is pulled out along with other neighbouring setting keys, the push-button means can be used to push back those neighbouring setting keys not required for time setting one by one to accurately set a desired ON time. The push-button means includes a biased push button 32 mounted in a casing defined by a channel shaped member (311, Fig 4) and a top cover (312).

Description

A TIMER WITH EASILY CONTROLLABLE TIME SETTING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a timer with easily controllable time setting means, and more particularly to a push-button time setting means for easily but accurately selecting a desired time setting key on a timer.

2. Description of the Prior Art Most of the conventional key-setting type timers have a dial about 6.5cm in diameter and a plurality of time setting keys arranged around an outer periphery of the dial. Generally, there are 96 setting keys (each key represents 15 minutes and each full turn of the dial represents one day) with each key having a width less than 2mm! This width is much smaller than the thickness of a finger people usually use to touch the key for setting purpose. Thus, it is very easy for a user to touch (pull, push, depress, etc.) other keys at two sides of the desired key. Some of the keys tend to stay in a half-depressed condition, especially for the keys which are frequently used to set power ON or OFF. For the old and weak people, small children, and those with vision defect, it is particularly difficult to accurately depress these tiny setting keys and tends to produce incorrect ON and/or OFF settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a timer having an easily controllable push-button time setting means attached thereto to each time push against only one single time setting key on the timer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a timer having specially designed time setting keys to facilitate the pull or push of the keys for time setting purpose.

To set a timer by using the present invention, first use a finger to pull out the desired setting key along with other keys at two sides thereof. Then, use the push-button time-setting means to push in the undesired neighbouring keys one by one and finally accurately set the time on which the power should be ON.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a timer with the pushbutton time-setting means according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the relation of the dial and the setting keys with the push-button time-setting means of the present invention; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the time setting key of the present invention; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective of the push-button timesetting means of the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the push-button time-setting means in a depressed condition to push a time setting key on the timer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Please refer to Fig. 1. The present invention relates to a timer having a push-button time-setting means. The timer has a housing 1, a dial 2 provided on a front surface of the housing 1, and a push-button means 3 provided on one side of the housing 1 next to the dial 2. There are also switch, receptacle, plug, etc. provided on the timer but all are parts with conventional structure and are therefore not further described herein.

The dial 2 is provided around an outer periphery with a plurality of setting keys 21 for setting a specific time on which a power should be ON or OFF. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the setting keys 21 are pulled outward from the dial 2 with a finger, and then the push-button means is used to push inward setting keys 21 one by one to set the time on which the power should be OFF.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the relation of the dial 2 and the setting keys 21 with the push-button time-setting means 3. As shown, in addition to the peripheral setting keys 21, the dial 2 also has a time marking indicator 22 and a rotating disc 23. The time marking indicator 22 is fixedly attached to the rotating disc 23 and rotates with the rotating disc 23 synchronously. The rotating disc 23 has a conventionally known internal structure (not shown) to actuate the rotation thereof, for example, to rotate one turn each day. The setting keys 21 are mounted to an outer periphery of the rotating disc 23. The setting keys 21 are so designed that they can be pulled outward from or pushed inward to the rotating disc 23. Generally, an outward pulled setting key 21 shall set a time on which the power should be ON, and an inward pushed setting key 21 shall set a time on which the power should be OFF. Since this is a known skill, it is not further discussed herein.

As shown in Fig. 2, the push-button time-setting means 3 is attached to one side of the housing 1 next to the setting keys 21. The push-button time-setting means 3 includes a casing 31, a push button 32, and a spring 33.

As shown in Fig. 3, the time setting key 21 according to the present invention includes two forward projected legs together defining a sliding channel 211 between them, a head portion 212, an inner neck portion 213, and a back portion 214. The time setting key 21 is mounted to the dial 2 by engaging the sliding channel 212 with an outer periphery of the rotating disc 23 and is permitted to move inward or outward relative to the rotating disc 23 within a predetermined range. When the time setting key 21 is pulled outward relative to the rotating disc 23 and reaches a predetermined position, it is retained thereto. This is a known skill and is not further discussed herein. The head portion 212 is slightly higher than the time marking indicator 22. The inner neck portion 213 locates at an inner side of the head portion 212 and has a vertically slightly concaved surface which is suitable for a finger or nail to contact with so as to pull the time setting key 21 outward relative to the rotating disc 23. The back portion 214 is suitable for a finger or nail to contact with so as to push the setting key 21 inward relative to the rotating disc 23.

Fig. 4 is an expioded perspective of the push-button timesetting means 3 of the present invention. Flease refer to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 at the same time. The casing 31 of the time-setting means 3 is mounted on one side of the housing 1 next to the dial 2. The casing 3i further includes a channel-like member 311 and a top cover 312. The channellike member 311 and the top cover 312 respectively have a semicircular cutout 311a, 312a. When the top cover 3i2 is covered onto the channel-like 511, these two semicircular cutouts 311a, 312a together form a round opening. The channel-like member 311 is further provided at an inner top edge with a rectangular cutout 311b opposite to the semicircular cutout 311a. The push button 32 includes a button head 321, a neck portion 322, a flange portion 323, and a push rod 324 sequentially arranged from an outer end to an inner end of the push button 32. The push button 32 is located between the top cover 312 and the channel-like member 311 with the button head 321 projected from the casing 31 and the neck portion 322 inward and outward movably seated in the round opening formed from the two semicircular cutouts 311a and 312a. The flange portion 323 has an outer diameter larger than that of the round opening on the casing 31, so as to, on the one hand, prevent the push button 32 from being completely pulled or pushed out of the casing 31, and on the other hand, allow the push button 32 to move inward or outward relative to the casing 31 within a predetermined range. The push rod 324 has a rectangular cross section corresponding to the rectangular cutout 311b on the channel-like member 311 and is located in the cutout 311b. When the head portion 321 of the push button 32 is pushed inward, an inner end of the push rod 324 projects out of the casing 31 from the rectangular cutout 311b, as shown in Fig. 5, and touches one of the time setting keys 21 to push the same toward the dial 2. The spring 324 is mounted around the push rod 324 between the flange portion 323 and the rectangular cutout 311b to normally push the push button 32 outward with the inner end of the push rod 324 flush with the rectangular cutout 311b, as shown in Fig. 2, without interfering with any movement of the time setting keys 21.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the push button 32 is depressed to push the setting key 21 inward. As shown, when an inward force is applied to the head portion 321 of the push button 32 in a direction shown by the arrow, the neck portion 322 is guided by the round opening formed from the two semicircular cutouts 311a, 312a to move inward. At this point, the spring 33 is compressed and the push rod 324 projects out of the rectangular cutout 311b and presses against the back portion 214 of the setting key 21, pushing the setting key 21 against the rotating disc 23. When the head portion 321 is released, a return force produced by the spring 33 shall cause the whole push button 32 to move backward and return to a non-depressed position. At this point, the inner end of the push rod 324 also moves backward to be flush with the rectangular cutout 311b again, as shown in Fig. 2.

With the above arrangements, a desired setting key 21 can be pull out along with its neighboring setting keys 21, and then, rotating the dial 2, and depress the push button means 3 to push in the neighboring setting keys 21 one by one, and finally accurately set the time on which the power should be ON or OFF.

Conveniently, the spring bias for the push button may be replaced by other well known forms of biasing arrangements such as inherent resilience of the push button structure itself.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A timer with easily controllable time setting means, comprising a housing, a dial provided on a front surface of the housing, and push-button means; said dial being provided around an outer periphery thereof with a plurality of time setting keys which are respectively movable to a predetermined position to set a desired time on which power should be ON or OFF; and the said push-button means is mounted on one side of the housing adjacent the time setting keys, the push-button means including a casing, a push button mounted on the casing, and biasing means for means for biasing the push button in a direction away from the line setting keys; the casing including a channel-like member and a top cover for covering on a top of said channel-like member; the push button being disposed between said channel-like member and said top cover with a front head of the push button being arranged to project from an outer side of the casing, and a rear push rod arranged to project from an inner side of the casing, the biasing means being located to operate upon the push rod of the push button within the casing, whereby when an inward force is applied to the front head of the push button, the push rod is pushed forward to push back one of the time setting keys which when pulled outward is not desired for setting a time of power ON; and when the push button is released, the biasing means immediately pushes the push button outwardly so that the dial is freely rotatable for time setting purpose.

2. A timer a claimed in claim 1, wherein the time setting keys each include a head portion which has a profile suitable for pushing inward or pulling outward.

3. A timer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

4. A timer with easily controllable time setting means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.