KR102206981B1 - Universal joint and knob assembly and appliance therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a universal joint, a knob assembly including the same, and a home appliance. The disclosed invention includes: a housing; A first shaft support provided in the housing, connected to the first shaft, and capable of being rotated relative to the housing with respect to a first rotation center crossing the axial direction of the first shaft; A second shaft support part provided in the housing, connected to the second shaft, crossing the axial direction of the second shaft, and being able to rotate relative to the housing with respect to a second pivot center that is not parallel to the first pivot center; And an elastic member for elastically supporting the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part in a direction opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, wherein at least one of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part is with respect to the housing. Includes a slide-movable universal joint.

Description

Universal joint and knob assembly and home appliance having the same {UNIVERSAL JOINT AND KNOB ASSEMBLY AND APPLIANCE THEREWITH}

The present invention relates to a universal joint, a knob assembly having the same, and a home appliance, and more particularly, to a universal joint used to connect two shafts for transmitting rotational force, a knob assembly having the same, and a home appliance.

A cooking appliance is an appliance that is installed in a kitchen space as a household appliance for cooking food and cooks food according to a user's intention. These cooking appliances can be classified in various ways according to the type or type of heat used and the type of fuel.

When cooking appliances are classified according to the type of cooking food, they can be classified into open and closed cooking appliances according to the type of space in which food is placed. Closed cooking appliances include ovens and microwaves, and open cooking appliances include cooktops and hops.

A sealed cooking appliance is a cooking appliance that shields a space where food is located and heats the shielded space to cook food. In addition, the open cooking appliance is a cooking appliance in which a food or food container is located in an open space, and the food or food container is heated to cook food.

In the sealed cooking appliance, a cooking chamber is provided that is a shielded space when food is to be cooked while food is placed. Such a cooking chamber becomes a space where food is substantially cooked. A heat source is provided in the interior or exterior space of the cooking compartment to heat the cooking compartment.

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, a closed type cooking device and an open type cooking device are installed at the same time, so that a plurality of heat sources are combined, and a combination cooking device capable of cooking various foods and a plurality of foods at the same time has been proposed.

In the complex cooking appliance, an open cooking appliance is positioned above the closed cooking appliance. In addition, a plurality of heaters or burners are installed in the open cooking appliance so that a plurality of dishes are possible at the same time.

When the user cooks oven dishes such as barbecue or baking, or grills meat or fish, they use a closed-type cooker to cook, and when food is placed in a container and heated, open-type cooking that is exposed at the top You will cook using the device.

Among the open-type cooking appliances, a typical open-type cooking appliance in the form of a gas range is an appliance that cooks food using a flame generated when gas is burned.

There are various ways in which a user controls the intensity of the flame of such a cooking appliance, and a method of controlling the heat power by adjusting the amount of rotation of the knob using a knob rotating around a predetermined rotation axis has been widely used. These knobs are connected to the valves that control the flow of gas to control the opening and closing amount of the valve mechanically. Recently, the amount of rotation of the knob is electronically measured, and the opening and closing amount of the valve is electronically controlled based on the measured result. The method of doing this is also being applied.

Among these, in a structure in which the knob mechanically controls the opening and closing amount of the valve, the opening and closing amount of the valve is controlled by connecting the knob and the valve with a rotating shaft and transmitting the rotating force of the knob to the valve through the rotating shaft.

At this time, the knob is installed so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis, and there were cases in which dimensional errors in the manufacturing process or assembly deviation in the assembly process could not be externally aligned, which deteriorates the appearance, and in some cases, leads to malfunction of the knob.

One of the main causes of this phenomenon is that the rotation axis is not properly aligned. In other words, in order for the knob to be correctly aligned in the correct position, the rotation shaft connecting the knob and the valve must be aligned accordingly, but the connection between the valve and the rotating shaft due to dimensional errors in the manufacturing process or assembly deviation in the assembly process. A deviation occurs between the angle at which this is made and the angle at which the connection between the knob and the rotating shaft is made, and thus the knob is installed at a position out of the correct position.

As one of the methods for solving the above problems, a method of using a mechanism for absorbing a deviation between an angle at which the connection between the valve and the rotation shaft is made and the angle at which the connection between the knob and the rotation axis is made may be used.

As a representative of these mechanisms, there is a universal joint. The universal joint, which is a power transmission device, is used to transmit the power of the driving member to the driven member when the driving member and the driven member are bent at a predetermined angle rather than in a straight line.

1 is a view showing the structure of a general universal joint.

Referring to FIG. 1, in a general universal joint, two pairs of yokes 3 and 3 ′ are formed so that shaft portions 1 and 1 ′ protrude from the upper and lower surfaces, and the outer surfaces thereof are formed to face each other in a cylindrical curved shape, and the yoke ( Includes a connector 5 as a spider disposed in the space between the 3,3'), and a rivet 7 which penetrates and connects the facing each pair of yokes 3,3' and the connector 5 do.

The universal joint having such a structure is widely used in an environment in which the power of a power generating device must be transmitted to other members, such as a power transmission device of an automobile, a drive device of a machine, and power transmission of an electric power and manual tool.

However, these commercial universal joints are made of metal with high strength to withstand high loads, so their weight and price are high, and the connection angle between the yokes (3,3') must be manually adjusted, and the adjusted connection angle must be adjusted. There is a disadvantage that requires additional work to fix.

In other words, when the commercial universal joint as described above is applied to a cooking appliance, the weight and manufacturing cost of the product increases, and assembleability decreases, and if the connection angle between the yokes 3 and 3'is not accurately adjusted, Since the problem of misalignment of the knob may occur due to the universal joint, it is difficult to apply the commercial universal joint as described above to a cooking appliance as it is.

An object of the present invention is to provide a universal joint having an improved structure so that it can be manufactured quickly and easily at low cost while being able to effectively connect two components that are difficult to be connected by the same axis, and a knob assembly and home appliance having the same.

A universal joint according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a housing having a predetermined length and formed in a cylindrical shape having a hollow, and having an insertion hole formed at one side in the length direction to open the hollow to the outside of the housing; A first shaft support part inserted into the housing through the insertion hole; A second shaft support portion inserted into the housing through the insertion hole and disposed between the insertion hole and the first shaft support portion; And a coupling shaft portion provided on each of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion to rotatably couple the first shaft support portion or the second shaft support portion to the housing, wherein the housing includes: A slot having a predetermined width extending along the circumferential direction and a predetermined length extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing is formed, and the coupling shaft portion provided in the second shaft support portion is rotatably inserted into the slot. A rotation shaft rotatably coupled to the housing, and a stopper formed to protrude from the outside of the rotation shaft to change a position in the slot according to the rotation of the rotation shaft, and the stopper is in the slot at a set position It is disposed inside the slot so as to interfere with the inner wall of the housing formed by the.

In addition, the slots are formed to penetrate each side of the housing, are arranged to face each other when viewed from one or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and a pair of the coupling shaft portions provided on the first shaft support, respectively A pair of first slots rotatably inserted; And a pair of the first slots formed to pass through each side of the housing and facing each other at a position different from the first slot when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and provided on the second shaft support part. It is preferable to include; a pair of second slots into which the coupling shaft portions are respectively rotatably inserted.

In addition, it is preferable that the second slot is formed to have a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the rotation shaft, and the stopper is formed to protrude to a width narrower than that of the second slot.

In addition, at least one of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion is inserted into the housing, coupled to the housing by a pair of coupling shaft portions arranged in a row, and integrally moved with the coupling shaft portion. And a rotating support body. And a shaft fixing part which is formed to extend from the support body in the longitudinal direction of the housing and protrudes to the outside of the housing.

In addition, a side plate blocking the other longitudinal side of the housing is provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and a through hole through which the shaft fixing part passes is formed on the inside of the side plate, and the inner diameter of the side plate on which the through hole is formed is, It is preferable that it is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft fixing part and smaller than the inner diameter of the housing.

In addition, the range between a point where interference occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the side plate and the shaft fixing portion when the first shaft support part is rotated in one direction, and a point where interference occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the side plate and the shaft fixing portion when the first shaft support portion rotates in the other direction. It is preferable that the rotation of the first shaft support is limited.

In addition, the present invention is disposed between the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion, the position of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion changed by the movement of the coupling shaft portion and changed by the rotation of the coupling shaft portion. It is preferable to further include an elastic member providing an elastic force for returning the postures of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion to an original state.

In addition, the elastic member has one side in the longitudinal direction coupled to the first shaft support portion, and the other side in the longitudinal direction coupled to the second shaft support portion, and elastically stretches and contracts in the longitudinal direction and rotation of the first shaft support portion or the second shaft support portion It is preferable to include a coil spring provided to enable elastic bending deformation in the direction.

In addition, it is preferable that the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion face each other, each of the fitting grooves to which one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the elastic member is fitted.

In addition, when the second shaft support portion rotates in one direction, the interference between the inner wall of the housing and the stopper occurs, and when the second shaft support portion rotates in the other direction, the interference between the inner wall of the housing and the stopper occurs. It is preferable that the rotation of the second shaft support is limited.

In addition, a knob assembly according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a valve assembly having a valve shaft; A knob handle for operating the valve shaft; A knob shaft connected to the knob handle; And a universal joint; wherein, in the universal joint, one of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part is connected to the valve shaft, and the other one of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part is the It is connected to the knob shaft to connect the knob shaft and the valve shaft.

In addition, a home appliance according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a valve assembly having a valve shaft; A knob handle for operating the valve shaft; A knob shaft connected to the knob handle; And a universal joint; wherein, in the universal joint, one of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part is connected to the valve shaft, and the other one of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part is the And a knob assembly connected to the knob shaft to connect the knob shaft and the valve shaft.

According to the universal joint of the present invention, the knob assembly having the same, and the home appliance, the connection angle of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion connects the two shafts by simply connecting each shaft to both ends of the universal joint when two shafts are connected. It is set to a state suitable for, and this state can be maintained or changed according to the situation by the elastic force of the elastic member.

Therefore, the present invention provides a position between the two axes without a separate operation for adjusting the connection angle of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part, and a separate operation for fixing the connection angle of the adjusted first shaft support part and the second shaft support part. The error can be effectively absorbed, and accordingly, it is possible to provide an effect of effectively connecting two parts that are difficult to be connected on the same axis.

In addition, the present invention can be installed without a separate operation for adjusting the connection angle and a separate operation for the adjusted connection, and by allowing assembly of the universal joint with only a small number of parts, parts management and assembly work are easy. In addition to making it possible to achieve, it is possible to reduce the cost and time required for manufacturing the universal joint.

1 is a view showing the structure of a general universal joint.
2 is a view for explaining a knob assembly structure of a general cooking appliance.
3 is a side view showing a coupled state of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a coupled state of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of a knob ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a rear perspective view showing the rear surface of some parts of the knob ring shown in FIG. 6.
8 is a rear view showing an assembly structure of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a view showing an operation state in which the knob ring of the knob assembly shown in FIG. 8 is rotated counterclockwise.
10 is a view showing an operation state in which the knob ring of the knob assembly shown in FIG. 8 is rotated in a clockwise direction.
11 is a perspective view showing a universal joint according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11.
13 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11.
14 is a view showing an example of operation of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11.
15 is a view showing another example of operation of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a universal joint, a knob assembly including the same, and a home appliance according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of description, thicknesses of lines or sizes of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of description. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention and may vary according to the intention or custom of users or operators. Therefore, definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout the present specification.

[Knob assembly structure of general cooking equipment]

2 is a view for explaining a knob assembly structure of a general cooking appliance.

Referring to FIG. 2, as shown, a burner provided in a home appliance includes a valve assembly 190 for controlling a gas supply amount, and the valve assembly 190 is a knob exposed to the front of the front panel C. It is operated by the handle 110 to adjust the amount of gas supplied to the burner.

The connection between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110 is made by an adjustment shaft 194 installed to connect the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110. In a state in which the connection between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110 is made, when the knob handle 110 is turned, this rotational force is connected to the valve assembly 190 through the adjustment shaft 194 to operate the valve assembly 190 This is done.

By the operation of the valve assembly 190 made as described above, the opening and closing amount of the valve is adjusted. In this embodiment, a structure capable of adjusting the thermal power of the burner by changing the opening/closing amount of the valve is illustrated.

In the exterior of the front panel C, the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 surrounding the knob handle 110 in an annular shape are exposed.

The knob handle 110 is installed to be rotatable in the left and right direction, and the knob handle 110 is coupled to the knob handle 110 so that the adjustment shaft 194 can be rotated in association with the rotation of the knob handle 110. In this way, the adjustment shaft 194 having one side in the axial direction coupled to the knob handle 110 is rotated in association with the rotation of the knob handle 110, and the rotational force transmitted through the adjustment shaft 194 is the valve assembly 190 It becomes the driving force for the operation of

Typically, the valve assembly 190 is manufactured by welding to a casting. Therefore, in the manufacture of the valve assembly 190, the adjustment shaft 194 has a positional tolerance. This tolerance of the adjustment shaft 194 results in a positional deviation of the knob handle 110 assembled to the adjustment shaft 194. Further, the positional deviation of the knob handle 110 increases as the length of the adjustment shaft 194 increases.

That is, the tolerance of the adjustment shaft 194 is directly connected to the assembly tolerance of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 assembled to the adjustment shaft 194.

In the drawing, the exact assembly position of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 is the position indicated by the dotted line. However, when the tolerance of the adjustment shaft 194 occurs as shown by the solid line, the assembly positions of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are changed as indicated by the solid line.

In general, a plurality of burners are provided in one cooking appliance, and in this case, the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 connected to each valve must be arranged with a certain alignment. However, when a tolerance occurs in each of the adjustment shafts 194, the alignment of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 is misaligned in appearance, thereby deteriorating the appearance quality.

In addition, the tolerance of the adjustment shaft 194 may cause not only a simple appearance defect, but also a malfunction. This may cause a defect in which the knob handle 110 cannot be rotated smoothly because the adjustment shaft 194 is twisted, and the knob handle 110 is caught and does not return.

The present invention, in order to solve the above problems, by allowing the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 to be assembled at the correct position, improving the appearance quality of the cooking appliance, and the operation of the knob handle 110 It is provided to help reduce

Hereinafter, each component of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, a structure of a knob assembly provided in a cooking appliance, which is one of home appliances, will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to a cooking appliance, and may include all kinds of home appliances including a burner. For example, the present invention may be any one of various types of home appliances including a burner, such as a heater or a dryer, in addition to a cooking appliance.

[Structure of knob handle]

3 is a side view showing a coupled state of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is the present invention Is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the knob assembly in a coupled state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 5, the knob handle 110 is connected to the valve shaft 194a of the valve assembly 190 provided to adjust the thermal power.

In this embodiment, the knob handle 110 is illustrated as being configured as a non-return type rotary switch. The knob handle 110 is provided in a form that maintains the position rotated by the user as it is, and the output of the corresponding cooking zone can be recognized according to the angle at which the knob handle 110 is rotated.

For example, in the case of a gas burner, the valve assembly 190 serves as a valve for controlling the amount of gas supplied, and in the case of an electric range or an induction range, the valve assembly 190 controls the output. Variable resistor).

As described above, the knob handle 110 is connected to the valve shaft 194a of the valve assembly 190. In a general cooking appliance knob assembly structure, the knob handle 110 is directly coupled to the valve shaft. However, in the structure in which the knob handle 110 is directly coupled to the valve shaft 194a, distortion due to tolerance of the valve shaft 194a is directly transmitted to the knob handle 110, and accordingly, the knob handle 110 There is a problem that the alignment of the and knob ring 120 is misaligned.

In consideration of this point, in the knob assembly of this embodiment, the knob handle 110 is not directly coupled to the valve shaft 194a, but the knob shaft 194b is coupled to the knob handle 110, and the knob shaft 194b A structure in which the connection between the valve shaft 194a and the valve shaft 194a is made by a universal joint 170 is provided.

The universal joint 170 plays a role of absorbing the positional error of the valve shaft 194a between the knob shaft 194b and the valve shaft 194a, and controls the rotation and pressing of the knob handle 110 to the valve shaft. It carries out the operation of transferring to (194a).

Hereinafter, a shaft connector formed by connecting the valve shaft 194a of the valve assembly 190 and the knob shaft 194b coupled to the knob handle 110 will be referred to as a control shaft 194.

The knob handle 110 has a basically circular shape and is provided in a shape including a protruding handle. In the present embodiment, although the handle portion is exemplified as being protruded in a rod shape, the shape of the handle portion may be variously changed.

The knob handle 110 may be made of a synthetic resin injection material or may be manufactured by processing a metal material. The material and shape of the knob handle 110 may be variously modified.

[Structure of Knob Ring]

The knob ring 120 is a component that is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the knob handle 110 and improves the appearance around the knob handle 110.

Basically, the knob ring 120 serves to support the knob handle 110 and serves to improve the appearance quality of the cooking appliance by closing the outer appearance around the knob handle 110.

In addition, the knob ring 120 according to the present embodiment is provided to serve as a timer operation switch and a display to display the timer time and the amount of heat.

That is, the knob ring 120 is installed to be rotatable independently of the knob handle 110, and the timer time can be set through the rotation operation of the knob ring 120 installed as described above, while the knob ring 120 The display device 123 is provided so that the timer time and the amount of heat can be displayed through the display device 123.

To this end, the knob assembly of the present embodiment includes a first rotation detection unit E1 for detecting the rotation amount of the knob handle 110, and a second rotation detection unit E2 for detecting the rotation amount of the knob ring 120. ) Is provided. The first rotation detection unit E1 detects the amount of rotation of the adjustment shaft 194 connected to the knob handle 110. In addition, the second rotation detection unit E2 senses the rotation of the support ring 150 connected to the knob ring 120.

The knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are installed to be exposed to the outside of the front panel (C) of the cooking appliance, and the display unit 123 provided in the knob ring 120 installed as described above includes heat and timer time. Can be displayed.

The heating power displayed on the display 123 may be a value calculated based on a value of the rotation amount of the knob handle 110, and the timer time displayed on the display 123 is the rotation amount of the knob ring 120 It may be a value calculated based on the detected value.

The display unit 123 may be configured in a form in which a part for displaying the heat power and a part for displaying the timer time are separately provided, but in this embodiment, the display unit 123 selectively displays the heat power and the timer time. It is illustrated.

For example, when the timer is not set, only the thermal power is displayed by default, and when the timer is set, the display 123 may be operated in a form of displaying the thermal power for a predetermined time and then displaying the timer time for a predetermined time. .

In this case, it is more desirable to allow the user to easily check whether the displayed number represents the fire power or the timer time by differentiating the lighting color when the fire power is displayed and the lighting color when the timer time is displayed. Do.

For example, red color may indicate firepower, and white (or blue) color may indicate timer time. If both the firepower and the timer are displayed, after displaying the firepower for 2 seconds, the timer may be displayed for the next 2 seconds.

As described above, by allowing both the heating power and the timer time to be displayed through the knob assembly, information necessary for the use of the cooking appliance can be effectively provided to the user without having to install a separate display on the front panel (C).

[Structure of support ring]

The support ring 150 is coupled to the rear surface of the knob ring 120 and is provided to rotate integrally with the knob ring 120. At this time, the rotation amount of the support ring 150 and the rotation amount of the knob ring 120 are the same, and thus, the manipulation of the knob ring 120 may be detected by detecting the rotation amount of the support ring 150.

To this end, the support ring 150 may be provided with a knob ring gear unit G2.

According to this embodiment, the support ring 150 may include a coupling shaft portion 151, a flange portion 152 and a wing portion 153.

The coupling shaft portion 151 is a portion that passes through the support frame 140 and is rotatably supported by the support frame 140. The coupling shaft portion 151 may be formed in a circular tube shape, and a space through which the adjustment shaft 194 can pass is formed in the coupling shaft portion 151. In addition, the coupling shaft portion 151 may pass through the front panel C and the support frame 140 and be coupled to the knob ring 120, whereby the support ring 150 can be rotated integrally with the knob ring 120. A combination that makes it possible is achieved.

The flange portion 152 is formed in a flange shape protruding outward in the radial direction of the coupling shaft portion 151 from the rear end of the coupling shaft portion 151. In the present embodiment, a direction toward the outside of the front panel C based on the front panel C is referred to as a front, and a direction toward the valve assembly 190 is referred to as a rear.

The flange portion 152 forms a plane in contact with the support frame 140 at the rear side of the support frame 140, thereby preventing the support ring 150 from being separated forward, and the support ring 150 being front and rear. It plays the role of stably rotating without shaking in the direction.

The wing portion 153 is formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the coupling shaft portion 151 in the radial direction of the coupling shaft portion 151 outward. Unlike the flange portion 152 formed in a disk shape surrounding the coupling shaft portion 151, the wing portion 153 is formed in a rod shape extending outward in the radial direction of the coupling shaft portion 151.

The wing portion 153 is inserted into the fixed frame 160. The wing portion 153 may move within a movable area inside the fixed frame 160, and its movement is restricted from a point where it interferes with the upper inner wall or the lower inner wall of the fixed frame 160.

When the moving range of the wing part 153 is limited by the fixed frame 160 as described above, the bidirectional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a certain range. In addition, the wing portion 153 may be a coupling portion between the return springs S1 and S2 to be described later and the support ring 150.

[Support frame structure]

The support frame 140 is coupled to the front panel C and serves to support the knob ring 120. The knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are coupled to the aligned positions of the front panel C, and the front panel C is made of a thin metal plate. Accordingly, when a hole is formed in the front panel C and the knob ring 120 is rotated while rubbing against the hole, a problem occurs in that the knob ring 120 is cut due to the front panel C.

In consideration of this point, in this embodiment, the support frame 140 is installed at the rear of the hole formed in the front panel C, and the knob ring 120 is supported on the support frame 140 installed as described above. By allowing the rotation of the knob 120 to be performed, a structure for suppressing the occurrence of friction between the knob ring 120 and the front panel C during the rotation of the knob ring 120 is provided.

According to this embodiment, the support frame 140 may include a frame body part 141, a through hole 143, and a support part 145.

The frame body portion 141 forms a skeleton of the support frame 140 and is coupled to the front panel C so as to be positioned at the rear side of the front panel C.

In addition, a through hole 143 corresponding to an outer diameter of the support ring 150 coupled to the knob ring 120 is formed to pass through the inside of the frame body 141. The through hole 143 forms a passage through which the coupling shaft portion 151 of the support ring 150 passes through the support frame 140 in the front-rear direction.

Outside of the through hole 143, a support part 145 is formed around the through hole 143 to form a side wall for rotatably supporting the coupling shaft part 151. The support ring 150 is seated on the support part 145 provided as described above, and accordingly, the support ring 150 is supported by the support frame 140 so that it can be rotated at a predetermined position.

And the knob ring 120 coupled to the support ring 150 can be rotated about a certain axis on the support frame 140 through the support structure between the support frame 140 and the support ring 150 made as described above. Is supported.

In other words, the position of the knob ring 120 is determined by the support frame 140, and since the support frame 140 is fastened to the front panel C, the position of the knob ring 120 is the front panel (C). It can be fixed based on.

As described above, the support frame 140 surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the support ring 150 and serves to support the support ring 150 so that it can rotate around a certain axis.

In addition, the support frame 140 is coupled with a guide rod 210 provided in the burner frame 200 to which the valve assembly 190 is fixed.

The guide rod 210 is provided for fixing between the burner frame 200 and the support frame 140, and the support frame 140 coupled with the guide rod 210 is positioned at a certain position with respect to the burner frame 200. Can be fixed.

[Fixed frame structure]

The fixed frame 160 is provided to play a role of preventing the support ring 150 from escaping from the fixed frame 160 to the rear (to the inside of the home appliance), and the rear side of the front panel C It is installed in, and is fastened to the support frame 140 by fastening means such as screws and fixed.

In addition, the fixed frame 160 also serves to constrain the rotation range of the support ring 150. This fixed frame 160 limits the support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 to rotate in the left and right directions only within a certain angle range.

The fixing frame 160 is formed in a shape similar to a bow tie, and a portion corresponding to the wing of a butterfly is a portion that restricts the support ring 150 to rotate within a certain angle range, and both wings are The connecting portion becomes a portion that prevents separation of the support ring 150 to the rear.

According to this embodiment, the fixing frame 160 may include a fixing part 161 and a blade insertion part 163.

The fixing part 161 is coupled to the support frame 140 to support the support ring 150. This fixing part 161 corresponds to a part connecting both wings on the fixing frame 160 formed in a shape similar to a bow tie.

Specifically, the fixing portion 161 is disposed on the rear side of the flange portion 152 of the support ring 150, and is coupled to the frame body portion 141 with the flange portion 152 interposed therebetween, and the flange portion 152 And the support ring 150 in a direction in which the wing portion 153 is in close contact with the frame body portion 141.

Thereby, the support ring 150 is positioned in the front and rear directions in a form in which the front side of the flange portion 152 is supported by the support frame 140 and the rear side of the flange portion 152 is supported by the fixed frame 160. Is bound. The support ring 150 can be rotated at a certain position while the front-rear position is constrained as described above, thereby stably fixing the rotation position of the knob ring 120.

The blade insertion portions 163 are disposed on both sides of the fixing portion 161 in the lateral direction, respectively. The wing insertion portion 163 corresponds to a portion corresponding to the wing of a butterfly on the fixing frame 160 formed in a shape similar to a bow tie.

In the blade insertion portion 163, the blade portion 153 of the support ring 150 is inserted so as to be rotated within a predetermined angle range. That is, the wing portion 153 inserted into the wing insertion portion 163 can move within the movable area inside the wing insertion portion 163, and the point where it interferes with the upper inner wall or the lower inner wall of the wing insertion portion 163 From now on, its movement is restricted.

In this way, if the movement range of the wing portion 153 is limited by the wing insertion portion 163, the bidirectional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a predetermined range.

[Structure of bearing shell]

The bearing shell 130 is a component that serves as a bearing that enables smooth operation of the knob ring 120.

The bearing shell 130 may include a cylindrical portion 134 having a cylindrical shape, and a disk portion 132 bent at the cylindrical portion 134 and protruding in a radial direction.

The cylindrical portion 134 is inserted between the outer circumferential surface of the support ring 150 coupled with the knob ring 120 and the inner circumferential surface of the fixed frame 160. This cylindrical portion 134 serves to reduce friction between the support ring 150 and the fixed frame 160.

The disk portion 132 is inserted between the front panel C and the knob ring 120. This disk portion 132 serves to reduce the friction between the knob ring 120 and the front panel (C). In addition, the disk portion 132 is, by spaced apart from the front panel (C) the knob ring 120, the knob ring 120 when the knob ring 120 is in contact with the front panel (C) and the front panel (C) ) May play a role in suppressing the occurrence of scratches.

[Structure of return spring]

According to this embodiment, the knob ring 120 is provided in a form capable of a retractable operation. For example, the knob ring 120 is provided in a form capable of rotating within a certain angle range in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and returning to its original position when an external force is released.

The return springs S1 and S2 provide a restoring force for returning the knob ring 120 to the initial position. The return springs S1 and S2 may include a first return spring S1 providing a restoring force in a clockwise direction and a second return spring S2 providing a restoring force in a counterclockwise direction.

In this embodiment, each of the return springs (S1, S2) is exemplified as being provided in the form of a coil spring whose lengthwise one side is fixed to the support ring 150 and the other longitudinal direction is fixed to the support frame 140.

According to this, the wing portion 153 of the support ring 150 is provided with a wing-side coupling portion 155 to which one side in the longitudinal direction of the return springs S1 and S2 is coupled, and the frame body portion of the support frame 140 ( Frame side coupling portions 147 and 148 to which the other side of the return springs S1 and S2 in the longitudinal direction are coupled are provided.

In this embodiment, the wing side coupling portion 155 and the frame side coupling portion 147 and 148 are illustrated as being provided in the shape of a protrusion protruding from the wing portion 153 or the frame body portion 141, respectively. And the return spring (S1, S2) is fixed in the form that the ring portion provided on each side of the longitudinal direction of each return spring (S1, S2) is hooked to the wing side coupling portion 155 and the frame side coupling portion (147, 148) Can be done.

In addition, the frame side coupling portions 147 and 148 are disposed above the wing side coupling portion 155 and the first frame side coupling portion 147 to which the first return spring S1 is coupled, and the wing side coupling portion 155 It may include a second frame side coupling portion 148 disposed below the second return spring (S2) is coupled.

That is, the first return spring (S1) is installed in a form in which one side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the wing side coupling portion 155 and the other side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the first frame side coupling portion 147. And the second return spring (S2) is installed in a form in which one side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the wing side coupling portion 155 and the other side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the second frame side coupling portion 148.

When no external force is applied, the elastic force of the first return spring S1 and the second return spring S2 installed as described above is balanced, and accordingly, the knob ring 120 maintains the initial position.

Since the support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 rotate integrally, the knob ring 120 maintains the initial position by the elastic force of the return springs S1 and S2 connected to the support ring 150. And the knob ring 120 that maintains the initial position as described above can be rotated at a certain angle in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and when the external force is released in the rotated state, the return spring (S1, S2) provides a restoring force. You can return to the original position again.

For example, when the knob ring 120 is operated counterclockwise, the first return spring S1 extended by the rotation of the knob ring 120 returns the knob ring 120 to its original position, that is, to the initial position. When the knob ring 120 is operated in a clockwise direction, the second return spring S2 extended by the rotation of the knob ring 120 returns the knob ring 120 to the initial position. Can provide resilience for

[Detailed Structure of Knob Ring]

6 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of a knob ring according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view showing the rear of some parts of the knob ring shown in FIG. 6.

6 and 7, the knob ring 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a knob ring body 124, a rear plate 125, and a support pipe 126.

The knob ring main body 124 forms the outer appearance of the knob ring 120. In this embodiment, the knob ring body 124 is illustrated as being formed in a shape including a ring shape.

The rear plate 125 is formed in a shape including a disk shape and is coupled to the rear surface of the knob ring main body 124. The rear plate 125 includes a support plate 125b that enters the inside of the front panel C (see FIG. 3) and protrudes toward the inside of the cooking appliance. In addition, a support hole 125c for supporting the adjustment shaft 194 is provided inside the support plate 125b while forming a passage for the adjustment shaft 194 (see FIG. 3) to pass through the knob ring 120.

In addition, a support pipe 126 provided to support the adjustment shaft 194 is coupled to the rear plate 125. The support pipe 126 includes a flange 126a coupled to the rear plate 125, a tapered pipe 126b extending from the flange 126a, and a support lip 126d extending longer than the tapered pipe 126b. ) Can be included.

The tapered pipe 126b has a tapered shape that decreases in diameter as it moves away from the flange 126a, and a support part 126c for supporting the adjustment shaft 194 is provided at an end thereof.

In the knob ring 120 including the configuration as described above, a two-point support structure in which the adjustment shaft 194 is supported by the support hole 125c and the support portion 126c is provided.

In this embodiment, since the adjustment shaft 194 is not constrained to a certain position as in the prior art, but is installed to be movable by a universal joint, a structure capable of stably supporting the adjustment shaft 194 is required.

To this end, in this embodiment, a two-point support structure in which the adjustment shaft 194 is supported in the support hole 125c and the support portion 126c is provided by the knob ring 120, so that the support of the adjustment shaft 194 is It can be made stably.

In addition, the knob ring 120, as well as a support structure that supports the adjustment shaft 194 at two or more points, as well as a support capable of supporting the front end of the gear unit (G1; see Fig. 4) coupled to the adjustment shaft 194 Structure can also be provided.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a display 123 capable of displaying heat or timer time is provided on the knob ring 120. The display device 123 is coupled to the knob ring body 124 through the display housing 122, and the closing cap 121 is coupled to the outside thereof. It is preferable that the closing cap 121 is formed of a transparent or translucent material so that information (numbers) displayed on the display 123 can be visually recognized from the outside.

FIG. 8 is a rear view showing the assembly structure of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a view showing an operation state in which the knob ring of the knob assembly shown in FIG. 8 is rotated counterclockwise, and FIG. 10 is a view showing an operation state in which the knob ring of the knob assembly shown in FIG. 8 is rotated clockwise.

For convenience of illustration, the front panel is omitted in FIGS. 8 to 10.

3 and 8, the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are coupled to the front side of the front panel, and the support frame 140, the support ring 150, and the fixing frame 160 are at the rear side of the front panel. ) Is combined.

The fixing frame 160 is fastened to the rear surface of the front panel C, and the support ring 150 penetrates the front panel and is fastened to the knob ring 120. At this time, the rotation center of the support ring 150 is arranged to coincide with the rotation center of the knob handle 110. This support ring 150 serves to constrain the rotation center of the knob handle 110 to be in a correct position with respect to the front panel C. That is, when the support ring 150 is fixed in position with respect to the front panel, the knob handle 110 can thereby be fixed in the correct position with respect to the front panel C.

The support ring 150 is inserted into the support frame 140 and partially protrudes toward the front panel through the front panel. The front end of the support ring 150 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical portion protrudes to the front of the front panel (C).

The knob ring 120 is coupled to the cylindrical portion of the support ring 150 protruding toward the front of the front panel C. By coupling the knob ring 120 to the support ring 150 supported by the support frame 140, as a result, a support structure in which the knob ring 120 is supported by the support frame 140 is formed.

The manipulation of the knob ring 120 may be recognized by the rotation of the support ring 150 rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the knob ring 120. Since the knob ring 120 is a part exposed to the outside of the front panel (C), a second rotation sensing unit (E2) for detecting the manipulation of the knob ring 120 is located around the knob ring 120 from the outside of the front panel. What is installed is not good in appearance.

In consideration of this point, in this embodiment, the second rotation detection unit E2 is installed around the support ring 150 inside the front panel, and the second rotation detection unit E2 installed in this way is inside the front panel. The rotation of the knob ring 120 may be detected by detecting the rotation of the support ring 150.

Meanwhile, in the knob assembly structure of the present embodiment, a fixing frame 160 is provided to prevent the support ring 150 from being separated from the rear surface so that the support ring 150 can stably operate.

This fixing frame 160 is provided in a form that crosses the rear surface of the support ring 150 and is fixed to the support frame 140. The fixed frame 160 serves to limit the rotation range of the support ring 150 to within a specified range while preventing the support ring 150 from being separated from the rear surface.

According to this embodiment, the support ring 150 includes a wing portion 153 formed to extend laterally from the center of the support ring 150, and the wing portion 153 is inside the fixed frame 160 Is inserted.

In this way, the wing portion 153 inserted into the inside of the fixed frame 160 can be moved within a movable area inside the fixed frame 160 and interfere with the upper inner wall or the lower inner wall of the fixed frame 160 From now on, its movement is restricted.

When the moving range of the wing part 153 is limited by the fixed frame 160 as described above, the bidirectional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a certain range.

In addition, by applying a structure such that the wing portions 153 are provided on both sides of the support ring 150 and the movement range of each wing portion 153 is limited at the same position, the rotation range of the support ring 150 is limited. You can also make this more stable.

Further, the support ring 150 is connected to a pair of return springs S1 and S2 that provide an elastic force for returning the support ring 150 rotated to a position spaced apart from the initial position to the initial position.

Since the support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 rotate integrally, the knob ring 120 maintains the initial position by the elastic force of the return springs S1 and S2 connected to the support ring 150. And the knob ring 120 that maintains the initial position as described above can be rotated at a certain angle in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and when the external force is released in the rotated state, the return spring (S1, S2) provides a restoring force. You can return to the initial position again.

For example, the first return spring (S1) of the pair of return springs (S1, S2), as shown in Figure 9, the support ring 150 by the operation of the knob ring 120 is counterclockwise When rotated to, the support ring 150 provides an elastic force acting in a clockwise direction so that it can be returned to the initial position. And the second return spring (S2), the other of the pair of return springs (S1, S2), as shown in Figure 10, the support ring 150 by the operation of the knob ring 120 is clockwise. When rotated, the support ring 150 provides an elastic force acting in a counterclockwise direction to return to the initial position.

[Overall structure of universal joint]

Referring to FIG. 3, the knob assembly according to this embodiment includes a universal joint 170 installed between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110. The universal joint 170 is a joint that is provided to be able to flow in the vertical, left and right directions and transmits power in the axial direction.

In contrast to the conventional structure in which the valve shaft 194a provided in the valve assembly 190 is directly connected to the knob, in this embodiment, a separate knob shaft 194 is provided on the knob handle 110, and the valve shaft 194a ) And the knob shaft 194b is provided with a structure in which the universal joint 170 is connected.

This structure is a structure in which the tolerance of the valve shaft 194a occurring in the valve assembly 190 can be absorbed in the universal joint 170. Therefore, even if the valve shaft 194a is twisted due to the tolerance, it can be assembled at the correct position on the front panel C of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120, and accordingly, the knob handle 110 C) can be assembled in place.

In other words, the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are assembled in the correct position with respect to the front panel (C), and the valve assembly 190 is assembled to the burner, and the structure of the knob assembly according to the present embodiment According to this, even if the valve shaft 194a extending from the valve assembly 190 assembled on the burner is twisted at the correct position of the front panel C, such twisting is absorbed by the universal joint, so that the knob handle 110 and the knob ring ( 120) can be assembled in the correct position with respect to the front panel (C).

The structure of the knob assembly allows the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 to be assembled in position with respect to the front panel C regardless of the tolerance generated during manufacture of the valve shaft, and the knob handle 110 and An effect of allowing the knob ring 120 to operate smoothly may be provided.

11 is a perspective view showing a universal joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded state of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a view of the universal joint shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure. In addition, FIG. 14 is a view showing an operation example of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11, and FIG. 15 is a view showing another operation example of the universal joint shown in FIG. 11.

3 and 11 to 13, the universal joint 170 is installed between the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b to connect the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b, and the housing ( 171), a first shaft support portion 173, a second shaft support portion 175, an elastic member 177, and coupling shaft portions 174 and 176. Here, the coupling shaft portions 174 and 176 are defined as a concept including a first coupling shaft portion 174 and a second coupling shaft portion 176 to be described later.

The housing 171 has a predetermined length and is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The longitudinal direction of the housing 171 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the valve shaft and the knob shaft. A hollow, that is, an insertion hole 171a for opening the inner space of the housing 171 to the outside of the housing 171 is formed at one side of the housing 171 in the longitudinal direction. In addition, a side plate 171b that intercepts the other side in the length direction of the housing 171 is provided on the side facing the insertion port 171a, that is, the other side in the length direction of the housing 171. A through hole 171c is formed inside the side plate 171b to open the inner space of the housing 171 to the outside of the housing 171.

In addition, a plurality of slots 172a and 172b may be formed in the housing 171. Each of the slots 172a and 172b is formed in a long hole shape that extends along the length direction of the housing 171, and has a predetermined width extending along the circumferential direction of the housing 171 and the length direction of the housing 171. It may be formed in a long hole shape having a predetermined length extending along.

According to this embodiment, a pair of first slots 172a and a pair of second slots 172b are formed in the housing 171.

The pair of first slots 172a are formed to pass through each side of the housing 171 forming a curved surface, and are disposed to face each other when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171.

In addition, a pair of second slots 172b are formed to pass through each side of the housing 171 forming a curved surface, and are different from the first slots 172a when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 They are placed facing each other in position.

That is, when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171, a pair of first slots 172a and second slots 172b are arranged to form a cross shape.

In a pair of first slots 172a arranged to face each other, a pair of first coupling shaft portions 174 arranged in a line on the first shaft support portion 173 are respectively arranged in a linear direction in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 It is inserted to enable movement (ie, slide movement) and rotation. In addition, in the pair of second slots 172b arranged to face each other, a pair of second coupling shaft portions 176 arranged in a line on the second shaft support portion 175 are each straight in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 Directional movement (i.e., slide movement) and rotation are possible. As can be seen in the drawing and as described above, when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171, a pair of first slots 172a and second slots 172b are arranged to form a cross shape. The first coupling shaft portion 174 and the second coupling shaft portion 176 are not disposed parallel to each other, but are in a twisted position.

By the fitting made between the pair of first slots 172a and the first coupling shaft portion 174, the first shaft support portion 173 moves in a linear direction relative to the housing 171 in the longitudinal direction (that is, Slide movement) and rotation can be enabled. And by the fitting made between the pair of second slots (172b) and the second coupling shaft portion 176, the second shaft support portion 175 is moved in a linear direction relative to the housing 171 in the longitudinal direction (that is, , Linear movement) and rotation may be possible.

The first shaft support part 173 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion hole 171a. This first shaft support part 173 is connected to any one (first shaft) of the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b, and the support body part 173a and the first coupling shaft part 174 and the shaft fixing part (173b) can be included. In this embodiment, it is illustrated that the first shaft support portion 173 is connected to the valve shaft 194a.

The support body portion 173a is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 and is coupled to the housing 171 by a pair of first coupling shaft portions 174 arranged in a row to be integrated with the first coupling shaft portion 174 The slide can be moved and rotated.

The shaft fixing part 173b is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 from the support body part 173a and protrudes to the outside of the housing 171, and slides and rotates integrally with the support body part 173a. I can. The shaft fixing part 173b is a part provided for connection between the first shaft support part 173 and the valve shaft 194a, and the first shaft support part 173 is coupled to the valve shaft 194a to the shaft fixing part 173b. A connection between the and the valve shaft 194a may be made. That is, the shaft fixing part 173b is a shaft connection part connected to the first shaft.

The shaft fixing part 173b protrudes to the outside of the housing 171 through the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 and is coupled to the valve shaft 194a from the outside of the housing 171, and the inside of the side plate 171b, That is, it may protrude to the outside of the housing 171 by passing through the side plate 171b through a passage secured by the through hole 171c formed to penetrate through the central portion.

According to this embodiment, when the rotation of the support body part 173a is made around the first coupling shaft part 174 (first rotation center) by the rotation of the first coupling shaft part 174, the shaft fixing part 173b The direction in which the end of the end faces may be changed by the angle at which the support body part 173a is rotated. As shown, the axis formed by the first rotation center intersects the axial direction of the first axis perpendicularly. Hereinafter, a change in the direction in which the end of the shaft fixing part 173b faces will be expressed as a change in the posture of the first shaft support part 173.

The second shaft support part 175 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion hole 171a and is disposed between the insertion hole 171a and the first shaft support part 173. This second shaft support part 175 is connected to the other (second shaft) of the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b, and the support body part 175a and the second coupling shaft part 176 and the shaft fixing part (175b) may be included. In this embodiment, it is illustrated that the second shaft support part 175 is connected to the knob shaft 194b.

The support body part 175a is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171, and is coupled to the housing 171 by a pair of second coupling shaft parts 176 arranged in a row to be integrated with the second coupling shaft part 176 The slide can be moved and rotated.

The shaft fixing part 175b is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 from the support body part 175a and protrudes to the outside of the housing 171, and can be moved and rotated integrally with the support body part 175a. have. The shaft fixing part 175b is a part provided for connection between the second shaft support part 175 and the knob shaft 194b, and the second shaft support part 175 is coupled to the knob shaft 194b to the shaft fixing part 175b. A connection between the and the knob shaft 194b may be made. That is, the shaft fixing part 175b is a shaft connection part connected to the second shaft.

The shaft fixing part 175b protrudes to the outside of the housing 171 through one side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 and is coupled to the knob shaft 194b from the outside of the housing 171, and is secured by the insertion hole 171a. It may protrude to the outside of the housing 171 through the passage.

According to this embodiment, when the rotation of the support body part 175a is made around the second coupling shaft part 176 (the second rotation center) by the rotation of the second coupling shaft part 176, the shaft fixing part 175b The direction of the end of the support body portion (175a) may be changed by the rotated angle. As shown, the axis formed by the second rotation center intersects the axial direction of the second axis perpendicularly. Hereinafter, a change in the direction in which the end of the shaft fixing part 175b faces is expressed as a change in the posture of the second shaft support part 175.

The elastic member 177 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion hole 171a, and is disposed between the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175. These elastic members 177, the position of the first shaft support portion 173 and the second shaft support portion 175 changed by the linear movement (slide movement) of the coupling shaft portions 174,176 and the rotation of the coupling shaft portions 174,176 It provides an elastic force for returning the postures of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 changed by this.

In this embodiment, the elastic member 177 is exemplified as comprising a coil spring formed to have a length extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing 171. One side of the elastic member 177 in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the first shaft support portion 173, and the other side of the elastic member 177 in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the second shaft support portion 175. The elastic member 177 is provided to enable elastic expansion and contraction in the longitudinal direction and elastic bending deformation in the rotational direction of the first shaft support part 173 or the second shaft support part 175.

The first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 face each other, more specifically, the support body 173a and the support body 175a face each other, an elastic member ( One or the other side in the longitudinal direction of 177) is formed with a fitting groove (g) to which each is fitted.

The elastic member 177 coupled to the fitting groove (g) is the first shaft support part 173 and the second support body part 173 and the second support body part 173 and the second support body part 173 and the second It may be stably coupled to the shaft support 175.

In the universal joint 170 of this embodiment including the configuration as described above, the first shaft support portion 173 is rotatably coupled to the housing 171 in any one of an up-down direction and a left-right direction (FIG. 14 Reference), the second shaft support portion 175 is coupled to the housing 171 so as to be rotatable in the other direction of the vertical direction and the left and right direction (see FIG. 15).

That is, in the universal joint 170 of this embodiment, the first shaft support part 173 is connected to the valve shaft 194a and the second shaft support part 175 is connected to the knob shaft 194b. While connecting the knob shaft 194b to one flexible shaft, the rotational motion of the knob shaft 194b may be transmitted to the valve shaft 194a.

When the direction in which the valve shaft 194a extends and the direction in which the knob shaft 194b extends do not match due to the tolerance of the valve shaft 194a generated in the valve assembly 190, As the posture of at least one of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 is changed, the connection angle between the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 is changed, so that the valve assembly ( It is possible to absorb the tolerance of the valve shaft (194a) generated in 190).

At this time, in the process of connecting the universal joint 170 to the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b, there is no need for the operator to adjust the connection angle between the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 , By simply connecting the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b to both ends of the universal joint 170, the posture of the first shaft support 173 and the second shaft support 175 is changed to the valve shaft 194a. ) And the knob shaft 194b is changed to a state suitable for connection.

And since the postures of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 set as described above can be maintained or changed according to the situation by the elastic force provided by the elastic member 177, the posture of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 is fixed. There is no need for extra work for it.

[Assembly structure of universal joint]

The universal joint 170 having the above-described configuration may be assembled in the following manner.

First, the first shaft support part 173 is tilted and inserted into the housing 171 through the insertion hole 171a, and then the first coupling shaft part 174 is inserted into the first slot 172a to be inserted into the housing 171 and the first shaft supporter. The assembly between the branches 173 is formed. At this time, assuming that the rotation direction of the first shaft support part 173 is a left-right direction, the direction in which the first shaft support part 173 is tilted to insert the first shaft support part 173 into the housing 171 is a vertical direction.

Then, after inserting the elastic member 177 into the housing 171 through the insertion hole (171a), and inserting the second shaft support portion 175 at an angle, and then insert the second coupling shaft portion 176 into the second slot ( 172b) to form an assembly between the housing 171 and the second shaft support 175. At this time, if the rotation direction of the second shaft support part 175 is the vertical direction, the direction in which the second shaft support part 175 is tilted in order to insert the second shaft support part 175 into the housing 171 is a left-right direction.

In this process, the elastic member 177 is stabilized in the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 in a state where both sides in the longitudinal direction are inserted into the fitting grooves (g) so that movement of both sides in the longitudinal direction is restricted. Can be combined.

As described above, in the assembly of the universal joint 170 according to this embodiment, after assembling by inserting the first shaft support part 173 into the housing 171, the elastic member 177 is inserted into the housing 171 Then, the second shaft support part 175 is inserted into the housing 171 and assembled.

That is, assembly of the universal joint 170 can be easily and quickly performed only by sequential fitting without the use of a separate fastening means or adhesive. In particular, since the universal joint 170 is composed of only four parts, parts manufacturing and management are It becomes easier and assembly of the universal joint 170 can be made easier and faster.

In addition, when the assembly of the universal joint 170 is completed, the fitting state of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 is stably maintained by the elastic force provided by the elastic member 177, The assembly of the universal joint 170 is not arbitrarily released during the use of the joint 170.

[Rotation range limitation structure of universal joint]

The universal joint 170 serves to absorb a position error of the valve shaft 194a between the knob shaft 194b and the valve shaft 194a, and is manufactured to absorb the position error of the valve shaft 194a. Although provided in a structure in which the one-axis support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 can be rotated, the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 are provided according to the characteristics of the product in which the universal joint 170 is installed. ), that is, a structure for limiting the posture change range of the first shaft support part 173 and the second shaft support part 175 to within a required range.

11 to 14, the range of the posture change of the first shaft support part 173 is determined by the size of the through hole 171c. That is, the first shaft support part 173 can be rotated only within a range in which interference between the shaft fixing part 173b and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 171c of the side plate 171b does not occur (that is, the rotation allowable range), and the shaft fixing part Further rotation of the first shaft support part 173 is restricted from the point where interference occurs between the 173b and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 171c of the side plate 171b. Accordingly, it can be said that the range of the posture change of the first shaft support part 173 is influenced by the size of the through hole 171c that determines the size of the passage through which the shaft fixing part 173b passes through the side plate 171b.

In other words, when the first shaft support part 173 rotates in one direction, the interference between the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 171b and the shaft fixing part 173b occurs and the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 171b when the first shaft support part 173 rotates in the other direction. The rotation of the first shaft support part 173, that is, a change in the posture of the first shaft support part 173 is limited to a range between the point where the interference between the and shaft fixing part 173b occurs.

According to the present embodiment, the size of the through hole 171c is determined so that the inner diameter of the side plate 171b on which the through hole 171c is formed is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft fixing portion 173b and smaller than the inner diameter of the housing 171. At this time, the size of the through hole 171c may be appropriately adjusted according to the range of change in the posture of the first shaft support part 173 to be set. That is, by increasing the size of the through hole 171c close to the inner diameter of the housing 171, the range of change in the posture of the first shaft support part 173 may be expanded, and the size of the through hole 171c By reducing it close to the outer diameter, the range of change in the posture of the first shaft support part 173 may be reduced.

Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 11 to 13 and 15, the coupling shaft portion provided in the second shaft support portion 175, that is, the second coupling shaft portion 176 may include a rotation shaft 176a and a stopper 176b. have.

The rotation shaft 176a is a portion that occupies most of the area of the second coupling shaft portion 176 and is rotatably inserted into the second slot 172b and is rotatably coupled to the housing 171. In the case of the first coupling shaft part 174, it can be said that the whole of the first coupling shaft part 174 consists only of a rotation shaft.

The stopper 176b is formed to protrude outside the rotation shaft 176a and changes its position in the second slot 172b according to the rotation of the rotation shaft 176a. The stopper 176b is disposed inside the second slot 172b so as to interfere with the inner wall 171d of the housing 171 formed by the second slot 172b at a set position.

According to this embodiment, the second slot 172b is formed with a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the rotation shaft 176a. That is, the second slot 172b is formed so that the width of the second slot 172b and the outer diameter of the rotation shaft 176a are the same, so that the second shaft support part 175 moves or rotates on the housing 171. A coupling between the second shaft support part 175 and the housing 171 may be made so as not to occur, and this may also be applied to a coupling between the first shaft support part 173 and the housing 171.

And the stopper 176b is formed to protrude toward the inside of the second slot 172b, and is formed to protrude to a narrower width than the width of the second slot 172b. The stopper 176b formed as described above is rotated together with the second coupling shaft portion 176 when the second coupling shaft portion 176 is rotated, and when the second coupling shaft portion 176 is rotated at a predetermined angle or more, It interferes with the inner wall 171d of the housing 171 formed by the two slots 172b to limit further rotation of the second coupling shaft portion 176.

In other words, when the second shaft support part 175 rotates in one direction, the interference between the inner wall 171d of the housing 171 and the stopper 176b occurs and the second shaft support part 175 rotates in the other direction, the housing 171 The rotation of the second shaft support part 175, that is, a change in the posture of the second shaft support part 175 is limited to a range between the point where the interference between the inner wall of and the stopper 176b occurs.

As another example, instead of providing the stopper 176b on the second coupling shaft 176, the posture change of the second shaft support 175 in the same form as the structure for limiting the posture change range of the first shaft support 173 It may be possible to form a structure to limit the range.

That is, the side plate 171b is covered on one part in the length direction of the housing 171 in which the insertion hole 171a is formed, and the size of the through hole 171c formed inside the side plate 171b is adjusted to the second shaft support part 175 A structure for limiting the posture change range of the second axis support part 175 may be formed in a form of adjusting the posture change range of

However, if a structure for limiting the range of posture change of the second shaft support part 175 is formed in this form, unlike the side plate 171b integrally formed with the housing 171 on the other side of the housing 171 in the length direction The side plate of one part in the longitudinal direction of the 171 should be provided in the form of a separate cap-shaped part that can be separated from the housing 171.

If even the side plate of one part in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 is formed integrally with the housing 171, components such as the first shaft support part 173, the second shaft support part 175, and the elastic member 177 are included in the housing ( This is because the passage for being inserted into the housing 171 to be assembled to 171 is blocked.

However, if the side plate of one part in the length direction of the housing 171 is provided in the form of a separate cap-shaped part, the number of parts for manufacturing the universal joint 170 is added, and the number of parts is added, Since a process is also added, parts management becomes more difficult and the cost and time required for manufacturing the universal joint 170 are inevitably increased.

In consideration of these points, the universal joint 170 of this embodiment incorporates a stopper 176b for limiting the rotation of the second shaft support 175 instead of adding a separate cap-shaped component with the rotation shaft 176a. By taking a structure to be added in the form of a protrusion to be formed, a structure for adjusting the range of posture change of the second shaft support part 175 is formed without adding additional parts.

The universal joint 170 of this embodiment provided with such a structure includes a small number of parts, that is, a housing 171 and a first shaft support 173 and a second shaft support 175 and an elastic member 177 Since it can be assembled only with a total of four parts, not only parts management and assembly work can be easily performed, but also the cost and time required for manufacturing the universal joint 170 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, it is illustrated that the universal joint 170 is provided in a knob assembly of a cooking appliance, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The universal joint 170 of the present invention may be used for other purposes in a part other than the knob assembly in the cooking appliance, and transmits the rotational force of the knob in other types of appliances other than the cooking appliance, or transmits the power of a driving device such as a motor. It may be used for transmission, and in particular, it may be useful in an environment where it is difficult to connect the drive shaft and the driven shaft in a line in a device in which a large number of parts are arranged in a narrow interior space.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is only illustrative, and those of ordinary skill in the field to which the technology pertains, various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible. I will understand. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the following claims.

110: knob knob
120: knob ring
121: closing cap
122: display housing
123: display
124: knob ring body
125: back plate
125b: support plate
125c: support hole
126: support tube
126d: support lip
126c: support
126b: tapered tube
126a: flange
130: bearing shell
132: disk portion
134: cylinder
140: support frame
141: frame body
143: through hole
145: support
147: first frame side coupling portion
148: second frame side coupling portion
150: support ring
151: coupling shaft portion
152: flange portion
153: wing
155: wing side coupling part
160: fixed frame
161: fixed part
163: wing insert
170: universal joint
171: housing
171a: insertion port
171b: side plate
171c: through hole
171d: inner wall
172a: first slot
172b: second slot
173: 1st axis support part
173a,175a: support body
173b,175b: Congratulatory government
174: first coupling shaft portion
175: second axis support
176: second coupling shaft portion
176a: rotating shaft
176b: stopper
177: elastic member
190: valve assembly
194: adjustment shaft
194a: valve shaft
194b: knob axis
200: burner frame
210: guide rod
S1: first return spring
S2: 2nd return spring
g: fitting groove

Claims (18)

housing;
A first shaft support provided in the housing, connected to the first shaft, and capable of being rotated relative to the housing with respect to a first rotation center crossing the axial direction of the first shaft;
A second shaft support part provided in the housing, connected to the second shaft, crossing the axial direction of the second shaft, and being able to rotate relative to the housing with respect to a second pivot center that is not parallel to the first pivot center; And
Including; an elastic member for elastically supporting the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion in a direction away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the shaft,
At least one of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion is slidable with respect to the housing so that the distance between the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion is changed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.
The method according to claim 1,
The housing has a hollow having a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction,
At least one of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion is a universal joint capable of sliding in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method according to claim 2,
In the housing, an insertion hole for opening the hollow to the outside of the housing is formed on one side in the longitudinal direction,
The second shaft support portion is inserted into the housing through the insertion hole, and is disposed closer to the insertion hole than the first shaft support portion,
The second shaft support part is a universal joint capable of sliding in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method of claim 3,
The first shaft support portion is inserted into the housing through the insertion hole,
The first shaft support part is a universal joint capable of sliding in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method according to claim 1,
A coupling shaft portion provided on each of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion to rotatably couple the first shaft support portion or the second shaft support portion to the housing;
The coupling shaft part of the first shaft support part forms the first rotation center,
The coupling shaft part of the second shaft support part forms the second rotation center.
The method of claim 5,
In the housing, a slot extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing is formed,
The coupling shaft part is a universal joint inserted into the slot.
The method of claim 6,
The coupling shaft portion provided in the second shaft support portion is rotatably inserted into the slot and rotatably coupled to the housing, and is formed to protrude from the outer side of the rotation shaft, and the inside of the slot according to the rotation of the rotation shaft. Including a stopper whose position is changed,
The stopper is disposed inside the slot so as to interfere with the inner wall of the housing formed by the slot at a set position, so that the rotation range of the second shaft support portion is limited.
The method of claim 7,
The slot is formed with a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the rotation shaft,
The stopper is a universal joint formed to protrude to a width narrower than the width of the slot.
The method of claim 6,
The slot,
It is formed to pass through each side of the housing, is disposed to face each other when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and a pair of the coupling shaft portions provided in the first shaft support portion are respectively rotatably inserted A pair of first slots; And
A pair of couplings formed to pass through each side of the housing and disposed to face each other at a position different from the first slot when viewed from one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and provided on the second shaft support portion Universal joint including; a pair of second slots into which the shaft portions are rotatably inserted, respectively.
The method of claim 5,
At least one of the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion,
A support body inserted into the housing and coupled to the housing by a pair of coupling shaft portions arranged in a row to move and rotate integrally with the coupling shaft portion; And
Universal joint comprising a; shaft connection portion extending from the support body in the axial direction of the first shaft or the second shaft and connected to the first shaft or the second shaft.
The method of claim 10,
The shaft connection part is a universal joint that is detachably connected to the first shaft or the second shaft.
The method of claim 10,
The shaft connection part is a universal joint that rotates integrally with the first shaft or the second shaft.
The method of claim 3,
On the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, a side plate intercepting the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing is provided,
In the central portion of the side plate, a through hole through which the first shaft passes is formed,
The inner diameter of the through hole is larger than the first shaft and a shaft connection portion connected to the first shaft,
The first shaft support part is a universal joint in which rotation is allowed based on the first rotation center within a range in which interference between the shaft connection part and the inner circumferential surface of the side plate defined by the through hole does not occur.
The method according to claim 1,
The elastic member is disposed between the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part,
The elastic member is a universal joint that provides an elastic force for returning the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part to their original state in a posture that does not rotate based on the first and second rotation centers, respectively.
The method of claim 14,
The elastic member has one side in the longitudinal direction coupled to the first shaft support portion and the other side in the longitudinal direction coupled to the second shaft support portion, and elastically expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction and a rotation direction of the first shaft support portion or the second shaft support portion. Universal joint including a coil spring that is provided to enable elastic bending deformation.
The method of claim 15,
Universal joints each provided with fitting grooves in which one side or the other side in the longitudinal direction of the elastic member is fitted, respectively, on surfaces facing each other of the first shaft support part and the second shaft support part.
Knob;
A first shaft connected to the knob;
Valve assembly;
A second shaft connected to the valve assembly; And
The knob assembly comprising a; universal joint of any one of claims 1 to 16 connecting the first shaft and the second shaft.
The method of claim 17,
The knob and the first shaft are integrally fixed to the knob assembly.

Images