KR20190012133A - Universal joint and knob assembly and appliance therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a universal joint, and a knob assembly and an appliance including the same, capable of reducing the operation failure by preventing a knob from being misaligned. The disclosed universal joint includes: a housing; a first shaft support portion provided in the housing, connected to a first shaft and rotatable relative to the housing about a first rotational center intersecting the axial direction of the first axis; a second shaft support portion provided in the housing, connected to a second shaft and rotatable relative to the housing about a second rotational center intersecting the axial direction of the second axis without being parallel to the first rotational center; and an elastic member elastically supporting the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion in directions opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. At least one of the first and second shaft support portions includes a universal joint slidable with respect to the housing.

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a universal joint, a knob assembly having the universal joint,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a universal joint, a knob assembly and a home appliance having the universal joint, and more particularly, to a universal joint used to connect two shafts for transmitting rotational force, a knob assembly having the universal joint, and a home appliance.

A cooking device is one of household appliances for cooking food, and is installed in a kitchen space to cook food according to a user's intention. Such cooking devices can be classified into various types according to the heat source or type used and the type of fuel.

Cooking equipment can be classified into open type and closed type cooking equipment depending on the type of space where food is placed. There are ovens and microwave ovens in the closed type cooking devices, and cooktops and hops in the open type cooking devices.

A closed type cooking device is a cooking device that shields a space where food is placed and cooks food by heating a shielded space. The open type cooking device is a cooking device in which a food or food container is placed in an open space and a food or food container is heated to cook food.

The closed type cooking apparatus is provided with a cooking chamber, which is a space that is shielded when the food is placed and food is to be cooked. Such a cooking chamber becomes a space where food is substantially cooked. A heat source is provided in the inside or outside space of the cooking chamber to heat the cooking chamber.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a closed type cooking device and an open type cooking device are installed at the same time, and a plurality of heat sources are combined to provide various cooking utensils and a plurality of foods simultaneously.

In the combined cooking device, an open cooking device is placed on the upper side of the closed cooking device. Also, the open cooking device is provided with a plurality of heaters or burners, and is installed so that a large number of dishes can be cooked at the same time.

When a user makes an oven such as a barbecue or a baking, or grills a meat or a fish, the user uses a closed cooking device to cook the food. When the user puts food into a container and heats the food, I cook with the device.

Among open type cooking devices, an open type cooking device in the form of a gas range is widely used, and is a device for cooking food using a flame generated when the gas is burned.

There are various ways in which the user controls the intensity of the flame of the cooking appliance. A method of controlling the firepower by adjusting the amount of rotation of the knob using a knob rotating around a predetermined rotation axis is widely used. This knob is connected to a valve for controlling the amount of flow of gas to mechanically control the opening and closing amount of the valve. In recent years, the amount of rotation of the knob is electronically measured, and the amount of opening and closing of the valve is electronically controlled Is also applied.

In the structure in which the knob is mechanically controlled in the opening / closing amount of the valve, the knob and the valve are connected by a rotation shaft, and the rotational force of the knob is transmitted to the valve through the rotation shaft.

At this time, the knob is installed to be rotatable about the rotation axis. In some cases, the dimensional error in the manufacturing process or the assembly deviation in the assembling process can not be outwardly aligned, resulting in deterioration of the appearance of the knob.

One of the main causes of this phenomenon is the misalignment of the rotating shaft. That is, in order to install the knob in a precisely aligned position, the alignment of the rotation axis connecting the knob and the valve must be made accordingly. Due to dimensional errors during manufacturing process and assembly deviation during assembly process, And the angles at which the knob and the rotation shaft are connected are generated, so that the knob is installed at a position deviating from the proper position.

As a method for solving such a problem, a method using a mechanism for absorbing a deviation between an angle at which a connection between the valve and the rotary shaft is made and an angle at which the connection between the rotary shaft and the knob is made can be used.

As a typical example of such a mechanism, there is a universal joint. The universal joint, which is a power transmission device, is used to transmit the driving force of the driving member to the driven member when the driving member and the follower member are bent and positioned at a predetermined angle rather than in a straight line.

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

Referring to FIG. 1, a general universal joint includes two pairs of yokes 3, 3 'formed with projecting shaft portions 1, 1' on the upper and lower surfaces thereof and outer side surfaces thereof facing each other in a cylindrical curved shape, And a rivet 7 for connecting the yoke 3, 3 'and the opposed pair of the yoke 3 through the connecting hole 5, as shown in FIG. do.

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

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

That is, when the universal joint as described above is applied to a cooking device, the weight and manufacturing cost of the product are increased and the assemblability is lowered. In addition, if the connection angle between the yokes 3, 3 ' The universal joint may cause the knob to be misaligned. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the universal joint as described above to the cooking apparatus as it is.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a universal joint with improved structure, a knob assembly having the same, and a home appliance, which can be manufactured easily and quickly at low cost while effectively connecting two parts that are difficult to be connected to each other on the same axis.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a universal joint comprising: a housing having a predetermined length and formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and having an insertion port formed at one side in the longitudinal direction to open the hollow to the outside of the housing; A first shaft portion inserted into the housing through the insertion port; A second shaft portion inserted into the housing through the insertion port and disposed between the insertion port and the first shaft portion; And an engaging shaft portion provided on the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion and rotatably coupling the first shaft portion or the second shaft portion to the housing, 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 engaging shaft portion provided on the second axially supported portion is rotatably inserted into the slot And a stopper which protrudes from the outer side of the rotary shaft and changes its position in the slot according to the rotation of the rotary shaft, And the inner wall of the housing formed by the inner wall of the housing.

The slots are formed so as to penetrate through the side surfaces of the housing and face each other when viewed from one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the housing, and a pair of the coupling shafts provided on the first shaft support portion A pair of first slots rotatably inserted; And a pair of first and second projecting portions which are formed to penetrate through the side surfaces of the housing and face each other at a position different from the first slot when viewed from one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the housing, And a pair of second slots into which the coupling shaft portions are rotatably inserted, respectively.

The second slot may be formed to have a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the rotation shaft, and the stopper may be formed to protrude with a width narrower than the width of the second slot.

At least one of the first and second shaft portions is inserted into the housing and is coupled to the housing by a pair of the coupling shafts arranged in a row so as to move integrally with the coupling shaft portion And a rotating support body portion; And a shrinking portion extending from the support body portion in the longitudinal direction of the housing and protruding to the outside of the housing.

And a through hole through which the shaft fixing portion passes is formed on the inner side of the side plate, and an inner diameter of the side plate having the through hole is formed on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing, Is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the shrinking portion and smaller than the inner diameter of the housing.

A distance between a point where interference between the inner circumferential surface of the side plate and the shrinking portion occurs when the first shank portion rotates in one direction and a point where interference occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the shroud plate and the shrinking portion when the first shank portion rotates in the other direction, The rotation of the first shaft portion is limited.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion, which are disposed between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion and are changed by the movement of the engagement shaft portion, And an elastic member for providing an elastic force for returning the posture of the first and second axially supported portions to the original state.

The elastic member may have elasticity such that one side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the first axis and the other side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the second axis and the elastic extension and contraction in the longitudinal direction and the rotation of the first axis or the second axis And a coil spring capable of being elastically deformed in the direction of the coil spring.

Preferably, a fitting groove is formed on a surface of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion facing each other, the fitting groove being engaged with one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the elastic member.

And a stopper which is provided at a position where interference between the inner wall of the housing and the stopper occurs when the second shaft portion rotates in one direction and a position where interference between the inner wall of the housing and the stopper occurs when the second shaft portion rotates in the other direction, It is desirable that the rotation of the second axially supported portion is limited.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a knob assembly comprising: a valve assembly having a valve stem; A knob handle for operating the valve stem; A knob shaft connected to the knob handle; Wherein one of the first and second axially supported portions is connected to the valve shaft and the other one of the first axially supported portion and the second axially supported portion is connected to the valve shaft, And is connected to the knob axis to connect the knob axis and the valve shaft.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a household appliance comprising: a valve assembly having a valve shaft; A knob handle for operating the valve stem; A knob shaft connected to the knob handle; Wherein one of the first and second axially supported portions is connected to the valve shaft and the other one of the first axially supported portion and the second axially supported portion is connected to the valve shaft, And a knob assembly coupled to the knob axis to couple the knob axis and the valve shaft.

According to the universal joint of the present invention, the knob assembly and the home appliance having the universal joint, when the two shafts are connected, the connecting angles of the first shafts and the second shafts connect the two shafts, And this state can be maintained or changed according to the situation by the elastic force of the elastic member.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a separate operation for adjusting the angle of connection between the first and second axially supports, and a position between the two axes without any additional operation for fixing the angle of connection between the first axle and the second axle, It is possible to effectively absorb errors and thus to effectively connect two parts which are difficult to be connected to the same axis.

Further, the present invention can be installed without any additional operation for adjusting the connection angle and the separate operation for controlled connection, and the universal joint can be assembled with only a small number of parts, It is possible to reduce the cost and time required for the manufacture of the universal joint.

1 is a view showing a structure of a universal joint.
1 is a view for explaining a knob assembly structure of a general cooking apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a coupled state of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exploded state of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an exploded state of a knob ring according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
7 is a rear perspective view showing a rear surface of a part of the knob ring shown in Fig.
8 is a rear view illustrating an assembly structure of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
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.
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.
11 is a perspective view illustrating a universal joint according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is an exploded perspective view showing a disassembled state of the universal joint shown in Fig.
13 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the universal joint shown in Fig.
14 is a view showing an example of operation of the universal joint shown in FIG.
Fig. 15 is a view showing another operation example of the universal joint shown in Fig. 11. Fig.

Hereinafter, a universal joint according to the present invention, a knob assembly having the universal joint, and a home appliance will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of explanation, the thicknesses of the lines and the sizes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In addition, the terms described below are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, which may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user, the operator. Therefore, definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

[Knob assembly structure of general cookware]

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

Referring to FIG. 2, a burner provided in a home appliance includes a valve assembly 190 for regulating a gas supply amount. The valve assembly 190 includes a knob (not shown) And is operated by the handle 110 to adjust the gas supply amount to the burner.

The connection between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110 is accomplished by an adjustment shaft 194 that is configured to connect between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110. When the knob handle 110 is turned while the connection between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110 is turned, the rotational force is connected to the valve assembly 190 through the adjustment shaft 194 to operate the valve assembly 190 .

The opening and closing amount of the valve is controlled by the operation of the valve assembly 190 as described above. In this embodiment, a structure capable of adjusting the thermal power of the burner by changing the amount of opening and closing of the valve is exemplified.

The outer surface of the front panel C is exposed with the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 which annularly surrounds the periphery of the knob handle 110. [

The knob handle 110 is rotatably installed in the left and right direction and an adjustment shaft 194 is rotatably coupled to the knob handle 110 by interlocking with the rotation of the knob handle 110. The adjustment shaft 194 having one axial side coupled to the knob handle 110 is rotated in conjunction with the rotation of the knob handle 110 and the rotational force transmitted through the adjustment shaft 194 is transmitted to the valve assembly 190, As shown in Fig.

Generally, the valve assembly 190 is manufactured by a welding method on a casting. Thus, 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 that eventually is assembled to the adjustment shaft 194. [ Further, the position deviation of the knob handle 110 becomes larger as the length of the adjustment shaft 194 becomes longer.

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

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

It is common that a single cooking apparatus is provided with a plurality of burners. In this case, the knob handle 110 and the knob rings 120 connected to the respective valves must be arranged with a certain alignment. However, when a tolerance is generated in each of the adjustment shafts 194, apparently the alignment between the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 is distorted, thereby deteriorating the appearance quality.

Also, the tolerance of the adjustment shaft 194 causes not only a bad appearance but also a malfunction. This may cause the knob handle 110 to rotate smoothly due to the rotation of the adjustment shaft 194 and cause the knob handle 110 to fail to return.

The present invention can improve the appearance quality of the cooking appliance by allowing the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 to be assembled at precise positions in order to solve the above problems, To be reduced.

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

[Structure of knob handle]

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Sectional view of a knob assembly in an engaged state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

In this embodiment, the knob handle 110 is illustrated as being comprised of a non-return rotary switch. The knob handle 110 is provided in a state in which the position rotated by the user is maintained as it is, and the output of the crane 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 is a valve for regulating the gas supply, and in the case of an electric range or induction range, the valve assembly 190 is provided with output regulating means Variable resistor).

The knob handle 110 is connected to the valve shaft 194a of the valve assembly 190, as described above. In the knob assembly structure of a general cooking apparatus, 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, the deviation due to the tolerance of the valve shaft 194a is directly transmitted to the knob handle 110, And the knob ring 120 may be misaligned.

In consideration of this point, in the knob assembly of the present 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 connection of the valve shaft 194a is made by the universal joint 170 is provided.

The universal joint 170 serves to absorb a positional error of the valve shaft 194a between the knob shaft 194b and the valve shaft 194a so that the rotational motion and the pushing action of the knob handle 110 are transmitted to the valve shaft 194a, (194a).

Hereinafter, the valve shaft 194a of the valve assembly 190 and the knob shaft 194b coupled to the knob handle 110 are connected to each other, and the shaft coupling body is referred to as an adjusting shaft 194.

The knob handle 110 is basically provided in a shape having a circular shape and including a protruding handle. In this embodiment, the handle portion is illustrated as being protruded in a bar-shaped form, but 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 can be variously modified.

[Structure of the knob ring]

The knob ring 120 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the knob handle 110 to improve the appearance around the knob handle 110.

Basically, the knob ring 120 serves to support the knob handle 110 and finish the appearance around the knob handle 110 to improve the appearance quality of the cooking device.

In addition, the knob ring 120 of the present embodiment is provided so as to serve as a timer operating switch and a display for displaying the timer time and the size of the thermal power.

That is, the knob ring 120 is rotatably provided independently of the knob handle 110, and the timer time can be set through the rotation operation of the knob ring 120 installed in this way, A display device 123 is provided so that the timer time and the size of the thermal power can be displayed through the display device 123. [

To this end, the knob assembly of the present embodiment includes a first rotation sensing part E1 for sensing the amount of rotation of the knob handle 110 and a second rotation sensing part E2 for sensing the amount of rotation of the knob ring 120 . The first rotation sensing portion E1 senses the amount of rotation of the adjusting shaft 194 connected to the knob handle 110. [ The second rotation sensing 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 apparatus and the display 123 provided in the knob ring 120 installed in this way is provided with a thermal power, Can be displayed.

The thermal power displayed on the display 123 may be a value calculated on the basis of a value obtained by sensing the amount of rotation of the knob handle 110 and the timer time displayed on the display 123 may be the amount of rotation of the knob ring 120 May be a value calculated on the basis of a value obtained by sensing the temperature.

The display unit 123 may be configured such that a portion for displaying the thermal power and a portion for displaying the timer time are separately provided. In this embodiment, however, the display unit 123 may selectively display the thermal power and the timer time .

For example, when the timer is not set, only the thermal power is displayed. If the timer is set, the display 123 may be operated in such a manner that the thermal power is displayed for a predetermined time and then the timer is displayed for a predetermined time .

At this time, it is more preferable to allow the user to easily confirm whether the displayed number indicates the fire power or the timer time by changing the illumination color when the fire power is displayed and the illumination color when the timer time is displayed Do.

For example, you can display firepower in red and timer time in white (or blue). If both firepower and timer are displayed, the firepower can be displayed for 2 seconds, and then the timer can be displayed for the next 2 seconds.

As described above, since both the fire power and the timer time can be displayed through the knob assembly, information necessary for use of the cooking device can be effectively provided to the user without requiring a separate display on the front panel (C).

[Structure of Support Ring]

The support ring 150 is coupled to the back 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 therefore, the detection of the operation of the knob ring 120 can be performed by sensing the rotation amount of the support ring 150.

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

According to the present embodiment, the support ring 150 may include an engagement 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 the shape of a circular tube, and a space through which the adjustment shaft 194 can pass is formed in the coupling shaft portion 151. The coupling shaft 151 can be coupled with the knob ring 120 through the front panel C and the support frame 140 so that the support ring 150 can be rotated integrally with the knob ring 120 .

The flange portion 152 is formed in a flange shape protruding outward in the radial direction of the engaging shaft portion 151 at the rear side end portion of the engaging shaft portion 151. [ In this embodiment, the direction toward the outer side of the front panel C is referred to as the forward direction and the direction toward the valve assembly 190 is referred to as the rear direction with respect to the front panel C as a reference.

The flange portion 152 prevents the support ring 150 from falling forward by forming a plane in contact with the support frame 140 on the rear side of the support frame 140, So that it can be stably rotated.

The wing portion 153 is formed to protrude outward in the radial direction of the coupling shaft portion 151 from the outer peripheral surface of the coupling shaft portion 151. [ The wing portion 153 is formed in a bar shape extending radially outwardly of the engaging shaft portion 151, unlike the flange portion 152 formed in a disk shape surrounding the engaging shaft portion 151.

The wing 153 is inserted into the fixed frame 160. The wing 153 can move within the movable region within the fixed frame 160 and its movement is restricted from the point of interference with the upper inner wall or the lower inner wall of the fixed frame 160.

As described above, when the moving range of the wing 153 is limited by the fixed frame 160, the bi-directional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a certain range. The wing portion 153 also serves as a coupling portion between the return spring S1 and the support ring 150, which will be described later.

[Structure of Support Frame]

The support frame 140 is coupled to the front panel C to support the knob ring 120. The knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 are coupled to an aligned position of the front panel C, wherein the front panel C is made of a thin metal plate. Therefore, when the front panel C is formed with a hole and the knob ring 120 directly rotates with respect to the hole, the knob ring 120 is cut due to the front panel C.

In this embodiment, in the present embodiment, the support frame 140 is provided behind the hole formed in the front panel C, and in a state in which the knob ring 120 is supported by the support frame 140 thus installed, The rotation of the knob ring 120 is performed to thereby suppress the occurrence of friction between the knob ring 120 and the front panel C during the rotation of the knob ring 120. [

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

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

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

A support portion 145 is formed on the outer side of the through hole 143 to form a side wall for rotatably supporting the coupling shaft portion 151 around the through hole 143. The support ring 150 is mounted on the support portion 145 so that the support ring 150 is supported by the support frame 140 so that the support ring 150 can be rotated at a predetermined position.

The knob ring 120 coupled with the support ring 150 can be rotated around a certain axis on the support frame 140 through the support structure between the support frame 140 and the support ring 150, .

In other words, the position of the knob ring 120 is determined by the support frame 140, and the support frame 140 is fastened to the front panel C, As shown in FIG.

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

The support frame 140 is coupled to the guide bar 210 provided on the burner frame 200 to which the valve assembly 190 is fixed.

The guide bar 210 is provided for fixing between the burner frame 200 and the support frame 140. The support frame 140 coupled with the guide bar 210 is disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the burner frame 200 Can be fixed.

[Structure of Fixed Frame]

The fixed frame 160 is provided to prevent the support ring 150 from being detached from the fixed frame 160 rearwardly (toward the inner side of the home appliance) And fastened to the support frame 140 by fastening means such as screws.

The fixed frame 160 also serves to constrain the rotation range of the support ring 150. The fixed frame 160 restricts the support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 to rotate in the lateral direction only within a certain angle range.

The fixing frame 160 is formed in a shape similar to a bow-like tie. The 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 the connecting portion serves as a portion for preventing the support ring 150 from escaping toward the rear side.

According to the present embodiment, the fixed frame 160 may include the fixing portion 161 and the wing insertion portion 163.

The fixing portion 161 is coupled to the support frame 140 to support the support ring 150. The fixing portion 161 corresponds to a portion connecting both wings on the fixed frame 160 formed in the shape of a like bow tie.

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

The support ring 150 is formed in such a manner that 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, . The support ring 150 can be rotated at a predetermined position in a state where the forward and backward positions are confined in this manner, and thereby the rotational position of the knob ring 120 can be stably fixed.

The wing insertion portions 163 are disposed on both sides of the fixing portion 161 in the lateral direction. The wing insert portion 163 corresponds to a portion corresponding to a wing of a butterfly on a fixed frame 160 formed in the same shape as a butterfly bow tie.

The wing portion 153 of the support ring 150 is inserted into the wing insertion portion 163 so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angle range. That is, the wing 153 inserted into the wing insertion portion 163 can move within the movable region inside the wing insertion portion 163 and can be moved to the point where it interferes with the upper inner wall or the lower inner wall of the wing insertion portion 163 The movement is limited.

As described above, by limiting the movement range of the wing 153 by the wing insert 163, the bi-directional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a certain range.

[Structure of bearing shell]

The bearing shell 130 serves as a bearing for smooth operation of the knob ring 120.

The bearing shell 130 may include a cylindrical cylindrical portion 134 and a circular plate portion 132 bent in the cylindrical portion 134 and protruding in the radial direction.

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

The disc portion 132 is inserted between the front panel C and the knob ring 120. The disc portion 132 serves to reduce the friction between the knob ring 120 and the front panel C. [ The knob ring 120 is brought into contact with the front panel C in the operation of the knob ring 120 to move the knob ring 120 to the front panel C In order to suppress the generation of scratches on the substrate.

[Structure of return spring]

According to the present embodiment, the knob ring 120 is provided in a form capable of returning operation. For example, the knob ring 120 is rotatably operated in a clockwise or counterclockwise angle range, and is returned to its original position when the external force is released.

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

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

The wing portion 153 of the support ring 150 is provided with a wing side engagement portion 155 to which one side of the return springs S1 and S2 are coupled in the longitudinal direction, 141 are provided with frame side engaging portions 147, 148 to which the other longitudinal sides of the return springs S1, S2 are coupled.

In this embodiment, the wing-side engaging portion 155 and the frame-side engaging portions 147 and 148 are illustrated as protrusions protruding from the wing 153 or the frame body 141, respectively. The fixation of the return springs S1 and S2 in such a manner that the annular portion provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction of each return spring S1 and S2 is hooked to the wing-side engagement portion 155 and the frame-side engagement portions 147 and 148, Lt; / RTI >

The frame side engaging portions 147 and 148 include a first frame side engaging portion 147 disposed above the wing side engaging portion 155 and engaged with the first return spring S1, And a second frame side engaging part 148 disposed below the second return spring S2 to engage with the second return spring S2.

In other words, the first return spring S1 is installed in such a manner that one side of the first return spring S1 is coupled to the wing side engaging portion 155 and the other side of the first return spring S1 is coupled to the first frame side engaging portion 147. [ The second return spring S2 is installed such that one side of the second return spring S2 is coupled to the wing side engaging portion 155 and the other side of the second return spring S2 is coupled to the second frame side engaging portion 148. [

In the case where no external force is applied, the elastic forces of the first return spring S1 and the second return spring S2 provided as described above are balanced, and the knob ring 120 thereby maintains the initial position.

The support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 are integrally rotated so that the knob ring 120 maintains the initial position due to the elastic force of the return spring S1 and S2 connected to the support ring 150. [ The knob ring 120 holding the initial position can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise at a predetermined angle. When the external force is released in the rotated state, the knob ring 120 is rotated by the restoring force provided by the return springs S1 and S2 And can return to the home position again.

For example, when the knob ring 120 is operated in the counterclockwise direction, the first return spring S1, which is extended by rotation of the knob ring 120, returns the knob ring 120 to its home position, When the knob ring 120 is operated in the clockwise direction, the second return spring S2, which is extended by the rotation of the knob ring 120, returns the knob ring 120 to the initial position Lt; / RTI >

[Detailed structure of knob ring]

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

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

The knob ring body (124) forms an 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 back plate 125 is formed in a shape including a disc shape and is coupled to the back surface of the knob ring body 124. The back plate 125 has a support plate 125b that enters the interior of the front panel C (see FIG. 3) and protrudes to the inside of the cooking apparatus. A support hole 125c for supporting the adjustment shaft 194 is formed on the inner side of the support plate 125b while forming a passage for the adjustment shaft 194 (see FIG. 3) to pass through the knob ring 120.

A support tube 126, which is provided to support the adjustment shaft 194, is coupled to the back plate 125. The support tube 126 includes a flange 126a coupled to the back plate 125 and a tapered tube 126b extending from the flange 126a and a support lip 126d extending longer than the tapered tube 126b. ). ≪ / RTI >

The tapered pipe 126b has a tapered shape having a smaller diameter as the flange 126a moves away from the flange 126a and a support portion 126c for supporting the adjustment shaft 194 is provided at an end of the tapered pipe 126b.

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

In this embodiment, since the adjustment shaft 194 is not constrained to a predetermined 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 needed.

To this end, in the present embodiment, the two-point support structure in which the adjustment shaft 194 is supported by the support hole 125c and the support portion 126c is provided by the knob ring 120, So that it can be stably performed.

The knob ring 120 also has a support structure for supporting the front end of the gear portion G1 (see FIG. 4) coupled to the adjustment shaft 194, as well as a support structure for supporting the adjustment shaft 194 at two or more points. Structure can also be provided.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the knob ring 120 is provided with a display unit 123 capable of displaying a thermal power or a timer time. The display unit 123 is coupled to the knob ring body 124 via the display housing 122, and the finishing cap 121 is coupled to the outside of the display unit 123. The finishing cap 121 is preferably made of a transparent or semi-transparent material so that the information displayed on the display 123 can be viewed from the outside.

FIG. 8 is a rear view showing an assembling structure of the knob assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a view illustrating 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 clockwise.

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

3 and 8, the knob ring 110 and the knob ring 120 are coupled to the front surface of the front panel and the support frame 140 and the support ring 150 and the fixed frame 160 ).

The fixing frame 160 is fastened to the rear surface of the front panel C and the supporting ring 150 is fastened to the knob ring 120 through the front panel. At this time, the rotation center of the support ring 150 is arranged to coincide with the rotation center of the knob handle 110. The support ring 150 serves to restrain the rotational center of the knob handle 110 to be in a fixed 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 at the correct position with respect to the front panel C.

The support ring 150 is inserted into the support frame 140 and partially protrudes from the front panel front surface 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 surface of the front panel C. [

The knob ring 120 is coupled to the cylindrical portion of the support ring 150 protruding from the front surface of the front panel C. The knob ring 120 is coupled to the support ring 150 supported by the support frame 140 so that the support structure in which the knob ring 120 is supported by the support frame 140 is formed.

The operation of the knob ring 120 can 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 exposed to the outside of the front panel C, the second rotation sensing part E2 for sensing the operation of the knob ring 120 is disposed around the knob ring 120 from the outside of the front panel. It is apparently not good to be installed.

In consideration of this point, in this embodiment, the second rotation sensing part E2 is installed around the support ring 150 inside the front panel, and the second rotation sensing part E2 thus installed is disposed inside the front panel The rotation of the knob ring 120 can be sensed by sensing the rotation of the support ring 150.

Meanwhile, the knob assembly structure of the present embodiment is provided with a fixing frame 160 for preventing the support ring 150 from being separated from the back surface and allowing the support ring 150 to operate stably.

The fixed frame 160 is fixed to the support frame 140 so as to cross the back face of the support ring 150. The fixed frame 160 serves to prevent the support ring 150 from being separated from the back surface and to limit the rotation range of the support ring 150 to a specified range.

The support ring 150 has a wing 153 formed to extend laterally from the center of the support ring 150 and the wing 153 is disposed inside the fixed frame 160 .

The wings 153 inserted into the stationary frame 160 can move within the movable region within the stationary frame 160 and can be moved to a position where the stationary frame 160 interferes with the upper or lower inner wall of the stationary frame 160. [ The movement is limited.

As described above, when the moving range of the wing 153 is limited by the fixed frame 160, the bi-directional rotation angle of the support ring 150 can be limited within a certain range.

By applying the structure in which the wing portions 153 are provided on both sides of the support ring 150 and the movement range restriction of each wing portion 153 is made at the same position, May be made more stable.

The support ring 150 is also 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 from the initial position.

The support ring 150 and the knob ring 120 are integrally rotated so that the knob ring 120 maintains the initial position due to the elastic force of the return spring S1 and S2 connected to the support ring 150. [ The knob ring 120 holding the initial position can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise at a predetermined angle. When the external force is released in the rotated state, the knob ring 120 is rotated by the restoring force provided by the return springs S1 and S2 It is possible to return to the initial position.

For example, the first return spring S1 of the pair of return springs S1 and S2 is configured such that, as shown in FIG. 9, when the support ring 150 is rotated counterclockwise The support ring 150 provides an elastic force acting in a clockwise direction so that the support ring 150 can be returned to the initial position. The second return spring S2, which is the other one of the pair of return springs S1 and S2, is configured such that when the knob ring 120 is operated, the support ring 150 rotates clockwise When rotated, the support ring 150 provides an elastic force acting in a counterclockwise direction so that it can be returned to the initial position.

[Overall structure of universal joint]

Referring to FIG. 3, the knob assembly according to the present embodiment includes a universal joint 170 installed between the valve assembly 190 and the knob handle 110. The universal joint 170 is a joint which is provided so as to be able to flow in the up-and-down and left-right directions and transmits the power in the axial direction.

In contrast to the structure in which the valve shaft 194a provided in the valve assembly 190 is directly connected to the knob in this embodiment, the knob handle 110 is provided with a separate knob shaft 194 and the valve shaft 194a And the knob shaft 194b are connected to the universal joint 170. [0035]

This structure is a structure in which the tolerance of the valve shaft 194a generated in the valve assembly 190 can be absorbed by the universal joint 170. [ The knob handle 110 can be assembled to the front panel C of the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 in a precise position even if the valve stem 194a is twisted due to the tolerance, C).

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

The structure of this knob assembly allows the knob handle 110 and the knob ring 120 to be assembled in place relative to the front panel C regardless of the tolerances introduced in the manufacture of the valve stem, The knob ring 120 can be smoothly operated.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a universal joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the universal joint shown in FIG. 11 in an exploded state, Sectional view showing the internal structure. 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.

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, 171, a first axially supported portion 173, a second axially supported portion 175, an elastic member 177, and an engagement shaft portion 174, 176. Here, the coupling shaft portions 174 and 176 are defined as including a first coupling shaft portion 174 and a second coupling shaft portion 176, which will be described later.

The housing 171 is formed into a cylindrical shape having a predetermined length and formed with a hollow. At one side of the longitudinal direction of the housing 171, an opening 171a for opening the hollow space of the housing 171 to the outside of the housing 171 is formed. A side plate 171b is provided on the other side of the housing 171 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 to face the other side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171. A through hole 171c for opening the inner space of the housing 171 to the outside of the housing 171 is formed inside the side plate 171b.

The housing 171 may have a plurality of slots 172a and 172b. Each of the slots 172a and 172b is formed in a slot shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 and has a predetermined width extending along the circumferential direction of the housing 171 and a longitudinal direction of the housing 171 And may be formed in the shape of a slot having a predetermined length extending along the length.

According to the present embodiment, the housing 171 is formed with a pair of first slots 172a and a pair of second slots 172b.

The pair of first slots 172a are formed so as to pass through the side surfaces of the housing 171 forming the curved surface and are arranged to face each other when viewed from one side or the other side of the length direction of the housing 171. [

Each of the pair of second slots 172b is formed so as to penetrate through the side surface of the housing 171 forming a curved surface and has a first slot 172a that is different from the first slot 172a when viewed from one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the housing 171, Are positioned facing each other at the location.

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

A pair of first engagement shaft portions 174 arranged in a line on the first shaft support portion 173 are respectively engaged with a pair of first slots 172a arranged to face each other in a linear direction of the housing 171 So that it can be moved and rotated. And a pair of second coupling shaft portions 176 arranged in a line on the second shaft support portion 175 are respectively inserted into a pair of second slots 172b arranged to face each other and are connected to a straight line So that it can be moved and rotated.

The first shaft support portion 173 can be moved and rotated in the linear direction to the housing 171 by the fitting engagement between the pair of first slots 172a and the first engagement shaft portion 174. [ The second shaft support portion 175 can be coupled to the housing 171 in a linear direction and rotatably by the fit-engagement between the pair of second slots 172b and the second engagement shaft portion 176 .

The first axially supported portion 173 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion port 171a. The first shaft portion 173 is connected to one of the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b and includes a support body portion 173a and a first engagement shaft portion 174 and a shrinking portion 173b . In the present embodiment, it is exemplified that the first shaft support portion 173 is connected to the valve shaft 194a.

The support main 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 engagement shaft portions 174 arranged in a row, As shown in Fig.

The shrinking portion 173b is formed to extend from the support body portion 173a in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 and protrude out of the housing 171 and can be moved and rotated integrally with the support body portion 173a have. The shrinking portion 173b is a portion provided for connection between the first shaft support portion 173 and the valve shaft 194a and the valve shaft 194a is coupled to the shrinking portion 173b to connect the first shaft support portion 173, And the valve shaft 194a. That is, the shrinking portion 173b is a shaft connecting portion connected to the first shaft.

The shrinking portion 173b protrudes out of the housing 171 through the other longitudinal side of the housing 171 and is coupled to the valve shaft 194a from the outside of the housing 171 and is inserted into the inside of the side plate 171b And can pass through the side plate 171b through the passage secured by the through hole 171c formed to be penetrated and protrude to the outside of the housing 171. [

According to this embodiment, when the support main body 173a is rotated about the first engagement shaft portion 174 by the rotation of the first engagement shaft portion 174, the direction in which the end portion of the shaft retention portion 173b faces The support main body 173a can be changed by the rotated angle. Hereinafter, the direction in which the end portion of the shrinking portion 173b is changed will be described as a change in the posture of the first shaft portion 173.

The second shaft support portion 175 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion port 171a and is disposed between the insertion port 171a and the first shaft support portion 173. The second shaft portion 175 is connected to the other one of the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b and includes the support body portion 175a and the second engagement shaft portion 176 and the shrinking portion 175b . In this embodiment, it is illustrated that the second axially extending portion 175 is connected to the knob axis 194b.

The support main body portion 175a is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 and is coupled to the housing 171 by a pair of second engagement shaft portions 176 arranged in a row so as to be integrally formed with the second engagement shaft portion 176, As shown in Fig.

The shrinking portion 175b is formed to extend from the support body portion 175a in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 and protrude out of the housing 171 and can be moved and rotated integrally with the support body portion 175a have. The shrinking portion 175b is provided for connection between the second shaft portion 175 and the knob shaft 194b and the knob shaft 194b is coupled to the shrinking portion 175b, And the knob axis 194b. That is, the shrinking portion 175b is a shaft connecting portion connected to the second shaft.

The shrinking portion 175b protrudes out 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 secured by the insertion port 171a And can be protruded to the outside of the housing 171 through the opened passage.

According to the present embodiment, when the rotation of the second engagement shaft portion 176 rotates the support body portion 175a about the second engagement shaft portion 176, the direction in which the end of the shaft retention portion 175b is directed The support body portion 175a can be changed by the rotated angle. Hereinafter, the direction in which the end portion of the shrinking portion 175b is changed will be described as a change in the posture of the second shaft portion 175. [

The elastic member 177 is inserted into the inner space of the housing 171 through the insertion port 171a and disposed between the first shaft support 173 and the second shaft support 175. [ The elastic members 177 are disposed at positions corresponding to the positions of the first and second axially extending portions 173 and 175 and the first and second axially extending portions 174 and 176 which are changed by the rotation of the engagement shaft portions 174 and 176, And provides an elastic force for returning the posture of the shaft supporting portion 173 and the second shaft supporting portion 175 to the original state.

In the present embodiment, the elastic member 177 is exemplified as including a coil spring formed to have a length extending along the length direction of the housing 171. One longitudinal side of the elastic member 177 is coupled to the first axial supporting portion 173 and the other longitudinal side of the elastic member 177 is coupled to the second axial supporting portion 175. The elastic member 177 is elastically stretchable in the longitudinal direction and is elastically deformable in the rotational direction of the first shaft portion 173 or the second shaft portion 175.

On the opposed surfaces of the first and second axially extending portions 173 and 175 facing each other, more specifically, the opposed surfaces of the support body portion 173a and the support body portion 175a, elastic members 177 are respectively formed with fitting grooves g into which one side or the other side in the lengthwise direction is fitted.

The elastic member 177 engaged with the fitting groove g is fixed to the first main shaft portion 173 and the second main shaft portion 173 in a state in which the movement of both sides in the longitudinal direction thereof is restricted so that the position with respect to the main body portion 173a is not changed. And can be stably coupled to the shaft support portion 175.

In the universal joint 170 of the present embodiment including the above-described structure, the first shaft support 173 is rotatably coupled to the housing 171 in any one of the up-down direction and the left-right direction The second shaft support portion 175 is rotatably coupled to the housing 171 in one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction (see FIG. 15).

In other words, the universal joint 170 of the present embodiment has the valve shaft 194a and the valve shaft 194b in such a manner that the first shaft support portion 173 is connected to the valve shaft 194a and the second shaft support portion 175 is connected to the knob shaft 194b. The rotary motion of the knob shaft 194b may be transmitted to the valve shaft 194a while the knob shaft 194b is connected by a single flexible shaft.

When the direction in which the valve shaft 194a extends and the direction in which the knob axis 194b extends do not coincide with each other due to the tolerance of the valve shaft 194a generated in the valve assembly 190, The angle of connection between the first and second shaft portions 173 and 173 is changed while the posture of at least one of the first shaft portion 173 and the second shaft portion 175 is changed, 190 of the valve shaft 194a.

The operator does not need to adjust the angle of connection between the first shaft support 173 and the second shaft support 175 in the process of connecting the universal joint 170 to the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b Only the valve shaft 194a and the knob shaft 194b are connected to both ends of the universal joint 170 so that the posture of the first axially support portion 173 and the second axially support portion 175 is adjusted to the valve axis 194a And the knob axis 194b.

The posture of the first and second axially extending portions 173 and 175 can be maintained or changed depending on the situation by the elastic force provided by the elastic member 177. Therefore, No additional work is required.

[Assembly structure of universal joint]

The universal joint 170 having the above-described structure can be assembled in the following manner.

The first shaft support portion 173 is tilted and inserted into the housing 171 through the insertion port 171a and then the first engagement shaft portion 174 is fitted into the first slot 172a, (173). The direction in which the first shaft portion 173 is tilted to insert the first shaft portion 173 into the housing 171 is the up and down direction.

Then, after the elastic member 177 is inserted into the housing 171 through the insertion port 171a, the second shaft support portion 175 is tilted and inserted, and then the second engagement shaft portion 176 is inserted into the second slot 172b so as to form an assembly between the housing 171 and the second axially extending portion 175. The direction in which the second axially extending portion 175 is tilted to insert the second axially extending portion 175 into the housing 171 is the left and right direction.

In this process, the elastic member 177 is stably fixed to the first and second shaft support portions 173 and 173 in a state where both longitudinal sides of the elastic member 177 are fitted into the fitting grooves g, .

As described above, in assembling the universal joint 170 according to the present embodiment, the first shaft support portion 173 is fitted to the housing 171, and then the elastic member 177 is inserted into the housing 171 Then, the second shaft portion 175 is fitted into the housing 171 and assembled.

That is, the universal joint 170 can be easily and quickly assembled only by sequential fitting operation without using any separate fastening means or adhesive, and in particular, since the universal joint 170 is composed of only four parts, And the universal joint 170 can be assembled more easily and quickly.

When the assembling of the universal joint 170 is completed, the fitting state of the first shaft support portion 173 and the second shaft support portion 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 use of the joint 170. [

[Limit structure of rotation range of universal joint]

The universal joint 170 serves to absorb the positional error of the valve shaft 194a between the knob shaft 194b and the valve shaft 194a and is provided with a valve member 194a for absorbing the positional error of the valve shaft 194a The first shaft support 173 and the second shaft support 175 can be rotated by the first shaft support 173 and the second shaft support 175 according to the characteristics of the product on which the universal joint 170 is installed. ), That is, a structure for restricting the change range of the posture of the first and the second axially extending portions 173 and 175 within a necessary range.

11 to 14, the posture change range of the first axial support 173 is determined by the size of the through hole 171c. That is, the first shaft support portion 173 can be rotated only within a range in which interference between the shrinking portion 173b and the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 171b does not occur, and interference between the shrinking portion 173b and the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 171b The further rotation of the first axial supporting portion 173 is restricted from the point where it occurs. Therefore, it can be said that the posture changing range of the first axial supporting portion 173 depends on the size of the through hole 171c that determines the size of the passage for the shrinking portion 173b to pass through the side plate 171b.

In other words, a point where interference occurs between the inner circumferential surface of the side plate 171b and the shrinking portion 173b in the one-directional rotation of the first shaft support portion 173 and a point where the inner side surface of the side plate 171b The rotation of the first shaft support portion 173, that is, the change in the posture of the first shaft support portion 173 is limited to a range between the points where interference between the shaking table portion 173b and the shake adjusting portion 173b occurs.

The size of the through hole 171c is determined so that the inner diameter of the side plate 171b formed with the through hole 171c is larger than the outer diameter of the shrinking portion 173b and smaller than the inner diameter of the housing 171. [ At this time, the size of the through hole 171c can be appropriately adjusted according to the posture change range of the first shaft support portion 173 to be set. The size of the through hole 171c may be increased to be close to the inner diameter of the housing 171 to enlarge the range of change in attitude of the first shaft support portion 173 and the size of the through hole 171c It is possible to reduce the attitude change range of the first axis support portion 173 by reducing it to be close to the outer diameter.

11 to 13 and 15, the engaging shaft portion provided on the second axially extending portion 175, that is, the second engaging shaft portion 176 includes a rotating shaft 176a and a stopper 176b. have.

The rotary shaft 176a is a portion that occupies most of the area of the second engagement shaft portion 176 and is rotatably inserted into the second slot 172b and rotatably coupled to the housing 171. [ In the case of the first engaging shaft portion 174, the entire first engaging shaft portion 174 may be formed of only the rotating shaft.

The stopper 176b is formed so as to protrude outward of the rotary shaft 176a and changes its position inside the second slot 172b as the rotary shaft 176a rotates. 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 the predetermined position.

According to the present embodiment, the second slot 172b is formed to have a width corresponding to the outer diameter of the rotary shaft 176a. The second slot 172b is formed so that the width of the second slot 172b and the outer diameter of the rotary shaft 176a are equal to each other so that the second shaft portion 175 moves or rotates on the housing 171, The coupling between the second axially extending portion 175 and the housing 171 can be made so as not to occur and this can be applied also to the coupling between the first axially extending portion 173 and the housing 171. [

The stopper 176b is formed so as to protrude toward the inside of the second slot 172b and protrude narrower than the width of the second slot 172b. The stopper 176b thus formed is rotated together with the second engaging shaft portion 176 when the second engaging shaft portion 176 is rotated and when the rotation of the second engaging shaft portion 176 is performed at a predetermined angle or more, Two slots 172b interfere with the inner wall 171d of the housing 171 to restrict further rotation of the second engagement shaft 176. [

 In other words, a point where interference occurs between the inner wall 171d of the housing 171 and the stopper 176b during one-directional rotation of the second shaft support portion 175 and a position where the housing 171 rotates in the other direction of the second shaft support portion 175, The rotation of the second axially extending portion 175, that is, the change of the posture of the second axially extending portion 175, is limited to a range between the point where the inner wall of the stopper 176a and the stopper 176b interferes.

As another example, instead of providing the stopper 176b in the second engagement shaft portion 176, the posture change of the second shaft support portion 175 may be changed in the same manner as the structure for restricting the posture change range of the first shaft support portion 173 It may form a structure for range limitation.

The second shaft portion 175 is formed by covering the side plate 171b at one longitudinal side portion of the housing 171 with the insertion port 171a formed therein and adjusting the size of the through hole 171c formed at the inside of the side plate 171b, A structure for restricting the posture change range of the second shaft portion 175 may be formed.

However, unlike the side plate 171b formed integrally with the housing 171 at the other longitudinal end portion of the housing 171, if the structure for limiting the range of change in the attitude of the second shaft portion 175 is formed in this manner, The side plate at one longitudinal side portion of the housing 171 should be provided in the form of a separate cap-shaped part detachable from the housing 171.

If the side plate of the longitudinally one side portion of the housing 171 is integrally formed with the housing 171, parts such as the first axial supporting portion 173 and the second axial supporting portion 175 and the elastic member 177 are inserted into the housing The passage for inserting into the housing 171 is clogged to be assembled in the housing 171.

However, if the side plate of one side portion in the longitudinal direction of the housing 171 is provided in the form of a separate cap-shaped component, the number of parts for manufacturing the universal joint 170 is increased, As the process is added, the parts management becomes more difficult and the cost and time required for manufacturing the universal joint 170 will be increased accordingly.

In consideration of this point, the universal joint 170 of the present embodiment has a stopper 176b for restricting the rotation of the second axially extending portion 175, instead of adding a separate cap-shaped part to the rotational axis 176a So that a structure for adjusting the attitude change range of the second axially extending portion 175 is formed without adding any additional parts.

The universal joint 170 of this embodiment provided with such a structure has a small number of parts including the housing 171 and the first and second axially supports 173 and 173 and the elastic member 177 It is possible to assemble only four parts in total, thereby facilitating the parts management and assembling work, as well as reducing the cost and time required for manufacturing the universal joint 170.

In this embodiment, the universal joint 170 is provided in the knob assembly of the cooking appliance, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The universal joint 170 of the present invention may be used in other parts of the cooking apparatus other than the knob assembly or may be used for transmitting the rotational force of the knob in a different type of apparatus other than the cooking apparatus, In particular, it can be used in an environment in which a driving shaft and a driven shaft are difficult to be connected in a line in a device in which a large number of parts are arranged in a narrow internal space.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. I will understand. Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the following claims.

110: Knob handle
120: Knob ring
121: Finishing cap
122: Display housing
123: display device
124: Knob ring body
125: back plate
125b:
125c: Support hole
126: Support tube
126d: Support lip
126c:
126b: Taper pipe
126a: Flange
130: bearing shell
132:
134:
140: Support frame
141:
143: Through hole
145: Support
147: first frame side engaging portion
148: second frame side engaging portion
150: Support ring
151:
152: flange portion
153: wing portion
155: wing-
160: Fixed frame
161:
163:
170: universal joint
171: Housing
171a:
171b: side plate
171c: Through-hole
171d: inner wall
172a: first slot
172b: second slot
173:
173a, 175a:
173b, 175b:
174: first coupling shaft portion
175: second axis portion
176: second coupling shaft portion
176a:
176b: Stopper
177: Elastic member
190: valve assembly
194: Adjusting axis
194a:
194b: Knob axis
200: Burner frame
210: guide rod
S1: first return spring
S2: second return spring
g: insert groove

Claims (18)

housing;
A first axially supported portion provided on the housing and connected to the first shaft and relatively rotatable with respect to the first turning center intersecting the axial direction of the first axis;
A second axially supported portion provided on the housing and connected to the second shaft and capable of pivoting relative to the housing about a second pivot center intersecting the axial direction of the second axis and not parallel to the first pivot center; And
And an elastic member elastically supporting the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion in directions opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction of the shaft,
Wherein at least one of the first and second axially supports is slidable relative to the housing.
The method according to claim 1,
The housing has a cylindrical hollow having a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction,
Wherein at least one of the first and second axially supports is slidable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the housing has an insertion port for opening the hollow to the outside of the housing at one side in the longitudinal direction,
The second shaft portion is inserted into the housing through the insertion hole and is disposed closer to the insertion port than the first shaft portion,
And the second shaft portion is slidable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method of claim 3,
Wherein the first shaft portion is inserted into the housing through the insertion port,
And the first axial portion is slidable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing.
The method according to claim 1,
And a coupling shaft portion provided on the first shaft support portion and the second shaft support portion and rotatably coupling the first shaft support portion or the second shaft support portion to the housing,
The coupling shaft portion of the first shaft support portion forms the first rotation center,
And the coupling shaft portion of the second axial support portion forms the second rotation center.
The method of claim 5,
The housing is formed with a slot extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing,
And the coupling shaft portion is inserted into the slot.
The method of claim 6,
The coupling shaft portion provided in the second shaft portion includes a rotation shaft rotatably inserted into the slot and rotatably coupled to the housing, and a coupling portion formed on the outer side of the rotation shaft, And a stopper,
Wherein the stopper is disposed inside the slot so as to interfere with an inner wall of the housing formed by the slot at a predetermined position so that the range of rotation of the second axially extending portion is limited.
The method of claim 7,
Wherein the slot is formed with a width corresponding to an outer diameter of the rotating shaft,
Wherein the stopper is formed so as to protrude with a width narrower than the width of the slot.
The method of claim 6,
The slot
And a pair of coupling shafts provided on the first shafts are rotatably inserted into the housing so as to face each other when viewed from one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the housing, A pair of first slots; And
The first and second slots being formed to penetrate through the side surfaces of the housing and facing each other at a position different from the first slot when viewed from one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the housing, And 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 portion and the second shaft portion,
A support main body inserted into the housing and coupled to the housing by a pair of coupling shafts arranged in a row and integrally moved and rotated with the coupling shafts; And
And a shaft connecting portion extending from the support body portion 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,
And the shaft connecting portion is detachably connected to the first shaft or the second shaft.
The method of claim 10,
And the shaft connecting portion rotates integrally with the first shaft or the second shaft.
The method of claim 3,
A side plate is provided on the other longitudinal side of the housing to block the other longitudinal side of the housing,
A through hole through which the first shaft passes is formed in a central portion of the side plate,
Wherein an inner diameter of the through hole is larger than a shaft connecting portion connected to the first shaft and the first shaft,
Wherein the first shaft portion is allowed to rotate based on the first rotation center within a range in which interference between the inner peripheral surface of the side plate defined by the through hole and the shrinkage preventing portion is not made.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the elastic member is disposed between the first axial supporting portion and the second axial supporting portion,
Wherein the elastic member provides an elastic force in a direction in which the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion are spaced apart from each other,
Wherein the elastic member further comprises an elastic member for providing an elastic force for returning the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion to their original state in which they are not rotated with respect to the center of rotation thereof.
15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the elastic member is configured such that one side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the first axial supporting portion and the other side in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the second axial supporting portion and the elastic extending and retraction in the longitudinal direction and the rotation direction of the first axial supporting portion or the second axial supporting portion And a coil spring capable of elastically bending deformation of the coil spring.
16. The method of claim 15,
And a fitting groove in which one side or the other of the longitudinal direction of the elastic member is fitted is formed on each of the surfaces of the first and second axially extending portions facing each other.
Knob;
A first axis connected to the knob;
A valve assembly;
A second shaft coupled to the valve assembly; And
And a universal joint according to any one of claims 1 to 16 connecting said first and second axes.
18. The method of claim 17,
Wherein the knob and the first shaft are integrally fixed.

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