# US 10,503,198 B2 · Gas knob skirt retainer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,198 B2 - Document ID: US10503198B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/087,700 - Filed: 2016-03-24 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-24 - Assignees: Electrolux Home Products Pty Limited - Applicants: Electrolux Home Products PTY LTD - Inventors: David Wait; Purvag Nanavati - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503198B2 ## CPC - G05G 1/08: Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels - F24C 3/126: {on ranges} - G05G 1/02: Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons - G05G 1/10: Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles {(G05G1/085 takes precedence)} - G05G 5/05: Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) - G05G 9/04: in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously - G05G 2505/00: Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) - F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION ## Abstract A control knob assembly to control an operation of an appliance comprises a skirt adapted to engage the appliance. The skirt has a side wall, and a front face which in use will face away from the appliance. The assembly has a knob adapted to engage with the skirt, the knob having a side wall, the knob being adapted to move axially relative to the skirt. A spring is located between the knob and the skirt, to bias the knob and the skirt away from each other. The skirt and/or the knob has a spring retaining means adapted to retain the spring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control knob assembly to control an operation of an appliance, comprising: a skirt adapted to engage the appliance, the skirt having a side wall, and a front face which in use will face away from the appliance; a knob adapted to interact with the skirt, the knob having a side wall, the knob being adapted to move axially relative to the skirt; and a spring located between the knob and the skirt, to bias the knob and the skirt away from each other; the skirt and/or the knob having a spring retaining means adapted to retain the spring, and the skirt being shaped and sized to be at least partially received by the sidewall of the knob. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt and the knob both have spring retaining means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein only the skirt has spring retaining means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein only the knob has spring retaining means. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring retaining means includes a plurality of spring retainers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spring retainers each have a component which is provided at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the control knob assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein two or more of the plurality of spring retainers are supported by the sidewall of the knob. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein two or more of the plurality of spring retainers are located on a flange which extends from the sidewall of the knob. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein two or more of the plurality of spring retainers are located on the front face of the skirt. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein two or more of the plurality of the spring retainers are located on the sidewall of the skirt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of spring retainers are angularly equidistant from each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring retaining means is integrally formed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring retaining means include at least one groove to receive a partial portion of the spring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt and the knob rotate independently of each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt and the knob rotate together. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt includes a first formation, and the knob includes a second formation, wherein the first formation and the second formation are aligned so that one is at least partially received by the other. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first formation is an aperture or a recess and said second formation is a spigot, projection, shaft or protrusion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first formation and the second formation are complementary, and rotating the knob will cause the second formation to drive the first formation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second formation is adapted to be partially inserted into the first formation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first formation and the second formation are shafts. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first formation is a generally D-shaped shaft. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first formation includes a relief recess formed into a side thereof. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first formation and/or the second formation is or are centrally located with respect to said skirt and/or said knob. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) An appliance comprising the control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the appliance is a gas appliance and the knob or the skirt is adapted to engage a stem of a gas valve of the gas appliance. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the knob includes a grip portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the skirt includes a rear face which in use will face the appliance, and rear extensions which extend away from the rear face beyond a rear rim of the skirt's side wall. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) An appliance including at least one control knob assembly as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The appliance as claimed in claim 27, wherein the appliance is a gas cooking appliance. ### Claim 29 A control knob assembly to control an operation of an appliance, comprising: a skirt adapted to engage the appliance, the skirt having a side wall, and a front face which in use will face away from the appliance; a knob adapted to interact with the skirt, the knob having a side wall, the knob being adapted to move axially relative to the skirt; and a spring located between the knob and the skirt, to bias the knob and the skirt away from each other; the skirt and/or the knob having a spring retaining means adapted to retain the spring, wherein the skirt includes a first formation, and the knob includes a second formation, wherein the first formation and the second formation are aligned so that one is at least partially received by the other, and wherein the first formation is a spigot, projection, shaft, or protrusion, and said second formation is an aperture or a recess. ### Claim 30 A control knob assembly to control an operation of an appliance, comprising a skirt, a knob and a spring disposed therebetween and tending to bias the skirt and the knob axially away from each other; said skirt having a side wall surrounding an inwardly extending flange, the side wall having a rear rim which in use will face toward the appliance, the flange having opposing front and rear faces which in use will face away from and toward the appliance, respectively, a plurality of rear projections extending from said rear face beyond, and located inwardly of, said rear rim, a first formation extending from said front face and adapted to cooperate with a complementary second formation on said knob, said first formation having a relief recess formed in a rim thereof effective to provide a relief area between said first formation and said second formation to ensure that they do not bind together or hinder axial movement of the knob relative to the skirt; said knob having a side wall defining a recess portion adapted to at least partially receive and accommodate relative axial movement of the skirt, said second formation extending from a rear side of said knob and being aligned with said first formation such that one is at least partially received by the other; one or both of said skirt and said knob comprising spring retaining means effective to retain the spring thereto and to maintain proper alignment and retention of said spring therewith upon disassembly of the knob from the skirt, said spring retaining means standing proud of a first, chamfered portion having a chamfered surface adapted to be engaged by a terminal end of said spring upon initial assembly of the spring thereto such that said terminal end is caused to expand radially from its natural resting state upon being advanced axially over said chamfered portion, and a second, grooved portion defining a retention groove into which said terminal end becomes received upon advancement beyond said chamfered portion, said retention groove possessing a diameter that is the same or less than the natural diameter of the terminal end of said spring. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The control knob assembly as claimed in claim 30, said spring retaining means comprising a plurality of L-shaped retaining formations, each said L-shaped retaining formation comprising an arm and a return elbow, said return elbow at least partially defining said chamfered surface, wherein a clearance between said return elbow and a surface from which said arm projects at least partially defines said retention groove.