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US 10,767,868 B2Granted
Knob assembly and appliance having knob assembly
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorYeonsik Ha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A knob assembly and an appliance having a knob assembly are provided. The knob assembly may include a knob configured to be rotatably installed, a knob ring configured to surround the knob and to be rotated independently from the knob, a spring configured to provide an elastic force so as to return the knob ring toward an initial position when the knob ring is rotated to a position spaced apart from the initial position, and a magnetic force provider configured to provide a magnetic force to return the knob ring to the initial position when the knob ring is at a position adjacent to the initial position.
Claims18
A knob assembly, comprising:
- a knob configured to be rotatable at a front of a front panel;
- a knob ring configured to surround the knob at the front of the front panel and be rotated independently from the knob;
- a support frame provided at a rear of the front panel;
- an actuating ring provided at the rear of the front panel, rotatably supported by the support frame, and coupled to the knob ring through the front panel to be rotated by interlocking with rotation of the knob ring;
- at least one spring connected to the support frame and the actuating ring and configured to provide an elastic force when the knob ring is rotated in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from an initial position so as to return the knob ring toward the initial position when an external force is released;
- and
- at least one magnet provided on at least one of the support frame or the actuating frame and configured to provide a magnetic force that returns the knob ring to the initial position.
4 more elements
A knob assembly, comprising:
- a knob configured to be rotatable at a front of a front panel;
- a knob ring configured to surround the knob at the front of the front panel and be rotated independently from the knob;
- an actuating ring provided at a rear of the front panel and coupled to the knob ring through the front panel to be rotated by interlocking with rotation of the knob ring;
- and
- a support frame provided at the rear of the front panel and configured to rotatably support the actuating ring;
- a first spring connected to the support frame and the actuating ring and configured to provide an elastic force when the knob ring is rotated in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from an initial position that returns the knob ring toward the initial position when an external force is released;
- and
- a second spring connected to the support frame and the actuating ring configured to provide an elastic force when the knob ring is rotated in the other of the clockwise or counterclockwise direction from the initial position that returns the knob ring toward the initial position when an external force is released;
- a first magnet provided at the actuating ring;
- and
- a second magnet provided at the support frame, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are attracted to each other by a magnetic attractive force so as to return the knob ring to the initial position, and a position of the knob ring is maintained at the initial position when the first magnet and the second magnet are adjacent to each other.
8 more elements
A cooking appliance, comprising:
- a front panel;
- and
- at least one knob configured to be rotatable at a first side of the front panel;
- at least one knob ring provided at the first side of the front panel and configured to surround the at least one knob so as to be rotated independently from the at least one knob;
- an actuating ring provided at a second side of the front panel and coupled to the knob ring through the front panel to be rotated by interlocking with rotation of the knob ring;
- and
- a support frame provided at the second side of the front panel, configured to rotatably support the actuating ring, and coupled to the front panel at the second side of the front panel;
- at least one spring connected to the support frame and the actuating ring and configured to provide an elastic force when the knob ring is rotated in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from an initial position so as to return the knob ring toward the initial position when an external force is released;
- and
- at least one magnet provided on at least one of the support frame or the actuating frame and configured to provide a magnetic force to return the knob ring to the initial position.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.