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US 2015/0168987 A1Published application
Knob with lock mechanism
AssigneeDesigner Safety Knob, LLC
InventorsCOLLEEN O'KEEFE, DAVID E. GABER, CHI WO WONG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control knob has a body and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism acts as a safety mechanism or safeguard by biasing the knob in a locked position, thereby preventing the knob from engaging a control stem or other structure on, for example, an appliance. This prevents the knob from inadvertent rotation which may power-on an appliance, or cause a change in a current setting of an appliance which, in certain instances, may have dangerous repercussions.
Claims19
A knob for controlling an appliance having a control stem, the knob comprising:
- a knob body;
- and
- a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism comprising:
- first and second stop members, each having a pad configured to frictionally engage a surface so as to prevent rotation of the knob body relative to the surface and/or movement of the knob body in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface;
- first and second biasing members configured to force the pads of the first and second stop members, respectively, into engagement with the surface in a first, default locked state;
- first and second grasp segments, each being moveable when a force is exerted thereon;
- and
- first and second cables connecting the first and second grasp segments to the first and second stop members, respectively;
- wherein displacement of the first and second grasp segments causes the first and second cables to move the first and second stop members against the first and second biasing members, respectively, such that the pads of the first and second stop members are disengaged from the surface resulting in a second, unlocked state, enabling the knob body to rotate and/or move in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface.
6 more elements
A knob for controlling an appliance having a control stem, the knob comprising:
- a knob body;
- and
- a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism comprising:
- an escutcheon plate, configured to be mounted to a surface of an appliance, the escutcheon plate having a plurality of locking teeth, and further being coupled to the knob body such that the knob body rotates relative to the escutcheon plate and/or moves in a longitudinal direction relative to the escutcheon plate;
- first and second gear elements, each having a plurality of gear teeth and a locking tooth that engages with the plurality of locking teeth of the escutcheon plate so as to prevent rotation of the knob body relative to the escutcheon plate and/or movement of the knob body in a longitudinal direction relative to the escutcheon plate;
- first and second grasp segments, each being moveable when a force is exerted thereon, wherein the first and second grasp segments include a plurality of gear teeth in driving engagement with the gear teeth of the first and second gear elements, respectively;
- and
- at least one biasing member configured to provide a force to the first and second grasp segments that is transferred to the first and second gear elements, via driving engagement of the gear teeth of the first and second grasp segments and the gear teeth of the first and second gear elements, respectively, to force the locking teeth of the first and second gear elements into engagement with the plurality of locking teeth of the escutcheon plate, in a first, default locked state;
- wherein displacement of the first and second grasp segments causes the first and second gear elements to move, respectively, such that the locking teeth of the first and second respective gear elements are disengaged from the plurality of the locking teeth of the escutcheon plate resulting in a second, unlocked state, enabling the knob body to rotate and/or move in a longitudinal direction relative to the escutcheon plate.
6 more elements
The knob of claim 18, wherein:
- the first and second grasp segments each include a clamping element;
- and
- wherein the clamping elements of the first and second grasp segments slide into the inwardly tapered ramp portion of the control stem coupling spacer so as to engage the control stem when the knob body is displaced in the longitudinal direction toward the escutcheon plate, 20. The knob of claim 19, wherein each of the clamping elements has a curved outer surface, and wherein one of the clamping elements has a flat inner surface and the other of the clamping elements has a curved inner surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.