Retaining device
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorTheodore Kaiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A knob or similar object is rotatably retained on a piece of equipment by an arrangement including a four-section hinged member which may be concealed by the knob during normal usage. The hidden retaining member is captivated around the shaft at both ends by retaining devices and by the knob and enclosure wall until the knob is released. The arrangement is applicable regardless of whether the shaft remains on the equipment or forms a part of the retained object. The center sections of the hinged member fold up on one side of the shaft when hidden, but extend to allow release of the object from the normal, attached position.
Claims14
A retaining arrangement as for retaining a component on an associated piece of equipment, the equipment having an aperture in a wall thereof, and comprising:
- shaft;
- first retaining means having 2n serially connected sections, where n is an integer greater than one, each section predisposed to remain at an angle to each adjacent section, and having a first aperture in one end section, a second aperture in the other end section, and a third aperture in the combined center sections, each aperture being larger than the shaft diameter;
- second retaining means for rotatably retaining the first end section of the first retaining means on a first one of the component and the equipment and around the shaft;
- third retaining means for retaining the other of the end sections of the first retaining means on the other one of the component and the equipment and around the shaft;
- and
- wherein the center sections of the first retaining means are arranged in a folded configuration on only one side of the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.