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US 6,018,290 AGranted
Apparatus for permitting quiet manual setting of an appliance timer having a bell chime assembly associated therewith
AssigneeEmerson Electric Co.
InventorsSteven W. Vande Lune, Ronald E. Cole, Ross G. Helft
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A timer for controlling an appliance includes a bell chime assembly having a striker, a torsion spring, and a bell. The striker is secured to the torsion spring. The timer further includes a cam follower operatively coupled to the torsion spring. The cam follower is operatively associated with a cam assembly which includes a first cam and a second cam. The first cam and the second cam are configured such that during manual setting of the timer, the torsion spring is prevented from deflecting by an amount sufficient to cause the striker to contact the bell whereby relatively quiet manual setting of the timer is enabled.
Claims19
A timer for controlling an appliance, comprising:
- a bell chime assembly having a striker and a bell;
- a motor having an operating state and an idle state;
- a first cam having a first cam neutral surface and a first cam valley surface, wherein (i) said first cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, (ii) said first cam is idle when said motor is in said idle state;
- a second cam having a second cam neutral surface, a second cam valley surface, and a strike preventing transition cam surface interposed therebetween, wherein (i) said second cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, and (ii) said second cam is able to be manually rotated by an operator when said motor is in said idle state;
- and
- a cam follower which is positionable between a neutral position and a valley position, wherein said cam follower contacts said strike preventing transition cam surface during movement of said cam follower from said neutral position to said valley position when said motor is in said idle state, whereby said striker is prevented from contacting said bell during manual rotation of said second cam by said operator when said cam follower is aligned with said first cam valley surface.
3 more elements
A timer for controlling an appliance, comprising:
- a bell chime assembly having (i) a striker, (ii) a torsion spring, and (iii) a bell, wherein said striker is secured to said torsion spring;
- a motor having an operating state and an idle state;
- a cam follower operatively coupled to said torsion spring, said cam follower being positionable between a neutral position and a valley position;
- a first cam having a first cam neutral surface and a first cam valley surface, wherein (i) said first cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, (ii) said first cam is idle when said motor is in said idle state;
- a second cam having a second cam neutral surface, a second cam valley surface, and a strike preventing transition cam surface interposed therebetween, wherein (i) said second cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, and (ii) said second cam is able to be manually rotated by an operator when said motor is in said idle state,
- wherein (i) said strike preventing transition cam surface is configured such that said torsion spring is caused to deflect by a first amount when said cam follower is moved from said neutral position to said valley position via contact with said strike preventing transition cam surface, and (ii) said first amount of deflection of said torsion spring is insufficient to cause contact between said striker and said bell, whereby said striker is prevented from contacting said bell during manual rotation of said second cam by said operator when said cam follower is aligned with said first cam valley surface.
3 more elements
A timer for controlling an appliance, comprising:
- a bell chime assembly having a striker and a bell;
- a motor having an operating state and an idle state;
- a first cam having a first cam neutral surface and a first cam valley surface, wherein (i) said first cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, (ii) said first cam is idle when said motor is in said idle state;
- a second cam having a second cam neutral surface, a second cam valley surface, and a linearly inclined ramp surface interposed therebetween, wherein (i) said second cam is rotated by said motor when said motor is in said operating state, and (ii) said second cam is able to be manually rotated by an operator when said motor is in said idle state;
- and
- a cam follower which is positionable between a neutral position and a valley position, wherein said cam follower contacts said linearly inclined ramp surface during movement of said cam follower from said neutral position to said valley position when said motor is in said idle state, whereby said striker is prevented from contacting said bell during manual rotation of said second cam by said operator when said cam follower is aligned with said first cam valley surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.