Single knob rotary oven control apparatus providing continuous and discrete control information

An oven control apparatus providing control inputs to an oven controller, the control inputs including temperature and oven feature selections, comprising:

• a potentiometer having a shaft and at least a first and a second output terminal, said potentiometer providing a variable resistance between said first and said second output terminal in response to a rotation of said shaft through a first arc, said variable resistance forming the temperature selection control input,
• at least one switch positioned radially external to said potentiometer and outside said first arc;
• a hub having a flange and a first portion in driving engagement with said shaft, said flange having at least one cam positioned thereon to actuate said at least one switch upon rotation of said shaft at an angular position outside said first arc, said at least one push button switch forming the oven feature control input;
• a cover having an annular collar accommodating said hub therethrough, said annular collar having formed therein a notch;
• and
• wherein said flange has formed on an outer periphery thereof at least one detent, said detent being angularly positioned such that upon rotary engagement with said notch, said cam is positioned to actuate said switch.

An oven control apparatus providing control inputs to an oven controller, the control inputs including temperature and oven feature selections, comprising:

• a potentiometer adapted to provide temperature control input to an oven controller, said potentiometer having a shaft and at least a first and a second output terminal, said potentiometer providing a variable resistance between said first and said second output terminal in response to a rotation of said shaft through a first arc;
• at least one push button switch adapted to provide oven feature selection input to an oven controller, said at least one switch positioned radially external to said potentiometer and axially outside said first arc;
• a hub having a flange and a first portion in driving engagement with said shaft, said flange having at least one cam positioned thereon to actuate said at least one switch upon rotation of said shaft at an angular position outside said first arc;
• at least three switches positioned radially external to said potentiometer and within a second arc, said second arc defined by an angle of less than approximately 60 degrees +/-10 degrees;
• and
• wherein said at least one cam is positioned to actuate each of said at least three switches upon rotation of said shaft at a first, a second, and a third angular position within said second arc.

In an appliance having an oven compartment for cooking food and an appliance controller that controls the oven compartment for cooking food, an oven control device providing both discrete and continuous control signals to the appliance controller in response to rotation of a user rotatable knob mounted on a user accessible control panel, the discrete control signal indicating user selectable oven feature selection and the continuous control signal indicating desired baking temperature, the user accessible control panel providing indication of baking temperature through a first arc around the user rotatable knob and user selectable oven features through a second arc around the user rotatable knob exclusive of the first arc, the oven control device comprising:

• a hub having a portion adapted to be drivably coupled to the user rotatable knob and a flange, said flange having at least one cam formed thereon;
• a variable resistance element having a rotatable shaft in driving engagement with said portion of said hub, said element providing a variable resistance output in response to rotation of said shaft through the first arc, said variable resistance output forming the continuous control signal;
• at least one push button switch external to said variable resistance element and in proximity with flange such that rotation of said hub will bring said cam in actuatable contact with said switch, said switch providing the discrete control signal in response to said actuation by said cam.