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US 8,967,019 B2Granted
Knob with lock mechanism
AssigneeDesigner Safety Knob, LLC
InventorsColleen O'Keefe, David E. Gaber, Chi Wo Wong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims15
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 an opening for accommodating the control stem of the appliance and having a plurality of locking teeth, and further being coupled to the knob body such that the knob body is configured to rotate relative to the escutcheon plate and move in a longitudinal direction relative to the escutcheon plate;
- first and second grasp segments, each being independently moveable when force is exerted thereon, the first and second grasp segments each including a locking tooth which directly engages the plurality of locking teeth of the escutcheon plate to prevent rotation of the knob body relative to the escutcheon plate and movement of the knob body in a longitudinal direction relative to the escutcheon plate;
- and
- a biasing member configured to force the locking teeth of the first and second grasp segments into engagement with the plurality of locking teeth of the escutcheon plate in a first, default locked state, the biasing member comprising a first linear leg, a single coil loop, and a second linear leg, the single coil loop provided around a support positioned within the knob such that the first linear leg contacts the first grasp segment and the second linear leg contacts the second grasp segment;
- wherein displacement of the first and second grasp segments causes the first and second grasp segments to move against the first and second linear legs of the biasing member, such that the locking teeth of the first and second grasp segments are disengaged from the plurality of locking teeth of the escutcheon plate resulting in a second, unlocked state, enabling the knob body to engage the control stem and to rotate and move in a longitudinal direction with respect to the control stem.
6 more elements
A knob for controlling an appliance having a control stem, the knob comprising:
- a knob body for engaging the control stem of the appliance;
- a locking means for preventing rotation of the knob body relative to a surface of the appliance and movement of the knob body in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface;
- a biasing means for biasing the locking means in a first, default locked state, the biasing means comprising a first linear leg, a single coil loop, and a second linear leg, the single coil provided around a support positioned within the knob such that the first linear leg and the second linear leg contacts the locking means, the first and second linear legs biasing the locking means in an outward direction away from the control stem;
- and
- a disengaging means for receiving a force that moves the locking means against the biasing means to move the first and second linear legs in an inward direction toward the control stem such that the locking means is moved to a second, unlocked state, enabling the knob body to engage the control stem of the appliance and to rotate relative to the surface and move in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface.
2 more elements
An appliance, comprising:
- a control stem for controlling the appliance;
- and
- a knob coupled to the control stem of the appliance, the knob comprising:
- a knob body for engaging the control stem of the appliance;
- a locking means for preventing rotation of the knob body relative to a surface of the appliance and movement of the knob body in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface;
- a biasing means for biasing the locking means in a first, default locked state, the biasing means comprising a first linear leg, a single coil loop, and a second linear leg, the single coil provided around a support positioned within the knob such that the first linear leg and the second linear leg contacts the locking means, the first and second linear legs biasing the locking means in an outward direction away from the control stem;
- and
- a disengaging means for receiving a force that moves the locking means against the first and second linear legs of the biasing means to move the first and second linear legs in an inward direction toward the control stem such that the locking means is moved to a second, unlocked state, enabling the knob body to engage the control stem of the appliance and to rotate relative to the surface and/or move in a longitudinal direction relative to the surface.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.