Self-centering mechanism for a rotatable shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10248153-B2
Application number	US-201615175693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A self-centering mechanism for a rotatable shaft includes first and second centering members. Each centering member defines a first and second arcuate slot. A stationary pin extends through the first arcuate slots of the centering members. A rotatable shaft member extends through the centers of the centering members and is disposed between the first and second arcuate slots. A support member extends radially from and is fixed to the shaft member so as to be rotatable therewith. An actuating pin extends from the support member and through the second arcuate slots, and engages the second arcuate slots to rotate one of the first and second centering members. At least one biasing member is in communication with an anchoring structure and rotationally biases at least one of the first and second centering members to a registration position upon release of the rotatable shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-centering mechanism comprising:
a first centering member defining a first arcuate slot and an opposed second arcuate slot;
a second centering member defining a first arcuate slot and an opposed second arcuate slot;
a rotatable shaft member extending through respective centers of the first and second centering members so as to be disposed between the first arcuate slots and the second arcuate slots;
a stationary pin extending through the first arcuate slots of the first and second centering members;
a support member extending radially from the rotatable shaft member, the support member being fixed with respect to the rotatable shaft member so as to be rotatable therewith and having an actuating pin extending therefrom and through the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering members; and
at least one biasing member arranged to rotationally bias the first and second centering member in opposed rotational directions to a registration position defined by interaction of the first arcuate slots with the stationary pin, wherein the actuating pin is responsive to rotation of the rotatable shaft member in one of the rotational directions to engage the second arcuate slot of one of the first and second centering members and to rotate the one of the first and second centering members with the actuating pin, and the one of the first and second centering members being responsive to the at least one biasing member to rotate back to the registration position upon release of the rotatable shaft member.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first engaging element extending from a first surface of the first centering member; and
a second engaging element extending from a second surface of the second centering member,
wherein the at least one biasing member is circumferentially disposed about a longitudinally-extending circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft member.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the at least one biasing member comprises a first biasing member that includes a first end and a second end and a second biasing member that includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the first biasing member being directly engaged with the first engaging element and the second end thereof being arranged to remain stationary so as to rotationally bias the first centering member in one of the opposed rotational directions, and the first end of the second biasing member being directly engaged with the second engaging element and the second end thereof being arranged to remain stationary so as to rotationally bias the second centering member in the other of the opposed rotational direction.

4. The mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the first biasing member is configured to exert a first biasing force on the first centering member that is equal to a second biasing force exerted on the second centering member by the second biasing member.

5. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing member is circumferentially disposed about a longitudinally-extending circumferential surface of the rotatable shaft member to rotationally bias the first and second centering members, the at least one biasing member being further configured to have a linear loading profile with respect to rotational travel of the rotatable shaft member.

6. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first arcuate slots and the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering members each define a first end and a second end, and wherein the first and second centering members are rotationally biased such that the stationary pin is engaged with the first end of the first arcuate slot of the first centering member and the second end of the first arcuate slot of the second centering member when the rotatable shaft member is disposed in the registration position.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the actuating pin extending from the support member and through the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering members engages the second end of the second arcuate slot of the first centering member and the first end of the second arcuate slot of the second centering member when the rotatable shaft member is disposed in the registration position.

8. The mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable shaft member, the support member, and the actuating pin are configured to cooperate such that rotation of the rotatable shaft member in one rotational direction causes the actuating pin to engage one end of the second arcuate slot of one of the first and second centering members and to rotate the one of the first and second centering members in that one rotational direction, while the actuating pin moves along the second arcuate slot of the other of the first and second centering members without rotating the other of the first and second centering members, and while the first arcuate slot of the one of the first and second centering members moves with respect to the stationary pin.

9. The mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the first arcuate slots of the first and second centering members are configured such that rotation of the rotatable shaft member is limited by the stationary pin engaging the same ends of the first arcuate slots of the first and second centering member.

10. The mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering members are configured such that rotation of the rotatable shaft member is limited by the actuating pin engaging the same ends of the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering member.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the first arcuate slots and the second arcuate slots of the first and second centering members are configured to limit rotation of the rotatable shaft member in either rotational direction from the registration position to 30 degrees.

12. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first centering member and the second centering member are configured as circular disks, with the first centering member defining a radius equal to a radius of the second centering member.

13. The mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing support element extending from the support member, the at least one biasing member being circumferentially disposed about a longitudinally-extending circumferential surface of the biasing support element, wherein the biasing support element is responsive to rotation of the rotatable shaft member to orbit about the rotatable shaft member in one of the rotational directions.

14. The mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the at least one biasing member includes a first end directly engaged with a peripheral surface of the first centering member and a second end directly engaged with a peripheral surface of the second centering member, and wherein the at least one biasing member is responsive to rotation of the rotatable shaft member such that the first end moves along the peripheral surface of the first centering member upon rotation of the rotatable shaft member in a first rotational direction and the second end moves along the peripheral surface of the second centering member upon rotation of the rotatable shaft member in an opposing second rotational direction.

15. The mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the peripheral surfaces of the first and second centering members each define a nonlinear cam profile, and wherein the at least one biasing member is configured to cooperate with the respective peripheral surfaces to exert a decreasing first biasing force on the first centering member upon rotation of the first centering member in the first rotational direction away from the registration position, and t

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Stoufer Paul
• Josefsson Thomas
• Carpenter Kevin
• Demers Michelle

Classifications

• G05G5/05 Primary

  Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05G1/08

  Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels · CPC title

• G05G5/04

  Stops for limiting movement of members, e.g. adjustable stop (G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence) · CPC title