Self-centering mechanism for an appliance knob

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10606302-B2
Application number	US-201715457625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2017
Priority date	Mar 13, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A self-centering mechanism for an appliance knob includes a shaft member defining a central axis, and a rotatable member engaged and rotatable with the shaft member about the central axis. The rotatable member defines a first arcuate slot opposed to a second arcuate slot. A first stationary pin extends through the first arcuate slot and a second stationary pin extends through the second arcuate slot. A centering member is pivotably engaged with the rotatable member about a pivot location, and is configured to contact the first and second stationary pins with the rotatable member disposed in a centered rotational position. A biasing member is configured to bias the centering member about the pivot location toward the shaft member and the first and second stationary pins to urge the rotatable member to the centered rotational position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-centering mechanism for an appliance knob, the self-centering mechanism comprising:
a shaft member defining a central axis;
a rotatable member engaged and rotatable with the shaft member about the central axis, the rotatable member extending radially outward from the shaft member and defining a first arcuate slot opposed to a second arcuate slot about the central axis;
a first stationary pin extending through the first arcuate slot and a second stationary pin extending through the second arcuate slot;
a centering member pivotably engaged with the rotatable member about a pivot location disposed radially outward on the rotatable member from the first arcuate slot, the centering member extending from the pivot location across the rotatable member to a distal end, the centering member further defining a notch configured to receive the shaft member therein and being configured to contact the first and second stationary pins with the rotatable member disposed in a centered rotational position; and
a biasing member configured to torsionally bias the centering member about the pivot location toward the shaft member and the first and second stationary pins to urge the rotatable member to the centered rotational position.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 , comprising a knob member fixedly engaged with the rotatable member and configured to rotate the rotatable member from the centered rotational position upon rotation thereof about the central axis.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 , comprising a haptic device engaged with the rotatable member and configured to provide tactile feedback associated with movement of the rotatable member through the knob member.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first arcuate slot is radially spaced apart from the shaft member such that, upon rotating the rotatable member in a first rotational direction, the first stationary pin extending through the first arcuate slot forms a first fulcrum with respect to the centering member, urging the centering member to pivot about the pivot location in opposition to the torsional biasing of the biasing member, so as to remove the notch from engagement with the shaft member and allow the rotatable member to be rotated to a maximum rotation in the first rotational direction.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 , wherein, upon release of the rotatable member, the biasing member is configured to pivot the centering member about the pivot location toward the shaft member, thereby urging the centering member to leverage the first fulcrum formed by the first stationary pin and rotate the rotatable member back to the centered rotational position.

6. The mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the second arcuate slot is radially spaced apart from the shaft member such that, upon rotating the rotatable member in a second rotational direction, opposite to the first rotational direction, the second stationary pin extending through the second arcuate slot forms a second fulcrum with respect to the centering member, urging the centering member to pivot about the pivot location in opposition to the torsional biasing of the biasing member, so as to remove the notch from engagement with the shaft member and allow the rotatable member to be rotated to a maximum rotation in the second rotational direction.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 , wherein, upon release of the rotatable member, the biasing member is configured to pivot the centering member about the pivot location toward the shaft member, thereby urging the centering member to leverage the second fulcrum formed by the second stationary pin and rotating the rotatable member back to the centered rotational position.

8. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first arcuate slot has an arc length and the second arcuate slot has an arc length, and wherein the first stationary pin extends through a midpoint of the arc length of the first arcuate slot and the second stationary pin extends through a midpoint of the arc length of the second arcuate slot when the rotatable member is disposed in the centered rotational position.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the first or second arcuate slot defined by the rotatable member is configured to limit rotation of the rotatable member upon the first or second stationary pin engaging either end of the first or second arcuate slot.

10. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arcuate slots defined by the rotatable member are configured such that an arc length of the first arcuate slot and an arcuate length of the second arcuate slot allow the rotatable member to rotate up to 30 degrees in opposite rotational directions from the centered rotational position.

11. The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member further defines a third arcuate slot having a third stationary pin extending therethrough, the third arcuate slot being disposed radially outward of the shaft member at an equal radial dimension to the pivot location, the third arcuate slot having a first end toward the pivot location and a second end distal to the pivot location, the third stationary pin extending through a midpoint of the third arcuate slot when the rotatable member is disposed in the centered rotational position.

12. The mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the rotatable member comprises an anchor member disposed opposite the third arcuate slot from the pivot location, the anchor member being disposed radially outward of the shaft member at an equal radial dimension to the pivot location.

13. The mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring extending between the distal end of the centering member and the anchor member.

14. The mechanism of claim 11 , comprising a damping device engaged with the first end and the second end of the third arcuate slot, the damping device being configured to engage the third stationary pin at maximum rotation of the rotatable member in a first or a second rotational direction so as to damp contact forces between the third stationary pin and each of the first and second ends of the third arcuate slot.

15. The mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the biasing member is configured to have a linear loading profile in relation to travel of the distal end of the centering member with respect to the anchor member upon rotation of the rotatable member.

16. The mechanism of claim 1 , comprising a support member configured to be stationary with respect to the rotatable member, the first stationary pin extending from the support member and through the first arcuate slot and the second stationary pin extending from the support member and through the second arcuate slot.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Stoufer Paul
• Carpenter Kevin
• Demers Michelle
• Clemens David A

Classifications

• F24C7/08

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• G05G1/08

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

• 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