Knob assembly for cook top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11268701-B2
Application number	US-202016923854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2020
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A knob assembly includes a front panel, a knob located at a front side of the front panel and configured to rotate based on operation by a user, a knob shaft that is coupled to the knob and that extends through the front panel, a supporting pipe that receives the knob shaft and that supports the knob shaft, the supporting pipe being configured to maintain a position relative to the front panel, a valve configured to control supply of gas to the appliance, a valve shaft connected to the valve and configured to control the valve to adjust a flow rate of gas based on rotation of the valve shaft, and a joint that couples the knob shaft to the valve shaft and that is configured to transfer at least one of a rotational motion or a linear motion of the knob shaft to the valve shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A knob ring assembly for an appliance, comprising:
a knob ring that is configured to be disposed at a front surface of a front panel of the appliance and to circumferentially surround a knob of the appliance, the knob ring being configured to rotate independently of a rotation of the knob;
an actuating member that is configured to be provided at a rear side of the front panel, the actuating member being fixed to the knob ring through the front panel and configured to rotate integrally with the knob ring relative to the knob;
a support frame that is configured to be fastened at a rear surface of the front panel and to rotatably support the actuating member;
a spacing plate that is configured to be positioned between the knob ring and the front panel to thereby maintain a preset separation distance between the knob ring and the front panel, the knob ring being fixed to the actuating member through the spacing plate; and
a spacing member that is inserted between the actuating member and the support frame,
wherein the spacing plate and the spacing member are integrally formed.

2. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacing plate defines one more fastener accommodation openings that are configured to receive a portion of a fastener that passes through the front panel and protrudes at the front surface of the front panel, and
wherein the one more fastener accommodation openings are configured, based on receiving the portion of a fastener that passes through the front panel and protrudes at the front surface of the front panel, to restrict a movement of the spacing plate relative to the front panel.

3. The knob ring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the fastener fastens the support frame to the front panel.

4. The knob ring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the fastener holds the spacing plate not to rotate.

5. The knob ring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the fastener does not protrude more forward than the front surface of the spacing plate.

6. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacing plate defines a spacing plate through-hole through which the knob ring and the actuating member are fixed to each other.

7. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the knob ring includes a knob supporting portion which is configured to surround a shaft of the knob that is inserted into an interior of the appliance and to guide a rotation of the shaft.

8. The knob ring assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the knob supporting portion passes through the spacing plate.

9. The knob ring assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the spacing plate defines a spacing plate through-hole through which the knob supporting portion passes.

10. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the knob ring includes:
an inner circular plate area which receives a front end of the actuating member, and
an outer circular plate area which is arranged radially outward from the inner circular plate area,
wherein the actuating member is fixed to the knob ring at a rear of the inner circular plate area.

11. The knob ring assembly according to claim 10 , wherein a side of the inner circular plate area surrounds and supports an outer circumferential surface of the actuating member.

12. The knob ring assembly according to claim 10 , wherein a front surface of the spacing plate faces the outer circular plate area.

13. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking bracket provided outside the front panel and fixed relative to the front panel, the locking bracket restricts a rotation of the knob while the knob is not pushed rearward and does not restrict a rotation of the knob while the knob is pushed rearward.

14. The knob ring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spacing plate and the spacing member are made from Teflon.

15. A knob ring assembly for an appliance, comprising:
a knob ring that is configured to be disposed at a front surface of a front panel of the appliance and to circumferentially surround a knob of the appliance, the knob ring being configured to rotate independently of a rotation of the knob;
an actuating member that is configured to be provided at a rear side of the front panel, the actuating member being fixed to the knob ring through the front panel and configured to rotate integrally with the knob ring relative to the knob; and
a spacing plate that is configured to be positioned between the knob ring and the front panel to thereby maintain a preset separation distance between the knob ring and the front panel, the knob ring being fixed to the actuating member through the spacing plate,
wherein the knob ring includes:
an inner circular plate area that receives a front end of the actuating member, and
an outer circular plate area that is arranged radially outward from the inner circular plate area,

wherein the actuating member is fixed to the knob ring at a rear of the inner circular plate area,
wherein a front surface of the spacing plate faces the outer circular plate area, and
wherein the outer circular plate area is recessed and the spacing plate is received inside the outer circular plate area.

16. The knob ring assembly according to claim 15 , wherein a side of the outer circular plate area surrounds and supports an outer surface of the spacing plate.

17. A knob ring assembly for an appliance, comprising:
a knob ring that is configured to be disposed at a front surface of a front panel of the appliance and to circumferentially surround a knob of the appliance, the knob ring being configured to rotate independently of a rotation of the knob;
an actuating member that is configured to be provided at a rear side of the front panel, the actuating member being fixed to the knob ring through the front panel and configured to rotate integrally with the knob ring relative to the knob;
a spacing plate that is configured to be positioned between the knob ring and the front panel to thereby maintain a preset separation distance between the knob ring and the front panel, the knob ring being fixed to the actuating member through the spacing plate; and
a locking bracket provided outside the front panel and fixed relative to the front panel, the locking bracket restricts a rotation of the knob while the knob is not pushed rearward and does not restrict a rotation of the knob while the knob is pushed rearward,
wherein the spacing plate is provided with a bracket groove at a portion corresponding to a position of the locking bracket.

18. The knob ring assembly according to claim 17 , wherein a bracket hole is provided in the knob ring, through which the locking bracket passes, and the bracket hole has a shape of arc long hole circumferentially extended with respect to a rotational center of the knob ring.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ha Yeonsik

Classifications

• H01H2019/143

  having at least two concentric turn knobs · CPC title

• H01H2003/105

  with compensation of misalignment in the link between the operating part, the driving mechanism and the switch, e.g. misalignment between two axis · CPC title

• H01H19/025

  Light-emitting indicators · CPC title

• H01H3/0206

  Combined operation of electric switch and of fluid control device · CPC title

• G01D5/2525

  with magnetically controlled switches, e.g. by movement of a magnet · CPC title