Cooking appliance and knob assembly
First Claim
1. A knob assembly for an appliance, the knob assembly comprising:
- a control panel having a planar outer surface and an opposite inner surface;
a control knob selectively disposed on the control panel at the planar outer surface, the control knob comprising a knob body and a first magnetic assembly rotatable about a central axis extending perpendicular to the control panel;
an attractor plate mounted behind the control panel about the central axis, the attractor plate comprising a second magnetic assembly in selective fixed magnetic engagement to rotate with the first magnetic assembly; and
an analog position sensor mounted in rotational attachment to rotate in tandem with the attractor plate to detect an angular position of the attractor plate about the central axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cooking appliance and knob assembly are generally provided herein. The knob assembly may include a control panel, a control knob, an attractor plate, and an analog position sensor. The control knob may be selectively disposed on the control panel at a planar outer surface. The control knob may include a knob body and a first magnetic assembly rotatable about a central axis extending perpendicular to the control panel. The attractor plate may be mounted behind the control panel about the central axis. The attractor plate may include a second magnetic assembly in selective magnetic engagement with the first magnetic assembly. The analog position sensor may be mounted to the attractor plate to detect an angular position of the attractor plate about the central axis.
25 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A knob assembly for an appliance, the knob assembly comprising:
-
a control panel having a planar outer surface and an opposite inner surface; a control knob selectively disposed on the control panel at the planar outer surface, the control knob comprising a knob body and a first magnetic assembly rotatable about a central axis extending perpendicular to the control panel; an attractor plate mounted behind the control panel about the central axis, the attractor plate comprising a second magnetic assembly in selective fixed magnetic engagement to rotate with the first magnetic assembly; and an analog position sensor mounted in rotational attachment to rotate in tandem with the attractor plate to detect an angular position of the attractor plate about the central axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A cooking appliance, comprising:
-
a cooktop surface; a heating element attached to the cooktop surface; and a knob assembly, comprising a control panel having a planar outer surface and an opposite inner surface, a control knob selectively disposed on the control panel at the planar outer surface, the control knob comprising a knob body and a first magnetic assembly rotatable about a central axis extending perpendicular to the control panel, an attractor plate mounted behind the control panel about the central axis, the attractor plate comprising a second magnetic assembly in selective fixed magnetic engagement to rotate with the first magnetic assembly, and an analog position sensor mounted in rotational attachment to rotate in tandem with the attractor plate to detect an angular position of the attractor plate about the central axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification