AUTO-LOCKING ADJUSTMENT DEVICE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An auto-locking dial for adjusting a portion of an optical device, comprising:
- a fixed portion non-rotatably attached to the optical device;
an engagement surface non-rotatably attached to the fixed portion;
a rotatable portion rotatable about an axis of rotation and rotatably coupled to the fixed portion for rotation with respect to the engagement surface, wherein the rotatable portion includes a mechanical arrangement that rotates with the rotatable portion for driving an adjustment member;
an adjustment member operatively connected to the adjustable portion of the optical device, wherein the adjustment member is operatively connected to the mechanical arrangement such that rotation of the rotatable portion about the axis of rotation causes the adjustment member to adjust the adjustable portion of the optical device;
a locking mechanism carried by the rotatable portion, the locking mechanism including a link moveable along the axis of rotation and an engagement member, wherein the engagement member contacts the engagement surface to prevent rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the engagement surface when the link is in a lock position, and facilitates rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the engagement surface when the link is in an unlock position;
a biasing element arranged to bias the link into the lock position; and
an actuator moveably coupled to the rotatable portion, wherein the actuator is configured to (a) move relative to the rotatable portion substantially transverse to the axis of rotation and (b) to engage a portion of the link to cause movement of the link along the axis of rotation toward the unlock position when an external force is applied to move the actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dial for adjusting an adjustable portion of a device includes an actuator that moves substantially transverse to an axis of rotation to unlock the dial for rotation. When the actuator is released, the dial automatically locks in place.
125 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An auto-locking dial for adjusting a portion of an optical device, comprising:
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a fixed portion non-rotatably attached to the optical device; an engagement surface non-rotatably attached to the fixed portion; a rotatable portion rotatable about an axis of rotation and rotatably coupled to the fixed portion for rotation with respect to the engagement surface, wherein the rotatable portion includes a mechanical arrangement that rotates with the rotatable portion for driving an adjustment member; an adjustment member operatively connected to the adjustable portion of the optical device, wherein the adjustment member is operatively connected to the mechanical arrangement such that rotation of the rotatable portion about the axis of rotation causes the adjustment member to adjust the adjustable portion of the optical device; a locking mechanism carried by the rotatable portion, the locking mechanism including a link moveable along the axis of rotation and an engagement member, wherein the engagement member contacts the engagement surface to prevent rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the engagement surface when the link is in a lock position, and facilitates rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the engagement surface when the link is in an unlock position; a biasing element arranged to bias the link into the lock position; and an actuator moveably coupled to the rotatable portion, wherein the actuator is configured to (a) move relative to the rotatable portion substantially transverse to the axis of rotation and (b) to engage a portion of the link to cause movement of the link along the axis of rotation toward the unlock position when an external force is applied to move the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An auto-locking dial for adjusting a position of an adjustable portion of an optical device, comprising:
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a spindle extending along an axis of rotation, wherein the spindle is rotationally supported by the optical device such that the spindle is rotatable about the axis of rotation and constrained from moving along the axis of rotation; an adjustment member operatively connected to the adjustable portion of the optical device, wherein the adjustment member is operatively connected to the spindle so that rotation of the spindle about the axis of rotation causes the adjustment mechanism to adjust a position of the adjustable portion of the optical device; a selectively lockable mechanism operatively coupled to the spindle configured to inhibit rotation of the spindle about the axis of rotation when in a locked position and configured to facilitate rotation of the spindle about the axis of rotation when in an unlocked position; and an actuator moveably supported by the auto-locking dial between a first position and a second position, wherein the actuator moves substantially transverse to the axis of rotation between the first position and the second position, wherein the actuator engages the selectively lockable mechanism, and wherein the selectively lockable mechanism is in the locked position when the actuator is in the first position and the selectively lockable mechanism is in the unlocked position when the actuator is in the second position; wherein the auto-locking dial includes a biasing member arranged to move the selectively lockable mechanism to the locked position when no force external to the auto-locking dial is applied to the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for unlocking and rotating a dial, comprising;
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grasping between a user'"'"'s thumb and a finger two opposing buttons of the dial in a locked condition; radially depressing each of the buttons to move them with respect to a knob of the dial toward each other and place the dial in an unlocked condition; twisting the dial about an axis of rotation while radially depressing each of the buttons to adjust an adjustable portion of an optical device; and releasing the buttons to automatically place the dial in the locked condition. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification