Locking control device for electronic equipment & the like

• US 5,152,187 A
• Filed: 05/31/1991
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fiore Lafemina
• Original Assignee: Fiore Lafemina
• Inventors: LaFemina, Fiore
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITELAW, NICHOLAS
• Application Number:
  US07/710,743
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 74/553, 403/359, 403/361, 403/345, 403/380, 24/306, 192/56 R
• US Class Current: 74/553
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/082 having safety devices, e.g. means for disengaging the control member from the actuated member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/70 Interfitted members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2084 Knob or dial

Abstract

A locking control device is provided for electronic equipment and the like of the type having a rotary control member with a rotary spline shaft fixedly mounted through a housing by a nut. The locking control device consists of a gripping member secured in a stationary manner onto the housing about the rotary spline shaft on the rotary control member. A control knob having an enlarged collar and spline center bore is slideably mounted onto the rotary spline shaft above the gripping member. Rotation of the control knob will rotate the rotary spline shaft of the rotary control member. A mechanism within the enlarged collar of the control knob for engagedly mating its gripping surface with the gripping member, when the control knob is pushed completely down onto the rotary spline shaft, thereby preventing accidental movement of the rotary spline shaft.

Claims

1. A locking control device for electronic equipment having a rotary control member with a rotary spline shaft fixedly mounted through a housing by a nut, said locking device comprising:

a) a gripping member having means for mounting in a stationary manner onto the housing about the rotary spline shaft of the rotary control member;

b) a control knob having an enlarged collar and spline center bore to slideably mount onto and mate with the rotary spline shaft next to said gripping member so that rotation of said control knob will rotate the rotary spline shaft of the rotary control member; and

c) means within said enlarged collar of said control knob for engagedly mating with said gripping member, when aid control knob is pushed towards the housing completely onto the rotary spline shaft into a locked position, thereby preventing accidental movement of the rotary spline shaft.

2. A locking control device as recited in claim 1, wherein said gripping member is a disc having a central aperture and a serrated top surface, and said mounting means is a nut which threads on to said rotary control member and extends over a portion of the gripping member clamping the gripping member against the housing.

3. A locking control device as recited in claim 2, wherein said mating means is a serrated bottom surface formed within said collar which when in engagement with said disk with said serrated top surface in the locked position will prevent said control knob from rotating.

4. A locking control device as recited in claim 3, further including:

a) a male flange formed about a circumference of said disk with said serrated top surface, and

b) a female flange formed within an inner circumference of said collar of said control knob so that when said control knob is pushed completely down onto the rotary spline shaft, said male flange will engage with said female flange in a snap fit to better secure said control knob thereto in the locked position, so that the rotary spline shaft will not move.

5. A locking control device as recited in claim 1, wherein said gripping member is a disc having a central aperture with a gripping surface being one portion of a pile fastener holding mechanism.

6. A locking control device as recited in claim 5, wherein said engagedly mating means is a second disc having a central aperture with a ripping surface being a mating portion of said pile fastener holding mechanism.

7. A locking control device as recited in claim 1, wehrein said gripping member is a disc having a central aperture with a gripping surface being one portion of a pile fastener holding mechanism, and said mounting means is adhesive that will secure said disc to the housing.

8. A locking control device as recited in claim 5, wherein said engagedly mating means is a second disc having a central aperture with a gripping surface being a mating portion of said pile fastener holding mechanism, whereby adhesive will secure said second disc to the bottom surface within said collar of said control knob which when in contact with said first disc will prevent said control knob from rotating in the locked position.

9. A locking control device for electronic equipment having a rotary control member with a rotary spline shaft fixedly mounted through a housing by a net, said locking control device comprising:

a) a one-piece gripping member comprising a disk having a central aperture and a serrated top surface, a nut which threads onto said rotary control member and extends over a portion of the gripping member clamping the gripping member stationary against the housing and extending about the rotary spline shaft of the rotary control member;

b) a one-piece control knob having an enlarged collar and spline center bore to slidably mount onto and mate with the rotary spline shaft next to said gripping member so that rotation of said control knob will rotate the rotary spline shaft of the rotary control member and a serrated bottom surface integrally formed within said enlarged collar for engagingly mating with said gripping member, when said control knob is pushed towards the housing, completely onto the rotary spline shaft into a locked position, thereby preventing accidental movement of the rotary spline shaft, the circumferences of said disk and said collar being integrally formed with male and female flanges interengagable in a snap fit when said control knob is pushed into the locked position better to secure said control knob thereto in the locked position, so that the rotary spline shaft will not move.