Appliance knob and bezel assembly

• US 5,509,174 A
• Filed: 12/06/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K I Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: K I Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Worrell, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachuba, M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/349,911
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 16/121, 74/553, 403/289, 403/290, 403/329, 292/347
• US Class Current: 16/441
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/82 Knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/53 Split end with laterally movable opposed portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/535 with separate force-applying means

Abstract

A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall with an aperture and having a control with a shaft movable over a limited range of axial movement, rotatable about the axis when moved inwardly, biased outwardly, and projecting outwardly through the aperture. A knob has a handle and a hub, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation of the shaft so as to be conjointly rotatable therewith. A bezel has a skirt and a hub, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall. Ribs formed integrally on the hub of the knob are fitted slidably into grooves formed in the hub of the bezel to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel. Two retaining fingers are formed integrally on and extend from the ribs and have outwardly hooked tips hooked outwardly over an inner end of the hub of the bezel. Three biasing fingers formed integrally on the bezel have arcuate portions spaced regularly around the hub of the bezel and axial portions engaged with the knob and are arranged to be resiliently flexed so as to bias the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall.

Claims

1. A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall provided with an aperture and having a control equipped with a shaft, which defines an axis, which is movable inwardly and outwardly over a limited range of axial movement, which is rotatable about the axis at least when moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is biased outwardly to an outward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is aligned axially with the aperture in the appliance wall, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation on a knob so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft at least when the shaft is moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, the knob and bezel assembly comprising

(a) a knob having a handle and a hub, which is integral with the handle, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft with a frictional fit so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with the keying formation of the shaft so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft,

(b) a bezel having a skirt and a hub, which is integral with the skirt, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft,

(c) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for biasing the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, and

(d) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for enabling conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel, wherein the means for enabling conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel comprises an axially extending rib formed integrally on the hub of the knob and fitted slidably into an axially extending groove formed in the hub of the bezel.

2. The knob and bezel assembly of claim 1 further comprising means for retaining the bezel so as to prevent the knob from being removed from the shaft without removing the bezel when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, wherein the means for retaining the bezel includes a retaining finger formed integrally on and extending axially from the axially extending rib and having an outwardly hooked tip, which is hooked over an inner end of the hub of the bezel.

3. The knob and bezel assembly of claim 1 further comprising means for retaining the bezel so as to prevent the knob from being removed from the shaft without removing the bezel when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, wherein the means for retaining the bezel includes two retaining fingers, each being formed integrally on and extending axially from one of the axially extending ribs and having an outwardly hooked tip, which is hooked over an inner end of the hub of the bezel.

4. A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall provided with an aperture and having a control equipped with a shaft, which defines an axis, which is movable inwardly and outwardly over a limited range of axial movement, which is rotatable about the axis at least when moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is biased outwardly to an outward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is aligned axially with the aperture in the appliance wall, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation on a knob so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft at least when the shaft is moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, the knob and bezel assembly comprising

(a) a knob having a handle and a hub, which is integral with the handle, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft with a frictional fit so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with the keying formation of the shaft so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft,

(b) a bezel having a skin and a hub which is integral with the skirt, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft,

(c) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for biasing the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, and

(d) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for enabling conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel, wherein the means for enabling conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel comprises two diametrically opposed, axially extending ribs formed integrally on the hub of the knob, each rib being fitted slidably into an axially extending groove formed in the hub of the bezel, to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel.

5. A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall provided with an aperture and having a control equipped with a shaft, which defines an axis, which is movable inwardly and outwardly over a limited range of axial movement, which is rotatable about the axis at least when moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is biased outwardly to an outward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is aligned axially with the aperture in the appliance wall, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation on a knob so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft at least when the shaft is moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, the knob and bezel assembly comprising

(a) a knob having a handle and a hub, which is integral with the handle, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft with a frictional fit so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with the keying formation of the shaft so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft,

(b) a bezel having a skirt and a hub, which is integral with the skirt, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, and

(c) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for biasing the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, wherein the means for biasing the bezel comprises a biasing finger formed integrally on the bezel, engaged with the knob, and arranged to be resiliently flexed when the knob is fitted axially over the shaft and is moved inwardly.

6. The knob and bezel assembly of claim 5 wherein the biasing finger has a generally arcuate portion extending partly around the hub of the bezel and a generally axial portion engaged with the knob.

7. A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall provided with an aperture and having a control equipped with a shaft, which defines an axis, which is movable inwardly and outwardly over a limited range of axial movement, which is rotatable about the axis at least when moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is biased outwardly to an outward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is aligned axially with the aperture in the appliance wall, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation on a knob so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft at least when the shaft is moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, the knob and bezel assembly comprising

(a) a knob having a handle and a hub, which is integral with the handle, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft with a frictional fit so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with the keying formation of the shaft so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft,

(b) a bezel having a skirt and a hub, which is integral with the skirt, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, and

(c) means formed integrally on the knob or on the bezel for biasing the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, wherein the means for biasing the bezel comprises three biasing fingers formed integrally on the bezel, spaced regularly around the hub of the bezel, engaged with the knob, and arranged to be resiliently flexed when the knob is fitted axially over the shaft and is moved inwardly.

8. The knob and bezel assembly of claim 7 wherein each biasing finger has a generally arcuate portion extending partly around the hub of the bezel and a generally axial portion engaged with the knob.

9. A knob and bezel assembly for an appliance having a wall provided with an aperture and having a control equipped with a shaft, which defines an axis, which is movable inwardly and outwardly over a limited range of axial movement, which is rotatable about the axis at least when moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is biased outwardly to an outward limit of the limited range of axial movement, which is aligned axially with the aperture in the appliance wall, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with a keying formation on a knob so as to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the shaft at least when the shaft is moved inwardly to an inward limit of the limited range of axial movement, the knob and bezel assembly comprising

(a) a knob having a handle and a hub, which is integral with the handle, which is adapted to be axially fitted over the shaft with a frictional fit so as to be axially movable with the shaft, and which has a keying formation adapted to coact with the keying formation of the shaft,

(b) a bezel having a skirt and a hub, which is integral with the skirt, which fits slidably over the hub of the knob so that the skirt is disposed between the knob and the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft,

(c) two diametrically opposed, axially extending ribs formed integrally on the hub of the knob, each rib being fitted slidably into an axially extending groove formed in the hub of the bezel, to enable conjoint rotation of the knob and the bezel,

(d) two retaining fingers, each being formed integrally on and extending axially from one of the axially extending ribs and having an outwardly hooked tip, which is hooked over an inner end of the hub of the bezel so as to prevent the knob from being removed from the shaft without removing the bezel when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft, and

(e) three biasing fingers formed integrally on the bezel, spaced regularly around the hub of the bezel, engaged with the knob, and arranged to be resiliently flexed when the knob is fitted axially over the shaft and is moved inwardly so as to bias the bezel so that the skirt engages the appliance wall when the hub of the knob is fitted axially over the shaft.

10. The knob and bezel assembly of claim 9 wherein each biasing finger has a generally arcuate portion extending partly around the hub of the bezel and a generally axial portion engaged with the knob.