Collapsible control knob

• US 6,826,805 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Rodawold, Joseph L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/328,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 164/11, 164/33, 16D/IG.40, 16D/IG.41, 16D/IG.24, 16D/IG.30, 745/53, 362/26, 362/27, 403/252, 403/254, 403/255, 403/243, 403/300
• US Class Current: 16/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/12 Means for securing the members on rotatable spindles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/026 specially adapted to avoid injury to occupants of a car during an accident
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/41 Coupling, e.g. handle, rod, shaft

Abstract

A collapsible control knob assembly includes a knob having a tunnel therein for receiving a shaft. Stops in the tunnel are configured and arranged to cooperatively stop the insertion of the shaft during assembly. The stops are configured and arranged to shear from the tunnel when a pre-established collapsing force is exceeded.

Claims

1. A collapsible control knob assembly, comprising;

a shaft having a distal end and an end portion inwardly of said distal end; and

a knob having a head and a trunk, said trunk extending outwardly from said head and having a tunnel therein defined by a tunnel surface;

said tunnel having an opening at an end of said trunk opposite said head;

said tunnel being adapted to receive said end portion of said shaft;

said tunnel having at least one rib extending radially inwardly from said tunnel surface and having a rib end inwardly in said tunnel from said opening, said rib end adapted to abut said shaft;

said shaft adapted to shear said at least one rib from said tunnel surface when a force from a collapsing event exceeds a pre-established limit, forcing said shaft and said knob toward each other.

2. The collapsible control knob assembly of claim 1, including at least two said ribs.

3. The collapsible control knob assembly of claim 1, said shaft end portion being D-shaped in cross section.

4. The collapsible control knob assembly of claim 3, said shaft having a spring sleeve disposed on said end portion.

5. The collapsible control of claim 4, said spring sleeve being a hollow body and said at least one rib having a height substantially similar to a thickness of said spring sleeve body.

6.The collapsible control of claim 1, said knob, said trunk and said ribs being a monolithic structure.

6. The collapsible control of claim 6, said knob including a shell outwardly of said tunnel.

7. A collapsible control knob assembly, comprising;

a shaft having an end and an end portion;

a knob slidable over said end portion;

at least one stop in said knob for abutting said shaft end, said at least one stop being at least one rib being monolithic with said knob; and

shearing means for shearing said at least one stop upon a compressive force between said shaft and said knob exceeding a selected limit.

8. The collapsible control of claim 8 having at least two said stops.

9. The collapsible control of claim 8, wherein the shearing means is a spring sleeve on said shaft.

10. The collapsible control of claim 10, said shaft end portion and said spring sleeve being D-shaped in cross section.

11. An automobile control knob comprising;

a head;

a trunk connected to said head, said trunk having a tunnel therein; and

at least one shearable stop disposed in said tunnel, said stop being a rib extending axially along said tunnel and having a rib end spaced inwardly in said tunnel.

12. The automobile control knob of claim 12, said head and said trunk being a monolithic structure.

13. The automobile control knob of claim 12, including at least two said stops.

14. The automobile control knob of claim 12, said tunnel being D-shaped in cross section, having a flattened portion and an arcuate portion.

15. The automobile control knob of claim 15, said head and said trunk being a monolithic structure.

16. The automobile control knob of claim 16, said at least one stop being a rib extending axially along said tunnel, said rib having a rib end spaced inwardly in said tunnel.

17. The automobile control knob of claim 17 including at least two said ribs.

18. A collapsible control knob assembly, comprising;

a shaft having a distal end and an end portion inwardly of said distal end, said end portion being D-shaped in cross section;

a spring sleeve disposed on said end portion, said spring sleeve have a hollow body and also being D-shaped in cross section; and

a knob having a head and a trunk, said trunk extending outwardly from said head and having a tunnel therein defined by a tunnel surface, said tunnel having an opening at an end of said trunk opposite said head, said tunnel being adapted to receive said end portion of said shaft, said tunnel having at least one rib extending radially inwardly from said tunnel surface and having a rib end inwardly in said tunnel from said opening, said at least one rib having a height substantially similar to a thickness of said spring sleeve body, said rib end adapted to abut said spring sleeve, said spring sleeve adapted to shear said at least one rib from said tunnel surface when a force from a collapsing event exceeds a pre-established limit, forcing said shaft and said knob toward each other.