Method of making two-part knob

• US 6,834,430 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K I Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: K I Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Worrell, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JIMENEZ, MARC QUEMUEL
• Application Number:
  US10/699,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 294/58, 294/60, 294/50, 294/53, 294/51, 298/965, 164/14, 164/17, 164/21, 164/33, 164/41, 163/51, 745/53, 292/347, 292/DIG.2, 292/348, 292/351
• US Class Current: 29/896.5
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/12 Push-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/02 Auxiliary knob slip covers, guards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49599 Knob or knob shank making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/861 Guards

Abstract

An appliance knob has a polymeric body, which is molded, and a metal cup, which is made by stamping and drawing a metal sheet or a metal strip. The polymeric body has a central boss, which has an end face, a cylindrical wall, and an annular recess encompassing the central boss and having an annular floor. The cylindrical wall adjoins the annular floor. The metal cup, which is adapted to fit over the central boss, has a circular plate covering the end face top of the central boss and a cylindrical skirt encompassing the cylindrical wall of the central boss. The cylindrical skirt is unitary with the circular plate. The metal cup is secured to the polymeric body via two unitary tabs, which project through associated slots in the annular floor and coact with the polymeric body, as well as adhesively.

Claims

1. A method of making a knob comprising the steps of:

(a) molding a polymeric material to provide a polymeric body, which has a boss having an end face and having an external wall extending between the end face and a recessed floor,

(b) stamping and drawing a metal sheet or a metal strip to provide a metal cup, which is adapted to fit over the boss, with a circular plate adapted to cover the end face of the boss when the metal cup fits over the boss, and a skirt adapted to encompass the external wall of the boss when the metal cup fits over the boss, the skirt being unitary with the circular plate, and

(c) fitting the metal cup over the boss so that the plate covers the end face of the boss, and so that the skirt encompasses the external wall of the boss and defines the outer face of said knob between said circular plate and said floor, and securing the metal cup to the polymeric body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that the skirt has a unitary tab projecting from the skirt and wherein in step (c) the unitary tab is caused to project through an associated slot in the floor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that the unitary tab has a barbed portion, which coacts with the polymeric body in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that the unitary tab has a pierced portion, which coacts with the polymeric body in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that the unitary tab has a distal portion, which is bent in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that the skirt has unitary tabs projecting from the cylindrical skirt and wherein in step (c) each unitary tab is caused to project into an associated slot in the floor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that each unitary tab has a barbed portion, which coacts with the polymeric body in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that each unitary tab has a pierced portion, which coacts with the polymeric body in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal cup is provided in step (b) so that each unitary tab has a distal portion, which is bent under the polymeric body in step (c) to secure the metal cup to the polymeric body.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 through 9, wherein in step (c) the circular plate also is secured adhesively to the circular end face of the boss.