Retractable control device for domestic appliance

• US 8,534,160 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Giuliani, Marco, Venezia, Michele, Rydel, Tomasz, Mazurek, Marcin, Mello, Sacha
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridley, Richard W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Santosa, William
• Application Number:
  US13/363,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 745/53, 745/54, 248/188.8, 248/649, 248/677, 200/325
• US Class Current: 74/553
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/087 retractable; Flush control knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20468 Sliding rod
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2084 Knob or dial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20846 Slidable

Abstract

A retractable control device for a household electrical appliance includes a knob movable against an elastic member within an aperture or seat of a control interface of the appliance. The knob is configured to assume two working positions including a first position in which the knob is seated in the aperture and a second position in which the knob extends outwardly therefrom. The knob cooperates with a control member for a functional element of the appliance, such as an electrical resistance heater or microwave generator of an oven, or a gas burner of a cooking hob. The device also includes a cylindrical element disposed and fixed in the aperture of the control interface about the knob. The cylindrical element contains the knob when the knob is in its first position and guides its movement within the aperture along a central longitudinal axis thereof.

Claims

1. A retractable control device for a household electrical appliance comprising, positioned on a control interface of said appliance, a knob movable against an elastic member within an aperture of said interface, the knob being able to assume two working positions, a first working position wherein the knob is inserted in the aperture and a second working position wherein the knob is retracted from the first working position, the knob cooperating with a control member for a functional element of the appliance, the control member being positioned below the control interface, a cylindrical element being disposed and fixed in the aperture of the control interface about the knob, wherein the cylindrical element contains the knob when the knob is in the first working position and guides the movement of the knob within the aperture along a central longitudinal axis thereof, the cylindrical element also blocking oscillation of the knob in planes perpendicular to the axis, wherein the device comprises the following:

wherein the knob movement is guided within the cylindrical element by a body of substantially circular-based frusto-conical cup shape with an end portion provided with a hole for passage of an end of the control member to secure the control member to the knob, the body presenting a plurality of radially distributed elastically movable projections having their free ends lying on a circumference of diameter exceeding that of the perimetral wall of the tubular body of the cylindrical element, said body rigid with the control member being internal to said cylindrical element and having the projections in contact with the perimetral wall of the cylindrical element, said contact centering the knob within the aperture and blocking oscillation of the knob about the axis of movement; and

wherein the knob movement is guided through a plurality of radially disposed lugs on the knob with their ends laying on a circumference having a diameter greater than that of the perimetral wall of the tubular body of the cylindrical element, said lugs being elastically deformable and bearing on the perimetral wall of the cylindrical element such as to center the knob on axis of movement and block any oscillation about the axis of movement.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control member comprises the elastic member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical element presents a tubular body and comprises an inner part with which a perimetral part of the knob is in contact when in the first working position, the inner part, by virtue of the contact, maintains the knob centered on the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical element.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the inner part is the inner face of a lateral wall of the cylindrical element inserted into the aperture.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the inner part is a cylindrical portion positioned inside and coaxial to the cylindrical element, which has a length at least approximately equal to that of the cylindrical element and being fixed to a lateral wall thereof via an annular part present at one end of the cylindrical element inside the aperture, an annular interspace being defined between the cylindrical portion and the cylindrical element to receive the perimetral wall of the knob when in the first working position.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the cylindrical portion cooperates with an inner collar positioned along the perimetral wall of the knob, the cylindrical portion penetrating elastically deformable parts cooperating with the collar.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the annular part present at the end of the cylindrical element is flared towards the longitudinal axis of the knob and presents an inclined portion or surface, the flared annular part being arranged to cooperate with an element at least operationally associated with the knob to prevent oscillation of the knob about the central longitudinal axis through the knob.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the flared annular part operationally associated with knob is a flanged portion of the control member.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical element comprises elastically deformable lugs, at least one of which presents a coupling element arranged to cooperate with a surface of the user interface facing the appliance interior, the tubular body of this cylindrical element presenting a flanged end to be disposed in the aperture and rest on that surface of the user interface facing the user.

10. A retractable control device for a household electrical appliance, comprising:

a body secured to a control interface of the appliance, the body including an end wall and a cylindrical side wall that define a chamber,

a control member positioned in the chamber of the body, the control member including a first element secured to the end wall of the body and a second element moveable relative to the first element,

a knob coupled to the second element of the control member and moveable relative to the body, and

a centering frame including a shell extending outwardly from an open end of the chamber of the body, the shell including (i) an opening, (ii) a cylindrical inner wall extending inwardly from the opening to a lower inner wall to define an aperture in the shell, and (iii) a hollow shaft extending from the lower inner wall,

wherein (i) the hollow shaft of the centering frame extends over the second element of the control member, (ii) an annular passageway is defined between the hollow shaft and the cylindrical inner wall of the centering frame, and (iii) the knob includes a cylindrical outer wall that is positioned in the annular passageway; and

wherein the retractable control device comprises;

the control member cooperating with a body of substantially circular-based frusto-conical cup shape with an end portion provided with a hole for passage of an end of the member to secure the control member to the knob, the body presenting a plurality of radially distributed elastically movable projections having their free ends lying on a circumference of diameter exceeding that of the cylindrical inner wall, the body rigid with the control member being internal to said centering frame and having a plurality of projections in contact with the perimetral wall of the centering frame, the contact centering the knob within the aperture and blocking oscillation about the axis of movement of the knob;

at that end inserted into the aperture, the knob presenting a plurality of radially disposed lugs with their end laying on a circumference having a diameter greater than that of cylindrical outer wall, said lugs being elastically deformable and bearing on the cylindrical outer wall such as to center the knob on the longitudinal axis of the aperture and block any oscillation about that axis.