Click knob assembly

• US 9,753,483 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kruger Optical Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, Mark A., Mai, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US14/744,488
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/06 for holding members in one or a limited number of definite positions only G05G5/005, G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence

Abstract

A click knob assembly that has a fixture having a circular inner surface defining uniformly spaced ridges separated by grooves and a knob, set in the fixture, and including a user accessible portion; a spring holder, attached to the user accessible portion; a spring assembly, engaged to the spring holder; and a first plunger and a second plunger engaged to the spring holder, each facing the circular inner surface, in opposed direction to each other, and each being pushed outwardly by the spring assembly, and thereby being pressed into the circular inner surface. The first plunger includes a click surface sized and positioned to engage the uniformly spaced grooves. When the knob is rotated, the click surface is pushed over a ridge, and then falls into a groove, making a click sound and both the plungers are maintained in contact to the circular inner surface by the spring assembly.

Claims

1. A click knob assembly, comprising:

a. a fixture having a circular inner surface defining uniformly spaced ridges separated by uniformly spaced grooves; and

b. a knob, set in said fixture, and including;

i. a user accessible portion;

ii. a spring holder, attached to said user accessible portion;

iii. a spring assembly, engaged to said spring holder; and

iv. a first plunger and a second plunger engaged to said spring holder, each facing said circular inner surface, in opposed direction to each other, and each being pushed outwardly by said spring assembly, and thereby being pressed into said circular inner surface, said first plunger including a first click surface and said second plunger including a second click surface, each click surface sized and positioned to engage said uniformly spaced grooves, said first plunger and said second plunger being offset so that when said click surface of said first plunger is in one of said uniformly spaced grooves, said click surface of said second plunger is on one of said uniformly spaced ridges;

c. whereby when said knob is rotated, in alternating sequence, said first click surface is pushed over one of said uniformly spaced ridges, and then falls into one of said uniformly spaced grooves, making a click sound and then said second plunger is pushed over one of said uniformly spaced ridges, and then falls into one of said uniformly spaced grooves, making a click sound, so that as said knob is rotated, two click sounds are produced for each ridge passed by said first click surface, and both said plungers are maintained in contact to said circular inner surface by said spring assembly.

2. A rifle scope, comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a click knob assembly;

c. an erector tube, mounted in said housing such that the orientation of said erector tube can be changed by rotation of said click knob assembly;

d. said click knob assembly including;

i. a fixture having a circular inner surface defining uniformly spaced ridges separated by uniformly spaced grooves; and

ii. a knob, including;

a user accessible portion;

a spring holder, attached to said user accessible portion;

a spring assembly, engaged to said spring holder; and

a first plunger and a second plunger engaged to said spring holder, each facing said circular inner surface, in opposed direction to each other, and each being pushed outwardly by said spring assembly, and thereby being pressed into said circular inner surface, said first plunger including a click surface sized and positioned to engage said uniformly spaced grooves further, wherein said second plunger includes a riding surface, facing said circular inner surface and being in the shape of an arc; and

iii. wherein said knob includes a push surface and is engaged to said fixture by helical threads; and

e. whereby when said knob is rotated, said click surface is pushed over one of said uniformly spaced ridges, and then falls into one of said uniformly spaced grooves, making a click sound and both the first plunger and the second plunger are maintained in contact to said circular inner surface by said spring assembly and wherein said click knob assembly is translated by said helical threads and said push surface pushes against said erector tube, changing the orientation of said erector tube.

3. The rifle scope assembly of claim 2, wherein said arc has the same radius as does said circular inner surface.

4. The rifle scope assembly of claim 2, wherein said second plunger has a second click surface, and wherein said second plunger is offset from said first plunger so that when said first click surface is centered in one of said uniformly spaced grooves, said second click surface is centered on one of said uniformly spaced ridges, so that as said click knob is rotated, two click sounds are produced for each ridge passed by said first click surface.