ILLUMINATED ROTARY KNOB FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

• US 20180232001A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
• Original Assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
• Inventors: GUR, Metin, SAHIN, Abdurrahman, CEYLAN, Fatih, CAMLI, Ugur
• Granted Patent: US 10,310,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/105 comprising arrangements for illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/14 Operating parts, e.g. turn knob
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/164 the light emitting elements being incorporated in and movable with the operating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/161 comprising light emitting elements

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illuminated releasable rotary knob for use in an appliance, in particular in a cooking appliance comprising a panel which includes a regulator shaft; and a control unit which has an electrical connection for supplying electric power. The knob comprises non-transparent handle, a hub for releasably receiving the shaft, a cavity, an illuminating device for illuminating the cavity, a connector for receiving the electrical connection and a transparent indicator which receives the illumination from the cavity.

Claims

1. A rotary knob for use in a household appliance comprising a panel which includes one or more regulator shafts;

a control unit which has one or more electrical connections for supplying electric power, the rotary knob comprising a non-transparent handle which has a hub adapted to releasably receive the respective regulator shaft;

a cavity, an illuminating device adapted to illuminate the cavity, wherein the illuminating device includes a connector for receiving the respective electrical connection; and

an indicator which is made from a transparent material, wherein the indicator is eccentrically disposed onto the handle so as to face the user and adapted to receive the illumination from the cavity, the rotary knob being characterized in that a collar which is made from a transparent material, wherein the collar is circumferentially disposed onto the handle so as face the user and adapted to receive the illumination from the cavity, wherein the handle, the hub, the illuminating device including the connector, the indicator, and the collar are adapted for releasable installation onto the panel entirely from the outside.

2. The rotary knob according to claim 1, characterized in that the illuminating device comprises a detection unit adapted to detect the rotation of the hub, wherein the illuminating device is adapted to selectively illuminate based on the detection result of the detection unit the cavity with one of a plurality of different colored lights which include at least a first colored light and a second colored light which is different from the first colored light.

3. The rotary knob according to claim 2, wherein each electrical connection is further adapted to transmit/receive signals, the rotary knob being characterized in that the illuminating device is further adapted to transmit the detection result via the connector and the respective electrical connection to the control unit.

4. The rotary knob according to claim 3, characterized in that the illuminating device includes two or more light sources of the first color and two or more light sources of the second color which are alternately disposed around the rotational axis.

5. The rotary knob according to claim 1, characterized in that the collar is covered by a non-transparent layer except for one or more areas on its circumference, wherein each area is located at a respective angular position and defines a respective marking that is indicative of a corresponding adjustment of the respective regulator shaft.

6. The rotary knob according to claim 5, characterized in that one or more markings are each provided in form of a number that indicates a corresponding temperature value.

7. The rotary knob according to claim 1, characterized in that a separate holder adapted to releasably hold the illuminating device;

and a separate ring-shaped electrically insulating protective cover which is made from a transparent material, wherein the cover is adapted for releasable engagement with the holder with the illuminating device being held therebetween and to substantially uniformly spread the illumination into the cavity.

8. The rotary knob according to claim 7, characterized in that a separate base adapted for releasable installation directly onto the panel entirely from the outside, wherein the holder is further adapted for releasable accommodation within a depression of the base and wherein the cover is also adapted for accommodation within the depression of the base at a position above the illuminating device.

9. The rotary knob according to claim 7, characterized in that the ring-shaped electrically insulating protective cover comprises a plurality of regularly alternating notches and ribs for uniformly spreading the illumination into the cavity.

10. A household appliance, in particular a cooking appliance comprising a panel which includes one or more regulator shafts and a control unit which has one or more electrical connections each adapted to supply electric power, characterized in that one or more illuminated releasable rotary knobs each as defined in claim 1, wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the illuminating device of each rotary knob and wherein the panel, each regulator shaft and each electrical connection is adapted for releasable installation of the respective rotary knob entirely from the outside.

11. The household appliance according to claim 10, where dependent on claim 3, characterized in that each electrical connection is further adapted to transmit/receive signals, and the control unit is further adapted to receive via each electrical connection the detection result that is output by the respective illuminating device, and to concurrently start illuminating each rotary knob that has been turned ON with a first colored light and each rotary knob that has been turned OFF with a second colored light which is different from the first colored light when any rotary knob is rotated.

12. The household appliance according to claim 11, characterized in that the control unit is further adapted to terminate illuminating all rotary knobs when a predetermined time has elapsed from the respective start, wherein the control unit is further adapted to restart illuminating each rotary knob that has been turned ON with a first colored light and each rotary knob that has been turned OFF with a second colored light when any rotary knob is rotated again.

13. The household appliance according to claim 10, characterized in that the household appliance is provided as a free standing or built-in type cooking appliance which comprises a cooking chamber and/or a cooking top, wherein the cooking chamber and the cooking top each has one or more heating units, and wherein each heating unit is provided as a gas burner or an electric heater, wherein each heating unit is linked to a respective regulator shaft.

14. A method for controlling one or more rotary knobs each as defined in claim 1, the method comprising:

a step of monitoring whether any rotary knob is rotated and

a step of concurrently starting illuminating each rotary knob that has been turned ON with a first colored light and each rotary knob that has been turned OFF with a second colored light which is different from the first colored light when the monitoring result is affirmative.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

a step of terminating illumination of all rotary knobs in the illuminating step when a predetermined time has elapsed from the respective start, wherein the illuminating step is started over when the monitoring result is again affirmative