Thermostat having a temperature setting lever with tactilely determinable position
First Claim
1. In a thermostat havingi) a baseplate having a surface,ii) an adjustment lever mounted for movement across the baseplate surface, andiii) a bimetal strip attached to the lever,the improvement comprising a projection extending from the adjustment lever toward the baseplate and sweeping along a preselected path on the baseplate surface during adjustment lever movement;
- on the baseplate surface, said path having a plurality of adjacent detent ridges therein; and
a lever bias element contacting the adjustment lever and urging the adjustment lever toward the baseplate surface and the adjustment lever'"'"'s projection into contact with the detent ridges.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermostat employing a lever for selecting the temperature setting has a detent mechanism for creating individual detent positions associated with temperature setting values. In a preferred embodiment the detent mechanism comprises ridges and valleys in the surface of the baseplate on which the thermostat elements are mounted. A projection on the setting lever engages the individual valleys to create the detent effect, and a edge of the cover cooperates with resiliency of the lever to deflect the lever so as to cause the projection on the lever to continually engage the ridges and valleys. Another embodiment has ridges and valleys on the edge of the cover which engage a first projection on the lever. A second projection slides along the baseplate surface and cooperates with resiliency of the lever to deflect the lever creating force urging the first projection into continual engagement with the ridges and valleys.
39 Citations
8 Claims
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1. In a thermostat having
i) a baseplate having a surface, ii) an adjustment lever mounted for movement across the baseplate surface, and iii) a bimetal strip attached to the lever, the improvement comprising a projection extending from the adjustment lever toward the baseplate and sweeping along a preselected path on the baseplate surface during adjustment lever movement; - on the baseplate surface, said path having a plurality of adjacent detent ridges therein; and
a lever bias element contacting the adjustment lever and urging the adjustment lever toward the baseplate surface and the adjustment lever'"'"'s projection into contact with the detent ridges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- on the baseplate surface, said path having a plurality of adjacent detent ridges therein; and
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6. In a thermostat having
i) a baseplate having a surface, ii) an adjustment lever mounted for movement across the baseplate surface, iii) a bimetal strip attached to the adjustment lever, and iv) a cover for attachment to the baseplate and for covering at least a portion of the adjustment lever, the improvement comprising a) a first projection on the adjustment lever extending away from the baseplate; -
b) an edge on the cover having a plurality of adjacent detent ridges thereon, said detent ridges sequentially facing the first projection on the adjustment lever as the adjustment lever moves across the baseplate surface; and c) a lever bias element contacting the adjustment lever and urging the adjustment lever toward the cover edge and the adjustment lever'"'"'s first projection into contact with the detent ridges. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification