Shift knob ball positioning device

Abstract

The utility model relates to gear shift knob positioning marble technical field, concretely is a kind of gear shift knob positioning marble device, including knob main body, positioning marble assembly, positioning gear ring, decoration piece, by structural collaborative design, the closed chamber of marble seat will spring and marble "pre-package", form modular assembly, only need to embed marble seat into knob main body when assembling, without needing to install tiny parts separately, the positioning structure of knob main body and marble seat, ensure the cooperation angle precision of marble and gear ring, spring pre-compression design provides constant abutment force for marble, ensure that the feedback force of each gear is consistent, the curved surface adaptation of marble and gear slot, make contact stress evenly dispersed, gear switching is more smooth, the axial location of marble+the chamber constraint of spring, prevent component loosening, even in high-frequency vibration environment, still can work stably, the mechanical fixing mode of positioning gear ring, eliminate circumferential deviation, guarantee gear long-term precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of shift knob positioning pin technology, specifically a shift knob positioning pin device. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, the gear shift knob positioning ball device is a core functional module of equipment such as food processors, home appliances, and industrial controller shift systems. Through the mechanical cooperation of "ball-spring-positioning gear ring", it realizes gear positioning and operation feel.

[0003] However, the ball and spring are tiny parts, and in existing designs they are either directly exposed or contained only by simple chambers. During assembly, the spring is prone to popping out and the ball is prone to rolling off, resulting in extremely low production efficiency. The random installation angle of the ball holder and the knob body can easily lead to misalignment between the ball and the gear ring, which exacerbates the performance degradation in the later stages. The spring has no pre-fixed design, and after long-term vibration or frequent operation, the spring is prone to displacement and loosening, resulting in a decrease in elasticity. The ball cannot tightly engage with the gear groove, causing problems such as "slipping" and "fuzzy gear position". The contact design between the ball and the gear ring is rough (such as the gear groove being a right-angle structure), resulting in concentrated force, accelerated wear, and further deterioration of positioning performance. Utility Model Content

[0004] To overcome the problems of difficult assembly, poor positioning, easy loosening, and weak user experience of existing gear shift knob positioning ball devices, this utility model provides a gear shift knob positioning ball device with modular component design, mechanical limiting structure, and optimized mechanical adaptation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a shift knob positioning ball device, comprising:

[0006] Knob body;

[0007] A positioning ball assembly, comprising a ball seat, a spring, and a ball; the ball seat is fixedly connected to the mounting cavity of the knob body, and its interior integrates a spring receiving cavity and a guide hole; the spring is embedded in the spring receiving cavity; the ball part passes through the guide hole, with one end of the ball abutting against the spring and the other end extending out of the guide hole;

[0008] A positioning toothed ring, fixed to the side of the equipment housing, has continuous toothed grooves distributed on its circumferential surface, and the protruding end of the ball engages with the toothed grooves; and

[0009] The decorative component is detachably connected to the outer side of the knob body, covers the outer surface of the knob body, and serves both as a decorative element and as a support for the gear position indicator.

[0010] Preferably, the knob body has a rotating structure for users to hold and operate, with an ergonomic curved surface on the outside and a mounting cavity in the middle to accommodate internal components.

[0011] Furthermore, the diameter of the guide hole is smaller than the diameter of the ball, which axially limits the ball and prevents the ball from completely detaching from the ball holder.

[0012] Furthermore, the depth of the spring receiving cavity is greater than the natural length of the spring, so that the spring is in a pre-compressed state, providing a continuous resisting force for the marble.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the positioning toothed ring has a V-shaped groove that adapts to the spherical surface of the marble, thereby improving engagement stability.

[0014] Based on the aforementioned solution, the decorative part is connected to the knob body by a buckle, with the buckle distributed along the inner edge of the decorative part and adapted to the outer groove of the knob body.

[0015] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned solution, the inner wall of the mounting cavity of the knob body is provided with a positioning protrusion, and the corresponding position of the ball bearing seat is provided with a positioning groove, the two of which are adapted to ensure the installation angle of the ball bearing seat.

[0016] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned solution, a gear ring fixing part is provided on the side of the equipment housing, and the positioning gear ring is connected to the gear ring fixing part through an interference fit.

[0017] Beneficial effects

[0018] This gear shift knob positioning ball device achieves breakthroughs in four dimensions—production, performance, user experience, and lifespan—through structural co-design. The enclosed chamber of the ball holder "pre-packages" the spring and ball, forming a modular component. During assembly, simply embed the ball holder into the knob body; no separate installation of small parts is required. The positioning structure between the knob body and the ball holder ensures precise engagement angles between the ball and the gear ring, eliminating human assembly errors. The pre-compression design of the spring provides a constant resistance force to the ball, ensuring consistent feedback force for each gear and completely eliminating issues such as "gear ambiguity" and "gear slippage." The curved surface adaptation between the ball and the tooth groove evenly distributes contact stress, resulting in smoother gear shifting. The axial limiting of the ball and the chamber constraint of the spring prevent component loosening, ensuring stable operation even in high-frequency vibration environments. The mechanical fixing method of the positioning gear ring eliminates circumferential offset, guaranteeing long-term gear accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a side view of the structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of the knob of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning ball assembly of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the decorative component of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning protrusion of this utility model.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Knob body; 2. Positioning pin assembly; 3. Pin seat; 4. Spring; 5. Pin; 6. Positioning tooth ring; 7. Tooth groove; 8. Decorative piece; 9. Positioning protrusion; 10. Positioning groove. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0026] See Figures 1-5 A gear shift knob positioning ball device, through the collaborative design of "modular component packaging + precise mechanical limiting + mechanical adaptation optimization", achieves reliable positioning, smooth operation and long-term stability of the gear shift knob. The core solution is as follows: the knob body 1 serves as the operating carrier, and the positioning ball component 2 (ball seat 3, spring 4, ball 5) is installed inside. The ball seat 3 forms a modular structure by pre-encapsulating the spring 4 and ball 5 in an integrated chamber. The positioning tooth ring 6 is fixed to the equipment housing, and its V-shaped tooth groove 7 engages with the ball 5 to achieve gear positioning. The decorative part 8 is connected to the knob body 1 by a buckle, carrying the gear position marking and beautifying the appearance. The components are precisely connected by means of fixed connection, interference fit, buckle and other methods, which solves the problems of difficult assembly, positioning deviation, easy loosening and poor operation experience of traditional devices. It is suitable for gear shifting systems of equipment such as food processors, home appliances, and industrial controllers, and is especially suitable for scenarios that require clear gear position feedback.

[0027] First, refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the knob body 1 is a component directly operated by the user. It is injection molded from ABS material and has an overall cylindrical rotating structure. The outer side is designed with an ergonomic curved surface to fit the hand's grip arc and reduce hand fatigue during long-term operation. An installation cavity (circular blind hole) is opened along the axial direction in the middle of the body to accommodate the positioning ball assembly 2. The inner wall of the installation cavity is machined with positioning protrusions 9 (rectangular protrusions distributed circumferentially along the cavity wall), which cooperate with the positioning groove 10 of the ball seat 3 to ensure the accurate installation angle of the ball seat 3 and avoid misalignment between the ball 5 and the positioning tooth ring 6.

[0028] An annular groove (trapezoidal in cross-section) is provided on the outer side of the knob body 1 near the top for connecting the buckle of the decorative part 8. The bottom edge is machined with anti-slip texture to enhance friction during rotation and prevent slippage. The body has good overall rigidity and can withstand frequent rotation without deformation, providing a stable mounting base for internal components.

[0029] Then, refer to Figure 3 In this embodiment, the positioning ball assembly 2 is the core for achieving gear positioning and feedback. It adopts a modular design and consists of a ball seat 3, a spring 4, and a ball 5. The ball seat 3 is injection molded from POM material and is cylindrical in shape. It is fixed to the mounting cavity of the knob body 1 by interference fit (closely fitting the cavity wall without looseness). The ball seat 3 integrates a spring 4 receiving cavity (blind hole, depth greater than the natural length of the spring 4) and a guide hole (through hole, diameter smaller than the diameter of the ball 5). The spring 4 receiving cavity is located on the inner side, and the guide hole penetrates the outer side wall. The two are coaxially arranged (the axis is perpendicular to the axis of the knob body 1), forming a transmission path of "spring 4-ball 5". The outer side of the ball seat 3 is machined with a positioning groove 10 (rectangular pit) corresponding to the positioning protrusion 9 of the mounting cavity of the knob body 1. The protrusion and the groove fit together to ensure that the guide hole of the ball seat 3 is accurately oriented after installation (corresponding to the tooth groove 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6), eliminating manual assembly errors.

[0030] Spring 4 is a 65Mn compression spring 4, which is embedded in the spring 4 receiving cavity of the ball bearing seat 3. In its natural state, its length is less than the depth of the receiving cavity. After assembly, it is in a pre-compressed state to provide continuous axial contact force for the ball bearing 5. The two ends of the spring 4 abut against the bottom of the receiving cavity and the ball bearing 5 respectively. The closed structure of the cavity prevents the spring 4 from shifting or loosening.

[0031] The ball 5 is made of stainless steel and is spherical. Part of it passes through the guide hole, one end abuts against the spring 4, and the other end extends out of the guide hole. The diameter of the guide hole is smaller than the diameter of the ball 5, which forms an axial limit on the ball 5 to prevent the ball 5 from completely detaching from the ball seat 3. The spherical surface is adapted to the V-shaped groove 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6, which disperses the contact stress and reduces wear.

[0032] The integrated chamber of the ball bearing seat 3 pre-encapsulates the spring 4 and the ball bearing 5 as a modular component. During assembly, the ball bearing seat 3 is simply inserted into the mounting cavity of the knob body 1, without the need to install small parts separately. The pre-compressed spring 4 provides a constant abutment force for the ball bearing 5, ensuring that the ball bearing 5 is always tightly engaged with the tooth groove 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6, avoiding "gear ambiguity". The limiting effect of the guide hole prevents the ball bearing 5 from falling off, and the structure can remain stable even with high-frequency vibration.

[0033] Secondly, see Figure 3In this embodiment, the positioning gear ring 6 is a fixed component for gear positioning. It is injection molded from PA66 + glass fiber material (to enhance rigidity) and has a ring structure. It is fixed to the gear ring fixing part (cylindrical protrusion on the equipment housing) on ​​the side of the equipment housing. It is connected by interference fit (the inner diameter of the gear ring is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fixing part, so that it fits tightly after assembly without circumferential rotation). The circumferential surface of the gear ring is evenly distributed with continuous tooth grooves 7. The cross-section of the tooth groove 7 is V-shaped, which is precisely adapted to the spherical surface of the ball 5. When engaged, the ball 5 is partially embedded in the tooth groove 7, forming a stable mechanical limit. Each tooth groove 7 corresponds to a gear. When the knob is rotated, the ball 5 slides along the surface of the gear ring and jumps from one tooth groove 7 to the next tooth groove 7, producing a clear "click" feedback to prompt the user that the gear switching is complete.

[0034] The V-shaped groove 7 design of the tooth ring transitions the contact between the ball 5 and the groove 7 from point contact to line contact, evenly distributing the contact stress, reducing the wear rate of both and extending the service life. The spacing of the groove 7 is designed according to the gear requirements to ensure clear gear differentiation and eliminate the risk of "gear slippage".

[0035] Again, see Figure 4 In this embodiment, the decorative part 8 is injection molded from transparent PC material (with screen-printed gear position markings on the surface), and has a ring-shaped cap structure. It is detachably connected to the outside of the knob body 1 by buckles, covering the top and part of the outer surface of the knob body 1, serving both decorative and functional marking purposes. Buckles (elastic plastic claws, 4 in number) are evenly distributed circumferentially along the inner edge of the decorative part 8. The buckle cross-section is hook-shaped and matches the ring groove of the knob body 1. During assembly, the buckle elastically deforms and embeds into the groove to form an interference fit, ensuring that the decorative part 8 does not loosen or fall off, and also facilitating later replacement.

[0036] The outer surface of the decorative part 8 is screen-printed with clear gear markings (such as "gear 1", "gear 2", "stop", etc., using wear-resistant ink). The markings correspond one-to-one with the tooth grooves 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6. Users can intuitively judge the current gear by the markings. The edges are rounded to avoid sharp edges from scratching the hands. The overall design is consistent with the style of the knob body 1, enhancing the appearance and texture of the equipment.

[0037] In addition, see Figure 5 In this embodiment, the positioning protrusion 9 of the mounting cavity of the knob body 1 engages with the positioning groove 10 of the ball seat 3, ensuring that the axis of the guide hole is aligned with the tooth groove 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6. Under the action of the pre-compression spring 4, the ball 5 is always in close contact with the V-shaped tooth groove 7, with consistent engagement depth, thus achieving precise gear positioning.

[0038] The spherical surface of the ball 5 contacts the curved surface of the V-shaped groove 7 of the tooth ring. When the knob is rotated, the ball 5 slides along the inclined surface of the groove 7, the spring 4 is compressed and stores energy, and after sliding past the top of the tooth, the spring 4 releases the elastic force, pushing the ball 5 to jump into the next groove 7, forming a smooth "click-release" feedback without any sticking.

[0039] The ball bearing seat 3 is interference-fitted to the knob body 1, the spring 4 is encapsulated in the receiving cavity, and the ball bearing 5 is limited by the guide hole. The three form a rigidly connected modular component to avoid component displacement caused by vibration. The positioning tooth ring 6 is interference-fitted to the equipment housing, with no circumferential looseness, ensuring that the position of the tooth groove 7 is stable for a long time and that the fitting accuracy with the ball bearing 5 is not affected by equipment vibration.

[0040] The ball bearing holder 3 pre-encapsulates the spring 4 and the ball bearing 5, and the core components can be assembled by embedding them into the mounting cavity of the knob body 1. There is no need to align the small parts separately. The decorative part 8 is quickly connected by a snap-fit, which reduces the difficulty of production.

[0041] In addition, see Figure 1 In this embodiment, the food processor shifting system

[0042] The food processor should be able to switch between three speeds: "low speed blending", "high speed grinding" and "stop". The speed feedback should be clear (clear touch and sound), the operation should be smooth and without jamming, and there should be no loosening or positioning deviation after long-term use (≥5000 operations).

[0043] The outer side of the knob body 1 is an ergonomic curved surface. The inner wall of the mounting cavity has two positioning protrusions 9. The ball seat 3 of the positioning ball assembly 2 is made of POM material. The spring 4 has a compression of 2.5mm. The ball 5 has a diameter of 5mm. The positioning tooth ring 6 is made of PA66 + glass fiber material. There are three V-shaped tooth grooves 7 distributed circumferentially (corresponding to the three speeds). The tooth grooves 7 are spaced 15mm apart. It is fixed to the food processor housing by interference fit. The decorative part 8 is silkscreened with "low speed", "high speed" and "stop" markings. It is connected to the knob body 1 by four buckles. The marking positions correspond precisely to the tooth grooves 7.

[0044] After pre-encapsulation, the positioning ball assembly 2 is embedded into the knob body 1, reducing the assembly time from 3 minutes in the traditional design to 1 minute. There are no issues with spring 4 popping out or ball 5 rolling off. Positioning accuracy: the positioning protrusion 9 of the ball seat 3 cooperates with the knob groove, and the alignment deviation between ball 5 and tooth groove 7 is ≤0.05mm. The tactile feedback is clear when switching between three gears, with no misalignment or jamming. Operation experience: when rotating the knob, ball 5 slides along the V-shaped tooth groove 7, and the operating force is stable at 6-8N. The "jamming" feedback when sliding into tooth groove 7 is obvious, and the user can judge the gear without visual confirmation. After 5000 cycles of operation testing, the wear of ball 5 and tooth ring is ≤0.02mm, the elasticity of spring 4 decreases by ≤3%, and ball 5 still tightly engages with tooth groove 7 without "slipping". The decorative part 8 has no loose buckles and the markings are clear.

[0045] Finally, see Figure 1In this embodiment, the ball bearing seat 3 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (friction coefficient 0.04), and the ball bearing 5 is made of silicon nitride ceramic (hardness ≥ HRC65), which further improves wear resistance and is suitable for high-frequency operation scenarios (such as industrial controllers, with a service life extended to 300,000 times). The knob body 1 is made of aluminum alloy (surface anodized), which enhances heat dissipation performance and structural rigidity and is suitable for equipment in high-temperature environments (such as kitchen oven shift knob).

[0046] Working principle:

[0047] When using this shift knob positioning ball device, first, the spring 4 is inserted into the spring 4 receiving cavity of the ball seat 3, and then the ball 5 is partially inserted into the guide hole (abutting against the spring 4) to complete the pre-encapsulation of the positioning ball assembly 2. Align the positioning groove 10 of the ball seat 3 with the positioning protrusion 9 of the mounting cavity of the knob body 1, and press the ball seat 3 into the mounting cavity (interference fit connection) to ensure that the guide hole faces the side of the equipment housing. The positioning tooth ring 6 is fitted onto the tooth ring fixing part of the equipment housing through interference fit to ensure that the circumferential position of the tooth ring corresponds to the gear position requirement. Align the buckle of the decorative part 8 with the annular groove of the knob body 1, press it to make the buckle insert into the groove, and complete the installation of the decorative part 8. At this time, the gear position mark of the decorative part 8 corresponds one-to-one with the tooth groove 7 of the positioning tooth ring 6.

[0048] When the user holds the ergonomic curved surface of the knob body 1 and rotates the knob, the ball 5 rotates synchronously with the knob and slides along the surface of the positioning tooth ring 6. When the ball 5 slides out of the current tooth groove 7, it compresses the spring 4, generating gradually increasing operating resistance. After sliding past the tooth top, the spring 4 releases its elasticity, pushing the ball 5 to quickly jump into the next tooth groove 7, producing a clear "click" tactile and audible feedback, indicating that the gear shift is complete. Each tooth groove 7 corresponds to a gear, and the mark on the decorative part 8 synchronously indicates the current gear. The user confirms the gear status through both touch and vision.

[0049] The wear-resistant material of the ball bearing seat 3 and the curved surface of the tooth ring reduce wear. Even after 100,000 rotations, the fitting accuracy between the ball bearing 5 and the tooth groove 7 remains stable. The pre-compression design of the spring 4 and the chamber constraint ensure that the elastic force is constant for a long time without loosening or displacement. The ball bearing 5 always tightly engages with the tooth groove 7 to avoid "slipping" or "fuzzy gear position".

[0050] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gear shift knob positioning ball device, characterized in that, include: Knob body (1); Positioning ball assembly (2), the positioning ball assembly (2) is composed of ball seat (3), spring (4) and ball (5); the ball seat (3) is fixed in the mounting cavity of the knob body (1), and its interior integrates spring receiving cavity and guide hole, the spring (4) is embedded in the spring (4) receiving cavity, the ball (5) partially passes through the guide hole, and one end of the ball (5) abuts against the spring (4) and the other end extends out of the guide hole; A positioning toothed ring (6) is fixed to the side of the equipment housing, and its circumferential surface is distributed with continuous toothed grooves (7). The protruding end of the ball (5) is adapted to engage with the toothed grooves (7); and Decorative component (8) is detachably connected to the outside of the knob body (1), covering part of the outer surface of the knob body (1), and has both decorative function and gear position marking function.

2. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The knob body (1) has a rotating structure for users to hold and operate, with an ergonomic curved surface on the outside and an installation cavity in the middle to accommodate internal components.

3. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the guide hole is smaller than the diameter of the ball (5), which forms an axial limit on the ball (5) to prevent the ball (5) from completely detaching from the ball seat (3).

4. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The depth of the cavity of the spring (4) is greater than the natural length of the spring (4), so that the spring (4) is in a pre-compressed state and provides a continuous resisting force for the marble (5).

5. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tooth groove (7) of the positioning tooth ring (6) is V-shaped, which is adapted to the spherical surface of the ball (5) to improve the engagement stability.

6. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The decorative part (8) is connected to the knob body (1) by a buckle. The buckle is distributed along the inner edge of the decorative part (8) and is adapted to the outer groove of the knob body (1).

7. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The knob body (1) has a positioning protrusion (9) on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the ball seat (3) has a corresponding positioning groove (10). The two are matched to ensure the installation angle of the ball seat (3).

8. The shift knob positioning ball device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The equipment housing is provided with a gear ring fixing part, and the positioning gear ring (6) is connected to the gear ring fixing part by interference fit.

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