Knob assembly and cooking appliance including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a knob assembly and a cooking appliance including same, the knob assembly comprising: a knob part that moves together with a shaft member, which protrudes from an operation panel of the cooking appliance, along a rotation axis of the shaft member, and is coupled to the shaft member so as to rotate together with the shaft member about the rotation axis; and a base part between the operation panel and the knob part. The base part includes: a locking protrusion that protrudes in a first direction toward the knob part; and a limiting protrusion that protrudes in the first direction from a position spaced apart from the locking protrusion. The limiting protrusion restricts the angle at which the knob part tilts in a state in which an operation button on the knob part is in a locked position.

Description

Knob assembly and cooking appliance including the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a knob assembly and a cooking appliance including the same.

[0002] Cooking appliances are used to prepare food by cooking ingredients. They can also be used to heat food to an appropriate temperature for consumption. These cooking appliances can be categorized by their heat source, shape, and fuel type. For example, cooking appliances can be classified as open or enclosed based on the shape of the space in which the food is placed. Enclosed cooking appliances include ovens and microwave ovens, while open cooking appliances include cooktops and griddles.

[0003] Closed cooking appliances seal the space containing food with a door, and cook food by heating the enclosed space. Open cooking appliances heat the food or containers in an open space, and cook food by heating the food or containers. Recently, hybrid cooking appliances that combine closed and open cooking appliances have also become popular. Hybrid cooking appliances combine multiple heat sources to cook a variety of ingredients and multiple dishes simultaneously.

[0004] Such a cooking appliance may be equipped with a knob for operation. The knob may be used to turn the cooking appliance on and off or to set a cooking mode. The knob may also be used to adjust the heating temperature.

[0005] Taking a gas range as an example among cooking appliances, the knob can be operated in a push-and-turn manner to operate the cooking appliance. The push-and-turn knob is designed so that the user can operate the cooking appliance only when the user presses and turns the knob. At this time, the user can control the heating temperature by adjusting the amount of rotation around the rotation axis while pressing the knob. This push-and-turn knob increases the safety of the cooking appliance because the cooking appliance can only be operated when both steps are completed.

[0006] However, since these push-and-turn knobs protrude from the outside of the appliance, users can unintentionally turn them while pressing them. For example, the user's body may come into contact with the knob without realizing it, causing it to turn while being pressed. Furthermore, there are cases where infants can operate the appliance by manipulating the knob. Since such unintentional manipulation of knobs can lead to fire or burns, the safety of cooking appliances needs to be further improved.

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and the purpose of the present invention is to prevent the cooking appliance from operating by blocking the knob from being pushed in a situation unintended by the user.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to allow a cooking appliance to be operated by allowing a knob to be pushed without separate operation in a situation intended by a user.

[0009] According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above-described purpose, a knob assembly according to the present invention may include a knob portion coupled to an axis member so as to move together with the axis member along the rotation axis of the axis member protruding from an operation panel of a cooking appliance and to rotate together with the axis member around the rotation axis; and a base portion disposed between the operation panel and the knob portion.

[0010] The base portion may include a locking protrusion protruding in a first direction toward the knob portion, and a limiting protrusion protruding in the first direction at a position spaced apart from the locking protrusion.

[0011] The above knob portion may include a driving knob coupled to the shaft member, a knob cover coupled to the driving knob, an operating button coupled to the knob cover, and a knob protrusion protruding from the operating button in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0012] The above-mentioned operating button may be coupled to the knob cover so as to be movable between a locking position where the knob protrusion interferes with the locking protrusion and a releasing position where the knob protrusion avoids interference with the locking protrusion. The limiting protrusion may be positioned opposite the knob portion at a position spaced apart from the locking protrusion, and may limit the angle at which the knob portion is tilted when the operating button is positioned at the locking position.

[0013] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted. The limiting protrusion and the locking protrusion may be positioned on opposite sides of the shaft member inserted into the base hole.

[0014] When the maximum width of the locking projection is defined as N (N is a real number greater than 0) based on the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the limiting projection and the locking projection are spaced from each other, the maximum width of the limiting projection can be formed to be 0.8N or more and 1.2N or less.

[0015] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted. The limiting protrusion may be formed in the shape of a circular arc centered on the base hole.

[0016] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted. The limiting protrusion may be formed to extend in at least one direction among clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to the base hole from a point located opposite the locking protrusion with respect to the shaft member inserted into the base hole.

[0017] The above knob cover may include a cover surface arranged to face the second direction. The limiting protrusion may be arranged to face the cover surface in the second direction.

[0018] The above cover surface and the above limiting protrusion can be formed to have the same curvature.

[0019] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted. The locking protrusion may be positioned at a first distance from the base hole. The limiting protrusion may be positioned at a second distance from the base hole, which is longer than the first distance.

[0020] The above limiting protrusion may be positioned outside the rotational path of the knob protrusion that rotates around the shaft member as the knob portion rotates around the shaft member.

[0021] The above knob portion can be rotated in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction about the rotational axis. The locking protrusion can include a first guide surface arranged to face the first rotational direction. When the knob protrusion comes into contact with the first guide surface and is pressed as the knob portion rotates, the knob protrusion can be moved toward the rotational axis by the first guide surface, thereby moving the operation button to the release position.

[0022] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted. The locking protrusion may include a guide member formed such that the width relative to the direction away from the limiting protrusion decreases as it extends toward the base hole. The first guide surface may be formed on the guide member.

[0023] The locking protrusion may include a second guide surface arranged to face the second rotational direction. The first guide surface may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface whose distance from the second guide surface decreases as it extends toward the base hole.

[0024] The second induction surface may be formed as a sloped surface or curved surface in which the distance from the first induction surface decreases as it extends toward the base hole.

[0025] The above locking projection may include a first guide member formed to protrude toward the first rotational direction. The first guide surface may be formed on the first guide member to form a convex curved surface toward the first rotational direction.

[0026] The locking projection may include a second guide surface arranged to face the second rotational direction, and a second guide member formed to protrude toward the second rotational direction. The second guide surface may be formed on the second guide member to form a convex curved surface toward the second rotational direction.

[0027] The above base portion may include a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, and a restoration groove formed on the locking projection. The locking projection may include an inner surface arranged to face the shaft member inserted into the base hole. The restoration groove may be formed on the inner surface so that a knob projection positioned between the inner surface and the shaft member inserted into the base hole is inserted. The operation button may be moved to the locked position as the knob projection is inserted into the restoration groove.

[0028] The above restoration groove may be formed so that its depth increases as it extends toward the first direction.

[0029] The above base portion may include a base rear surface arranged to face the operation panel, and a positioning protrusion protruding from the base rear surface in the second direction. The positioning protrusion may be inserted into the operation panel.

[0030] The above base portion may include a base body to which the limiting protrusion is coupled. The limiting protrusion may protrude from the base body in the first direction so as to be positioned at a position spaced apart from the knob portion when the knob protrusion comes into contact with the locking protrusion while the operation button is positioned at the locking position.

[0031] The knob portion can be moved in the second direction by a switching distance to switch the shaft member to a rotatable state. The limiting protrusion can be protruded from the base body in the first direction so that the maximum movement distance of the shaft member when the knob portion is tilted is shorter than the switching distance when the operation button is positioned in the locking position. The limiting protrusion can be protruded from the base body in the first direction so that the knob portion can move in the switching distance or a distance longer than the switching distance when the operation button is positioned in the release position.

[0032] A cooking appliance according to the present invention may include a cooking body; a cooking unit coupled to the cooking body; an operating panel coupled to the cooking body; and the knob assembly coupled to the operating panel.

[0033] The knob assembly according to the present invention and the cooking appliance including the same as described above have the following effects.

[0034] The present invention utilizes interference between the knob protrusion of the knob portion and the locking protrusion of the base portion to prevent the cooking unit from being operated by preventing the knob portion from being pushed in a situation unintended by the user. Therefore, the present invention can prevent arbitrary manipulation or malfunction, thereby increasing the safety of the cooking appliance. In addition, the present invention allows the push and turn of the knob portion because the knob protrusion is positioned so as not to interfere with the locking protrusion when the knob protrusion is positioned in a release position that avoids the locking protrusion according to the operation of the operation button. Therefore, the present invention can allow the cooking unit to be operated in a situation intended by the user, and can control the cooking unit by adjusting the amount of rotation of the knob portion.

[0035] The present invention is implemented so that when the knob portion is tilted while the operation button is positioned in the locked position, the limiting protrusion of the base portion supports the knob portion, thereby limiting the angle at which the knob portion is tilted. Accordingly, the present invention can prevent the cooking unit from being operated due to the tilting of the knob portion in a state unintentionally by the user by using the limiting protrusion. Accordingly, the present invention can prevent malfunction due to the tilting of the knob portion, thereby further enhancing safety. In addition, the present invention can prevent the knob portion, the shaft portion, etc. from being damaged or broken due to the excessive tilting of the knob portion, and thus can extend the service life of the knob portion, the shaft portion, etc.

[0036] The present invention can be formed with a length such that the limiting protrusion is positioned opposite the cover surface of the knob portion at a position spaced from the cover surface. Accordingly, the present invention can be implemented so that, when the knob portion is pushed after the operation button is positioned in the release position, the knob portion can move by a distance that the cover surface and the limiting protrusion are spaced apart from each other. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that the angle at which the knob portion is tilted can be limited by using the limiting protrusion, while the operation of controlling the cooking portion through the push and turn of the knob portion can be smoothly performed.

[0037] The present invention is implemented such that a limiting protrusion is positioned on the opposite side of the locking protrusion relative to the shaft member inserted into the base portion. Accordingly, the present invention can increase the accuracy of the operation of limiting the angle at which the knob portion is tilted using the limiting protrusion by positioning the limiting protrusion at the position where the knob portion is most likely to tilt.

[0038] The present invention is implemented so that the limiting protrusion is positioned at a greater distance from the base hole formed in the base portion than the locking protrusion. Accordingly, the present invention can be implemented so that the limiting protrusion is positioned so as to limit the angle at which the knob portion is inclined, while at the same time not interfering with the knob protrusion rotating around the shaft member as the knob portion rotates around the shaft member after the shaft member is converted to a rotatable state. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that safety can be increased by utilizing the limiting protrusion, while also enabling smooth operation of controlling the cooking portion through the push and turn of the knob portion.

[0039] The present invention can induce the operation button to move to the release position by pressing the knob protrusion as the knob portion is rotated using the first induction surface. Therefore, when the cooking unit is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion, and the user does not press the operation button but only presses and rotates the knob portion, the present invention can move the operation button to the release position using the first induction surface. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that the operation of the cooking unit can be stopped even if the user does not press the operation button, thereby providing the user with convenience of operation in cases where the risk of a safety accident occurring is low or non-existent.

[0040] The present invention can induce the operation button to move to the locked position using the restoration groove. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that the operation button can be prevented from moving to the locked position and remaining in the unlocked position due to the frictional force acting between the knob protrusion and the lock protrusion. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that the operation of the cooking unit can be stopped and the operation button can be moved to the locked position even if the user does not press the operation button, thereby providing the user with convenience of operation and enhancing safety at the same time.

[0041] The present invention can be formed so that the limiting protrusion extends in at least one direction among the clockwise and counterclockwise directions centered on the base hole from a point located opposite the locking protrusion with respect to the shaft member inserted into the base hole. Accordingly, the present invention is implemented so that the limiting protrusion can increase the support area for supporting the knob portion. Accordingly, the present invention can increase the range of support for the knob portion in order to limit the angle at which the knob portion is tilted by using the limiting protrusion, and thus can strengthen the limiting force for limiting the angle at which the knob portion is tilted.

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cooking appliance according to the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a knob assembly according to the present invention coupled to an operating panel.

[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a knob assembly according to the present invention.

[0045] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a knob assembly according to the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a knob assembly according to the present invention in which the operation button is positioned in a locked position so that the knob projection interferes with the lock projection.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a knob assembly according to the present invention in which the operating button is positioned in the release position to avoid interference between the knob projection and the lock projection.

[0048] Figure 7 is a schematic exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a knob assembly according to the present invention in which the base portion has a limiting projection.

[0049] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of a knob assembly according to the present invention coupled to an operating panel.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a knob assembly according to the present invention coupled to an operating panel, taken along line II of FIG. 8.

[0051] Figure 10 is a schematic enlarged view showing part A of Figure 9 in an enlarged manner.

[0052] Fig. 11 is a schematic front view of the base portion of the knob assembly according to the present invention.

[0053] Figure 12 is a schematic enlarged view showing part B of Figure 11 in an enlarged manner.

[0054] Fig. 13 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a knob assembly according to the present invention taken along line II-II of Fig. 11.

[0055] Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the base portion of the knob assembly according to the present invention.

[0056] Fig. 15 is a schematic side view of the base portion of the knob assembly according to the present invention.

[0057] Fig. 16 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention coupled to an operating panel, taken along line II of FIG. 8.

[0059] Figure 18 is a schematic enlarged view showing part C of Figure 17 in an enlarged manner.

[0060] Fig. 19 is a schematic front view of a base portion of a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 20 is a schematic enlarged view showing part D of Figure 19 in an enlarged manner.

[0062] FIG. 21 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention taken along line Ⅲ-Ⅲ of FIG. 19.

[0063] Fig. 22 is a schematic perspective view of a base portion of a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Fig. 23 is a schematic side view of a base portion of a knob assembly according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Hereinafter, embodiments of a cooking appliance according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Since the knob assembly according to the present invention can be included in the cooking appliance according to the present invention, it will be described together with the embodiments of the cooking appliance according to the present invention. Meanwhile, when adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present invention, if a specific description of a related known structure or function is judged to hinder the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is intended to cook food ingredients to prepare food or heat food to a temperature suitable for consumption. The cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention may be implemented as a composite cooking appliance as illustrated in FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto and may also be implemented as a closed cooking appliance, an open cooking appliance, etc.

[0067] A cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention may include a cooking body (110), a cooking section (120), an operating panel (130), and a knob assembly (1).

[0068] The above cooking body (110) can form the overall appearance of the cooking appliance (100). The cooking unit (120), the operation panel (130), and the knob assembly (1) can be installed in the cooking body (110). The knob assembly (1) is coupled to the operation panel (130) and can be installed in the cooking body (110) via the operation panel (130).

[0069] The above cooking unit (120) can cook food ingredients to make food or heat food to a temperature suitable for consumption. The cooking unit (120) can be implemented as at least one of a gas burner device that uses gas as an energy source, an electric cooktop, an induction, an oven, and a microwave oven. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a cooking unit (120) implemented as a gas burner device can be installed on the upper portion of the cooking body (110). A cooking unit (120) implemented as an oven can also be installed inside the cooking body (110). A plurality of cooking units (120) can be installed in the cooking body (110).

[0070] The above operation panel (130) can control the operation of the cooking unit (120). When the knob assembly (1) is operated, the operation panel (130) can control the on / off of the cooking unit (120), the cooking mode of the cooking unit (120), the heating temperature of the cooking unit (120), etc. in response to the operation of the knob assembly (1). The operation panel (130) can be arranged on the upper portion of the cooking body (110). Although not shown, the operation panel (130) can also be arranged in various other positions, such as the lower portion of the cooking body (110), the side of the cooking body (110), the upper surface of the cooking body (110), etc. The operation panel (130) can include a display (140). The display (140) can display operation information of the cooking unit (120). The above display (140) may be configured as a touch panel. In this case, the user can control the operation of the cooking unit (120) through touch operation on the display (140).

[0071] The above operation panel (130) may include a shaft member (131). The shaft member (131) may protrude from the operation panel (130). The shaft member (131) may protrude forward from the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130). The knob assembly (1) may be arranged at the front of the operation panel (130). The knob assembly (1) may be coupled to the shaft member (131). The shaft member (131) may be coupled to the operation panel (130) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (131a). The shaft member (131) may be coupled to the operation panel (130) so as to be movable along the rotation axis (131a). In this case, by manipulation of the knob assembly (1), the shaft member (131) can be moved along the rotation axis (131a) and rotated around the rotation axis (131a). Meanwhile, the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130) may be arranged to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction. The front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130) may also be arranged parallel to the vertical direction. The shaft member (131) may protrude from the operation panel (130) such that the rotation axis (131a) is parallel to a perpendicular to the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130).

[0072] The above operation panel (130) may include a driving unit (132, illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 3). The driving unit (132) may serve to supply an energy source to the cooking unit (120). If the energy source supplied by the driving unit (132) is electricity, the driving unit (132) may be implemented as a regulator. If the energy source supplied by the driving unit (132) is gas, the driving unit (132) may be implemented as a valve assembly. The driving unit (132) may be coupled to the rear surface of the operation panel (130).

[0073] The shaft member (131) may be coupled to the driving unit (132). When the driving unit (132) is coupled to the rear surface of the operation panel (130), the shaft member (131) may be coupled to the driving unit (132) so as to be inserted into the operation panel (130) and protrude forward from the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130). The shaft member (131) may be coupled to the driving unit (132) so as to be rotatable around the rotational axis (131a). The shaft member (131) may be coupled to the shaft member (131) so as to be movable along the rotational axis (131a). The driving unit (132) may be implemented so that the shaft member (131) does not rotate when the shaft member (131) is not pushed along the rotational axis (131a). Only when the shaft member (131) is pushed along the rotation axis (131a), the driving unit (132) can allow the shaft member (131) to rotate around the rotation axis (131a). As the shaft member (131) is pushed and rotated, the driving unit (132) can selectively supply an energy source to the cooking unit (120). In this case, the driving unit (132) can also adjust the amount of energy source supplied to the cooking unit (120) according to the amount of rotation of the shaft member (131). The shaft member (131) can function as a valve shaft. Even after the energy source is supplied to the cooking unit (120), the driving unit (132) can allow the shaft member (131) to rotate around the rotation axis (131a) only when the shaft member (131) is pushed. Meanwhile, after the energy source is supplied to the cooking unit (120), the driving unit (132) may allow the shaft member (131) to rotate around the rotation axis (131a) even when the shaft member (131) is not pushed.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the knob assembly (1) can be coupled to the shaft member (131). When an operating force is applied by a user, the knob assembly (1) can transmit the operating force to the shaft member (131). Accordingly, the shaft member (131) can be operated by the operating force by the user, thereby controlling the cooking unit (120). The knob assembly (1) can be implemented as a knob assembly according to the present invention. Meanwhile, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention may include a plurality of the knob assemblies (1). In this case, the operation panel (130) may each include a plurality of the shaft members (131) and the driving units (132). The shaft members (131) can control the operations of different cooking units (120) through the driving units (132). Each of the above knob assemblies (1) can be coupled to the above shaft members (131).

[0075] The above knob assembly (1) may include a base portion (2) and a knob portion (3).

[0076] The base part (2) can be coupled to the operation panel (130). The base part (2) can be arranged between the operation panel (130) and the knob part (3). The base part (2) can be coupled to the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130). The shaft member (131) can be arranged to protrude from the base part (2) coupled to the operation panel (130). The knob part (3) can be coupled to the portion of the shaft member (131) protruding from the base part (2). Therefore, according to a user's operation, the knob part (3) and the shaft member (131) can be moved together along the rotation axis (131a) and can be rotated together about the rotation axis (131a). A base hole (20a) can be formed in the base part (2) into which the shaft member (131) is inserted. The above base hole (20a) can be formed by penetrating the base portion (2). The base portion (2) can be formed in an overall circular plate shape.

[0077] The above base portion (2) may include a locking protrusion (21).

[0078] The locking protrusion (21) may protrude in a first direction (FD arrow direction) toward the knob portion (3). The first direction (FD arrow direction) may be a direction from the operation panel (130) toward the knob portion (3) while being parallel to the rotation axis (131a). The locking protrusion (21) may be coupled to the base body (20). The base body (20) may correspond to a portion of the base portion (2) coupled to the operation panel (130). In this case, the base hole (20a) may be formed by penetrating the base body (20). The locking protrusion (21) may protrude in the first direction (FD arrow direction) from the base body (20). The locking protrusion (21) may be arranged at a position spaced apart from the base hole (20a). Accordingly, the locking projection (21) may be positioned at a position spaced apart from the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a). The locking projection (21) and the base body (20) may be formed integrally.

[0079] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the knob portion (3) can control the operation of the cooking portion (120) by a user's operation. The knob portion (3) can be coupled to the shaft portion (131). The knob portion (3) and the shaft portion (131) can move together along the rotation axis (131a). As the knob portion (3) is pushed, the knob portion (3) and the shaft portion (131) can move in a second direction (SD arrow direction) along the rotation axis (131a). The second direction (SD arrow direction) and the first direction (FD arrow direction) can be directions that are parallel to and opposite to the rotation axis (131a). When the force pushing the knob portion (3) is removed, the knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) can move in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD) along the rotation axis (131a). The movement in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD) can be achieved by the restoring force of a spring (not shown) coupled to the shaft member (131). The knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) can be rotated together around the rotation axis (131a). The knob portion (3) can be coupled to the shaft member (131) so as to be arranged toward the first direction (direction of the arrow FD) with respect to the base portion (2).

[0080] The above knob portion (3) can be moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) by a switching distance, thereby converting the shaft member (131) into a rotatable state. In this case, only when the knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) are moved by more than the switching distance as the knob portion (3) is pushed, the drive portion (132) allows the shaft member (131) to rotate, thereby converting the knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) into a rotatable state. On the other hand, even when the knob portion (3) is pushed, when the knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) are moved by less than the switching distance, the drive portion (132) blocks the rotation of the shaft member (131), thereby preventing the knob portion (3) and the shaft member (131) from being converted into a rotatable state. The above switching distance is a distance that prevents the cooking unit (120) from operating in a situation unintended by the user, and can be preset by the operator.

[0081] The above knob portion (3) may include a knob protrusion (31), a driving knob (32), a knob cover (33), and an operating button (34).

[0082] The above knob protrusion (31) can protrude in the second direction (SD arrow direction) from the above operation button (34). The above knob protrusion (31) can selectively interfere with the locking protrusion (21) depending on whether the above operation button (34) is operated, thereby selectively blocking the knob portion (3) from being pushed. This will be specifically examined as follows.

[0083] First, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when the operation button (34) is moved along the operation direction (MD axis direction) and positioned at the locking position (LP), the knob protrusion (31) may interfere with the locking protrusion (21). The operation direction (MD axis direction) may be an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis (131a). As the knob protrusion (31) is positioned to interfere with the locking protrusion (21), the locking protrusion (21) can support the knob protrusion (31) to block the knob portion (3) from moving in the second direction (SD arrow direction). That is, the knob protrusion (31) can block the knob portion (3) from being pushed at the locking position (LP). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent the cooking unit (120) from being operated by blocking the knob portion (3) from being pushed in a situation unintended by the user using the knob projection (31) and the lock projection (21). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent arbitrary manipulation or malfunction, thereby enhancing safety.

[0084] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the operation button (34) is moved along the operation direction (MD axis direction) and positioned at the release position (RP), the knob projection (31) can avoid interference with the lock projection (21). In this case, the knob projection (31) can be spaced apart from the lock projection (21) along the operation direction (MD axis direction). The release position (RP) and the lock position (LP) can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the operation direction (MD axis direction). Since the knob projection (31) avoids interference with the lock projection (21), the lock projection (21) does not interfere with the knob projection (31), and thus the knob portion (3) can be allowed to move in the second direction (SD arrow direction). That is, the knob protrusion (31) can allow the knob portion (3) to be pushed at the release position (RP). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention allows the knob portion (3) to be pushed when the user moves the operation button (34) to the release position (RP), thereby allowing the cooking unit (120) to be operated in a situation intended by the user. In addition, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention allows the push and turn of the knob portion (3) when the user moves the operation button (34) to the release position (RP), thereby allowing the rotation amount of the knob portion (3) to be adjusted in a situation intended by the user, thereby allowing the cooking unit (120) to be controlled.

[0085] The above driving knob (32) can be coupled to the shaft member (131). The driving knob (32) can be placed inside the knob cover (33). The portion of the driving knob (32) coupled to the shaft member (131) can protrude in the second direction (the direction of the SD arrow).

[0086] The above driving knob (32) may include a coupling member (321) and a linking member (322).

[0087] The above-mentioned connecting member (321) is a portion of the drive knob (32) that is connected to the shaft member (131). The connecting member (321) may be formed in an overall semicircular plate shape. The connecting member (321) may be connected to the shaft member (131) so as to move and rotate together with the shaft member (131).

[0088] The above-mentioned linking member (322) can link the above-mentioned coupling member (321) and the above-mentioned knob cover (33). When an operating force for rotating the above-mentioned knob cover (33) is applied, the above-mentioned linking member (322) can be pushed by the above-mentioned knob cover (33) and rotate together to rotate the above-mentioned coupling member (321). The above-mentioned linking member (322) can protrude from the above-mentioned coupling member (321) in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD). The above-mentioned linking member (322) can be inserted into the inside of the above-mentioned knob cover (33) and come into contact with the inner surface of the above-mentioned knob cover (33). The above-mentioned linking member (322) can be formed in a plate shape extending in a tangential direction with respect to an imaginary circle centered on the above-mentioned rotation axis (131a). The above-mentioned linking member (322) can be formed in an overall rectangular plate shape. The above-mentioned linking member (322) and the above-mentioned joining member (321) can be formed integrally.

[0089] The above knob cover (33) can be coupled to the drive knob (32). The knob cover (33) can be moved together with the drive knob (32) along the rotation axis (131a) and can be rotated together with the drive knob (32) about the rotation axis (131a). Accordingly, a user can manipulate the shaft member (131) through the drive knob (32) by manipulating the knob cover (33), thereby controlling the operation of the cooking unit (120).

[0090] The above knob cover (33) may include a grip member (331) and a cover member (332).

[0091] The above gripping member (331) may be provided for the user's manipulation. The gripping member (331) may protrude from the cover member (332) in the first direction (direction of the FD arrow). The gripping member (331) may be formed in a smaller size than the cover member (332), thereby providing the user with convenience in manipulation. For example, the gripping member (331) may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an entirely hollow interior. The linking member (322) may be arranged inside the gripping member (331). The linking member (322) may contact the inner surface of the gripping member (331), thereby linking the knob cover (33) and the driving knob (32).

[0092] The above cover member (332) can be coupled to the drive knob (32). The coupling member (321) can be arranged inside the cover member (332). The grip member (331) can be coupled to the cover member (332). Accordingly, when a user grips and manipulates the grip member (331), the cover member (332) can be manipulated together. The cover member (332) can be formed in a disk shape with an entirely hollow interior.

[0093] The above-described operation button (34) can be coupled to the knob cover (33) so as to be movable along the operation direction (MD axis direction). The knob protrusion (31) can be coupled to the operation button (34). The operation button (34) can be arranged toward the first direction (FD arrow direction) with respect to the knob protrusion (31). The operation button (34) can be coupled to the knob cover (33) so as to be movable between the locking position (LP) and the releasing position (RP). The knob protrusion (31) can protrude from the operation button (34) in the second direction (SD arrow direction) inside the knob cover (33).

[0094] The above-described operation button (34) may be coupled to the knob cover (33) so as to be movable along the operation direction (MD axis direction) different from the direction in which the knob portion (3) moves along the rotation axis (131a) together with the shaft member (131). That is, the operation direction (MD axis direction) and the direction in which the knob portion (3) is pushed may be different from each other. Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent the operation button (34) from being moved to the release position (RP) and the push and turn of the knob portion (3) from being performed due to a situation unintended by the user or a user's mistake, thereby further enhancing safety. This will be described in more detail as follows.

[0095] First, in the comparative example in which the operation button (34) is implemented to move between the locking position (LP) and the release position (RP) along the same direction as the direction in which the knob portion (3) moves along the rotation axis (131a) together with the shaft member (131), the force pushing the knob portion (3) may also move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) due to a situation unintended by the user or a user's mistake. Accordingly, in the comparative example, there is a concern that the cooking unit (120) may be operated due to a situation unintended by the user or a user's mistake.

[0096] In contrast, in the case of an embodiment in which the operation button (34) is implemented to be movable along the operation direction (MD axis direction) different from the direction in which the knob portion (3) moves together with the shaft member (131) along the rotation axis (131a), the possibility that the force pushing the knob portion (3) moves the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) due to a situation unintended by the user or a user's mistake can be reduced. Accordingly, the embodiment can reduce the possibility that the cooking unit (120) is operated due to a situation unintended by the user or a user's mistake, thereby further enhancing safety.

[0097] The above-described operation button (34) can be inserted into the cover hole (33a) of the knob cover (33). The cover hole (33a) can be formed in the grip member (331) of the knob cover (33). Accordingly, the operation button (34) can be inserted into the cover hole (33a) and placed on the grip member (331). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the user can push the operation button (34) while gripping the grip member (331) to operate the knob portion (3), thereby improving the convenience of use.

[0098] The above operation button (34) may include a button member (341) and a support member (342).

[0099] The button member (341) may be exposed to the outside of the grip member (331) through the cover hole (33a). A user may push the button member (341) to move the operation button (34) from the locking position (LP) toward the releasing position (RP). If the user does not push the button member (341), a portion of the button member (341) may protrude from the grip member (331).

[0100] The above-mentioned support member (342) may be arranged inside the above-mentioned cover member (332). The above-mentioned knob protrusion (31) may be coupled to the above-mentioned support member (342). The above-mentioned knob protrusion (31) may protrude from the above-mentioned support member (342) in the second direction (the direction of the arrow SD). When the above-mentioned knob protrusion (31) is supported by the above-mentioned locking protrusion (21), the above-mentioned support member (342) may support the above-mentioned cover member (332) to limit the movement of the above-mentioned knob portion (3) in the second direction (the direction of the arrow SD). A coupling plate (31a) may be coupled to the above-mentioned knob protrusion (31). The coupling plate (31a) may be inserted into and coupled to the above-mentioned support member (342), thereby coupling the above-mentioned knob protrusion (31) to the above-mentioned support member (342). The above knob protrusion (31) may protrude from the connecting plate (31a) in the second direction (the direction of the SD arrow). The connecting plate (31a) and the knob protrusion (31) may be formed integrally. The knob protrusion (31) and the supporting member (342) may also be formed integrally. In this case, the connecting plate (31a) may not be provided on the knob protrusion (31). The supporting member (342) may be formed in an overall semicircular plate shape.

[0101] The above support member (342) may be arranged to face the engaging member (321) of the drive knob (32) inside the cover member (332). Accordingly, when the operation button (34) is moved from the locking position (LP) toward the releasing position (RP), the engaging member (321) may support the support member (342) to limit the distance that the operation button (34) can move from the locking position (LP) toward the releasing position (RP). Therefore, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent the button member (341) from being separated from the cover hole (33a) in the process of moving the operation button (34) from the locking position (LP) toward the releasing position (RP). In addition, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can position the operation button (34) at the release position (RP) by moving the operation button (34) until the support member (342) is supported by the coupling member (321). Therefore, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can improve the ease and accuracy of the task of positioning the operation button (34) at the release position (RP).

[0102] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the knob portion (3) may include an elastic member (35).

[0103] The above elastic member (35) may be arranged between the operation button (34) and the knob cover (33) inside the knob cover (33). The elastic member (35) may be supported by the knob cover (33) to press the operation button (34) toward the locking position (LP). Accordingly, when the force that moved the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) is removed, the operation button (34) may return to the locking position (LP) by the elastic member (35).

[0104] The above knob portion (3) may include a plurality of elastic members (35). The elastic members (35) may be supported by different parts of the knob cover (33) and may press different parts of the operation button (34). Accordingly, the elastic members (35) may reduce the tilting of the operation button (34) that occurs in the process of the operation button (34) moving between the locking position (LP) and the releasing position (RP). The elastic members (35) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the operation button (34) moves between the locking position (LP) and the releasing position (RP). The linking members (322) may be arranged between the elastic members (35). In this case, the linking members (322) may serve to guide the elastic members (35).

[0105] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the knob portion (3) may include a weight plate (36).

[0106] The above weight plate (36) can be coupled to the drive knob (32). The weight plate (36) can improve the operating feel of the knob portion (3) by increasing the overall weight of the knob portion (3). The weight plate (36) can be formed of a metal material.

[0107] The weight plate (36) may be arranged between the driving knob (32) and the base portion (2). The weight plate (36) may be coupled to the connecting member (321). The weight plate (36) may be coupled to the connecting member (321) by a fastening means such as a bolt or the like. At least one through hole may be formed in the weight plate (36). The driving knob (32) may be coupled to the shaft member (131) through the through hole of the weight plate (36). The knob protrusion (31) may protrude toward the locking protrusion (21) through the through hole of the weight plate (36).

[0108] Here, when the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP) as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the knob protrusion (31) and the locking protrusion (21) may be arranged to interfere with each other at a position tilted in one direction from the rotation axis (131a). Therefore, even if the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), in a situation unintended by the user, depending on the direction of an external force applied to the knob portion (3), the knob portion (3) may tilt toward the opposite side of the knob protrusion (31) and the locking protrusion (21) with respect to the rotation axis (131a). As the knob portion (3) tilts, the knob portion (3) moves toward the second direction (SD arrow direction) and thereby moves the shaft member (131) toward the second direction (SD arrow direction), thereby converting the shaft member (131) into a rotatable state. In this case, the shaft member (131) can be moved beyond the switching distance due to the inclination of the knob portion (3). In this way, even when the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), the cooking portion (120) can be operated in a situation unintended by the user due to the inclination of the knob portion (3).

[0109] To prevent this, the base part (2) of the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention may include a limiting protrusion (22) (shown in FIG. 7).

[0110] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 15, the limiting protrusion (22) may protrude in the first direction (FD arrow direction) at a position spaced apart from the locking protrusion (21). The limiting protrusion (22) may be disposed opposite the knob portion (3) at a position spaced apart from the locking protrusion (21). Accordingly, when the knob portion (3) is tilted while the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), the limiting protrusion (22) may support the knob portion (3) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted. Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent the cooking portion (120) from being operated by preventing the shaft member (131) from being converted to a rotatable state due to the tilting of the knob portion (3) in a state unintentionally by the user by using the limiting protrusion (22). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent malfunction due to tilting of the knob portion (3), thereby further enhancing safety. In addition, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can prevent damage or breakage of the knob portion (3), the shaft member (131), etc. due to excessive tilting of the knob portion (3), and thus extend the service life of the knob portion (3), the shaft member (131), etc.

[0111] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may protrude from the base body (20) in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD). The limiting protrusion (22) and the base body (20) may be formed integrally. The limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged to face the knob cover (33) of the knob part (3) in the second direction (direction of the arrow SD) with respect to the knob part (3). The limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged to face the cover surface (330) of the knob cover (33). In this case, the limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged to face the cover surface (330) in the second direction (direction of the arrow SD) with respect to the cover surface (330). When the knob portion (3) is coupled to the shaft member (131), the cover surface (330) may be a surface arranged to face the second direction (SD arrow direction). In this case, the cover surface (330) may be arranged to face the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130). The cover surface (330) may be formed in a circular ring shape with an empty inner surface as a whole. When the limiting protrusion (22) is arranged to face the cover surface (330) in the second direction (SD arrow direction) with respect to the cover surface (330), the limiting protrusion (22) may support the cover surface (330) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted.

[0112] As illustrated in FIG. 9, when the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), and the knob protrusion (31) comes into contact with the locking protrusion (21), as illustrated in FIG. 10, the limiting protrusion (22) may protrude from the base body (20) in the first direction (direction of the FD arrow) so as to be positioned spaced apart from the knob portion (3). In this case, the limiting protrusion (22) may be formed with a length such that it is positioned opposite the cover surface (330) at a position spaced apart from the cover surface (330) in the second direction (direction of the FD arrow). Accordingly, when the knob part (3) is moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) after the operation button (34) is positioned at the release position (RP), the knob part (3) can be implemented so as to be able to move in the second direction (SD arrow direction) by the distance that the cover surface (330) and the limiting protrusion (22) are spaced apart from each other. Therefore, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the angle at which the knob part (3) is tilted can be limited by using the limiting protrusion (22), while the operation of controlling the cooking part (120) through the push and turn of the knob part (3) can be smoothly performed.

[0113] Meanwhile, when the knob portion (3) is tilted while the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), the shaft member (131) may move in the second direction (SD arrow direction) and be converted to a rotatable state. To prevent this, the limiting protrusion (22) may protrude from the base body (20) in the first direction (FD arrow direction) so that the maximum movement distance of the shaft member (131) when the knob portion (3) is tilted while the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP) is shorter than the conversion distance. Accordingly, even if the shaft member (131) is moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) as the knob portion (3) is tilted, the limiting protrusion (22) may support the cover surface (330) so that the shaft member (131) is not converted to a rotatable state. In addition, the limiting protrusion (22) may protrude from the base body (20) in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD) so that the knob part (3) can move by the switching distance or a distance longer than the switching distance when the operation button (34) is positioned at the release position (RP). Therefore, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the angle at which the knob part (3) is tilted can be limited by using the limiting protrusion (22), while the operation of controlling the cooking part (120) through the push and turn of the knob part (3) can be smoothly performed. When the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), the limiting protrusion (22) may be formed with a length that is positioned at a position spaced apart from the cover surface (330) in the second direction (direction of the arrow SD) by the switching distance.

[0114] Meanwhile, the limiting protrusion (22) may be disposed opposite the weight plate (36) in the second direction (SD arrow direction) with respect to the weight plate (36). In this case, the limiting protrusion (22) can limit the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted by supporting the weight plate (36). Accordingly, even if the shaft member (131) moves toward the second direction (SD arrow direction) as the knob portion (3) is tilted, the limiting protrusion (22) can support the weight plate (36) so that the shaft member (131) is not converted to a rotatable state. In a state where the operation button (34) is positioned at the locking position (LP), the limiting protrusion (22) may be formed with a length such that it is disposed at a position spaced apart from the weight plate (36) in the second direction (SD arrow direction) by the switching distance. When the knob part (3) is moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) after the above operation button (34) is positioned at the release position (RP), the knob part (3) can be implemented so that it can move in the second direction (SD arrow direction) by the distance that the weight plate (36) and the limiting protrusion (22) are spaced apart from each other.

[0115] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may protrude from the base front surface (2a) of the base portion (2) in the first direction (FD arrow direction). The base front surface (2a) may be a surface of the base body (20) arranged to face the knob portion (3). The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) and the above-mentioned locking protrusion (21) may protrude from the base front surface (2a) in the first direction (FD arrow direction) with different lengths. When the limiting protrusion (22) supports the cover surface (330) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (2) is tilted, if the knob protrusion (31) is formed to protrude further in the second direction (SD arrow direction) than the cover surface (330), the limiting protrusion (22) can protrude further from the front surface (2a) of the base in the first direction (FD arrow direction) than the locking protrusion (21). When the limiting protrusion (22) supports the weight plate (36) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (2) is tilted, if the knob protrusion (31) is formed to protrude further in the second direction (SD arrow direction) than the weight plate (36), the limiting protrusion (22) can protrude further from the front surface (2a) of the base in the first direction (FD arrow direction) than the locking protrusion (21).

[0116] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged on the opposite side of the locking protrusion (21) with respect to the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a). In this case, the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a) may be arranged between the limiting protrusion (22) and the locking protrusion (21). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can increase the accuracy of the operation of limiting the angle at which the knob part (3) is tilted by using the limiting protrusion (22) by arranging the limiting protrusion (22) at a position where the tilting of the knob part (3) can occur the greatest. The limiting protrusion (22) and the locking protrusion (21) may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at an angle of 180° with respect to the rotation axis (131a) as the center.

[0117] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) and the above-mentioned locking protrusion (21) may be arranged at positions spaced apart from the base hole (20a) by different distances. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when the locking protrusion (21) is arranged at a position spaced apart from the base hole (20a) by a first distance (D1), the limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged at a position spaced apart from the base hole (20a) by a second distance (D2) that is longer than the first distance (D1). Accordingly, the limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged at a position capable of limiting the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted, and at a position where it does not interfere with the knob protrusion (31) that rotates around the shaft member (131) as the knob portion (3) rotates around the shaft member (131) after the shaft member (131) is switched to a rotatable state. Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the safety can be increased by using the limiting protrusion (22), while the operation of controlling the cooking unit (120) through the push and turn of the knob portion (3) can be smoothly performed. The first distance (D1) may be a straight distance connecting the center of the base hole (20a) and the inner surface (210) of the locking protrusion (21). The inner surface (210) of the locking protrusion (21) may be a surface of the locking protrusion (21) arranged to face the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a). The second distance (D2) may be a straight distance connecting the center of the base hole (20a) and the inner surface of the limiting protrusion (22). The inner surface of the above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may be a surface of the above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) that is arranged to face the shaft member (131) inserted into the above-mentioned base hole (20a). The inner surface of the above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) and the inner surface (210) of the above-mentioned locking protrusion (21) may be arranged to face each other. Meanwhile, the center of the above-mentioned base hole (20a) may be arranged on the above-mentioned rotational axis (131a).

[0118] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged outside the rotation path (31b) of the knob protrusion (31) that rotates around the shaft member (131) as the knob portion (3) rotates around the shaft member (131). Accordingly, the limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged at a position facing the cover surface (330) of the knob cover (33) without interfering with the rotation of the knob protrusion (31). In this case, the distance that the inner surface of the limiting protrusion (22) is spaced apart from the rotation axis (131a) may be greater than the rotation radius of the knob protrusion (31) centered on the rotation axis (131a).

[0119] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may be formed to have the same width as or a different width from the locking protrusion (21) based on the width direction (WD axis direction). The width direction (WD axis direction) may be an axial direction perpendicular to the direction in which the limiting protrusion (22) and the locking protrusion (21) are spaced from each other. When the maximum width of the locking protrusion (21) based on the width direction (WD axis direction) is defined as N (N is a real number greater than 0), the maximum width of the limiting protrusion (22) may be formed to be 0.8N or more and 1.2N or less. In this case, the maximum width of the locking protrusion (21) and the maximum width of the limiting protrusion (22) based on the width direction (WD axis direction) may be implemented to be the same. Meanwhile, the maximum width of the locking protrusion (21) may mean the width of the part formed with the longest width based on the width direction (WD axis direction). The maximum width of the above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may mean the width of the part formed with the longest width based on the width direction (WD axis direction).

[0120] Referring to FIGS. 11 to 15, the locking projection (21) may include a first guide surface (211).

[0121] The first guide surface (211) may be arranged to face the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction). The first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) may correspond to one of two rotation directions in which the knob portion (3) can rotate around the rotation axis (131a). In this case, the knob portion (3) may rotate around the rotation axis (131a) in the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) and a second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) opposite to the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction). Although FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate that the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) is counterclockwise and the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) is clockwise around the rotation axis (131a), the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) may be clockwise and the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) may be counterclockwise.

[0122] The above first induction surface (211) can induce the operation button (34) to move to the release position (RP) by pressing the knob projection (31) as the knob portion (3) is rotated in the second rotational direction (direction of the R2 arrow). This will be described in detail as follows.

[0123] First, in a state where the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion (3), the user can rotate it in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34). For example, in the process of stopping the operation of the cooking unit (120), the user can rotate it in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34). In this case, since the locking protrusion (21) is arranged within the rotation path (31b) of the knob protrusion (31), the user can no longer rotate the knob portion (3) in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2) when the knob protrusion (31) comes into contact with the locking protrusion (21). Therefore, there is the inconvenience of having to press the operation button (34) even in the process of stopping the operation of the cooking unit (120). To solve this, the locking projection (21) may include the first guide surface (211).

[0124] Next, when the first induction surface (211) is provided, when the knob protrusion (31) comes into contact with the first induction surface (211) and is pressed as the knob portion (3) is rotated in the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction), the knob projection (31) is moved toward the rotation axis (131a) by the first induction surface (211) as shown by the arrow in FIG. 12, thereby moving the operation button (34) to the release position (RP). Therefore, in a state where the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion (3), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34) and rotating it in the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) using the first induction surface (211). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the operation of the cooking unit (120) can be stopped even if the user does not press the operation button (34), thereby providing the user with convenience of operation when there is no risk of a safety accident occurring. Meanwhile, the pressing force with which the first induction surface (211) presses the knob protrusion (31) can be implemented by the force with which the user rotates the knob unit (3) in the second rotation direction (direction of the R2 arrow).

[0125] The first guide surface (211) may be formed on the guide member (212) of the locking projection (21). The guide member (212) may be formed so that the width in the width direction (WD axis direction) decreases as it extends toward the base hole (20a). In this case, the first guide surface (211) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface that decreases the width of the guide member (212) as it extends toward the base hole (20a). Accordingly, when the knob projection (31) comes into contact with and is pressed against the first guide surface (211) as the knob portion (3) rotates, it moves toward the rotation axis (131a) by utilizing the inclined surface or curved surface of the first guide surface (211) as indicated by the arrow illustrated in FIG. 12, thereby moving the operation button (34) to the release position (RP). In this case, the knob protrusion (31) may include a first protrusion surface (311) corresponding to the first induction surface (211). The first protrusion surface (311) is formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface corresponding to the first induction surface (211), thereby increasing the inductive force that induces the knob protrusion (31) to move toward the rotation axis (131a) by utilizing the pressure by the first induction surface (211).

[0126] The above locking projection (21) may include a second guide surface (213).

[0127] The second induction surface (213) may be arranged to face the second rotation direction (arrow direction R2). The second induction surface (213) can induce the operation button (34) to move to the release position (RP) by pressing the knob protrusion (31) as the knob portion (3) is rotated in the first rotation direction (arrow direction R1). Therefore, when the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion (3), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34) and rotating it in the first rotation direction (arrow direction R1). Meanwhile, the pressing force with which the second induction surface (213) presses the knob protrusion (31) can be implemented by the force of the user rotating the knob portion (3) in the first rotation direction (direction of the R1 arrow).

[0128] The second guide surface (213) may be formed on the guide member (212). The second guide surface (213) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface that decreases the width of the guide member (212) as it extends toward the base hole (20a). Accordingly, when the knob protrusion (31) comes into contact with and is pressed against the second guide surface (213) as the knob portion (3) rotates in the first rotational direction (direction of arrow R1), the knob protrusion (31) moves toward the rotation axis (131a) by utilizing the inclined surface or curved surface of the second guide surface (213), thereby moving the operation button (34) to the release position (RP). In this case, the knob protrusion (31) may include a second protruding surface (312) corresponding to the second guide surface (213). The second protrusion surface (312) is formed as an inclined surface or curved surface corresponding to the second induction surface (213), thereby increasing the induction force that induces the knob protrusion (31) to move toward the rotation axis (131a) by using the pressure applied by the second induction surface (213).

[0129] The second guide surface (213) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface in which the distance from the first guide surface (211) decreases as it extends toward the base hole (20a). Meanwhile, when the second guide surface (213) is provided, the first guide surface (211) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface in which the distance from the second guide surface (213) decreases as it extends toward the base hole (20a). In this case, the second guide surface (213) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface in which the distance from the first guide surface (211) decreases as it extends toward the base hole (20a), or may be formed as a parallel plane along the direction in which the locking protrusion (21) and the limiting protrusion (22) are spaced apart from each other.

[0130] Referring to FIGS. 12 to 15, the base portion (2) may include a restoration groove (23).

[0131] The above restoration groove (23) can guide the operation button (34) to move to the locking position (LP). The restoration groove (23) can be formed on the inner surface (210) of the locking projection (21). Accordingly, the knob projection (31) located between the inner surface (210) and the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a) can be inserted into the restoration groove (23) as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 13 and moved through the restoration groove (23). Accordingly, the operation button (34) can be moved from the release position (RP) to the locking position (LP) using the restoration groove (23). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the operation button (34) is prevented from moving to the locking position (LP) and remaining in the release position (RP) due to the frictional force acting between the knob protrusion (31) and the inner surface (210). Meanwhile, the force for moving the knob protrusion (31) through the restoration groove (23) so that the operation button (34) is moved to the locking position (LP) can be provided by the elastic member (35).

[0132] The above restoration groove (23) may be formed so that its depth increases as it extends in the first direction (direction of the arrow FD). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can increase the inductive force that induces the operation button (34) to move to the locking position (LP) by using the restoration groove (23). Among the inner surface (210), a portion arranged to face the restoration groove (23) may be formed as an inclined surface or a curved surface.

[0133] In the case where the first guide surface (211) is provided together with the restoration groove (23), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) using the first guide surface (211) by pressing only the knob portion (3) and rotating it in the second rotation direction (direction of the R2 arrow) while operating the cooking unit (120) through the push and turn of the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34), and then move the operation button (34) to the lock position (LP) using the restoration groove (23). In the case where the second guide surface (213) is provided together with the restoration groove (23), when the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion (3), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) using the second guide surface (213) and then move the operation button (34) to the lock position (LP) using the restoration groove (23) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34) to rotate it in the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction). In this way, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the operation of the cooking unit (120) can be stopped and the operation button (34) can be moved to the lock position (LP) even if the user does not press the operation button (34), thereby providing the user with convenience of operation and enhancing safety at the same time.

[0134] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 15, the base portion (2) may include a positioning protrusion (24).

[0135] The above positioning protrusion (24) may protrude in the second direction (SD arrow direction) from the base rear surface (2b) of the base portion (2). When the base portion (2) is coupled to the operation panel (130), the base rear surface (2b) may be a surface of the base portion (2) that is arranged to face the front surface (130a) of the operation panel (130). The base rear surface (2b) and the base front surface (2a) may be surfaces facing opposite directions of the base body (20).

[0136] The above positioning protrusion (24) can be inserted into the operation panel (130). Accordingly, the positioning protrusion (24) can determine the position of the base portion (2) in the operation panel (130). A positioning groove (not shown) for inserting the positioning protrusion (24) may be formed in the operation panel (130). The positioning protrusion (24) can be inserted into the positioning groove and supported by the operation panel (130). By utilizing the supporting force of the operation panel (130), the positioning protrusion (24) can support the base body (20) during the operation process for the operation button (34) and the knob portion (3). Accordingly, the positioning protrusion (24) can prevent the base body (20) from rotating around the rotation axis (131a) due to external force, etc. applied during the operation process of the operation button (34) and the knob portion (3).

[0137] The positioning protrusion (24) may protrude from the rear surface (2b) of the base at a position corresponding to between the rotation axis (131a) and the locking protrusion (21). As described above, when the user rotates only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34), the operation button (34) may be moved between the release position (RP) and the locking position (LP) by the locking protrusion (21). Therefore, the positioning protrusion (24) may be arranged closer to the locking protrusion (21) than to the limiting protrusion (22) to implement a supporting force for the base body (20). The positioning protrusion (24) may protrude from the rear surface (2b) of the base at a position where the distance from the rotation axis (131a) is shorter than the distance from the locking protrusion (21). That is, the positioning protrusion (24) may be positioned closer to the shaft member (131) inserted into the rotation shaft (131a) than the locking protrusion (21). Accordingly, the positioning protrusion (24) may further enhance the preventing force for preventing the rotation of the base body (20). The end of the positioning protrusion (24) facing the second direction (SD arrow direction) may be formed to form a curved surface.

[0138] Referring to FIGS. 16 to 23, in a cooking appliance (100) according to a modified embodiment of the present invention, the limiting protrusion (22) and the locking protrusion (21) can be implemented as follows. Since each of the limiting protrusion (22) and the locking protrusion (21) can implement functions that are roughly the same as those of the above-described embodiment, the following description will focus on the parts where there are differences.

[0139] First, the limiting protrusion (22) is different from the above-described embodiment in that it is formed in a curved shape compared to the above-described embodiment in that it is formed in a pillar shape. The limiting protrusion (22) may be formed to extend in at least one direction among the clockwise and counterclockwise directions centered on the base hole (20a) from a point located on the opposite side of the locking protrusion (21) with respect to the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a). With reference to FIG. 20, the clockwise direction may be the second rotation direction (the direction of the R2 arrow), and the counterclockwise direction may be the first rotation direction (the direction of the R1 arrow). Accordingly, the limiting protrusion (22) is implemented to further increase the support area for supporting the knob portion (3) compared to the above-described embodiment. Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention can increase the range of support for the knob portion (3) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted by using the limiting projection (22), and thus can strengthen the limiting force that limits the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted.

[0140] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) may be formed in a circular arc shape centered on the base hole (20a). In this case, the limiting protrusion (22) may be formed in a circular arc shape extending in the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) and the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) from a point located on the opposite side of the locking protrusion (21) with respect to the shaft member (131) inserted into the base hole (20a). The limiting protrusion (22) may also be formed in a circular arc shape centered on the rotation axis (131a). The first end of the limiting protrusion (22) facing the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction) and the second end of the limiting protrusion (22) facing the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction) may be arranged on an imaginary straight line parallel to the width direction (WD axis direction). In this case, the central angle of the arc formed by the limiting protrusion (22) can be 180°. Meanwhile, the rotation axis (131a) may be arranged on an imaginary straight line parallel to the width direction (WD axis direction). In this case, the rotation axis (131a) may be arranged between the first end and the second end based on the width direction (WD axis direction).

[0141] The above-mentioned limiting protrusion (22) and the cover surface (330) may be formed to have the same curvature. In this case, the limiting protrusion (22) may be arranged to face the cover surface (330) in the first direction (direction of the FD arrow) with respect to the cover surface (330). Accordingly, the limiting protrusion (22) can increase the range of supporting the cover surface (330) to limit the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted, and thus the limiting force for limiting the angle at which the knob portion (3) is tilted can be strengthened.

[0142] Next, the locking projection (21) may include a first guiding member (214) instead of the guiding member (212) of the above-described embodiment.

[0143] The first guide member (214) may be formed to protrude in the first rotation direction (direction of arrow R1). The first guide surface (211) may be formed on the first guide member (214) to form a convex curved surface in the first rotation direction (direction of arrow R1). When the knob protrusion (31) comes into contact with and is pressed against the first guide surface (211) as the knob portion (3) rotates in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2), the knob protrusion (31) may be moved toward the rotation axis (131a) by the curved surface formed by the first guide surface (211) as shown by the arrow in FIG. 20, thereby moving the operation button (34) to the release position (RP). Accordingly, in a state where the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob unit (3), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) by using the first guide surface (211) by pressing only the knob unit (3) without pressing the operation button (34) and rotating it in the second rotation direction (R2 arrow direction). Accordingly, the cooking appliance (100) according to the present invention is implemented so that the operation of the cooking unit (120) can be stopped even if the user does not press the operation button (34), thereby providing the user with convenience of operation when there is no risk of a safety accident. Meanwhile, the portion of the locking protrusion (21) on which the first guide member (214) is formed can be formed in such a way that the width based on the width direction (WD axis direction) increases and then decreases as it extends toward the rotation axis (131a) by the first guide member (214).

[0144] The above locking projection (21) may include a second guide member (215).

[0145] The second guide member (215) may be formed to protrude in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2). The second guide surface (213) may be formed on the second guide member (215) to form a convex curved surface in the second rotation direction (direction of arrow R2). The second guide surface (213) may press the knob protrusion (31) as the knob portion (3) is rotated in the first rotation direction (direction of arrow R1), thereby inducing the operation button (34) to move to the release position (RP). Accordingly, in a state where the cooking unit (120) is operated by pushing and turning the knob portion (3), the user can move the operation button (34) to the release position (RP) by using the second guide surface (213) by pressing only the knob portion (3) without pressing the operation button (34) and rotating it in the first rotation direction (R1 arrow direction). Meanwhile, the portion of the locking protrusion (21) on which the second guide member (215) is formed may be formed in a form in which the width based on the width direction (WD axis direction) increases and then decreases as it extends toward the rotation axis (131a) by the second guide member (215). The locking protrusion (21) may include the second guide member (215) or the first guide member (214), or may include both the second guide member (215) and the first guide member (214). When both the second guide member (215) and the first guide member (214) are provided, the restoration groove (23) may be formed on the inner surface (210) between the second guide member (215) and the first guide member (214) with respect to the width direction (WD axis direction). In this case, the restoration groove (23) may be formed to have a width shorter than the inner surface (210) with respect to the width direction (WD axis direction).

[0146] The above description is merely an illustrative illustration of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate, rather than limit, the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. A knob portion coupled to the shaft member so as to move along the rotation axis of the shaft member protruding from the control panel of the cooking appliance and to rotate together with the shaft member around the rotation axis; and including a base portion arranged between the above operation panel and the above knob portion; The base portion includes a locking projection protruding in a first direction toward the knob portion, and a limiting projection protruding in the first direction at a position spaced apart from the locking projection, The above knob portion includes a driving knob coupled to the shaft member, a knob cover coupled to the driving knob, an operating button coupled to the knob cover, and a knob protrusion protruding from the operating button in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The above operation button is coupled to the knob cover so as to be movable between a locking position where the knob protrusion interferes with the locking protrusion and an unlocking position where the knob protrusion avoids interference with the locking protrusion. A knob assembly in which the above limiting protrusion is positioned opposite the knob portion at a position spaced from the locking protrusion, and limits the angle at which the knob portion is tilted when the operation button is positioned at the locking position.

2. In paragraph 1, The above base part includes a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, A knob assembly in which the above limit protrusion and the above locking protrusion are positioned on opposite sides based on the shaft member inserted into the above base hole.

3. In paragraph 2, A knob assembly in which the maximum width of the locking projection is defined as N (N is a real number greater than 0) based on a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the limiting projection and the locking projection are spaced from each other, and the maximum width of the limiting projection is formed to be 0.8N or more and 1.2N or less.

4. In paragraph 1, The above base part includes a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, The above limiting protrusion is a knob assembly formed in the shape of a circular arc centered on the base hole.

5. In paragraph 1, The above base part includes a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, The above-mentioned limiting protrusion is a knob assembly formed by extending in at least one direction among clockwise and counterclockwise with the base hole as the center from a point located on the opposite side of the locking protrusion based on the shaft member inserted into the base hole.

6. In paragraph 1, The above knob cover includes a cover surface arranged to face the second direction, The above limiting protrusion is a knob assembly arranged opposite the cover surface in the second direction with respect to the cover surface.

7. In paragraph 6, A knob assembly in which the cover surface and the limiting protrusion are formed to have the same curvature.

8. In paragraph 1, The above base part includes a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, The above locking protrusion is positioned at a first distance from the base hole, A knob assembly in which the above-mentioned limiting protrusion is positioned at a second distance longer than the first distance from the base hole.

9. In paragraph 1, The above limiting protrusion is a knob assembly arranged outside the rotation path of the knob protrusion that rotates around the shaft member as the knob portion rotates around the shaft member.

10. In paragraph 1, The above knob portion rotates in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, with the rotational axis as the center, The above locking projection includes a first guide surface arranged to face the first rotation direction, A knob assembly in which the knob projection is pressed by contacting the first induction surface as the knob portion rotates, thereby moving the operation button toward the rotation axis by the first induction surface.

11. In paragraph 10, The above base part includes a base hole into which the shaft member is inserted, The above locking protrusion includes a guide member formed such that the width relative to the direction of separation from the limiting protrusion decreases as it extends toward the base hole. The above first induction surface is a knob assembly formed on the above induction member.

12. In paragraph 11, The above locking projection includes a second guide surface arranged to face the second rotational direction, The first induction surface is formed as a slope or curved surface whose distance from the second induction surface decreases as it extends toward the base hole. A knob assembly in which the second induction surface is formed as a sloped surface or curved surface in which the distance from the first induction surface decreases as it extends toward the base hole.

13. In paragraph 10, The above locking projection includes a first guide member formed to protrude toward the first rotation direction, The above first induction surface is a knob assembly formed on the first induction member and has a convex curve toward the first rotation direction.

14. In paragraph 13, The locking projection includes a second guide surface arranged to face the second rotation direction, and a second guide member formed to protrude toward the second rotation direction. The second induction surface is a knob assembly formed on the second induction member and has a convex curve toward the second rotation direction.

15. In paragraph 1, The base portion includes a base hole for inserting the shaft member, and a restoration groove formed in the locking projection. The above locking projection includes an inner surface arranged to face the shaft member inserted into the base hole, The above restoration groove is formed on the inner surface so that a knob projection is inserted between the inner surface and the shaft member inserted into the base hole. The above operation button is a knob assembly that moves to the lock position as the knob protrusion is inserted into the restoration groove.

16. In paragraph 15, A knob assembly in which the restoration groove is formed so that its depth increases as it extends toward the first direction.

17. In paragraph 1, The above base portion includes a base rear surface arranged to face the operation panel, and a positioning protrusion protruding from the base rear surface in the second direction, The above positioning protrusion is a knob assembly inserted into the above operation panel.

18. In paragraph 1, The above base part includes a base body to which the above limiting protrusion is coupled, The above-mentioned limit projection is a knob assembly protruding from the base body in the first direction so that when the knob projection comes into contact with the lock projection while the operation button is positioned in the lock position, the knob assembly is positioned at a position spaced apart from the knob portion.

19. In paragraph 18, The above knob portion is moved by a switching distance toward the second direction to convert the shaft member into a rotatable state, A knob assembly in which the limit projection protrudes from the base body in the first direction so that the maximum movement distance of the shaft member when the knob portion is tilted is shorter than the switching distance when the operation button is positioned in the locking position, and the knob portion protrudes from the base body in the first direction so that the knob portion can move a distance longer than the switching distance or the switching distance when the operation button is positioned in the release position.

20. Cooking unit; A cooking unit coupled to the above cooking body; An operating panel coupled to the above cooking body; and A cooking appliance comprising a knob assembly of any one of claims 1 to 19 coupled to the above control panel.

Images