Control knob

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control knob on a front panel or a control unit of a household appliance, such as an oven, dishwasher, washing machine, or similar. An assembly of an internal button (1) and a rodlike light guide (6) is, on the side of a flange (5), enclosed by a cover (10), wherein protrusions (8a, 8b) of the internal button (1) fit corresponding recesses (10a, 10b) in the cover (10). The control knob is, from the side of the cover (10), finished with an external button (12), which is formed in the shape of a ring, wherein the external button (12) is, on the side facing away from the household appliance, surface-aligned with the cover (10).

Description

CONTROL KNOB

[0001] The present invention relates to a control knob on a front panel or a control unit of a household appliance, such as an oven, dishwasher, washing machine, or similar.

[0002] The control knob on the front panel or control unit of the household appliance generally comprises an axially movable internal button and, coaxially arranged with the latter, a rotating external button, which at least partly surrounds the internal button. The internal button, which comprises at least one light guide, is enclosed by a cover, which is adhesion-connected to the internal button. When installing the said cover on the internal button, deviations in coaxiality between the cover and the internal button may occur, which results in friction between the cover and the external button that partly surrounds the internal button.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to create a control knob on the front panel or the control unit of a household appliance, which would remedy the shortcomings of known solutions.

[0004] The object according to the present invention is accomplished by the characteristics set forth in the characterising portion of claim 1. Details of the invention are disclosed in the corresponding sub-claims.

[0005] Specific embodiment of the invention will now be further described, by way of a non-limiting embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a control knob on a front panel,Fig. 2 shows a partly exploded three-dimensional view of the control knob facing away from the front panel,Fig. 3 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the control knob facing toward the front panel,Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the control knob.

[0006] A control knob according to the invention comprises an internal button 1, which is inserted into a casing 2, preferably a cylindrical casing 2, which is removable, for instance in a snap-locking manner, attached to a front panel or a control unit 3 of a household appliance. The said internal button 1 is elastically movable in an axial direction of the control knob toward the front panel or toward the control unit 3 and comprises a hollow stem 4, which, with its first, free end, reaches into the area of the front panel or the control unit 3, while the second end of the hollow stem 4 is, on the side facing away from the front panel or the control unit 3, formed with a flange 5 extending radially.

[0007] Inside the said hollow stem 4, a rodlike light guide 6 is arranged, which is, in the area of the said flange 5, joined to the internal button 1 in a form-locking or force-locking manner. The said elastic movability of the internal button 1 is achieved by means of a resilient means 7, which surrounds the rodlike light guide 6 and, on one side, cooperates with the front panel or the control unit 3, while, on the other side, it cooperates with either the rodlike light guide 6 or the flange 5.

[0008] The said rodlike light guide 6 is, on its end, which cooperates in a form-locking or force-locking manner with the internal button 1, optionally formed with a bulge 6a, for example a logo, control symbol, or similar. The rodlike light guide 6 receives light from at least one light source, arranged either along the light guide 6 or in the area of the free end of the rodlike light guide 6 on the front panel or the control unit 3.

[0009] Furthermore, the said flange 5 is formed with at least one, preferably at least two protrusions 8a, 8b, which are arranged so as to face each other, but at different radial spacings from the longitudinal axis of the control knob. Thus, for example, the first, external protrusion 8a is arranged near an external rim of the flange 5, while the second, internal protrusion 8b is arranged near an internal rim of the flange 5.

[0010] Furthermore, the said flange 5 is, near its external rim, in the interstice between thesaid external protrusion 8a and the extreme radial measurement of the flange 5, formed with a ringlike light guide 9. The said ringlike light guide 9 is an integral part of the internal button1, wherein the capability of light transmission along the ringlike light guide 9 is achieved by means of a commonly known method of coupling two different materials, i.e. the material of the internal button 1, which does not transmit light, and the material of the ringlike light guide 9, which transmits light.

[0011] The assembly of the internal button 1 and the rodlike light guide 6 is, on the side of the flange 5, enclosed by a cover 10, wherein the said protrusions 8a, 8b fit corresponding recesses 10a, 10b, which are formed on the side of the cover 10 facing the flange 5. The connection between the flange 5 and the cover 10 is, for example, formed by means of an intermediate layer 11 of the adhesive and / or by means of a form-locking and / or force-locking connection between each protrusion 8a, 8b and the corresponding recess 10a, 10b.

[0012] Whenever the rodlike light guide 6 is, on its end that cooperates in the form-locking and / or force-locking manner with the internal button 1, formed with the bulge 6a, for example a logo, control symbol, and similar, the said cover 10 comprises a suitable cut-out 10c, which at least partly fits the contour of the said bulge 6a. The said bulge 6a is, on the side facing the user or on the side facing away from the household appliance, surface-aligned with the cover 10.

[0013] A completely assembled control knob is, from the side of the cover 10, finished with an external button 12, which is formed in the shape of a ring. The external button 12 is, in a form-locking or force-locking manner, connected to the radially expanded end of the casing2, which lies in the area directly below the said flange 5.

[0014] In a completely assembled control knob, the external button 12 is, on the side facing the user or on the side facing away from the household appliance, surface-aligned with the cover 10. Between the cover 10 and the external button 12, a radial spacing is provided, which allows for the rotation of the external button 12 and the passage of light from the light guide 9 in the direction toward the user.

[0015] Furthermore, it is provided that the said flange 5 is, in the area between its external rim and the rodlike light guide 9, formed with a set of spacer ribs 13. The said set of spacer ribs 13, which is preferably evenly arranged in the rim-facing direction of the flange 5, is provided for an additional coaxial alignment of the cover 10 with the external button 12 or to ensure an even radial spacing between the cover 10 and the external button 12. This prevents any potential friction between the cover 10 and the external button 12 during the rotation of the latter, and consequently also any sound that might potentially disturb the user.

[0016] The said external button 12 is provided as a selection button for controlling the household appliance, while the internal button 1 is provided as a confirmation button for confirming the selection made with the external button 12. Furthermore, it is provided that both the internal button 1 as well as the external button 12 are made from a plastic material, metal, or similar.

Claims

Claims1. A control knob on a front panel or a control unit of a household appliance, for example an oven, dishwasher, and similar, comprising an axially movable internal button and, arranged coaxially with the latter, a rotating external button, which at least partly surrounds the internal button, wherein the internal button, which comprises at least one light guide, is enclosed by a cover, which is connected to the internal button, characterised in that an internal button (1), which is elastically movable in the axial direction of the control knob, comprises a hollow stem (4), which with its first, free end extends into the area of a front panel or a control unit (3), while the other end of the hollow stem (4) is, on the side facing away from the front panel or the control unit (3) formed with a radially extending flange (5), wherein arranged inside the interior of the said hollow stem (4) is a rodlike light guide (6), which is, in the area of the said flange (5), joined in a formlocking or force-locking manner with the internal button (1), and the said flange (5) is formed with at least one, preferably at least two protrusions (8a, 8b), which are arranged so as to face each other, but at different radial spacings from the longitudinal axis of the control knob, and the said flange (5) is, in the area of its external rim, in the gap between the external protrusion (8a) and the extreme radial measurement of the flange (5), formed with a ringlike light guide (9), wherein the assembly of the internal button (1) and the rodlike light guide (6) on the side of the flange (5) is enclosed by a cover (10), wherein the side of the cover (10) facing the flange (5) is formed with at least one, preferably at least two recesses (10a, 10b) that fit the said protrusions (8a, 8b), and wherein the control knob is, from the side of the cover (10) finished with an external button (12), which is formed in the shape of a ring.

2. The control knob according to claim 1, characterised in that the said elastic movability of the internal button (1) is obtained by resilient means(7), which surrounds the rodlike light guide (6) and, on one side, cooperates with the front panel or the control unit (3), while, on the other side, it cooperates with either the rodlike light guide (6) or the flange (5).

3. The control knob according to claim 1, characterised in that the connection between the flange (5) and the cover (10) is formed by means of an intermediate adhesive layer (11) and / or by means of a form-locking or force-locking connection between each protrusion (8a, 8b) and corresponding recess (10a, 10b).

4. The control knob according to one of claims 1 through 3, characterised in that the said rodlike light guide (6) is, on its free end, which cooperates in a form-locking or forcelocking manner with the internal button (1), formed with a bulge (6a).

5. The control knob according to one of claims 1 through 4, characterised in that the bulge (6a) is a logo, control symbol, or similar.

6. The control knob according to one of claims 1 through 5, characterised in that the said cover (10) comprises a cut-out (10c), which at least partly fits the contour of the said bulge (6a), wherein the bulge (6a) is surface-aligned with the cover (10).

7. The control knob according to claim 1, characterised in that the external button (12) is, in a form-locking or force-locking manner, connected to the radially expanded end of a casing (2), which lies in the area directly below the said flange (5).

8. The control knob according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the external button (12) is, on the side facing away from the household appliance, surface- aligned with the cover (10).

9. The control knob according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that between the cover (10) and the external button (12), a radial spacing is provided, which allows for the rotation of the external button (12) and the passage of light from the light guide (9) in the direction toward the user.

10. The control knob according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said ringlike light guide (9) is an integral part of the internal button (1), wherein the capability of light transmission along the ringlike light guide (9) is achieved by means ofa method of bonding two different materials.

11. The control knob according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said external button (12) is provided as a selection button for controlling the household appliance, while the internal button (1) is provided as a confirmation button for confirming the selection made with the external button (12).

12. The control knob according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that both the internal button (1) and the external button (12) are made from metal, for example from aluminium or similar.

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