Appliance Switching Element Pushbutton Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing switching elements for domestic appliances often fail to maintain the pushbutton in a defined angular position during disc rotation, leading to illegibility of inscriptions and poor guidance, and existing solutions are either costly or do not utilize standard elements effectively.
Innovation Solution
The switching element employs two concentric sleeves, with a stationary inner sleeve and a rotatable outer sleeve, featuring groove-like receptions and protrusions along the axis of rotation to prevent pushbutton rotation, ensuring the pushbutton remains stationary while allowing axial movement, and utilizing standard parts for cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pushbutton is arranged in a circular concentrical reception in the adjustment element, then the pushbutton can be pressed axially to switch operations, but the pushbutton rotates together with the disc making inscriptions illegible
Solution Approach 1:
The switching element is divided into two functionally independent parts: the adjustment element (disc) for parameter selection and the pushbutton for activation. The pushbutton is decoupled from rotational movement while maintaining axial pressing function, allowing inscriptions to remain legible while preserving the switching capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A bearing element is introduced as an intermediary between the pushbutton and the adjustment element. This bearing element allows the pushbutton to move axially for switching while preventing rotational movement, thus mediating between the need for operational switching and the need for inscription legibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard elements are used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but guidance precision for disc and pushbutton may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing element serves dual functions: it provides precise guidance for both the disc and pushbutton while simultaneously preventing unwanted rotational movement of the pushbutton. This self-service approach maintains high guidance precision using a single standard element, avoiding the need for complex custom-designed guidance mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a switching element (1) for an appliance, especially fnr a domestic appliance, having in combination an adjustment element (2) for adjusting an operation parameter of the appliance by rotating a disc (3) around an axis (4) of rotation and a switching element (5) for switching an operation parameter of the appliance by pressing a pushbutton (6) in the direction of the axis (4) of rotation. To improve the guidance of the pushbutton and to ensure a fixed angular position of it the invention is characterized in that the pushbutton (6) has a circular perimeter, wherein the pushbutton (6) is arranged in a corresponding circular concentrical reception (7) in the adjustment element (2) and wherein means (8, 9) are provided for preventing a rotational movement of the pushbutton (6) relatively to the switching element (1) around the axis (4) of rotation.