The present invention relates to a household appliance comprising a decorative element that can be easily attached to/detached from the knob. Household appliances, for example cooking devices, dishwashers and in particular washers/dryers, comprise a panel, a control unit and one or more than one knob that enable the functions thereof to be monitored and controlled by the user. The knobs are directly attached to the shafts that are mechanically fastened to the switches on the control unit behind the panel by means of the housings on the panel or by means of an intermediate piece from the front of the panel. As the knobs are moved, the shafts that are connected to the knobs also move and the functions at predetermined positions depending on the user preferences, for example functions like in which program the laundries should be washed, at which rpm the spin-drying should be performed or at which temperature the wash water should be used, are enabled to be selected. The state of the art program knobs are produced in multiple pieces according to developing designs, changing customer perception and demands. Increased number of components and changing component shapes result in the emergence of different solutions for interconnecting these components. These solutions provide ease in molding the components, keeping the assembly tolerances in the most narrow range as well as ease of assembly and disassembly. Moreover, at a program knob changing according to customer demands, decorative elements should be detachable.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP1829071, a household appliance is disclosed, that comprises a knob mounted to the panel.

In the state of the art British Patent Application No. GB2040396, a control knob is disclosed, that is fixed to the shaft in a safe manner.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a household appliance comprising a decorative element that is detachably fixed to the knob. The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises a knob and a decorative element that are disposed one within the other and that lock onto and detach from each other when rotated relative to each other. By means of the present invention, the appearance of the knob is enabled to be easily changed according to the customer demands by mounting the decorative element, that can be easily attached/detached when desired, onto the knob. Moreover, since the decorative element and the knob are fixed to each other in a safe manner, the risk of the detachment of the decorative element and the knob from each other under load is eliminated.

The knob and the decorative element are mounted to each other by being rotating so that their axes overlap by means of a bayonet clutch (for example by turning the decorative element while keeping the knob fixed or turning the knob while keeping the decorative element fixed. During the assembly, the decorative element is placed into the knob and the side walls of the decorative element bear against the base of the knob. In this case, the decorative element and the knob are rotated relative to each other, and the protrusions enter into the recesses disposed oppositely thereto and the decorative element is prevented from moving over the knob in the vertical direction. The lock latch and the claw prevent movement in the radial direction. Thus, the knob and the decorative element are prevented from moving relative to each other in the axial and the radial direction and are fixed by interlocking.

The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the general front view of the panel of a household appliance. Figure 2 - is the exploded cross-sectional view of the panel, the control unit, the intermediate piece, the knob and the decorative element.

Figure 3 - is the bottom view of the knob and the decorative element.

Figure 4 - is the view of cross-section C-C in Figure 3. Figure 5 - is the bottom view of the knob and the decorative element together before being interlocked.

Figure 6 - is the view of cross section C-C in Figure 5.

Figure 7 - is the bottom view of the knob and the decorative element together after being interlocked.

Figure 8 - is the view of cross section C-C in Figure 7.

Figure 9 - is the bottom view of the knob and the decorative element together after being interlocked.

Figure 10 - is the view of cross section C-C in Figure 9. The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Household appliance

2. Panel

3. Control unit

4. Shaft 5. Knob

6. Decorative element

7. First wall

8. Second wall

9. Base 10. Bayonet clutch

11. Recess

12. Barrier

13. Orifice

14. Ceiling 15. Bearing

16. Protrusion

17. Claw

18. Lock latch

19. Second base

20. Body

21. Second bearing

22. Main claw

23. Fixed end

24. Free end

25. Guide

26. Stopper

27. Auxiliary claw

28. Intermediate piece

29. Housing

The household appliance (1) comprises a panel (2) enabling the user to monitor and control the functions of the appliance (1); a control unit (3) disposed behind the panel (2); a shaft (4) that is connected to the control unit (3) and that enables user preferences to be transmitted to the control unit (3); a preferably cylindrical knob (5) that actuates the shaft (4) and that has a base (9) and a first wall (7) surrounding the base (9) all around; an intermediate piece (28) that is disposed between the knob (5) and the shaft (4) and whereon the knob (5) is fixed; a housing (29) that is arranged on the panel (2) and wherein the knob (5) and the intermediate piece (28) are placed, and a decorative element (6) that is placed in a concentric manner with respect to the knob (5) and that has a ceiling (14) and a second wall (8) that surrounds the ceiling (14) all around and that is surrounded by the first wall (7) when mounted on the knob (5). The household appliance (1) of the present invention comprises a bayonet clutch (10) that comprises a claw (17) that is disposed on the base (9) and a lock latch (18) disposed on the ceiling (14) and aligned with the claw (17), the bayonet clutch (10) enabling the decorative element (6) to be attached to/detached from the knob (5) by being rotated (Figure 1, Figure 2).

The knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are concentrically mounted to each other as a male-female connection. The decorative element (6) is placed into the knob (5) and the second wall (8) of the decorative element (6) bears against the base (9) of the knob (5). In this case, the decorative element (6) and the knob (5) are rotated relative to each other and by means of the bayonet clutch (10) disposed on the decorative element (6) and the knob (5), the decorative element (6) is prevented from moving in the overlapping axes of the knob (5) and the decorative element (6) and in the radial direction, thus the knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are mounted to each other. When the knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are desired to be detached from each other, with a force applied from the outside the bayonet clutch (10) is triggered and first the knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are enabled to move relative to each other in the radial direction and then the knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are rotated relative to each other and the decorative element (6) is enabled to be detached from over the knob (5). The decorative element (6) has a configuration suitable for the knob (5), preferably a cylindrical configuration and comprises a bearing (15) that is disposed on the ceiling (14) and that extends from the center of the ceiling (14) towards the base (9).

The bayonet clutch (10) comprises at least one recess (11) arranged on the base, at least one L-shaped barrier (12) covering the recess (11), at least one orifice (13) provides access to the recess (11) under the barrier (12) and at least one protrusion (16) that is disposed at the wall of the bearing (15) and that is seated into the recess (11) when the assembly of the decorative element (6) to the knob (5) is completed. The bayonet clutch (10) furthermore comprises a claw (17) that is disposed on the base (9) and a lock latch (18) that is disposed on the ceiling (14) and that is aligned with the claw (17).

The knob (5) and the decorative element (6) are placed one within the other so that their axes overlap. In this case, the first wall (7) surrounds the second wall (8) all around and the bayonet clutch (10) remains between the base (9) and the ceiling (14). The protrusion (16) is seated on the base (9) and the lock latch (18) bears against the claw (17). When the decorative element (6) and the knob (5) are turned - for less than a full turn - around bearing (15) relative to each other, the lock latch (18) stretches and go over the claw (17). At the same time, the protrusion (16) passed through the orifice (13) and is seated into the recess (11). In this case, the protrusion (16) remains between the recess (11) and the barrier (12) and the lock latch (18) bears against the claw (17). Thus, while the decorative element (6) is prevented from being detached from the knob (5) in the vertical direction by means of the recess (11), the barrier (12) and the protrusion (16) situated therebetween, the decorative element (6) is prevented from rotating in the radial direction relative to the knob (5) by means of the lock latch (18) bearing against the claw (17). Thus, the decorative element (6) and the knob (5) interlock and are fixed to each other. When the decorative element (6) is desired to be detached from the knob (5), a force is applied onto the lock latch (18) from the outside and the lock latch (18) is enabled to go over the claw (17). Thus, the decorative element (6) is enabled to rotate relative to the knob (5). As a result of this rotation, the protrusion (16) is detached from the orifice (13), hence from between the recess (11) and the barrier (12) and gets freed. In this case, since a tensile force is applied onto the decorative element (6), the decorative element (6) is easily detached from the knob (5) (Figure 3 - Figure 10). The household appliance (1) furthermore comprises an intermediate piece (28) comprising a second base (19), a body (20) that extends on the second base (19) and surrounds the shaft (4), a second bearing (21) that is disposed in the body (20) and wherein the shaft (4) enter and is supported, and at least two main claws (22) having a fixed end (23) that is disposed on the body (20), that is fixed to the body (20) and that first passes from the housing (29) while being mounted and a free end (24) that stretches while passing through the housing (29) by getting close to the body (20), that resumes its initial position after passing through the housing (29) and that compresses the panel (2) between itself and the second base (19) by bearing against the panel (2).

The knob (5) is mounted to the household appliance (1) in the following manner. First, the intermediate piece (28) is inserted into the housing (29) from behind the panel (2) and the intermediate piece (28) is moved inside the housing (29) until the second base (19) bears against the rear wall of the panel (2). Meanwhile, the free ends (24) of the main claws (22) stretch and get close towards the body (20). When the main claws (22) go past the housing (29), the free ends (24) this time stretch in the reverse direction and move away from the body (20), resume their initial positions and bear against the front side of the panel (2). In this situation, the panel (2) is squeezed between the main claws (22) and the second base (19) and the intermediate piece (28) is fixed on the panel (2) so as to move only in a radial direction. Afterwards, the shaft (4) is seated in the second bearing (21) and the panel (2) with the intermediate piece (28) thereon is fixed on the household appliance (1). The knob (5) with the decorative element (6) fixed thereon is mounted on the part of the body (20) that passes through the housing (29) to the front side of the panel (2) and the assembly of the knob (5) on the intermediate piece (28), hence on the panel (2) is completed. By means of the intermediate piece (28), the resistance of the knob (5) against exterior forces is increased. The rear set (18) and the main claws (22) increase the resistance of the intermediate piece (28) against the forces that are perpendicular to the surface of the panel (2). In other words, while the second base (19) increases the resistance against the tensile forces that are outwards from the surface of the panel (2), the main claws (22) increase the resistance against the compressive forces that are inwards from the surface of the panel (2). The intermediate piece (28) is preferably a cylindrical component and comprises at least two guides (25) disposed on the inner surface of the second bearing (21), extending along the axis of the second bearing (21), that prevent the intermediate piece (28) to move relative to the shaft (4) and a peripheral stopper (26) that forms the ceiling (14) of the body (20). The second base (19) on the intermediate piece (28) corresponds to the region between the main claws (22) on the body (20) and therefore two second bases (19) are situated between two opposite main claws (22).

The decorative element (6) comprises at least two auxiliary claws (27) with one end fixed onto the bearing (15) surrounding the intermediate piece (28) and the other end free. The auxiliary claws (27) are formed by cutting out the surface of the bearing (15). While the knob (5) with the decorative element (6) fixed thereon is mounted on the intermediate piece (28), the auxiliary claw (27) corresponds to the main claws (22) on the intermediate piece (28). While the knob (5) is being mounted on the intermediate piece (28) fixed on the panel (2), the intermediate piece (28) is moved forward in the bearing (15) and the two auxiliary claws (27) stretch and move on the main claws (22) to bear against the stopper (26) and the knob (5) can no longer move forward. Since the portions of the auxiliary claws (27) fixed on the bearing (15) bear against the main claws (22) on the intermediate piece (28), this prevents the main claws (22) from moving and stretching outwards further. In this case, the assembly of the knob (5) on the intermediate piece (28) and hence on the panel (2) is completed. Forces that are exerted from the outside in the same direction as the axis of the shaft (4) try to separate the main claws (22) from the stopper (26) but the main claws (22) stretch towards each other due to the said force and bear against the stopper (26) in a safer manner. Therefore, the knob (5) is prevented from separating from the panel (2) also as a result of the tensile force exerted on the knob (5).