Description A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

[1] This invention relates to a household appliance comprising knobs to which actuators such as valves or electrical switches are easily connected.

[2] In household appliances, preferably in cooking devices, the knobs controlling the gas actuators (gas valve etc.) or electrical actuators (switches, commutators, regulators, thermostatic switches etc.) providing energy transmission are preferred to be suitable for use in both gas actuators and electrical actuators, however, mounting problems occur when adapting different types of actuators to a certain type of knob. The shaft connected to the actuator and actuated by the knob is forced to bend as the actuator is not coaxial with the knob and as a result the knob may be damaged. When mounting the operational units (2) to the knob (3), to provide necessary coaxial positioning, operational units (2) are supported by the body or the panel (4) and additional parts (P) are used (Figure 2).

[3] In German Patent no. DE 3823813, a description is given of a knob structure utilised in laundry washing machines and dishwashers wherein the arrangement for the avoidance of humidity and dirt.

[4] In Japanese Patent no. JP 6347043, in a cooking device, the rotary encoder actuated by the knob is fixed to a plate mounted on the rear side of the panel.

[5] In United States Patent no. US 6720513, in a household appliance, the knob and the knob shaft is housed in a niche on the front panel and the switching unit or the control unit is fixed to a support plate, where the switching unit or the control unit are positioned on the rear side of the panel to which the knob is connected via the shaft.

[6] The aim of this invention is the realization of a household appliance wherein the actuators behind the control knobs on the panel are easily adapted to the control knobs.

[7] The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the first claim and the other features are explicated in the dependent claims.

[8] In the household appliance which is the object of the present invention, preferably in the cooking device, gas actuators or electrical actuators such as valves or electrical switches which provide energy transmission to gas burners or electric burners are fixed to the rear surface of the switch housing fixed on the panel with the help of the mounting plate fixed to the actuator via bayonet coupling without the need for additional mounting elements and axial deviations are prevented.

[9] Mounting plate is mounted without using screws by fitting it onto the rear surface of the knob casing using its extensions, turning it and pushing it into the coupling means on the knob casing and it is prevented from disengaging by fixing latches

located on the rear surface of the knob casing. [10] The mounting plate can be snap-fitted to the actuator via nails and housings before mounting the actuator to the knob and thus as the mounting plate is attached to the actuator without using screws, the actuator, mounting plate and the knob is assembled without the need for additional connection parts. [11] In the embodiment which is the object of the present invention, both the gas actuators and electrical actuators can be adapted to the same knob via the mounting plate, the need for using different knobs for electrical and gas units is eliminated and thus the costs are reduced. [12] The household appliance realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[13] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a household appliance.

[14] Figure 2 - is the perspective view of an electrical actuator fixed to the knob of the household appliance of the current state-of-the-art. [15] Figure 3 - is the exploded view of a knob.

[16] Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a mounting plate.

[17] Figure 5 - is the perspective view of a knob.

[18] Figure 6 - is the perspective view of a knob, a mounting plate and an electrical actuator. [19] Figure 7 - is the perspective view of a knob and a mounting plate before being attached. [20] Figure 8 - is the perspective view of a knob and a mounting plate after being attached. [21] Figure 9 - is the schematic view of a mounting plate before being fixed to an actuator. [22] Figure 10 - is the perspective view of a knob mounted on a panel and and an actuator. [23] Figure 11 - is the perspective view of a knob and an electrical actuator attached via a mounting plate.

[24] Elements shown in figure are numbered as follows :

[25] 1. Household appliance

[26] 2. Actuator

[27] 3. Knob

[28] 4. Panel

[29] 5. Handle

[30] 6. Frame

[31] 7. Pusher

[32] 8. Coupling

[33] 9. Shaft holder

[34] 10. Spring

[35] 11. Housing ring

[36] 12. Knob casing

[37] 13. Mounting plate

[38] 14. Shaft hole

[39] 15. Fixing hole

[40] 16. Extension

[41] 17. Transmission means

[42] 18. Montage housing

[43] 19. Bayonet coupling

[44] 20. Fixing latch

[45] 21. Insertion surface

[46] The household appliance (1), preferably the cooking device, comprises a gas or an electrical actuator (2) such as a valve or an electrical switch providing energy transmission, one or more knobs (3) moving the actuator (2) shaft and running the actuator (2) and a panel (4) on which the knobs (3) are positioned.

[47] The knob (3) comprises a handle (5) actuated by the user, a frame (6) which is fixed to the panel (4), on which the signs showing the functions and in which the handle (5) moves, a transmission means (17) transmitting the rotational and/or axial motion of the handle (5) and a knob casing (12) fixed to the panel (4) and housing the transmission means (17).

[48] The transmission means (17) comprises a pusher (7) connected to the handle (5), a coupling (8) transmitting the radial movement of the handle (5) connected to the pusher (7) and permitting its radial and axial movements, a shaft holder (9) actuated by the coupling (8) and into which the actuator (2) shaft fits, a spring (10) on which the shaft holder (9) is positioned and a ring housing (11) into which the spring is fitted and which permits the rotational movement.

[49] In the embodiment which is the object of the present invention, the household appliance (1) comprises a mounting plate (13) made of a metal sheet and fixed to the actuator (2), providing the mounting of the actuator (2) to the rear surface of the knob casing (12) via coupling means without the need for additional fixing elements.

[50] The mounting plate (13) comprises a shaft hole (14) through which the actuator (2) shaft passes, one or more fixing holes (15) providing its fixing to the actuator (2) and more than one extensions (16) providing its fixing to the knob casing (12) without the need for additional fixing elements.

[51] The knob (3) comprises a montage housing (18) into which the mounting plate (13) fits and which is located on the rear surface of the knob casing (12), one or more

bayonet coupling (19) into which the extensions (16) of the mounting plate (13) is inserted and one or more fixing latches (20) preventing the mounting plate (13) mounted by being inserted into the bayonet coupling (19) from detaching.

[52] When the handle (5) makes rotational and/or axial motion to activate the actuator

(2), the pusher (7) and the shaft holder (9) moves together with the handle (5) whereas the knob casing (12) fixed to the panel (4) remains stationary.

[53] Gas or electrical actuator (2) is fixed on the rear surface of the knob casing (12) using mounting plate (13), and thus, the knob (3) and the actuator (2) are kept coaxial during the montage and usage.

[54] In order to connect the actuator (2) to the knob (3), first the mounting plate (13) is fixed to the actuator (2) using fixing holes (15). Then, the actuator (2), having the mounting plate (13) fixed to it, is fixed to the rear surface of the knob casing (12) by inserting the extensions (16) into the bayonet coupling (19). Once the actuator (2) is attached to the knob (3) by the mounting plate (13) fixed to it, the fixing latches (20) on the rear surface of the knob casing (12) prevents the actuator (2) from detaching.

[55] In one embodiment of the present invention, mounting plate (13) is snap-fitted to the actuator (2) via protrusions and slots. Thus, the mounting plate (3) is fixed to the actuator (2) without using screws and the actuator (2), the mounting plate (13) and the knob (3) are attached together without the need for additional fixing elements.

[56] In another embodiment of the present invention, the shaft holder (9) into which the actuator (2) shaft fits, has an inclined insertion surface (21) providing the actuator (2) shaft to easily fit during the attachment of the actuator (2) having the mounting plate (13) fixed to it to the rear surface of the knob casing (12).

[57] With the help of the mounting plate (13), actuators (2) having various forms such as gas valves or electrical switches may be connected to the knobs (3) easily without modifying the knob (3) structure.