The present disclose relates to a cooktop and a knob assembly of the cooktop, and more particularly, a knob assembly and a cooktop including the same that are capable of emitting light around a knob to enhance user recognition of operation of a product.
Cooktops that heat target objects use gas or electricity to heat the target objects. The cooktops can include a knob that rotates around a shaft to adjust an amount of heat applied to a target objector to manipulate the cooktop such as the setting of a cooking mode and the like.
A conventional cooktop includes knobs (or switches) around which light is emitted to improve visibility.
The switch assembly of the conventional cooktop can include a switch 1, a light guide 2, a switch holder 3, a control panel 4, a support bracket 5, and a regulator 6.
The light guide 2 includes a light guide path 2-1 and an LED module 2-2. The LED module 2-2 is disposed at a first end of the light guide path 2-1. Since the LED module 2-2 as a light source is disposed at the first end of the light guide path 2-1, constant brightness of light cannot be ensured. For example, the first end of the light guide path 2-1, at which the LED module 2-2 is disposed, is relatively bright, while a second end on the opposite side of the first end is relatively dark.
The knob assembly in the another conventional cooktop includes a first light guide 7, a second light guide 8, and a bezel main body 9. The second light guide 8 includes a leg 8-1 extended toward a light source, and a guide ring 8-2 forming a diffused light. In the another conventional cooktop, the light source is disposed in an end portion of the leg 8-1. Accordingly, a portion of the guide ring 8-2, which contacts the leg 8-1, is relatively bright, while a portion far from the portion in contact with the leg 8-1 is relatively dark.
The present disclosure is directed to a cooktop and a knob assembly that can enhance recognizing of operations of the cooktop.
Further, the present disclosure is directed to a cooktop and a knob assembly that can emit light uniformly around a knob.
Moreover, the present disclosure is directed to a cooktop and a knob assembly that can improve aesthetic qualities.
According to one aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a cooktop can include a heating part configured to heat a target object, and a manipulating part comprising (i) a control panel and (ii) a knob assembly that is coupled to the control panel and that is configured to control the heating part. The knob assembly can include a knob body that is disposed at a front surface of the control panel and that is configured to rotate with respect to a rotation shaft extended in a front-rear direction, a light diffusing part that is disposed at a rear side of the knob body and that is configured to diffuse light, and a light source part that is disposed at a rear side of the light diffusing part and that includes one or more light sources. The light diffusing part can include a light source corresponding part that is disposed at a position corresponding to one of the one or more light sources. A thickness of the light diffusing part along a first straight line that passes from a center of the light diffusing part through the light source corresponding part can be greater than a thickness of the light diffusing part along a straight line that does not pass through the light source corresponding part.
Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the thickness of the light diffusing part along the first straight line can increase from the center of the light diffusing part toward an outer edge of the light diffusing part.
In some implementations, a thickness of the light diffusing part on a circumference of a first circle can decrease from an intersection point between the first circle and the first straight line toward an outer edge of the light diffusing part. In some implementations, the light diffusing part can include a plate having a thickness that increases from a center of the plate toward an outer edge of the plate along the first straight line, and a ring that surrounds the outer edge of the plate, that protrudes forward from the plate, and that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the knob body.
In some examples, a portion of the knob body can be inserted into a space defined by the plate and the ring. In some implementations, the cooktop can further include a knob ring that is disposed between the light diffusing part and the light source part, that is coupled to a front surface of the control panel, and that defines an exterior of the knob assembly.
In some implementations, the light diffusing part can include one or more first coupling hooks protruding rearward, and the knob ring can include one or more first connecting holes fitted-coupled to the one or more first coupling hooks. In some examples, the knob ring can include a plate having at least one of the one or more first connecting holes, and a ring that surrounds an outer edge of the plate, that protrudes forward from the plate, and that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the light diffusing part.
In some examples, the light diffusing part can be inserted into a space defined by the plate and the ring. In some implementations, the knob ring can include one or more second connecting hooks protruding rearward and to which the light source part is fitted-coupled.
In some implementations, a maximum thickness of the light diffusing part along the first straight line can be 1.5 times thicker than a minimum thickness of the light diffusing part. In some implementations, the light source part can include a plurality of light sources, and a thickness of the light diffusing part along a second straight line that passes from the center of the light diffusing part through an intermediate point between two adjacent light sources of the light diffusing part can be less than a thickness of the light diffusing part along a straight line that does not pass through the intermediate point.
In some examples, the thickness of the light diffusing part along the second straight line can remain constant from the center of the light diffusing part toward an outer edge of the light diffusing part. In some examples, an outermost thickness of the light diffusing part along the first straight line can be 1.5 times greater than a thickness of the light diffusing part along the second straight line.
In some implementations, the plurality of light sources can be spaced at regular intervals.
According to another aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a knob assembly can include a knob body configured to rotate with respect to a rotation shaft extended in a front-rear direction, a light diffusing part that is disposed at a rear side of the knob body and that is configured to diffuse light, and a light source part that is disposed at a rear side of the light diffusing part and that includes one or more light sources. The light diffusing part can include a light source corresponding part that is disposed at a position corresponding to one of the one or more light sources. A thickness of the light diffusing part along a first straight line that passes from a center of the light diffusing part through the light source corresponding part can be greater than a thickness of the light diffusing part along a straight line that does not pass through the light source corresponding part.
Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more following features. For example, the thickness of the light diffusing part along the first straight line can increase from the center of the light diffusing part toward an outer edge of the light diffusing part.
In some implementations, a thickness of the light diffusing part on a circumference of a first circle can decrease from an intersection between the first circle and the first straight line toward an outer edge of the light diffusing part. In some implementations, the light diffusing part can include a plate having a thickness that increases from a center of the plate toward an outer edge of the plate along the first straight line, and a ring that surrounds the outer edge of the plate, that protrudes forward from the plate, and that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the knob body. A portion of the knob body can be inserted into a space defined by the plate and the ring.
In some implementations, the knob assembly can further include a knob ring that is disposed between the light diffusing part and the light source part and that defines an exterior of the knob assembly. The light diffusing part and the knob ring can be fitted-coupled.
A cooktop and a knob assembly of the cooktop can include a light diffusing part capable of efficiently diffusing light, irradiated from a light source part, around a knob, thereby enhancing recognizing operations of the cooktop and ensuring improvement in user convenience.
Light irradiated to the light diffusing part can be diffused further toward a relatively thick portion of the light diffusing part. In the knob assembly and the cooktop provided with the same, since a thickness of the light diffusing part can increase toward an outer edge thereof, the light irradiated to the light diffusing part can be efficiently diffused to the outer edge of the light diffusing part. Thus, a brighter light can be emitted in an outer edge area of the light diffusing part, and uniform brightness can be ensured entirely in the outer edge area of the light diffusing part, thereby improving aesthetic qualities and enabling a user to recognize operations of the cooktop more conveniently.
Additionally, damage caused by a twist of the light source part can be limited, and the light source part can be readily assembled and replaced.
Components for manipulating operations of the cooktop can be disposed at the manipulating part 10. For example, a knob assembly 100 can be disposed at the manipulating part 10, and the knob assembly 100 can rotate around a rotation shaft that extends in a front-rear direction to adjust a thermal power generated by each part (e.g., the cooktop part 20, the oven part 30 and the drawer 40) of the cooktop or to set an operation mode of each part of the cooktop. The knob assembly 100 can be fixed to a control panel 11 of the manipulating part 10.
The cooktop part 20 can be disposed at an upper portion of the cooktop. The cooktop part 20 can include at least one of cooktop burners 21. The cooktop burner 21 can heat a vessel containing a target object or directly heat a target object to cook the target object using a flame that is produced by burning gases.
The oven part 30 can be disposed in a central portion of the cooktop. The oven part 30 can include a main body forming a cooking space in which a food item is cooked, and a burner assembly for cooking a target object accommodated in the cooking space. Additionally, the oven part 30 can include a door for opening and closing the cooking space.
The drawer 40 can slide into the cooktop or can be withdrawn from the cooktop and can keep a vessel containing a target object and the like at a predetermined temperature.
In
Hereinafter, the front denotes a front-surface direction of the cooktop, and the rear denotes a rear-surface direction of the coking appliance.
The knob assembly 100 can include a knob body 110, a light diffusing part 120, a knob ring 130, a light source part 140, and an adjusting part 150, and the adjusting part 150 can include an ignition switch 151 and a valve 152.
The knob body 110 can define an exterior of a front surface of the knob assembly 100. The knob body 110 can be formed into a single component based on integration, or can be comprised of a plurality of components based on coupling. The knob body 110 can rotate around a rotation shaft ax that extends in the front-rear direction. For example, the knob body 110 can be rotatably coupled to the light diffusing part 120, the knob ring 130, the light source part 140, and the adjusting part 150.
The light diffusing part 120 can be disposed between the knob body 110 and the light source part 140. The light diffusing part 120 can be entirely short and formed into a cylinder having a front surface that is completely open. The light diffusing part 120 can emit light around the knob body 110. Additionally, the light diffusing part 120 can be fixed to an inside of the knob ring 130 and protect the light source part 140.
The light diffusing part 120 may be made of a material capable of diffusing light, irradiated from the light source part 140, therein. For example, the light diffusing part 120 may be made of an opaque plastic material. Accordingly, uniformity in brightness of light emitted around the knob body 110 can be improved.
Further, a position of the light diffusing part 120, which corresponds to a position of the light source of the light source part 140, can be thicker than another position of the light diffusing part 120. Thus, the uniformity in the brightness of the light emitted around the knob body 110 can be improved, and the brightness of the light can increase.
The knob ring 130 can be disposed at a rear side of the light diffusing part 120. For example, the knob ring 130 can be disposed between the light diffusing part 120 and the light source part 140. The knob ring 130 can be short entirely and formed into a cylinder having a front surface that is completely open. Additionally, the knob ring 130 can fix the light source part 140. Further, the knob ring 130 can be disposed at a front surface of the control panel 11 and form the exterior of the knob assembly 100.
The knob ring 130 may be made of an opaque material. A surface of the knob ring 130 can be plated and/or coated and fix the light source part 140.
The light diffusing part 120 and the knob ring 130 can be fixed to the control panel 11 in a state of being coupled to each other.
The light source part 140 can be disposed at the rear side of the light diffusing part 120. The light source part 140 can include at least one of light sources 141 configured to irradiate light to a rear surface of the light diffusing part 120. The light source 141 may be a light-emitting diode. When a plurality of light sources 141 is provided, the plurality of light sources 141 can be spaced at regular intervals.
The light source part 140 can be fixed to the knob ring 130 disposed at the rear of the light diffusing part 120. For example, the light diffusing part 120 can be fixed to an inside of the front surface of the knob ring 130, and the light source part 140 can be fixed to a rear surface of the knob ring 130.
The adjusting part 150 can adjust thermal power output from the cooktop, or adjust operation of the cooktop such as a mode of the cooktop and the like, based on the rotation of the knob body 110. When the cooktop uses gas as a heat source, the adjusting part 150 can include an ignition switch 151 or a valve 152.
The ignition switch 151 can receive torque of the knob body 110. An on/off state of the ignition switch 151 can change based on a rotation angle of the knob body 110. The ignition switch 151 can be turned on and produce a spark on a fire mouth of a burner (21 in
The valve 152 can receive torque from the knob body 110. An opening degree of the valve 152 can be determined based on a rotation degree of the knob body 110. In some implementations, the valve 152 can receive torque from the knob body 110 only when the knob body 110 rotates in a state of being pressed.
The ignition switch 151 and the valve 152 can receive torque of the knob body 110 through a valve shaft.
The control panel 11 can be disposed at a rear side of the knob ring 130. As described above, the light diffusing part 120 and the knob ring 130 can be fixed to the control panel 11 in the state of being coupled to each other. The control panel 11 can be a portion (e.g., a front surface of the cooktop part 10 in
The knob 111 can form the exterior of the front surface of the knob assembly 100. The knob 111 can include a cylindrical body and a handle protruding forward from the body.
The insert 112 can be inserted into a rear surface of the knob 111. The insert 112 can improve rigidity of the knob 111 and limit deformation of the knob 111. The insert 112 may have a shape of doughnut.
The screw bolts 113-1 and 113-2 can fix the insert 112 and the knob 111.
The spring 114 can be disposed inside the knob body 110, and can connect between the knob 111 and the valve shaft.
The light diffusing part 120 can include a first plate 121 formed into a flat plate, and a first ring 122 surrounding an outer edge of the first plate 121 and protruding forward from the first plate 121. For example, the light diffusing part 120 can have a cylindrical shape entirely as a result of coupling between the first plate 121 and the first ring 122. The first ring 122 can have a diameter greater than a diameter of the knob body (110 in
In
An average thickness of the first plate 121 on straight lines (L1, L2 and L3 in
In the case of a first plate 121 made of a material capable of diffusing light, when light is irradiated to any one point of the first plate 121, the light tends to be diffused to a direction in which a thickness of the first plate 121 increases rather than a direction in which the thickness of the first plate 121 decreases. In some implementations, the first plate 121 can have a thickness that increases from the center O of the first plate 121 toward the outer edge thereof. Specifically, the thickness of the first plate 121 can increase from the center O of the first plate 121 toward the outer edge thereof on the straight lines L1, L2, L3, and light can be irradiated to one point of the straight lines L1, L2, L3. Accordingly, the light irradiated to the first plate 121 can be smoothly diffused in a direction of the outer edge of the first plate 121, and the light irradiated to the first plate 121 can be efficiently diffused toward an outer edge area of the first plate 121. The light diffused to the outer edge area of the first plate 121 can be diffused to an edge of the front surface of the first ring 122 and as a result, can become brighter on the front surface of the first ring 122. Further, the light diffused through the first plate 121 and the first ring 122 can be seen on the front surface of the knob assembly 100. Thus, uniformity in brightness of the light can be ensured on the front surface of the first ring 122.
On straight lines (L4, L5, and L6 in
The first plate 121 can have a first plate hole 125, thereon. In some implementations, the valve shaft can extend in the front-rear direction through the first plate hole 125, and torque of the knob body (110 in
Referring to
The term “fitted-coupled” may refer that the light diffusing part 120 and the knob ring 130 are jointed by the first coupling hooks 124-1 to 124-4 being inserted into the first connecting holes 134-1 to 134-4 with a certain force so that the first coupling hooks 124-1 to 124-4 are caught in the first connecting holes 134-1 to 134-4.
In
Referring to
In some implementations, the thickness of the light diffusing part 120 on the straight line (i.e., L4, L5 and L6 in
In some implementations, on the straight line (L1, L2, and L3 in
In some implementations, on straight lines except for the straight lines (L4, L5, and L6 in
In some implementations, the thickness of the light diffusing part 120 (specifically, the first plate 121) can remain constant on the straight lines (L4, L5, and L6 in
Under the assumption that the thickness of the light diffusing part 120 (specifically, the first plate 121) is t, at a position (exactly, intermediate positions among a plurality of light sources) of the light diffusing part 120, where the light source 141 is not disposed, a maximum thickness of the light diffusing part 120 (specifically, the first plate 121) can be about 1.4 t to 1.6 t, preferably, 1.5 t, on the straight line connecting the light source corresponding part (a point of the light diffusing part 120, corresponding to LP; 123-1 in
Referring to
For example, on the circumference of the virtual circle (e.g., L7 in
For example, in the light diffusing part 120 of the knob assembly 100, the thickness of the portion in which the light source is disposed, and the thickness on the straight lines (L1, L2 and L3 in
Referring to
Referring to
The light diffusing part 120 can be inserted into and fixed to the knob ring 130, i.e., a space formed by the second plate 131 and the second ring 132. For example, first coupling holes 134-1, 134-2, 134-3, and 134-4 can be formed on the second plate 131 of the knob ring 130. The first coupling hooks 124-1, 124-2, 124-3, and 124-4 formed at the light diffusing part 120 can be fitted-coupled respectively to the first coupling holes 134-1, 134-2, 134-3, and 134-4.
As illustrated in
Additionally, the light source (141 in
A through hole 135 can be formed in a central portion of the second plate 131. The valve shaft of the valve 152 can pass through the through hole 135.
Referring to
Since the light source part 140 is directly coupled to the knob ring 130 without being coupled to the control panel 11 or the adjusting part 150, a twist of the light source part 140 can be limited even when the knob body 110 rotates, and the light source part 140 can be readily assembled and replaced.
Further, a plurality of coupling holes 136 can be formed on the second pate 131 of the knob ring 130. The knob ring 130 can be coupled to the control panel (11 in
The knob body 110-1, the light diffusing part 120-1, the knob ring 130-1, and the light source part 140-1 can be respectively the same as the knob body 110, the light diffusing part 120, the knob ring 130, and the light source part 140 that are described with reference to
For example, the knob assembly 100-1 in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2020-0109648 | Aug 2020 | KR | national |
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/460,642, filed on Aug. 30, 2021, which claims the benefit of the earlier filing date and the right of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0109648, filed on Aug. 28, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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Notice of Allowance in Chinese Appln. No. 202111003198.5, dated Apr. 27, 2023, 20 pages (with English translation). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20230160569 A1 | May 2023 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17460642 | Aug 2021 | US |
Child | 18156698 | US |