US 12,411,515 B2
Knob mechanism for gas cooktop
Matheus Ponick, Joinville (BR); and Rodrigo Schultz, Joinville (BR)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/868,064.
Prior Publication US 2024/0028063 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. G05G 5/00 (2006.01); F24C 3/12 (2006.01); G05G 1/02 (2006.01); G05G 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC G05G 5/005 (2013.01) [F24C 3/12 (2013.01); G05G 1/02 (2013.01); G05G 1/10 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A knob assembly for a gas cooktop, comprising:
a knob configured to control a flow of gas from a burner of a cooktop starting at a resting position;
a stem configured to abut the knob in the resting position to prevent actuation of the knob;
a locking mechanism having a locked position preventing translation of the stem and unintentional rotation of the knob and a released position allowing translation of the stem and thus activation of the flow of gas from the burner, the locking mechanism cooperating with a rotatable mechanism, wherein rotation of the rotatable mechanism translates the locking mechanism from the locked position to the released position; and
a button arranged spaced and separate from the knob and attached to a rod extending downward from the button to engage the rotatable mechanism, where the rod rotates the rotatable mechanism to move the locking mechanism to the released position to allow the knob to be depressed in response to actuation of the button and the knob to prevent against unintentional rotation of the knob, where the locking mechanism is moved laterally away from the stem and towards the rod in response to rotation of the rotatable mechanism by the rod.