TWM676619U - Adjustable angular position knob device and its angle division unit - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable angular knob device includes a kit defining a through hole and having a plurality of teeth, a shaft passing through the through hole, and an angle-dividing unit. The shaft includes a channel. The angle-dividing unit includes a rollable roller passing through the channel and correspondingly engaged with the corresponding teeth, and a movable assembly of elastic members passing through the channel. The elastic member assembly has a groove formed on one end face and receiving the roller. The elastic member assembly generates a spring force that pushes the roller into engagement with the corresponding teeth. In this way, by limiting the roller through the groove that receives the roller, the roller and the elastic component assembly are kept in a relative positional relationship, thereby improving the smoothness of rotation of the shaft or the assembly and the stability of positioning.

Description

Adjustable angular knob device and its angle division unit

This invention relates to a knob device, and more particularly to an adjustable angular knob device and its angular division unit.

Referring to Figure 1, a known rotating device 1 disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN112680927B includes a rotating member 11, a shaft 12, and a limiting component 13. The rotating member 11 includes a shaft hole 111 and a plurality of limiting grooves 112 formed on its inner circumferential surface. The shaft 12 passes through the shaft hole 111 and includes a limiting hole 121. The limiting component 13 includes a spring 131 passing through the limiting hole 121 and two limiting beads 132 disposed between the limiting hole 121 and the corresponding limiting grooves 112 and located at opposite ends of the spring 131. In this way, under the action of external force and the elastic force of the spring 131, the limiting beads 132 can be moved away from the corresponding limiting groove 112 or engaged in the corresponding limiting groove 112, thereby enabling the rotating member 11 to rotate or remain stationary relative to the shaft 12.

In order for the spring 131 to be smoothly compressed or stretched, and for the limiting beads 132 to move smoothly, both the spring 131 and the limiting beads 132 are designed to be loosely fitted with the limiting hole 121. The spring 131 can easily be stretched open by the limiting beads 132, thus increasing its diameter and preventing the limiting beads 132 from moving. Therefore, misaligned limiting beads 132 or twisted spring 131 can easily cause the rotating member 11 to have no separation angle with the limiting beads 132, or lose its positioning function.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide an adjustable angular knob device and its angular segmentation unit that can improve rotational smoothness and positioning stability.

Therefore, the novel angle-splitting unit is installed between a kit and a shaft. The kit includes an inner annular surface defining a through hole, the inner annular surface having a plurality of teeth, and the shaft passing through the through hole, including a channel extending radially from an outer peripheral surface. One of the shaft and the kit is rotatable relative to the other. The angle-splitting unit includes a rolling element and an elastic element assembly.

The rolling element is rotatably inserted between the channel and the corresponding tooth groove and can be disengaged from engaging with the corresponding tooth groove.

The elastic element assembly is movably inserted into the channel along the radial direction and has a groove formed on one end face that receives the rolling element. The elastic element assembly generates an elastic force that pushes the rolling element into the corresponding tooth groove.

This novel adjustable angular knob device includes a kit, a shaft, and an angle dividing unit as described above.

The kit includes an inner annular surface that encircles an axis and defines a perforation, the inner annular surface having several teeth.

The shaft passes through the through hole and includes a channel extending radially from the outer peripheral surface. One of the shaft and the assembly is rotatable relative to the other.

The angle-splitting unit is inserted between the channel and the corresponding tooth groove.

The advantage of this invention is that by limiting the rolling element through the groove that receives the rolling element, the rolling element and the elastic component assembly maintain a relative positional relationship, thereby improving the smoothness of rotation of the shaft or the assembly and the stability of positioning.

Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 4, a first embodiment of the new adjustable angular knob device includes a kit 2, a shaft 3, and an angle dividing unit 4.

The kit 2 includes an inner annular surface 21 that surrounds an axis X and defines a through hole 20. The inner annular surface 21 has a plurality of equally spaced teeth 211. Every two adjacent teeth 211 define a dividing angle θ. The sum of these dividing angles θ is equal to a circumferential angle. In this embodiment, each of the teeth 211 extends along the axis X and is U-shaped.

The shaft 3 passes through the through hole 20 along the axis X, and includes a channel 31 extending radially Y from the outer peripheral surface. Either the shaft 3 or the assembly 2 is rotatable relative to the other. In this embodiment, the assembly 2 is configured as a fixed member, and the shaft 3 is configured as a rotating member, capable of rotating relative to the assembly 2.

The angle segmentation unit 4 includes a rolling element 41 and an elastic element assembly 42.

Referring to Figures 2, 4, and 5, the rolling element 41 is rollably disposed between the channel 31 and the corresponding tooth 211 and is disengaged from engaging with the corresponding tooth 211. The rolling element 41 defines a first diameter D1. In this embodiment, the rolling element 41 may be a needle roller or a roller. The rolling element 41 is movable relative to the assembly 2 along the radial direction Y between a locked position (as shown in Figure 4) and a disengaged position (as shown in Figure 5). In the locked position, the rolling element 41 engages with the corresponding tooth 211. In the disengaged position, the rolling element 41 disengages from the tooth 211.

The elastic element assembly 42 is inserted into the perforation 20. In this embodiment, the elastic element assembly 42 has a limiting body 421, a column 422, and an elastic body 423.

The limiting body 421 is movable along the radial Y direction and passes through the channel 31. It has a first end face 424 facing the inner annular surface 21, a second end face 425 opposite to the first end face 424, and a groove 426 formed on the first end face 424 to receive the rolling member 41. The shape of the groove 426 matches the rolling member 41 and defines a second diameter D2 that is greater than the first diameter D1.

The column 422 is connected to the second end face 425 of the limiting body 421 and extends along the radial direction Y.

In this embodiment, the elastic body 423 is configured as a spring and sleeved around the periphery of the column 422. The elastic body 423 acts on the second end face 425 of the limiting body 421, generating an elastic force that pushes the rolling element 41 into the corresponding tooth groove 211.

When the user applies force to the shaft 3 and causes it to rotate, the angle-splitting unit 4 rotates together with the shaft 3. At this time, the rolling element 41 is pushed by the inner ring surface 21 and presses against the limiting body 421 along the radial direction Y, causing the limiting body 421 to compress the elastic body 423 and accumulate elastic force. In this way, the rolling element 41 can move from the engaged position to the disengaged position along the radial direction Y during rolling, allowing the shaft 3 to rotate smoothly.

When the user stops applying force, the elastic body 423 releases its elasticity. At this time, the limiting body 421 is pushed by the elastic force along the radial Y direction, pushing the rolling member 41 toward the inner ring surface 21, until the rolling member 41 engages with the corresponding tooth groove 211, so that the shaft 3 and the angle dividing unit 4 stop at the corresponding dividing angle θ.

Importantly, during the movement of the rolling element 41 along the radial Y direction, the retaining body 421 that receives the rolling element 41 not only limits the rolling element 41 but also ensures that the elastic force is evenly distributed on the second end face 425 of the retaining body 421. This maintains the relative positional relationship between the rolling element 41 and the elastic element assembly 42, preventing any misalignment.

It should be noted that each tooth groove 211 is not limited to being U-shaped; in other variations of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, each tooth groove 211 may also be V-shaped. Furthermore, the rolling element 41 is not limited to a needle roller or a column roller; in other variations of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the rolling element 41 may be configured as a ball roller.

Referring to Figures 8 to 11, a second embodiment of the novel adjustable angular knob device also includes the kit 2, the shaft 3, and the angle dividing unit 4. The difference from the first embodiment is:

The elastic component assembly 42 has an integrally molded retainer 421', a column 422', and an elastic body 423' made of rubber material.

The limiting body 421' is also movable along the radial Y direction and passes through the channel 31, and has a first end face 424' facing the inner annular surface 21, a second end face 425' opposite to the first end face 424', and a groove 426' formed on the first end face 424' and receiving the rolling member 41. The shape of the groove 426' matches the rolling member 41 and defines a second diameter D2 that is greater than the first diameter D1.

The limiting body 421' is not limited to being made of rubber material. In other variations of this embodiment, it may also be made of metal material, and the required elasticity is generated by controlling the thickness of the metal material.

The column 422' is spaced apart from the second end face 425' of the limiting body 421', and also extends along the radial direction Y.

The elastic body 423' has a first connecting segment 427' connecting the column 422', a second connecting segment 428' opposite to the first connecting segment 427' and connected to the second end face 425' of the limiting body 421', and a bending segment 429' connecting the first connecting segment 427' and the second connecting segment 428'. In this embodiment, the bending segment 429' generates an elastic force that pushes the rolling member 41 into engagement with the corresponding tooth groove 211.

Therefore, when the user applies force to the shaft 3 and causes the shaft 3 to rotate, the rolling element 41 can also push the limiting body 421' along the radial direction Y, causing the limiting body 421' to compress the elastic body 423' and accumulate elastic force. When the user stops applying force, the elastic body 423' will also release the elastic force, causing the limiting body 421' to push the rolling element 41 along the radial direction Y and move it toward the inner ring surface 21, until the rolling element 41 engages with the corresponding tooth groove 211.

It should be noted that the shaft 3 is not limited to a rotating part, and the kit 2 is not limited to a fixing part. In other variations of this embodiment, the shaft 3 may also be a fixing part and the kit 2 may be a rotating part.

Based on the above explanation, the advantages of the aforementioned embodiments can be summarized as follows:

This new invention can limit the rolling element 41 by receiving the grooves 426 and 426' of the rolling element 41, so that the rolling element 41 and the elastic component assembly 42 maintain a relative positional relationship, thereby improving the smoothness of rotation of the shaft 3 or the assembly 2 and the stability of positioning.

However, the above description is merely an embodiment of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting the scope of its implementation. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent application and the contents of the patent specification shall still fall within the scope of this utility model.

2: Kit 20: Perforation 21: Inner Ring Surface 211: Tooth Groove 3: Shaft 31: Channel 4: Angle Segmentation Unit 41: Rolling Part 42: Elastic Part Assembly 421, 421’: Limiting Body 422, 422’: Column 423, 423’: Elastic Body 424, 424’: First End Face 425, 425’: Second End Face 426, 426’: Groove 427’: First Connecting Segment 428’: Second Connecting Segment 429’: Bending Segment X: Axis θ: Segmentation Angle Y: Radial D1: First Diameter Width D2: Second Diameter Width

Other features and effects of this invention will be clearly shown in the embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a known rotating device disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN112680927B; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the adjustable angular knob device of this invention; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of an angle-dividing unit of the first embodiment; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 2, illustrating a rolling member of the first embodiment in an engaged position; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4, but the rolling member of the first embodiment is in a disengaged position; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4, but the several teeth of the first embodiment are V-shaped. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2, but the rolling element in this first embodiment is configured as a ball; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the novel adjustable angular knob device; Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of an angle division unit in the second embodiment; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Figure 8, illustrating a rolling element in the second embodiment in an engaged position; and Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 10, but the rolling element in the second embodiment is in a disengaged position.

2: Kit

211: Gear Alveolar Gland

3: Shaft

31: Confucian passage

4: Angle Segmentation Unit

41: Rolling parts

421: Limiting Body

422: Column

423: Elastic Body

426: Groove

X: Axis

θ: Dividing angle

Y: Radial

D1: First diameter width

D2: Second diameter width

Claims (10)

An angle-splitting unit is mounted between a kit and a shaft. The kit includes an inner annular surface defining a through-hole, the inner annular surface having a plurality of teeth. The shaft passes through the through-hole and includes a channel extending radially from an outer peripheral surface. One of the shaft and the kit is rotatable relative to the other. The angle-splitting unit comprises: a roller that is rollably disposed between the channel and a corresponding tooth and releasably engaged with a corresponding tooth; and an elastic assembly that is radially movable through the channel and has a groove formed on an end face and receiving the roller. The elastic assembly generates an elastic force that pushes the roller into engagement with the corresponding tooth. The angle segmentation unit as described in claim 1, wherein the rolling element may be a ball, needle, or roller. The angle segmentation unit as described in claim 1, wherein the roller defines a first diameter, the groove is shaped to fit the roller, and defines a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The angle segmentation unit as described in claim 1, wherein the elastic component assembly includes a limiting body and an elastic body, the limiting body having the end face and the groove, the elastic body acting on the other end face of the limiting body opposite to the groove. The angle segmentation unit as described in claim 4, wherein the elastic component assembly further includes a column connected to the limiting body and extending along the radial direction, the elastic body being configured as a spring and sleeved around the periphery of the column. The angle-segmented unit as described in claim 4, wherein the elastic component assembly further includes a column connected to the elastic body and extending radially, the elastic body having a first connecting segment connected to the column, a second connecting segment opposite to the first connecting segment and connected to the limiting body, and a flexural segment connecting the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment. The angle-segmented unit as described in claim 6, wherein the column, the elastic body, and the limiting body are integrally formed. An adjustable angular knob device comprising: a kit including an inner annular surface surrounding an axis and defining a through hole, the inner annular surface having a plurality of teeth; a shaft passing through the through hole, including a channel extending radially from an outer peripheral surface, one of the shaft and the kit being rotatable relative to the other; and an angular dividing unit as described in any one of claims 1-7, passing between the channel and a corresponding tooth. The adjustable angular knob device as described in claim 8, wherein every two adjacent slots define a dividing angle, the sum of which is equal to a circumferential angle, each slot extending along the axis, the angular dividing unit rotating with the shaft and capable of stopping at the corresponding dividing angle. The adjustable angular knob device as described in claim 8, wherein each of the tooth slots is V-shaped or U-shaped.