Whirlpool Corporation

Thomas Prowald

Martin Fickert

Edgar Spiegel

The invention concerns an electric switch with an activation element that is inserted and retained with limited axial adjustability in a pot-shaped receptacle formed on a control/display screen and that can be connected to a control component of a switch part. The invention provides that two snap springs are separated on the perimeter of the activation element that protrude over the peripheral contour of the activation element with snap flanges, that the snap springs can be snapped into snap notches of the pot-shaped receptacle and have limited axial adjustability, that the receptacle provides a receiving cavity for the switch part, which is introducible perpendicular to axial direction and localizable in the receptacle, and that when inserting the switch part into the receiving cavity, the control component of the switch part is introducible with a catch into a catch receptacle of the activation element and subsequently connectable with the activation element.

Electric switch insertable into a control/display screen

The invention relates to a snap-in locking device for a multistage rotary switch with a switch spindle that is connectable with a rotary knob. The switch spindle is connected with an axle part that is snapped into an inner receptacle of a built-in switch panel part. The axle part rests on the switch panel part and is lock-in adjustable between snap-in receptacles with cams that are each limited by two radially-aligned connector links. The snap-in receptacles cover the entire circumference of the inner receptacle of the switch panel part. The axle part can be set into rotary motion with the switch spindle by a rotary knob, which is attachable to the switch spindle, and that modifiable limit stops define the number of switch positions, then a snap-in locking device for a operating unit is created with simple and cost-effective production and assembly parts that is coupleable with other components of the operating unit and can be equipped with an over-rotation safeguard.

Growing community of inventors

Munich, Georgia

Thomas Prowald