Appliance selector switch programmed by console cutout
View Patent ↗A console switch assembly for appliances provides a rotatable electronic switch having a rotational range constrained by a cutout in the control panel to which the switch is mounted. The cutout most simply may be a sector of a circle having a different angular range which constrains a projecting tooth on the shaft of the switch or knob attached to the shaft of the switch.
1. An appliance control console comprising:
a console panel presenting a face to a user of the appliance and having a cutout including a shaft aperture and a rotational limit cutout; and
a control having a shaft rotatable to provide a predetermined number of electrically detectable rotational control positions supporting a stop rotationally interfering with the rotational limit cutout when the control is mounted on the console with the shaft passing through the shaft aperture;
whereby rotation of the shaft of the control is limited to less than all the rotational control positions.
2. The appliance control of claim 1 wherein the stop is a tooth formed on the shaft extending radially therefrom.
3. The appliance control of claim 1 wherein the stop is a tooth formed on a knob affixable to the shaft of the tooth extending axially from a rear side of the knob.
4. The appliance control of claim 1 wherein the rotational limit cut out is substantially a circular sector.
5. The appliance control of claim 1 wherein the console is a metal sheet providing a portion of a housing for the appliance.
6. The appliance control of claim 1 wherein the console further includes a second cutout including a shaft aperture and a rotational limit cutout;
further including a second identical control therein including a shaft rotatable to provide a predetermined number of electrically detectable rotation control positions supporting a stop rotationally interfering with the rotational limit cutout when the control is mounted on the console with the shaft passing through the shaft aperture; and
whereby the identical control of the second cutout allows different rotational ranges than that of the first cutout.
7. The appliance console of claim 6 wherein the stop is a tooth formed in the shaft extending radially therefrom.
8. The appliance console of claim 6 wherein the stop is a tooth formed on a knob affixable to the shaft the tooth extending axially from a rear side of the knob.
9. The appliance console of claim 6 wherein the rotational limit cut out is substantially a circular sector.
10. The appliance console of claim 6 wherein the console panel is a metal sheet providing a portion of a housing for the appliance.
11. A method of manufacturing multiple appliance models having different numbers of switch-selectable features comprising the steps of:
(a) providing on each appliance model a console having a face presented to a user of the appliance;
(b) making cutouts in the console face including a shaft aperture and a rotational limit cutout, the rotational limit cutout having a rotational extent determined by the different numbers of switch selectable features for the appliance the rotational extent differing among different appliance models;
(c) affixing a standard control identical among each of the appliance models at each cutout having a shaft rotatable to provide a predetermined number of electrically detectable rotational control positions supporting a stop interfering with the rotational limit cutout when the control is mounted on the console with the shaft passing through the shaft aperture;
whereby a standard control can provide different numbers of rotational control positions as determined by the console to which it is attached.
12. The method of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the stop is a tooth formed on the shaft extending radially therefrom.
13. The method of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the stop is a tooth formed on a knob affixable to the shaft of the tooth extending axially from a rear side of the knob.
14. The method of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the rotational limit cut out is substantially a circular sector.
15. The method of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the console is a metal sheet providing a portion of a housing for the appliance.
16. The method of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the standard control provides a predetermined number of electrically detectable rotational control positions over an angular range greater than that provided by the rotational limit cutout.