A locking mechanism for a control device which utilizes rotation motion of a shaft as a means of actuation, such as a potentiometer. The locking mechanism includes a tubular body, an actuation shaft, a plurality of splines, a plurality of spline-receiving cavities, and a push-lock mechanism. The actuation shaft transfers rotation motion from a user to the control device and is slidably and rotatably positioned within the tubular body. The splines are radially distributed about the actuation shaft to interlock with the plurality of spline-receiving cavities. The spline-receiving cavities are radially positioned around the tubular body with each cavity traversing into the tubular body from an inner surface. The push-lock mechanism locks the actuation shaft relative to the tubular body and is mounted offset to a second end of the tubular body. An output coupling end of the actuation shaft is bistably coupled to the push-lock mechanism.

A rotary knob includes: a wall member defining a mating hole in which a rotation shaft including a shaft portion whose outer circumferential surface has a flat surface extending parallel with an axis of the rotation shaft can be fitted; and an elastic piece formed in a strip shape and formed on an inner surface of the wall member so as to extend along an axis of the wall member. The elastic piece is in contact with the flat surface and elastically deformed when the rotation shaft is fitted in the mating hole. The elastic piece includes: opposite side portions fixed to the inner surface of the wall member; and a central portion in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the axis of the wall member. The elastic piece includes a convex surface constituted by the central portion which curves inward in a radial direction of the mating hole.

A rotary knob includes: a wall member defining a mating hole in which a rotation shaft including a shaft portion whose outer circumferential surface has a flat surface extending parallel with an axis of the rotation shaft can be fitted; and an elastic piece formed in a strip shape and formed on an inner surface of the wall member so as to extend along an axis of the wall member. The elastic piece is in contact with the flat surface and elastically deformed when the rotation shaft is fitted in the mating hole. The elastic piece includes: opposite side portions fixed to the inner surface of the wall member; and a central portion in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the axis of the wall member. The elastic piece includes a convex surface constituted by the central portion which curves inward in a radial direction of the mating hole.

A coupling system comprises a receiving component, an opening in the receiving component defined by a receiving wall and a mating component, configured to be placed into the opening in the receiving component and comprising a mating wall. A plurality of spaced receiving protrusions extends radially from one of the receiving wall or the mating wall, and are located serially to define a retaining groove. A locating rib is formed on, and extends about, the other of the receiving wall or the mating wall such that the mating component is pressed into the receiving component until the locating rib contacts the receiving protrusions. As additional insertion force is exerted upon the mating component the receiving protrusions yield in a radial direction, allowing the locating rib to enter the retaining groove for retention of the mating component relative to the receiving component.

Exemplary embodiments are directed to butterfly valves, generally including a body assembly and handle assembly. The body assembly generally includes a body, a disc rotationally disposed inside an opening of the body, a cog, and a stem passing through the disc and the body. The handle assembly generally includes a handle body and a force ring. The stem can be rotationally interlocked relative to the disc and the handle assembly. The cog and the force ring can engage to rotationally secure the disc relative to the body. The handle assembly can include a lever and a grip, the force ring, the lever and the grip being pivotally secured relative to each other. The body can include a male radial protrusion and the body assembly can include a liner with a female radial groove. Methods of assembling and positioning a butterfly valve are also provided.

A cooking appliance may include a panel provided with a through hole; a knob assembly installed at the panel; and a valve disposed inside of the panel. The knob assembly may include a shaft that passes through the through hole, configured to move in an axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position and rotate around a rotational center; a knob disposed outside of the panel, connected to the shaft, and configured to move with the shaft in the axial direction and rotate with the shaft; a frame installed at the panel and configured to support rotation of the shaft; a rotational member connected to the shaft, configured to move and rotate with the, and having a diameter larger than a diameter of the shaft; a first rotation limiting portion provided on the frame at a first circumferential position; a second rotation limiting portion provided to the rotational member at a second circumferential position, engaged with the first rotation limiting portion at the first axial position and interfering therewith in the circumferential direction in a state in which the first circumferential position and the second circumferential position correspond to each other, and disengaged from the first rotation limiting portion at the second axial position and not interfering therewith the circumferential direction; and an elastic member configured to elastically support the shaft.

A knob assembly includes a front panel, a knob located at a front side of the front panel and configured to rotate based on operation by a user, a knob shaft that is coupled to the knob and that extends through the front panel, a supporting pipe that receives the knob shaft and that supports the knob shaft, the supporting pipe being configured to maintain a position relative to the front panel, a valve configured to control supply of gas to the appliance, a valve shaft connected to the valve and configured to control the valve to adjust a flow rate of gas based on rotation of the valve shaft, and a joint that couples the knob shaft to the valve shaft and that is configured to transfer at least one of a rotational motion or a linear motion of the knob shaft to the valve shaft.

A knob assembly includes a front panel, a knob located at a front side of the front panel and configured to rotate based on operation by a user, a knob shaft that is coupled to the knob and that extends through the front panel, a supporting pipe that receives the knob shaft and that supports the knob shaft, the supporting pipe being configured to maintain a position relative to the front panel, a valve configured to control supply of gas to the appliance, a valve shaft connected to the valve and configured to control the valve to adjust a flow rate of gas based on rotation of the valve shaft, and a joint that couples the knob shaft to the valve shaft and that is configured to transfer at least one of a rotational motion or a linear motion of the knob shaft to the valve shaft.

A knob assembly includes a front panel, a knob located at a front side of the front panel and configured to rotate based on operation by a user, a knob shaft that is coupled to the knob and that extends through the front panel, a supporting pipe that receives the knob shaft and that supports the knob shaft, the supporting pipe being configured to maintain a position relative to the front panel, a valve configured to control supply of gas to the appliance, a valve shaft connected to the valve and configured to control the valve to adjust a flow rate of gas based on rotation of the valve shaft, and a joint that couples the knob shaft to the valve shaft and that is configured to transfer at least one of a rotational motion or a linear motion of the knob shaft to the valve shaft.

The apparatus features a rotating collar and a static collar, in which one collar has an adjustment lever. The rotating collar is attached to a rotating portion of a focus knob for a device, which in one example is a night vision device. The static collar is attached to a non-rotating portion of the device immediately adjacent to the focus knob. The movement of the rotating collar and the focus knob that the rotating collar is attached to is constrained by mechanical interference between a static stop, the adjustment lever, and an adjustable stop.