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.

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 transfer case is disclosed that includes an input shaft, a primary output shaft, a secondary output shaft, a gear reduction mechanism that selectively couples the input shaft to the primary output shaft in a high range and a low range, a secondary torque transfer mechanism that operates to selectively couple the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft to engage a four-wheel drive mode, and an actuation mechanism that operates the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a gear plate with an integral target pattern that is rotatable through a plurality of positions corresponding to states of the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer, as well as a sensor that is adapted and positioned to read the target pattern to in each of the positions of the gear plate.

A controller for sensing deformation including a sensor structure having a deformable conductor and another conductor (which may also be deformable). The deformable conductor may be made out of a flexible non-fluid material (e.g., rubber) or a conductive fluid. The deformable conductor may be deformed by the deformation of the sensor structure or by other forces. The sensor comprises circuitry to drive and sense signals on interacting pairs of conductors (the deformable conductor or the other conductor can act as the drive side, or as the sense side). Sense signals are processed to analyze deformation of the deformable conductor, and deformation of the sensor structure. Where the sensor is deployed proximate to human skin, deformation and changes in deformation may be used to correlate or infer a body position, movement or pose.

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 modular sensing system for determining the relative lineal position between a first object and a second object includes an array of switch units fixed with the first object and an array of magnet units fixed with the second object. Each switch unit contains an electric circuit that includes a switch, a resistor, and conductors arranged to convey electricity from one of a pair of front connectors to one of a pair of rear connectors, and from the other front connector to the other rear connector through either the resistor or the switch when the switch is closed. The switch is normally open but closed when proximate one of the magnet units, each of which houses a magnet. Resistance between a pair of wires of a first switch unit in the array is related to the relative linear position between the arrays of switch units and magnet units.

A transfer case is disclosed that includes an input shaft, a primary output shaft, a secondary output shaft, a gear reduction mechanism that selectively couples the input shaft to the primary output shaft in a high range and a low range, a secondary torque transfer mechanism that operates to selectively couple the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft to engage a four-wheel drive mode, and an actuation mechanism that operates the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a gear plate with an integral target pattern that is rotatable through a plurality of positions corresponding to states of the gear reduction mechanism and the secondary torque transfer, as well as a sensor that is adapted and positioned to read the target pattern to in each of the positions of the gear plate.