GB2312789A

GB2312789A - Energy regulators

Info

Publication number: GB2312789A
Application number: GB9708856A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Crawshaw Taylor; Ian Gary Price
Original assignee: Strix Ltd
Current assignee: Strix Ltd
Priority date: 1996-05-02
Filing date: 1997-04-30
Publication date: 1997-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-30
Also published as: DE19718707A1; GB9708856D0; GB2312789B; GB9609169D0

Abstract

An arrangement for mounting an energy regulator 1, eg for an electric cooker, to a panel 8 comprises a plurality of mounting members 4 for sliding engagement with mounting slots 10, the mounting members 4 having means, eg enlarged heads 4a, to prevent the energy regulator being moved away from the panel 8 when the mounting members 4 are engaged in the slots 10 and locking means 10a,22 for locking the energy regulator into position on the panel 8. Biasing means 24 are provided for biasing the mounting members 4 against the slots 10 to take up play between the energy regulator and the panel 8. The mounting members 4 are provided on one of the energy regulator and the panel 8 and the mounting slots 10 are provided in the other. The locking and biasing means may be provided on the energy regulator or on a separate locking member 20 fitted between the panel 8 and the energy regulator.

Description

Energy Regulators This invention relates to energy regulators for controlling the heating means of electric cookers.

In electric cookers, energy regulators are typically mounted behind a fascia panel of the cooker by screws, for example machined screws passing through the fascia into brass tapped studs which during manufacture of the energy regulator have been heat welded into holes which are formed in the body of the energy regulator during production. Whilst being simple and reliable, this method of attaching the energy regulators is time consuming and expensive. It is also known to snap-fit rocker switches into engagement with mounting openings in a fascia panel. A problem with these arrangements being applied to an energy regulator, however is that the mounting tangs must be relatively resilient to allow snap-fitting, which means that they may not be strong enough to resist forces applied to the regulator by the traditionally large regulator knob during use. The invention seeks to provide an energy regulator which can be mounted to a fascia panel or the like without the need for screws or the like, but will afford a robust mounting.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a panel or the like, an energy regulator comprising a plurality of mounting members protruding from its body for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved in a direction away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, locking means for locking said switch unit in position on said panel and means arranged between the energy regulator and the panel for biasing the mounting members against the slots.

Thus the invention provides a simple and secure way of attaching an energy regulator for controlling the current to an electric heating means of an electric cooker, to a fascia panel. The mounting means may be made sufficiently robust to withstand forces applied to the regulator during use, and do not have to be flexible if the locking means for locking the switch unit in position are provided separately from them.

The locking means and biasing means may be provided on a separate locking member adapted to be fitted between the panel and the energy regulator, e.g. on a shim but in a preferred embodiment these means are provided on the regulator itself. This offers a simple and self-contained arrangement whereby the regulator may be attached to a fascia panel without the need for additional fixing components such as screws. Such an energy regulator is novel in itself and thus, from a second aspect, the invention provides an energy regulator for mounting to a panel or the like, comprising a plurality of mounting members protruding from its body for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved in a direction away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, and further comprising locking means for locking said regulator in position on said panel and means arranged between the energy regulator and the panel for biasing the mounting members against the slots.

According to a preferred feature of the embodiment above, the locking means comprises a locking member which extends from the surface of the switch unit body and is resiliently urged into a corresponding aperture or recess in the panel to lock the switch unit against further sliding movement in the slots.

Preferably, the mounting members have enlarged heads, to prevent their removal from the mounting slots, and most preferably the mounting members are substantially in the shape of an inverted 'L' each having a head portion which passes through a widened entry portion of a corresponding slot in the fascia panel and a leg portion which can then slide into a narrower slide portion of the slot to grip the fascia panel between the head portion and the switch unit body.

Preferably, mounting members extend from two opposite sides of the switch unit body, and most preferably the arrangement of the mounting members is such as to prevent the switch unit from being mounted in an incorrect orientation.

Preferably the mounting members are provided on a lid of the switch unit, which is most preferably made of moulded plastics. Most preferably, the mounting members are integrally moulded with the lid.

A separate locking aperture or recess may be provided in the fascia panel. Alternatively, the locking means may be arranged such that it will engage with a locking portion of the mounting slot when the switch unit is mounted to the panel. In such an arrangement, the locking member may be sized to fill the locking portion of the slot. The widened entry portions of the slots can conveniently act as locking portions.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means arranged between the regulator and the panel provided to ensure a tight fit of the switch unit to the panel by accommodating varying thicknesses in the panel and ensuring that the mounting members are properly biased into engagement with the mounting slots. If separate locking means are provided, as mentioned earlier, the biasing means may be provided integrally with said locking member, e.g. as resilient tongues which act on the rear of the panel. Alternatively, however, the means could be comprised by cam surfaces provided on the heads of the mounting members, especially where no separate locking means is provided Preferably however, the biasing means are resilient biasing means.

Most preferably, the biasing means are provided on the lid of the energy regulator, and most preferably, for ease of manufacture, the means are integrally moulded on the lid. In the presently preferred embodiment the biasing means comprise one or more resilient tongues formed on the lid, which in use are resiliently biased against the back of the panel.

Preferably, the tongue extends generally parallel to the plane of the regulator lid, with a protrusion at its distal end for engaging the panel and thereby deflecting the tongue. The protrusion is preferably rounded and most preferably generally semi-spherical.

Whilst the biasing tongue could be formed integrally in the plane of lid with only its distal protrusion extending above the plane of the lid, preferably the tongue is integrally moulded so as to lie above the plane of the lid. Such an arrangement has the advantage that more robust mould tooling may be used than if the tongue is formed as a cut-out to the lid since the latter would require a protrusion in the tool corresponding in width to the gap between the tongue and the surrounding lid.

The biasing means may be provided anywhere on the lid. Preferably, however, such means are provided adjacent to a respective mounting member and most preferably means are provided adjacent to each mounting member. This ensures that the mounting means are evenly biased into their respective slots, thereby increasing the regulator's stability when fitted to a panel. It also serves to even out the forces acting on the regulator lid.

Whilst the invention has been set out in terms of mounting members protruding from the regulator to engage with slots in the panel, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may also be achieved by providing the mounting members on the panel and the slots in the switch unit. Thus from a further broad aspect, the invention provides a switch assembly comprising a panel or the like, an energy regulator, a plurality of mounting members for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, and locking means for locking said energy regulator into position on said panel.

Certain preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows schematically, the lid of an energy regulator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the energy regulator of Figure 1 just before fitting to a fascia panel; Figure 3 shows the locking means according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows the locking means of Figure 3 fitted to an energy regulator; Figure 5 shows the arrangement of Figure 4 fitted to a fascia panel; Figure 6 shows a plan view of the lid of an energy regulator in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention with certain detail omitted for clarity; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the lid of Figure 6; and Figure 8 shows a scrap sectional view along the line 8..8 on Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1 an energy regulator, of the type disclosed in WO 93/26027 denoted generally by the reference numeral 1 has a moulded plastics lid 2 which has mounting members 4 protruding therefrom. Also protruding outwardly from the lid is a pivotally mounted locking lug 6 which is resiliently urged outwardly by spring means (not shown) but which may be made flush with the lid 2 by pressing it down.

The energy regulator is operated by a spindle extending through an aperture 7 in the lid 2. The spindle has been omitted for clarity in the drawings, but is intended to pass through the elongate slot 14 in the fascia panel 8. The mounting members 4 have a substantially inverted 'L' shape with a head portion 4a and leg portion 4b. The protruding members 4 are arranged substantially along two opposite edges of the lid 2, there being two along one edge, at opposite ends of that edge, and one along the opposite edge, in the middle of that edge.

Figure 2 shows the energy regulator 1 ready to be mounted to a fascia panel 8. The fascia panel has mounting slots 10 arranged in the same pattern as the protruding members 4 of the regulator. As will be seen, the slots 10 comprise a widened entry portion 10a adjacent a narrower slide portion 10b. The entry port ions 10a are of sufficient width to allow the head portions 4a of the mounting members 4 to pass through.

The narrow portions lOb have a width slightly greater than that of the leg portions 4b of the mounting members 4. The fascia panel 8 also has a locking hole 12 for receiving the locking lug 6.

To fit the regulator 1 to the fascia panel 8, the regulator 1 is first oriented so that the respective mounting members 4 and mounting slots 10 in the fascia panel 8 are aligned, as shown in Figure 2. The regulator 1 is then moved towards the fascia panel 8 in the direction of arrow A until the head portions 4a of the mounting members 4 pass through the entry portions lOa of the slots 10. The lid 2 of the regulator body then abuts the underside of the fascia panel 8. At this stage, the locking lug 6 is not aligned with the locking hole 12 and is thus urged into being flush with the energy regulator lid 2. From this position, the energy regulator is slid in the direction of arrow B so that the locking members 4 move along the slots 10 from their entry portions l0a to their narrower slide portions lob.

In this position, the fascia panel 8 is gripped between the head portions 4a of the mounting members 4 and the lid 2 of the regulator body. The head portions 4a may taper in thickness so as to draw the regulator into engagement with the panel 8 as it moves along the slots 10. Furthermore, the head portions 4a may have a cam surface to allow differences in thickness of the panel 8 to be accommodated. The raised portion 6a of the lug 6 is now in alignment with the locking hole 12 and thus is urged into it, at least partly filling it. This prevents further sliding of the regulator 1, and locks the regulator in position.

The regulator is securely mounted without undue stress being placed on the body. The heads of the mounting members 4 prevent the regulator 1 being pushed away from the fascia panel 8, as might happen if the knob of the regulator (attached to the end of the spindle) is pushed by a user. Movement of the regulator 1 in a direction parallel to the fascia panel 8 is prevented by the locking lug 6. To remove the regulator, the lug 6 may be depressed to move out of the hole 12, and the regulator 1 then slid along the slots 10.

Referring now to Figure 3, in a second embodiment, the locking means are provided separately on a bent metal shim 20. Resilient arms 20a of the shim have upstanding tabs 22 at the ends thereof. There are also a plurality of resilient tongues 24 bent upwardly to urge against the panel when fitted so as to accommodate different panel thicknesses. Downward tabs 26 are adapted to locate the shim 30 on the lid of an energy regulator 1. A hole 30 is provided to allow the spindle of the energy regulator 1 to pass through.

The shim 20 is shown fitted to an energy regulator 1, in Figure 4. The downward tabs 26 help to clip the shim to the regulator body. As may be seen, the locking tabs 22 are arranged adjacent the outermost edge of the enlarged head portions 4a of the mounting members.

Fitting is carried out in a similar manner to the previous embodiment. When the mounting members 4 are inserted into slots 10, the locking tabs 22 are urged away from the panel 8. As the regulator 1 is slid so that the leg portions 4b enter the narrow portions lOb of the slots, the locking tabs 22 are resiliently urged so as to enter into the widened entry portions 10a of the slots which act as locking portions. The regulator 1 is locked in position by the locking tabs 22 which fill the length of the slots 10 created by the portion 10a being widened. This can be seen most easily from Figure 5. To remove the regulator 1, all the tabs 22 would have to be depressed to move them out of the slot portions 10a, whereafter the regulator 1 could be slid along the slots 10.

The resilient tongues 24 take up any play between the fascia panel 8 and the regulator 1 by keeping the head portions 4a of the mounting members 4 firmly biased against the respective slots 10.

A modification of the energy regulator of Figures 1 and 2 is shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. In this embodiment, play between the panel 8 and the regulator lid 2 is taken up by four resilient tongues 30 which are integrally moulded in the lid 32. The tongues are moulded above the plane of the lid 32, and extend generally parallel to the plane of the lid 32. At the distal end of each tongue 30 there is a generally semispherical protrusion 34 which projects proud of the tongue surface 30. An elongate hole 36 is defined in the lid surface below each tongue 30 so as to accommodate its deflection when the regulator is mounted to a panel. The hole 36 is formed by a part of a mould tool which projects through the lid surface during moulding of the lid to define the lower surface of the tongue 30. The upper and side surfaces of the tongue can then be formed by a suitably shaped recess in the surface of the other mould part, thereby avoiding the need to form narrow slots around the tongue.

As will be seen, the tongues 30 are located adjacent respective locking members 4. This avoids as far as possible introducing any forces which cause the regulator to tilt relative to the surface.

As in the earlier embodiment, locking means 6 are moulded on the lid 32. In this embodiment, the locking means is formed in precisely the same manner to the biasing means. Thus the locking ,means 6 is formed as an integrally moulded tongue lying above the plane of the lid, with a locking protrusion 6a formed at its distal end. A rectangular hole 38 below the tongue s allows the tongue to deflect during fitting of the regulator to the fascia panel 8, the tongue's resilience snapping the protrusion 6a into the locking hole 12 in the panel 8 when the regulator is properly positioned.

It will be appreciated that the construction of lid described above considerably facilitates manufacture, allowing the use of robust tooling.

Although certain preferred embodiments have been described above, it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope as defined in the appendant claims. For example, rather than being 'L' shaped the mounting members could be 'T' shaped or even mushroom shaped. Also, the locking hole 12 of the first embodiment could instead be a recess which receives the locking lug 6.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising a panel or the like, an energy regulator comprising a plurality of mounting members protruding from its body for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, locking means for locking said energy regulator in position on said panel and means arranged between the energy regulator and the panel for biasing the mounting members against the slots to take up play between the regulator and the panel.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locking means and biasing means are provided on the energy regulator.

3. An energy regulator for mounting to a panel or the like, comprising a plurality of mounting members protruding from its body for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, and further comprising locking means for locking said energy regulator in position on said panel and means positioned so as in use to lie between the energy regulator and the panel for biasing the mounting members against the slots to take up play between the regulator and the panel.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the locking means comprises a locking member resiliently mounted on the energy regulator so as to be urged into a locking aperture or recess in said panel.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said mounting members have enlarged heads to prevent movement of the unit away from the panel.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said mounting members have a substantially inverted 'L' shape.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the enlarged heads of the mounting members are tapered towards the energy regulator body.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said mounting members extend from two opposite sides of the energy regulator body.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said mounting members are arranged so as to prevent the energy regulator from being mounted in an incorrect orientation.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said mounting members extend from a lid of the energy regulator.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting members are formed integrally with the lid.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means for taking up play between said energy regulator and the panel comprises one or more resilient tongues engaging the panel.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said tongue(s) are formed integrally on the lid of the regulator.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the tongue(s) are formed above the plane of the lid surface.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 12 or 13 wherein the tongues are provided adjacent respective mounting members.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the locking means comprises a resilient tongue integrally formed on a lid of the regulator.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said tongue is formed above the plane of the lid surface

17. An energy regulator for mounting to a panel or the like, comprising a moulded plastics lid, and having plurality of integrally moulded mounting members protruding from the lid for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having enlarged heads to prevent their removal from the slots when engaged therein, and further comprising locking means for locking said energy regulator in position on said panel, said locking means comprising a tongue integrally moulded with the lid above the plane of the lid surface, and having a locking protrusion formed on its distal end, one or more further tongues integrally moulded with the lid above the plane of the lid surface and having a surface for engagement in use with a rear surface of the panel so as to take up play between the regulator and the panel.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means is provided on a separate locking member.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the locking means is provided on a component arranged between the panel and the energy regulator.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein said component is further provided with one or resilient tongues for engagement in use with a rear surface of the panel so as to take up play between the regulator and the panel.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said panel is a fascia panel in or for an electric cooker.

22. An assembly comprising a panel or the like, an energy regulator comprising a plurality of mounting members protruding from its body for sliding engagement with corresponding mounting slots in said panel, said mounting members having means to prevent the unit being moved away from the panel when the mounting members are engaged in the slots, and locking means for locking said energy regulator in position on said panel.