Patent ID: 9384920
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: H01H,H03J

Claim Text:
1. A locking knob for controlling the function of an electronic device, the electronic device having a fixed base and a shaft that is rotatably mounted for controlling the operation of the electronic device, the locking knob comprising: a mounting base shaped to be mounted to the fixed base of the electronic device, the mounting base including a knob receiver extending upwardly to form a knob receiving portion; a knob having a knob top that is adapted to be grasped for manipulating the knob, the knob being positioned in the knob receiving portion of the knob receiver to operably engage the shaft so that the knob can be used to turn the shaft, the knob having a knob locking feature that includes gears or grooves; a base locking surface formed in the knob receiving portion of the mounting base, the base locking surface having mating gears or grooves to interlock with the gears or grooves of the locking feature of the knob; a position selection mechanism for locking the knob in either a lowered position or a raised position, wherein in the lowered position, the mating gears or grooves of the base locking surface interlock with the gears or grooves of the locking feature of the knob such that the knob cannot rotate, but when the knob is in the raised position, the mating gears or grooves of the base locking surface do not interlock with the gears or grooves of the locking feature of the knob, such that the knob can be rotated to for controlling the function of the electronic device, wherein the position selection mechanism includes: a top groove and a bottom groove in a knob side surface of the knob; a bearing positioned in a side aperture of the knob receiver; and a biasing element for biasing the bearing against the knob and into either the top groove or the bottom groove.