Patent ID: 9607792
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: F21Y,G02B,G05G,H01H,H05B

Claim:
1. A knob assembly comprising: a repositionable knob having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior, a structural framework located within the interior, and a light-transmissive indicia provided on the knob and viewable from the outer surface; at least one light source located relative to the repositionable knob and emitting light below at least a portion of the structural framework to transmit light into the interior of the knob past the structural framework and backlight the light-transmissive indicia; a position sensor providing a position output indicative of the position of the repositionable knob; and a controller receiving the position output and operably coupled to the at least one light source to independently control the intensity of light transmitted by the at least one light source, the controller programmed to use the position output to determine whether the structural frame blocks at least a portion of the light transmitted from any of the at least one light source to the light-transmissive indicia and controls the intensity of the at least one light source to at least partially compensate for any blocked light to maintain a predetermined backlighting of the light-transmissive indicia.