US3635097A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pushbutton tuner with sliding block and rack
Assignee: Arris Technology Inc
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Filing: 1970-10-23
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A tuner, capable of pushbutton or manual operation, is provided with structure to inhibit lost motion in both tuning modes. The same structure also serves as guide means which restricts the direction of motion of an adjustable tuning member. A body or chassis, movable in a housing, has a first part connected to the adjustable tuning member and a second part having a rack formed on its undersurface. A guide block, atop and contiguous the second part, is acted upon by a resilient member which urges the rack into constant engagement with an adjacent driving or tuning gear, thereby to minimize lost motion. The first and second parts of the body move as a unit and rotation of the gear is converted into translation of the tuning member. The manual tuning means comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing with a second gear thereon, adjacent and in driving relation to the first gear. The shaft end adjacent the second gear is received in a wedgeshaped opening and has a tapered section which passes through that opening and bears against the walls thereof. A spring active on the other end of the shaft, in conjunction with the opening a tapered shaft section and the tapered opening walls bearing thereagainst, causes the second gear to be urged into constant engagement with the first gear, thereby to minimize backlash at that point.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald B Mears Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:36
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03J; H03J5/00; H03J5/02; H03J5/04; H03J5/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18992
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said housing assembly, a body movably mounted on said assembly, operatively connected to said tuning member and effective to produce tuning adjustment thereof, said body comprising a rack, a gear rotatably mounted in said assembly engaged with and effective to drive said rack, means active on said gear to rotate the latter, said body and gear being mounted in said assembly so as to have relative movement toward one another, said housing assembly comprising urging means active on one of said body and gear to urge it to move toward the other, and said housing assembly comprising a guide member having a surface defining the desired path of movement of said body, said body engaging and sliding over said surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said housing assembly, a body movably mounted on said assembly, operatively connected to said tuning member and effective to produce tuning adjustment thereof, said body comprising a rack, a gear rotatably mounted in said assembly engaged with and effective to drive said rack, means active on said gear to rotate the latter, said body and gear being mounted in said assembly so as to have relative movement toward one another, said housing assembly comprising urging means active on one of said body and gear to urge it to move toward the other, and said housing assembly comprising a guide member having a surface defining the desired path of movement of said body, said body engaging and sliding over said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tuner of claim 1, in which said urging means is active on said member to urge it operatively toward said body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The tuner of claim 2, in which said member is interposed between said urging means and said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The tuner of claim 2, in which said guide member is interposed between said urging means and said body and said body is interposed between said member and said gear.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The tuner of claim 1, in which said urging means is resilient.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
the tuner of claim 1, in which said guide member at said surface is formed of a plastic material with a low coefficient of friction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
The tuner of claim 1, in which said gear-rotating means comprises a rotatably shaft carrying a second gear in operative driving relation with said first gear, said shaft having a first end operatively connected to a first wall of said housing assembly, said housing assembly having an opening in a second wall thereof opposite said first wall, second urging means active on said first shaft and effective to urge said shaft axially, said shaft comprising a tapered section which passes through said opening in said second wall, said opening being bounded by walls converging relative to one another and extending generally radially relative to said first gear, the direction of taper of said shaft section, the direction of convergence of said opening walls, and the direction in which said shaft is urged by said urging means being cooperatively such that said shaft section and opening walls are urged into engagement with one another and said shaft is wedged thereby toward said first gear, thereby to cause firm driving engagement between said gears.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The tuner of claim 7, in which said second urging means is resilient.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
The tuner of claim 1, in which said guide member surface comprises first and second surface parts engaged by said body, said first part facing said gear and engaging the top of said body, said second part being at an angle to said first part and engaging a side of said body, both of said surface parts extending in the desired direction of movement of said body for tuning adjustment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said assembly, a body movable in said assembly, operatively connected to said tuning member and effective to produce tuning adjustment thereof, said body comprising a rack, a gear rotatably mounted in said assembly engaged with and effective to drive said rack, means active on said gear to rotate latter, said body being mounted in said housing assembly so as to be movable toward said gear, said housing assembly comprising a guide member on the opposite side of said body from said gear, said guide member having a guide surface over which said body is adapted to slide, said guide member being movable in a direction toward said body to bring its said surface into engagement with said body, and resilient means active on said member to urge it into engagement with said body and thereby to urge said rack on said body into engagement with said gear.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said assembly, a body movable in said assembly, operatively connected to said tuning member and effective to produce tuning adjustment thereof, said body comprising a rack, a gear rotatably mounted in said assembly engaged with and effective to drive said rack, means active on said gear to rotate latter, said body being mounted in said housing assembly so as to be movable toward said gear, said housing assembly comprising a guide member on the opposite side of said body from said gear, said guide member having a guide surface over which said body is adapted to slide, said guide member being movable in a direction toward said body to bring its said surface into engagement with said body, and resilient means active on said member to urge it into engagement with said body and thereby to urge said rack on said body into engagement with said gear.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
The tuner of claim 10, in which said guide member surface comprises first and second surface parts engaged by said body, said first part facing said gear and engaging the top of said body, said second part being at an angle to said first part and engaging a side of said body, both of said surface parts extending in the desired direction of movement of said body for tuning adjustment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
172 words
The tuner of claim 10, in which said gear-rotating means comprises a rotatable shaft carrying a second gear in operative driving relation with said first gear, said shaft having a first end operatively connected to a first wall of said housing assembly, said housing assembly having an opening in a second wall thereof opposite said first wall, second urging means active on said first shaft and effective to urge said shaft axially, said shaft comprising a tapered section which passes through said opening in said second wall, said opening being bounded by walls converging relative to one another and extending generally radially relative to said first gear, the direction of taper of said shaft section, the direction of convergence of said opening walls, and the direction in which said shaft is urged by said urging means being cooperatively such that said shaft section and opening walls are urged into engagement with one another and said shaft is wedged thereby toward said first gear, thereby to cause firm driving engagement between said gears.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The tuner of claim 12, in which said second urging means is resilient.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tuner of claim 10, in which said member at said surface is formed of a plastic material with a low coefficient of friction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
202 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said assembly, a gear member operatively connected to said tuning member and adapted to move the latter to effect tuning adjustment, a rotatable shaft carrying a second gear in operative driving relation with said first gear, said shaft having a first end operatively connected to a first wall of said housing assembly, said assembly having an opening in a second wall thereof opposite said first wall, urging means active on said first shaft and effective to urge said shaft axially, said shaft comprising a tapered section which passes through said opening in said second wall, said opening being bounded by walls converging relative to one another and extEnding generally radially relative to said first gear and said tapered shaft section slidably engaging said converging walls, the direction of taper of said shaft section, the direction of convergence of said opening walls, and the direction in which said shaft is urged by said urging means being cooperatively such that said shaft section and opening walls are urged into engagement with one another and said shaft is thereby wedged toward said first gear, thereby to cause firm driving engagement between said gears.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
202 words
A tuner comprising a housing assembly, an adjustable tuning member mounted in said assembly, a gear member operatively connected to said tuning member and adapted to move the latter to effect tuning adjustment, a rotatable shaft carrying a second gear in operative driving relation with said first gear, said shaft having a first end operatively connected to a first wall of said housing assembly, said assembly having an opening in a second wall thereof opposite said first wall, urging means active on said first shaft and effective to urge said shaft axially, said shaft comprising a tapered section which passes through said opening in said second wall, said opening being bounded by walls converging relative to one another and extEnding generally radially relative to said first gear and said tapered shaft section slidably engaging said converging walls, the direction of taper of said shaft section, the direction of convergence of said opening walls, and the direction in which said shaft is urged by said urging means being cooperatively such that said shaft section and opening walls are urged into engagement with one another and said shaft is thereby wedged toward said first gear, thereby to cause firm driving engagement between said gears.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The tuner of claim 15, in which said urging means is resilient.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The tuner of claim 15, in which said urging means urges said shaft toward said second wall, said shaft section tapers downwardly in the direction in which said shaft is thus urged, and said opening walls converge in a direction radially away from said first gear.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The tuner of claim 17, in which said urging means is resilient.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1935355A
Cited
US1947069A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |