Wall-mountable wireless remote control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10687405-B2
Application number	US-201816180698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A wall-mountable remote control device may be installed in place of an existing light switch and may be configured to transmit wireless signals to an electrical load device, such as a screw-in light-emitting diode (LED) lamp, to provide control of the electrical load device. The remote control device may comprise an air-gap switch adapted to be electrically coupled in series between a power source and the controllable light source, but may not comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load device using a phase-control dimming technique. The remote control device may have a low-profile enclosure that is smaller than an enclosure of a standard dimmer switch, and thus may be easier to install in an electrical wallbox. The remote control device may comprise two parts including an air-gap switch device and a wireless communication device mounted to the air-gap switch device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A remote control device for controlling an electrical load device adapted to receive power from an alternating-current (AC) power source, the remote control device comprising:
an air-gap switch device comprising an enclosure configured to be installed in an electrical wallbox, the air-gap switch device further comprising an air-gap switch located in the enclosure and adapted to be electrically coupled in series between the AC power source and the electrical load, and an air-gap switch actuator configured to be actuated by a user to open and close the air-gap switch; and
a wireless communication device configured to be mounted to the air-gap switch device, the wireless communication device comprising a user interface configured to receive an input, a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit a wireless signal, and a control circuit configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit the wireless signal in response to the input received via the user interface, the wireless signal including a command for controlling the electrical load device.

2. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the air-gap switch device further comprises a yoke portion configured to be mounted to the electrical wallbox such that the enclosure of the air-gap switch device is located inside of the electrical wallbox.

3. The remote control device of claim 2 , wherein the yoke portion of the air-gap switch device defines a mounting structure to which the wireless communication device may be mounted resulting in the wireless communication device being located at least partially outside of the electrical wallbox when the yoke portion is mounted to the electrical wallbox.

4. The remote control device of claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication device comprises an energy storage element configured to generate a direct-current (DC) supply voltage from the AC power source to power the control circuit and the wireless communication circuit.

5. The remote control device of claim 4 , wherein the air-gap switch device further comprises a power supply electrically coupled in series with the air-gap switch and configured to conduct a charging current through the electrical load device to generate the DC supply voltage across the energy storage element of the wireless communication device.

6. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the power supply of the air-gap switch device is electrically coupled to the energy storage element of the wireless communication device.

7. The remote control device of claim 6 , wherein the mounting structure comprises pogo pins adapted to contact electrical contacts on the wireless communication device to electrically couple the power supply to the energy storage element.

8. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the power supply is inductively coupled to the energy storage element.

9. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the energy storage element comprises a capacitor or a battery.

10. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the power supply is configured to generate the DC supply voltage without significantly distorting a load voltage developed across the electrical load device.

11. The remote control device of claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication device further comprises a battery configured to power the control circuit and the wireless communication circuit.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to be removed from the mounting structure after the yoke portion is mounted to the electrical wallbox, the control circuit configured to subsequently cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit the wireless signal in response to the input received via the user interface when the wireless communication device is removed from the mounting structure.

13. The remote control device of claim 12 , wherein the mounting structure of the air-gap switch device further comprises an opening sized to receive the wireless communication device, and a flexible leaf in the opening that receives the wireless communication device in such a way that the wireless communication device is retained in position on the mounting structure and the wireless communication device is framed by the opening in the mounting structure.

14. The remote control device of claim 13 , wherein the flexible leaf projects upwardly in the opening for receiving a flanged recess of the wireless communication device disposed on a rear surface of the wireless communication device, whereby the wireless communication device is slidably received on the flexible leaf and when fully received on the flexible leaf is retained in position on the mounting structure in such a way that the wireless communication device is framed by the opening in the mounting structure.

15. The remote control device of claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to be removed from the mounting structure of the air-gap switch device and replaced with a different wireless communication device having a user interface of a different type, configuration, arrangement, or orientation.

16. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one actuator, the control circuit configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit the wireless signal in response to an actuation of the at least one actuator.

17. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to be associated with the electrical load device in response to a user opening and closing the air-gap switch, and then, within a first time period after closing the air-gap switch, actuating and holding the at least one actuator on the wireless communication device for a second shorter time period.

18. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to transmit RF signals in accordance with a predefined RF communication protocol.

19. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to transmit the wireless signal via a wireless medium, the wireless medium comprising one of radio-frequency signals, infrared signals, or sound.

20. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the air-gap switch provides an actual air-gap barrier between the AC power source and the electrical load device when the air-gap switch is open.

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Spira Joel S

Classifications

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B47/195

  the transmission using visible or infrared light · CPC title

• H05B47/19 Primary

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/115

  by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings · CPC title

• H05B45/10 Primary

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title