Remote controlled light switch cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11901138-B2
Application number	US-202117340610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Aug 12, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A light switch cover for converting a standard toggle switch into a remote-controlled toggle switch. In one embodiment, the light switch cover comprises a switch toggle member for acting upon a toggle light switch member to place the toggle light switch member into either an on position or an off position, a gear train coupled to the switch toggle member that causes the switch toggle member to act upon the toggle light switch member, an electric motor, coupled to the gear train, for driving the gear train in a first direction to cause the switch toggle member to place the toggle light switch member into the on position, and for driving the gear train in a second direction to cause the switch toggle member to place the toggle light switch member into the off position, motor driving circuitry coupled to the electric motor, a receiver for receiving signals that cause actuation of the standard toggle switch, and processing circuitry coupled to the receiver and the motor driving circuitry that causes the light switch cover to receive a signal to turn the toggle switch into the on position and, in response, causing the electric motor to rotate in a direction to cause the switch toggle member to place the toggle light switch member into the on position.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method performed by a light switch cover, the light switch cover converting a standard toggle switch into a remote-controlled toggle switch, comprising:
receiving, by an electronic circuit via a receiver coupled to the electronic circuit, a wireless signal from a remote device to toggle the standard toggle switch;
in response to receiving the wireless signal, actuating a switch toggle member to rotate in a first direction against a toggle light switch member of the standard toggle switch, placing the toggle light switch member into an on position; and
placing the toggle light switch member into an off position via manual manipulation of a toggle cover of the light switch cover;
wherein the first direction is determined based upon a condition of a further, standard toggle switch electrically coupled to the standard toggle switch.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the toggle light switch member into an off position via manual manipulation comprises placing the toggle light switch member into the off position without contacting the switch toggle member.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by an electronic circuit of the light switch cover, that the toggle light switch member has been moved to the on position; and
in response to determining that the toggle light switch member has been moved to the on position, causing, by the electronic circuit, the switch toggle member to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, by the electronic circuit, when the switch toggle member has reached a neutral position; and
in response to detecting when switch toggle member has reached the neutral position, causing, by the electronic circuit, the electric motor to stop rotating.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining when the switch toggle member has reached the neutral position comprises receiving a signal, by the electronic circuit, from a limit switch that is activated when a first portion of the switch toggle member has contacted the limit switch.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first portion comprises a deformity located on a hub of the switch toggle member.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the electronic circuit via a transmitter coupled to the electronic circuit, a signal to a remote location indicating that the standard toggle switch has been moved to the on position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the standard toggle switch has been moved to the on position comprises:
receiving a signal, by the electronic circuit, from a limit switch in response to a first end of a switch position member making contact with the limit switch.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the standard toggle switch has been moved to the on position comprises:
receiving a signal, by the electronic circuit, from a limit switch that is activated when a deformity located on a hub of the switch toggle member has contacted the limit switch.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the standard toggle switch has been moved to the on position comprises:
receiving a signal, by the electronic circuit, from a limit switch that is activated when a first portion of the switch toggle member has contacted the limit switch.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first portion comprises a deformity located on a hub of the switch toggle member.

12. A light switch cover for converting a standard toggle switch into a remote-controlled toggle switch, comprising:
a switch toggle member moveable in a first direction for actuating a toggle light switch member in response to a wireless command received by the light switch cover, the switch toggle member configured to additionally allow manual operation of the toggle light switch member;
two holes formed through a surface of a main body of the light switch cover that align with cover mounting threads of the standard toggle switch; and
two fastening devices, sized and shaped for placement through the two holes, respectively, for engaging the mounting threads of the standard toggle switch to secure the light switch cover to the standard toggle switch;
wherein the light switch cover determines the first direction based upon a condition of a further, standard toggle switch electrically coupled to the standard toggle switch.

13. The light switch cover of claim 12 , wherein the switch toggle member is configured to allow manual activation of the toggle light switch member without contacting the switch toggle member.

14. The light switch cover of claim 12 , further comprising:
an electric motor coupled to the switch toggle member via a gear train, that causes the switch toggle member to rotate in one of the first direction and a second, opposite direction to the first direction;
motor driving circuitry coupled to the electric motor;
a receiver for receiving the wireless command; and
processing circuitry coupled to the receiver and the motor driving circuitry that causes the light switch cover to receive the wireless command.

15. The light switch cover of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry further causes the switch toggle member to return to a neutral position after the toggle light switch member has been placed into an on position.

16. The light switch cover of claim 15 , wherein the switch toggle member comprises a deformation, the light switch cover further comprising:
a limit switch;
wherein the processing circuitry determines that the switch toggle member has been placed into the neutral position when the processing circuitry receives a signal from the limit switch in response to the deformation making contact with the limit switch.

17. The light switch cover of claim 12 , wherein the switch toggle member comprises a first portion for contacting an underside of the toggle light switch member and a second, opposing end for contacting an upperside of the toggle light switch member, wherein the distance between the first portion and the second portion is sized to allow the toggle light switch member to be operated manually without contacting the first portion or the second portion.

18. The light switch cover of claim 15 , further comprising:
a switch position member comprising a first end and an opposing second end; and
a limit switch;
wherein the processing circuitry determines that the standard toggle switch has been placed into the on position when the processing circuitry receives a signal from the limit switch in response to the first end of the switch position member making contact with the limit switch.

19. The light switch cover of claim 12 , wherein the switch toggle member comprises a curved, toothed portion with a first end portion extending in a first direction therefrom, and a second end portion extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
wherein the first end portion pushes against an underside of the toggle light switch member as the gear train acts on the curved, toothed portion while the gear train is rotated in the first direction.

20. The light switch cover of claim 14 , further comprising:
a transmitter coupled to the processing circuitry;
wherein the processing circuitry causes the transmitter to transmit a signal to a remote location indicating that the toggle light switch member has been actuated.

21. The light switch cover of claim 12 , further comprising a current sensor coupled to the processing device an

Assignees

• Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc

Inventors

• Bailey Michael
• Wang Eric
• Huang Jerry

Classifications

• H01H23/04 Primary

  Cases; Covers · CPC title

• H01H23/145

  the actuating surface having two slightly inclined areas extending from the middle outward · CPC title

• H01H2300/03

  Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring · CPC title