Smart wall-plate system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022416526-A1
Application number	US-202017778535-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 3, 2020
Priority date	Dec 24, 2019
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wall-plate system having a wall-plate adapted to accommodate a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) coupled with the wall-plate and may comprise a mounting bracket. The PCBA may include one or more chip packages and/or other components that extend into cavities in the mounting bracket after installation, the cavities located on the mounting bracket to accommodate chip packages and/or other components. The wall-plate may include snaps to couple with the mounting bracket, the snaps extending from an interior surface of the wall-plate, the snaps located away from edges of the wall-plate towards a center of the wall-plate. The mounting bracket may comprise openings to couple with a device in a junction box and/or with the junction box. The wall-plate may comprise, e.g., one or more battery mounts and the mounting bracket may have a shape to accommodate extension by the battery mounts into a plane of the mounting bracket.

First claim

1 . A wall-plate system, comprising:
a wall-plate, the wall-plate having a first surface to face away from a wall and an inner surface to face toward the wall; a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) coupled to the inner surface, wherein a user input component mounted on the printed circuit board is arranged and configured to be in contact with the inner surface of the wall-plate; and a mounting bracket including two sets of mounting holes, one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with an in-wall device and one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with a junction box mounted in the wall.

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising a chip package mounted to the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a cavity to accommodate the chip package.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The wall-plate system of claim 4 , further comprising a battery mount mounted on the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a shape to accommodate the battery mounts, wherein the battery mount extends into a plane of the mounting bracket.

7 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with the user input component, the wireless communications interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote device.

8 . (canceled)

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , wherein the user input component comprises a capacitive switch, wherein a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the capacitive switch.

12 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , wherein the capacitive switch is a first capacitive switch and the PCBA comprises a second capacitive switch proximate to the first capacitive switch, wherein a second light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the second capacitive switch, the first and second capacitive switches configured to be positioned within first and second gangs, respectively, of a dual-gang wall-plate.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The wall-plate system of claim 12 , further comprising a light ring, wherein the LED fits in an opening of the light ring, the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

15 . The wall-plate system of claim 14 , further comprising an opaque material between the capacitive switch and the light ring, the opaque material having an opening aligned with the opening of the light ring to allow the LED to pass through the opaque material and into the opening of the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

16 . The wall-plate system of claim 15 , wherein the inner surface of the wall-plate comprises a depression to receive the light ring.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising an integrated circuit mounted in a chip package on the PCBA, the integrated circuit to control a color emitted by a light emitting diode (LED) and control when power is provided to the LED, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a wireless communications interface.

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

21 . The wall-plate system of claim 18 , further comprising a shield, wherein the shield comprises plastic to protect one or more of:
the user input component from physical damage; the chip package from physical damage; the user input component from electrostatic damage; or the chip package from electrostatic damage.

22 . The wall-plate system of claim 18 , further comprising an antenna coupled with the integrated circuit, wherein the antenna comprises a wire or an array of antenna elements in a chip package.

23 . The wall-plate system of claim 18 , further comprising a factory reset button coupled with the integrated circuit, the factory reset button to reset settings to factory settings, the settings to include a Bluetooth pairing.

24 . The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more battery mounts coupled with the PCBA, wherein at least one of the one or more battery mounts comprises two hooks to slide onto the PCBA and one solder point.

25 - 31 . (canceled)

32 . A wall-plate system, comprising:
a mounting bracket a wall-plate configured to removably couple to the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket including openings to couple with an in-wall device and having openings to attach the mounting bracket to a junction box mounted in a wall; and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) configured to mount to an inner surface of the wall-plate, a first surface of the wall-plate to face away from the wall after installation, wherein the PCBA comprises a wireless communications interface; wherein the openings comprise a utility opening and two sets of mounting holes, one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with the in-wall device and one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with the junction box.

33 . (canceled)

34 . (canceled)

35 . (canceled)

36 . The wall-plate system of claim 32 , further comprising a chip package mounted to the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises one or more cavities to accommodate the chip package.

37 . (canceled)

38 . The wall-plate system of claim 36 , further comprising a battery mount mounted on the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a shape to accommodate the battery mount, wherein the battery mount extends into a plane of the mounting bracket.

39 . The wall-plate system of claim 32 , further comprising a wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with a user input component, the wireless communications interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote device.

40 . (canceled)

41 . (canceled)

42 . (canceled)

43 . The wall-plate system of claim 32 , wherein the user input component comprises a capacitive switch, wherein a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the capacitive switch.

44 . The wall-plate system of claim 32 , wherein the PCBA comprises a second capacitive switch proximate to the capacitive switch, wherein a second light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the second capacitive switch, the capacitive switch and the second capacitive switch configured to be positioned within first and second gangs, respectively, of a dual-gang wall-plate.

45 . (canceled)

46 . The wall-plate system of claim 44 , further comprising a light ring, wherein the LED fits in an opening of the light ring, the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

47 . The wall-plate system of claim 46 , further comprising an opaque material between the capacitive switch and the light ring, the opaque material having an opening aligned with the opening of the light ring to allow the LED to pass through the opaque material and into the opening of the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

48 . The wall-plate system of claim 46 , wherein the inner surface of the wall-plate comprises a depression to receive the light ring.

49 . The wall-plate system of claim 48 , wherein the capacitive switch couples with an integrated circuit mounted in a chip package mounted on the PCBA.

50 . The wall-plate system of claim

Assignees

• Leviton Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Shurte James
• Gumina Ronald J
• Ard Aaron
• Salazar Carlos
• Arbour Ryan L
• Gillard Jason

Classifications

• H01H9/168

  making use of an electromagnetic wave communication · CPC title

• H01H23/04

  Cases; Covers · CPC title

• H05B45/20 Primary

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H01H2300/03

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

• Y04S20/14

  Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers · CPC title