Toggle switch and variable actuator control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8946944-B2
Application number	US-201414171460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2014
Priority date	Mar 24, 2010
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a device for regulating an amount of electrical power provided to at least one electrical load, the device comprising a control circuit disposed in the housing and including at least one switch device movable between a first switch state and a second switch state. The control circuit further includes a power control element that has a power control actuator configured to adjust the amount of power provided to the at least one electrical load. A variable control actuator is accessible to the user via the control aperture and coupled to the power control actuator via a linkage structure. The linkage structure further includes a pin and channel arrangement configured to convert a user control action into a power control actuator adjustment by translating rotational motion into linear motion or linear motion into rotational motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for regulating an amount of electrical power provided to at least one electrical load, the device comprising:
a housing configured to be installed within a wall box, the housing including a front housing portion coupled to a back housing portion, the front housing portion including a front surface having a control aperture disposed therein, the housing portion further including a plurality of wiring terminals at least partially disposed in the housing;
a control circuit disposed in the housing, the control circuit further including a power control element disposed on a mounting surface, the power control element including a linear actuator configured to vary the amount of power provided to the at least one electrical load based on a linear position of the linear actuator, the linear actuator being substantially perpendicular to the front surface and disposed between the mounting surface and the front surface; and
a user control assembly accessible to the user via the control aperture and coupled to the linear actuator via a linkage structure, an adjustable portion of the user control assembly being characterized by a rotational motion about a control axis, the linkage structure including a pin and channel arrangement configured to convert the rotational motion of the adjustable portion into a linear motion by the linear actuator, the linear actuator being linearly movable within a range of positions, the channel including parallel walls configured to accommodate the pin, the parallel walls being substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface at each position within the range of positions.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wall plate coupled to the front surface, the wall plate having a first dimension of approximately 0.925 inches and a second dimension of approximately 0.401 inches.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wall plate coupled to the front surface, wherein the wall plate has an opening having an area less than approximately 0.50 square inches.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the front housing portion includes a separator member having a frame member that extends through the control aperture, the frame member being configured to accommodate the user control assembly.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the front housing portion includes a heat sink thermodynamically coupled to the control circuit.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the front housing portion includes a separator member.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable portion includes a substantially semi-circular wheel portion having a user accessible edge.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the substantially semi-circular wheel portion defines a reflex angle.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the linkage structure pin is disposed at a predetermined position between the user accessible edge and the control axis.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the pin and channel arrangement is disposed at a predetermined radial distance from the control axis.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the control circuit includes a thyristor switching element.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the front housing portion includes a heat sink thermo-dynamically coupled to the thyristor switching element.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the variable power control element is a slide potentiometer.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the slide potentiometer is disposed proximate a first lateral edge of a printed circuit board.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the variable power control element includes a plurality of discrete power settings.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the variable power control element is a slide switch.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the adjustable portion includes discrete rotational positions.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the adjustable portion includes a substantially semi-circular wheel portion having a user accessible edge.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of discrete power settings corresponds to one of a plurality of capacitance elements corresponding to a predetermined capacitance value.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the variable power control element includes a slide switch mechanism having a flexible arm member, the flexible arm member having at least one detent structure disposed at an end thereof, each of the plurality of detent positions corresponding to one of the plurality of linearly actuated discrete power settings.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the at least one detent structure includes a first detent structure and a second detent structure disposed at either end of the flexible arm member.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit includes at least one switch device movable between a first switch state and a second switch state.

23. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit includes a starter circuit disposed substantially in parallel with a dimmer circuit, the starting circuit being configured to by-pass the dimmer circuit and couple a substantial portion of the electrical power to the at least one electrical load for a predetermined period of time when the electrical power is initially applied to the electronic control circuit.

24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the at least one electrical load includes a fluorescent ballast load.

25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit includes a dimming circuit, the dimming circuit including a manual preset or a factory preset.

26. The device of claim 25 , further comprising a wall plate coupled to the front surface, wherein the manual preset is accessible to the user when the device is not covered by the wall plate.

27. A device for regulating an amount of electrical power provided to at least one electrical load, the device comprising:
a housing configured to be installed within a wall box, the housing including a front housing portion coupled to a back housing portion, the front housing portion including a front surface having a control aperture disposed therein, the housing portion further including a plurality of wiring terminals at least partially disposed in the housing;
a control circuit disposed in the housing and including at least one switch device movable between a first switch state and a second switch state, the control circuit further including a power control device disposed on a mounting surface, the power control device including a linear actuator configured to adjust the amount of electrical power, the linear actuator being substantially perpendicular to the front surface;
a user-accessible control assembly coupled to the control circuit via the control aperture, the user-accessible control assembly including a switch control element coupled to the at least one switch device and a variable control element coupled to the linear actuator via a linkage structure, the variable control element being characterized by a rotational motion about a control axis, the linkage structure including a pin and channel arrangement configured to convert the rotational motion of the variable control element into linear motion by the linear actuator.

28. The device of claim 27 , further comprising a wall plate coupled to the front housing, wherein the switch control element and the variable control element are user accessible via an opening in the w

Assignees

• Pass & Seymour Inc

Inventors

• Bhosale Vikramsinh P
• Murphy Patrick J
• Rohmer Richard M

Classifications

• H05B39/08

  by shifting phase of trigger voltage applied to gas-filled controlling tubes {also in controlled semiconductor devices (in converters H02M5/00; with regulation G05F1/44)} · CPC title

• H05B41/392 Primary

  using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor · CPC title

• H05B41/20

  having no starting switch · CPC title

• G05F3/04

  wherein the variable is AC · CPC title

• H01H21/36 Primary

  Driving mechanisms · CPC title