US 11,308,794 B2Granted

Battery-powered retrofit remote control device

AssigneeLutron Technology Company LLC

InventorsChris Dimberg, Matthew Philip McDonald, William Taylor Shivell

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Abstract

A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device. The remote control device may include a mounting assembly and a control unit that is removably attachable to the mounting assembly. The mounting assembly may include a release tab that is configured to be operated from a locking position in which the control unit is secured to the mounting assembly, to a release position in which the control unit may be detached from the mounting assembly. The mounting assembly may include a clamp that is configured to engage with the toggle actuator of a mechanical switch to which the remote control device is mounted.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the switch actuator operable to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a control unit that comprises an attachment portion and a rotating portion that is configured to rotate relative to the attachment portion, the control unit further comprising a wireless communication circuit and a control circuit that is responsive to the rotating portion and communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit a control signal in response to an actuation of the rotating portion;
and
a mounting assembly to which the control unit is attachable, the mounting assembly configured to releasably retain the control unit when the control unit is attached thereto, the mounting assembly comprising:
a base that is configured to be mounted over the switch actuator, the base having an elongated slot that extends therethrough, the slot configured to receive a portion of the switch actuator;
and
a bar that extends across the slot, the bar supported by the base such that the bar is translatable toward an end of the slot, wherein the bar defines an edge that faces the end of the slot, the edge configured to engage a first side of the switch actuator as the bar is translated toward the end of the slot.

3 more elements

A mounting assembly that is configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the switch actuator operable to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the mounting assembly further configured such that a control unit that controls an electrical load is attachable to the mounting assembly, the mounting assembly comprising:

a base that is configured to be mounted over the switch actuator, the base having an elongated slot that extends therethrough, the slot configured to receive a portion of the switch actuator;
and
a bar that extends across the slot, the bar supported by the base such that the bar is translatable toward an end of the slot, wherein the bar defines an edge that faces the end of the slot, the edge configured to engage a first side of the switch actuator as the bar is translated toward the end of the slot.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/891,998Filed 3 Jun 2020 · continuation
Priority: 3 Jun 2016
Published: US 2020/0128656 A117 Sep 2020
Granted: 19 Apr 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G08C 17/02
Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link: using a radio link
G05G 1/105
Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles: comprising arrangements for illumination
H01H 25/065
Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement: using separate…
H05B 47/19
By remote control: via wireless transmission

Family

Application62/345,222Us provisional application · filed 3 Jun 2016
Application62/356,179Us provisional application · filed 29 Jun 2016
Application62/411,223Us provisional application · filed 21 Oct 2016
Application15/612,970Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jun 2017
Application16/296,813Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Mar 2019
US 10,237,954 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Mar 2019
Application16/721,324Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Dec 2019
US 10,548,205 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jan 2020
US 2020/0296816 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Sep 2020
US 10,721,811 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2017/0354023 A1Published application
US 2019/0208608 A1Published application
US 2020/0128656 A1Published application
US 11,308,794 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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