US 12,002,632 B2Granted

Anywhere wireless switch and/or dimmer

AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.

InventorsRonald J. Gumina, James Shurte, Michael Kamor, Stephen Aaron, Aaron Ard

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An electrical device such as, for example, a battery-powered electrical switch is disclosed. The battery-powered wireless switch includes one or more mechanisms arranged and configured to provide simplified access for servicing (e.g., replacing) the batteries located within the wireless switch. In one embodiment, the wireless switch is arranged and configured so that the batteries may be accessed by reconfiguring the wireless switch from a first closed position to a second opened position to access the batteries. Thus arranged, removal of the wireless switch from a wall-box or a surface of a wall is not required, the user may only need to remove the wall-plate in order to reconfigure the wireless switch. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the wireless switch is pivoted from the first position to the second position to provide access to the batteries.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A battery-powered switch arranged and configured to be mounted to a wall-box or to a surface of a building, the battery-powered switch to wirelessly control a remote electrical control hardwired in series between an electrical power source and an electrical load, the battery-powered switch comprising:

a base including a front surface;
a frame pivotably coupled to the base, the frame being pivotably coupled between a first closed position and a second opened position, wherein the frame remains coupled to the base in the first closed position and the second opened position, the frame and the front surface defining a cavity;
a printed circuit board (“PCB”) disposed within the cavity and including a plurality of microswitches and a wireless transceiver, the PCB configured to receive a replaceable battery;
and
a user-accessible actuator coupled to the frame so that the user-accessible actuator is moveable relative to at least a portion of the base, the user accessible actuator arranged and configured to selectively actuate the plurality of microswitches to wirelessly transmit control signals to the remote electrical control,
wherein when the frame is in the second opened position, the user can access and replace the battery while the battery-powered switch is mounted to the wall-box or the surface of the wall;
and
wherein the frame is pivotably coupled to the base about a longitudinal axis and the actuator is coupled to the frame about a lateral axis, the lateral axis being arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

5 more elements

A battery-powered switch arranged and configured to be mounted to a wall-box or to a surface of a wall, the battery-powered switch arranged and configured to wirelessly control a remote electrical control hardwired in series between an electrical power source and an electrical load, the battery-powered switch comprising:

a base including a front surface;
and
a printed circuit board (“PCB”) disposed at least partially within the base, the PCB including a replaceable battery;
a user-accessible actuator coupled to the base, the user accessible actuator arranged and configured to selectively actuate a plurality of microswitches to wirelessly transmit control signals to the remote electrical control;
wherein the user-accessible actuator pivotably moves relative to the base from a first closed position to a second opened position, the user-accessible actuator remaining coupled to the base in the first closed position and the second opened position and when the user-accessible actuator is in the second opened position, the user can access and replace the battery while the battery-powered switch is mounted to the wall-box or the surface of the wall;
and
wherein the user-accessible actuator pivotably moves relative to the base between the first closed position and the second opened position about a longitudinal axis and the user-accessible actuator is coupled to the base to selectively actuate the plurality of microswitches about a lateral axis, the lateral axis being arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/066,680Filed 9 Oct 2020
Published: US 2022/0115189 A114 Apr 2022
Granted: 4 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

H01H 13/04
Details: cases; Covers
H01H 1/5805
Electric connections to or between contacts; Terminals: connections to printed circuits
H01H 3/12
Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch: push-buttons
H01H 3/162
For actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid: associated with a hinge of the closing member