Dimmer with increased switching capacity
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorWilliam L. Ferrigno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dimmer of high wattage capacity is provided and incorporates as a component thereof a dimmer of lower wattage capacity. The combination of this invention makes possible a higher wattage dimmer at a relatively lower cost than previously feasible. This higher wattage dimmer incorporates in combination, a standard lower wattage dimmer, having a low cost based on high volume production, coupled with a relatively large heat sink. The heat sink is formed to combine with and bear against the lower wattage dimmer in heat receiving relationship. A lower cost higher wattage dimmer accordingly results from this combination.
Claims4
A dimmer article comprising:
- a. an insulating housing of a conventional dimmer having a top access opening and having side openings with electric supply means extending through said side openings,
- b. a metal closure plate of a conventional dimmer having forward and rear surfaces and mounted to said housing closing said top access opening,
- c. the forward surface of the portion of said closure plate closing said top access opening being flat,
- d. a solid state device mounted in electrically insulated heat transfer relation to the rear surface of said metal plate and electrically connected to said electric supply means,
- e. phase control circuitry in said housing controlling flow of electric power through said solid state device,
- f. a metal heat sink plate of a mass substantially greater than the mass of the closure plate,
- g. said heat sink plate having a rear flat surface portion physically bearing against most of the flat forward surface of the closure plate forward surface of the closure plate, of said conventional dimmer
- h. and said heat sink plate being mounted in close conforming and heat receiving contact with said closure plate to constitute said dimmer article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.