US 6,005,308 AGranted

Electrical switch and dimmer control device

AssigneeLutron Electronics Co., Inc.

InventorsGary William Bryde, James Edgar Swain, John Roderick Woodman, Mark Andrew Cieri

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Abstract

An electrical switch and dimmer device for controlling current applied to a load comprises a bezel assembly (16) which includes a bezel housing (17), a switch actuator (18) and a dimmer actuator (19). The bezel housing supports both switch and dimmer actuators for respective movement between first and second positions, whereby the on/off state of an electrical switch adapted to apply power to an electrical load (e.g. an electric light or fan) is controllable, as is the level of power applied to the load by the switch. The bezel housing and the switch/dimmer actuators which it supports comprise a self-contained assembly which can be releasably connected to a yoke member (20) on which an electrical switch and dimmer circuitry are mounted. Preferably, the switch actuator comprises a paddle-type actuator (18) which is pivotally mounted between a pair of opposing side walls (48A, 48B) of the bezel housing, and the dimmer actuator comprises a slidably mounted member (21) which is guided by a rectilinear slot (23) formed in one of the bezel walls adjacent an edge of the paddle actuator.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A switch and dimmer device for controlling electrical power applied to a load, said device comprising:

(a) a yoke having at least one mounting opening therein for connecting the yoke to an electrical wall box;
(b) an electrical switch adapted to selectively apply power to the load from a power source, said electrical switch being supported by said yoke and having a switch actuator which is selectively operable to control the on/off state of said electrical switch;
(c) a dimmer adapted to control the level of power applied to the load, said dimmer being supported by said yoke and having a dimmer actuator which is selectively operable to control the level of power applied to the load by the switch;
(d) a backcover secured to said yoke, the backcover and yoke cooperating to form an enclosure to house said electrical switch and said dimmer;
and
(e) a bezel assembly comprising:
(i) a bezel housing;
(ii) a first manually-manipulatable member movably mounted directly on and retained by said bezel housing and operatively coupled to said switch actuator when said bezel assembly is connected to said yoke, for selectively controlling the operation of said switch actuator;
and
(iii) a second manually-manipulatable member movably mounted directly on and retained by said bezel housing and operatively coupled to said dimmer actuator when said bezel assembly is connected to said yoke, for selectively controlling the operation of said dimmer actuator, said bezel assembly being removable with respect to said yoke while said yoke remains secured to said backcover.

7 more elements

In an apparatus for controlling the current applied to an electric lamp to control the on/off state and intensity of the lamp, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a yoke having at least one mounting opening therein for connecting the yoke to an electrical wall box;
(b) an electrical switch adapted to selectively apply current to the lamp from a power source, said switch being supported by said yoke and having a movable actuator for controlling the on/off state of said electrical switch;
(c) a dimmer mechanism adapted to control the intensity of the lamp, said dimmer mechanism being supported by said yoke and having a movable dimmer actuator for controlling the level of current applied to the lamp by the switch based on the position of said movable dimmer actuator;
the improvement comprising;
(d) a backcover secured to said yoke, the backcover and yoke cooperating to form an enclosure to house said electrical switch and said dimmer, and
(d) a bezel assembly comprising a bezel housing which directly movably supports and surrounds a first movable member for controlling the operation of said switch actuator when said bezel assembly is connected to said yoke, said bezel housing further directly movably supporting a second movable member for selectively controlling the position of said movable dimmer actuator when said bezel assembly is connected to said yoke, the first and second movably members being retained by the bezel housing, said bezel assemblys being removable from said yoke while said yoke remains secured to said back cover.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/040,423Filed 31 Mar 1993 · continuation in part
Granted: 21 Dec 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H01H 23/20
Driving mechanisms: having snap action
H05B 39/00
Circuit arrangements or apparatus for operating incandescent light sources
H05B 39/08
Controlling: by shifting phase of trigger voltage applied to gas-filled controlling tubes also in controlled semiconductor devices
H01H 3/0213
Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch: combined operation of electric switch and…