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US 8,305,172 B2Granted
Toggle switch with magnetic mechanical and electrical control
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsShahram Mehraban, Suzanne M. Fowler, David Janssens, Adam Mack, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Ryan W. Parker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switch includes magnets that provide both mechanical actuation of the switch as well as electrical operation of the switch. A system controller detects a state of the switch and controls operation of one or more systems in a structure based on the state of the switch. The system controller can detect the state of the switch by detecting a position of a magnet of the switch.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- identifying a state of a magnet position sensor, wherein the state of the magnetic position sensor is dependent upon a position of a first magnet that provides mechanical actuation of a switch;
- wherein the first magnet is disposed in a movable arm that sheers across a fixed arm when moved, and wherein a second magnet is disposed in the fixed arm, the first magnet having a first magnetic field that projects out from the movable arm and the second magnet having a second magnetic field that projects out from the fixed arm;
- and
- wherein the first and second magnetic fields are substantially directed toward each other and repel each other, and wherein sheering the movable arm across the fixed arm requires application of a force to the movable arm sufficient to overcome the magnetic repulsion of the first and second magnetic fields;
- and
- triggering a system mode based on the identified state of the magnet position sensor, a first system mode activating a normal power mode corresponding to a structure being occupied and a second system mode activating a low power mode corresponding to the structure being unoccupied.
3 more elements
A toggle switch comprising:
- a chassis having a fixed arm;
- a first magnet disposed on the fixed arm, the first magnet having a first magnetic field that projects out from the fixed arm;
- a movable arm to sheer across the fixed arm when the movable arm is moved;
- a second magnet disposed on the movable arm, the second magnet having a second magnetic field that projects out from the movable arm;
- wherein the first and second magnetic fields are substantially directed toward each other and repel each other, and wherein sheering the movable arm across the fixed arm requires application of a force to the movable arm sufficient to overcome the magnetic repulsion of the first and second magnetic fields;
- and
- a magnet position sensor to detect a position of the second magnet of the movable arm, wherein one position of the second magnet corresponds to an “ON” position of the switch, and another position of the second magnet corresponds to an “OFF” position of the switch.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a toggle switch including:
- a chassis having a fixed arm;
- a first magnet disposed on the fixed arm, the first magnet having a first magnetic field that projects out from the fixed arm;
- a movable arm to sheer across the fixed arm when the movable arm is moved;
- a second magnet disposed on the movable arm, the second magnet having a second magnetic field that projects out from the movable arm;
- wherein the first and second magnetic fields are substantially directed toward each other and repel each other, and wherein sheering the movable arm across the fixed arm requires application of a force to the movable arm sufficient to overcome the magnetic repulsion of the first and second magnetic fields;
- and
- a magnet position sensor to detect a position of the second magnet of the movable arm, wherein one position of the second magnet corresponds to an “ON” position of the switch, and another position of the second magnet corresponds to an “OFF” position of the switch.
- a system controller to determine whether the switch is on or off, and trigger a system mode based on the identified state of the switch, a first system mode activating a normal power mode corresponding to a structure being occupied and a second system mode activating a low power mode corresponding to the structure being unoccupied.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.