Wall-mountable wireless remote control device

• US 10,123,400 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Spira, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/594,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20170251542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A wall-mountable remote control device may be installed in place of an existing light switch and may be configured to transmit wireless signals to an electrical load device, such as a screw-in light-emitting diode (LED) lamp, to provide control of the electrical load device. The remote control device may comprise an air-gap switch adapted to be electrically coupled in series between a power source and the controllable light source, but may not comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load device using a phase-control dimming technique. The remote control device may have a low-profile enclosure that is smaller than an enclosure of a standard dimmer switch, and thus may be easier to install in an electrical wallbox. The remote control device may comprise two parts including an air-gap switch device and a wireless communication device mounted to the air-gap switch device.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable remote control device configured to control an electrical load device adapted to receive power from an AC power source, the remote control device comprising:

a yoke configured to be mounted to an electrical wallbox;

an enclosure configured to connect to the yoke such that the enclosure is located inside of the electrical wallbox;

a bezel that protrudes outward from a front surface of the yoke;

an air-gap switch located in the enclosure and adapted to be electrically coupled in series between the AC power source and the electrical load device;

a user interface located on a front surface of the bezel and configured to be actuated by a user of the remote control device;

a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit a signal;

a control circuit located within the enclosure and electrically coupled to the user interface and the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit the signal in response to an actuation of the user interface, the signal including a command for controlling the electrical load device; and

a power supply electrically coupled in series with the air-gap switch and configured to conduct a charging current through the electrical load device to generate a DC supply voltage to power the control circuit and the wireless communication circuit.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an air-gap switch actuator configured to be actuated to open and close the air-gap switch.

3. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the yoke comprises openings configured to receive screws to mount a faceplate to the yoke such that the bezel is received in an opening of the faceplate.

4. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein when the faceplate is mounted to the yoke, the air-gap switch actuator is located behind the faceplate and is hidden from view.

5. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein when the faceplate is mounted to the yoke, the air-gap switch actuator is configured to protrude past a lower edge of the faceplate and to be pulled down away from the faceplate to open the air-gap switch.

6. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the air-gap switch actuator is located in the bezel and is configured to be pulled horizontally away from the bezel to open the air-gap switch.

7. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the air-gap switch actuator is located in the bezel and is configured to slide horizontally to open the air-gap switch.

8. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a low-profile enclosure.

9. The remote control device of claim 8, wherein the enclosure has a depth defined from the yoke to a rear surface of the enclosure of approximately 0.75 inches.

10. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is configured to be associated with the electrical load device in response to an opening and closing of the air-gap switch and, within a first time period after the closing of the air-gap switch, an actuation of the user interface for a second time period that is shorter than the first time period.

11. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the air-gap switch is configured to be controlled via one or more signals received via the wireless communication circuit.

12. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the air-gap switch comprises a relay configured to be opened and closed by the control circuit in response to receipt of the one or more signals received via the wireless communication circuit.

13. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the air-gap switch provides an air-gap barrier between the AC power source and the electrical load device when the air-gap switch is open.

14. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device does not comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch for controlling an amount of power delivered to the electrical load device using a phase-control dimming technique.

15. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the air-gap switch is adapted to be directly electrically coupled in series between the AC power source and the electrical load device to generate a load voltage across the electrical load device, wherein the load voltage is substantially undistorted from an AC line voltage produced by the AC power source.

16. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the remote control device comprises a two-wire device.