WALLBOX DIMMER SWITCH HAVING SIDE-BY-SIDE PUSHBUTTON AND DIMMER ACTUATORS
First Claim
1. An electrical load control device for use with a wallplate having an opening that has standard toggle-type dimensions, the electrical load control device comprising:
- an actuator mounting frame comprising a substantially rectangular platform, the platform adapted for receipt within the switch opening of a standard toggle-type wallplate;
a dimmer actuator that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a side of the platform; and
a pushbutton actuator for a switch comprising a user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first side of the platform, the user-engageable portion defining a surface having opposite end portions that is presented to a user of the device, at least the end portions of the surface of the user-engageable portion being defined by a portion of a substantially prolate spheroid to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the adjacent actuators during actuation by a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wallbox dimmer switch includes an actuator mounting frame having a platform portion that is receivable in a rectangular wallplate opening having standard toggle-type dimensions. The dimmer switch includes a pushbutton actuator for a switch and an adjacently located dimmer actuator that extend substantially parallel to a first side of the platform portion. The pushbutton actuator includes a user-engageable portion having an outer surface of which at least the end portions are defined by a portion of a substantially prolate spheroid for minimization of undesirable coupling between the adjacent actuators during actuation by a user. The switch may also include an actuator for an airgap switch extending through the platform portion and an array of indicator lights that are displayed through openings extending to an actuator-presentation surface of the platform portion.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An electrical load control device for use with a wallplate having an opening that has standard toggle-type dimensions, the electrical load control device comprising:
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an actuator mounting frame comprising a substantially rectangular platform, the platform adapted for receipt within the switch opening of a standard toggle-type wallplate;
a dimmer actuator that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a side of the platform; and
a pushbutton actuator for a switch comprising a user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first side of the platform, the user-engageable portion defining a surface having opposite end portions that is presented to a user of the device, at least the end portions of the surface of the user-engageable portion being defined by a portion of a substantially prolate spheroid to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the adjacent actuators during actuation by a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A dimmer switch adapted for use with a wallplate having a rectangular opening that has relatively long sides and relatively short ends, the dimmer switch comprising:
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an actuator mounting frame comprising a substantially rectangular platform, the platform having relatively long sides and relatively short ends, the sides and ends dimensioned for receipt within the wallplate rectangular opening;
a dimmer actuator extending in a direction that is substantially parallel with respect to the platform sides; and
a pushbutton actuator for a switch, the pushbutton actuator comprising an elongated user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator in a direction that is substantially parallel with respect to the platform sides, the user-engageable portion of the pushbutton actuator defining a surface having opposite end portions, at least the end portions of surface of the user-engageable portion of the pushbutton actuator being defined by a portion of a substantially prolate spheroid to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the actuation of the pushbutton actuator and the actuation of the dimmer acutator. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An electrical load control device comprising:
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an actuator mounting frame;
a yoke having front and rear sides and an opening in which the mounting frame is received;
a pushbutton switch actuator for actuation of a switch through inward translation of the pushbutton with respect to the mounting frame; and
a clip for removably securing the pushbutton switch actuator, the clip supported adjacent the rear side of the yoke for translation with respect to the yoke that is substantially perpendicular to the translation of the pushbutton actuator, the clip translating between a first locked position in which the clip engages the pushbutton actuator to secure the actuator and a second unlocked position in which the clip is disengaged from the pushbutton actuator to provide for removal of the pushbutton switch actuator, a portion of the clip accessible through the yoke opening from the front side of the yoke. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A dimmer switch for use with a wallplate having an opening that has standard toggle-type dimensions, the dimmer switch comprising:
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a pushbutton actuator for actuating a switch, the pushbutton actuator comprising a user-engageable portion defining a surface that is presented to a user of the switch;
a dimmer actuator;
an independent actuator for an airgap switch;
an actuator mounting member having a surface defining an actuator presentation area, the actuator presentation area adapted for receipt by the waliplate opening to present the actuator presentation area to a user of the switch, at least a portion of each of the pushbutton actuator, dimmer actuator and airgap switch actuator contained within actuator presentation area to provide accessibility for a user of the switch to the actuators; and
at least one opening in the actuator mounting member extending to the surface of the actuator mounting member, the opening providing for light communication between the acutator mounting surface and a source of light to provide a lighted display to a user of the switch. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An electrical load control device for use with a wallplate having an opening that has standard toggle-type dimensions, the electrical load control device comprising:
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an actuator mounting frame comprising a substantially rectangular platform, the platform adapted for receipt within the switch opening of a standard toggle-type wallplate;
a dimmer actuator that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a side of the platform; and
a pushbutton actuator for a switch comprising a user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first side of the platform, the user-engageable portion defining a surface having opposite end portions that is presented to a user of the device, at least the end portions of the surface of the user-engageable portion being defined by a substantially hemi-ellipsoidal surface to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the adjacent actuators during actuation by a user.
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40. A dimmer switch adapted for use with a wallplate having a rectangular opening that has relatively long sides and relatively short ends, the dimmer switch comprising:
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an actuator mounting frame comprising a substantially rectangular platform, the platform having relatively long sides and relatively short ends, the sides and ends dimensioned for receipt within the wallplate rectangular opening;
a dimmer actuator extending in a direction that is substantially parallel with respect to the platform sides; and
a pushbutton actuator for a switch, the pushbutton actuator comprising an elongated user-engageable portion that extends adjacent the dimmer actuator in a direction that is substantially parallel with respect to the platform sides, the user-engageable portion of the pushbutton actuator defining a surface having opposite end portions, at least the end portions of surface of the user-engageable portion of the pushbutton actuator being defined by a substantially hemi-ellipsoidal surface to provide for minimization of undesirable coupling between the actuation of the pushbutton actuator and the actuation of the dimmer acutator.
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Specification