Switch plate lens assembly

• US 20050152128A1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grace Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Grace Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Campman, James P.
• Application Number:
  US11/020,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20050152128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/95
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

The present invention relates to a switch plate assembly having a night light-type illumination device or a switch plate with a light source formed of a plurality of colored (red, blue, and green) LEDs. In one embodiment, the LEDs are covered by a pair of translucent, arcuate diffusers in series. The diffusers aid in uniformly or evenly dispersing the generated colored light from the cover plate or night light housing. The desired colors are generated in varying intensity for each LED. Each embodiment includes color generation control for performing a response based on a sensed condition such as a fire alarm, a doorbell, or burglar alarm. The light system can also be wired to an alarm signal generation system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a switch plate assembly including a switch plate cover;

at least one diffusion lens being mounted in the switch plate assembly, said diffusion lens being made of white polypropylene with a corrugated wall; and

two mounting members being standard screw type assemblies for securely mounting said switch plate cover to said switch plate assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of plate cover screws; and

a UL approved electrical plastic box having switch plate cover holes for receiving said pair of plate screws, said pair of said plate screws securely mounting said switch plate cover to said electrical box, and a base including a mounting hole for receiving a mounting screw, said plastic electrical box having, adjacent to the switch plate cover holes, a pair of bracket receiving holes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a rectangularly shaped metal mounting bracket including mounting tabs for mounting said bracket to said plastic electrical box, said mounting tabs having mounting tab holes which are aligned with said bracket receiving holes of said plastic electrical box, said bracket having a bracket base and a pair of legs, each said legs extending nearly perpendicular from said bracket base to each said respective mounting tab, and said each mounting tab extend perpendicularly outward from said respective legs with said each mounting tab being parallel to said bracket base.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of bracket mounting screws for entering each of said mounting tab holes and for entering the aligned bracket receiving holes to securely fasten said bracket mounting tabs and said bracket to said plastic electrical box.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a circuit board being mounted to said bracket base, said circuit board including a control circuit with switches and a series of terminals connected to a light source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said light source being formed of said plurality of colored LEDs includes a color generation controller and said controller responds to a sensed condition, and said sensed condition being defined as a fire alarm, a doorbell, or burglar alarm, wherein said controller being wired to an alarm signal generation system.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a switch plate assembly including a switch plate cover;

at least three individual lenses mounted in said switch plate cover, said at least three individual lenses being a blue lens, a green lens and a red lens; and

two mounting members being standard screw type assemblies for securely mounting said switch plate cover to said switch plate assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of plate cover screws; and

a UL approved electrical plastic box having switch plate cover holes for receiving said pair of plate screws, said pair of said plate screws securely mounting said switch plate cover to said electrical box, and a base including a mounting hole for receiving a mounting screw, said plastic electrical box having, adjacent to the switch plate cover holes, a pair of bracket receiving holes.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a rectangularly shaped metal mounting bracket including mounting tabs for mounting said bracket to said plastic electrical box, said mounting tabs having mounting tab holes which are aligned with said bracket receiving holes of said plastic electrical box, said bracket having a bracket base and a pair of legs, each said legs extending nearly perpendicular from said bracket base to each said respective mounting tab, and said each mounting tab extend perpendicularly outward from said respective legs with said each mounting tab being parallel to said bracket base.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of bracket mounting screws for entering each of said mounting tab holes and for entering the aligned bracket receiving holes to securely fasten said bracket mounting tabs and said bracket to said plastic electrical box

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a circuit board being mounted to said bracket base, said circuit board including a control circuit with switches and a series of terminals connected to a light source.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said light source being formed of said plurality of colored LEDs includes a color generation controller and said controller responds to a sensed condition, and said sensed condition being defined as a fire alarm, a doorbell, or burglar alarm, wherein said controller being wired to an alarm signal generation system.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a switch plate assembly including a switch plate cover with a rectangular opening;

a plexiglass lens mounted in the rectangular opening of the switch plate cover; and

two mounting members being standard screw type assemblies for securely mounting said switch plate cover to said switch plate assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of plate cover screws; and

a UL approved electrical plastic box having switch plate cover holes for receiving said pair of plate screws, said pair of said plate screws securely mounting said switch plate cover to said electrical box, and a base including a mounting hole for receiving a mounting screw, said plastic electrical box having, adjacent to the switch plate cover holes, a pair of bracket receiving holes.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a rectangularly shaped metal mounting bracket including mounting tabs for mounting said bracket to said plastic electrical box, said mounting tabs having mounting tab holes which are aligned with said bracket receiving holes of said plastic electrical box, said bracket having a bracket base and a pair of legs, each said legs extending nearly perpendicular from said bracket base to each said respective mounting tab, and said each mounting tab extend perpendicularly outward from said respective legs with said each mounting tab being parallel to said bracket base.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a pair of bracket mounting screws for entering each of said mounting tab holes and for entering the aligned bracket receiving holes to securely fasten said bracket mounting tabs and said bracket to said plastic electrical box.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said switch plate assembly comprising:

a circuit board being mounted to said bracket base, said circuit board including a control circuit with switches and a series of terminals connected to a light source.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said light source being formed of said plurality of colored LEDs includes a color generation controller and said controller responds to a sensed condition, and said sensed condition being defined as a fire alarm, a doorbell, or burglar alarm, wherein said controller being wired to an alarm signal generation system.