Switchplate Area Light

• US 20070171625A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nite Ize Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nite Ize Incorporated
• Inventors: Glazner, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/95
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/18 Distinguishing marks on switches, e.g. for indicating switch location in the dark; Adaptation of switches to receive distinguishing marks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) and associated driver circuit wherein the LED is mounted on the front of a switchplate and the driver circuit on the back of the switchplate. The LED is mounted at a downward angle on the outside of the switchplate so as to light a pathway beneath the switchplate. The drive electronics are designed to work with a return path through an electrical load. Additionally, the LED driver circuit is designed to allow operation of the LED with both resistive and reactive loads controlled by the switch to which the switchplate is connected. The device is also designed to be connected to any electrically valid combination of 2-way, 3-way, and 4-way switches either singly or in combination.

Claims

1. A switchplate area light for providing pathway lighting in darkened areas comprising:

a body member consisting of a switchplate for use over one or more electrical switches having one or more additional holes formed to receive lead wiring from a light emitting diode, and

a light emitting diode mounted on the front surface of said switchplate at such an angle from the planar surface of said switchplate that the longitudinal axis of light emitted from said light emitting diode will illuminate the pathway directly beneath said switchplate, and

a light emitting diode driver circuit to power said light emitting diode mounted on the back surface of the switchplate drawing electrical energy from an alternating current power source where the return path for such current is through an electrical load controlled by an electrical switch covered by said switchplate.

2. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the lead wires emanating from the light emitting diode are routed through one or more holes in said switchplate.

3. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein said light emitting diode is enclosed in a semi-conical housing for mounting to said switchplate.

4. The semi-conical housing of claim 3, consisting of a material to encase the light emitting diode up to the point of its molded lens such that said molded lens protrudes from said semi-conical housing.

5. The light emitting diode driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode driver circuit is housed in an elongated rectangular prism mounted on the back of the switchplate of claim 1 in such a manner as to be disposed to fit between the electrical switch and the side of an electrical outlet box into which the electrical switch is installed.

6. The switchplate area light of claim 1, further including an ambient light sensing component mounted on the front of the switchplate and associated wiring and modifications to the light emitting diode driver circuit are provided to turn off the light emitting diode when the ambient light reaches a predetermined level.

7. The switchplate area light of claim 1, further including a manually operated switch mounted on the front of the switchplate and associated wiring and modifications to the light emitting diode driver circuit are provided to allow a user to turn off the light emitting diode when desired.

8. The switchplate area light of claim 1, further including both an ambient light sensing component and a manually operated switch mounted on the front of the switchplate and associated wiring and modifications to the light emitting diode driver circuit are provided to turn off the light emitting diode when the ambient light reaches a predetermined level and to allow a user to turn off the light emitting diode when desired.

9. A light emitting diode driver circuit for mitigating the effects of reactance and current fluctuations caused by an electrical load through which the circuit draws power comprising:

a current rectifying component, and

a current filtering component, and

a current regulating component comprising an adjustable three terminal regulator integrated circuit, the regulator having an input terminal, an adjustment terminal and an output terminal configured such that rectified and filtered current from the current rectifying and filtering components of said light emitting diode driver circuit is applied to the input terminal of the regulator, and output current to drive a light emitting diode is drawn from the adjustment terminal of the regulator, and the output terminal of the regulator is unused;

whereby regulated current will be provided to the light emitting diode so that steady light will be provided on the pathway directly below the switchplate making the area safer to traverse in darkness.

10. The adjustable three terminal regulator in claim 9 wherein a plurality of connections is provided for one or more of the regulator terminals.