Dimmer switch having an illuminated button and slider slot

• US 20070217211A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Jennifer S., Ochs, Matthew J., Hewson, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,745,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/430
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/0213 Combined operation of electric switch and variable impedance, e.g. resistor, capacitor H01H9/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/182 Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks H01H9/181 takes precedence

Abstract

A dimmer switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source provides a night light feature on a user interface adapted to be provided in an opening of a traditional-style faceplate. The user interface comprises a frame, a pushbutton actuator, and an intensity actuator. Actuations of the pushbutton actuator change an internal switch mechanism between an open position and a closed position. A source of illumination, mounted internally to the dimmer switch and offset longitudinally from the switch mechanism, illuminates the pushbutton actuator and an elongated slot of the intensity actuator when the lighting load is off to provide the night light feature. The dimmer switch further comprises a plurality of lenses operable to redirect the light from the source of illumination towards the pushbutton actuator and the elongated slot.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable electrical load control structure for controlling the power to be applied to an electrical load, said load control structure comprising:

a support frame having a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface defining an elongated rectangular opening therein, the rectangular opening having a length which is greater than its width;

an enclosure secured to and extending from the rear surface of said support frame;

a generally-flat cover plate secured relative to the front surface of said support frame, said cover plate defining a plane and having a centrally disposed rectangular opening;

an elongated rectangular pushbutton slidably received with respect to said elongated opening of said support frame and passing through said rectangular opening in said cover plate, said pushbutton moveable perpendicularly to the plane of said cover plate;

a switch mechanism supported in said enclosure and coupled to said elongated pushbutton, such that said pushbutton is operable to cause said switch mechanism to turn the power to said electrical load on and off in response to the operation of said pushbutton; and

a source of illumination supported behind said support frame and being electrically energized when the power to said electrical load is turned off, said pushbutton having at least a translucent surface portion which is positioned to be illuminated by said source of illumination when said source of illumination is energized.

2. The control structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a variable-intensity control circuit coupleable to said electrical load; and

a slider control for varying said intensity control circuit to control the amount of power delivered to said electrical load, said support frame having a vertical slot extending parallel to its said elongated opening and laterally spaced therefrom, said slider control comprising a shaft that extends perpendicularly through said slot and having an operating knob at its outer end and connected to said variable-intensity control circuit at its other end, said slot adapted to be illuminated by said source of illumination when said source of illumination is energized.

3. The control structure of claim 2, wherein said operating knob is rectangular in shape.

4. The control structure of claim 3, wherein said knob has a top rectangular surface, the vertical sides of said knob being chamfered.

5. The control structure of claim 4, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface, the parallel side edges of said top rectangular surface being chamfered.

6. The control structure of claim 5, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface that is translucent.

7. The control structure of claim 3, wherein said knob has a width equal to the width of said pushbutton.

8. The control structure of claim 7, wherein said rectangular opening in said cover plate has a length only slightly larger than the length of said pushbutton and a width only slightly larger than the sum of the widths of said pushbutton and said knob.

9. The control structure of claim 7, wherein the length of said knob is less than one half the length of said pushbutton.

10. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said frame has a thin rectangular shroud section extending therefrom and into said rectangular opening in said cover plate, said elongated rectangular pushbutton extending through and at least partly surrounded by said shroud, said shroud preventing the application of binding force to said rectangular pushbutton from the interior edges of said rectangular opening in said cover plate due to a lateral displacement of said rectangular cover plate relative to said frame.

11. The control structure of claim 10, further comprising:

a variable-intensity control circuit coupleable to said electrical load; and

a slider control for varying said intensity control circuit to control the amount of power delivered to said electrical load, said support frame having a vertical slot extending parallel to its said elongated opening and laterally spaced therefrom, said slider control comprising a shaft that extends perpendicularly through said slot and having an operating knob at its outer end and connected to said variable-intensity control circuit at its other end;

said slot adapted to be illuminated by said source of illumination when said source of illumination is energized.

12. The control structure of claim 11, wherein said operating knob is rectangular in shape.

13. The control structure of claim 12, wherein said operating knob has a width equal to the width of said pushbutton.

14. The control structure of claim 13, wherein the length of said operating knob is less than one half the length of said pushbutton.

15. The control structure of claim 12, wherein the top surface of said pushbutton is adapted to be substantially coplanar with a top surface of said knob when said pushbutton is fully depressed.

16. The control structure of claim 10, wherein said frame and said thin shroud are formed as an integrally molded plastic part.

17. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface that is translucent.

18. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface, said surface having a positive curvature from its top to its bottom along the length of said surface.

19. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface, the parallel side edges of said top rectangular surface being chamfered.

20. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said electrical load is a lighting load.

21. The control structure of claim 1, wherein said electrical load is a motor.

22. A wall-mountable electrical load control structure for controlling the power to be applied to an electrical load, said load control structure comprising:

a support frame having a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface defining an elongated rectangular opening therein, said rectangular opening having a length that is greater than its width;

an enclosure secured to and extending from the rear surface of said support frame;

a generally-flat cover plate having a front surface, the cover plate secured relative to the front surface of said support frame;

a switch mechanism supported in said enclosure;

a toggle actuator coupled to said switch mechanism and operable by a user from the front of said cover plate, said toggle actuator further operable to cause said switch mechanism to turn the power to said load on and off;

a source of illumination supported behind said support frame and adapted to be electrically energized when the power is turned off;

a variable-intensity control circuit coupleable to said electrical load; and

a slider control for varying said intensity control circuit to control the amount of power delivered to said electrical load, said support frame having a vertical slot therein, said slider control comprising a shaft that extends perpendicularly through said slot and having an operating knob at its outer end and connected to said variable-intensity control circuit at its other end, said slot adapted to be illuminated by said source of illumination when said source of illumination is energized.

23. The control structure of claim 22, wherein said operating knob is rectangular in shape.

24. The control structure of claim 23, wherein said operating knob has a top rectangular surface, the lateral edges of the top rectangular surface of said knob being chamfered.

25. A control structure for an electrical load comprising:

a flat surface defining a slot therein;

a manually-operable toggle actuator coupleable to said electrical load for turning said load on and off;

a variable-intensity slider control coupleable to said electrical load for varying the current supplied to said load, said variable-intensity slider comprising a manually operable slide shaft movable between the ends of said slot in said flat surface; and

an illumination source positioned behind said slider and being connected to a control circuit, said illumination source adapted to be illuminated when the current to said load is off, said illumination source illuminating said slot when said illumination source is illuminated.

26. The control structure of claim 25, wherein said toggle actuator is at least partially translucent and is illuminated by said illumination source when said illumination source is illuminated.

27. A method of illuminating a slider slot of a wall-mounted dimmer switch to identify the location of said dimmer switch in a darkened room, said slider slot receiving a dimmer slider knob that is moveable moves between the ends of said slot, said method comprising the steps of:

illuminating a light source contained interiorly of said dimmer switch; and

directing said light source towards the rear of said slot;

wherein illumination is visible in the portions of said slot which are unoccupied by said slider knob.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of illuminating further comprises illuminating said light source contained interiorly of said dimmer switch when said dimmer switch is turned off.

29. The process of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

directing said light source to illuminate said slot and a toggle actuator of said dimmer switch.

30. A wall-mountable electrical load control structure for controlling the power to be applied to an electrical load, said load control structure comprising:

a support frame having an elongated rectangular opening therein, said rectangular opening having a length which is greater than its width;

an enclosure secured to and extending from the rear surface of said support frame;

a cover plate secured to the front surface of said support frame, said cover plate having a centrally disposed rectangular opening;

an elongated rectangular pushbutton slidably received with respect to said elongated opening and passing through said rectangular opening in said cover plate and moveable perpendicularly to the plane of said cover plate;

a switch mechanism supported in said enclosure and coupled to said elongated pushbutton, such that said pushbutton is operable to cause said switch mechanism to turn the power to said electrical load on and off in response to the operation of said pushbutton;

a source of illumination supported behind said support frame and being electrically energized when the power to said electrical load is turned off; and

a thin shroud extending from said frame and into said rectangular opening in said cover plate, said elongated rectangular pushbutton extending through and at least partly surrounded by said shroud, said shroud preventing the application of binding force to said rectangular pushbutton from the interior edges of said rectangular opening in said cover plate due to a lateral displacement of said rectangular force plate relative to said frame.

31. The control structure of claim 30, further comprising:

a variable-intensity control circuit coupleable to said electrical load; and

a slider control for varying said intensity control circuit to control the amount of power delivered to said electrical load, said support frame having a vertical slot extending parallel to its said elongated opening and laterally spaced therefrom, said slider control comprising a shaft that extends perpendicularly through said slot and having an operating knob at its outer end and connected to said variable-intensity control circuit at its other end, said operating knob being enclosed on its outer side by a respective portion of said shroud.

32. The control structure of claim 31, wherein said operating knob is rectangular in shape.

33. The control structure of claim 32, wherein said knob has a width substantially equal to the width of said pushbutton.

34. The control structure of claim 32, wherein said knob has a top rectangular surface, the lateral edges of the top rectangular surface of said knob being chamfered.

35. The control structure of claim 30, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface that is translucent.

36. The control structure of claim 30, wherein said pushbutton has a top rectangular surface, the parallel side edges of said top rectangular surface being chamfered.

37. A control structure for an electrical circuit for controlling the power to be applied from an AC power source to an electrical system, said control structure comprising:

a toggle button having a flat rectangular hollow plastic body and a translucent outer front surface;

a support structure for supporting said toggle button for linear motion perpendicular to said front surface;

an optically-conductive structure supported within said hollow plastic body of said toggle button, said optically-conductive structure having a first end surface facing an interior surface of said translucent outer top surface and a second end surface opposite to said first end surface;

at least one light-emitting diode facing said second end surface for illuminating said second end surface whereby the light illumination on said second end surface is conducted to said first end surface to illuminate said translucent outer top surface;

a circuit for energizing said at least one light-emitting diode when said electrical circuit is off; and

a lens structure for directing light through said optically-conductive structure to more uniformly illuminate said translucent outer top surface.

38. The control structure of claim 37, wherein said lens structure includes a Fresnel lens pattern.

39. The control structure of claim 38, wherein said Fresnel lens pattern comprises parallel striations extending perpendicular to the length of said second end surface.

40. The control structure of claim 39, which includes a second Fresnel lens pattern comprising parallel striations extending parallel to the length of said second end surface.

41. The control structure of claim 38, which includes at least two light-emitting diodes located to illuminate said Fresnel lens pattern.

42. The control structure of claim 37, wherein said lens structure includes a convex lens on said second end surface.

43. The control structure of claim 37, wherein said lens structure includes a textured portion near said first end surface of said optically-conductive structure.

44. A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, said load control device comprising:

a frame defining an opening in a front surface of said load control device;

a pushbutton actuator disposed within said opening, said pushbutton actuator including a substantially translucent front wall having an outer front surface and an inner front surface, and translucent side walls having outer surfaces and inner surfaces;

an intensity actuator disposed within said opening adjacent said pushbutton actuator, said intensity actuator including an elongated slot formed in said frame and an intensity actuator knob slidingly received within said slot; and

a source of illumination disposed within an interior portion of said load control device, said source of illumination in optical communication with said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame;

whereby when said source of illumination is illuminated, a soft glow of light is perceptible through said pushbutton actuator and through said slot.

45. The load control device of claim 44, further comprising:

a switch mechanism adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between said AC power source and said electrical load, said switch mechanism located immediately behind said pushbutton actuator, said pushbutton actuator operable to cause said switch mechanism to alternate between an open position and a closed position when said pushbutton actuator is actuated.

46. The load control device of claim 45, wherein said source of illumination is offset longitudinally from said switch mechanism and is positioned to emit light towards said front rear surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame.

47. The load control device of claim 46, further comprising:

a transparent sub-button received with said pushbutton actuator and operable to conduct the light emitted from said source of illumination to said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator and said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator.

48. The load control device of claim 47, further comprising:

an actuator assembly operatively coupled between said sub-button and said switch mechanism.

49. The load control device of claim 48, wherein said actuator assembly comprises a retainer and a return spring coupled between said retainer and said sub-button to outwardly bias said pushbutton actuator, said retainer located between said source of illumination and a bottom surface of said sub-button;

and

further wherein said retainer portion comprises a first Fresnel lens pattern arranged in a longitudinal direction and a second Fresnel lens pattern arranged in a lateral direction, said first and second Fresnel lens patterns operable to redirect the light emitted from said source of illumination towards said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame.

50. The load control device of claim 49, wherein said sub-button comprises a receptacle portion operatively coupled to said actuator assembly, and a convex lens formed in said bottom surface of said sub-button, said convex lens operable to redirect the light emitted from said source of illumination towards said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame, said convex lens further operable to diffuse the light emitted from said source of illumination uniformly across said inner front surface.

51. The load control device of claim 50, wherein said sub-button comprises a textured portion, said textured portion operable to uniformly diffuse the light emitted from said source of illumination to said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator and said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator.

52. The load control device of claim 47, wherein said sub-button comprises a lens formed in a bottom surface of said sub-button.

53. The load control device of claim 52, wherein said lens formed in said bottom surface of said sub-button diverges the light emitted from said source of illumination uniformly across said inner front surface of said pushbutton actuator.

54. The load control device of claim 53, wherein said lens formed in said bottom surface of said sub-button redirects the light emitted from said source of illumination towards said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame.

55. The load control device of claim 52, wherein said lens comprises a convex lens.

56. The load control device of claim 47, further comprising:

a first Fresnel lens arranged in a longitudinal direction between said source of illumination and a bottom surface of said sub-button; and

a second Fresnel lens arranged in a lateral direction between said source of illumination and said bottom surface of said sub-button;

wherein said first and second Fresnel lens redirect the light emitted from said source of illumination towards said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame.

57. The load control device of claim 45, wherein said source of illumination is coupled in parallel electrical connection with said switch mechanism, such that said source of illumination is operable to emit light when said switch mechanism is in said open position.

58. The load control device of claim 57, wherein said source of illumination comprises two light-emitting diodes.

59. The load control device of claim 58, wherein said light-emitting diodes are offset longitudinally from said switch mechanism and are positioned to emit light towards said inner front surface of said front wall of said pushbutton actuator, said inner surfaces of said side walls of said pushbutton actuator, and said slot of said intensity actuator frame.

60. The load control device of claim 59, further comprising:

a printed circuit board, said light-emitting diodes mounted to said printed circuit board.

61. The load control device of claim 58, wherein said two light-emitting diodes are coupled together, an anode of said first light-emitting diode coupled to a cathode of said second light-emitting diode, a cathode of said first light-emitting diode coupled to an anode of said second light-emitting diode, such that said first and second light-emitting diodes are operable to conduct current during said positive and negative half-cycles of said AC power source, respectively.

62. The load control device of claim 44, wherein said source of illumination comprises a light-emitting diode.