ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090260966A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Parimal, Lombardi, Alfred J., Estanislao, Danilo F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,138,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/315
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/018 Tumbler
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2235/022 Actuating striker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2237/004 Cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/004 High frequency adaptation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/168 making use of an electromagnetic wave communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/52 Cooling of switch parts cooling of contacts H01H1/62

Abstract

An electrical device is disclosed for use in a wall box having a series of buttons that can either be rocker buttons or push buttons. These buttons can be supported by springboards formed integral with a support board. The springboards are for biasing the series of buttons. Much of the device is housed within a housing formed at a first end by a body and a second end by a strap coupled to the housing. The strap extends beyond the body, wherein this strap can be used to dissipate heat from the device. Inside of the housing can be at least one circuit board which has switches, which can be used to receive instructions from a plurality of buttons. In one embodiment, a plurality of light pipes are adapted so that they are housed at least partially inside of these buttons. At least one portion of the light pipe can be formed as a shaft and adapted to extend out from this housing and down to a light emitter disposed on the circuit board. In at least one embodiment, this light pipe can also include at least one actuator which is used to contact an associated springboard when a button is acted on. This movement causes the springboard to contact an actuator on a TAC switch which then results in an associated set of instructions being sent to the circuit board.

Claims

1. An electrical device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) at least one button;

c) at least one support board having a frame;

d) at least one spring board connected to said support board;

e) at least one light coupled to said at least one button;

f) a circuit board; and

g) at least one spacer to separate said at least one support board from said at least one circuit board;

said at least one button coupled to said at least one support board, and biased in a first position by said at least one spring board.

2. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said housing is adapted to be installed in a single gang electrical wall box.

3. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one button has at least one hinge.

4. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said light further comprises at least one light pipe disposed in said housing and coupled to said button.

5. The electrical device as in claim 4, wherein said at least one button has at least one hole for allowing light from said at least one light pipe to flow therethrough.

6. The electrical device as in claim 1, further comprising at least one switch coupled to said at least one circuit board, wherein said at least one spring board further comprises at least one actuator element coupled to said at least one spring board, wherein said actuator element is for contacting an associated actuator section on said at least one switch.

7. The electrical device as in claim 6, further comprising at least one light emitter coupled to said circuit board, wherein said at least one light pipe is coupled to said at least one light emitter at a first end, and to said at least one button at a second end.

8. The electrical device as in claim 7, wherein said at least one light pipe comprises at least one shaft, and at least one head region, wherein said head region is coupled to said at least one button.

9. The electrical device as in claim 8, wherein said at least one head region comprises at least one actuator section which contacts said at least one spring board when said button is moved into an actuating position.

10. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one springboard is formed from a non-metallic material.

11. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one springboard comprises a spring section which is coupled to said support board at a first end, and a contact section which is coupled to said spring section.

12. The electrical device as in claim 11, wherein said at least one contact section has an end coupled to said spring section and an opposite free end, wherein said at least one contact section has at least one actuating element.

13. The electrical device as in claim 12, wherein said at least one actuating element is disposed adjacent to said free end of said contact section.

14. The electrical device as in claim 13, wherein said at least one spring board is adapted to allow a shaft of said at least one light pipe to pass therethrough.

15. The electrical device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one spring board has at least one hole for allowing a shaft of said at least one light pipe to pass therethrough.

16. An electrical control device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a plurality of switches coupled to said housing, wherein at least one switch of said plurality of switches is a rocker switch;

c) at least one support board disposed in said housing;

d) at least one spring board disposed in said housing and connected to said at least one support board, wherein said at least one spring board is configured to support at least one of said plurality of rocker switches;

e) at least one light coupled to said rocker switch;

f) a circuit board; and

g) at least one spacer to separate said at least one support board from said at least one circuit board

17. The device as in claim 16, wherein said at least one rocker switch is an on-off switch.

18. The device as in claim 16, wherein said at least one rocker switch varies an intensity of power distributed to a load coupled to said device.

19. The device as in claim 16, wherein said at least one rocker switch is coupled to a plurality of downstream loads.

20. The device as in claim 16, wherein said at least one rocker switch comprises a plurality of rocker switches, wherein each of said plurality of rocker switches is coupled to a different downstream load.

21. The electrical device as in claim 16, wherein said at least one support board has at least one opening and wherein said at least one spring board comprises at least two separate spring boards, coupled to said at least one support board and spaced apart from each other to form an opening which is adapted to allow said shaft of said at least one light pipe to pass therethrough.