Touch control switch and lamp system
First Claim
1. A touch control lamp system, comprising:
- a housing;
a touch control circuit mounted within said housing, said touch control circuit having a touch control terminal, an input for providing power to said touch control circuit, and an output for providing output power controlled by said circuit in response to touching contact communicated to said touch terminal;
a female electrical outlet on said housing, connected to the output of said touch control circuit and configured to receive a standard male electrical household plug;
a lamp having a power cord terminating in a male electrical plug configured to be plugged into a standard female electrical household outlet for supplying power to the lamp;
a touch control wire on said cord having a first end attached to an exposed conductive portion of said lamp, and a second end terminating at said male plug; and
means on said plug and on said housing for connecting said second end of said touch control wire on said male plug to said touch control terminal on said housing when said plug is inserted into said outlet, so that said touch control circuit may be actuated by touching said conductive portion of said lamp, wherein said touching is communicated by said touch control wire to said control circuit.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a touch control lamp system, including a touch control dimmer switch adapted to be plugged into a standard electrical household outlet, and a lamp having a male electrical plug adapted to plug into the touch control switch. When the plug from the lamp is plugged into the touch control switch, a touch control wire in the power cord of the lamp connects a conductive portion of the lamp to the touch control circuitry in the touch control switch, so that the lamp may be controlled by touching the conductive portion of the lamp. Moreover, a conventional lamp may be plugged into the touch control switch, which may be controlled by a touch control wire separately connected to the touch control switch.
54 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A touch control lamp system, comprising:
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a housing; a touch control circuit mounted within said housing, said touch control circuit having a touch control terminal, an input for providing power to said touch control circuit, and an output for providing output power controlled by said circuit in response to touching contact communicated to said touch terminal; a female electrical outlet on said housing, connected to the output of said touch control circuit and configured to receive a standard male electrical household plug; a lamp having a power cord terminating in a male electrical plug configured to be plugged into a standard female electrical household outlet for supplying power to the lamp; a touch control wire on said cord having a first end attached to an exposed conductive portion of said lamp, and a second end terminating at said male plug; and means on said plug and on said housing for connecting said second end of said touch control wire on said male plug to said touch control terminal on said housing when said plug is inserted into said outlet, so that said touch control circuit may be actuated by touching said conductive portion of said lamp, wherein said touching is communicated by said touch control wire to said control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A lamp control device, comprising:
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a housing; a touch control circuit mounted within said housing, said touch control circuit having a touch control terminal, an input for providing power to said touch control circuit, and an output for providing output power controlled by touching contact communicated to said touch terminal; a female electrical outlet on said housing, connected to the output of said touch control circuit and configured to receive a standard male electrical household plug, said outlet also configured to receive a modified male electrical household plug to which is connected a non-power carrying touch control wire; and a contact adjacent to said outlet and connected to said touch control terminal, said contact adapted to make electrical connection with said touch control wire when said modified plug is inserted into said outlet, while not interfering with the insertion of a standard male electrical household plug into said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A lamp for use with a touch control circuit, comprising:
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a lamp base carrying an incandescent bulb; a cord having one end connected to said base; a pair of power conductors in said cord for supplying power to said incandescent bulb; an exposed conductive portion on said lamp; a touch control wire in said cord having one end thereof electrically connected to said conductive portion; a male electrical household plug on the other end of said cord, said plug having a body portion with a flat side, a pair of prongs extending out orthogonally from said flat side, said prongs being connected to said power conductors, said plug adapted to be plugged into a standard female electrical household outlet for supplying power to the lamp; and a contact carried by said plug electrically connected to said touch control wire, said plug further being adapted to be inserted into a specially-designed electrical outlet connected to the output of a touch-control circuit, so that when said plug is inserted into said specially designed outlet, said touch control wire is connected through said electrical contact to a touch control terminal in said circuit, whereby said circuit can be actuated to supply power to said lamp by touching said conductive portion on said lamp. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification