Wall box dimming system and face plate and switch assembly therefor
DCFirst Claim
1. A dimming system assembly for controlling the intensity of m groups of lights, m being an integer, each group including one or more lights, said dimming system assembly comprising:
- (A) an electronics module having dimmer electronics located therein for controlling the lighting level of said m groups of lights in accordance with a selected one of n preset scenes, n being an integer greater than 1, said dimmer electronics including;
(1) n groups of m slide potentiometers, each slide potentiometer of a given group controlling the intensity of a respective group of lights; and
(2) n switch means, each switch means being associated with a different said group of slide potentiometers for causing the intensity of said groups of lights to be determined by that group of slide potentiometers associated with the respective switch means; and
(B) a face plate assembly coupled to said electronics module, said face plate assembly comprising;
(1) a support plate having m×
n slots formed therein, each of said slide potentiometers including slide arms extending into a respective said slot;
said support plate including a coupling section having a cam surface and a locking surface which intersect at a ridge;
said support plate also having at least one opening through which said switch means extend;
(2) a window pivotally coupled to said coupling section of said support plate by a pin and being pivotable about an axis of said pin between a closed position, wherein said window covers said slots and said slide arms of said potentiometers, and an open position, wherein said window exposes said slots and said slide arms of said potentiometers so that the position of said slide arms of said potentiometers may be adjusted by the operator of said dimming system assembly;
an inner surface of said window sliding along said cam surface as said window moves from said closed position to said open position until it reaches said ridge and then contacting said locking surface after it moves past said ridge; and
(3) said coupling section, said window and said pin cooperating to cause said inner surface to be biased radially inward toward said axis of said pin in such a manner that said inner surface is first biased into contact with said cam surface and then is biased into locking engagement with said locking surface as said window is moved from said closed to said open position.
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Abstract
A wall box dimming system assembly controls the intensity level of a plurality of groups of lights in accordance with a plurality of preset scenes. The electronics for carrying out the dimmer operations are preferably mounted in a housing adapted to fit in a standard four gang wall box. A face plate assembly is coupled to the housing and has a larger profile than the housing as viewed from an entry position located in front of the face plate assembly. At least some of the control switches which enable the operator to switch control over the dimming levels from scene to scene and/or turn the system off are located outside of the profile of the wall box housing. The face plate assembly includes a support plate and a window pivotally connected to the support plate and moveable between a closed position, wherein access to slide potentiometers which control the dimming levels of the lights is blocked, and an open position, wherein the operator can gain access to the slide potentiometers. A novel hinge structure maintains the window in the open position once the window has been moved into this position by the operator of the dimmer so that the operator can adjust the positions of the slide potentiometers without having to hold the window in the open position.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A dimming system assembly for controlling the intensity of m groups of lights, m being an integer, each group including one or more lights, said dimming system assembly comprising:
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(A) an electronics module having dimmer electronics located therein for controlling the lighting level of said m groups of lights in accordance with a selected one of n preset scenes, n being an integer greater than 1, said dimmer electronics including; (1) n groups of m slide potentiometers, each slide potentiometer of a given group controlling the intensity of a respective group of lights; and (2) n switch means, each switch means being associated with a different said group of slide potentiometers for causing the intensity of said groups of lights to be determined by that group of slide potentiometers associated with the respective switch means; and (B) a face plate assembly coupled to said electronics module, said face plate assembly comprising; (1) a support plate having m×
n slots formed therein, each of said slide potentiometers including slide arms extending into a respective said slot;
said support plate including a coupling section having a cam surface and a locking surface which intersect at a ridge;
said support plate also having at least one opening through which said switch means extend;(2) a window pivotally coupled to said coupling section of said support plate by a pin and being pivotable about an axis of said pin between a closed position, wherein said window covers said slots and said slide arms of said potentiometers, and an open position, wherein said window exposes said slots and said slide arms of said potentiometers so that the position of said slide arms of said potentiometers may be adjusted by the operator of said dimming system assembly;
an inner surface of said window sliding along said cam surface as said window moves from said closed position to said open position until it reaches said ridge and then contacting said locking surface after it moves past said ridge; and(3) said coupling section, said window and said pin cooperating to cause said inner surface to be biased radially inward toward said axis of said pin in such a manner that said inner surface is first biased into contact with said cam surface and then is biased into locking engagement with said locking surface as said window is moved from said closed to said open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A wall box dimmer, comprising:
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dimmer control means for enabling an operator of said dimmer to enter information regarding n desired intensity levels for each of m groups of lights, n being an integer greater than 1; scene control means for enabling an operator of said dimmer to enter information concerning which respective one of said n intensity levels each of said m groups of lights should be operated at; dimmer electronics for controlling the intensity of said lights in accordance with information entered into said dimmer control means and said scene control means, said dimmer electronics being located in a wall box housing; and a face plate assembly coupled to said housing, said dimmer control means and said scene control means being accessible to an operator of said dimmer from an entry position located in front of said face plate assembly, said face plate assembly having an outer profile as viewed from said entry position which is larger than, but which fully encompasses, an outer profile of said housing as viewed from said entry position;
at least a portion of said dimmer control means and/or said scene control means being located at a position outside of said outer profile of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A switch assembly, comprising:
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a cradle having n openings formed in a front wall thereof, n being an integer greater than 1; a circuit board housed in said cradle; and n switch means mounted on said circuit board, each of said switch means including an associated actuating member, each actuating member extending through a respective one of said openings in said front wall of said cradle. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification