Reed switch apparatus
First Claim
1. A reed switch apparatus for independently communicating with a plurality of devices in a building structure having a door or window assembly, the reed switch apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of reed switches, wherein each said reed switch independently communicates with a separate device, and said plurality of reed switches are activated by a single constant magnetic field generated by a metal alloy magnet member, andan attachment device for mounting said housing to the door or window assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reed switch apparatus utilizes one or more reed switches to communicate with one or more devices. In one configuration, the reed switch apparatus utilizes a single magnetic field to simultaneously activate two or more reed switches. In another configuration, two or more reed switches, each acting independent of one another are simultaneously activated by a single magnetic field. Additionally, a method of controlling at least two devices includes exposing a reed switch apparatus to a single magnetic field. Yet another method includes a activating a device via the use of a single reed switch mounted to a portion of a warehouse structure.
39 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A reed switch apparatus for independently communicating with a plurality of devices in a building structure having a door or window assembly, the reed switch apparatus comprising:
-
a housing having a plurality of reed switches, wherein each said reed switch independently communicates with a separate device, and said plurality of reed switches are activated by a single constant magnetic field generated by a metal alloy magnet member, and an attachment device for mounting said housing to the door or window assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for controlling a plurality of separate devices with a reed switch apparatus, the reed switch apparatus including a plurality of reed switches mounted to a door track of a roll up door, the method comprising the steps of:
-
exposing a plurality of reed switches to a single magnetic field; simultaneously activating the plurality of reed switches with the single magnetic field; and facilitating independent communication between one reed switch and one device for each of the plurality of separate devices, there being a single reed switch for every device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A control system for controlling a first device and a second device, comprising:
-
a reed switch apparatus having first and second reed switches, each said reed switch having a signal lead and a common lead, said signal and common leads of said first reed switch adapted to controllably connect to the first device and said signal and common leads of said second reed switch adapted to controllably connect to the second device, each said reed switch having open and closed positions with the switch position dependent upon the presence or absence of a magnetic field acting upon said reed switch; and a permanent magnet member capable of providing a magnetic field sufficient to simultaneously alter said positions of said first and second reed switches as said magnet member and said reed switches are brought in close proximity to each other, wherein the simultaneous change of switch positions allows said first reed switch to control the first device and said second reed switch to control the second device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. In a warehouse structure, a method of interfacing with a plurality of separate devices utilizing a magnet member and a reed switch apparatus including a plurality of reed switches, the method comprising the steps of:
-
mounting the reed switch apparatus to a first component of the warehouse structure; mounting the magnet member to a second component of the warehouse structure; coupling a first reed switch in the reed switch apparatus to a first device; coupling a second reed switch in the reed switch apparatus to a second device, wherein each reed switch has an open position and a closed position and is magnetically activated and each device has an on position and an off position; and exposing the first and second reed switches to a magnetic field from the magnet member to change the on-off position of the first device and the second device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification