Automatically actuatable switch device

• US 7,129,850 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sen-Tien Shih
• Original Assignee: Sen-Tien Shih
• Inventors: Shih, Sen-Tien
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US11/011,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/693.5, 340/908, 340/693.9, 340/687, 340/691.1, 340/332, 340/573.1, 340/541, 340/565, 200/329, 200/345, 200/547, 200/335, 200/339, 307/112, 307/125, 174/50
• US Class Current: 340/693.5
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/941 using an optical detector H03K17/968 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94108 making use of reflection

Abstract

A switch device includes a housing, a circuit board is disposed in the housing for being coupled between an electric power source and an electric appliance, a remote detecting device includes a light emitting and receiving device for generating lights to detect whether users are going toward the housing of the switch device or not, the remote detecting device includes an indicating light member to indicate whether an electric power energy has been supplied to the remote detecting device or not, and another indicating light member to indicate whether the light emitting and receiving device is working or not. A control device may control the electric appliance, when the light emitting and receiving device has detected that a user is going toward or close to the housing of the switch device.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

a housing including a front panel having an opening formed therein,

a lens attached to said housing, to enclose said opening of said front panel of said housing,

a circuit board disposed in said housing, for being coupled between an electric power source and an electric appliance,

a remote detecting device including a light emitting and receiving device for generating lights to detect whether users are going toward said housing of said switch device or not,

said remote detecting device including a first indicating light member attached to said circuit board, to indicate whether an electric power energy has been supplied to said remote detecting device or not, and a second indicating light member attached to said circuit board, to indicate whether said light emitting and receiving device is working or not, and

a control device coupled to said remote detecting device, for controlling and actuating the electric appliance, when said light emitting and receiving device has detected that a user is going toward or close to said housing of said switch device.