Electronic assembly

• US RE31,848 E
• Filed: 03/22/1982
• Issued: 03/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ole K Nilssen
• Original Assignee: Ole K Nilssen
• Inventors: Nilssen, Ole K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chatmon, Saxfield
• Application Number:
  US06/360,228
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 315/360, 315/119, 315/120, 307/140, 307/141
• US Class Current: 315/360
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 37/0281 by timing means H05B37/0245 takes precedence; time-controlled switching in general G04, H01H, H03K
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/42 based on timing means or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 307/944 Power circuit controlled

Abstract

A compact electronic assembly operable to control the energization of an electrical appliance is adapted for convenient mounting in an existing, standard electrical wall-switch box. A disconnectable electronic control means is mounted on the outside of the switch face plate and communicates with circuitry inside the wall-switch box by means of a plug-in connection through the aperture of the switch face plate. According to one aspect of the invention, a programmable electronic timer-switcher comprises a mounting plate which is secured to the opening of the wall switch box. A multiple-conductor receptacle is secured to the mounting plate, which also preferably serves as a heat sink for a switching means such as a triac. The receptacle is aligned behind the rectangular aperture of a standard switch face plate to permit plug-in connection to a programmable electronic timer disposed exteriorly of the face plate. The switching means and the timer cooperate to effect controlled energization of the electrical light or appliance. According to other aspects of the present invention, appliance timer-switches are adapted for engagement with standard electrical outlets and connection to electrical appliance cords.

Claims

1. An electronic assembly operable to control the switching of a single leg of an electrical load circuit connected to a power source and adapted for mounting at a standard electrical wall-switch box having a face plate with a single central aperture therein, said assembly comprising:

electrically actuatable load circuit switching means disposed within the wall-switch box,

a multiple-conductor receptacle being connected to the load switching means and mounted in alignment with the aperture of the face plate and

a plug-in programming means adapted for placement exteriorly of the face plate and having a multiple-conductor plug insertable through the aperture to engage the receptacle;

whereby said programming means operates said circuit switching means for controlled energization of the electrical load.

2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 and disconnect means for mechanically and electrically disconnecting the load from the power source upon removal of said plug from said receptacle.

3. A programmable electronic timer-switcher operable to control the switching of a single leg of an electrical load circuit connected to a power source and adapted for mounting at a standard electrical wall-switch box having a face plate with a single central aperture therein, said timer-switcher comprising:

semiconductor load switching means located within the wall-switch box,

a multiple-conductor receptacle being connected to the switching means and mounted in alignment with the aperture of the face plate and

a plug-in programmable electronic timer means adapted for placement exteriorly of the face plate and having a multiple-conductor plug insertable through the aperture to engage with the receptacle;

whereby said switching means is controlled by said electronic timer means to effect energization and de-energization of the electrical load in accordance with a preset program.

4. The timer-switcher of claim 3 and a mounting plate comprising a heat sink and being secured to the opening of the wall-switch box, and wherein said switching means is mounted on said mounting plate in thermal contact therewith.

5. The timer-switcher of claim 3 wherein the switching means and the timer means are powered from the single leg of the electrical load circuit.

6. The timer-switcher of claim 4 and disconnect means for mechanically and electrically disconnecting the load from the power source upon removal of said plug of said timer means from said receptacle.

7. The timer-switcher of claim 3 wherein said timer means comprises a battery for energization thereof.

8. The timer-switcher of claim 6 wherein said battery is located at the rear of said timer means to be accessible only when said timer means is unplugged from said receptacle.

9. A programmable electronic timer-switcher operable to control the switching of a single leg of an electrical load circuit and adapted for plug-in connection to a standard electrical outlet receptacle, said timer-switcher comprising:

programmable electrical timer means having a plug;

plug-in adapter means having a plug insertable into the outlet receptacle and a receptacle for receiving said plug of said timer means; and

switching means in circuit with the timer means and the load;

whereby said switching means is controlled by said electronic timer means to effect energization and de-energization of the electrical load in accordance with a preset program.

10. A programmable electronic timer-switcher operable to control the switching of a single leg of an electrical load circuit in an electrical supply cord, said timer-switcher comprising:

programmable electronic timer means having a multiple-conductor plug;

cord adapter means having a multiple-conductor receptacle for said plug and being in circuit with the load supply cord; and

switching means in circuit with the timer means and the load;

whereby said switching means is controlled by said electronic timer means to effect energization and de-energization of the electrical load in accordance with a preset program.

11. The timer-switcher of claim 10 wherein said adapter means comprises a two-conductor receptacle in circuit with one wire of the load cord and shorting means for electrically connecting the receptacle conductors together upon removal of said timer means plug from said receptacle. .Iadd.

12. An electronic wall-switch product adapted:

(i) to be mounted at a standard electrical wall-switch box in lieu of an ordinary mechanical wall-switch, said wall-switch box having a pair of wires coming thereinto, (ii) to be used and mounted in combination with an ordinary wall-switch face plate having an aperture therein, and (iii) to be used for energizing an electrical load in accordance with a preset time program;

said time program being controllably changeable in part and/or in its entirety;

said product, after having been mounted at said wall-switch box, comprising;

mounting means fastened onto said wall-switch box;

electrically actuatable switching means mounted onto said mounting means, connected in circuit with said pair of wires, and operable to cause electrical connection and/or non-connection therebetween in response to electrical actuation signals; and

programmable electronic timer means connected in circuit with said switching means and operable to provide said actuation signals in accordance with said time program, said timer means having;

(i) programming control means operative to accept manual programming instructions productive of changing part and/or all of said preset time program, and (ii) display means operative to provide visually discernible indication of the manual programming instructions having been accepted by said manual programming input means;

said programming control means being manually accessible from the outside of said face plate said display means being visually discernible from the outside of said face plate;

whereby said wall-switch product is capable, by way of coupling means mounted in alignment with and coupling through said aperture, of being used with a standard wall-switch face plate having but a single aperture therein while also being capable of energizing said electrical load in accordance with said preset time program even though connected with but a single pair of wires. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

13. The product of claim 12 and mechanical circuit breaking means operative to permit mechanical breaking of any electrical connection between said pair of conductor means, said mechanical circuit breaking means being manually actuatable from the outside of said face plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The product of claim 12 comprising energy storing means operative to permit said product to function independently of any voltage that might be present between said pair of wires. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The product of claim 12 wherein said display means comprises an

14. electrically actuatable alpha-numeric display. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A product for installation at the location of a standard wall-switch box assembly within a home or other facility, said wall-switch box assembly normally comprising:

(i) a wall-switch box having a pair of electrical wires coming thereinto, (ii) a manually actuatable switch supported by and located primarily within said box, and (iii) a removable face plate with an aperture therein for accepting the manually actuatable portion of said switch;

said product comprising two parts, at least one of which includes electrical control signal producing means;

a first part adapted for support by and for mounting onto and primarily within the wall-switch box after said manually actuatable switch and face plate have been removed therefrom;

said first part having;

(i) a pair of electrical terminals adapted for connection with said wires;

(ii) means to permit the mounting thereonto of said face plate; and

(iii) power control means interposed between said terminals, said power control means having at least one control input terminal responsive to the electrical control signal produced by said control signal producing means;

said control signal being determinative of the power applied to a load conditionally connected with said wires; and

a second part adapted for mounting outside the wall-switch box assembly and immediately adjacent the outer surface of the face plate after said first part has been mounted onto and primarily within said box and after the face plate has been replaced thereonto;

said second part having manually manipulatable program control means and visual indicating means accessible and readable from the front of the face plate for establishing visually discernible on-off periods of manually determinable optionally different durations effective at manually determinable optionally different times;

said program control means being coupled through the aperture of said face plate to said first part and in controlling relation to said control signal producing means for controlling the application of said control signal to said control input terminals, thereby to control said power control means in accordance with the on-off periods and times established by said program control means;

whereby said product is capable, by way of coupling means mounted in alignment with said aperture and operative to connect and couple between said first part and said second part through said aperture, of being used with a face plate having but a single aperture, while also being capable of controlling said power control means in accordance with the on-off periods and times established by said program control means even though

15. connected with but a single pair of electrical wires. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A power control product adapted to plug into an ordinary electric power receptacle and operable to control the flow of power therefrom to a load, said product comprising:

plug means adapted for plug-in connection with said receptacle;

receptacle means operative to accept plug-in connection of said load;

power control means connected in circuit with said plug means and said receptacle means, and operable to control the flow of power to said load, said power control means comprising a programmable timer means and requiring for its proper operation a supply of DC voltage that is independent of the presence of voltage at said electric receptacle; and

voltage supply means operable to supply said DC voltage. .Iaddend.

17. power line. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. An electronic wall-switch product adapted:

(i) to be mounted at a standard wall-switch box in lieu of an ordinary mechanical wall-switch having two electrical connection terminals, said wall switch box having a cover plate with an aperture therein, and (ii) by means aligned with and protruding through said aperture to be used for controlling the flow of power to a load from an electric utility power line, said product comprising;

electrically actuatable load circuit switching means connectable with said power line and operable to control said flow of power in response to actuation signals;

electronic control means connected in circuit with said switching means and operable to provide said actuation signals, said control means comprising programmable timer means and requiring for its proper operation a supply of DC voltage that is independent of any voltage present on said power line; and

voltage supply means operative to supply said DC voltage;

whereby said wall-switch product is capable of controlling the flow of power to said load even though being connected with but said two electrical connection terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The product of claim 21 wherein said electronic control means is operative to provide said actuation signals in accordance with a time program. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. An electronic assembly operable to control the switching of a single leg of an electrical load circuit connected to a power source and adapted for mounting at a standard electrical wall-switch box having a face plate with an aperture therein, said assembly comprising;

electrically actuatable load circuit switching means disposed within the wall-switch box;

a multiple-conductor receptacle being connected to the load switching means and mounted in alignment with the aperture of the face plate;

a plug-in programming means adapted for placement exteriorly of said face plate and having a multiple-conductor plug insertable through the aperture to engage the receptacle, whereby said programming means operates said circuit switching means for controlled energization of the electrical load; and

disconnect means actuatable from the outside of said face plate and operable to provide mechanical and electrical disconnection of the load

16. Iadd. The product of claim 17 wherein said voltage supply means comprises a battery. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A control module adapted for plug-in connection with a receptacle means being mounted at a wall switch box in alignment with an aperture of a cover plate therefore and, said receptacle means having two terminals connected in circuit with an electric load and a single leg of a power line, said module being operable to control the energization of said load in accordance with a preset time program and comprising:

plug means adapted for plug-in connection with said receptacle means, thereby providing connection with said terminals;

programmable control means connected in circuit with said plug means and operable to cause connection and/or disconnection between said terminals in accordance with said preset time program, said control means being receptive of programming instructions operative to establish and/or change any part of said time program; and

manual programming input means connected with said control means and operable to manually accept said programming instructions;

whereby said control module is capable of controlling the energization of said load without requiring any electrical connections external of the module other than to said two terminals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The module of claim 19 including an energy source operative to permit said programmable control means to function irrespective of the presence of voltage on said

18. from the power source. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. An electronic wall-switch product adapted:

(i) to be mounted at a standard electrical wall-switch box in lieu of an ordinary mechanical wall-switch, said wall-switch box having a pair of wires coming thereinto, (ii) to be used and mounted in combination with a standard face plate having an aperture, and (iii) to be used for energizing an electrical load in accordance with a preset time program;

said product, after having been mounted at said wall-switch box, comprising;

a pair of conductor means connected with said pair of wires;

electrically actuatable load circuit switching means connected in circuit with said pair of conductor means and operable to cause electrical connection and/or non-connection therebetween in response to electrical actuation signals;

programmable electronic timer circuit means connected with said load circuit switching means and operable to provide said actuation signals thereto in accordance with said preset time program, said timer circuit means being receptive of programming instructions productive of changing all or any part of said preset time program;

programming control means operative to manually receive said programming instructions and to communicate these to said timer circuit means;

visual display means connected with said control means and operative to provide visual indication of the programming instructions being or having been received by said control means; and

mounting means operative to provide for mounting to said wall-switch box of said conductor means, said load circuit switching means, said timer circuit means, said programming control means, said visual display means, and said standard face plate;

said mounting means being operative to dispose said standard face plate in a position between said conductor means and the combination of said programming control means and said visual display means, with said conductor means being located substantially within said wall-switch box and behind said face plate, and with said combination being located outside of said wall-switch box and in front of said face plate;

whereby said wall-switch product is capable, by way of coupling means mounted in alignment with said aperture and operative to couple therethrough, of being used with a standard face plate having but a single aperture, while also being capable of energizing an electrical load in accordance with a preset time program, yet being connected with but a

19. single pair of wires. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The product of claim 24 and mechanical circuit breaking means operative to permit mechanical breaking of any electrical connection between said pair of conductor means, said mechanical circuit breaking means being manually actuatable from the outside of said face plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A wall-switch product provided in at least two separate parts, said parts being adapted:

(i) for coupling with one another in communicative and mechanical relationship by way of mutually compatible coupling means, (ii) for assembly and mounting at a standard electrical wall-switch box in lieu of an ordinary mechanical wall-switch, said wall-switch box having a pair of wires coming thereinto, (iii) for use and mounting in combination with a standard wall-switch face plate, said face plate having an aperture, (iv) for mounting one on each side of said face plate, with said coupling being accomplished by way of said aperture, and (v) when assembled and mounted at said wall-switch box, to energize and de-energize an electrical load in accordance with a preset program;

said two parts being identified as a first part and a second part;

said first part;

(i) being adapted to be mounted onto and to be located substantially within said wall-switch box, (ii) having connect means adapted for connection with said pair of wires, and (iii) having fastening means by which said face plate can be fastened thereonto;

said second part;

(i) being adapted to be supported by and to couple with said first part after the face plate has been fastened thereonto, said coupling being accomplished by way of said coupling means which is aligned with and operative to couple through said aperture, and (ii) having program control and display means operative to permit the establishment and corresponding visual affirmation of said preset program;

whereby said wall-switch product is capable of being mounted and used with a face plate having but a single aperture, while at the same time being capable of energizing and de-energizing an electrical load in accordance with a preset program, yet being connected with but a single pair of wires. .Iaddend.