ELECTRIC APPLIANCE CONTROL

• US 20100019679A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniela Dahan
• Original Assignee: Daniela Dahan
• Inventors: Dahan, Daniela
• Granted Patent: US 8,324,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/154
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/081 on stoves
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/088 on stoves

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an electric appliance control for turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control comprising: a light sensor, for continuously sensing the light intensity in the indoor space; a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by the light sensor, wherein the fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of second; a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to the electric appliance; and a control unit, for activating the switch to disconnect the power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by the fall detector.

Claims

1. An electric appliance control, for turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control comprising:

a light sensor, for continuously sensing the light intensity in said indoor space;

a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by said light sensor, wherein said fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of second;

a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to said electric appliance; and

a control unit, for activating said switch to disconnect said power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by said fall detector.

2. An electric appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is based on a mechanical mechanism.

3. An electric appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is based on an electrometrical mechanism.

4. An electric appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is based on an electronic mechanism.

5. An electric appliance control according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for reconnecting the power supply to said electric appliance, after been turned off as a result of detecting a fall in light intensity.

6. An electric appliance control according to claim 5, wherein said control unit is based on manual operation.

7. An electric appliance control according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for manual connecting and disconnecting of said electric appliance from an electrical power supply thereof.

8. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said light sensor is a photoresistor.

9. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said light sensor is a photoelectric cell.

10. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a second switch having at least stable connected and disconnected states.

11. An appliance control according to claim 10, wherein said second switch comprises a bistable relay.

12. An appliance control according to claim 10, wherein said second switch comprises:

a manual selector having a connected state and a disconnected state; and

an electric motor for turning said manual selector from said connected state to said disconnected state, upon receiving a command form said control unit.

13. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said electric appliance is a heating unit.

14. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said electric appliance is an air conditioning unit.

15. An appliance control according to claim 1, wherein said fall detector comprises:

a change sensor, for sensing change in said light intensity; and

a comparator, for generating an electric effect upon said change if indicating light fall.

16. An appliance control according to claim 15, wherein said change sensor comprises an element selected from a group comprising:

capacitor, coil.

17. A control method for turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the method comprising the steps of:

continuously sensing light intensity in said indoor space; and

upon detecting a fall in light intensity in said indoor space, disconnecting the electrical power supply to said electric appliance, wherein said fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of second.

18. A control method according to claim 17, wherein said fall is detected by the steps of:

converting said light intensity to voltage;

filtering a change in one direction of said voltage, wherein said direction indicates a fall of said light intensity; and

generating an electrical signal from the filtered voltage.

19. A control method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of reconnecting said electric appliance to the power supply thereof.

20. A control method according to claim 19, wherein said reconnecting is carried out by manual means.