Patent Application
20180197703
This invention relates in general to devices that may be used in connection with electrical wall switches to selectively move the switch between on and off positions pursuant to designated time sequences.
Wall light switches generally come in two styles: a toggle switch which includes a small narrow switch and a decorator switch having a larger taller, wider and flatter switch. While wall light switches may be manually operated, there is often a need or desire to utilize flip switch timers that may be placed over the wall switches to permit a user to input a specific time sequence for controlling activation of the switch. This allows a user to, among other things, move the switch to the off position at designated times to conserve energy or switch to the on position to turn on lights, televisions or other appliances when away to give the impression that people are home to deter burglaries.
While switch activation devices or flip switch timers currently exist, because of the vast differences between a relatively thin toggle switch that extends out from the wall and a flat wide decorator switch, prior switch activation devices were designed for use with either a toggle switch or a decorator switch. Accordingly, consumers could not use a single type of device with different lights or outlets that had a different type of switch and therefore had to buy multiple types of flip switch timers.
Therefore, there is a need to produce a flip switch timers that may be used with either a toggle switch or a decorator switch.
The present invention is an improvement over the prior wall switch or flip switch timer devices in the way that it allows the device to be utilized with either a toggle switch or a decorator switch. In particular, the actuator of the flip switch timer can engage and move a toggle switch, or a clip member may be attached to the actuator of the flip switch timer, wherein the clip member can engage the decorator switch to move it between on and off positions.
The flip switch timer includes two differently-configured back plates for accommodating either a toggle switch or a decorator switch, respectively. The back plate for the toggle switch includes a small rectangular slot centrally located therein that allows the toggle switch to fit within and extend therethrough when the plate is attached over a wall outlet. The back plate may be removable attached through a pair of arms on one end of the back plate that fit within slots on the back of the flip switch timer and a pair of cylindrical or male members that fit within corresponding cylindrical slots or female members on the back of the flip switch timer.
The back plate for the decorator switch may be removably attached in the same way, but includes a larger centrally located opening to accommodate a decorator switch. Holes in the back plate allow the back plate to be removably attached to an outlet or outlet plate on a wall. In order to use the flip switch timer with a decorator switch, a clip member having a base with a fastener and a lever arm extending laterally from the base may be attached to the back of the flip switch timer. The fastener may consist of a pair of arm members extending downwardly from the base with clip members on the end to engage the inside of the rectangularly shaped actuator. A block attached or located on the underside of the lever arm may be used to keep the lever arm in a vertical or desired position relative to the flip switch timer, decorator switch and wall. Alternately, the clip member may include a contact member (e.g., a wall or node) that extends upwardly from the top of the lever arm to engage the decorator switch. It is appreciated that the clip may be made from a wide variety of materials including, but not limited to polycarbonate or ABS plastic. Once the clip is in place, the flip switch timer may be attached to the decorator switch back plate that has been attached to the decorator switch outlet or plate. Pursuant to a desired time sequence entered into the flip switch timer, or by a manual override, the actuator will move, thereby moving the lever arm of the clip to engage one end of the decorator switch to move it between on and off positions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new flip switch timer that may be used with either toggle switches or decorator switches.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flip switch timer decorator clip member that allows a flip switch timer for a toggle switch to be used with a decorator switch.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail several specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered merely an exemplification of the principles of the invention and the application is limited only to the appended claims.
Referring to
While a particular flip switch timer is shown and disclosed, it is appreciated that the clip of the present invention may work with other known flip switch timers for toggle switches including, but not limited to, the switch actuation device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,906 to Blakeman, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Referring to
Similarly, the decorator switch back plate 260 includes a pair of arm members 262 at or proximate one end of the back plate 260 and a pair of cylindrical nodes or other male members 264 at or proximate the other end that engage corresponding holes, slots or other female members 244, 246 on the back of the flip switch timer 200, as shown in
Referring now to
Lever arm 286 extends outward from about the base 282 a sufficient distance to allow lever arm 286 to engage the surface of the decorator switch 100 to bias it between on and off positions. A block, wall or other object 296 may extend downward proximate the end of the lever arm 286 to retain the lever arm 286 in a vertical, or other desired, position when fastened to the flip switch timer 200. The clip member 280 may be made out of variety of known materials including, but not limited to, polycarbonate or ABS plastic.
A second pair of arms 312 extend from the base proximate the ends of arms 308 and are sized and located to fit within the slot 212 and limit movement of the clip member 300 therein. Walls 314 and 316 located on the outside of arms 312 extend downwardly such that the tops of the walls 314, 316 together with the undersides of the clip 310 define a space for receiving the actuator 210 therein and limiting relative movement of the actuator 210 and clip member 300. Lever arm 306 extends outward from the base 302 a sufficient distance to allow lever arm 306 to engage the surface of the decorator switch 100 to bias it between on and off positions. A block, wall, node or other object 320 may extend upwardly proximate the end of lever arm 306 to provide a contact surface for engaging the decorator switch 100. The clip member 300 may be made out of a variety of known materials, including, but not limited to, polycarbonate or ABS plastic.
In order to use the flip switch timer 200 in connection with a decorator switch 100 and plate 102, the decorator switch back plate 260 is placed over the decorator switch 100 such that the decorator switch 100 fits within hole 268. Once over the decorator switch 100, fasteners 270 may be inserted into holes 266 to secure the decorator switch back plate 260 to the plate 102 or outlet.
Clip member 280 may then be positioned so that arms 288 extend into and through slot 242 on the back wall 240 and slot 212 of the actuator 210 until the clips 290 pass through slot 212 and are biased into engagement with the back side of the actuator 210, securing the clip member 280 to the flip switch timer 200. Similarly, clip member 300 may be positioned so that arms 308 and 312 extend through slot 242 on the back wall 240 and slot 212 of the actuator until the clips 310 press through slot 212 and are biased into engagement with the back ends of the actuator 210, securing the clip member 300 to the flip switch timer 200. Once clip member 280, 300 is in place, the flip switch timer 200 may be positioned over the decorator switch back plate 260 with lever arm 286, 306 positioned within the hole 268 of switch back plate 260, 300 and attached using screws or other fasteners 310. Once installed over the decorator switch 100, the flip switch timer 200 may be programmed using programmable buttons 204 to set up a timer sequence for actuation of the decorator switch 100. When the particular time is reached with the flip switch timer 200, the motor moves the actuator 210, and thereby the clip member 280, 300 that is attached thereto, vertically to engage the raised portion of the decorator switch 100 to move it to the other of the on and off positions.
It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/636,819, filed Mar. 3, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/947,713, filed on Mar. 4, 2014, all of the foregoing are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61947713 | Mar 2014 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14636819 | Mar 2015 | US |
| Child | 15917340 | US |
