1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to an electrical switch assembly and, more particularly, to a wall-mounted switch assembly having a contoured paddle and a correspondingly contoured faceplate.
2. Description of Related Art
Rocker switch assemblies are well known in the art especially in terms of internal components for actuating a single pole or three-way wall-mounted residential switch, for example. From a cosmetic point of view, the rocker or paddle as it is often referred to, for actuating the switch connection, generally has a concave style shape in the longitudinal direction resembling a shallow saucer, or two generally flat regions inclined inwardly to form the shape of a shallow V. Presumably, the generally concave shape of the paddle presents an ergonomic design lending itself to ease of manipulation for turning the switch on and off.
Although the design styles of the rocker switch assemblies described herein above are entirely satisfactory from a functional standpoint, they may not provide an appearance that is architecturally compatible with certain design or decorating trends in commercial and/or residential buildings.
Accordingly, the inventor has recognized that an alternative rocker switch assembly design may fill a gap in the commercially available array of products.
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a rocker switch assembly that includes a switch body having switch contacts, a mounting strap engaged with the switch body, a frame attached to the switch body, and a paddle for actuating the switch between an on and an off position. According to the embodiment, the paddle has a pivot structure on a side surface thereof that cooperatively engages a corresponding structure on the frame to provide a pivoting motion of the paddle in the longitudinal direction upon external pressure being applied to the paddle surface. The paddle also includes one or more portions that cooperatively engage with the frame to limit the range of pivotal motion of the paddle between a forwardly tilted position and a rearwardly tilted position. The paddle further includes a structure that opens and closes the electrical contacts of the switch body depending upon the forwardly tilted or rearwardly tilted position of the paddle. The paddle has a uni-convex cylindrical exterior surface having a curvature, Rp. The paddle further has a contiguous circumferential surface including opposing side portions and opposing upper and lower portions wherein the upper and lower portions have a transverse (cross sectional) profile defined by a curvature, RB, the center of which lies along a pivot axis of the paddle.
In an aspect of the embodiment, the rocker switch assembly further includes a faceplate in the form of a frame having an opening, the perimeter of which is defined by upper and opposing lower inner surfaces and left and opposing right inner surfaces. The exterior front surface of the faceplate has a uni-convex cylindrical surface profile having a curvature, Rf. An axial centerline of the faceplate opening intersects an axial centerline of the paddle at a constant location along the pivot axis. Both the upper and opposing lower inner surfaces of the faceplate opening perimeter have a transverse (cross sectional) curvature defined by a radius of curvature, RA, the center of which is the same as the origin of RB.
In an assembled condition, the paddle substantially occupies the faceplate opening. Due to the selected radii of curvatures Rp and Rf, a portion of the longitudinal cross sectional profile of the paddle will be substantially tangent to a corresponding portion of a cross sectional profile of the faceplate surface when the paddle is either in the forwardly tilted position or the rearwardly tilted position. That is to say, at least a portion of the paddle front surface is always substantially flush with a portion of the faceplate surface and at no time does any part of the paddle surface protrude past the faceplate front surface. The tolerances between the perimeter paddle surfaces and inner perimeter faceplate surfaces provided by the radii of curvature RB and RA and their common origin contribute to the flush operational engagement between the paddle and the faceplate.
a–f) are various views of the faceplate shown in
a–f) are various views of a sub plate component of a rocker switch assembly used in conjunction with the faceplate component of
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a rocker switch assembly 10 as illustrated in
The upper and lower lateral surfaces 38, 39 of the paddle 20, also referred to herein as the upper and lower circumferential surfaces of the paddle, each have a curvature of radius RB as shown in
According to an aspect of the embodiment as illustrated in
Another embodiment according to the invention is directed to the rocker switch assembly 10 described above and further including a faceplate component 100 as illustrated, for example, in
FIGS. 6A–F and 7A–F show an exemplary embodiment of a faceplate component 100 and a sub-plate component 200 that provide a screwless or otherwise invisible attachment of the faceplate 100 to the switch assembly 10. Screwless faceplate components and assembly are described in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/723,202, which is hereby incorporated by referenced in its entirety to the fullest applicable extent. It will be appreciated, however, that the instant invention is not limited to a screw less or otherwise invisible faceplate assembly design.
As illustrated in
In an assembled condition, illustrated with the faceplate in cross section in
The foregoing embodiments and aspects of the invention are disclosed herein by way of examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is solely defined by the appended claims. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate many variations and modifications within the scope of this invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3562468 | Stefani | Feb 1971 | A |
3651296 | Yarbrough | Mar 1972 | A |
3770920 | Poliak | Nov 1973 | A |
4221941 | Genovese | Sep 1980 | A |
4242552 | Tibolla | Dec 1980 | A |
4857669 | Kitamura et al. | Aug 1989 | A |
5068639 | Swanson et al. | Nov 1991 | A |
5343007 | Roeser et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5382768 | Kurek et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5384441 | Balaban et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5451729 | Onderka et al. | Sep 1995 | A |
5500498 | Kurek et al. | Mar 1996 | A |
5595289 | Kurek et al. | Jan 1997 | A |
5630502 | Kurek et al. | May 1997 | A |
5712450 | Chan et al. | Jan 1998 | A |
5749459 | Balaban et al. | May 1998 | A |
5803243 | Nestor et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5810109 | Chu | Sep 1998 | A |
5826710 | Kurek et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5836869 | Kudo et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
5865303 | Gernhardt et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5906272 | Kurek | May 1999 | A |
5990436 | Balaban et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
6033415 | Mittelstadt et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
6255610 | Botz et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6339201 | Balaban et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6380500 | Lin | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6384654 | Noufer | May 2002 | B1 |
6468202 | Irion et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6621025 | Yei et al. | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6657144 | Savicki et al. | Dec 2003 | B1 |
6717085 | Wang | Apr 2004 | B1 |
6720512 | Rothbauer et al. | Apr 2004 | B1 |
6833521 | Nishikawa | Dec 2004 | B1 |
6875940 | Endres et al. | Apr 2005 | B1 |
6891117 | Gouhl et al. | May 2005 | B1 |
6903292 | Balaban et al. | Jun 2005 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
4028619 | Mar 1992 | DE |
194 41 500 | May 1997 | DE |
0 391 376 | Oct 1990 | EP |