The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment that is presently preferred, in which like numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed.
The dimmer 40 comprises a rectangular bezel 50 operable to be received in a faceplate opening 52 of a designer-style faceplate 54. The faceplate opening 52 of the designer-style faceplate 54 preferably has a length of 2.630″ and a width of 1.310″ (NEMA Standards Publication No. WD6, 2001, p. 5). Preferably, the bezel 50 projects through the faceplate opening 52. The bezel 50 has a front surface 56 and a rectangular opening 58 provided in the front surface. The bezel opening 58 is preferably the same size as an opening of a traditional-style faceplate, i.e., having a length of 0.925″ and a width of 0.401″ (NEMA Standards Publication No. WD6, 2001, p. 7).
The bezel 50 further comprises left and right side walls 60 defining a shallow cup. The front surface 56 is provided across one end of the cup and is surrounded at the periphery by a rim 62. The opposite and open end of the cup is adapted to be fixed to the front surface of the yoke 44. The bezel 50 comprises flanges 64 on the left and right sides to allow the bezel to be captured between the designer-style faceplate 54 and the yoke 44 of the dimmer 40. The bezel 50 comprises attachment posts, e.g., a clip projection 66 (i.e., a hook) and a snap projection 68, for fixed attachment to the yoke 44. The yoke 44 comprises a clip attachment opening 70 and a snap attachment opening 72 for receipt of the clip projection 66 and the snap projection 68 of the bezel 50, respectively. During attachment of the bezel 50 to the yoke 44, the clip projection 66 is first inserted in the clip attachment opening 70 and the snap projection 68 is then snapped into the snap attachment opening 72.
The user interface of the dimmer 40 comprises a slider control that is provided through the bezel opening 58 of the bezel 50. The user interface includes a slider knob 74, i.e., an operating knob, having a pushbutton 75 and a shaft 76 that extends through the bezel opening 58. The shaft 76 has a width substantially the same as the width of the bezel opening 58. The slider knob 74 has a width greater than the width of the bezel opening 58.
A thin elongated linearly movable operating member 78 of an electrical control component, e.g., a linear slider potentiometer (not shown), extends through a narrow slot 80 in a frame 82 (
A generally flat sliding cover plate 86 is slidably positioned immediately behind the bezel opening 52 of the bezel 50 (
The sliding cover plate 86 has a length that is greater than the length of the bezel opening 58. However, the slider knob 74 is operable to move the length of the bezel opening 58. The sliding cover plate 86 fully covers (i.e., masks) the bezel opening 58 as the slider knob 74 is moved over the full length of the bezel opening. Accordingly, the opening 84 of the yoke 44, and thus the slot 80 in the frame 82, are covered by said cover plate 86 in all vertical adjustment positions of the slider knob 74 along the length of the bezel opening 58.
The shaft 76 of the slider knob 74 extends through the bezel opening 58 and a cover plate opening 90 of the sliding cover plate 86 to engage the potentiometer shaft 78. The cover plate opening 90 has a length and a width substantially equal to the length and the width of the shaft 62 of the slider knob 74. The cover plate opening 90 in the sliding cover plate 86 receives the shaft 76, such that the slider knob 74 and the cover plate 86 move up and down together along a vertical axis of the dimmer 40.
The sliding cover plate 86 is captured within the interior of the shallow cup of the bezel 50 by the support rails 88 of the left and right side walls 60 (
During installation of the faceplate assembly (i.e., the bezel 50, the slider knob 74, and the cover plate 86) to the yoke 44 of the dimmer 40, the support rails 88 hold the cover plate to the bezel while the bezel is attached to the yoke. The slider knob 74 is then aligned with the opening 90 of the cover plate 86 and mounted on the operating member 78 of the potentiometer.
In a specific embodiment of the invention, the bezel 50 has a length along the vertical axis of about 2.6″ and a width along the horizontal axis of about 1.3″. The bezel opening 58 has a length of about 0.932″ and a width of about 0.40″. The sliding cover plate 86 has a length of about 1.5″ and a width of about 1.2″ (to fit snugly within the left and right side walls 60 of the bezel 50). The opening 90 of the sliding cover plate 86 has a length of about 0.32″ and a width of about 0.39″ to firmly receive the shaft 76 of the slider knob 74. However, the values provided for these dimensions are provided as examples of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not limit the scope of the present invention.
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
This application claims priority from commonly-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/808,309, filed May 24, 2006, entitled DESIGNER STYLE SLIDE DIMMER, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60808309 | May 2006 | US |