U.S. patent number RE31,848 [Application Number 06/360,228] was granted by the patent office on 1985-03-12 for electronic assembly.
Invention is credited to Ole K. Nilssen.
United States Patent |
RE31,848 |
Nilssen |
March 12, 1985 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ( Reexamination Certificate
) ** |
Electronic assembly
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.
Inventors: |
Nilssen; Ole K. (Barrington,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
27000816 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/360,228 |
Filed: |
March 22, 1982 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
937452 |
Aug 28, 1978 |
04259618 |
Mar 31, 1981 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
315/360; 315/119;
307/140; 315/120 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B
47/16 (20200101); Y02B 20/40 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05B
37/02 (20060101); H05B 037/02 (); H05B 037/04 ();
H05B 041/36 () |
Field of
Search: |
;315/360,119,120
;307/140,141 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Chatmon; Saxfield
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
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
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
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.
.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
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
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
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.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical and electronic devices
suitable for controlling electrical lighting or appliances.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various types of electronic and electrical timing and switching
devices have been provided for pre-set control of electrical
lights, appliances and machinery in home and industrial
applications. For example, a timer-switcher, which is particularly
useful for a homeowner, is operable to control the turn-on and
turn-off times of indoor lighting to create the impression that a
home is occupied when in fact it may not be, in order to discourage
would-be burglars or vandals. However, such prior known electronic
devices are not readily adaptable for compact and convenient
mounting in standard electrical wall-switch boxes. Most currently
available timer-switchers are relatively large electro-mechanical
devices; the only known wall-switch-mountable electronic
timer-switcher cannot be used with standard wall face plates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention is a compact electronic appliance
control assembly which is adapted for convenient mounting in an
existing, standard electrical wall-switch box. A disconnectable,
plug-in electronic control means is mounted on the outside of the
standard switch face plate and communicates with circuitry inside
the wall-switch box by means of a plug and receptacle connection
through the aperture of the switch face plate. Thus, there is no
need for a special wall face plate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a compact,
low-cost electronic timer-switcher assembly is easily mounted in an
existing, conventional wall-switch box for connection to the single
switched leg or side of the power line usually present in the box.
The timer-switcher utilizes the standard rectangular opening of the
existing wall-switch cover of face plate for a plug-in type
connector between the internal electrical light or appliance
circuit and an external programmable electronic timer. More
specifically, this timer-switcher assembly preferably comprises a
keyed receptacle secured to a combination mounting plate and heat
sink which fits over the opening of the standard wall-switch box.
An electronic switching device, such as a triac, is connected to
the receptacle and is mounted in thermal contact with the heat sink
mounting plate internally of the wall-box. The receptacle is
aligned in position with the rectangular aperture in the standard
wall-switch cover plate and a disconnectable, plug-in programmable
elecctronic timer module, disposed exteriorly of the face plate,
has a multiple-conductor plug insertable through the aperture for
engagement with the receptacle. For safety, an interlock disconnect
is provided to mechanically disconnect the power from the load when
the electronic timer unit is unplugged from the receptacle. The
progammable timer module is provided with the usual time of day,
turn-on and turn-off controls, as well as a bypass control to
override the automatic control function to permit normal switching
operation. Since the mounting plate, switching means and keyed
receptacle are compact enough to fit within even the smallest
standard wall-switch box, the use of a custom wall plate for
covering the box is not requiired.
According to other aspects of the present invention, compact
electronic timer-switcher assemblies are readily adapted for
plug-in connection to standard electrical wall receptacles and for
attachment to electrical appliance supply cords.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an
.Iadd.improved .Iaddend.electronic appliance control assembly for
convenient installation within an existing, standard electrical
wall-switch box.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an external,
disconnectable electronic control means mounted on the outside of
the existing switch face plate for communication with internal
appliance circuitry by means of a plug-in connection through the
aperture of the face plate, thereby obviating the necessity of
providing a special wall plate.
Still another important object of the present invention to provide
a low-cost, compact electronic timer-switcher assembly which is
conveniently and readily mounted in a conventional wall-switch box
for controlling an associated light or other electrical
appliance.
A further object of this invention is to provide an .Iadd.improved
.Iaddend.electronic timer-switcher having interlock disconnect
means for mechanically disconnecting the power from the load when
the electronic timer module is unplugged.
It is another object of this invention to provide a universal
electronic timer-switcher assembly which has a timer module that
can be mounted not only at a wall switch-box but also, with minor
modifications and .[.th.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.use of adapters, to
an electrical appliance cord or an outlet receptacle.
The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present
invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment
will be readily understood from the following specification with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which, taken together,
disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic assembly
according to the present invention illustrated as an electronic
timer-switcher mounted in a standard wall-switch box for control of
an associated ceiling light;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the timer module shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the plug-in timer module illustrated
in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a partial schematic circuit diagram of the timer-switcher
assembly showing a triac switching means and a sliding bar type of
mechanical disconnect;
FIG. 5 is a similar schematic diagram illustrating a switch type of
disconnect;
FIG. 6 is another schematic circuit diagram showing a switch or
jumper disconnect;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective of an alternate form of the
timer-switcher according to the present invention for use with a
conventional wall receptacle; and
FIG. 8 is a side elevation of an appliance cord adapter for use
with a timer-switcher for automatically controlled energization of
an appliance.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a preferred
embodiment of an electronic assembly according to the present
invention comprising a timer-switcher assembly 20 for control of a
ceiling light. It is important to note that an electronic assembly
of the present invention is not restricted to application to the
illustrated timer-switcher; another common example is a light
dimmer control. The present invention provides mounting of any
compact applicance control electronic device within a wall-switch
box wherein the device is manually controlled or set from the
outside and the existing wall-switch face plate is utilized.
As shown in FIG. 1, a standard wall-box 22, such as is typically
used for common mechanical light switches, is mounted in a wall 24.
Electrical wiring comprising one leg of a lighting circuit is shown
having leads 26a and 26b, which are wired through a conduit 28 to a
light 30 mounted on a ceiling 32. Of course, this timer-switcher
may be used to control the energization of various other types of
electrical devices.
As will be described in detail, the timer-switcher assembly 20 is
shown as comprising two main components, an appliance or light
circuit switching means preferably mounted internally of wall-box
22 and a disconnectable, plug-in electronic control or timer means
mounted exteriorly thereof and electrically connected with the
switching means through a connector disposed within a standard
rectangular opening or aperture 34 in an existing, conventional
wall-switch cover or face plate 36. With additional reference to
FIG. 2, a combination mounting plate and heat sink 38 is secured by
means of conventional fasteners 40 to overlie the opening of
wall-switch box 22. A keyed receptacle 42 is securely mounted to
and positioned on the mounting plate 38 so as to be in alignment
with the opening 34 of the cover plate 36 when the latter is
mounted to cover the wall-switch box 22 by means of conventional
screw fasteners 44 which engage the mounting plate 38. An
electronic switching device, in the form of a triac 46 in the
preferred embodiment, is securely mounted in thermal contact with,
and on the rear of, heat sink 38 and internally of the wall-switch
box 22. Triac 46 is wired through leads 48a, 48b and 48c to
respective terminals 50a, 50b and 50c within receptacle 42. The
mounting plate 38 is approximately sized so as to provide the
requisite heat-sink function for triac 46.
An interlock disconnect, depicted generally by reference numeral
52, is formed within receptacle 42. With additional reference to
FIG. 4, the interlock may comprise a simple sliding bar device
having a terminal 50b, a terminal 54 (for lead 26a) and a pin 56b
extending rearwardly from a programmable electronic timer module
58; terminals 50b and 54 are mechanically and electrically
separated when pin 56b is disengaged therewith when the electronic
timer module is unplugged. In FIG. 4, which is a partial schematic
diagram illustrating the connections of the triac 46 to the
lighting circuit comprising leads 26a and 26b, the reference
letters A and B identify the connections within the wall-switch box
22 in FIG. 1. The interlock disconnect 52 is provided to both
mechanically and electrically disconnect the load when the timer
module is unplugged; the interlock disconnect physically breaks the
load connections for safety reasons upon timer module removal.
The timer-module 58, which is best seen in FIG. 2, comprises a
housing 60 from the rear of which extend terminal plug pins 56a,
56b and 56c. These terminal pins are connected to a programmable
electronic timer circuit assembly having a built-in clock feature,
the details of which form no part of the present invention. Where
the switching device or triac 46 is operable to interrupt only one
side or leg of the power line to the light 30, the timer module 58
is conveniently powered from a battery 61 located at the .[.rate.].
.Iadd.rear .Iaddend.of module 58. For safety reasons, the battery
61 is accessible only from the rear of module 58 when the latter is
unplugged; when this occurs, the interlock 52 serves to
mechanically disconnect the load from the power source.
It should also be recognized that the triac 46 may be contained
within the housing 60 of the module 58; of course, this arrangement
(not shown) will limit the switching capability of the triac 46
because of reduced heat dissipation capability of the module
58.
Appropriate controls for programming the timer circuit module 58
are mounted on the front of housing 60 and include an hour roll key
62, a minute roll key 64, a four-digit hour and minute read-out
display 66, a time-to-turn-on key 68, a time-to-turn-off key 70, a
time-of-day key 72, an on bypass key 74, an automatic timing mode
key 76 and an off bypass key 78. It is to be understood that the
various pushbutton keys noted above can be electrically insulated
within housing 60 from the various power line connections through
use of well known plastic sheeting of other insulating
materials.
The terminal pins 56a, 56b and 56c extending rearwardly from the
plug-in timer 58 are keyed, with pin 56c being closer to pin 56a
than to 56b, in order to insure proper electrical connections
between these pins and their corresponding contacts in the
receptacle 42.
FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate alternate forms of interlock
disconnects. FIG. 5 shows a normally open push-switch 88 mounted
internally of receptacle 42, the actuating arm of switch 88 being
operationally engaged by pin 56b. In the FIG. 6 arrangement, a
mechanical jumper or switch, schematically illustrated at 90, is
formed in the module 58; when module 58 is unplugged, a jumper 90
secured to module 58 automatically disconnects the triac 46 in a
manner similar to that previously described.
FIG. 7 illustrates a programmable timer-switcher according to
another aspect of the present invention adapted for plug-in
connection to a conventional outlet receptacle 92 having a socket
94. The plug-in programmable electronic module 58, which is
preferably identical in construction to that previously described,
comprises keyed pins 95a, 95b and 95c which engage corresponding
sockets of an adapter 96 having rearwardly extending pins 98a and
98b which, in turn, plug into the outlet socket 94. The adapter 96
comprises a triac switching means similar to that previously
described. The appliance to be controlled is connected to adapter
96 through a line cord 100 plugged into the adapter.
Alternatively, the triac 46 may be contained within the interior of
the timer module .[.59..]. .Iadd.58. .Iaddend.In this arrangement,
the appliance to be controlled is connected to the module 58
instead of to the adapter 96 and the module 58 is adapted to plug
directly into the wall receptacle.
FIG. 8 illustrates yet another form of the present invention
adapted for connection to an appliance line cord 102 comprising a
lead 104 and a broken lead having sections 106a and 106b which are,
in turn, connected to receptacle sockets or conductors 108a, 108b,
respectively, of a cord adapter 110. In this arrangement, sockets
108a and 108b are designed to receive corresponding pins of a
two-prong plug of a programmable electronic timer module (not
shown) similar to the timer module 58 previously described, with
the exception that the two-prong module comprises an internal triac
for switching the leads 106a and 106b of the line cord 102.
Alternatively, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
art, the triac may be contained within the adapter 110, in which
case a third receptacle socket or conductor, similar to 108a and
108b, will be required to permit plug-in connection to a three pin
programmable electronic module identical to that disclosed in FIG.
7. The cord adapter preferably contains a shorting feature
comprising a spring connector (not shown) between the receptacle
sockets or conductors 108a and 108b for shorting them together upon
removal of the timer means module from the adapter 110.
With regard to the overall operation of the various timer-switcher
assemblies of the present invention, through proper programming of
the various controls on a module 58, an appropriate appliance
energization time-control program can be pre-set. For example, with
the control arrangement of the module 58 illustrated in FIG. 3, to
set a "turn-on" time, it is only necessary to press the
time-to-turn-on key 68 while at the same time operating one of the
time-roll keys 62, 64. Thus, by pressing the time-to-turn-on key 68
.[.whith.]. .Iadd.with .Iaddend.the hour-roll key 62, one can set
the hour of the turn-on time; by pressing the time-to-turn-on key
68 with the minute-roll key 64, one can set the minute of the
turn-on time. To program the time-to-turn-off or time-of-day timer,
a similar procedure is followed with keys 70, 72, respectively.
After the desired programming has been performed, the automatic
timing mode of module 58 is initiated by pressing the automatic
timing mode key 76. If, for some reason, it is desirable to
override the automatic operation, it is only necessary to press
either the on bypass key .[.72.]. .Iadd.74 .Iaddend.or the off
bypass key 78. Any time thereafter, if the automatic timing mode
key 76 is pressed, the timer module 58 will revert to its automatic
mode and resume its automatic switching cycle. Otherwise, the timer
module 58 can be used as a simple on-off switch via keys 74,
78.
It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and
it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form,
construction and arrangement of its component parts without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing
all of its material advantages, the form described being merely a
preferred embodiment thereof.
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