FR2886452A1 - ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT COMPRISING A LIGHT CONTROL KEY - Google Patents

Abstract

The appliance has a control button (130) accessible to a user for actuating a switchgear mechanism. An illumination unit (200) is completely embarked on the control button and adapted to illuminate a front zone of the control button. The illumination unit includes a light source and an optical guide (210) for guiding light flow emitted by the source to the front zone of control button to be illuminated. The control button has clamps, on its rear face, adapted to enclose the optical guide and the light source, where the clamps are formed with the control button by molding of a plastic material.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

  The present invention generally relates to electrical apparatus which comprises any apparatus mechanism, such as, for example, a controlled switch or socket mechanism, mounted in a box for mounting in any wall, in a housing or in an electrical trunking to project projecting from such a wall.

  It relates in particular to electrical equipment comprising at least one control key accessible to the user for actuating at least one equipment mechanism, and illumination means specific to the illumination of a facade area. The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the production of an electrical switch with a light function.

BACKGROUND

  Documents FR 2 790 865, GB 2 083 708 and EP 1 467 387 are already known from electrical equipment of the aforementioned type which incorporates a light function to be located in a dark room and / or to indicate to the user their operating state ( open or closed).

  In these electrical equipment already known, the illumination means comprise a light source (a diode or a filament bulb) disposed inside the equipment box to illuminate directly or indirectly the control key accessible to the user.

  This light source is mounted on a dedicated support and is electrically connected to the fitting mechanism.

  In addition, in these electrical equipment already known, the illumination means comprise light guide or reflection means embedded in the control key or positioned just below this control key. These guide or reflection means make it possible either to guide the light emitted by the light source or to accentuate the light power of the light source on a precise area of the control key.

  Such electrical equipment has several disadvantages.

  First, the lighting means of these electrical equipment are complex to mount in the equipment box and they are not accessorizable.

  In addition, in such devices, the light source of the illumination means is difficult to access in the equipment box. Thus, it is particularly difficult to recover a substantial portion of the luminous flux emitted by the light source to guide it to the control button or the trim plate to obtain a correct illumination thereof.

  OBJECT OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the present invention proposes an electrical apparatus comprising at least one control key accessible to the user for actuating at least one equipment mechanism. and illumination means specific to the illumination of a facade zone of said apparatus, wherein said illumination means are embedded on said control key and are adapted to illuminate an area thereof.

  Advantageously, in the electrical equipment according to the invention, the illumination means can be accessorized because they are fully embarked on the control button of the apparatus. The mounting of these illuminating means on the key is easy.

  Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the apparatus according to the invention are the following: said illumination means are attached to the rear face of the control key; said illumination means are housed in the thickness of the control key; said illumination means comprise a light source and an optical guide adapted to guide the luminous flux emitted by the light source; the rear face of the control key carries clamps which enclose said optical guide and said light source assembled; the clamps come from forming with the control key by molding a plastic material; Said control key comprises a facade provided with an elongated window which extends opposite a light diffusion portion of the optical guide; said optical guide is made of molded plastic such as transparent polycarbonate or transparent methyl acrylonitrile polymethacrylate; said light source comprises light-emitting diodes connected to a printed circuit; said optical guide comprises means for mounting a support plate of said printed circuit; said printed circuit is supplied with current by electrical conductors connected to the connection terminals of the fitting mechanism; said printed circuit is supplied with current by energy accumulators housed in said control key; and said printed circuit is supplied with current by an induction system.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

  The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be achieved.

  In the accompanying drawings: - Figure 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of the control key and illumination means of the electrical apparatus 25 according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an assembled bottom view of Figure 1.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 show a part of an electrical apparatus which comprises at least one control key 130 accessible to the user for actuating at least one equipment mechanism (not shown) such than a switch mechanism or back-and-forth.

  The control key 130 is here a key module that has a rectangular shape with flat front wall surrounded by a peripheral rim 131. This rim 131 has on two opposite sides notches 131A for snap-fitting of the control key 130 on a driver (not shown) for the actuation of the corresponding apparatus mechanism. In addition, the front wall of the control key 130 comprises a rectilinear elongated window 132 which opens on the front face 130A.

  This electrical apparatus has a light function so as to be visible in the penumbra or to indicate to a user the operating state of the apparatus (open or closed).

  For this purpose, the electrical equipment according to the invention comprises illumination means 200 suitable for illuminating a façade area of this apparatus.

  Advantageously, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, these illumination means 200 are embedded on the control key 130 and are adapted to illuminate an area thereof.

  In particular, said illumination means 200 are reported on the rear face 130B of the flat front wall of the control key 130. They are housed in the thickness of this key.

  For this purpose, the rear face 130B of said flat wall and the inner face of the rim 131 form a housing which accommodates the illumination means 200.

  Here, said illumination means comprise a light source and an optical guide 210 adapted to guide the luminous flux emitted by said light source towards the elongated window 132 of the control key 130 so as to form a light line on the front face 130A. of the front wall of the control key 130.

  The light source preferably comprises one or more light-emitting diodes connected to a printed circuit supplied with current either by electrical conductors connected to the connection terminals of the switchgear mechanism of the electrical equipment, or by energy accumulators, such as batteries, housed in said control key, either by an induction system.

  The light guide 210 is here rectangular in shape, it has a diffusion part 211 which extends opposite the elongated window 132 of the control key 130.

  The optical guide 210 supports the support plate 220 of said printed circuit so that the light-emitting diodes connected to said printed circuit are turned towards it. The assembly of the support plate 220 and the optical guide 210 is mounted on the rear face 130B of the front wall of the control key 130.

  For this assembly, preferably, it comprises on its rear face 130B clamps 133,134 adapted to grip said optical guide 210 and said light source assembled. Advantageously, said clamps 133,134 are formed with the control key 130 by molding a plastic material.

  Thus the installer easily mounts by snapping said illumination means on said control key.

  Advantageously, the optical guide 210 is made of molded plastic material such as transparent polycarbonate or transparent methylmethyl acrylonitrile polymethacrylate.

  The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown, but the skilled person will be able to make any variant 15 in accordance with his spirit.

Claims (13)

  1. Electrical apparatus comprising at least one control key (130) accessible to the user for the operation of at least one apparatus mechanism, and illumination means (200) suitable for illuminating a facade area of said apparatus, characterized in that said illumination means (200) are embedded on said control key (130) and are adapted to illuminate an area thereof.   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said illumination means (200) are reported on the rear face of the control key (130).   3. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said illumination means (200) are housed in the thickness of the control key (130).   4. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said illumination means (200) comprise a light source and an optical guide (210) adapted to guide the luminous flux emitted by the light source.   5. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the rear face of the control key (130) carries clamps (133, 134) which enclose said optical guide (210) and said light source assembled.   6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the clamps (133,134) are formed with the control key by molding a plastic material.   7. Apparatus according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said control key (130) comprises a facade provided with an elongate window (132) which extends opposite a diffusion portion (211). ) of light of the optical guide (210).   8. Apparatus according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that said optical guide (210) is made of molded plastic such as transparent polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate transparent acrylonitrile.   9. Apparatus according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that said light source comprises light emitting diodes connected to a printed circuit.   10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said optical guide (210) comprises means for mounting a support plate (220) of said printed circuit.   11. Apparatus according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that said printed circuit is supplied with current by electrical conductors connected to the connection terminals of the fitting mechanism.   12. Apparatus according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that said printed circuit is supplied with current by energy accumulators housed in said control key.   13. Apparatus according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that said printed circuit is supplied with current by an induction system.