GB2064165A

GB2064165A - Time Switch Apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2064165A
Application number: GB8010596A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-11-27
Filing date: 1980-03-28
Publication date: 1981-06-10
Also published as: GB2064165B

Abstract

Time switch apparatus (2) comprising a digital timer (4) for determining the time at which the time switch apparatus will start to operate, duration control means (8) for controlling the duration of operation of the digital timer, a first switch (14) for switching the digital timer ON and OFF, a clock (18), and a second (override) switch (26) which is adapted in use of the time switch apparatus in a building to switch electrical devices in the building ON and OFF. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Time Switch Apparatus This invention relates to time switch apparatus.

Accordingly, this invention provides time switch apparatus comprising a digital timer for determining the time at which the time switch apparatus will start to operate, duration control means for controlling the duration of operation of the digital timer, a first switch for switching the digital timer ON and OFF, a clock, and a second switch which is adapted in use of the time switch apparatus in a building to switch electrical devices in the building ON and OFF.

The time switch apparatus may advantageously be used for deterring burgulars.

More specifically, the time switch apparatus can be used to switch on visual and/or audio devices at a desired time in order to make a potential burgular think that the building is occupied whereas in fact it is not occupied. The time switch apparatus additionally functions as a normal clock and it can be easily installed in buildings in place of a presently known wall switch or plug socket, the second switch of the time switch apparatus effecting the same operation as the switch in the known switch or the plug socket.

The digital timer may have push-buttons which actually move when pushed. Alternatively, the digital timer may have pressure sensitive buttons.

Preferably, the digital timer has the facility of setting the time in hours and in fractions of hours, e.g. half hours.

The duration control means is preferably a sliding duration control means having a marker device which is slidable along an elongate path which is marked with the time. The elongate path may be marked with the time from O to 1 hour in one quarter of an hour intervals. If desired, the duration control means may be a rotary duration control means having a dial member which is rotatable through 3600 with each 900 of rotation representing one quarter of an hour.

The first switch may be such that it slides between its ON and OFF positions. The first switch can be of any desired known construction.

The clock will usually be electrically operated.

The clock will usually be such that it will always give the time irrespective of whether or not the time switch apparatus is operational. The clock may be a twenty four hour clock. and it may have a digital liquid crystal display or a light emitting diode display.

The second switch may be a pivotable overcentre switch. The second switch may be of any known switch construction.

If the time switch apparatus is to be inserted in the place of a known plug socket in a building, then the time switch apparatus includes a socket portion for receiving a plug.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of time switch apparatus: and Figure 2 shows in block diagram form a circuit for the time switch apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown time switch apparatus 2 comprising a digital timer 4 for determining the time at which the time switch apparatus will start to operate. As shown in Figure 1 the digital timer 4 comprises twenty four buttons 1 to 24 for setting a desired time in hours. The digital timer 4 also includes a button 6 for setting fractions of an hour.

The time switch apparatus 2 also comprises duration control means 8 for controlling the duration of operation of the digital timer 4. The duration control means 8 comprises a marker 10 which slides along an elongate path 12. The elongate path 1 2 is marked with the time from O to 1 hour in one quarter of an hour intervals as shown. The duration control means 8 can be set for any length of time between 1 and 60 minutes.

The time switch apparatus 2 has a first switch 14 for switching the digital timer 4 ON and OFF as required. The first switch 14 has a knob 1 6 which slides between ON and OFF positions.

A clock 1 8 is provided in the time switch apparatus 2. The clock 1 8 shown in Figure 1 is a twenty four hour clock and it is set by rotating a dial against a marker 22 formed on a housing 24 of the time switch apparatus 2. The clock 1 8 operates continuously so that the time switch apparatus 2 can always be used to indicate the time even when it is not being used for other functions.

The time switch apparatus 2 further comprises a second switch 26. This switch has a knob 28 which is pivotable between ON and OFF positions.

The second switch 26 is adapted in use of the time switch apparatus 2 in a building to sitci electrical devices in the building ON and OF.

The housing 24 is provided with four holes 30 such that the time switch apparatus 2 can be screwed to a wall in a building in place of a presently used light switch. If desired, the housing 24 could be provided with only two fixing holes, one on either side of the housing. The second switch 26 functions exactly the same as the switch in the light switch. The s'vitch 28 can thus be used for controlling the lights in the building in a normal manner. The remainder of the time switch apparatus 2 can then be employed for causing the lights to come on at a predetermined time for a predetermined duration. This will be effective to deter potential burgulars.

Referring now especially to Figure 2, it will be seen that when the switch 14 L"r is activated, mains current can pass through a transformer 32, a rectifier 34, a filter 36, and a voltage stabiliser 38 to an input which is constituted by the digital timer 4 and the duration control means 8. The filter 36 is effective to smooth out the current that is output from the rectifier 34 and to give a steady voltage to the voltage stabiliser 38. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the time set on the digital timer 4 and the duration of operation set on the duration control means 8 is stored in a memory 40 which operates under action from a control device 42. The control device 42 is advantageously in the form of a microprocessor.

The memory 40 can be operated directly by the control device 42 via line 46. The control device 42 will then directly trigger the memory 40.

Alternatively, the memory 40 can be operated indirectly by the control device 42 via line 48, the clock 1 8 and line 50. In this latter instance, the clock 18 acts as a recall memory device and triggers the memory 40. The memory 40 passes current to an output or a load 44 which can be a light bulk as indicated above. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the switch 26 independently passes mains current to the load 44 via line 52. The switch 26 also passes mains current to the clock 1 8 via line 54 such that the clock 1 8 will still work even if both switches 14, 26 are in the OFF position.

The time switch apparatus 2 is very simple to use due to the fact that the timer is of digital action similar to calculator devices. If the time switch apparatus 2 is to be switched on for anything up to one hour, then the time switch apparatus 2 is simply programmed by depressing the appropriate button in the digital timer 4 at which the time switch apparatus 2 is to become operational and by appropriately setting the duration control means 8 to the required time period of from 0 to 1 hour. If the time switch apparatus 2 is to be switched on for more than one hour, then the time switch apparatus 2 is simply programmed by depressing the appropriate buttons in the digital timer 4 at which the time switch apparatus 2 is to become operational and by appropriately setting the duration control means 8 to the required time period of from 0 to 1 hour.For example, with the duration control means set at three quarters of an hour, the buttons 6, 7, 8 and 9 could be depressed and appropriate information will be stored in the memory 40. When the clock 18 says six o'clock, then the clock 1 8 or the control device 42 will actuate the time switch apparatus 2 and the time switch apparatus 2 will be operative for three quarters of an hour. The time switch apparatus 2 will then switch off until the clock says seven o'clock when the time switch apparatus 2 will again become operational for three quarters of an hour. The time switch apparatus 2 will then again switch off and the cycle will be repeated at eight o'clock and nine o'clock.If the time switch apparatus 2 is to be operational for two or more consecutive hours, then it is only necessary to set the duration control means to a time period of one hour and to depress the desired buttons in the digital timer 4.

Thus, for example, if the buttons 6 and 7 are depressed, the time switch apparatus 2 will commence operation when the clock 18 says six o'clock and the time switch apparatus 2 will function continuously for two hours.

The time switch apparatus 2 can also be used as a clock. The clock 18 will always display the correct time of day. If the clock 18 should need to be adjusted and it has hands, then this can be done simply by turning a knob 46 on the clock 1 8.

If the clock 1 8 has a light emitting diode display or a liquid crystal display, then the mode of correction will be similar to that in LED or LCD wrist watches. If any error is made in setting a required time in the digital timer 4, then this error can be rectified simply by switching the time switch apparatus off by means of the first switch 14. This will erase all stored information in the memory 40. The time switch apparatus 2 can then be switched on again at the first switch 14 and further information can be fed into the memory 40.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.

Thus, for example, the time switch apparatus 2 could be provided with a plug socket portion for receiving a plug. Various and/or audio devices could then be plugged into the time switch apparatus 2 and the devices would operate at the predetermined time set in the time switch apparatus 2 and for the predetermined duration.

Examples of appropriate audio equipment are radios and televisions. The time switch apparatus 2 is primarily intended for use in private houses although it can equaliy well be employed in offices and factories. The time switch apparatus 2 can be arranged to operate substantially electrically or electronically. It is presently envisaged that the time switch apparatus 2 will be rectangular in shape having a length of approximately 20 centimetres, a width of approximately 8+ centimetres and a thickness of approximately 1 T centimeters. Obviously, the shape dimensions of the time switch apparatus 2 can be varied as desired. The twenty four buttons 1 to 24 could be replaced by two sets of buttons 1 to 12. The two sets of buttons 1 to 12 could be differently coloured to enable a user of the time switch apparatus 2 to distinguish between a.m.

and p.m. Such an arrangement of two sets of buttons 1 to 12 may be preferred by persons who have difficulty with twenty four hour clocks.

Claims

1. Time switch apparatus comprising a digital timer for determining the time at which the time switch apparatus will start to operate, duration control means for controlling the duration of operation of the digital timer, a first switch for switching the digital timer ON and OFF, a clock, and a second switch which is adapted in use of the time switch apparatus in a building to switch electrical devices in the building ON and OFF.

2. Time switch apparatus according to claim 1 in which the digital timer has push buttons.

3. Time switch apparatus according to claim 1 in which the digital timer has pressure sensitive buttons.

4. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the digital timer has the facility of setting the time in hours and in fractions of hours.

5. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the duration control means is a sliding duration control means having a marker device which is slidable along an elongate path which is marked with the time.

6. Time switch apparatus according to claim 5 in which the elongate path is marked with the time from 0 to 1 hour in one quarter of an hour intervals.

7. Time switch apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the duration control means is a rotary duration control means having a dial member which is rotatable through 360O with each 90 of rotation representing one quarter of an hour.

8. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first switch is such that it slides between its ON and OFF positions.

9. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the clock is electrically operated and is arranged to operate independently of the digital timer.

10. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the clock is a twenty four hour clock.

11. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second switch is a pivotable over-centre switch.

12. Time switch apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including a socket portion for receiving a plug.

1 3. Time switch apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.