GB2110010A - AC power control unit for electrical appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

An adaptor e.g. for light fittings comprises respective male and female fittings 3 and 4 mounted on a plastics housing 1 and a knob 5 which controls a potentiometer 6 inside the housing. The potentiometer forms part of a dimmer circuit mounted within the housing 1 and operable to control the amount of electrical power passing between the plug and socket. The plug and socket may take the form of respective three pin mains fittings. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION AC power control unit for electrical This invention relates to an AC power control unit for electrical appliances.

AC power control units which utilise triacs, thrystors or similar SCR devices are well known in the domestic electric industry. Such units are however generally incorporated in switch-like configurations and are intended for permanent installation into a suitable connection box attached onto or embedded into the wall. Many such units are incorporated into the appliance itself and are thus useable only to control power to that appliance.

The present invention seeks to provide a power control unit which is portable and which can be interposed in any of the most-used electrical connectors as an adaptor and yet can control the power supplied to the connected appliance.

According to the invention there is provided an AC power control unit comprising a housing of insulating material and, mounted on said housing, a mains electrical plug means and a mains electrical socket means, an AC power control unit mounted within said housing and connected to control the electrical power passing between said plug means and said socket means and a knob mounted on the exterior of said housing for manual action to adjust said power control unit.

In an embodiment of the invention, intended for controlling the power supplied to an electric lamp (i.e. a lamp dimmer), the electrical plug means and socket means take the form of conventional lamp fittings of the bayonet or Edison screw type. In an alternative embodiment, the plug means and socket means take the form of standard three pin mains fittings of the 2A, 5A, iso or 13A type. A combination of types could also be provided: for example a 3 pin 15A plug to a 3 pin 13A socket.

It will be seen that the unit of this invention essentially takes the form of an adaptor, fitting directly between an existing bulb fitting and its bulb or between an existing socket and its plug. No external wiring is needed.

In order that the invention may be better understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of an AC power control unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the unit shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatc side view with the housing separated to show the interior; and Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing an alternative Edison-screw fitting.

Referring to the drawings the control unit takes the form of a light fitting adaptor between bayonet (Figure 1) or Edison screw (Figure 4) type fittings.

The unit comprises a two part housing 1 of plastics material, held together by screws 2. A male lighting plug 3 is rigidly mounted on one end of the housing and a female lighting socket 4 is rigidly mounted on the opposite end of the housing. A knob 5 on the side of the housing rotates a potentiometer 6 which forms part of an AC power control circuit, shown diagrammatically in Figure 3.

The power control circuit comprises a triac 7 connected to one terminal 8 of the socket 4 together with a number of components 8, 9 for current limiting, filtering and other purposes. The circuit is operable to control the amount of AC power passing between the plug 3 and the socket 4 as the potentiometer 6 is rotated. Power control circuits using triacs are very well known and will not therefore be described further. It will be noted that only one side of the mains is controlled; the other is connected through directly by means of a brass strip 10 or the like. The circuit may for convenience be mounted on a printed circuit board with lead out wires to the respective terminals associated with the plug and socket.

1. An AC power control unit comprising a housing of insulating material and, mounted on said housing, a mains electrical plug means and a mains electrical socket means, an AC power control unit mounted within said housing and connected to control the electrical power passing between said plug means and said socket means and a knob mounted on the exterior of said housing for manual action to adjust said power control unit.

2. An AC power control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plug means and said socket means take the form of respective lighting fittings.

3. An AC power control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plug means and said socket means take the form of respective three pin mains fittings.

4. An AC power control unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION AC power control unit for electrical This invention relates to an AC power control unit for electrical appliances. AC power control units which utilise triacs, thrystors or similar SCR devices are well known in the domestic electric industry. Such units are however generally incorporated in switch-like configurations and are intended for permanent installation into a suitable connection box attached onto or embedded into the wall. Many such units are incorporated into the appliance itself and are thus useable only to control power to that appliance. The present invention seeks to provide a power control unit which is portable and which can be interposed in any of the most-used electrical connectors as an adaptor and yet can control the power supplied to the connected appliance. According to the invention there is provided an AC power control unit comprising a housing of insulating material and, mounted on said housing, a mains electrical plug means and a mains electrical socket means, an AC power control unit mounted within said housing and connected to control the electrical power passing between said plug means and said socket means and a knob mounted on the exterior of said housing for manual action to adjust said power control unit. In an embodiment of the invention, intended for controlling the power supplied to an electric lamp (i.e. a lamp dimmer), the electrical plug means and socket means take the form of conventional lamp fittings of the bayonet or Edison screw type. In an alternative embodiment, the plug means and socket means take the form of standard three pin mains fittings of the 2A, 5A, iso or 13A type. A combination of types could also be provided: for example a 3 pin 15A plug to a 3 pin 13A socket. It will be seen that the unit of this invention essentially takes the form of an adaptor, fitting directly between an existing bulb fitting and its bulb or between an existing socket and its plug. No external wiring is needed. In order that the invention may be better understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of an AC power control unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the unit shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatc side view with the housing separated to show the interior; and Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing an alternative Edison-screw fitting. Referring to the drawings the control unit takes the form of a light fitting adaptor between bayonet (Figure 1) or Edison screw (Figure 4) type fittings. The unit comprises a two part housing 1 of plastics material, held together by screws 2. A male lighting plug 3 is rigidly mounted on one end of the housing and a female lighting socket 4 is rigidly mounted on the opposite end of the housing. A knob 5 on the side of the housing rotates a potentiometer 6 which forms part of an AC power control circuit, shown diagrammatically in Figure 3. The power control circuit comprises a triac 7 connected to one terminal 8 of the socket 4 together with a number of components 8, 9 for current limiting, filtering and other purposes. The circuit is operable to control the amount of AC power passing between the plug 3 and the socket 4 as the potentiometer 6 is rotated. Power control circuits using triacs are very well known and will not therefore be described further. It will be noted that only one side of the mains is controlled; the other is connected through directly by means of a brass strip 10 or the like. The circuit may for convenience be mounted on a printed circuit board with lead out wires to the respective terminals associated with the plug and socket. CLAIMS

1. An AC power control unit comprising a housing of insulating material and, mounted on said housing, a mains electrical plug means and a mains electrical socket means, an AC power control unit mounted within said housing and connected to control the electrical power passing between said plug means and said socket means and a knob mounted on the exterior of said housing for manual action to adjust said power control unit.

2. An AC power control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plug means and said socket means take the form of respective lighting fittings.

3. An AC power control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plug means and said socket means take the form of respective three pin mains fittings.

4. An AC power control unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.