GB2617155A

GB2617155A - Switch assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2617155A
Application number: GB2204634.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ewan Sagar Richard
Original assignee: Ilumeo Ltd
Current assignee: Ilumeo Ltd
Priority date: 2022-03-31
Filing date: 2022-03-31
Publication date: 2023-10-04
Also published as: WO2023187333A1; GB202204634D0

Abstract

A switch assembly comprises a rocker member 210 rotatable about a pivot axis for actuating at least one switch or sensor, and a toggle lever 230 removably mounted to the rocker member. The toggle lever selectively rotates the rocker member about the pivot axis to operate an electrical apparatus coupled to the switch or sensor. The rocker may comprise a recess 217 for receiving a first end region 232 of the toggle lever. The recess may be a slotted recess for receiving an elongate attachment portion 235 of the toggle lever. The switch assembly may comprise a front cover 260 including a through aperture 261 which is the same width as the first end region. The front cover may be mounted in a front frame 240 that is removably attachable to a housing 100. The rocker may be pivotally mounted on a support member 208. The switch or sensor may comprise a pair of membrane switches 205,207 each engageable with a corresponding end region of the rocker when rotated about the pivot axis. The toggle lever may be selectively interchangeable with other, differently conformed, toggle levers. The combined rocker/toggle switch results in a quieter and more discrete switch unit.

Description

SWITCH ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a switch assembly for operating an electrical apparatus, such as a light, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a wall-mountable light switch assembly.

Conventional wall mounted light switches include rocker and toggle-type switches. A rocker switch includes a rocker member for pressing by a user and which rocks about a pivot between on/off positions in a seesaw motion. Rocker switches are typically configured for switching relatively high and live electrical loads and therefore include robust and heavy-duty components which can feel and sound relatively utilitarian to the user and limits the design freedom of the switch assembly itself. For example, the front plate of the switch assembly which attaches to the backbox must have one or more relatively large rectangular apertures for accommodating the relatively bulky rocker member/s. As a result, the size and style of the rocker member/s and the front plate itself are limited. A toggle switch includes a lever that is manually pushed up or down to turn the electrical apparatus, such as a lighting unit, on or off. However, the front plate of a toggle switch assembly also requires a relatively large round aperture for fitting over the lever which often has an enlarged spherical head portion. As such, a threaded collar is typically used to secure the switch to the front plate and also cover up the aperture therein. Conventional toggle switches can also feel and sound mechanically clunky to the user and the design freedom of the switch assembly, particularly the front plate and lever, is limited. Furthermore, both type of switches can always be operated even by an unauthorised person or child when in some circumstances operation of the apparatus is not desired.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a switch assembly comprising an actuator in the form of a toggle lever extending through an aperture in a front cover of the switch assembly, wherein the switch assembly is aesthetically discreet when mounted to a wall and which allows a wide range of front plates and levers to be used based on the technical application and/or the end user's requirements.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a switch assembly that is smoother and quieter to operate compared to conventional rocker and toggle switches.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a switch assembly comprising a toggle lever extending through an aperture in a front cover, wherein the lever is selectively removable for security purposes and/or to allow a differently configured lever to be fitted.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a switch assembly comprising: a rocker member selectively rotatable about a pivot axis for actuating at least one switch or sensor; and a toggle lever removably mounted to the rocker member for selectively rotating the rocker member about the pivot axis to operate an electrical apparatus operably coupled to the at least one switch or sensor.

Optionally, the rocker member comprises a recess for receiving a first end region of the toggle lever.

Optionally, the recess is a slotted recess for receiving an elongate attachment portion of the first end region of the toggle lever.

Optionally, the attachment portion comprises at least one through hole for accommodating a screw engageable in a corresponding bore to secure the first end region of the toggle lever in the recess of the rocker member.

Optionally, the switch assembly comprises a front cover including a through aperture configured to allow the first end region of the toggle lever to pass therethrough and into the recess of the rocker member.

Optionally, a width of the through aperture is substantially the same as a width of the first end region of the toggle lever.

Optionally, the through aperture is a slotted aperture allowing rotation of the toggle lever about the pivot axis.

Optionally, the front cover is mounted in a front frame removably attachable to a housing.

Optionally, the front frame comprises at least one channel region on a rear surface thereof for slidably supporting a screw carrier having a first through hole therein for locating a screw and alignable with a second through hole in a side wall of the front frame when the screw carrier is supported in the channel region.

Optionally, the second through hole is configured to receive a screw driver for driving the screw located in the screw carrier into a corresponding bore of the housing to attach the front frame to the housing.

Optionally, the at least one channel region comprises a dovetail cross section and the screw carrier is substantially wedge-shaped.

Optionally, the screw carrier comprises at least one stop surface to retain the same in the channel region during assembly.

Optionally, the rocker member is pivotally mounted on at least one support member.

Optionally, the rocker member comprises a pair of pins extending outwardly in opposed directions to define the pivot axis and each located in a corresponding notch of a support frame.

Optionally, the pins of the rocker member are retained between the support frame and a fixing frame comprising an elongate aperture for accommodating an upper region of the rocker member to which the toggle lever is mounted.

Optionally, the support frame comprises an elongate aperture for accommodating a lower region of the rocker member engageable with the at least one switch or sensor.

Optionally, the at least one switch or sensor comprises a pair of membrane switches each engageable with a corresponding end region of the rocker member when the same is rotated in either direction about the pivot axis.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical apparatus comprising a switch assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a system comprising a switch assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention and a back box mountable in or on a wall.

Optionally, the apparatus or system comprises a plurality of differently conformed and selectively interchangeable toggle levers.

Description of the Drawings

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference 20 to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of a switch assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2a illustrates a close-up exploded view of the toggle lever and rocker member arrangement of the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 2b illustrates a close-up assembled view of the toggle lever and rocker member arrangement of Figure 2a; Figure 3a illustrates a rear view of the front frame of the assembly of Figure 1; and Figure 3b illustrates a plan view of the front frame of the assembly of Figure 1 with an upper screw carrier in place.

Detailed Description

As illustrated in Figure 1, a switch assembly 200 according to certain embodiments of the present invention includes a substantially square box-like housing 100 for mounting in a suitably configured backbox (not shown). The housing 100 includes a rear base wall 102 and four rear side walls 104 to define an interior region for receiving and supporting the internal components of the switch assembly as described further below. In use, the backbox is mountable in a correspondingly shaped and sized hole or recess in a wall, such as a plasterboard wall.

A front opening of the housing 100 is defined by a surrounding and outwardly extending square flange region 106 having a rear surface for engaging a corresponding support surface of the back box when mounted therein. A wall region 108 extends forwardly from each outer edge of the flange region 106 to define upper and lower front wall regions and opposed side front wall regions. These front wall regions 108 may define a single continuous front wall region or may be separately defined as illustrated. Each corner region of the flange 106 has a hole 107 and each corner region of the housing is recessed along its length to allow a fixing, such as a screw, to be located through each hole for securing the housing to the back box via corresponding holes therein. An inner shoulder surface 110 is provided inside the housing slightly below the plane of the flange region 106 and a pair of diagonally opposed threaded bores 112 are provided on the inner shoulder surface 110 and inboard of the front wall regions 108 for securing the internal components of the switch assembly to the housing as described further below. The housing 100 is aptly formed from a metal or plastics material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the like.

The switch assembly 200 includes a substantially square printed circuit board (PCB) 202 supporting the control electronics for operation of the switch. The PCB locates on the inner shoulder surface 110 of the housing 100 and has removed corner regions 203 to expose the corner holes 107 of the housing and allow screws to be inserted in the corner holes when fixing the housing in a back box. A pair of spaced apart membrane switches 205,207 are mounted on a switchboard 204 which corresponds in size and shape to the PCB 202. The switchboard 204 locates on or adjacent to the PCB 202 when the switch assembly is assembled. Membrane switches are desirably relatively compact and smooth and quiet to operate.

As best illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b, the switch assembly 200 further includes a 5 support frame 208 for supporting a rocker member 210 and which has a peripheral profile corresponding to that of the PCB 202 and the switchboard 205. The support frame 208 defines three spaced apart and vertically oriented elongate apertures including a central aperture 209 and a pair of optional side apertures 211. The central aperture 209 is substantially rectangular and includes a pair of opposed notches 213 each provided approximately midway along a respective long side of the central aperture 209. The central aperture 209 is sized and shaped to accommodate the elongate rocker member 210 and each notch 213 is substantially curved, such as semi-circular in cross section, for accommodating a respective one of a pair of opposed pins 215 outwardly extending from each side of the rocker member 210. The pins may loosely engage in the notches or may snap fit into the notches, whilst providing a pivot axis for the rocker member 210 to rotate about with respect to the support frame 208. Each end region of the rocker member 210 engages with a respective one of the membrane switches 205,207 responsive to the rocker member 210 being rotated in the corresponding direction about the pivot axis in use. Alternatively, each end region of the rocker member may engage with a respective sensor which sends a corresponding signal to a controller for operating the electrical apparatus, such as a light source, accordingly. Further alternatively, a single switch or sensor may be engageable with a corresponding end region of the rocker member wherein the switch is configured to be selectively actuated between on and off states or the sensor is configured to selectively send on and off signals to a controller for selective operation of the electrical apparatus. The rocker member 210 may be urged towards an equilibrium position by at least one spring, for example, in which position the rocker member is not engaging/actuating the at least one switch or sensor.

The rocker member 210 includes a central slotted recess 217 for receiving a first end region of a toggle lever as described further below. Opposed corner holes 219 in the support frame 208 align with corresponding holes in the switchboard 204 and the PCB 202 to allow all three components to be secured to the housing 100 by screws 218 (as shown in Figure 1).

An elongate fixing frame 220 defines an elongate and substantially rectangular aperture 221 and a pair of opposed notches 223 each provided approximately midway along a respective long side of the aperture 221. The notches 223 are substantially curved, such as semi-circular in cross section, for accommodating the other half of each respective one of the pins 215 to thereby retain the rocker member 210 between the fixing frame 220 and the support frame 208 whilst allowing it to be selectively rotated in either direction to actuate the corresponding membrane switch 205,207. Alternatively, the notches 211 in the support frame 208 may be configured to entirely accommodate the pins such that the fixing frame requires no notches, or vice versa. The fixing frame 220 includes a pair of opposed holes 225 to allow a screw 227 to engage in a corresponding hole 219 in the support frame 208 to secure the fixing frame 220 to the support frame 208 and retain the rocker member 210 therebetween.

The switch assembly 200 further includes an elongate toggle lever 230 having a first end region 232, a second end region 234 and an intermediate shaft-like region 233 located therebetween. The first end region 232 comprises an elongate attachment portion 235 sized and shaped to locate in the slotted recess 217 of the rocker member 210. A width of the attachment portion 235 is substantially the same as a width/diameter of the intermediate region 233. The attachment portion 235 has substantially curved inner and outer surfaces to correspond with respective inner and outer surfaces of the rocker member and recess thereof so that the attachment portion 235 engages securely in the recess and the outer surface of the attachment portion 235 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the rocker member when located in the recess thereof. The elongate attachment portion 235 of the toggle lever 230 includes a through hole 237 on each side of the shaft region 233 for a screw 239 to locate through and engage in a respective bore in the slotted recess 217 of the rocker member 210 to thereby securely attach the toggle lever 230 to the rocker member 210. The second end region 234 of the illustrated toggle lever 230 is relatively thin and disc-like and has a diamond or crystal-like appearance. For example, the toggle lever 230 may be formed from a substantially transparent plastics material and the second end region 234 may include a plurality of differently angled surfaces on both upper and lower surfaces thereof to reflect light in different directions and appear glass, crystal or diamond-like. The second end region 234 of the toggle lever 230 may alternatively be ball-shaped or take any suitable form which allows a user to move the toggle lever up or down, or side to side, and in turn rotate the rocker member 230 in either direction to actuate a respective one of the membrane switches 205,207 and operate the switch accordingly. Alternatively, the second end region 234 may simply be a free end of the shaft-like region 233 and may not be an enlarged second end region of the toggle lever 230. An enlarged second end region however helps a person to locate and actuate the toggle lever to operate the switch in use.

The switch assembly 200 further includes a substantially square front frame 240 including a substantially closed rear wall 241 and four side walls 243 extending forwardly away therefrom to define a substantially square interior region 245. A vertically oriented elongate boss 247 extends forwardly from the rear wall 241 and is located substantially centrally in the interior region 245. The boss 247 includes a slotted through aperture 249. The upper and lower side walls 243 of the front frame 240 each include a through hole 251 located approximately midway along their length.

As illustrated in Figure 1 and Figures 3a and 3b, the front frame 240 includes a pair of spaced apart protrusions 253 extending rearwardly from the rear wall 241 towards the housing 100 and defining a channel region 255,256 therebetween. A first channel region 255 is provided proximal to the upper edge of the front frame and a second channel region 256 is provided proximal to the lower edge of the front frame opposite to the first channel region 255. Each channel region is substantially dovetail-shaped in cross section for slidably receiving a correspondingly configured wedge-shaped screw carrier 250. Each screw carrier 250 includes a pair of outwardly extending lugs providing stop surface for engagement with the protrusions 253 to retain the screw carrier in its respective channel region during assembly. Alternatively, each screw carrier 250 may be retained in its channel region during assembly by a friction/interference fit and/or by an axial tapering arrangement of the channel region for example. Each screw carrier 250 has a countersunk through hole for receiving a screw 252 such that the shank of the screw extends beyond the rear surface of the carrier and the head of the screw is substantially flush with the front surface of the carrier when located in the countersunk region.

During assembly, the screw 252 is located in the carrier 250 by sliding or screwing it into the through aperture of the carrier until its head portion engages with the carrier and the screw is supported in the carrier. The carrier 250 is then slidably inserted into the corresponding channel region 255,256 on the rear surface of the front frame 240 such that the head of the screw aligns with the corresponding through hole 251 in the upper or lower edge region of the front frame 240. The front frame 240 can now be offered up to the housing 100, with the PCB, switchboard and support frame mounted therein, and secured thereto by the screws 252 supported in the screw carriers 250. As illustrated in Figure 1, upper and lower ones of the front wall region 108 of the housing 100 include notches corresponding in size to the protrusions 253 of the front frame 240 to thereby accommodate the protrusions when the front frame is mounted to the housing 100. Aptly, the opposed notches are tapered in opposed directions. The notches help to locate and retain the front frame 240 on the housing 100, and ensure the switch assembly 200 is in the correct position and orientation with respect to the housing before securing the same thereto. The rear surface of the front frame 240 engages with and is supported by the front wall region 108 of the housing 100.

To tighten the screws 252, a screwdriver can be inserted into each of the holes 251 provided in the upper and lower side walls 243 of the front frame 240 to engage with the respective screw 252 supported in its corresponding screw carrier 250. The screws can be rotated by the screwdriver to drive them into corresponding bores 109 provided in the upper and lower front wall regions 108 of the housing 100 to secure the front frame to the housing. The arrangement of the screw carriers supported in respective channel regions on the rear side of front frame and the through holes in the upper and lower side walls of the front frame conceals the screws used to secure the front frame to the housing 100 and provides a much more aesthetically appealing socket assembly 200 when the same is mounted in a backbox located in wall.

The socket assembly 200 further includes a front cover 260 for locating in the interior region 245 of the front frame 240. The shape, such as square, and the size of the front cover corresponds to that of the interior region, and a depth of the front cover 260 is substantially the same as a depth of the interior region such that a front surface of the front cover is substantially flush with the front edge surface of the side walls 243 of the front frame when the front cover is located therein. The front cover 260 may be secured in the front frame by a friction, interference or snap fit or the like, or by an adhesive or the like. The end of the boss 247 of the front frame 240 engages with and supports the front cover 260 when the same is located in the front frame.

An elongate and vertically oriented through hole 261 located substantially centrally in the front cover 260 corresponds in size and shape and aligns with the vertically oriented slotted through aperture 249 of the front frame 240. The front cover 260 is, for example, around 50 x 50 mm and the through hole 261 therein is aptly around 8 mm long and 2 mm wide. The slotted through hole 261 is substantially the same size, particularly in width, as the attachment portion 235 of the toggle lever 230 to thereby be particularly discreet to a user whilst still allowing the attachment portion of the toggle lever to be inserted through the hole 261 and secured to the rocker member 210 during assembly. A length of the slotted aperture 261 may be configured such that the ends of the aperture act as stop surfaces to limit rotation of the toggle lever 230 about the pivot axis of the rocker member 210.

During assembly of the switch assembly 200, the first end region of 232 of the toggle lever 230 is inserted through the central hole 261 of the front cover 260 and through the slotted aperture 249 in the central boss 247 of the front frame 240 before being located in the slotted recess 217 of the rocker member 210. Screws 239 are inserted into corresponding through holes in the attachment portion of the toggle lever and rotatably driven by a screwdriver into the corresponding bores provided in the base of the slotted recess 217 of the rocker member 210. The toggle lever 230 is now securely mounted to the rocker member 210 whilst being removable therefrom if desired, such as for disassembling the switch assembly for maintenance purposes or the like or for swapping the toggle lever for a differently configured toggle lever if desired without having to disassemble the switch assembly or replace the entire switch assembly with a different switch assembly. Desirably, in view of the toggle lever being removably attachable to the rocker member, the first end region of the toggle lever can be inserted through a relatively small/narrow hole in the front cover as opposed to the front cover having to be placed over the toggle lever during assembly via a relatively large/wide hole in the front cover which is undesirably required for conventional toggle switches. A relatively small/narrow hole in the front cover also provides an aesthetically discreet switch assembly which is particularly desirably for luxury interior designers and owners of luxury homes, hotels and yachts for example.

Alternative embodiments of the switch assembly according to certain embodiments of the present invention can be envisaged, such as a pair of projections upstanding from the switchboard on which the pins of the rocker member are pivotally supported and retained, e.g. by a snap-fit arrangement or each projection is substantially resilient to allow the same to flex outwardly slightly and each pin to be located in a corresponding hole in each projection. This embodiment may therefore not require a support frame and a fixing frame for mounting the rocker member between. Furthermore, the front frame may not require a substantially closed rear wall with a slotted aperture therein. Alternatively, the front frame may have a peripheral wall region for supporting the periphery of the front cover and be substantially open such that toggle lever passes through the slotted hole in the front cover and directly into the rocker member rather than passing through a second slotted hole in the front frame.

Certain embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a switch assembly including an actuator in the form of a toggle lever extending through an aperture in a front cover of the switch assembly, wherein the switch assembly is aesthetically discreet when mounted to a back box located in a wall and which allows a wide range of front covers and levers to be used based on the technical application and/or the end user's requirements. The switch assembly is smoother and quieter to operate compared to conventional toggle switches, and the lever is selectively removable for security purposes and/or to allow a differently conformed lever to be used. The switch assembly may be mountable in a back box or in the body of a standalone electrical apparatus.

Claims

Claims 1. A switch assembly comprising: a rocker member selectively rotatable about a pivot axis for actuating at least one switch or sensor; and a toggle lever removably mounted to the rocker member for selectively rotating the rocker member about the pivot axis to operate an electrical apparatus operably coupled to the at least one switch or sensor.
2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rocker member comprises a recess for receiving a first end region of the toggle lever.
3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the recess is a slotted recess for receiving an elongate attachment portion of the first end region of the toggle lever.
4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the attachment portion comprises at least one through hole for accommodating a screw engageable in a corresponding bore to secure the first end region of the toggle lever in the recess of the rocker member.
5. The assembly according to any of claims 2 to 4, comprising a front cover including a through aperture configured to allow the first end region of the toggle lever to pass therethrough and into the recess of the rocker member. 25
6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein a width of the through aperture is substantially the same as a width of the first end region of the toggle lever.
7. The assembly according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the through aperture is a slotted aperture allowing rotation of the toggle lever about the pivot axis.
8. The assembly according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the front cover is mounted in a front frame removably attachable to a housing.
9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the front frame comprises at least one channel region on a rear surface thereof for slidably supporting a screw carrier having a first through hole therein for locating a screw and alignable with a second through hole in a side wall of the front frame when the screw carrier is supported in the channel region.
10.
11.
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13.
14.
15.
16.The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second through hole is configured to receive a screw driver for driving the screw located in the screw carrier into a corresponding bore of the housing to attach the front frame to the housing.The assembly according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the at least one channel region comprises a dovetail cross section and the screw carrier is substantially wedge-shaped.The assembly according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the screw carrier comprises at least one stop surface to retain the same in the channel region during assembly.The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the rocker member is pivotally mounted on at least one support member.The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the rocker member comprises a pair of pins extending outwardly in opposed directions to define the pivot axis and each located in a corresponding notch of a support frame.The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the pins of the rocker member are retained between the support frame and a fixing frame comprising an elongate aperture for accommodating an upper region of the rocker member to which the toggle lever is mounted.The assembly according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the support frame comprises an elongate aperture for accommodating a lower region of the rocker member engageable with the at least one switch or sensor.
17. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one switch or sensor comprises a pair of membrane switches each engageable with a corresponding end region of the rocker member when the same is rotated in either direction about the pivot axis.
18. An electrical apparatus comprising a switch assembly according to any preceding claim.
19. A system comprising a switch assembly according to any of claims 1 to 17 and a back box mountable in or on a wall.
20. The apparatus or the system according to claim 18 or 19, comprising a plurality of differently conformed and selectively interchangeable toggle levers.