RU2810307C2 - Electrical installation device - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: electrical installation device.

SUBSTANCE: electrical installation device includes an electronic circuit module for switching and/or dimming consumers, which has at least one microswitch, at least one rocker switch for actuating the microswitch, which by means of an operating stroke can be moved to one of two switching positions, wherein the microswitch has a switching stroke that is many times smaller than the operating stroke of the rocker switch, a transmission device for transmitting the movement of the rocker switch to the microswitch, and a latching device that moves the rocker switch to one of two switching positions.

EFFECT: providing tactile control when using microswitches.

7 cl, 10 dwg

Description

The invention relates to an electrical installation device including an electronic circuit module for actuating and switching and/or dimming consumers, which has at least one microswitch.

Electrical installation devices, such as, for example, flush-mount switches or dimmers, which are primarily intended for switching the corresponding consumers, are well known. In the simplest case, such electrical installation devices have a switching contact that can switch a consumer connected to it, for example, a lamp. For this purpose, the current circuit is opened or closed only by switching the switching contact.

To open or close the current circuit, microswitches are also used, the contacts of which, as a rule, in the open state are located at a distance of less than 3 mm from each other. Accordingly, the stroke that such microswitches perform when triggered is also small. It is so small that the user experiences little or no tactile feedback when operating the switch. This lack of feedback in certain applications, such as digital control systems, may or may not be desirable, while it may not be desirable in other applications, such as classic wall light switches.

In the case of light switches, there is also the fact that they are often rocker switches with a rocker switch that can be moved or tilted to two different switching positions. The switches can remain in the corresponding switching position until they are activated again.

Due to the aforementioned short stroke of microswitches, it is necessary to precisely match the mechanical elements used to actuate the microswitch. Therefore, mechanical elements are often not suitable for actuating the microswitch in order to additionally hold the rocker switch in the corresponding switching position.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical adjustment device which, even when using microswitches, can provide tactile feedback to the user when operating the switch, which is common to the user with conventional light switches.

This problem is solved using an electrical installation device with the features of independent claim 1 of the claims. In particular, the setting device includes at least one rocker switch for actuating a microswitch, which by means of an operating stroke can be moved to one of two switching positions, wherein the switching stroke of the microswitch is many times smaller than the operating stroke of the rocker switch, the transfer device for transmitting the movement of the rocker switch to a microswitch and a latching device that moves the rocker switch to one of two switch positions. In order for the microswitch to switch accurately despite the significantly larger operating stroke of the rocker switch, a transmission device is provided which transmits the movement of the rocker switch to the microswitch and switches it. The long stroke of the rocker switch is designed to provide the user with tactile feedback when actuating the microswitch. In addition, the latch device, when actuated, moves the rocker switch to the corresponding switch position so that the user can feel the tilt of the rocker switch as it moves from one switch position to another. The latching device, when executing a switch or key, also causes the rocker switch to remain in the corresponding switch position until it is actuated again. In this case, the latching device is designed such that the user registers or feels the actuation of the rocker switch as tactile feedback, such as a kind of "click". Thus, the wiring device according to the invention can actually take advantage of the advantages of a microswitch, but at the same time retains the switching feel of a classic mechanical light switch.

The latching device and the transfer device can be designed spatially separated from each other or in combination with each other. According to a first preferred embodiment, for example, the latch device can act directly on the microswitch, wherein the transmission device transmits both the movement of the rocker switch to the microswitch and forces the rocker switch to one of two switch positions.

According to another preferred embodiment, the latching device and the transfer device are designed spatially separated from each other. Since the microswitch has a relatively short switching stroke, the transfer device must switch accurately. It may therefore be advantageous if the latching device is configured spatially separate from the transfer device, so that the two different mechanisms do not interfere with each other and each can be configured to be optimized for its function. A microswitch, for example, can be switched precisely and relatively softly, while a latching device can force a rocker switch to overcome resistance with an appropriate application of force.

According to another embodiment, the latch device has a leaf spring and a rocker guide. The rocker guide may, for example, be formed by a projection or recess, a groove, one or more webs, and the like on the base. However, it is also possible to design the rocker guide as a series of projections and recesses. For this purpose, the leaf spring can be pre-tensioned relative to the base, so that the rocker guide or at least parts thereof create a resistance that the leaf spring must overcome. By thus overcoming the resistance when actuating the rocker switch, the desired tactile feedback can be achieved. The user can feel the point at which the leaf spring passes the dead point, such as the highest point of the protrusion, and thus slides from one shift position to another.

In addition, the rocker guide for the switch structure can also be configured so that the rocker switch is held in a corresponding switch position.

According to an alternative embodiment, the latching device has a coil spring and a rocker guide. As in the previous exemplary embodiment, the rocker guide may be configured as a protrusion and/or recess in the base. Likewise, the rocker guide may also have a groove, web or slot into or into which the coil spring is guided. The function of a coil spring in a latching device is essentially the same as that of a leaf spring.

It is also possible that the coil spring is further provided with a sleeve that surrounds the coil spring at least in portions. The bushing may be configured such that the end of the coil spring that faces the rocker guide is located within the bushing so that the bushing is guided by the rocker guide when the rocker switch is activated. In particular, the bushing can also be better pressed against the rocker guide so that when actuated, the rocker switch is moved to one of two switch positions.

In one embodiment, it is also provided that the transfer device has an elastic arm with a rocker guide. The resilient arm serves as an element that actuates the microswitch, that is, when the rocker switch is actuated, it moves so far in the direction of the microswitch that the elastic arm can switch the microswitch. The rocker guide may be formed for this purpose on the resilient arm, while the rocker switch may have a toe, tooth, pin, or the like, which, when switched, is guided along the rocker guide and moves the resilient arm from its rest position.

The rocker guide, on the one hand, can be configured in such a way that the elastic lever is retracted from the microswitch again after switching and returns to its original position (touch function). On the other hand, it would also be possible to design the rocker guide such that the elastic arm is pressed against the microswitch when switching until the user operates the rocker switch again and the elastic arm moves away from the microswitch again (switching function).

An alternative embodiment provides that the transfer device has a leaf spring. In this embodiment, the rocker switch may also have a toe, tooth, pin, or the like to move the leaf spring from its rest position when the rocker switch is actuated so that it latches and thereby actuates the microswitch.

In this embodiment, the transfer device can also be designed such that the leaf spring, when actuated, switches and releases the microswitch again, and that the leaf spring actuates the microswitch and remains in the switched position until the rocker switch is actuated again into action.

Another embodiment provides that the transfer device has an elastic lever and a leaf spring. The leaf spring may be positioned between the resilient arm and the rocker switch such that the movement of the rocker switch is transmitted to the resilient arm through the leaf spring to ultimately actuate the microswitch.

According to another embodiment, the circuit module can be activated both wirelessly, for example via Bluetooth or WLAN, and via a microswitch. This embodiment has proven to be particularly advantageous as the demand for smart or digital solutions for construction technology is steadily increasing. The user can control the light switch manually, as well as using a remote control or an application on a mobile phone or tablet.

The invention will now be explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings. This shows:

Figure 1: perspective view of part of the electrical installation device;

Figure 2: section of the image according to Figure 1;

Fig. 3A: enlarged view of the transfer device of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3B: transmission device according to the second embodiment;

Fig. 4: another version of the electrical installation device;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional exploded view of a portion of an electrical installation device in accordance with a further embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional exploded view of a portion of an electrical installation device according to yet another embodiment; FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the electrical installation device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional exploded view of a further embodiment of a portion of the mounting device; FIG. and

FIG. 9: Sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

Figure 1 shows part 10 of the installation device. The installation device includes, but is not limited to, an electronic circuit module (not shown) with at least one microswitch 22, a rocker switch (not shown) for actuating the wiring device, a transfer device 18, a latching device 30, and a housing (not shown). . In addition, the installation device has a rocker member 12 on which a rocker switch is located, a hanger 11 for the rocker member 12 (see FIG. 1), and a holder 14. The rocker member 12 is connected to the rocker switch in a known manner so that when the rocker switch is driven into operation, the rocker member 12 moves with it in accordance with the movement of the rocker switch. The installation device is designed in such a way that it can be used in commercially available flush-mounted boxes or surface-mounted boxes.

The oscillating element 12 is mounted on a holder 14 in a tiltable manner relative to axis A. The holder 14 in this case has a base 16 for a transfer device 18 or a latching device 30, which are shown in detail in the following figures. A microswitch 22 is also located under the rocker 12 or holder 14 (see FIG. 5), which can be switched by operating the rocker switch.

The first embodiment of the transfer device 18 is shown in Figs. 2, 3A and 7. In this embodiment, the swinging element 12 has a pointed protrusion 24, and the top of the protrusion 24 lies in the same plane as axis A. As a counter part to it, the holder 14 has an elastic lever 26 , which in turn includes a convex portion 28 with two side surfaces 28a and 28b (see Fig. 3A). A resilient arm 26 is located directly below the projection 24 such that the projection 24 slides against the resilient arm 26 when the rocker member 12 is actuated.

In doing so, the apex of the protrusion 24 moves toward the convex portion 28 or along the side surface 28a such that the protrusion 24 is pressed against the resilient arm 26 and thus moves it downward away from the rocker 12 until the protrusion 24 reaches the apex of the convex portion 28. Once the apex is passed, which also represents the dead point of movement of the rocker element 12, the protrusion 24 can slide down the opposite side surface 28b, causing the elastic arm 26 to move back towards the rocker element 12. Since the microswitch 22 (not shown) is located directly below the resilient arm 26, then the microswitch 22 can be actuated by the up and down movement of the resilient arm 26.

Another embodiment of the transfer device 18, which is based on essentially the same principle as the embodiment in FIGS. 2 and 3A, is shown in FIG. 3B. The difference here lies in the design of the convex portion 28. In this case, the side surfaces 28a and 28b are located at literally obtuse angles to each other, so that there is no apex for the projection 24 to pass over when the rocker switch or rocker 12 is actuated. . When the rocker switch is actuated, the projection 24 moves along the side surface 28a and pushes the resilient arm 26 downward toward the microswitch 22. The projection 24 then comes to a resting position on the side surface 28b formed parallel to the resilient arm 26 so that the resilient arm 26 remains depressed downward until the rocker switch 12 is again actuated and the protrusion 24 again slides along the side surface 28a of the convex portion 28.

The difference between the two illustrated embodiments of the transfer device 18, FIGS. 3A and 3B, is that in FIG. 3A, the resilient arm 26 moves downward each time the rocker switch is activated, only to immediately return to its original position thereafter, so that the protrusion 24 slides from the side surface 28a along the convex portion 28 at the side surface 28b. When the rocker switch is actuated again, the protrusion 24 moves back toward the side surface 28a, causing the elastic arm 26 to perform the same up and down movement and thus actuates the microswitch, thereby achieving the function of a button. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the protrusion 24 is initially located at the side surface 28a (as shown in the figure). When the rocker switch 12 is actuated, the protrusion 24 moves along the side surface 28a to the side surface 28b and stops there. While the protrusion 24 rests on the side surface 28b, the elastic lever 26 also remains pressed down and thus also holds the microswitch 22 in the switched position. Once the protrusion 24 slides down the side surface 28a again, the resilient arm 26 can return to its original position so that the microswitch 22 is released, thereby achieving the switch function.

As mentioned previously, a resistance-free switch stroke of less than 3 millimeters is sufficient to actuate the microswitch 22, so the illustrated transfer devices 18 provide little or no tactile feedback to the user when actuating the rocker switch 12. Additionally, due to the small travel distance between The protrusion 24 and the elastic arm 26 cannot always guarantee that the rocker switch or rocker element 12 is also securely held in the corresponding activated switch position. For this reason, according to the invention, a latching device 30 is provided in the design of the wiring device, which will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5-9.

At least a portion of the latching device 30 or a rocker guide thereof may be formed on the holder 14 by the resilient portion of the transfer device 18 (see, for example, leaf spring 32 in FIG. 5). In the embodiments of the transfer device 18 according to FIGS. 2-3B, it is also in principle possible for parts of the latching device 30 to be formed on the same holder 14 as the elastic arm 26. Likewise, the rocker guide can also be placed on its own holder in the wiring device .

The embodiment of the transfer device 18 of FIG. 5 shows a common holder 14' for the leaf spring 32, which is the elastic element of the transfer device 18 (see FIG. 5), and the bridge 34, which acts as an obstacle to the spring 36, in particular leaf spring 36, latch device 30. As can be seen in the exploded view of Fig. 5, the holder 14' may be located between the swing element 12 and the holder 14, which holds the elastic lever 26.

The embodiment of the transfer device 18 shown in FIG. 5 includes a protrusion 24 that is formed on the rocker member 12, a leaf spring 32 that is formed on the holder 14', and an elastic lever 26 that is provided on the holder 14. Accordingly, when the rocker switch is driven into operation, the protrusion 24 may slide against the leaf spring 32 so that it is pressed downward toward the elastic lever 26 and thus also pushes it downward so that the microswitch 22 is actuated. The protrusion 24 may then be oriented relative to leaf spring 32 so that the leaf spring 32 returns to its original position after each actuation of the rocker switch, or so that it remains pressed down until the rocker switch is again actuated and the leaf spring 32, thus , will be released.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the latch device 30 is composed of a leaf spring 36, which is attached to the swing member 12, and a bridge 36, which is formed on the holder 14'. The leaf spring 36 here - similar to the lug 24 in the transfer device 18 described above - is designed and positioned such that it is designed to slide over the bridge bridge 34 when the rocker switch is actuated. This initially causes the bridge 34 to provide resistance, so a force must be applied to push the tensioned leaf spring 36 through the bridge 34. Once this force is reached or exceeded and the leaf spring 36 slides through the bridge 34, the user can feel and hear it like a "click". As a result, the user feels as if he has just activated a rocker switch, similar to the tactile sensation of conventional mechanical light switches. As a result, the user may have a good familiar switching feeling, while only one microswitch 22 is required to actually switch the consumer.

At the same time, the latch device 30 also serves to hold the rocker switch or rocker member 12 in the corresponding switch position. It can only move to another position again when the user operates the rocker switch. To do this, the leaf spring 36 only needs to be suitably prestressed relative to the bridge 34 so that it cannot overcome the bridge 34 on its own, without the action of an external force. Thus, the jumper 34 also serves to limit the switching positions.

Another embodiment of the transfer device that uses a leaf spring 36 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Since this leaf spring 36 is constructed in the same manner as the spring used in the latch device described above, the same reference numeral is also used. Here, in turn, a leaf spring 36 is attached to the rocker member 12. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3B, when the rocker switch is actuated, the leaf spring 36 slides onto a protrusion 38 that is formed on the elastic arm 40, so that the elastic arm 40 moves downward and thus actuates the underlying microswitch 22 (not shown).

Another embodiment of the latching device 30, which can be combined, for example, with the transfer device 18 of FIG. 7 in the installation device, is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Here, the latching device 30 includes a coil spring 42, the front end of which is directed in the sleeve 44 In addition, there is a rocker guide with projections and recesses 48, 46, which can be seen in section in Fig.9. The coil spring 42 performs substantially the same functions as the leaf spring 36 of the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7. The coil spring 42 is pre-tensioned relative to the holder 14, on which the projections and recesses 48, 46 are placed, such that the rocker switch is forced to remain in the corresponding activated switch position.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 9, each of these positions is located in the recess 46. Accordingly, the coil spring 42 must move through the projection 48 located between the recesses 46 when the rocker switch is actuated. Similar to the previous examples, this protrusion 48 represents the resistance that the coil spring 42 must overcome, which is perceived by the user as a kind of "click" when the rocker switch is toggled.

The sleeve 44 surrounds the coil spring 42 at least on the side facing the projections and recesses 48, 46. As a result, the coil spring 42 can be guided within the sleeve 44 such that the sleeve 44 serves as a bearing surface between the coil spring 42 and the projections and recesses 48 , 46. This has the advantage that the bushing 44 provides a continuous, relatively smooth surface that can better slide over the projections and recesses 48, 46. In addition, the bushing 44 has also proven useful in locking the rocker switch into the appropriate switch position. Due to the larger contact surface of the bushing 44 compared to the pure coil spring 42, the bushing 44 is better retained in the corresponding recess 46 and therefore in the corresponding shift position. In addition, the material of the sleeve 44 or its surface may be suitably configured to increase static friction between the sleeve 44 and the projections or recesses 48, 46.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9, it is also in principle possible for the elastic arm 26 or leaf spring 32 for the transfer device 18 to be located on the same holder 14 as the projections and recesses 48, 46. Such an elastic arm 26 can be seen in the view in perspective according to Fig.8.

In principle, it is possible to combine various embodiments of the transfer device 18 and the latch device 30 as desired. If the transfer device 18 and the latch device 30 are configured spatially separated from each other, these two mechanisms do not interfere with each other when the rocker switch is actuated, regardless of embodiment, and may be designed to be optimized for their function.

Another embodiment of the latching device 30 in the installation device is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the transfer device and the latching device are designed as one piece in this embodiment. In this case, the latch device 30 includes a coil spring 42, the front end of which is directed in the sleeve 44. In this exemplary embodiment, the microswitch 22, the upper actuator of which is dome-shaped, serves as a rocker guide for the front end of the sleeve 44, so that when actuated by the rocker switch 12, on the one hand, the microswitch 22 is actuated, on the other hand, the sleeve 44, after the microswitch 22 has been actuated, slides along the dome-shaped actuating part of the microswitch and thereby causes the desired clicking movement or gives the desired tactile feedback. Here also, the coil spring 42 is pretensioned with respect to the holder 14 or microswitch 22 located on the printed circuit board 23 such that it causes the rocker switch to remain in the corresponding switching position.

It is also advantageous if the circuit module (not shown) can be controlled via a wireless connection such as Bluetooth or WLAN, so that the wiring device can be controlled not only manually, but also, for example, using a remote control or a mobile phone application.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

10 part of the electrical installation device

11 suspension

12 swing element

14 holder

14' holder

16 base

18 transfer device

22 microswitch

23 printed circuit board

24 projection

26 elastic lever

28 convex part

28a, 28b side surfaces

30 latching device

32 leaf spring (out of 18)

34 jumper

36 leaf spring (out of 30)

38 protrusion (out of 40)

40 elastic lever

42 coil spring

44 bushing

A axis

Claims (18)

1. Electrical installation device, including electronic circuit module for switching and/or dimming consumers, which has at least one microswitch (22), at least one rocker switch for actuating a microswitch (22), which, when actuated by an operating stroke, can be moved to one of two switching positions, the microswitch (22) having a switching stroke that is many times smaller than the operating stroke swing switch stroke, a transmission device (18) for transmitting the movement of the rocker switch to the microswitch (22), and a latching device (30) that drives the rocker switch to one of two switching positions, characterized in that the transfer device (18) has an elastic lever (26) with a rocker guide. 2. Electrical installation device according to claim 1, in which the latching device (30) and the transfer device (18) are made spatially separated from each other. 3. Electrical installation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transfer device (18) and/or latching device (30) is configured such that the transfer device (18) and/or latching device (18) holds the rocker switch in one of two switching positions until the rocker switch again will not be activated. 4. Electrical installation device according to any of the previous paragraphs, in which the latch device (30) has a leaf spring (36) and a rocker guide. 5. Electrical installation device according to any of the previous paragraphs, in which the latch device (30) has a coil spring (42) and a rocker guide. 6. Electrical installation device according to any one of claims 1-5, in which the transfer device (18) has both an elastic lever (26) and a leaf spring (32). 7. Electrical installation device according to any of the previous paragraphs, in which the circuit module can be actuated either wirelessly, for example via Bluetooth or WLAN, or via a microswitch.