US3328592A

US3328592A - Photoelectric wall switch and relay system

Info

Publication number: US3328592A
Application number: US396328A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ii Howard R Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-09-14
Filing date: 1964-09-14
Publication date: 1967-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-27

Description

June 27, 1967 H. R. SHAW ll PHOTOELECTRIC WALL SWITQH AND RELAY SYSTEM Filed Sept. 14, 1964 Tl!!! I ill!!! I 32 -P//0I'0 ca 1.

INVENTOR. Howard R. Shaw II I Fig.4. BY

United States Patent 3,323,592 PHOTOELECTRIC WALL SWITCH AND RELAY SYSTEM Howard B. Shaw H, 140 S. Belmont, Kansas City, Mo. 64123 Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,328 Claims. (Cl. 25ii221) This invention relates to a photoelectric wall switch for controlling lights or other electrical apparatus without utilization of manually operated push buttons or the like.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a photoelectric wall switch which may be actuated even though the hands and arms are occupied. Thus, when utilized in the home, for example, lights may be turned on or off while the householder is busyperforming household tasks or carrying items from place-to-place.

It is another object of this invention to provide a photoelectric wall switch which also serves as a nightlight and eliminates fumbling in the dark when it is desired to turn on the lights.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a switch as aforesaid which enables the operator to control the intensity of electric lights coupled with the switch.

Other objects will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the instant invention mounted on a wall;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram showing the circuitry of the instant invention; and

FIG. 4 is an alternative circuit arrangement.

The numeral denotes a conventional electrical wall box mounted in a wall 12. A light socket 14 is mounted within box 10 and has an incandescent bulb 16' in place therein. A cover plate 18 is secured to box 10 by screws 20, plate 18 serving the usual decorative and protective function in addition to mounting a beam splitter 22. A wall fixture 24 is spaced above box 10 and mounted on wall 12 by any suitable means.

Wall fixture 24 is of generally L-shaped configuration as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2. A passage 26 is provided through the horizontal leg of fixture 24 which receives a conductor cable 28, the passage being in regis-,

tration with an opening 30 in wall 12 permitting cable 28 to be coupled .with circuitry to be described hereinafter. A photoelectric cell 32 is mounted in the bend of fixture 24 in alignment with the light-receiving passage 34 of an elongated, tubuluar hood 36 which forms the other leg of fixture 24. Cell 32 is so disposed in the fixture that light rays entering the passage 34 in hood 36 and impinging thereon effect operation of the cell to place the same in conduction.

Cover plate 18 has a central aperture 38 therein constituting a light-transmitting portion thereof in alignment with lamp 1-6. Plate 18 is otherwise opaque. The beam splitter 22 includes an elongated, upright housing 40 of rectangular configuration having a lateral opening 42 registered with aperture 38. A pair of upper and

lower mirrors

44 and 46 are mounted in housing 40- at angles of approximately 30 with the horizontal for directing light rays from lamp 16 outwardly of housing 40 through respective upper and lower,

open ends

48 and 50 thereof. The passage 34 in hood 36 is longitudinally aligned with the path of travel of the light rays emanating from the upper end 48 so that such rays will impinge directly upon cell 32. Rays striking the lower mirror 46 form a nightlight as they pass downwardly through the lower end 50' "ice so that the operator may conveniently locate the wall switch at night.

Referring to FIG. 3, it may be seen that cable 28 contains two conductors denoted 28a and 28b, which conductors interpose photoelectric cell 32 in the circuitry shown. An alternating current supply source is connected to terminals 52 and 54, a diode 56 being coupled in series between terminal 52 and conductor 28a. A resistor 58 connects the other conductor 28b to a relay coil 60, the return for the coil being along a lead 62 which is connected to terminal 54. An electrolytic capacitor 64 is-connected across coil 60, diode 56, resistor 58, and capacitor 64 forming a rectifying and filtering network for converting the alternating current into a direct current for utilization by relay coil 60. In this manner, -a direct current relay may be employed.

Relay coil 60 is shown in its energized state and operates a single pole, double-throw switch 66. A lead 68 from the lower contact of switch 66 is connected to the relay coil 76 of a latch relay 72, the latter having a single-pole, double-throw switch 74 operably coupled with coil 70. A capacitor 76 is connected in shunt relaionship to coil 70', lead 78 being coupled with terminal 52 and serving as an AC return for coil 70. Lead 78 is also connected to switch 74 and forms a part of the power circuit to a load 84 connected to terminal 54, the remainder of the circuit comprising a lead 82 interconnecting the other electrical side of load 80 with the lower contact of switch 74. Connection points A, B and C are shown in FIG. 3 for the purpose of relating the portion of this circuitry extending leftwardly from these connection points with an alternative arrangement shown in FIG. 4 and extending rightwardly of the points.

In FIG. 4, a stepper relay 84 is illustrated having a relay coil 86, a switch element 88 coupled with coil 86, and four

switch contacts

90, 92, 94 and 96. The capacitor 76 is connected across connection points A and B, the latter being coupled with respective electrical sides of coil 86 exactly in the same manner as shown in FIG. 3 for relay coil 70. In an analogous manner, lead 78 is connected to switch element 88.

A resistor 2-8 is connected between switch contacts 92 and 94, and a resistor 1% is connected between

contacts

94 and 96, the latter being connected to lead 82. Element 88 rotates in a clockwise direction upon energi- Lzation of coil 86; therefore, upon repeated energization of coil 86, element 88 steps from contact to contact and varies the resistance in series betwen leads 78 and 82.

In operation, the housing (not shown) for the circuitry of FIGS. 3 or 4 may be disposed at any convenient location between box 10 and fixture 24 and the electrical load to be controlled by the apparatus. Bulb 16 is connected directly across the AC line and operates continuously. This bulb may be a 7 watt lamp and thus is relatively inexpensive to operate. The hood 36 for the photoelectric cell serves to prevent ambient light from affecting the cell, thereby eliminating the need for sensi tivity controls.

When the circuit of FIG. 3 is utilized, photoelectric cell 32 normally remains in its conductive state and holds relay coil 60 energized. This maintains switch 66 out of engagement with its lower contact. When the light rays in the path between the upper end 43 of housing 4d and the lower extremity of hood 36 are blocked by some obstruction, such as a hand or elbow, cell 32 changes to its nonconductive state and relay coil 60 becomes de-energized. This engages switch 66 with its lower contact and permits current to pass along leads 62 and 68 to the coil 70 of latch relay 72. In the illustration of FIG. 3, this would cause the switch 74 of the latch relay to move into engagement with its lower contact and remain in this position due to the operation of the mechanical latch (not shown in detail).

The particular structural arrangement of the mechanical latch is not fully shown or described herein since such are conventional and widely used in the art. Thus, it is apparent that the passing of an obstruction beneath hood 36 causes momentary de-energization of relay coil 60, and momentary energization of coil 70, to move switch 74 into engagement with its lower contact and close the power circuit along leads 78 and 82 to the load 80. Subsequent placing of an obstruction beneath hood 36 causes an identical action except that switch 74 now returns to the position shown and interrupts the electrical continuity in the power circuit to load 80. In this manner, on-olf operation is achieved.

In the operation of the instant invention using the modified circuit of FIG. 4, switch element 88 is advanced clockwise one position at a time each time an obstruction is passed beneath hood 36 to block the light rays emanating from the upper end 48 of housing 40. FIG- URE 4 is especially suited for operating lights in situations where it is desired to have multiple light intensities which may be selected as desired. Initial movement of switch element 88 into engagement with contact 92 places both of the

resistances

98 and 100 in series between leads 78 and 82 and thus constitutes the low position.

The next step of the relay places element 88 in engagement with contact 94 and effectively bypasses resistor 98 to provide a medium position. The next step of the relay to place element 88 in engagement with contact 96, bypasses both of the resistors and applies full voltage to load 80. Therefore, when the lights are initially off, it may be appreciated that the number of passes of an obstruction beneath hood 36 controls the brilliance of the lights and that, once the high position is reached, one more pass beneath the hood turns the lights off.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Electrical control structure comprising:

a wall presenting an upwardly extending surface; and

switching apparatus on said wall accessible for operation thereof at a region adjacent said surface, said apparatus including:

a housing in said Wall having a cover disposed substantially in the plane of said surface; a light source disposed in said housing, said cover having a light-transmitting portion permitting radiation of light rays from said source outwardly from the housing; a light-responsive, bistate device; a fixture on said wall spaced from said cover thereabove and mounting said device in outwardly spaced relationship to said surface;

aaeea a light director on said cover registering with said portion and having a reflector for directing said rays along a first path of travel extending upwardly to said device, and a second path of travel extending downwardly whereby the rays in said second path form a night-light beam and the rays in said first path normally maintain the device in one of its states and permit operation thereof to place the device in its other state upon blocking of the rays in said first path; and

circuit means coupled with said device and adapted for coupling with a source of electrical energy and a load, whereby to control energization of the latter.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said light director includes an elongated, upright housing having a'lateral opening therein registering with said portion and upper and lower, open ends, said reflector being mounted in said director housing for directing light rays entering through said lateral opening upwardly through said upper end and along said first path, and downwardly through said lower v end and along said second path.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said fixture includes an elongated, tubular hood extending from said device toward said director, whereby to suppress the effects of ambient light.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a power circuit for said load and latch relay means coupled with said power circuit for successively interrupting and establishing electrical continuity therein in response to repeated operation of the device to place the same in its other state.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a power circuit for said load having at least one series resistance therein, and stepper relay means coupled with said power circuit for successively interrupting electrical continuity therein, establishing electrical continuity in the power circuit through said resistance, and effectively decoupling said resistance from said power circuit to apply full voltage from said electrical source to said load in response to repeated operation of the device to place the same in its other state.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,819,439 8/1931 Peterson 317--124 X 2,039,604 5/1936 Miller et a1. 250-221 X 2,174,206 9/1939 Etter 250221 X 2,228,780 1/1941 Roberts 250-221 2,363,145 11/1944 Robbins 317l54 X 2,685,064 7/1954 Berger 2S0231 X WALTER STOLWEIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. ELECTRICAL CONTROL STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A WALL PRESENTING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING SURFACE; AND SWITCHING APPARATUS ON SAID WALL ACCESSIBLE FOR OPERATION THEREOF AT A REGION ADJACENT SAID SURFACE, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING: A HOUSING IN SAID WALL HAVING A COVER DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID SURFACE; A LIGHT SOURCE DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING, SAID COVER HAVING A LIGH-TRANSMITTING PORTION PERMITTING RADIATION OF LIGHT RAYS FROM SAID SOURCE OUTWARDLY FROM THE HOUSING; A LIGHT-RESPONSIVE, BISTATE DEVICE; A FIXTURE ON SAID WALL SPACED FROM SAID COVER THEREABOVE AND MOUNTING SAID DEVICE IN OUTWARDLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SURFACE;