Switch cover plate with lighting mechanism

A switch cover plate with lighting mechanism includes a cover plate having a receiving section arranged on at least one edge thereof, and a lighting mechanism removably assembled to the cover plate. The lighting mechanism includes an enclosure, a retaining section located on at least one side of the enclosure for detachably connecting to the receiving section, a control unit provided in the enclosure, and at least one light-emitting unit provided on the enclosure and electrically connected to the control unit. The lighting mechanism can be easily assembled to and removed from the cover plate for use as night lighting, emergency lighting, and a mobile lighting device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a switch cover plate with lighting mechanism, and more particularly to a lighting mechanism that can be easily assembled to and removed from a cover plate for use as night lighting, emergency lighting, and a mobile lighting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, an indoor light switch is equipped with a light emitter, which forms a light spot for a user to easily locate and turn on the light switch in a dark environment. However, the light emitter only emits weak light sufficient for a user to locate the light switch, and therefore can hardly serve as a lighting fixture. An additional mini lamp is usually required for night lighting.

On the other hand, an emergency light is normally provided in a general building for lighting in an unexpected power failure. Light emitters in the emergency light are off when the public power supply is normal, and a battery of the emergency light is charged. In the event of a power failure, an internal switch of the emergency light switches on the battery for the same to supply power to the light emitters, so that the emergency light keeps lighting. However, the emergency light is usually fixedly mounted to a relatively high place in the building. Therefore, the emergency light could not be inconveniently checked or tested. Moreover, once the emergency light is mounted, it is unmovable. This limits the emergency light to illuminate only a small area from a fixed angle. Furthermore, the existing emergency light has a considerable large volume and it is often necessary to drill holes on a wall for installing the emergency light. Such procedure is quite troublesome and complicated. Therefore, people rarely install such emergency light in general family houses. Instead, a flashlight is often used as a domestic emergency lighting device in a power failure. However, while the flashlight has a small volume and is easily portable, it is frequently positioned by a user at different places and can not be quickly located for use in a sudden power failure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a switch cover plate with lighting mechanism, which includes a lighting mechanism that can be easily assembled to and removed from the switch cover plate for use as night lighting, emergency lighting, and a mobile lighting device.

According to the above object, the switch cover plate with lighting mechanism of the present invention includes a cover plate having a receiving section arranged on at least one edge of the cover plate and a lighting mechanism removably assembled to the cover plate at the receiving section. The lighting mechanism includes an enclosure, a retaining section provided on at least one side of the enclosure for detachably connecting to the receiving section of the cover plate, a control unit provided in the enclosure, and at least one light-emitting unit provided on the enclosure at predetermined positions and electrically connected to the control unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 1 and 2that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of a switch cover plate with lighting mechanism according to the present invention. As shown, the switch cover plate of the present invention includes a cover plate1and a lighting mechanism2. The lighting mechanism2can be easily assembled to and disassembled from the cover plate1for use as night lighting, emergency lighting, and a mobile lighting device.

The cover plate1is arranged on at least one edge with a receiving section11, which may be an insertion channel. Multiple locating holes12are formed on a wall of the receiving section11. In addition, a conductive section13is provided on a wall of the receiving section11for electrically connecting to an external power supply.

The lighting mechanism2is removably assembled to the cover plate1, and includes an enclosure21, a retaining section22formed on at least one side of the enclosure21for detachably connecting to the receiving section11, a control unit23arranged in the enclosure21, and at least one light-emitting unit24provided on the enclosure21. In a preferred embodiment, the retaining section22is a guide slide slidably engaged with the receiving section11. In addition, multiple locating leaf springs25are arranged on the retaining section22for interfering with the locating holes12of the receiving section11. The control unit23includes at least one control circuit231and a power supply232disposed in the enclosure21and electrically connected to the control circuit231. The control unit23further includes a power input233arranged on the retaining section22for electrically contacting with the conductive section13, an ON/OFF switch234positioned on the enclosure21, a test switch235, and a light-detecting element236. The light-emitting unit24is composed of multiple light emitters241electrically connected to the control circuit231. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the light emitters241are separately arranged at an end and along a lateral side of the enclosure21.

FIG. 3is a partially sectioned side view of the present invention, andFIGS. 5 and 6show two different manners of using the present invention. Please refer toFIG. 1andFIGS. 3 to 5at the same time. To use the present invention, the cover plate1is mounted to an outer side of a general indoor light switch3or an electric socket to replace an original cover plate of the light switch3. Also, when the cover plate1is mounted to the light switch3, the conductive section13of the cover plate1is electrically connected to an external power supply to the light switch3, so that the external power supply may be transmitted to the lighting mechanism2via the conductive section13.

To assemble the lighting mechanism2to the cover plate1, simply slide the retaining section22of the enclosure21into the receiving section11of the cover plate1, so that the lighting mechanism2is associated with the cover plate1. At the same time, the locating leaf springs25interfere with the locating holes12to fix the lighting mechanism2to the cover plate1. Under this condition, the power input233of the control unit23electrically contacts with the conductive section13for charging the power supply232as well as providing working power for the control unit23and the light-emitting unit24.

After the lighting mechanism2has been associated with the cover plate1, the light-detecting element236is able to sense an ambient light source. In the event the ambient light source is sufficient, via the control circuit231, the light-detecting element236shuts off the light-emitting unit24. On the contrary, in the event the ambient light source is weak or there is not any ambient light source, via the control circuit231, the light-detecting element236cooperates with the power supply232to turn on the light-emitting unit24for the same to emit light for use as night lighting and emergency lighting. With the above arrangements, the light-emitting unit24is turned on/off according to the ambient light source sensed by the light-detecting element236. However, in the present invention, the control circuit231may also be so designed that it is triggered at a power interruption. Thus, in the event the external power supplied to the conductive section13is cut off, the control circuit231is triggered to directly switch on the power supply232. At this point, the power supply232replaces the external power to immediately supply power to the light-emitting unit24. Accordingly, the light-emitting unit24keeps emitting light to serve as night lighting and emergency lighting.

when the lighting mechanism2has been associated with the cover plate1over a long time, a user can push the test switch235, so that the control circuit231drives the power supply232to supply power to the light-emitting unit24for the same to emit light. In this manner, it is able to test whether the control unit23and the light-emitting unit24function normally or not.

As can be seen fromFIG. 5, the lighting mechanism2of the present invention can be alternatively used alone as a mobile lighting device. To do so, simply transversely push the lighting mechanism2to one side, so that the retaining section22of the enclosure21is slid off the receiving section11to easily release the lighting mechanism2from the cover plate1. Thereafter, a user may hold the lighting mechanism2and switch the on/off switch234to turn on or off the light-emitting unit24. When the lighting mechanism2is not in use or when it is necessary to recharge the lighting mechanism2, simply reassemble the lighting mechanism2to the cover plate1in the aforesaid manner.