Patent Publication Number: US-2003222630-A1

Title: Switch or control device for loaded apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a switch or control device, and more particularly to a switch or control device for coupling to and for controlling the loaded apparatuses with less power required.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Typical remote or manual switches or control devices are coupled to the loaded apparatuses, such as the lights, the electric fans, the televisions, or the like, for switching or controlling the on and off status of the loaded apparatuses. However, the remote or manual switches or control devices may consume much power, such that the loaded apparatuses may obtain less power relatively.  
       [0005] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional switch or control devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a switch or control device for coupling to and for controlling the loaded apparatuses with less power required.  
       [0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a control device comprising a processor unit, means for supplying control signals to the processor unit, a relay unit coupled to the processor unit, a power unit coupled to the processor unit and the relay unit for energizing the processor unit and the relay unit, and a load unit coupled to the relay unit, for being switch on and switch off by the relay unit with the control signals supplied to the processor unit by the supplying means.  
       [0008] The processor unit includes a first and a second terminals, the relay unit includes a first and a second transistors coupled to the first and the second terminals of the processor unit, for being actuated by the processor unit. The power unit may consume less electric power when the transistors are switched or actuated alternatively.  
       [0009] The first and the second transistors each includes a base coupled to the first and the second terminals of the processor unit respectively.  
       [0010] The relay unit includes a first and a second coils coupled in series between the first and the second transistors. The first and the second transistors each includes a collector coupled to the first and the second coils.  
       [0011] The relay unit includes a first and a second diodes coupled parallel to the first and the second coils. The first and the second diodes are preferably disposed opposite to each other.  
       [0012] The relay unit includes a third and a fourth terminals coupled to the load unit, and a fifth terminal coupled to the second terminal, the third and the fourth terminals are arranged to be forced and coupled together by the first transistor and the coil, and the fourth and the fifth terminals are arranged to be forced and coupled together by the second transistor and the second coil.  
       [0013] The control signal supplying means includes a receiver unit coupled to the processor unit, for receiving and sending the control signals to the processor unit.  
       [0014] The control signal supplying means may further include a switching device coupled to the processor unit, for sending the control signals to the processor unit. The switching device includes a first switch and at least one second switch coupled to the processor unit, for sending the control signals to the processor unit.  
       [0015] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a switch or control device in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an electric circuit of the control device;  
     [0018]FIGS. 3, 4 are schematic views illustrating a portion of the electric circuit of the control device, and illustrating the operation of the electric circuit of the control device; and  
     [0019]FIGS. 5, 6 are schematic views illustrating the operation of the electric circuit of the control device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0020] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a switch or control device in accordance with the present invention comprises a processor device or unit  3  including one or more integrated circuits or processor devices  30 , and one or more encoders  31  coupled to the processor device  30 . The processor device  30  includes two or more outputs or terminals  32 ,  33  (FIGS.  2 - 4 ). A receiver device or unit, such as a remote receiver unit  2  is coupled to the processor unit  3  for receiving remote control signals and for amplifying and/or rectifying the remote control signals, and for supplying the signals to the processor device  30 .  
     [0021] A switching device  7 , such as a manual switching device  7  may further be provided and may include one or more switches  71 ,  72  coupled to the processor unit  3  for controlling the processor device  30 , or for supplying the “on” and “off” signals to the processor device  30 , in order to control a relay device or unit  5  which will be described hereinafter. The encoders  31  of the processor unit  3  may be used for comparing or obtaining or receiving the received control signals. A power device or unit  4  includes such as one or more batteries coupled to the receiver unit  2 , the processor unit  3 , and/or the relay unit  5 , for energizing these units  2 ,  3 ,  5 .  
     [0022] The relay unit  5  includes two transistors  50 ,  51  having the bases coupled to the terminals  32 ,  33  of the processor device  30  respectively, two diodes  52 ,  53  coupled between the collectors of the transistors  50 ,  51 , and a relay device  54  having two coils, such as two induction coils  55 ,  56  coupled parallel to the diodes  52 ,  53 , or coupled in series between the transistors  50 ,  51 . The relay device  54  includes two terminals  57 ,  58  coupled to a loaded apparatus  61  of a load device or unit  6 , and another terminal  59  coupled between the loaded apparatus  61  and the terminal  58  of the relay device  54 .  
     [0023] In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, when the processor device  30  sends out an “on” signal to the output terminal  32 , the transistor  50  may be actuated, and the coil  55  may be energized, in order to force the terminal  58  to electrically couple or contact with the terminal  57 , by the electromagnetic force generated by the coil  55 , for example. At this moment, the electric circuit to the loaded apparatus  61  of the load unit  6  may be completed, and the loaded apparatus  61  may be energized at this moment.  
     [0024] On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 4, when the processor device  30  sends out an “off” signal to the other output terminal  33 , the other transistor  51  may be actuated, and the coil  56  may be energized, in order to force the terminal  58  to electrically couple or contact with the other terminal  59 , by the electromagnetic force generated by the coil  56 , for example. At this moment, the electric circuit to the loaded apparatus  61  of the load unit  6  will be opened, and the loaded apparatus  61  may not be energized or may be switched off at this moment. The load unit  6  may be coupled to and energized by the other power source, such as the alternative current power source (FIG. 1).  
     [0025] It is to be noted that the diodes  52 ,  53  are disposed in different directions, or are disposed against each other, for preventing shortage from being formed by reverse current flows. When the transistors  50 ,  51  of the relay unit  5  are switched or are alternatively actuated, less electric power of the power unit  4  will be consumed, such that the working life of the power unit  4  may be increased. The receiver unit  2  or the switching device  7  may be used as a device or a means for supplying a control signal to the processor unit  3 .  
     [0026] The switches  71 ,  72  of the switching device  7  may be coupled parallel to each other and may be disposed on the upper portion and the lower portion of a ladder  73  respectively, as shown in FIG. 5; or may be disposed on the opposite doors of a building or housing  74  respectively, as shown in FIG. 6, in order to control the processor unit  3  via either the switches  71 ,  72  disposed on the upper portion or the lower portion of the ladder  73 , or via either the switches  71 ,  72  disposed on the opposite sides of the housing  74 .  
     [0027] Accordingly, the switch or control device in accordance with the present invention may be used for coupling to and for controlling the loaded apparatuses with less power required.  
     [0028] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.