Patent Publication Number: US-8115128-B2

Title: Multifunction wall switch

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of electrical switches and controls. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     The traditional wall switch has connection for connecting to a circuit for completing a circuit to a light element such as a lamp. The traditional wall switch is wired by a hot terminal and has only a pair of connection terminals. The wall switch architectural type has been modified from the traditional toggle to a Decora style faceplate and button configuration, however the basic functionality has remained the same. 
     Subsequently, other dimmer switches allowed modification of the voltage and power for providing dimming lights. Some of the dimmer switches were styled as dials or sliders which provide a continuously variable dimming feature on light elements. These dimmer switches also are able to control a variety of incandescent, LED and fluorescent lighting. Oftentimes, a plurality of switches are mounted on a single wall control to provide multiple controls integrated in a single location. As a result, a variety of combined switch and dimmer switches have been invented, and have varying degrees of functionality. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A multifunction switch has a switch body; a main switch toggle rotationally mounted to the switch body for controlling completion of an electric circuit. The main switch toggle has an on position and an off position. A toggle switch button is mounted to the main switch toggle. The toggle switch button is generally planar. A secondary switch button is mounted to the toggle switch button. A secondary switch is mounted to the switch body. The secondary switch is mounted adjacent to the main switch toggle. A generally planar faceplate has a switch button opening. The switch button opening is sized to receive the toggle switch button. An offset gap is formed when the toggle switch button is moved to the main switch off position. The offset gap deactivates the ability to activate the secondary switch via the secondary switch button. The offset gap is eliminated when the toggle switch button is moved to the main switch on position so that a user may press the secondary switch button for actuating the secondary switch. The main switch toggle is rotated to an off position that renders the secondary switch button out of actuation contract with the secondary switch. Only when the main switch toggle is in the on position can the secondary switch button rotate toward the secondary switch such that a user pressing on the secondary switch button will actuate the secondary switch. The secondary switch button is mounted to an inside of the toggle switch button via the spring which can be a leaf spring. 
     Preferably, a faceplate side has thickness substantially enough to cover an edge of the main switch body. The secondary switch button should be mounted to an inside of the toggle switch button via a serpentine shaped leaf spring. The multifunction switch should have a light element that shines from the secondary switch through the secondary switch button via a light window for viewing by a viewer, so the toggle switch button has a front side and a rear side, and the front side has the secondary switch button mounted in an opening for the secondary switch button. Also, it is preferred to have a plurality of modes that cycle upon each activation of the secondary switch, wherein the modes include various levels of dimming of a light. It is also preferred to include an inside well formed as a depression on the back side of the toggle switch button. The inside well has an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion. The upper protrusion fits into a main switch upper slot and the lower protrusion fits into a main switch lower slot, such that when the user presses and rotates the toggle switch button. The toggle switch button is connected to the main switch toggle and therefore actuates the main switch toggle. 
     The invention is a double action switch. The first action is turning on and off. The second action is dimming and brightening either in a continuously variable fashion or in discreet steps. 
     The square shaped version of the present invention is the preferred embodiment of the invention. The double action switch includes a generally planar faceplate face that has a switch button opening inside the balance of the faceplate face. The faceplate face also has a faceplate side of thickness substantially enough to cover the edge of the main switch body. The switch body is mounted to a socket opening flush on the wall with the main switch body edge extending into the room. The main switch body further includes a first rectangular opening area that is the main switch mounting area and a second rectangular opening area that is the secondary switch mounting area. The main switch toggle and the main switch toggle assembly is mounted in the main switch mounting area. The second switch mounting area receives the secondary switch. The secondary switch is preferably placed adjacent to the main switch toggle at a lower right-hand corner for the orientation where the switch is on in the down position. 
     When the main switch toggle rotates relative to the switch body, the primary or main switch toggle activates or turns on or turns off the lights or other appliance. The main switch toggle affects the ability to activate the secondary switch. The secondary switch is not active when the main switch toggle is in the off position. The secondary switch is only active when the main switch toggle is in the on position. 
     When the main switch toggle is in the on position, the secondary switch button is rotated toward the secondary switch such that a finger pressing on the secondary switch button will press and activate or deactivate the secondary switch. The secondary switch preferably has various modes that cycle upon each activation of the secondary switch. The main switch toggle can be rotated to an off position where the secondary switch button is out of contract with the secondary switch. 
     The toggle switch button has a front side and a rear side. The front side has a secondary switch button mounted in an opening for the secondary switch button. The rear side of the toggle switch button includes a light indicator window for a light indicator such as an LED to show the status of the secondary switch. The light indicator may flash in a particular sequence or be bright, dim and off to show the various states that the secondary switch can cycle through. The secondary switch can dim the primary switch by altering voltage, or sending a power line signal to intelligent ballast capable of receiving such signals from the secondary switch. 
     The secondary switch button is mounted to the inside of the toggle switch button via a spring apparatus that can be a plastic serpentine leaf spring as shown, or can be a metal leaf spring. The light indicator may be mounted on the leaf spring which is partially transparent, or the light indicator can be mounted on the face of the secondary switch so that the light shines from the secondary switch to the secondary switch button and passing through the secondary switch button window for viewing by a viewer. 
     The toggle switch button further has an inside well formed as a depression on the back side of the toggle switch button. The inside well holds an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion. The upper protrusion fits into a main switch upper slot and the lower protrusion fits into a main switch lower slot. When the user presses and rotates the toggle switch button, the toggle switch button is connected to the main switch toggle and therefore actuates the main switch toggle. The face of the toggle switch button covers from view a portion of the switch body and the main switch toggle as well as the secondary switch. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the toggle switch button. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view diagram of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The following call out list of elements is used consistently in the drawings
       22  Faceplate Face     23  Switch Button Opening     24  Faceplate Side     32  Toggle Switch Button     33  Secondary Switch Button     34  Light Indicator     35  Spring Apparatus     36  Upper Protrusion     37  Lower Protrusion     38  Inside Well     42  Switch Body     43  Secondary Switch     44  Secondary Switch Mounting Area     45  Main Switch Mounting Area     46  Main Switch Bottom Slot     47  Main Switch Toggle     48  Main Switch Upper Slot     49  Main Switch Body Edge     88  Spring Mounting   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The square shaped exploded view of the present invention, as seen in  FIG. 1  is the preferred embodiment of the invention. The double action switch includes a generally planar faceplate face  22  that has a switch button opening  23  inside the balance of the faceplate face. The faceplate face also has a faceplate side of thickness substantially enough to cover the edge  49  of the main switch body. The switch body  42  is mounted to a socket opening flush on the wall with the main switch body edge  49  extending into the room. The main switch body  42  further includes a first rectangular opening area that is the main switch mounting area  45  and a second rectangular opening area that is the secondary switch mounting area  44 . The main switch toggle  47  and the main switch toggle assembly is mounted in the main switch mounting area  45 . The second switch mounting area  44  receives the secondary switch  43 . The secondary switch  43  is preferably placed adjacent to the main switch toggle  47  at a lower right-hand corner for the orientation where the switch is on in the down position. 
     When the main switch toggle rotates relative to the switch body  42 , the primary or main switch toggle  47  activates or turns on or turns off the lights or other appliance. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the main switch toggle affects the ability to activate the secondary switch. The secondary switch  43  is not active when the main switch toggle is in the off position. The secondary switch is only active when the main switch toggle is in the on position. 
     When the main switch toggle is in the on position, the secondary switch button  33  is rotated toward the secondary switch  43  such that a finger pressing on the secondary switch button will press and activate or deactivate the secondary switch  43 . The secondary switch  43  preferably has various modes that cycle upon each activation of the secondary switch  43 . The main switch toggle  47  can be rotated to an off position where the secondary switch button  33  is out of contract with the secondary switch  43 . 
     The toggle switch button  32  has a front side and a rear side. The front side has a secondary switch button  33  mounted in an opening for the secondary switch button. The rear side of the toggle switch button includes a light indicator window for a light indicator  34  such as an LED to show the status of the secondary switch. The light indicator may flash in a particular sequence or be bright, dim and off to show the various states that the secondary switch can cycle through. The secondary switch can dim the primary switch by altering voltage, or sending a powerline signal to an intelligent ballast capable of receiving such signals from the secondary switch. 
     The secondary switch button  33  is mounted to the inside of the toggle switch button  32  via a spring apparatus  35  which can be a plastic serpentine leaf spring as shown, or can be a metal leaf spring. The light indicator may be mounted on the leaf spring which is partially transparent, or the light indicator can be mounted on the face of the secondary switch  43  so that the light shines from the secondary switch  43  to the secondary switch button  33  and passing through the secondary switch button window for viewing by a viewer. Spring mounting  88  connects the spring of the secondary switch button to the toggle switch button  32 . 
     The toggle switch button  32  further has an inside well  38  which is a depression on the back side of the toggle switch button. The inside well holds an upper protrusion  36  and a lower protrusion  37 . The upper protrusion  36  fits into a main switch upper slot  48  and the lower protrusion  37  fits into a main switch lower slot  46 . When the user presses and rotates the toggle switch button  32 , the toggle switch button  32  is connected to the main switch toggle and therefore actuates the main switch toggle  47 . The face of the toggle switch button  32  covers from view a portion of the switch body  42  and the main switch toggle  47  as well as the secondary switch  43 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  such as seen in the top diagram, the gap between the secondary switch button  33  and the secondary switch  43  can be small. After a user depresses the secondary switch button  33  in the on position which is the top drawing of  FIG. 3 , the gap is closed and the button translates downward in a sliding or pivoting motion for transmitting the force of a user finger via the secondary switch button  33  to the secondary switch  43 . In the bottom drawing of  FIG. 3 , the main switch toggle  47  is in the off position having been pivoted to the off position. In this position, a user pressing the secondary switch button  33  would rotate the main switch toggle  47  into the on position. If the user then he is continuing to press with a finger for example, the user would bias secondary switch button  33  against the secondary switch  43 . 
     During assembly, the lower and upper protrusions can act as tabs that snap into and out of the respective slotted openings. It is preferred that the main switch toggle  47  have a detent to retain it in the on or off position. It is optional that the main switch toggle  47  be actuated with a click sound when biased away from the biasing detent.