Patent ID: 7791595

Claim:
A control structure for controllably varying the amount of power delivered to an electrical load, said control structure comprising: (a) an enclosed volume which contains electronic circuitry; (b) a faceplate having a narrow elongated slot therein; (c) an elongated touch sensitive device which is aligned with said narrow elongated slot, wider than said slot, and supported behind and spaced from the rear surface of said faceplate; (d) a thin status indicator support board mounted atop said elongated touch sensitive device; (e) a plurality of status indicators mounted on said thin status indicator support board along a line which is centered on the projected center of said narrow elongated slot; (f) a flexible actuator member comprising an extending thin flange having a central extension extending from one surface thereof, said flange positioned above said status indicator support board and said central extension extending through said elongated slot and above the front surface of said faceplate, said central extension having clearance in its bottom surface at the location of each of said status indicators, said flexible actuator member having a plurality of posts extending through openings of said thin status indicator support board for actuating said elongated touch sensitive device, whereby said flexible actuator member can be depressed at any location along its length, such that said posts apply pressure to said touch sensitive device at a related location on said touch sensitive device; (g) a plurality of light pipes extending perpendicularly through said central extension and having bottom surfaces adjacent to and spaced from the top surface of respective ones of said status indicators and having a top end at the outer surface of said central extension; and (h) circuit means coupling said touch sensitive device to said status indicators to illuminate a respective one of said status indicators responsive to the application of pressure to the touch screen at locations adjacent thereto.