Lutron Electronics Company, Inc.

John E Longenderfer

Elliot G Jacoby

Joel S Spira

Woodie C Flowers

James R Graybill, Jr

David G Luchaco

Michael J Rowen

Dennis M Capewell

Stephen J Yuhasz

A wallbox-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load is disclosed. The system comprises a yoke, a frame, a toggle switch and at least one slidable lever. The yoke has an opening which is completely occupied by the frame member and the frame member has at least one channel. The toggle switch has a its handle extending through the frame and has one end mechanically coupled to a means for turning power on and off to a load. The slidable lever extends through the channel and is mechanically coupled to a means for adjusting the power to a load.

Wallbox-mountable switch and dimmer

A wallbox-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load is disclosed. The system comprises a yoke, a frame, a toggle switch and at least one slidable lever. The yoke has an opening which is completely occupied by the frame member and the frame member has at least one channel. The toggle switch has a handle extending through the frame and has one end mechanically coupled to a means for turning power on and off to a load. The slidable lever extends through the channel and is mechanically coupled to a means for adjusting the power to a load.

A multiple location system is provided for controlling application of alternating-current power to a load. The system employs a dimming system in combination with one or more switches. In one embodiment, the system includes an override, so that a switch can provide power to the load even after the dimmer has turned the power off. In another embodiment, the dimming system includes an actuator, and the value of power to the load is determined substantially immediately upon setting of the actuator.

Multiple location dimming system

Individual banks of gas discharge lamps are provided with a common dimming control system. If a bank of lights is turned on while others are on and in a dimmed condition, the voltage applied to all lamps is increased over a relatively short period of time to full voltage to ensure the proper striking of the new bank of lamps but over a sufficiently long time period that users of the dimmed banks of lamps will not be noticeably affected by the change in lamp output. Full power is then maintained for a sufficiently long time to ensure proper lamp striking and stabilization and all banks are then very gradually returned to the original dimmed illumination condition which was set before the new lamp bank was energized. A long time delay and a short time delay are applied to respective inputs of a comparator to enable the initiation of the lamp striking sequence for the new lamp bank and prevents the initiation of the lamp striking sequence due to short time disturbances on the line.

Growing community of inventors

Orefield, PA, United States of America

John E Longenderfer