Wall box dimming system and face plate and switch assembly therefor

Abstract

A wall box dimming system assembly controls the intensity level of a plurality of groups of lights in accordance with a plurality of preset scenes. The electronics for carrying out the dimmer operations are preferably mounted in a housing adapted to fit in a standard four gang wall box. A face plate assembly is coupled to the housing and has a larger profile than the housing as viewed from an entry position located in front of the face plate assembly. At least some of the control switches which enable the operator to switch control over the dimming levels from scene to scene and/or turn the system off are located outside of the profile of the wall box housing. The face plate assembly includes a support plate and a window pivotally connected to the support plate and moveable between a closed position, wherein access to slide potentiometers which control the dimming levels of the lights is blocked, and an open position, wherein the operator can gain access to the slide potentiometers. A novel hinge structure maintains the window in the open position once the window has been moved into this position by the operator of the dimmer so that the operator can adjust the positions of the slide potentiometers without having to hold the window in the open position.