The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1995
Lawrence A Hall, Harrisburg, PA (US);
Richard P Hepner, Harrisburg, PA (US);
The Whitaker Corporation, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A dimmer switch 2 for use in a lighting or electrical power control system includes an air gap switch 20 for open circuiting the load from the source of electrical power. Normal load control is provided by power control circuitry on a printed circuit board 24 in the dimmer switch 2. The air gap switch 20 includes two opposed contact springs 30 mounted on the same printed circuit board. These contact springs 30 include contact tabs 32 normally held in contact. An air gap actuator post 50 molded on one end of a dimmer switch rocker 4 can be moved between the contact tabs 32 to open the air gap switch 20. Convex latching surfaces or ridges 38 on each contact spring 30 engage channels 52 on the air gap actuator post 50 to disengagably hold the post 50 in place. The rocker 4 is rotated from a neutral position to a normal actuation position to activate push button switches 26 on the printed circuit board 24, and the rocker 4 can be rotated further to bring the air gap actuator between contact tabs 32. Opposite rotation of the rocker releases the air gap actuator 52 and closes the air gap switch.