DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to switch assemblies and more particularly, relates to a flat switch assembly.

BACKGROUND

Switch assemblies are provided in environments, such as households and offices spaces, to control the operation of electronic/electrical devices present in such environments. The electronic/electrical devices may include but are not limited to, a fan, a lamp, a tube light, an electrical appliance, and the like. An individual may operate the switch assemblies to control the operational state of associated devices. For instance, the individual may operate a switch assembly associated with a fan to switch-ON or switch-OFF the fan.
A switch assembly includes a rocker, also referred to as a seesaw, which may be pressed by the individual to control the operational state of the associated device. In conventional switch assemblies, the rocker is provided such that in either of the operational states, the rocker is in a protruded position. As is known, the switch assemblies are provided on walls at easy-to-access locations. Accordingly, it is often observed that an individual accidentally or inadvertently presses the rocker, thereby causing an unintended change in the operational state of the associated. In certain cases, it may affect the user experience. For instance, consider a case where the user is operating a desktop computer that is directly powered. In such a case, the accidental press of the rocker of the switch assembly may cause the desktop computer to switch off. In such a case, there exists a possibility that the user may lose out on his work.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved switch assembly to prevent unintended or accidental press of the switches.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
In an embodiment, a switch assembly 100 comprises a seesaw 106 comprising a plurality of protrusions 202, a keeper 204, and a slot 208. The assembly 100 further comprises a switch housing 104 comprising a plurality of grooves adapted to accommodate the plurality of protrusions to removably attach the seesaw 106 to the switch housing 104, such that a reference plane 108 of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to a surface 110 of a component of the switch housing 104, and wherein the keeper 204 contacts the switch housing 104 in a predefined position of the seesaw 106 so as to restrict the movement of the seesaw 106 in a predefined direction. The assembly 100 further comprises a switch portion, such that an end SE of the slot 208 at least partially faces an edge “EE” of an element of the switch portion, and an operation of the seesaw 106 causes a toggle between a first operation state and a second operation state of the switch portion.
To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
Figures 1a-c illustrate different views of a switch assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the switch assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 illustrates a bottom view of a seesaw of the switch assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional sectional view of the switch assembly taken along an axis A-A’ of Figure 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 5a illustrates an exploded view of the switch assembly, according to an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 5b illustrates a cross-sectional sectional view of the switch assembly taken along an axis A-A’ of Figure 1, according to an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure.
Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”
The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict, or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.
More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”
Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”
Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.
Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfill the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.
Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.
Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1(a) illustrates a perspective view of a switch assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1(b) and 1(c) illustrate a side view of the switch assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to figures 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c), the switch assembly 100 comprises a base component 102, a switch housing 104, and a seesaw 106. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the switch assembly 100 is such that in an OFF-position of the switch assembly 100, as depicted in Figure 1(b), a reference plane 108 of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to a surface 110 of a component of the switch housing 104. Further, in an ON-position of the switch assembly 100, as depicted in Figure 1(c), the reference plane 108 of the seesaw 106 is at least partially inclined to the surface 110 of the component of the switch housing 104. In an example and without limitation, the reference plane 108 may be a plane taken along a top surface “TS” of the seesaw 106.
In an example, the switch assembly 100 may be switched from the OFF-position to the ON-position by applying a force at a first end “E1” of the seesaw 106. In an embodiment, the switch assembly 100 is such that upon release of the force from the first end “E1” of the seesaw 106, the switch assembly 100 remains in ON-position. In said embodiment, the switch assembly 100 may be switched from the ON-position to the OFF-position by applying a force at a second end “E2” of the seesaw 106, as shown in Fig. 1(c).
In another embodiment, the switch assembly 100 may include an elastic member (not shown in the figure). In said embodiment, the switch assembly 100 is maintained in the ON-position, as long as the force is applied at the first end “E1”. When the force is removed, the switch assembly 100 moves to the OFF-position due to the restoring force of the elastic member. Examples of the elastic member may include but are not limited to, a coil spring.
Thus, as described above, according to aspects of the present disclosure the switch assembly 100 may be implemented as a one-way switch or as a bell-push switch.
The switch assembly 100 may be implemented in environments, such as a household, an office space, a studio, and the like. In an example, the switch assembly 100 may be implemented as a one-way push switch for controlling operations of one or more electrical devices present in such environments. Examples of the electrical devices may include but are not limited to, fans, bulbs, electrical appliances, and the like. In another example, the switch assembly 100 may be implemented as a bell-push switch.
Referring to the components of the switch assembly 100, the base component 102 and the switch housing 104 are adapted to snap-fit together to form an enclosure or housing for accommodating various components of the switch assembly 100. The seesaw 106 is adapted to switch-ON and switch-OFF an electrical device associated with the switch assembly 100 when an external force is applied on the seesaw 106. As depicted in the figure, the seesaw 106 is removably coupled with the switch housing 104. As mentioned above, the switch housing 104 and the seesaw 106 are coupled in a manner such that, in the OFF-position of the switch assembly 100, the reference plane 108 of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to the surface 110 of the component the switch housing 104. Owing to this, the protrusion of the seesaw 106 in the switch-OFF state is averted. As a result, accidental or inadvertent pressing of the seesaw 106 and respective switching-ON of the bell or associated electrical device is averted.
Constructional and operational details of the switch assembly 100 are explained in detail in the subsequent sections of the description.
Figure 2 illustrates a partially exploded view of the switch assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. As mentioned above, the seesaw 106 is removably coupled to the switch housing 104. To that end, in an embodiment, the switch housing 104 includes a plurality of grooves 200. For the sake of brevity, only one groove 200 is shown in Figure 2. In an example, the switch housing 104 may include two grooves, similar to the groove 200, positioned opposite to each other.
Continuing with the above embodiment, the seesaw 106 includes a plurality of protrusions 202. For the sake of brevity, only one protrusion 202 is shown in Figure 2. In an example, the seesaw 106 may include two protrusions, similar to the protrusion 202, positioned opposite to each other. In an embodiment, the protrusion 202 is adapted to fit into the groove 200 of the switch housing 104, in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. In said embodiment, the protrusion 202 snap-fits into the groove 200 in a manner such that the seesaw 106 is centrally hinged with the switch housing 104. Owing to such an arrangement, a seesaw operation of the seesaw 106 is facilitated, when an external force is applied onto the seesaw 106. To restrict the motion of the seesaw 106 in one direction, the seesaw 106 includes a keeper 204. In the assembled state of the switch assembly 100, when the seesaw 106 is in a predefined position, the keeper 204 is in contact with the switch housing 104. Thus, the motion of the seesaw 106 or the seesaw operation in said direction is restricted. An example direction 206 relative to the keeper 204 is shown in the figure. In a non-limiting example, the keeper 204 may restrict the motion in the direction 206.
Furthermore, in an embodiment, the seesaw 106 includes a thin-walled area 208, hereinafter interchangeably referred to as “slot 208”, and at least one pusher 210. In an example, the slot 208 may be understood as depression or a recess on a bottom surface “BS” of the seesaw 106. The thin-walled area 208 is configured to accommodate at least a portion an element 212 of a switching portion in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. The accommodation is such that an end “SE”, shown in Figure 3, of the slot 208 at least partially faces an edge “EE”, as shown in Figure 4, of the element 212 of the switch portion. In an example, the element 212 may be an inner rocker. The at least one pusher 210 may be understood as a protrusion extending outwards from the bottom surface “BS” of the seesaw 106. In an example, the slot 208 and the at least one pusher 210 are configured to contact the element 212, and thereby, the switch portion of the switch assembly 100, in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. Upon application of an external force on the seesaw 106, the slot 208 and the at least one pusher 210 causes the switch portion to make electrical connection, thereby actuating the associated electronic device.
Figure 3 illustrates a bottom view of the seesaw 106, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. As depicted, the seesaw 106 comprises the slot 208 and pushers 210-1 and 210-2. In an embodiment, the slot 208 and the pushers 210-1 and 210-2 are at least partially co-planar. As mentioned above, the slot 208 and the pushers 210-1 and 210-2 are configured to make contact with the switch portion of the switch assembly 100, in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. The slot 208 and the pushers 210-1 and 210-2 cause toggle of the switch portion to make the electrical connection, when an external force is applied on the seesaw 106.
Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the switch assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The cross-sectional view is taken along axis A-A’ of the switch assembly 100, as shown in the figure 1. In an embodiment, when an external force is applied on the seesaw 106, the seesaw 106 may toggle a switching state of a switch portion 400 of the switch assembly 100. To achieve this, when the external force is applied, the slot 208 and the pusher 210 of the seesaw 106 press an inner rocker 402, which in turn causes a toggle of the switching state of the switch portion 400. As an example, when an individual presses the seesaw 106, the switch portion 400 is toggled to switch-ON state, where the electrical connection is made. The electrical connection causes the actuation of the operation of the associated electrical device.
Figure 5a illustrates an alternate embodiment, wherein the switch assembly 100 comprises at least one elastic member 500. In said embodiment, the elastic member 500 is disposed within the switch housing 104 in a manner such that an end of the elastic member 500 contacts the seesaw 106, in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. Furthermore, in the assembled state, a resilient force is developed in the elastic member 500. Accordingly, the elastic member 500 provides the support to hold the seesaw 106 in a predefined position, where the reference plane 108 of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to a surface of a component of the switch housing 104. In an example, the elastic member 500 may be a coil spring.
Figure 5b illustrates a cross-sectional view of the switch assembly 100, according to an alternate embodiment of the present subject matter. The cross-sectional view is taken along axis A-A’ of the switch assembly 100, as shown in figure 1. In an embodiment, when an external force is applied on the seesaw 106, the seesaw 106 may toggle a switching state of a switch portion 400 of the switch assembly 100. To achieve this, when the external force is applied, the slot 208 and the pusher 210 of the seesaw 106 press an inner rocker 402, which in turn causes a toggle of the switching state of the switch portion 400. As an example, when an individual presses the seesaw 106, the switch portion 400 is toggled to switch-ON state, where the electrical connection is made. The electrical connection causes the actuation of the operation of the bell or the associated electrical device. Upon the release of the external force, the restoring force from the elastic member 500 causes the seesaw 106 to return to the predefined position.
As may be gathered from above, in the switch assembly 100 described herein, the seesaw 106 is coupled to the switch housing 104 in a manner such that the reference plane of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to the surface of a component of the switch housing 104. As a result, the seesaw 106 does not protrude in the switch-OFF state. Thus, accidental pressing of the seesaw and in turn, accidental switching-ON of the associated bell or associated device, is averted. In an example embodiment, a wiring device may include the switch assembly 100 as described herein in a manner such that a top plane of the wiring device is at least partially parallel to the reference plane 108. Thus, the switch assembly 100 remains at least partially parallel to the top plane and does not protrude.
While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.
,CLAIMS:1. A switch assembly (100) comprising:
a seesaw (106) comprising a plurality of protrusions (202), a keeper (204), and a slot (208);
a switch housing (104) comprising a plurality of grooves adapted to accommodate the plurality of protrusions to removably attach the seesaw (106) to the switch housing (104), such that a reference plane (108) of the seesaw (106) is at least partially parallel to a surface (110) of a component of the switch housing (104), and wherein the keeper (204) contacts the switch housing (104) in a predefined position of the seesaw (106) so as to restrict a movement of the seesaw (106) in a predefined direction; and
a switch portion, such that an end (SE) of the slot (208) at least partially faces an edge (EE) of an element of the switch portion, and an operation of the seesaw (106) causes a toggle between a first operation state and a second operation state of the switch portion.
2. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch assembly (100) further comprises at least one elastic member (500) disposed between the seesaw (106) and the switch housing (104), such that the elastic member supports the seesaw (106) at the predefined position in the assembled state of the switch assembly (100), wherein in the predefined position, the reference plane (108) of the seesaw (106) is at least partially parallel to the surface (110) of the component of the switch housing (104).
3. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic member (500) comprises a resilient force for maintaining the reference plane (108) at least partially parallel to the surface (110) of the component of the switch housing (104).
4. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seesaw (106) comprises at least one pusher (210) on a bottom surface (BS), wherein the at least one pusher (210) is adapted to make contact with a portion of the element (212) of the switch portion.
5. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the slot (208) and the at least one pusher (210) are at least partially co-planar.
6. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seesaw (106) comprises a plurality of pushers (210).
7. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot (208) is a depression in a bottom surface (BS) of the seesaw (106).
8. A wiring device comprising the switch assembly (100) as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein a top plane of the wiring device is at least partially parallel to the reference plane 108.