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 electronic/electrical device. 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, an 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 is disclosed. The switch assembly comprises a seesaw comprising a plurality of protrusions. The switch assembly further comprises a switch housing comprising a plurality of slots adapted to accommodate the plurality of protrusions in an assembled state of the switch assembly. The switch assembly further comprises at least one elastic member disposed within the switch housing, such that the elastic member supports the seesaw at a predefined position in the assembled state of the switch assembly, wherein in the predefined position, a reference plane of the seesaw is at least partially parallel to an opening of the switch housing. Furthermore, the switch assembly comprises a switch portion disposed within the switch housing, such that an operation of the seesaw 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:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view 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;

Figures 3 illustrates a zoomed-in view of the switch assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

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.

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 the purpose of 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 fulfil 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 illustrates a perspective view of a switch assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The switch assembly 100 may be implemented in environments, such as a household, an office space, a studio, and the like, for controlling operations of one or more electrical devices present in such environments. For instance, the switch assembly 100 may be implemented to switch-On or switch-OFF electrical devices, such as fans, bulbs, electrical appliances, and the like. As may be understood, the switch assembly 100 may be provided in combination with a switch plate (not shown in the figure).

In an embodiment, amongst other components, the switch assembly 100 comprises a base component 102, a switch housing 104, and a seesaw 106, as shown in the figure. 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. In an example embodiment,
the seesaw 106 may be removably coupled with the switch housing 104.

According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the seesaw 106 and the switch housing 104 are coupled in a manner such that, in either of a switch-On state or a switch-OFF state, a reference plane of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to an opening, for example, opening 200 as illustrated in figure 2, of the switch housing 104. In an example and without limitation, the reference plane may be a plane taken along a top surface of the seesaw 106. Owing to this, protrusion of the seesaw 106 in either of the switch-ON state or the switch-OFF state is averted. As a result, accidental or inadvertent pressing of the seesaw 106 and respective switching-ON or switching-OFF of the 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 an 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. Accordingly, to facilitate this removeable coupling, in an example embodiment, the switch housing 104 may include an opening 200 and a plurality of slots 202-1 to 202-N. In an example embodiment, the switch housing 104 may include 4 slots, 202-1 to 202-4. However, for the sake of brevity, only slots 202-1 and 202-2 have been shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, in an example embodiment, at least one slot is provided on each surface of a set of opposite surfaces of the switch housing 104.

Furthermore, in an example embodiment, the seesaw 106 includes a plurality of protrusions 204-1 to 204-N. In an example embodiment, the seesaw 106 may include 4 protrusions, 204-1 to 204-4. However, for the sake of brevity, only protrusions 204-1 and 204-2 have been shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, in an example embodiment, at least one protrusion is provided on each surface of a set of opposite surfaces of the seesaw 106. Herein the set of opposite surfaces does not include a top surface and a bottom surface of the seesaw 106, in an example.

In an embodiment, the seesaw 106 is removably coupled to the switch housing 104 through the opening 200. For example, the seesaw 106 may be inserted within an area defined by the walls of the switch housing 104, through the opening 200. The seesaw 106 is removably coupled to the switch housing 104 in a manner that each of the protrusions 204 is accommodated into a corresponding slot 202 and is free to move through a length “L” of the slot 202 when an external force is applied onto the seesaw 106. For instance, a user may apply a force on a top surface “TS” of the seesaw 106. Accordingly, the seesaw 106 may be moved in a downward direction. In an example, the slots 202 guide the movement of the protrusions 204 and, in turn, the seesaw 106. As may be noted, the seesaw 106 is provided in the switch assembly 100 in a manner such that the seesaw 106 is not hinged about its centre.

Continuing with the above embodiment, the switch assembly 100 further comprises one or more elastic members. As depicted, the switch assembly 100 shown in figure 2 includes elastic members 206-1 and 206-2. The elastic members 206, in an example, may be coil springs. In an embodiment, the elastic members 206 are disposed within the switch housing 104 in a manner such that an end of each of the elastic members 206 makes contact with a bottom surface “BS” of the seesaw 106, in an assembled state of the switch assembly 100. Accordingly, the elastic members 206 provide the support to hold the seesaw 106 in a predefined position in the assembled state of the switch assembly 100. A zoomed-in view of the predefined position is shown in Figure 3.

Referring to figures 1, 2 and 3, the switch assembly 100 may be assembled in a manner such that when the seesaw 106 is removably coupled with the switch housing 104, a resilient force develops in the elastic members 206 that are in contact with the bottom surface “BS” of the seesaw 106. In this assembled state, the seesaw 106 is said to be in the predefined position. In the predefined position, due to the force applied by the elastic members 206, the protrusions 204 are at an end “E1” of the slots 202. Furthermore, in the predefined position, a reference plane “RP” of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to the opening of the switch housing 104. Furthermore, in the predefined position, the elastic members 206 make contact with the bottom surface “BS” of the seesaw 106 and the resilient force of the elastic members 206 supports the seesaw in the predefined position. This resilient force exerted by the elastic members 206 also causes the seesaw 106 to return to the predefined position after removal of the force exerted by the user.

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 the 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 seesaw 106 presses an inner element 402, which in turn presses an inner rocker 404. Subsequently, the inner rocker 404 causes a toggle in the switching state of the switch portion 400. For instance, when an individual presses the seesaw 106 and if the switch portion 400 is in a switch-ON state, the switch portion 400 is toggled to switch-OFF state, and vice-versa. In an example, in any of the operation states, i.e., switch ON state or switch OFF state, the reference plane “RP’ of the seesaw 106 is at least partially parallel to the opening 200 of the switch housing 104,

As may be gathered from above, aspects of the present disclosure disclose a flat switch assembly, such as the switch assembly 100. In the flat switch assembly described herein, the seesaw is not hinged about its centre and therefore, the seesaw does not protrude in any of the operational states. As the seesaw of the flat switch assembly does not protrude in either of the operational states, accidental pressing of the seesaw and in turn, accidental switching of the operational state of an associated device, is averted.

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 in order 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 (204);
a switch housing (104) comprising a plurality of slots (202) adapted to accommodate the plurality of protrusions (204) in an assembled state of the switch assembly (100);
at least one elastic member (206) disposed within the switch housing (104), such that the elastic member (206) supports the seesaw (106) at a predefined position in the assembled state of the switch assembly (100), wherein in the predefined position, a reference plane of the seesaw (106) is at least partially parallel to an opening of the switch housing (104); and
a switch portion (400) disposed within the switch housing (104), such that an operation of the seesaw (106) causes a toggle between a first operation state and a second operation state of the switch portion (400).

2. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the predefined position, each of the plurality of protrusions (204) of the seesaw (106) is engaged at an end (E) of a corresponding slot from of the plurality of slots (202).

3. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, each of the plurality of slots (202) has a length (L) for guiding a movement of the seesaw (106) upon application of an external force on the seesaw (106).

4. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic member (206) is configured to exert a resilient force onto a bottom surface (BS) of the seesaw (106) for maintaining the seesaw (106) at the predefined position, in the assembled state of the switch assembly (100).

5. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference plane of the seesaw (106) is a plane taken along a top surface (TS) of the seesaw (106).

6. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch assembly (100) comprises a plurality of elastic members (206).

7. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one protrusion (204) is provided on each surface of a set of opposite surfaces of the seesaw (106).

8. The switch assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one slot (202) is provided on each surface of a set of opposite surfaces of the switch housing (104).