Description:[0022] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.

[0023] The preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a smart switch adapted to be installed on any type of wall box, wherein said smart switch is a touch switch mounted on a base frame configured to be fixed on said wall box by means of adjustable bracings. In another embodiment, the smart switch is a smart push button switch.

[0024] Referring to FIG.1, the present invention comprises of base frame (1), housing (2), chipset (3), module (4), touch sensor (5), and glass panel (6) for smart touch switch. The base frame is adapted to be fixed on the wall box (7), which is fixed on to wall. Specifically, the base frame is configured to be fixed on any existing type of wall box using adjustable bracings. By said mechanism, there won’t be any civil work required to replace the wall box to fix the smart touch switches, and as a result, the customers could install the smart touch switches on their own without external assistance. As shown in FIG.1, the housing (2), chipset (3), module (4), and touch sensor (5) comprise the smart touch switch module.

[0025] FIG.2 shows the base frame of 4-module and 6-module smart touch switches featuring adjustable bracings (8) for installing said smart touch switches. Said bracings may be positioned on the base frame depending upon the size and shape of the base frame. The bracings comprise of a rectangular strip featuring a horizontal slit opening (9) adapted to receive one or more screws, for fixing the base frame to the wall box. The width of the slit may vary depending upon the diameter of the screw employed.

[0026] The base frame is fixed on the wall box, wherein said base frame is adapted to receive the components of the smart touch switch. As depicted in FIG.1, the housing is fixed on the base frame, wherein one end of said housing passes through the opening provided on the base frame to the proximity of electrical wires in the wall box, wherein said electrical wires are connected to the terminals of chipset through the opening provided in the housing for wire connections. The housing is suitably secured to the base frame. The chip set and module are configured to be installed in the cavity of the housing. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, said chipset and module are independent units that are connected by electrical circuitry when installed.

[0027] As another aspect of the present invention, the touch sensor (5) in the smart touch switch is designed as an independent unit configured to maintain electrical connectivity by means of one or more leads/ports with the module and/or chipset. Said touch sensor may be independently removed or replaced without changing or replacing the other components of smart touch switch.

[0028] As shown in FIG.1, the glass panel (6) forms the outermost component of the smart touch switch that is adapted to interface with the touch of human finger. The glass panel, together with metal frame, is positioned over the touch senor, wherein it is separately replaceable.

[0029] The glass panel of the smart touch switch is adapted to suit for any type of smart touch switch modules. Touch switches are only visible owing to the back light illuminated by the touch sensors provided at the back of the glass panel. The touch switches are almost invisible when the touch sensors are not present at the back. Therefore, using common glass panels are made possible for any type of touch switches, and if the touch switch modules are changed with different switch gangs or switch types, the same glass panel still suits said switch types. By this mechanism, there won’t be any change of glass panels required even if the touch switch modules are changed. In other words, same glass panel is used for any type of touch switch modules and the touch switches are illuminated and identified based on the touch sensors behind the glass panel.

[0030] FIG.3 illustrates the front and back views of 4-module smart touch switch. As illustrated in the figure, each switch module (10) may comprise of one or more smart touch switches. The location and the number of adjustable bracings provided in the base frame varies with the number of switches provided in a module.

[0031] Each of said smart touch switch module is designed to be replaced individually, if required. In other words, each of the smart touch switch module in a switch unit is adapted to be replaced independently, without having the replace the entire unit. More specifically, each of the smart touch switch module may be removed and substituted without affecting the other smart touch switch module in the unit.

[0032] Referring to FIG.4, another embodiment of the present invention presents a smart push button switch, comprising of base frame, smart push button (11), and cover plate (12) for smart push button switch. The base frame is adapted to be fixed on the wall box, which is fixed on to the wall. Specifically, the base frame is configured to be fixed on any existing type of wall box with the aid of adjustable bracings. By said mechanism, there won’t be any civil work required to replace the wall box to fix the smart push button switches, and as a result, the customers could install the smart push button switches on their own without external assistance.

[0033] FIG.5 shows the base frame featuring adjustable bracings for 8-module and 12-module smart push button switch. Said bracings may be positioned on the base frame depending upon the size and shape of the base frame. The bracings comprise of a rectangular strip featuring a horizontal slit opening adapted to receive the screw, which fixes the base frame to the wall box. The width of the slit may vary depending upon the diameter of the screw employed.

[0034] The base frame is fixed on the wall box, wherein said base frame is adapted to receive the components of the smart push button switch. As shown in the figure, the smart push button is fixed on the base frame, wherein the back of said smart push button passes through the opening on the base frame to the proximity of connecting leads in the wall box. The smart push button is suitably secured to the base frame. The chip set and modules are configured to be installed inside the smart push button itself and that are connected by electrical circuitry when installed.

[0035] As shown in FIG.4, the cover plate (12) forms the outermost component of the smart push button switch. It is positioned above the base frame with opening for smart push buttons that interfaces with the touch of human finger and is separately replaceable. FIG.6 depicts the front and back views of a 6-module smart push button switch.

[0036] Each of said smart push button is designed to be replaced individually, if required. In other words, each of the smart push button in a switch unit is a module that is adapted to be replaced independently, without having the replace the entire unit. More specifically, each of the push button may be removed and substituted without affecting the other push buttons in the unit.

[0037] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention unless they depart there from.
, Claims:WE CLAIM

1. A smart touch switch adapted to be installed on any type of wall box, said switch characterized by:
• base frame (1) featuring one or more adjustable bracings (8), wherein said base frame is adapted to be fixed on a wall box;
• housing, one end of which is adapted to pass through the opening provided on the base frame, wherein the electrical wires in the wall box is connected to the terminals of said housing;
• chipset (3) and module (4) configured to be installed in the cavity of the housing, wherein electrical wires are connected to the terminals of chipset through the opening provided in the housing for wire connections;
• touch sensor (5) adapted to be positioned on top of the module, wherein said sensor features one or more leads configured to maintain electrical connectivity with said module; and
• glass panel (6) adapted to interface with the touch of human finger, wherein said glass panel is positioned above the touch sensor.

2. The smart touch switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable bracings comprise of a rectangular strip featuring a horizontal slit opening (9) adapted to receive one or more screws.

3. The smart touch switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is designed to be independently removed or replaced without changing or replacing the other components of smart touch switch.

4. The smart touch switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glass panel is adapted to suit for any type of smart touch switch modules.

5. The smart touch switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bracings are positioned on the base frame based upon the size and shape of the base frame.

6. The smart touch switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smart touch switch module is designed to be replaced individually without having to replace the entire unit.

7. A smart push button switch adapted to be installed on any type of wall box, said switch characterized by:
• base frame featuring one or more adjustable bracings, configured to be fixed on wall box, wherein said base frame is adapted to receive the components of the smart push button switch; and
• cover plate (12) adapted to be fixed on the base frame with opening for smart push buttons (11) that interfaces with the touch of human finger.

8. The smart push button switch as claimed in claim 7 is designed to be replaced individually without having the replace the entire unit.