Touch-operated power control
US5196782A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1991 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S323/905
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system to control power from a source to a load consists of a cover plate, a touch-operable device that is mounted behind a flexible area on the cover plate, and a power control circuit that responds in accordance with a signal generated by the touch-operable device. The system is operated by touching a point within the flexible area of the cover plate to activate the device. In a preferred embodiment, the system provides power over a continuous range of values, depending on the particular point at which the device is activated. Alternatively, the system operates as a switch, alternately turning power on or off when any point on the flexible area is touched. The control circuit preferably includes an electronically adjustable voltage divider. The system is well-adapted to permit control of power to a load from multiple locations. The appearance of the front surface of the cover plate can be dictated entirely by aesthetic considerations and can, if desired, be entirely featureless.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.