GB2199186A

GB2199186A - Key operated switch

Info

Publication number: GB2199186A
Application number: GB08630430A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Sung On Ng; Herbert Yiu Hung Cheng
Original assignee: BOWDEN IND Ltd
Current assignee: BOWDEN IND Ltd
Priority date: 1986-12-19
Filing date: 1986-12-19
Publication date: 1988-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-19
Also published as: GB8630430D0; CN1007298B; MY101594A; CN87101232A; HK9091A; GB2199186B

Abstract

An electric switch has a protruding operating rocker member 2, which is physically shielded at 3 so that it cannot be turned on and off directly by hand, but only by the insertion and withdrawal of a suitable operating member 5, which has a leading end 6 adapted to engage the rocker member to turn it on upon insertion, a recess or aperture 7 to accommodate the rocker member while the operating member remains inserted, and a portion located between the leading end and the recess or aperture adapted to engage the rocker member to turn it off upon withdrawal. <IMAGE>

Description

"Electric Switch" This invention relates to electric switches and operating means therefor.

It is known, for example in hotels, to provide means whereby power is only made available to the electric circuits in a room when an occupant is present, thus ensuring that electricity is not wasted by leaving lights or other electrically powered devices on when the room is not in use.

Such means may, for example, comprise a main switch operated through a sensor which is in turn operated by inserting a room key tag in a suitable receptacle incorporating the sensor. Such devices incorporating a sensor are however quite complex, and thus relatively expensive to install and maintain.

According to the present invention there is provided an electric switch having a protruding switch-operating rocker member, wherein the said rocker member is physically shielded in such manner that it cannot be turned on and off directly by hand, but only by the insertion and withdrawal of a suitable operating member.

In use of such a switch, a person in possession of a suitable operating member will insert the same to turn the switch on when he enters the room or other space where the switch is located, and withdraw it to turn the switch off when he leaves.

To encourage proper use of the system it is of course very desirable that the operating member should be an item which the room occupant will always wish to take with him when he leaves the room, and the operating member may therefore very conveniently comprise a key of the room, or a tag for such a key.

The scope of the invention also extends to a switch as set forth above, in combination with a suitable operating member therefor, such as a key or key tag.

In a preferred form of the invention the said switch is a wall-mountable type having a face from which the said rocker member protrudes, the rocker member being shielded as aforesaid by a shield member overlying the same and spaced from said face to define a slot for insertion and withdrawal of a said operating member.

Preferably the said operating member has a leading end adapted to engage the said rocker member to turn it on upon insertion thereof, a recess or aperture located rearwardly of said leading end to accommodate the said rocker member while the operating member remains inserted, and a portion located between said leading end and said recess or aperture adapted to engage the rocker member to turn it off upon withdrawal.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are a front elevation and a side elevation of a conventional electric switch for wall mounting; Figures 3 and 4 are a front elevation and side elevation (partly in cross-section) of a switch according to the invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of an operating member for the switch of Figures 3 and 4, in the form of a key tag, and also showing an associated key; Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the manner of operation of the switch of Figures 3 and 4 by the operating member of Figure 5; Figure 8 shows a modified operating member; and Figure 9 shows a-further modified switch and operating member.

Referring to the drawings, the conventional wall-mountable electric switch of Figures 1 and 2 has a flat front face 1 from which a switch-operating rocker member 2 protrudes. The rocker member is shown in the off position.

A switch according to the invention, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a switch as shown in Figures 1 and 2 but with the addition of a shield member in the form of a flat plate 3 overlying the rocker member 2. The plate is provided with a flange on each vertical edge whereby it is secured to the face 1 of the switch with a space therebetween defining a slot 4, open at the top, containing the rocker member 2, which is thus shielded by the plate 3 in such manner that it cannot be turned on or off directly by hand, the slot 4 being too narrow to admit a finger.

However, the slot is just wide enough to admit an operating member in the form of a key tag 5, shown in Figure 5. The key tag has a rounded leading end 6, with a recess 7 located rearwardly thereof, and when the tag is inserted downwardly into the slot 4 as shown in Figure 6 the leading end 6 of the tag depresses the rocker member 2 and turns the switch off, the rocker member then being accommodated in the recess 7 as shown in Figure 7. When the tag is withdrawn, a rearwardly facing rounded surface 8 thereof, located between the leading 6 and the recess 7, again depresses the rocker member 2 to turn the switch off.

Figure 8 shows a modified operating member in which the recess. 7 in the tag of Figures 5 to 7 is replaced by an aperture 9.

Figure 9 shows a further modification comprising a double gang switch having two rocker members 2. The shield member 3 is not shown in the drawing.

The switch is operable by an operating member having leading ends 6, apertures 9, and surfaces 8, arranged in suitably located pairs to switch the two rocker members on and off simultaneously. This allows two separate circuits to be controlled at the same time, for example one for lighting and the other for air conditioning. Another modification allows for a double pole switch which is operated from only one rocker member to operate an indicating light for illuminating the entrance to the slot 4 in a dark room, as well as acting as a main switch as before.

It will be appreciated that the necessary means for operating a switch according to the invention could readily be formed on the rear end of a key, rather than on a key tag.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An electric switch having a protruding switchoperating rocker member, wherein the said rocker member is physically shielded in such manner that it cannot be turned on and off directly by hand, but only by the insertion and withdrawal of a suitable operating member.

2. A switch as claimed in claim 1, which is a wall-mountable type having a face from which the said rocker member protrudes, the rocker member being shielded as aforesaid by a shield member overlying the same and spaced from said face to define a slot for insertion and withdrawal of a said operating member.

3. A switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said face of the switch is flat and the said shield member comprises a flat plate mounted on and substantially parallel to said face by way of flanges which space it therefrom, there being a lateral opening to permit insertion of a said operating member as aforesaid.

4. A switch as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in combination with a suitable operating member therefor.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said operating member comprises a key.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said operating member comprises a key tag.

7. A combination as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the said operating member has a leading end adapted to engage the said rocker member to turn it on upon insertion thereof, a recess or aperture located rearwardly of said leading end to accommodate the said rocker member while the operating member remains inserted, and a portion located between said leading end and said recess or aperture adapted to engage the rocker member to turn it off upon withdrawal.

8. A combination as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the said switch has two of said rocker members, and the said operating member is adapted to turn both of said rocker members on or off simultaneously.

9. A switch as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A combination as claimed in claims 1 and 4, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.