Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Actuators
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-21
2003-11-04
Friedhofer, Michael (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Actuators
C315S362000, C362S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06642465
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional suspension chain (string-pulling) switches have been widely used by people for the past 40 or 50 years, because they have some advantages. The object hanging high above has a low trouble rate, is convenient for operation, has a height of suspended string that can be adjusted freely to suit the position of the switch. The suspended switch can suit the needs of various circumstances. Another important reason for the popular use of the conventional suspended chain or pull string switch lies in that: the suspended string of switch hangs in midair, showing its conspicuous position for operation. Therefore, for a long period of time, people have become accustomed to it. Take the electrical household appliances as example, consumers would often have trouble located at different locations in different appliances. This problem is aggravated because of the wider and wider variety of switches available on the market.
The suspension pull switch has a unique among all type of switches. It is conspicuously located for people to see. For the past 40 to 50 years, consumers are familiar with their use and operation. But conventional types suspension switches have shortcomings that need improvement, including the four steps that must be followed (as shown in FIGS.
1
through
4
):
1. The user's fingers must come in contact with the suspension cord
1
.
2. The user must firmly grasp the suspension cord
1
.
3. After grasping the suspension cord
1
, the user must apply a sufficient force to pull the suspension down.
4. Finally, the user releases his fingers from the suspension cord
1
.
Such operation requires sophisticated procedures, and is labor and time-consuming, inconvenient and requiring precision. Because, the user could not pull the cord down without correctly locating and grasping the suspension cord
1
. Meanwhile, when performing step
3
, the suspension cord
1
must be pulled down to effect switching control. If the suspension cord
1
is pulled in an oblique angle, the switch could not be performed correctly, or could not work. Or, the switch may be damaged, and its service life may be shortened. Therefore, conventional type of suspension switch involves the restriction on the direction of operation. (Pulling in a downward direction could not be free from directional restriction.) Secondly, the force applied in pulling the suspension cord
1
must be controlled correctly. In case of excessive pulling force, the switch could be damaged. On the other hand, an insufficient force will not be able to perform the switching function. In the process of grasping the suspension cord
1
, if in the first try the user cannot grasp the suspension cord
1
successfully, the suspension cord
1
could jump or swing in every direction conceivable; therefore in many cases the user has to try several times before he can successfully grasp and pull the suspension cord
1
and activate the switch. To prevent the suspension cord
1
from slipping out of hand after the cord is grasped in hand, there is a stopper object
11
installed at the end of the suspension cord
1
, to stop the suspension cord
1
from slipping out of hand. But the stopper object
11
do not have other functions except just that.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,431 B1 to Greedy discloses a pull type chain with a light which is activated by a light sensitive switch that turns on a light emitting diode when the amount of light in a room falls below a predetermined level. The main purpose of the disclosure is that the light with the chain makes the user to easily identify the position of the chain. In other words, the user still has to grasp and pull the chain to turn the electrical appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,516 to Saidian discloses a touch controlled electric light socket. As disclosed in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, the user has to pet or touch the distal end of the cord, although an enlargement
111
is connected to the distal end
109
.
The present invention provides a suspension cord switch that is simply petted to activate the electric appliance, even if the suspension cord is petted by an insulation object.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suspension cord switch which comprises a suspension cord which has a capacitive induction sensor connected to one end of a suspension cord and the suspension cord includes a conductive wire. The suspension cord is a touch or non-touch control with capacitive induction effect, without requiring a user to grasp the suspension cord, to aim at the specified direction, or to apply a specified minimum force.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a suspension cord switch for activating an electric appliance which is activated simply by petting or touching the suspension cord.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5166482 (1992-11-01), Li
patent: 5208516 (1993-05-01), Saidian
patent: 5396037 (1995-03-01), Moore et al.
patent: 5454056 (1995-09-01), Brothers
patent: 5532557 (1996-07-01), Saidian
patent: 5661370 (1997-08-01), Messick
patent: 6295871 (2001-10-01), Wei
patent: 6315431 (2001-11-01), Greedy
Friedhofer Michael
Rider Bennett LLP.
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