IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,300,449
Granted Patent B2
US 12,300,449 · App. 18/487,701 · Granted May 13, 2025

Battery-powered retrofit remote control device

Inventors: Chris Dimberg (Easton, PA); Timothy S. Majewski (New Tripoli, PA); Robert C. Newman, Jr. (Emmaus, PA); Daniel Curtis Raneri (Boston, MA); Matthew J. Swatsky (Allentown, PA)
Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
H01H3/02H05B47/10H05B47/11H05B47/19G08C17/02H01H2300/03Y02B20/40Y02B90/20Y04S20/14Y10T29/49117
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,300,449
App. No.
18/487,701
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device via wireless communication. The remote control device may include a base portion and a rotating portion supported by the base portion so as to be rotatable about the base portion. The remote control device may include a control circuit and a wireless communication circuit. The control circuit may be operably coupled to the rotating portion and to the wireless communication circuit. The control circuit may be configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion of the remote control device into a control signal and to cause the communication circuit to transmit the control signal to the load control device.

Claims (37)

1. A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a toggle actuator that extends through a faceplate opening of a faceplate of the installed light switch, the toggle actuator configured to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a rotating portion;

a base portion configured to support the rotating portion, the base portion defining a rear surface comprising a toggle actuator opening that is configured to receive a portion of the toggle actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch, the base portion comprising a friction spring configured to attach the base portion to the toggle actuator;

a wireless communication circuit; and

a control circuit responsive to the rotating portion and communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to, in response to actuation of the rotating portion, generate a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load, and transmit, via the wireless communication circuit, the control signal that causes the adjustment of the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

2. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the friction spring comprises a plurality of fingers on opposed sides of the toggle actuator opening.

3. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion is operably coupled to the base portion and moveable relative to the base portion.

4. The remote control device of claim 2 , wherein the rotating portion comprises an intensity adjustment actuator.

5. The remote control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into the control signal.

6. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein when the force is a rotational force, the control circuit is configured to change the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

7. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the rotating portion is further operably coupled to the base portion such that the rotating portion is resiliently biasable toward the base portion.

8. The remote control device of claim 7 , wherein when the force causes the rotating portion to be biased toward the base portion, the control circuit is configured to apply power to or remove power from the electrical load.

9. The remote control device of claim 7 , wherein when the force causes the rotating portion to be biased toward the base portion, the control circuit is configured to associate the remote control device with a load control device that is configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

10. The remote control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to an actuation of the intensity adjustment actuator.

11. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the base portion is configured such that the toggle actuator is in an on position when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the base portion is configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch, deter operation of the toggle actuator from the on position.

13. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) transmitter configured to transmit RF signals.

14. The remote control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the electrical load to turn on in response to an actuation of the rotating portion.

15. The remote control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the electrical load to turn off in response to an actuation of the rotating portion.

16. A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a toggle actuator that extends through a faceplate opening of a faceplate of the installed light switch, the toggle actuator configured to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a control interface comprising an intensity adjustment actuator;

a base portion configured to support the control interface, such that the intensity adjustment actuator is moveable relative to the base portion, the base portion defining a rear surface comprising a toggle actuator opening that is configured to receive a portion of the toggle actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch, the base portion comprising a friction spring configured to attach the base portion to the toggle actuator;

a wireless communication circuit; and

a control circuit responsive to the control interface and communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to, in response to an actuation of the intensity adjustment actuator of the control interface, transmit, via the wireless communication circuit, a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

17. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the friction spring comprises a plurality of fingers on opposed sides of the toggle actuator opening.

18. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the intensity adjustment actuator comprises a rotating portion.

19. The remote control device of claim 18 , wherein the control circuit is configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into the control signal.

20. The remote control device of claim 19 , wherein when the force is a rotational force, the control signal is indicative of changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

21. The remote control device of claim 19 , wherein the rotating portion is further operably coupled to the base portion such that the rotating portion is resiliently biasable toward the base portion.

22. The remote control device of claim 21 , wherein when the force causes the rotating portion to be biased toward the base portion, the control signal is indicative of power being applied to, or power being removed from, the electrical load.

23. The remote control device of claim 21 , wherein when the force causes the rotating portion to be biased toward the base portion, the control signal is indicative of associating the remote control device with a load control device that is configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

24. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to an actuation of the control interface.

25. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the base portion is configured such that the toggle actuator is in an on position when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch.

26. The remote control device of claim 25 , wherein the base portion is configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the installed light switch, deter operation of the toggle actuator from the on position.

27. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the wireless communication circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) transmitter configured to transmit RF signals.

28. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the electrical load to turn on in response to an actuation of the control interface.

29. The remote control device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the electrical load to turn off in response to an actuation of the control interface.

Continuity (7)
Continuation 17408623 · Aug 23, 2021
Continuation 17038656 · Sep 30, 2020
Continuation 16152398 · Oct 4, 2018
Continuation 15386869 · Dec 21, 2016
Continuation 13829981 · Mar 14, 2013
Provisional Application 61718818 · Oct 26, 2012
Related Publication 20240038456A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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