Electrical switch with combined commands

Abstract

A device for closing or opening two or more main switches of corresponding electrical power supply circuits of related electrical devices includes a plate having at least two capacitive touch contact areas, and a control circuit configured to control two or more additional switches so that, in the event that only one of the contact areas is touched, only the corresponding main switch is opened or closed, while in the event of a combined touching of at least two of the contact areas, one of the additional switches is opened or closed.

Claims

1. A device for opening or closing a plurality of main switches of electrical power supply circuits, comprising: a plate having a plurality of touch contact areas of capacitive type, wherein an individual touching of each of said plurality of touch contact areas causes the opening or closing of a corresponding main switch; and a control circuit; wherein said control circuit is configured to control a plurality of additional switches, so as to cause: when only one of said plurality of touch contact areas is touched, only the corresponding main switch is opened or closed, and when a combined touching of at least some of said plurality of touch contact areas occurs, one of said plurality of additional switches is opened or closed but not one of the plurality of said main switches, wherein the combined touching identifies a condition in which at least two of said plurality of touch contact areas are touched simultaneously or within a first predetermined time interval, and wherein maintaining said combined touching for a different amount of time causes a selective opening or closing of another one of said plurality of additional switches.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact areas are at least three touch contact areas, wherein said control circuit is configured so that, when two or more of said at least three contact areas are touched simultaneously or within said first predetermined time interval with a predetermined combination, a predetermined one of the plurality of additional switches is opened or closed and not said main switches.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one timer set with regard to said first predetermined time interval and configured to start when a first touch of one of said plurality of touch contact areas occurs, wherein said control circuit is configured so that, when at least two of said plurality of touch contact areas are touched within said first predetermined time interval, and when a combined contact condition is true, at least one of said plurality of additional switches and not said main switches are opened/closed.

4. The device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one timer set with regard to a second predetermined time interval and configured to start when said combined contact condition is true, wherein said control circuit is configured so that: when said combined touching has a duration within said second predetermined time interval, when a combined contact condition is true, a first one of said plurality of additional switches is opened or closed; and when said combined touching has a duration greater than said second predetermined time interval, when an extended combined contact condition is true, a second of said plurality of additional switches is opened or closed.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit is further configured so that a duration of the touching of only one of said plurality of contact areas causes a selective opening or closing of said corresponding main switch or of said plurality of additional switches.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said control circuit is configured so that: in case of a combined touching of two of the plurality of touch contact areas to a left of the plate, one of said plurality of additional switches is selectively activated, and in case of the combined touching of the two of the plurality of touch contact areas to a right of the plate, another one of said plurality of additional switches is selectively activated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a front view of a plate equipped with three contact areas, each corresponding to a main switch of an electrical circuit for supplying an electrical device.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an example of use of an electrical switch according to the invention, in which a fourth switch is actuated that corresponds to the power supply circuit of another electric device.

(3) FIGS. 3a and 3b show that additional functions may be activated by touching different combinations of the contact areas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a front view of the plate (P) equipped with three contact areas (1, 2, 3), each corresponding to a relative main switch of an electrical circuit for supplying an electrical device.

(5) Each of these main switches is capable of opening/closing the circuit connected to them for the activation/deactivation of a corresponding electrical device.

(6) FIG. 2 shows a practical application of the new invention, wherein placing the entire hand (M) near said plate (P) activates the fourth additional switch, in turn connected to a corresponding electric power supply circuit of an additional electrical device.

(7) In fact, by placing a hand (M) on said contact areas (1, 2, 3), two or more of the relative switches will be activated substantially simultaneously or in any case within a specified time interval.

(8) In this case the corresponding circuits will not be opened/closed, but rather the device of the invention will interpret the simultaneous touching of the contact zones (1, 2, 3) as a combination and therefore, an additional circuit will be opened/closed.

(9) In the case illustrated in FIG. 2, therefore, the combined contact with the contact areas (1, 2, 3) will not activate any of the three main switches connected to them, rather it will activate an additional switch of an additional electrical circuit that powers a different electrical device.

(10) Alternatively, the surface of the plate (P) outside said contact areas (1, 2, 3) may itself be a fourth contact area (4) for a fourth switch and where the combined touching of the hand on two or more points of said fourth contact zone (4) activate a relative switch of a fourth circuit.

(11) FIGS. 3a and 3b show how by touching different combinations of said contact areas (1, 2, 3) various corresponding additional functions may be activated.

(12) For example, touching the left contact zones (1, 2) (FIG. 3a) activates an additional function (A), while touching the right contact zones (2, 3) (FIG. 3b) activates a different additional function (B).

(13) In this case it will also be possible to combine further additional functions according to the varied duration of the contact.

(14) The main innovation of the present invention is the fact that the electronic control circuit of the new device is configured in such a way as to also be connected to two or more additional switches, and where the duration of said combined contact determines the selection of one of said additional switches.

(15) Said control circuit may also be configured so that the duration of the contact with only one of said contact areas determines the selective opening/closing of said main switch or of a further supplementary switch. For example, touching a certain zone for a duration within a certain time interval, opens/closes the main switch corresponding to that contact zone, while touching for a duration greater than said time interval, opens/closes an additional switch, different than said main switch.

(16) These are the schematic outlines which are sufficient for the expert in the art to carry out the invention, and as a result, in the practical application variants may be provided which do not affect the substance of the innovative concept disclosed herein.

(17) Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached drawings the following claims are expressed.