Clock with programmable actuator means

United States Patent m

Nilssen

til] Patent Number: 4,645,942 [45] Date of Patent: Feb. 24,1987

[54] CLOCK WITH PROGRAMMABLE ACTUATOR MEANS

[76] Inventor: Ole K. Nilssen, Caesar Dr., Barrington, 111. 60010

[21] Appl. No.: 719,723

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1985

[51] Int. CI." H01H 7/16

[52] U.S. CI 307/140; 307/126;

315/360

[58] Field of Search 307/119, 126, 134, 140,

307/141, 149, 150; 368/246, 256, 258, 259, 10;

315/360

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,878,345 4/1975 Hauser 307/141 X

3,949,241 4/1976 Maute 307/141

3,985,982 10/1976 Schneidinger 200/28 A X

4,002,925 1/1977 Monahan 315/360 X

4,570,216 2/1986 Chan 307/140 X

Primary Examiner—William M. Shoop, Jr.

Assistant Examiner—Bentsu Ro

[57] ABSTRACT

A programmable quartz clock has an actuator means operable to engage with and to actuate a control lever of a mechanically actuatable entity, such as a slide switch or a wall switch, thereby to effect programmed actuation of this entity.

The clock comprises a small battery, a miniature electric motor with a gear/linkage mechanism operable to engage with and to move said lever, integrated circuit means, a quartz element, numeric display means, and programming means receptive of programming instructions by way of programming input keys.

Once programmed by way of the input keys, the clock is operative to cause the electric motor to operate in such manner as to move the control lever in accordance with the keyed-in program. In its anticipated most common operating mode, which includes an average total of six actuations per day, the small battery will last for years before needing replacement.

29 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures

CLOCK WITH PROGRAMMABLE ACTUATOR
MEANS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a programmable quartz clock comprising actuator means operable to programmably actuate a mechanically actuatable entity, Jq

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Brief Description

In its preferred embodiment, subject invention constitutes a programmable quartz clock with an actuator 15 means operable to engage with and to programmably actuate a control lever of a mechanically actuatable switch means, such as a toggle switch or a slide switch. Also, the clock has means to facilitate easy mounting thereonto of such a switch means. 20

The clock comprises a small center-tapped battery, a miniature electric motor with a gear/linkage mechanism operable to engage with and to move said control lever to any desired specific position between its extreme fully-ON and fully-OFF positions, integrated 25 circuit means, a quartz element, numeric display means, and programming means receptive of programming instruction by way of programming input keys.

Once programmed by way of the programming input keys, the clock is operative to control the electric motor 30 in such manner as to move the control lever between different specific positions in accordance with the keyed-in program. In its anticipated most common operating mode, which includes a total of six actuations per day, the small battery will last for years before 35 needing replacement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the clock in two perspective views; FIG. la shows a view predominantly from the rear; and 40 FIG. lb shows a view predominantly from the front.

FIG. 2 represents a mainly frontal perspective view of a toggle switch combined with a mounting base, with the switch control lever protruding through an aperture in this mounting base and with this mounting base hav- 45 ing a power cord with a power plug and a receptacle means adapted to accept a power plug.

FIG. 3 shows the clock as mounted over the control lever on the front of the mounting base.

FIG. 4 represents a front view of the key components 50 comprised within the clock.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT

FIG. la shows a view predominantly from the rear of the clock C. Positioned substantially in the middle of the rear surface RS is a rear opening RO operable to receive a lever from an entity to be mechanically controlled. 60

Adhesive mounting tape AMT is positioned on the back surface of clock C in a substantially rectangular fashion centered around rear opening RO.

FIG. lb shows a view predominantly from the front of the clock. Positioned near the top of the front surface 65 is a numeric display means NDM, below which—positioned approximately in the center of the front surface—is a pair of relatively large-size program over-ride

keys PORK1 and PORK2. Near the bottom of the front surface is a set of nine calculator-type programming keys PK1 to PK9.

FIG. 2 shows a mainly frontal perspective view of a mounting base MB having a front surface FS. Approximately in the middle of this front surface is an aperture through which protrudes the control lever CL of a toggle switch TS, as shown in phantom. A power cord PC with a power plug PP connects the mounting base with an ordinary wall-mounted household electric power receptacle HEPR. Inside the mounting base, as shown in phantom, the first conductor of the power cord is directly connected with the first terminal of a controlled electric power receptacle CEPR, which receptacle is an integral part of mounting base MB. The second conductor of the power cord is connected to the first terminal of a two-pole single-throw toggle switch TS. The second terminal of switch TS is connected with the second terminal of receptacle CEPR. A load means LM is plugged into receptacle CEPR.

FIG. 3 shows clock C mounted on mounting base MB, being fastened right onto front surface FS by way of adhesive mounting tape AMT.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic frontal view of the inside of clock C as mounted onto mounting base MB. Control lever CL, which protrudes through rear opening RO, is shown in its fully-ON position.

Surrounding the rear opening and fastened onto rear surface RS of the clock is a rectangular support frame SF. A first shaft SI with notched pulleys NPla and NPlb is supported by this frame near its upper extremity; a second shaft S2 with notched pulleys NP2a and NP2b is supported by this frame near its lower extremity. Both of these shafts are free to rotate, but are not free to move in any other respects.

A small notched endless belt NEBa connects pulley NPla with pulley NP2a; and a small notched endless belt NEBb similarly connects pulley NPlb with pulley NP2b. Symmetrically fastened onto both of these endless belts is an actuator frame AF; which frame is so made and positioned as to embrace control lever CL. As the actuator frame AF moves, it slides on support frame SF.

Shaft S2 has an extension onto which is mounted a first large gear LG1. An auxiliary shaft AS is rotatably mounted between two auxiliary posts APa and APb; which posts are fastened to the rear surface RS. Mounted onto this auxiliary shaft is a second large gear LG2 and a first small gear SGI. This first small gear SGI is engaged with the first large gear LG1.

Also mounted onto an extension of this auxiliary shaft AS is an eccentric means EM that operates a preferably bistable switch means SM once for each complete revolution of shaft AS. This switch means has two terminals, both of which are connected with an integrated circuit IC.

A small DC motor DCM is mounted on rear surface RS. On the output shaft OS of this DC motor is mounted a second small gear SG2. This second small gear SG2 is engaged with the second large gear LG2. The DC motor has two electrical power input terminals MIT1 and MIT2.

A first battery Ba is positioned on the left hand side of rear surface RS; and a second battery Bb is positioned on the right hand side of rear surface RS. Battery Ba has a Ba— terminal and a Ba+ terminal, with the Ba— terminal being of negative polarity with respect to the