Electrical / electronic switching device, network and arrangement

Abstract

Disclosed is an electrical / electronic switching device S of building installation technology, for example a switch or button for controlling a light or blind, for installation in an installation box D, comprising an interface by means of which at least one actuator can be controlled according to an actuation of an actuating element B of a top part O of the electrical / electronic switching device S.A special characteristic is that the electrical / electronic switching device S comprises at least one bistable relay BR, which exerts a force to influence the actuating element B, in particular to move it, wherein the bistable relay BR has a mechanical switch SW that moves when switching and is operatively connected to the actuating element B via a driver M, wherein the electrical / electronic switching device S comprises a bidirectional communication unit FS, which on the one hand enables remote control of the electrical / electronic switching device S via an end device and on the other hand reports the state of the bistable relay or another connected actuator to an end device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical / electronic switching device for building installation technology, for example a switch or button for controlling a light or blind, for installation in a junction box, comprising an interface by means of which at least one actuator can be controlled according to an actuation of an actuating element of a top part of the electrical / electronic switching device.

[0002] The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising an actuator and such an electrical / electronic switching device.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a network comprising at least one first and one second such electrical / electronic switching device.

[0004] Electrical / electronic switching devices used in building installation technology, such as a switch or push button for controlling a light or blind, are typically designed for installation in a junction box. These electrical / electronic switching devices have an interface by which at least one actuator can be controlled by the actuation of an operating element on the upper part of the electrical / electronic switching device.

[0005] In this case, the user operates the actuator, for example a rocker switch, to control an actuator, such as a light or blind. With a switch, a subgroup of electrical / electronic switching devices, the actuator or upper part remains in the position selected by the local operation. Any kind of adjustment of the actuator (besides the aforementioned local operation) is not possible, especially not a compact and cost-effective solution.

[0006] In the case of a push button, another subgroup of electrical / electronic switching devices, the actuating element or upper part springs back to its original position after being actuated locally. Any kind of adjustment of the actuating element (besides the aforementioned local actuation) is not possible.

[0007] If it is a so-called smart switch or button, which, for example, enables remote control via communication unit and terminal device, the actuator is indeed controlled; however, the actuating element also remains in its position as if no actuation had taken place.

[0008] Furthermore, there are smart buttons that require a center position due to the lack of tracking of the actuating element as a result of a remote control.

[0009] Based on this discussed state of the art, the invention aims to create an electrical / electronic switching device for building installation technology, for example a switch or button for controlling a light or blind, in which the actuating element can be adjusted without having to perform any on-site operation, in a compact and cost-effective manner.

[0010] This problem is solved by an electrical / electronic switching device of the type mentioned above for building installation technology with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments result from the dependent claims and the description.

[0011] A key concept of the invention is that the electrical / electronic switching device for building installation technology according to the invention comprises at least one bistable relay which exerts a force transmitted by means of a driver to influence the actuating element, in particular to move it. The resulting mechanical coupling (via the driver) between the bistable relay and the actuating element makes the actuating element adjustable, even without physical actuation. This allows existing bistable relays with a corresponding mechanical switch to be used, requiring only the driver to be adapted with regard to its form factor, thus keeping the production costs of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention particularly low.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the invention, no standby power is consumed if the switching state is to be communicated (since this is already clearly conveyed visually by the position of the actuating element, as the invention achieves a correlation between the switching state and the position of the actuating element), because the bistable relay is self-holding when de-energized. Moreover, a bistable relay is cost-effective and compact, so that the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention can also be manufactured cost-effectively and integrated into a junction box.

[0013] The electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention has a bidirectional communication unit that, on the one hand, enables remote control of the electrical / electronic switching device via an end device and, on the other hand, reports the state of the bistable relay or another connected actuator to an end device. This ensures that, following remote control via an application on an end device, the actuating element changes its position due to the force of the bistable relay, and the corresponding position is also communicated to the end device.

[0014] In different embodiments of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention, the switch is a rotary switch, a toggle switch, or a linear slide switch. This allows different movements to be transmitted to a control element or to an upper part, for example, a rotation or a tilting motion.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention, it operates as a push button, with the actuating element or the upper part returning to its original position after actuation. The inventive influence on the actuating element or the upper part is cleverly used to generate push-button behavior. This may be desirable, for example, for haptic or aesthetic reasons. In this embodiment, it is particularly preferred if the operating mode as a push button or switch can be selected by the user. This provides the user with advantageous configuration freedom, which is especially beneficial in the case of retrofitting, for example, when retrofitting a dimmer that is regularly operated with a push button.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention, the upper part is stationary and has an axis for coupling the actuating element. This allows the stationary, i.e., static, upper part to provide more installation space compared to an upper part that moves during actuation, in order to utilize this space for the bidirectional communication unit, i.e., to place the radio frequency (RF) in the upper part, thus improving the reception or transmission quality in the case of radio communication.

[0017] The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising an actuator and such an electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention, wherein the bistable relay of the electrical / electronic switching device is used not only to move the actuating element or the upper part, but also to switch the actuator. This allows the relay function to be used twice in a particularly clever and efficient manner, for example, to switch a light electronically. This again contributes to the aspect of cost minimization.

[0018] Furthermore, the invention relates to a network comprising at least one first and one second electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention with a bidirectional communication unit, wherein, upon actuation of the first electrical / electronic switching device, the bidirectional communication unit sends a message to the bidirectional communication unit of the second electrical / electronic switching device, as a result of which the actuating element or the upper part of the second electrical / electronic switching device assumes a specific position. Such synchronization is particularly advantageous in applications of classic two-way switching circuits, for example in corridors.

[0019] Furthermore, the invention relates to a network comprising an actuator and at least two electrical / electronic switching devices, wherein the wiring corresponds to a standard installation, in particular a two-way or cross-connection, and as a result of actuation of the first electrical / electronic switching device, the actuating element or the upper part of the second electrical / electronic switching device assumes a position, so that the installation is particularly intuitive, quick and easy.

[0020] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures and various exemplary embodiments. The figures show: Fig. 1: A schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention in a first position, and Fig. 2: a schematic cross-sectional representation of the electrical / electronic switching device according to the invention in a second position.

[0021] In the various figures, identical parts are always marked with the same reference symbols and are therefore usually only named or mentioned once.

[0022] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical / electronic switching device S according to the invention in a first position. Such an electrical / electronic switching device S, for example a switch or push button for controlling a light or blind, is installed in a junction box D via adjustment means EM and expanding claws K. The electrical / electronic switching device S comprises an interface by means of which at least one actuator can be controlled by actuating an actuating element B of a top part O of the electrical / electronic switching device S. A particular feature is that the electrical / electronic switching device S comprises at least one bistable relay BR, which exerts a force to influence the actuating element B, in particular to move it. For the purposes of the invention, the bistable relay BR is considered a common special case of a multistable relay.In principle, the concept according to the invention, which is claimed here using a bistable relay BR (preferred because it is particularly widespread), can also be generalized to multistable relays.

[0023] The bistable relay BR has a mechanical switch SW that moves during switching and is operatively connected to the actuating element B or the upper part O via a driver M. The mechanical switch SW is designed as a linear slide switch, which is a standard feature of commercially available bistable relays BR.

[0024] Figure 2Figure 1 shows the electrical / electronic switching device S according to the invention in a second position, which differs from the first position. It is evident that the actuator M and the switch position of the linear slide switch have changed. The bidirectional communication unit FS allows, on the one hand, remote control of the electrical / electronic switching device S via an end device (specifically by adjusting the upper part or the actuating element) and, on the other hand, enables the state of the bistable relay BR or another connected actuator to be reported to an end device, so that the user can also see the status.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment shown, the upper part O is stationary and has an axis A for coupling the actuating element B.

[0026] The invention is described with reference to exemplary embodiments. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, numerous further possibilities for implementation would arise for a person skilled in the art, without the need to explain these in detail within the scope of these explanations. Reference symbol list

[0027] A-axis B-actuator BR-bistable relay D-installation box EM-adjusting device M-adjusting device FS-bidirectional communication unit K-spreading claw M-driver O-top S-electrical / electronic switching device SW-mechanical switch

Claims

1. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) of building installation technology, for example a switch or push button for controlling a light or blind, for installation in a junction box (D), comprising an interface by means of which at least one actuator can be controlled according to an actuation of an actuating element (B) of a top part (O) of the electrical / electronic switching device (S), characterized by the fact thatThe electrical / electronic switching device (S) comprises at least one bistable relay (BR) which exerts a force to influence the actuating element (B), in particular to move it, wherein the bistable relay (BR) has a mechanical switch (SW) which moves when switching and is operatively connected to the actuating element (B) via a driver (M), wherein the electrical / electronic switching device (S) comprises a bidirectional communication unit (FS) which on the one hand enables remote control of the electrical / electronic switching device (S) via an end device and on the other hand reports the state of the bistable relay or another connected actuator to an end device.

2. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that The switch (SW) is a linear slide switch.

3. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that The switch (SW) is a rotary switch.

4. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the switch (SW) is a toggle switch.

5. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that it operates as a push button, whereby the actuating element (B) returns to its original position after being actuated.

6. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that The operating mode can be selected by a user, especially an installer, as a push button or switch.

7. Electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that the upper part (O) is stationary and has an axis (A) for coupling the actuating element (B).

8. Arrangement comprising an actuator (A) and an electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact thatThe bistable relay (BR) of the electrical / electronic switching device (S) is used not only to move the actuating element (B), but also to switch the actuator (A).

9. Network comprising at least one first and one second electrical / electronic switching device (S) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact that The bidirectional communication unit (FS) sends a message to the bidirectional communication unit (FS) of the second electrical / electronic switching device (S) when the first electrical / electronic switching device (S) is actuated, as a result of which the actuating element (B) of the second electrical / electronic switching device (S) assumes a position.

10. Network comprising an actuator (A) and at least two electrical / electronic switching devices (S) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact thatthe wiring corresponds to a standard installation, in particular a two-way or cross-connection with neutral conductor, and as a result of actuation of the first electrical / electronic switching device (S) the actuating element (B) of the second electrical / electronic switching device (S) assumes a position so that the installation is particularly intuitive, quick and easy.

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