HVAC CONTROLLER WITH SIDE REMOVABLE BATTERY HOLDER

• US 20060172182A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Meyers, Paul, Barton, Eric J., Kalla, Arnie P., Leen, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/96
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An HVAC controller includes an HVAC controller housing having an aperture and a removable battery tray disposed within the aperture. The removable battery tray includes a pivot point for rotating the battery tray into and out of the aperture.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller comprising:

an HVAC controller housing having an aperture; and

a removable battery tray disposed within the aperture, the battery tray including a pivot point in contact with the HVAC controller.

2. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 further comprising a battery disposed within the removable battery tray.

3. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the removable battery tray forms an integral surface with the HVAC controller housing.

4. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the removable battery tray comprises gripping means.

5. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the HVAC controller comprises a pivot point mating member arranged and configured to mate with the removable battery tray pivot point.

6. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the removable battery tray comprises a latch member.

7. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the HVAC controller comprises a latch mating member arranged and configured to mate with the battery tray latch member.

8. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the battery tray latch member further comprises gripping means.

9. An HVAC controller according to claim 2 wherein the battery is selectively electrically coupled to a circuit board disposed in the controller housing.

10. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the HVAC controller is a thermostat.

11. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the battery tray pivot point is disposed on a first side of the battery tray and the latch member is disposed on an opposing second side of the tray.

12. An HVAC controller according to claim 11 wherein the battery tray further comprises a shoulder disposed on the first side of the battery tray and the controller housing can include a shoulder mating slot sized and configured to mate with the battery tray shoulder.

13. A method of replacing a battery in an HVAC controller comprising steps of:

removing a battery tray disposed within an aperture in an HVAC controller housing by at least initially rotating the battery tray away from the HVAC controller housing;

removing a battery from the battery tray;

placing a second battery in the battery tray; and

placing a portion of the battery tray in the aperture and rotating the battery tray toward the HVAC controller housing.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the removing a battery tray step further comprises deflecting a latch disposed on the battery tray to release the battery tray from the HVAC controller housing.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the removing a battery tray step comprises removing a battery tray disposed within an aperture in an HVAC controller housing by rotating the battery tray about a pivot point.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the removing a battery tray step comprises removing a battery tray disposed within an aperture in an HVAC controller housing by at least initially rotating the battery tray 10 to 90 degrees about a pivot point.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein the removing a battery tray step comprises removing a battery tray disposed within an aperture in an HVAC controller housing by at least initially rotating the battery tray 10 to 90 degrees about a pivot point and then lifting the battery tray out of the aperture.

18. An HVAC controller comprising:

an HVAC controller housing having a front surface and a side surface, the front surface comprising a display and the side surface comprising an aperture; and

a battery tray removably disposed within the aperture, the battery tray comprising a pivot point for at least initially rotating the battery tray into the aperture.

19. An HVAC controller according to claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the removable battery tray forms an integral surface with the HVAC controller housing side surface.

20. An HVAC controller according to claim 18 wherein the removable battery tray comprises a latch member.

21. An HVAC controller according to claim 20 wherein the battery tray pivot point is disposed on a first side of the battery tray and the latch member is disposed on an opposing second side of the tray.

22. An HVAC controller according to claim 18 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

23. An HVAC controller comprising:

an HVAC controller housing having a front surface, a side surface and a rear surface, the side surface comprising a battery tray aperture, and the rear surface comprising a battery access aperture; and

a battery tray removably disposed within the aperture.

24. An HVAC controller according to claim 23 wherein the front surface comprises a display and the display is a liquid crystal display.

25. An HVAC controller according to claim 23 wherein the battery access aperture is sized for insertion and removal of a battery into and out of the battery tray while the battery tray is disposed within the HVAC controller housing aperture.

26. An HVAC controller according to claim 23 wherein the battery tray further comprises a pivot point for at least initially rotating the battery tray out of the aperture.

27. An HVAC controller according to claim 23 wherein the battery access aperture is sized to correspond with the battery tray.