HVAC CONTROLLER

• US 20070084941A1
• Filed: 10/09/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Mark, Smets, Antonius, Oberdorf, Joseph, de Pauw, Jurianus
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/94
• 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19274 torque responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20636 Detents

Abstract

An HVAC controller with a simplified and/or lower cost user interface. In one illustrative embodiment, the HVAC controller includes two switches, a movable member, and a plurality of detents. The detents are configured to cause the two switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved. In some cases, a controller is coupled to the two switches, and may change an HVAC control parameter based on the switch sequence.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller, comprising:

a controller housing having a front face with a central region;

a movable interface member disposed around at least part of the central region of the front face of the controller housing and forming part of the front face of the controller housing; and

the movable interface member adapted to move relative to the central region of the front face of the controller housing.

2. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member is annular in shape and extends around the central region of the front face of the controller housing.

3. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, further comprising a display in the central region of the front face of the controller housing.

4. The HVAC controller according to claim 3, wherein the movable interface member is rotatable about the display.

5. The HVAC controller according to claim 3, wherein rotation of the movable interface member modifies information shown on the display.

6. The HVAC controller according to claim 3, wherein a value of a first parameter of the controller is initially displayed on the display, and rotation of the movable interface member causes a value of a second parameter to be displayed on the display.

7. The HVAC controller according to claim 6, wherein continued rotation of the movable interface member causes the value of the displayed second parameter to be changed.

8. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member is removable from the HVAC controller.

9. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member is rotatable in both a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction.

10. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member is rotatable over a plurality of detents.

11. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a number of parameters, and rotation of the movable interface member relative to the central region of the front face of the controller housing selects one or more of the parameters.

12. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a number of parameters, and rotation of the movable interface member relative to the central region of the front face of the controller housing changes a value of one or more of the parameters.

13. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member is formed of a rigid thermoplastic material.

14. The HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the movable interface member has a hole extending therethrough, and a portion of the central region of the front face of the controller housing extends at least partially into the hole.

15. The HVAC controller according to claim 14, wherein the portion of the central region of the front face of the controller housing that extends at least partially into the hole in the movable interface member includes a user interface that is visible to a user of the HVAC controller.

16. The HVAC controller according to claim 15, wherein the user interface includes a button.

17. The HVAC controller according to claim 16, wherein the user interface includes a back light button.

18. The HVAC controller according to claim 15, wherein the user interface includes a display.

19. An HVAC controller comprising:

a controller housing having a front face with a central region; and

an annular shaped movable interface member disposed around at least part of the central region of the front face of the controller housing, and forming part of the front face of the controller housing, wherein the movable interface member moves relative to the central region of the front face of the controller housing, wherein movement of the movable interface member can be used to adjust one or more operating parameters of the HVAC controller.

20. The HVAC controller of claim 19, further comprising a display on the front face of the controller within the central region.

21. An HVAC controller comprising:

a controller housing having a front face with a central region;

a display disposed in the central region; and

a rotatable interface member extending around the central region of the controller housing, the rotatable interface member being rotatable relative to the central region, wherein rotation of the movable interface member can be used to select and/or adjust one or more operating parameters of the HVAC controller.