WALL MOUNTED CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY

• US 20080013259A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Barton, Eric J., Li, Run Qing
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members

Abstract

Controller assemblies including a control unit releasably supported to a mounting plate are disclosed. An illustrative controller assembly can include a mounting plate and a control unit that can be attached together via a number of latching mechanisms and corresponding mating recesses. Each latching mechanism can include a bendable latch and a latch shroud, which together are adapted to fit within a clearance area of the mating recess. The control unit can be removed from the mounting plate by rotating the control unit away from the mounting plate via a finger grip located along an edge of the assembly. The latching mechanisms can be configured to permit the staged removal of the control unit, reducing the force required to remove the control unit from the mounting plate.

Claims

1. A controller assembly, comprising:

a mounting plate including a plate body having a mounting side, a non-mounting side, an upper edge, and a lower edge, said mounting plate defining a number of latching mechanisms at least one of which includes a bendable latch disposed adjacent to a latch shroud having a chamfered or grooved edge;

a socket connector defining a number of socket inlets;

a control unit releasably attachable to the mounting plate and including an upper edge and a lower edge; and

a number of connector pins each adapted to engage a corresponding socket inlet of the socket connector.

2. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein a lower lateral edge of the controller assembly defines a finger grip.

3. The controller assembly of claim 2, wherein the finger grip comprises an inset portion of the controller assembly including a first recessed section along the lower edge of the mounting plate and a second recessed section along the lower edge of the control unit.

4. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein said number of latching mechanisms comprises:

one or more upper latching mechanisms each including an upper latch disposed adjacent to an upper latch shroud; and

one or more lower latching mechanisms each including a lower latch disposed adjacent to a lower latch shroud.

5. The controller assembly of claim 4, wherein the lower latching mechanisms and upper latching mechanisms are configured to permit the staged disassembly of the control unit from the mounting plate.

6. The controller assembly of claim 4, wherein the profile of the upper latch shrouds is different than the profile of the lower latch shrouds.

7. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the control unit includes a number of mating recesses each defining a clearance area adapted to receive a corresponding latching mechanism therein.

8. The controller assembly of claim 7, wherein each mating recess includes a mating surface adapted to releasably secure to the bendable latch.

9. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein detachment of the control unit from the mounting plate is accomplished by rotating the control unit away from the mounting plate.

10. The controller assembly of claim 9, wherein assembly of the control unit to the mounting plate is accomplished in a substantially straight manner normal to the mounting plate.

11. The controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the socket connector is located on a lower portion of the mounting plate adjacent to the lower edge thereof.

12. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector pins are surface mounted to the printed circuit board.

13. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the socket connector is a terminal block.

14. The controller assembly of claim 1, wherein the control unit is a thermostat.

15. A controller assembly, comprising:

a mounting plate including a plate body having a mounting side, a non-mounting side, an upper edge, and a lower edge, said mounting plate defining a number of upper latching mechanisms and a number of lower latching mechanisms, at least one of said upper and lower latching mechanisms including a bendable latch disposed adjacent to a latch shroud;

a socket connector coupled to the mounting plate, the socket connector defining a number of socket inlets;

a control unit releasably attachable to the mounting plate and including an upper edge, a lower edge, and a rear; and

a circuit board including a number of connector pins extending outwardly from the rear of the control unit, each connector pin adapted to engage a corresponding socket inlet of the socket connector.

16. A controller assembly, comprising:

a mounting plate including a plate body having a mounting side, a non-mounting side, an upper edge, and a lower edge, said mounting plate defining a number of upper latching mechanisms and a number of lower latching mechanisms, at least one of said upper and lower latching mechanisms including a bendable latch disposed adjacent to a latch shroud;

a socket connector defining a number of socket inlets;

a control unit releasably attachable to the mounting plate and including an upper edge and a lower edge; and

a number of connector pins each adapted to engage a corresponding socket inlet of the socket connector;

wherein said upper and lower latching mechanisms are configured to permit the control unit to be rotated away from the mounting plate during disassembly, and the control unit to be engaged against the mounting plate in a substantially straight manner normal to the mounting plate during assembly.

17. A mounting plate for mounting a controller to a support panel, the mounting plate comprising:

a plate body having a mounting side, a non-mounting side, a first edge, and a second edge opposite the first edge, said mounting plate defining a first number of latching mechanisms adjacent to the first edge of the plate body and a second number of latching mechanisms adjacent to the second edge of the plate body, at least one of said first and second latching mechanisms including a bendable latch adjacent to a latch shroud having a chamfered or grooved edge; and

a socket connector coupled to the plate body and defining a number of socket inlets.

18. The mounting plate of claim 17, wherein the profile of the latch shrouds of said first number of latching mechanisms is different than the profile of the latch shrouds of said second number of latching mechanisms.

19. The mounting plate of claim 17, wherein the socket connector is a terminal block.

20. The mounting plate of claim 17, wherein the plate body includes a recessed section along one of said first and second mounting plate edges, said recessed section adapted to align with a recessed section on the controller.