WALL MOUNT ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER

• US 20080151458A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Houde, Francois, Beland, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/114
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

An electronic controller that is adapted to cooperate with a decorative wall plate is provided. In one illustrative embodiment, the electronic controller may be adapted to be mounted in a junction box, with a user interface having a shape and size to fit within one or more apertures in a wall plate. The wall plate may be secured relative to the electronic controller and/or junction box such that the user interface extends at least partially through the one or more aperture in the wall plate.

Claims

1. An electronic controller, comprising:

a display panel; and

a control panel arranged alongside the display panel;

wherein the display panel and the control panel form one or more projections that are adapted to extend at least partially into one or more corresponding apertures in a wall plate.

2. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the display panel is adapted to extend at least partially into a first aperture in the wall plate and the control panel is adapted to extend at least partially into a second aperture spaced from the first aperture.

3. The electronic controller of claim 1, further comprising a housing having a front surface, wherein the display panel and the control panel each extending out from the front surface of the housing a distance of about 5 to about 10 millimeters.

4. The electronic controller of claim 3, wherein the housing is configured to fit within a wall-mounted junction box having at least a first gang and a second gang.

5. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a length of about 60 to about 80 millimeters and a width of about 30 to about 40 millimeters.

6. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the control panel has a length of about 60 to about 80 millimeters and a width of about 30 to about 40 millimeters.

7. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the display panel and the control panel are spaced apart a distance of about 10 to about 20 millimeters.

8. The electronic controller of claim 7, further comprising an external sensor connection disposed between the display panel and the control panel.

9. The electronic controller of claim 1, adapted to control an in floor heating system.

10. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a viewable area that is at least about 75 percent of an area of a first aperture of a decorative wall plate.

11. The electronic controller of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a viewable area that is at least about 90 percent of an area of a first aperture of a decorative wall plate.

12. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing having a front surface;

a display panel extending out from the front surface forming a first projection; and

a control panel extending out from the front surface forming a second projection;

wherein the display panel is spaced from the control panel.

13. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein the display panel is substantially rectangular and has a substantially vertical major dimension.

14. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the display panel comprises an LCD display.

15. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein the control panel is substantially rectangular and has a substantially vertical major dimension.

16. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the control panel comprises a control panel surface and one or more control fixtures disposed on the control panel surface.

17. A thermostat assembly, comprising:

a thermostat comprising;

a housing having a front surface;

a display panel extending out from the front surface;

a control panel extending out from the front surface; and

a wall plate having a first gang aperture and a second gang aperture;

wherein the wall plate is secured to the housing such that the display panel extends at least partially into the first gang aperture and the control panel extends at least partially into the second gang aperture.

18. The thermostat assembly of claim 17, wherein the housing is configured to be secured to a junction box.

19. The thermostat assembly of claim 17, wherein the housing comprises mounting tabs configured to be secured to a junction box having at least two gangs.

20. The thermostat assembly of claim 19, wherein the mounting tabs comprise apertures that accommodate screws mounting the housing to the junction box.

21. The thermostat assembly of claim 20, wherein the mounting tabs further comprise threaded apertures that accommodate screws mounting the wall plate to the housing.

22. The thermostat assembly of claim 17, wherein the wall plate further comprises a third gang aperture adapted for receiving another electrical device.

23. The thermostat assembly of claim 17, wherein the first gang aperture has a length of about 66 to about 67 millimeters and a width of about 33 to about 34 millimeters.

24. The thermostat assembly of claim 17, wherein the second gang aperture has a length of about 66 to about 67 millimeters and a width of about 33 to about 34 millimeters.

25. A thermostat assembly, comprising:

a thermostat comprising;

a housing having a front surface;

a touch screen display panel extending out from the front surface forming a projection;

a wall plate having an aperture that is adapted to extend across at least part of two gangs of a two or more gang junction box; and

wherein the touch screen display panel is adapted to extend at least partially into the aperture of the wall plate when the wall plate is secured relative to the housing.

26. A thermostat assembly, comprising:

a thermostat comprising a projection, the projection comprising a display panel portion and a control panel portion; and

a wall plate having a single gang aperture;

wherein the wall plate is secured relative to the thermostat such that the projection extends at least partially into the single gang aperture.

27. The thermostat assembly of claim 26, wherein the wall plate is screwed to the thermostat.

28. The thermostat assembly of claim 26, wherein the thermostat is configured to be screwed to a junction box.