HVAC CONTROLLER WITH AIR FLOW BARRIER

• US 20150327375A1
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bick, Robert, Terlson, Brad, Takach, Eugene J., Emmons, David J., Stout, Mark E., Ekblad, Mark, Wolff, Steven L., Read, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/10 for surface mounting on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0004 comprising several parts forming a closed casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0018 having an electronic display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095

Abstract

A wall plate assembly for an HVAC controller may include a rear plate including an aperture extending through the rear plate and a front plate securable to the rear plate. In some cases, the front plate may have a recessed portion that is recessed back toward the rear plate and align with the aperture in the rear plate. An air flow barrier may be secured to the recessed portion of the front plate. The air flow barrier may include a barrier surface that covers a portion of the aperture formed in the recessed portion of the front plate to reduce air infiltration. The air flow barrier may include an air flow barrier aperture that is sized to accommodate wires passing through the aperture in the recessed portion of the front plate for connection to a wire connection block of the front plate.

Claims

1. A wall plate assembly for an HVAC Controller, the wall plate assembly having a front and a rear, the wall plate assembly comprising:

a rear plate;

a front plate securable to the rear plate with one or more electrical components situated between the front plate and the rear plate;

the rear plate including an aperture extending through the rear plate;

the front plate having a recessed portion that is recessed toward the rear plate, the recessed portion of the front plate is configured to align with the aperture in the rear plate, the recessed portion of the front plate including an aperture that is at least partially aligned with the aperture in the rear plate, the front plate further comprising;

a wire connection block accessible from the front of the wall plate assembly;

a connector accessible from the front of the wall plate assembly, the connector is configured to provide electrical signals between the wall plate assembly and an HVAC controller when the HVAC controller is connected to the wall plate assembly; and

an air flow barrier secured to the recessed portion of the front plate, the air flow barrier including a barrier surface that covers a portion of the aperture formed in the recessed portion of the front plate to reduce air infiltration into the HVAC controller and/or air exfiltration out of the HVAC controller, the air flow barrier further including an air flow barrier aperture that is sized to accommodate wires passing through the aperture in the recessed portion of the front plate and extending to the wire connection block of the front plate.

2. The wall plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the recessed portion includes a front facing surface facing towards the front of the wall plate assembly and a rear facing surface facing towards the rear of the wall plate assembly.

3. The wall plate assembly of claim 2, wherein the air flow barrier is secured to the rear facing surface of the recessed portion.

4. The wall plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the recessed portion of the front plate has an outline including a lower edge that is substantially straight.

5. The wall plate assembly of claim 4, wherein the air flow barrier includes a linear edge that is substantially aligned with the lower edge of the recessed portion of the front plate such that the air barrier surface aperture aligns with the aperture in the recessed portion.

6. The wall plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the air flow barrier comprises a polymeric sheet and is adhesively secured to the recessed portion of the front plate.

7. The wall plate assembly of claim 6, wherein the air flow barrier comprises a polyurethane sheet.

8. The wall plate assembly of claim 1, further comprising a foam layer disposed between the air flow barrier and a wall surface to which the wall plate assembly may be secured.

9. The wall plate assembly of claim 1, wherein the HVAC controller comprises a programmable thermostat.

10. A wall plate assembly for an HVAC controller, the wall plate assembly having a front and a rear, the wall plate assembly comprising:

a front side;

a back side, the back side of the wall plate assembly having one or more wall engaging regions for engaging a wall;

an aperture defined through an aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly, wherein the aperture defining region is spaced inward toward the front side from the one or more wall engaging regions of the back side of the wall plate assembly;

one or more wiring terminals accessible from the front side of the wall plate assembly for connecting one or more wires;

an electrical connector situated on the front side of the wall plate assembly that is configured to electrically connect to an electrical connector of an HVAC controller when the HVAC controller is secured to the wall plate assembly; and

an air flow barrier mechanically secured to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly and over the aperture in the wall plate assembly, the air flow barrier defining an air flow barrier aperture that is smaller than the aperture of the wall plate assembly and that at least partially overlaps the aperture of the wall plate assembly.

11. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier is adhesively secured to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly.

12. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier is sonic welded to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly.

13. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier is two-part injection molded with the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly.

14. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier comprises polyurethane.

15. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier comprises Mylar.

16. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the air flow barrier comprises a flexible and resilient material.

17. An HVAC controller assembly, comprising:

an HVAC controller, the HVAC controller including an electrical connector;

a wall plate assembly having a front side and a back side, wherein the HVAC controller assembly is releasably securable to the wall plate assembly with the electrical connector of the HVAC controller facing the front side of the wall plate assembly, the wall plate assembly comprising;

the back side of the wall plate assembly having one or more wall engaging regions for engaging a wall;

an aperture defined through an aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly, wherein the aperture defining region is spaced inward from the one or more wall engaging regions of the back side of the wall plate assembly toward the front side;

one or more wiring terminals accessible from the front side of the wall plate assembly for connecting one or more wires;

an electrical connector situated on the front side of the wall plate assembly that is configured to electrically connect to the electrical connector of the HVAC controller when the HVAC controller is secured to the wall plate assembly; and

an air flow barrier mechanically secured to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly and over the aperture in the wall plate assembly, the air flow barrier defining an air flow barrier aperture that is smaller than the aperture of the wall plate assembly and that at least partially overlaps the aperture of the wall plate assembly.

18. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 17, wherein the air flow barrier is adhesively secured to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly.

19. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 17, wherein the air flow barrier is sonic welded to the aperture defining region of the wall plate assembly.

20. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 17, wherein the air flow barrier comprises a flexible and resilient material.