USER CONTROL DEVICE WITH CASE CONTAINING CIRCUIT BOARD EXTENDING INTO MOUNTING LOCATION

• US 20160327299A1
• Filed: 05/04/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ribbich, Michael L., Diptee, Vinosh C., Alvarez, Juan Guillermo, Bicudo, Felippe M., Douglass, Patricia Ellis, Ribbich, Joseph R., Cipolla, John Peter, Sinha, Sudhi, Verma, Amit, Nguyen, Hao A., Abdala, Julio A., Ribeiro, Claudio Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/146,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327299A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/50 characterised by user interfaces or communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A thermostat includes a housing having a base, a display mount cantilevered from the base, and a case defining an interior volume extending between a front surface and a rear surface, a touch-sensitive display configured to display visual media and receive user inputs, wherein the touch-sensitive display is attached to the display mount, processing electronics on a circuit board positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the case, wherein the processing electronics are configured to operate the touch-sensitive display, and a mounting bracket configured to attach to a mounting location, wherein the mounting bracket includes a frame defining an aperture and the case extends through the aperture so that the frame is located between the front and rear surfaces of the case.

Claims

1. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing, comprising;

a base;

a display mount cantilevered from the base; and

a case defining an interior volume extending between a front surface and a rear surface;

a touch-sensitive display configured to display visual media and receive user inputs, wherein the touch-sensitive display is attached to the display mount;

processing electronics on a circuit board positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the case, wherein the processing electronics are configured to operate the touch-sensitive display; and

a mounting bracket configured to attach to a mounting location, wherein the mounting bracket includes a frame defining an aperture and the case extends through the aperture so that the frame is located between the front and rear surfaces of the case.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the case is attached to the base and the case is attached to frame.

3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the mounting bracket further includes a second frame defining a second aperture and the case extends through the second aperture so that the second frame is located between the base and the rear surface of the case.

4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the case is attached to the second frame and the second frame is attached to the frame.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein the case is attached to the base by at least one threaded fastener, the case is attached to the frame by at least one threaded fastener, the case is attached to the second frame by at least one threaded fastener, and the second frame is attached to the frame by at least one snap-fit connection.

6. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the frame includes a first flange and the second frame includes a second flange spaced apart from the first flange by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the mounting location.

7. The thermostat of claim 6, wherein the first flange is configured to contact an inner surface of the mounting location.

8. The thermostat of claim 7, wherein the second flange is configured to contact an outer surface of the mounting location.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the base defines a base interior volume and the circuit board is positioned partially within the base interior volume.

10. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the base and the display mount are not opaque.

11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the touch-sensitive display is not opaque.

12. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to attach the housing to the mounting location.

13. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing, comprising;

a base;

a display mount; and

a case defining an interior volume extending between a front surface and a rear surface;

a touch-sensitive display configured to display visual media and receive user inputs, wherein the touch-sensitive display is attached to the display mount;

processing electronics on a circuit board positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the case, wherein the processing electronics are configured to operate the touch-sensitive display; and

a mounting bracket configured to attach to a mounting location, wherein the mounting bracket comprises;

a first frame defining a first aperture; and

a second frame defining a second aperture, wherein the case extends through the first aperture so that the first frame is located between the front and rear surfaces of the case and the second frame is located between the base and the rear surface of the case.

14. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the case is attached to the base, the case is attached to first frame, the case is attached to the second frame, and the first frame is attached to the second frame.

15. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the first frame includes a first flange and the second frame includes a second flange spaced apart from the first flange by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the mounting location.

16. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the first flange is configured to contact an inner surface of the mounting location.

17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the second flange is configured to contact an outer surface of the mounting location.

18. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the base defines a base interior volume and the circuit board is positioned partially within the base interior volume.

19. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the base and the display mount are not opaque.

20. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the touch-sensitive display is not opaque.

21. The thermostat of claim 13, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to attach the housing to the mounting location.

22. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing, comprising;

a base;

a display mount cantilevered from the base; and

a case defining an interior volume extending between a front surface and a rear surface;

a touch-sensitive display configured to display visual media and receive user inputs, wherein the touch-sensitive display is attached to the display mount;

processing electronics on a circuit board positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the case, wherein the processing electronics are configured to operate the touch-sensitive display; and

a plurality of mounting tabs pivotably coupled to the case, each mounting tab movable between a retracted position and an extended position where the mounting tab extends outward from the case;

wherein, with the mounting tabs in the retracted position, the case is configured to extend into an aperture in a mounting location; and

wherein, with the mounting tabs in the extended position, the mounting tabs are configured to contact an inner surface of the mounting location to attach the housing to the mounting location.