Thermostat assembly

• US 4,235,368 A
• Filed: 08/27/1979
• Issued: 11/25/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Neel, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/070,220
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 236/68 B, 236/DIG. 19, 236/1 C, 236/1 R, 236/94, 236/46 R, 337/380, 337/381, 337/376, 339/17 CF, 200/302, 200/5 A
• US Class Current: 236/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence

Abstract

A programmable thermostat features a memory unit receptive of unit values of temperature desired at different times on different days all individually or in various combinations both as to days and times. An output device signals a temperature control system. As controlled by a clock, the memory unit is addressed during different times of the different days to provide a signal representing the corresponding value desired. Existing temperature level is sensed and compared with each value so as to develop an error signal. In response to that error signal, the output is operated in a direction to reduce the difference between actual and desired temperatures. Numerous details as to layout, construction and circuitry are presented.

Claims

1. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable to a wall surface and having means for removably securing said assembly latchably thereto in a fixed position fully juxtaposed therewith;

a plurality of electrical contact pads mounted in one to face the other of said assembly and said plate;

a plurality of resilient electrical contact fingers mounted in the other of said assembly and said plate and aligned to mate and slide into contacting engagement with said pads as said assembly and said plate are secured together;

means for coupling one of said pads and said fingers to said external device;

and means for coupling the other of said pads and said fingers to said circuit unit.

2. A thermostat assembly as defined in claim 1 in which each of said contact fingers is a portion of a strip another integral portion of which defines a bend continuing re-entrantly into a leg generally disposed alongside and co-extensive width the finger.

3. A thermostat assembly as defined in claim 2 in which each of said fingers is bent intermediate its length to define a crease facing away from said leg and engageable with a corresponding one of said pads.

4. A thermostat assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said assembly includes a panel in which is defined an opening through said which said contact fingers extend.

5. A thermostat assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said circuit unit includes a substrate disposed inside said opening and on which said contact pads are disposed, said contact fingers being carried by said plate.

6. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable to a wall surface and having means for removably securing said assembly thereto;

a plurality of electrical contact pads mounted to one of said assembly and said plate;

a plurality of resilient electrical contact fingers mounted in the other of said assembly and said plate and aligned to mate with said pads when said assembly and said plate are secured together;

means for coupling one of said pads and said fingers to said external device;

means for coupling the other of said pads and said fingers to said circuit unit;

each of said contact fingers being a portion of a strip another integral portion of which defines a bend continuing re-entrantly along a leg disposed generally alongside the finger;

each of said fingers being bent intermediate its length to define a crease facing away from said leg and engageable with a corresponding one of said pads;

each of said fingers also being bent intermediate said crease and its free end to define an end portion normally diverging away from said leg but matable against the free end portion of said leg upon flexure of the finger toward the leg.

7. A thermostat assembly as defined in claim 6 in which a contact button is formed in said free end portion of said leg facing said end portion of said finger.

8. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable to a wall surface and having means for removably securing said assembly thereto;

a plurality of electrical contact pads mounted in one of said assembly and said plate;

a plurality of resilient electrical contact fingers mounted in the other of said assembly and said plate and aligned to mate with said pads when said assembly and said plate are secured together;

means for coupling one of said pads and said fingers to said external device;

means for coupling the other of said pads and said fingers to said circuit unit;

each of said contact fingers being a portion of a strip another integral portion of which defines a bend continuing re-entrantly into a leg disposed generally alongside the finger;

and means defined in said bend for gripping a wire end inserted through said strip at said bend.

9. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable to a wall surface and having means for removably securing said assembly thereto;

a plurality of electrical contact pads mounted in one of said assembly and said plate;

a plurality of resilient electrical contact fingers mounted in the other of said assembly and said plate and aligned to mate with said pads when said assembly and said plate are secured together;

means for coupling one of said pads and said fingers to said external device;

means for coupling the other of said pads and said fingers to said circuit unit;

each of said contact fingers being a portion of a strip another integral portion of which defines a bend continuing re-entrantly into a leg disposed generally alongside the finger;

means on said plate defining a plurality of channels in which respective different ones of the legs of said fingers are seated;

and each of said channels including means defining an abutment, each of said legs including means defining a flexible projection, and each of said channels also including means for flexing said projection into locking engagement with said abutment upon seating of the leg in the channel.

10. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable to a wall surface and having means for removably securing said assembly thereto;

a plurality of electrical contact pads mounted in one of said assembly and said plate;

a plurality of resilient electrical contact fingers mounted in the other of said assembly and said plate and aligned to mate with said pads when said assembly and said plate are secured together;

means for coupling one of said pads and said fingers to said external device;

means for coupling the other of said pads and said fingers to said circuit unit;

each of said contact fingers being a portion of a strip another integral portion of which defines a bend continuing re-entrantly into a leg disposed generally alongside the fingers;

means for mounting said fingers on said plates a switch handle movably mounted on said plate;

and electrical contact areas affixed to said handle and selectively engageable with different ones of said legs upon movement of said handle between different positions thereof.

11. A thermostat assembly comprising:

a housing assembly;

switching means mounted on said assembly for selective operation by the user;

an indicator mounted on said assembly for signaling to the user;

a circuit unit mounted within said assembly and interconnected to receive signals from said switching means and to deliver signals to said indicator;

a temperature sensor mounted within said assembly and responsive to ambient air temperature to deliver a temperature-representative signal to said circuit unit;

connecting means for coupling said circuit unit to an external device to be controlled in response to operation of said switching means and governed in response to said temperature-representative signal;

a mounting plate affixable in parallel to a surface and that has means defining slideways generally parallel to said plate;

and a wall forming a part of said housing assembly and having means defining guideways generally parallel to said wall and disposed in alignment with said slideway, when said wall is parallel to said plate, to enable removable mating therebetween and consequent mounting of said assembly latchingly to said plate.