Wall mountable housing for programmable thermostat

• US 4,295,180 A
• Filed: 06/04/1980
• Issued: 10/13/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clifford W. Herron, Robert J. Wunderlich
• Original Assignee: Clifford W. Herron, Robert J. Wunderlich
• Inventors: Herron, Clifford W., Wunderlich, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US06/156,401
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 340/718, 340/719, 340/757, 174/52 R, 313/312, 313/519, 361/331, 361/380-383, 361/395, 361/399
• US Class Current: 236/94
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0018 having an electronic display

Abstract

Disclosed is a packaging system for housing a programmable thermostat. The thermostat is easily installed with a minimum of tools. The housing securely contains the electronic components and conveniently and attractively mounts upon the wall without exposed attachment means. A hinged door covers the control elements but controls remain accessable for deliberately setting the thermostat. The hinge has no loose parts and is established from elements carried on the door, the face plate and rear panel of the box like housing which encases the electronic components. The electronic components are held to the housing and the housing members attach to enclose the electronic components by press-engaging detent daggers. Finally, the packaging system allows for easy disassembly for access to the electronic components should repair be required.

Claims

1. A wall mountable housing having multiple members which, together, enclose the electronic components of a programmable thermostat having switching controls, keyboard, and display elements, said housing comprising:

a generally rectangular rear panel comprising;

means for attaching said rear panel to said wall;

at least one aperture whereby control wires pass through the rear panel and into said housing;

a first hinge element at an edge of said panel; and

first detent dagger means whereby the rear panel is attachable to another housing member;

second detent dagger means whereby the electronic components are connectable to a housing member;

a generally rectangular face plate comprising;

third detent dagger means whereby the face plate is connectable to a housing member;

an aperture whereby the switching controls and display elements are accessible;

an aperture whereby the display elements are viewable; and

a second hinge element at an edge of said face plate;

a door whereby switching controls and keyboard of the programmable thermostat are protected, said door comprising;

latching means; and

a third hinge element at an edge of said door whereby, interacting with said first and second hinge elements, the door is pivotally connected to the attached face plate and rear panel;

a window whereby the display elements are protected and viewable; and

vents whereby air circulates through said housing.

2. A housing in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said first hinge element is a collar formed integrally with said rear panel at an edge thereof;

said second hinge element is a pin block formed integrally with said face plate at an edge corresponding to the placement of said collar in relation to said rear panel, said pin block having a collar face and an extended pin projecting therefrom parallel to the face plate edge whereon the pin block is formed; and

said third hinge element is a ring formed integrally with said door at an edge thereof, said ring being pivotally receivable upon said pin;

whereby upon assembly of said rear panel, face plate, and door to one another, a hinge is formed by the interconnection of said first, second and third hinge elements, thus pivotally connecting said door to the face plate and rear panel through said hinge in which said ring pivotally engages said pin and is axially fixed in said engagement between said collar face of said pin block and said collar.

3. A housing in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said first hinge element is a pin block formed integrally with said rear panel at an edge thereof, said pin block having a collar face and an extended pin projecting therefrom parallel to the rear panel edge whereon the pin block is formed;

said second hinge element is a collar formed integrally with said face plate at an edge thereof corresponding to the placement of said pin block relative to said rear panel;

said third hinge element is a ring formed integrally with said door at an edge thereof said ring pivotally receivable upon said pin;

whereby upon assembly of said rear panel, face plate, and door to one another, a hinge is formed by the interconnection of said first, second and third hinge elements, thus pivotally connecting said door to the face plate and the rear panel through said hinge in which said ring pivotally engages said pin and is axially fixed in said engagement between said collar face of said pin block and said collar.

4. A packaging assembly for a wall mountable programmable thermostat, said packaging assembly interconnecting members supporting electronic components and multiple housing members, said packaging assembly forming a housing and comprising:

a rear panel of an open box-like configuration having side walls and a back wall, said rear panel further comprising;

a first aperture in the back wall of said rear panel whereby screw means, internal to an interconnected assembly, is employable to fasten said rear panel to said wall;

a second aperture in the back wall whereby control wires pass through the rear panel and into said housing;

a plurality of collars on an edge of said rear panel;

a detent dagger receiving means and detent dagger whereby, upon interconnection of the packaging assembly, the detent dagger receiving means receives the detent dagger in an engagement interior to the housing; and

vents in said side walls whereby air circulates through said housing;

electronic component support members comprising;

a circuit board having display elements attached thereto;

a keyboard attachable to said circuit board, said keyboard having detent dagger means whereby the keyboard is attachable to said circuit board and having spacers whereby said keyboard is held a fixed distance from said circuit board;

a face plate comprising;

a first detent dagger having a resilient arm and a catch whereby said electronic component support members are secured to said face plate;

a second detent dagger having a resilient arm and a catch whereby said face plate engages said detent dagger receiving means to secure said face plate to said rear panel;

a first aperture whereby said switching controls are accessible;

a second aperture whereby said keyboard is accessible;

a third aperture whereby said display elements are viewable;

a forth aperture whereby said resilient arm of said first detent dagger is accessible to release said catch of said first detent dagger to thereby release the electronic component support members from the face plate;

a plurality of pin blocks disposed at an edge of said face plate, each having a collar face and a pin projecting therefrom parallel to the edge of said face plate whereby, upon interconnection of the packaging assembly, the extended ends of said pins seat against said collars;

a door whereby the switching controls and keyboard of the programmable thermostat are protectable, said door comprising;

latching means;

a plurality of rings each of which is formed from a plurality of opposing and axially displaced semi-circular hooks, whereby upon assembly, the door is pivotally attached to each said pin by one of said rings rotably engaged around said pin and axially held in place by said collar and said collar face of said pin block disposed on either side of said ring; and

a window over said third aperture in said face plate whereby said display elements are protected and viewable;

whereby, upon interconnection of the packaging assembly members an assembled housing is formed having no external connecting means, said housing further having an aperture whereby said resilient arm of said second detent dagger is accessible to release said catch from said detent dagger receiving means, thereby releasing the face plate from the rear panel.