Temperature range display device for electronic thermostat

• US 4,730,941 A
• Filed: 08/07/1986
• Issued: 03/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Cairo, Anthony C., Levine, Michael R., Russo, James T., Rigotti, Victor H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frankfort, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Application Number:
  US06/894,297
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 236/94, 236/DIG. 8, 165/11.1, 374/170, 116/DIG. 46
• US Class Current: 374/170
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/10 using selector switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23199 Reference value, setpoint for regulator

Abstract

The present invention is a control range display for an electronic thermostat. A plurality of individually actuable display segments are disposed in a line. Each of these display segments represents a particular temperature. The control range of the electronic thermostat is displayed by actuating the display segments representing the upper and lower preselected temperatures and all display segments therebetween. In the preferred embodiment each of these display segments is a liquid crystal display device. The preferred embodiment enables indication of the present temperature by actuation of a single display segment representing that temperature upon selection of a normal mode and an indication of the control temperature range by actuating display segments in the manner noted above upon selection of a program mode. The preferred embodiment further includes a removable mask containing a temperature scale indicia marked in a preselected geared measurement which can be disposed beside the line of display segments of the display means, thereby indicating the particular temperature represented by each display segment in the preselected unit of measurement.

Claims

1. In a thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to first and second temperature modifying loads, the improvement comprising:

display means for displaying first and second preselected temperatures associated with the first and second temperature modifying loads respectively, the display means including an elongate area of energizable indicia corresponding to an associated linear temperature scale, whereby the first and second preselected temperatures are represented on the display means by energizing the entire elongate energizable area between limits defined by the first and second preselected temperatures on the associated temperature scale.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the elongate area of energizable indicia is a series of discrete energizable segments arranged in a line, each of the discrete energizable segments representing a particular temperature indicated on the associated temperature scale and the first and second preselected temperatures are displayed by energizing each of the segments corresponding to the location of the first and second preselected temperature values on the associated scale and each of the segments lying therebetween.

3. The thermostat of claim 2 wherein each discrete energizable segment is a liquid crystal display device.

4. In a thermostat for controlling the application of electric power to first and second temperature modifying loads having respective first and second preselected temperatures associated therewith, the improvement comprising;

a display means having a series of individually actuable display segments disposed in a line, each individually actuable display segment representing a particular temperature;

a manually operable mode selection means for selecting either a normal mode or a program mode; and

a display data selector means connected to said display means and said manually operable mode selection means for actuating the display segment representing the ambient temperature upon selection of said normal mode, and for actuating the display segment representing said first preselected temperature associated with said first temperature modifying load, the display segment representing said second preselected temperature associated with said second temperature modifying load and all display segments therebetween upon selection of said program mode.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein each of said individually actuable display segments is a liquid crystal display device.

6. The thermostat of claim 4, the improvement further comprising:

a removable mask containing temperature scale indicia marked in a preselected unit of measurement disposed upon said display means thereby indicating the particular temperature represented by each display segment in said preselected unit of measurement.