Remote control housing with functional attributes for a room air conditioner

• US 5,579,209 A
• Filed: 11/23/1994
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bolin, Gary, Shelley, Kenneth T., McColgin, Jerry L., Manson, Larry J., Scriber, Chris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHANG, YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/344,385
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/752, 361/736, 361/796, 361/797, 361/814, 211/13, 211/70, 248/676, 455/73, 455/77, 174/50
• US Class Current: 361/814
• 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 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus

Abstract

A remote control unit for an air conditioner having a controller configured to process multiple temperature inputs, to provide a cycle of operation to provide comfort during sleeping, to provide an automatic cycle of operation wherein a burst of cooling air is provided on demand and/or which is configured to receive and respond to remote signals having different protocols. The remote control unit has a housing with a contoured rib that extends between two support pads so as to provide strength, rigidity and stability to the housing.

Claims

1. A remote control unit including an electronic circuit and a housing comprising:

a top side, a bottom side and a periphery extending between the top side and the bottom side, the housing having a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension, the bottom side being configured to include two supporting pads at opposite longitudinal portions of the bottom side and a rib extending between the two supporting pads, each of the pads providing support for the housing on a planar surface at at least two laterally spaced apart positions, recesses formed in the bottom side at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side so as to provide a space between the planar surface and the bottom side sufficient to enable a user to insert a fingertip in at least one of the spaces.

2. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of a plastic.

3. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the top side, bottom side and periphery extending therebetween comprise a bipartite construction comprising a top half, including the top side and a portion of the periphery and a bottom half, including the bottom side and another portion of the periphery, the bottom half also including a battery receptacle.

4. The remote control unit of claim 3, wherein the bottom half includes a slidable cover that when removed exposes the battery receptacle.

5. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein each of the supporting pads comprises a planar surface.

6. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the supporting pads and rib extending therebetween comprise a singular substantially planar supporting surface.

7. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the bottom side comprises a molded plastic member and the recesses are contoured recesses and wherein the rib is formed by molding the contoured recesses at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side such that the supporting pads and the contoured rib form a substantially hour glass profile.

8. The remote control unit of claim 1, wherein a window through which infrared signals transmitting window is provided at one longitudinal end of the housing within the periphery.

9. A remote control unit comprising:

a circuit operative to effect remote control functions; and

a housing, the housing comprising;

a top side, a bottom side and a periphery extending between the top side and the bottom side, the housing having a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension, the bottom side being configured to include two supporting pads at opposite longitudinal portions of the bottom side and a rib extending between the two supporting pads, each of the pads providing support for the housing on a planar surface at at least two laterally spaced apart positions, recesses formed in the bottom side at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side so as to provide a space between the planar surface and the bottom side sufficient to enable a user to insert a fingertip in at least one of the spaces.

10. The remote control unit of claim 9, wherein the housing is made of a plastic.

11. The remote control unit of claim 9, wherein the top side, bottom side and periphery extending therebetween comprise a bipartite construction comprising a top half, including the top side and a portion of the periphery and a bottom half, including the bottom side and another portion of the periphery, the bottom half also including a battery receptacle.

12. The remote control unit of claim 9, wherein the bottom half includes a slidable cover that when removed exposes the battery receptacle.

13. The remote control unit of claim 9, wherein each of the supporting pads comprises a planar surface.

14. The remote control unit of claim 9, wherein the supporting pads and rib extending therebetween comprise a singular substantially supporting surface.

15. The housing of claim 9, wherein the bottom side comprises a molded plastic member and the recesses are contoured recesses and wherein the rib is formed by molding the contoured recesses at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side such that the supporting pads and the contoured rib form a substantially hour glass profile.

16. The housing of claim 9, wherein a window through which infrared signals transmitting window is provided at one longitudinal end of the housing within the periphery.

17. A remote control unit for an air conditioner comprising:

a circuit operative to effect remote control functions; and

a top side, a bottom side and a periphery extending between the top side and the bottom side, the housing having a longitudinal dimension and a lateral dimension, the bottom side being configured to include two supporting pads opposite longitudinal ends of the housing and a rib extending between the two supporting pads, each of the pads providing support for the housing on a planar surface to laterally spaced apart positions, portions of the bottom side at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side being removed so as to provide a space between the planar surface and the bottom side sufficient to enable a user to grasp the housing and insert fingertips in at least one of the spaces.

18. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein the housing is made of a plastic.

19. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein the top side, bottom side and periphery extending therebetween comprise a bipartite construction comprising a top half, including the top side and a portion of the periphery and a bottom half, including the bottom side and another portion of the periphery, the bottom half also including a battery receptacle.

20. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein the bottom half includes a slidable cover that when removed exposes the battery receptacle.

21. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein each of the supporting pads comprises a planar surface.

22. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein the supporting pads and rib extending therebetween comprise a singular substantially planar supporting surface.

23. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein the bottom side comprises a molded plastic member and the recesses are contoured recesses and wherein the rib is formed by molding the contoured recesses at opposite lateral edges of the bottom side such that the supporting pads and the contoured rib form a substantially hour glass profile.

24. The remote control unit of claim 17, wherein a window through which infrared signals transmitting window is provided at one longitudinal end of the housing within the periphery.

25. A remote control unit including an electronic circuit and a housing having longitudinal and lateral dimensions, comprising:

a bottom side with two support pads, each of the two pads being configured to support the housing on a planar surface at at least two laterally spaced apart positions, two contoured recesses formed at opposite spaced apart lateral positions on the bottom side to provide spaces between the planar surface and the housing so that the housing is lifted from the planar surface by insertion of one or more fingers in the spaces, the recesses forming between them a rib that extends between the two pads.