Stackable thermostat

• US 7,748,640 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Ostrand, William F., Van Ostrand, legal representative, Ryan, Jerry Dean, Comerford, Tim, Roher, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman; Marc E
• Application Number:
  US11/640,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/94, 700/278, 165/200, 165/11.2, 340/870.17, 361/735, 337/300
• US Class Current: 236/51
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermostat including a user interface module. The user interface module has a display, a plurality of user interface buttons, and a first power and communications interface. The thermostat also includes an I/O module, the I/O module electrically coupled to a HVAC plant and the I/O module having a plurality of switches to control the HVAC plant, and a second power and communications interface. The user interface module and the I/O module are communicatively coupled and exchange power via the power and communications interfaces and the thermostat can be mounted and operated in one of two user selectable installations: a stacked configuration comprising a thermostat having the user interface module directly mounted to the I/O module, or a remote configuration comprising a thermostat having the user interface module remotely mounted from the I/O module.

Claims

1. A thermostat comprising:

a user interface module, the user interface module having a display, a plurality of user interface buttons, and a first power and communications interface; and

an I/O module, the I/O module electrically coupled to a HVAC plant, the I/O module having a plurality of switches to control the HVAC plant, and a second power and communications interface,

wherein the first power and communications interface is electrically coupled to the second power and communications interface,

wherein the user interface module and the I/O module are communicatively coupled and exchange power via the first and second power and communications interfaces with less wires than are used to electrically couple the I/O module to the HVAC plant, and

wherein the thermostat can be mounted and operated in one of two user selectable installations selected from at least one of;

a stacked configuration that comprises a thermostat, which has the user interface module directly mounted to the I/O module, and

a remote configuration that comprises a thermostat, which has the user interface module remotely mounted from the I/O module,

wherein in the remote configuration the I/O module is located in a first space that houses the HVAC plant,

wherein the user interface module is located in a second space where comfort settings are maintained, and

wherein the first space is different from the second space.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the user interface module is electrically coupled to the I/O module by only two wires.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the user interface module protrudes less than 1.5 inches from a surface when mounted in the remote configuration on a mounting plate.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the user interface buttons are provided as touch sensitive areas on the display.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the I/O module includes relays to electrically control the HVAC plant.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the I/O module includes solid state switches.

7. The thermostat of claim 6, wherein the solid state switches are Triacs or silicon controlled rectifiers.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the I/O module further comprises a dust cover when used in the remote configuration.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the user interface module further comprises a wall mounting plate when used in the remote configuration.

10. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first and second power and communications interfaces are configured to transmit electrical power from the second power and communications interface in the I/O module to the first power and communications interface located in the user interface module.

11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the I/O module is situated near the HVAC plant in the remote configuration.

12. A method for installing a thermostat where fewer pre-installed thermostat wires are available to an installer than are needed for connecting the thermostat to an HVAC plant comprising steps of:

providing pre-installed thermostat wires;

providing a thermostat having two separable sections, the thermostat including a user interface module and an I/O module;

locating the I/O module physically near the HVAC plant;

connecting a plurality of wires between the I/O module and the HVAC plant to control the HVAC plant with the I/O module;

locating the user interface module in a space where comfort levels are to be controlled by the thermostat; and

connecting the user interface module to the I/O module using pre-installed thermostat wires to facilitate communications and electrical power transfer between the user interface module and the I/O module,

wherein the number of pre-installed wires is less than the number of wires that are used to electrically couple the I/O module to the HVAC plant,

wherein the thermostat can be mounted and operated in one of two user selectable installations selected from at least one of;

a stacked configuration that comprises a thermostat, which has the user interface module directly mounted to the I/O module, and

a remote configuration that comprises a thermostat, which has the user interface module remotely mounted from the I/O module,

wherein in the remote configuration the I/O module is located in a first space that houses the HVAC plant,

wherein the user interface module is located in a second space where comfort settings are maintained, and

wherein the first space is different from the second space.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing pre-installed thermostat wires comprises the step of providing only two pre-installed thermostat wires.