HVAC controller with side removable battery holder

• US 7,832,652 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Meyers, Paul, Kalla, Arnie P., Barton, Eric J., Leen, Cary
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules; Frantz F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahim; Azim
• Application Number:
  US10/906,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20060172182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 429 96-100, 429/9, 429/123, 236/46.R, 236/51, 236/94
• 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 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An HVAC controller includes an HVAC controller housing having an aperture and a removable battery tray disposed within the aperture. The removable battery tray includes a pivot point for rotating the battery tray into and out of the aperture.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller having an HVAC controller housing with a front, a back, and a side extending between the front and back, the HVAC controller configured to be mounted to a wall with the back of the HVAC controller housing positioned adjacent to the wall, the HVAC controller comprising:

an aperture defined in the side of the HVAC controller housing and extending to the back of the HVAC controller housing;

a pivotable battery tray disposed within the aperture, the battery tray being pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position while the HVAC controller is mounted to the wall, and can be suspended on the HVAC controller housing in the open position, wherein at least a portion of the battery tray forms at least part of the side of the HVAC controller housing and at least part of the back of the HVAC controller housing when the battery tray is in the closed position; and

wherein once the pivotable battery tray is pivoted out of the closed position, the pivotable battery tray is free to be lifted away from the pivot axis and completely removed from the aperture of the HVAC controller housing.

2. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 further comprising a battery disposed within the pivotable battery tray such that the battery moves and pivots out with the pivotable battery tray as the pivotable battery tray is pivoted out from the closed position to the open position.

3. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the battery tray is configured to house an elongated battery that extends lengthwise along a battery axis, wherein when the battery tray houses the elongated battery, the battery axis of the elongated battery extends at least substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis.

4. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the pivotable battery tray comprises gripping means.

5. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the HVAC controller comprises a pivot mating member arranged and configured to mate with a pivotable battery tray pivot member.

6. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the pivotable battery tray comprises a latch member.

7. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the HVAC controller comprises a latch mating member arranged and configured to mate with the battery tray latch member.

8. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the battery tray latch member further comprises gripping means.

9. An HVAC controller according to claim 2 wherein the battery is selectively electrically coupled to a circuit board disposed in the HVAC controller housing.

10. An HVAC controller according to claim 1 wherein the HVAC controller is a thermostat.

11. An HVAC controller according to claim 6 wherein the pivot axis is disposed adjacent a first side of the pivotable battery tray, and the latch member is disposed adjacent on an opposing second side of the pivotable battery tray.

12. An HVAC controller according to claim 11 wherein the battery tray further comprises a shoulder disposed adjacent the first side of the pivotable battery tray, and the HVAC controller housing includes a shoulder mating slot sized and configured to mate with the shoulder of the pivotable battery tray.

29. An HVAC controller according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the back of the HVAC controller housing.

13. A method of replacing a battery in an HVAC controller having an HVAC controller housing with a front, a back, and a side extending between the front and back, the HVAC controller configured to be mounted to a wall with the back of the HVAC controller housing positioned adjacent to the wall, wherein the HVAC controller has a battery tray pivotably disposed within the aperture, wherein at least a portion of the battery tray forms an outer surface of the HVAC controller housing when the battery tray is in a closed position and the battery tray forms at least part of the back of the HVAC controller when the battery tray is in a closed position, the method comprising steps of:

with the battery tray in the closed position;

removing a first battery from the battery tray from the back of the HVAC controller housing; and

placing a second battery in the battery tray from the back of the HVAC controller housing.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:

removing the battery tray from the aperture by initially rotating the battery tray about a pivot axis from the closed position, and once rotated out of the closed position, lifting the battery tray away from the pivot axis and completely removing the battery tray from the aperture of the HVAC controller housing.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the battery tray is configured to hold the battery such that the battery moves with the battery tray as the battery tray rotates from the closed position towards an open position.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the removing the battery tray step comprises initially rotating the battery tray by at least 10 to 90 degrees about the pivot axis before lifting the battery tray away from the pivot axis and completely removing the battery tray from the aperture of the HVAC controller housing.

17. An HVAC controller comprising:

an HVAC controller housing having a front, a back and a side extending between the front and the back;

the side of the HVAC controller housing defining a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, with two upper corners extending between the top side and the left and right sides, and two bottom corners extending between the bottom side and the left and right sides, the front surface of the HVAC controller comprising a display;

the HVAC controller housing defining an aperture that extends along and through one of the right and left sides, up through part of the top side including the upper corner that extends between the one of the right and left sides and the top side, and through the back of the HVAC controller housing; and

the HVAC controller housing further having a battery tray pivotably disposed within the aperture, wherein at least a portion of the battery tray forms an outer surface that is congruous with the one of the left and right sides and top side of the HVAC controller housing, and the battery tray forms at least part of the back of the HVAC controller housing when the battery tray is in a closed position, the battery tray configured to at least initially rotate out of the aperture about a pivot axis.

18. An HVAC controller according to claim 17, wherein the battery tray is configured to house an elongated battery that extends lengthwise along a battery axis, wherein when the battery tray houses the elongated battery, the battery axis of the elongated battery extends at least substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis.

19. An HVAC controller according to claim 17 wherein the battery tray comprises a latch member.

20. An HVAC controller according to claim 19 wherein the battery tray pivot axis is disposed adjacent the one of the left and right sides of the HVAC controller housing, and the latch member is disposed adjacent the top side of the HVAC controller housing.

21. An HVAC controller according to claim 17 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

22. An HVAC controller comprising:

an HVAC controller housing having a front surface, a side surface and a rear surface, the side surface comprising a battery tray aperture extending through the side surface, and the rear surface comprising a battery access aperture formed through the rear surface;

a battery tray removably disposed within the battery tray aperture, the battery tray configured to be moved between a closed position and an open position, wherein in the closed position the battery tray substantially fills the aperture in the side surface of the HVAC controller housing; and

wherein the battery access aperture in the rear surface of the HVAC controller housing provides access to one or more batteries disposed in the battery tray when the battery tray is in the closed position.

23. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the front surface comprises a display and the display is a liquid crystal display.

24. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the battery access aperture is sized for insertion and removal of the one or more batteries into and out of the battery tray while the battery tray is in the closed position.

25. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the battery tray moves about a pivot axis for at least initially rotating the battery tray out of the battery tray aperture.

26. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the battery access aperture is sized to correspond with the battery tray.

27. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the battery access aperture and the battery tray aperture form a common aperture extending through the HVAC controller housing.

28. An HVAC controller according to claim 22 wherein the battery access aperture and the battery tray aperture are separate apertures extending through the HVAC controller housing.