Battery compartment for an HVAC controller
First Claim
1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:
- a first sub-assembly having a front side and a back side, the first sub-assembly comprising;
a housing including a back cover facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly and a front cover facing toward the front side of the first sub-assembly, wherein the back cover is secured relative to the front cover;
a printed circuit board housed by the housing, the printed circuit board having a front side facing toward the front cover and a back side facing toward the back cover;
a display positioned adjacent the front side of the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the printed circuit board via a display connector, the front cover comprising a viewing aperture that exposes at least part of the display for viewing the display from the front side of the first sub-assembly;
the back cover having a front side facing toward the front cover and a back side facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly, the back cover defining a hole in the back side of the back cover that extends inward toward the printed circuit board for optionally receiving at least part of one or more batteries;
a first sub-assembly electrical connector extending from the back side of the printed circuit board and accessible through the back cover;
a second sub-assembly having a front side and a back side, wherein the second sub-assembly and the first sub-assembly are configured to be releasably secured together with the front side of the second sub-assembly facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly, the second sub-assembly comprising;
a plate that has a front side facing toward the front side of the second sub-assembly and a back side facing toward the back side of the second sub-assembly, the front side of the plate having a raised ridge around a perimeter of the plate that extends toward the front side of the second sub-assembly;
the plate further defining a hole in the front side of the plate that extends inward toward the back side of the second sub-assembly, the hole defined by the plate is positioned to be in registration with the hole defined in the back side of the back cover of the first sub-assembly when the second sub-assembly is secured to the first sub-assembly, the hole defined by the plate is sized to optionally receive at least part of one or more batteries;
a second sub-assembly electrical connector configured to electrically connect with the first sub-assembly electrical connector of the first sub-assembly when the second sub-assembly is secured to the first sub-assembly; and
one or more terminals accessible from the front side of the second sub-assembly, the one or more terminals configured to receive one or more control wires; and
a control wire aperture for allowing one or more control wires to pass from the back side of the second sub-assembly to the one or more terminals on the front side of the second sub-assembly.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An HVAC controller may include a first sub-assembly and a second sub-assembly releasably securable to the first sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly may include a housing having the back and a cover, a printed circuit board at least substantially enclosed by the housing, a battery compartment formed in the back of the housing for receiving one or more batteries, and a display exposed for viewing through an aperture in the cover of the housing for viewing the display by a user. The printed circuit board may include one or more battery terminals that extend from the printed circuit board through the back of the housing and into the battery compartment. In some cases, the battery compartment may define a cup-shaped reservoir that may be configured to collect leakage from one or more of the batteries.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:
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a first sub-assembly having a front side and a back side, the first sub-assembly comprising; a housing including a back cover facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly and a front cover facing toward the front side of the first sub-assembly, wherein the back cover is secured relative to the front cover; a printed circuit board housed by the housing, the printed circuit board having a front side facing toward the front cover and a back side facing toward the back cover; a display positioned adjacent the front side of the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the printed circuit board via a display connector, the front cover comprising a viewing aperture that exposes at least part of the display for viewing the display from the front side of the first sub-assembly; the back cover having a front side facing toward the front cover and a back side facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly, the back cover defining a hole in the back side of the back cover that extends inward toward the printed circuit board for optionally receiving at least part of one or more batteries; a first sub-assembly electrical connector extending from the back side of the printed circuit board and accessible through the back cover; a second sub-assembly having a front side and a back side, wherein the second sub-assembly and the first sub-assembly are configured to be releasably secured together with the front side of the second sub-assembly facing toward the back side of the first sub-assembly, the second sub-assembly comprising; a plate that has a front side facing toward the front side of the second sub-assembly and a back side facing toward the back side of the second sub-assembly, the front side of the plate having a raised ridge around a perimeter of the plate that extends toward the front side of the second sub-assembly; the plate further defining a hole in the front side of the plate that extends inward toward the back side of the second sub-assembly, the hole defined by the plate is positioned to be in registration with the hole defined in the back side of the back cover of the first sub-assembly when the second sub-assembly is secured to the first sub-assembly, the hole defined by the plate is sized to optionally receive at least part of one or more batteries; a second sub-assembly electrical connector configured to electrically connect with the first sub-assembly electrical connector of the first sub-assembly when the second sub-assembly is secured to the first sub-assembly; and one or more terminals accessible from the front side of the second sub-assembly, the one or more terminals configured to receive one or more control wires; and a control wire aperture for allowing one or more control wires to pass from the back side of the second sub-assembly to the one or more terminals on the front side of the second sub-assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification