Battery holder for an electronic device

• US 9,388,998 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Khoury, Tarik, Mcpherson, Steven J., Takach, Eugene J., Adamik, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Semenenko, Yuriy
• Application Number:
  US14/214,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/758, 361/760, 361/769, 361/770, 174/480, 174/549, 174/255, 174/260
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133314 Back frames
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/32 with provision for adjustment of the effect of the auxiliary heating device, e.g. a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/34 Conductive members located under head of screw
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/10 for surface mounting on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/005 avoiding undesired transient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/04 responsive to excess voltage lightning arrestors H01C7/12, H01C8/04, H01G9/18, H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H05F 3/00 Carrying-off electrostatic charges from shoes A43B7/36; from living beings A61N1/14; from tyres B60C19/08; from vehicles B60R16/06; from aircraft B64D45/02; from large containers B65D90/46
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0254 High voltage adaptations; Electrical insulation details; Overvoltage or electrostatic discharge protection electrostatic discharge protection for electric apparatus in general H05K9/0067, H05K9/0079; Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0015 Orientation; Alignment; Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0018 : having an electronic display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1422 : Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0037 : Housings with compartments containing a PCB, e.g. partitioning walls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0054 : specially adapted for display applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 : On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller may include a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) situated within the housing. The PCB may include a battery seat region and electrical terminals for electrically connecting a battery to the PCB when the battery is positioned at the battery seat region. The housing may include an opening that may be configured to receive the battery. The battery seat region may be at least partially offset relative to the opening in the housing, but accessible via the opening. The housing may be configured to allow the battery to be inserted into the opening and then moved laterally to the battery seat region, where the battery may be at least partially covered and/or protected by the housing when at the battery seat region. In some cases, the battery may be inserted within the housing without adjusting any part of the housing.

Claims

1. A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board situated in the housing, wherein the printed circuit board includes a battery seat region, and electrical terminals for electrically connecting a coin cell battery to the printed circuit board when the coin cell battery is placed in the battery seat region; and

the housing including an opening that is configured to receive the coin cell battery, where the battery seat region of the printed circuit board is at least partially laterally offset relative to the opening but accessible via the opening, the housing is further configured to allow the coin cell battery to be inserted into the opening and then moved laterally to the battery seat region, wherein in the battery seat region, at least part of the coin cell battery is covered and protected by the housing; and

wherein the housing further defines a slot that exposes at least part of the coin cell battery including an edge of the coin cell battery when the coin cell battery is situated in the battery seat region, the slot is configured to allow a tool to be inserted through the slot and engage the coin cell battery, and then slid along the slot to move the coin cell battery from the battery seat region laterally toward the opening for removal of the coin cell battery from the housing through the opening.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board has an engagement surface adjacent the slot that can be engaged by the tool via the slot, wherein the engagement surface is free from operational circuitry.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 1 wherein the coin cell battery extends along a primary plane, and in the battery seat region, the primary plane of the coin cell battery is substantially parallel to a major surface of the printed circuit board.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the housing has a recess facing the printed circuit board for receiving the coin cell battery as the coin cell battery is moved laterally from the opening to the battery seat region, wherein the recess is defined by housing walls.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 4, wherein the housing walls that define the recess limit access to the electrical terminals of the printed circuit board from outside of the housing.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the opening overlaps at least part of the battery seat region.

7. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein one of the electrical terminals of the printed circuit board includes a mounting region mounted to the printed circuit board and an elongated spring region extending over and electrically contacting to the coin cell battery.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein one of the electrical terminals of the printed circuit board includes a Z-shaped electrical terminal.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the coin cell battery may be inserted and maintained within the housing without moving any part of the housing.

10. A wall mountable thermostat module having a battery, the wall mountable thermostat module comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board housed by the housing, the printed circuit board having a battery seat region and electrical terminals for electrically connecting the battery to the printed circuit board when the battery is placed in the battery seat region; and

the housing including an opening that is configured to receive the battery, where the battery seat region of the printed circuit board is at least partially laterally offset relative to the opening but accessible via the opening, the housing is further configured to allow the battery to be inserted into the opening and then moved laterally to the battery seat region, wherein in the battery seat region, at least a major part of the battery is covered and protected by the housing, and wherein the battery may be inserted and maintained within the housing without adjusting any part of the housing.

11. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 10, wherein the housing further defines a slot that exposes at least part of the battery including an edge of the battery when the battery is situated in the battery seat region, the slot is configured to allow a tool to be inserted through the slot and engage the battery, and then slid along the slot to move the battery from the battery seat region laterally toward the opening for removal of the battery from the housing through the opening.

12. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board has an engagement surface adjacent the slot that can be engaged by the tool via the slot, wherein the engagement surface is free from operational circuitry.

13. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 10 wherein the battery is a coin cell battery and extends along a primary plane, and in the battery seat region, the primary plane of the coin cell battery is substantially parallel to a major surface of the printed circuit board.

14. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 10, wherein the housing has a recess facing the printed circuit board for receiving the battery as the battery is moved laterally from the opening to the battery seat region, wherein the recess is defined by housing walls.

15. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 14, wherein the housing walls that define the recess limit access to the electrical terminals of the printed circuit board from outside of the housing.

16. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 10, wherein the opening overlaps at least part of the battery seat region.

17. The wall mountable thermostat module of claim 10, wherein one of the electrical terminals of the printed circuit board includes a mounting region mounted to the printed circuit board and an elongated spring region extending over and electrically contacting battery.

18. A method of using a battery with an electronic assembly having a housing with a back cover and a front cover, the method comprising:

inserting a coin cell battery in a first direction through an opening in a back cover of the housing toward a printed circuit board maintained within the housing;

positioning the coin cell battery against the printed circuit board; and

sliding the coin cell battery in a lateral direction perpendicular to the first direction and along the printed circuit board into a battery seat region of the printed circuit board to removably secure the coin cell battery to the printed circuit board and to electrically connect the coin cell battery and the printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising removing the coin cell battery from the electronic assembly by inserting a tool through a slot in the back cover of the housing to engage the coin cell battery, and then slide the tool along the slot to move the coin cell battery from the battery seat region laterally toward the opening for removal of the coin cell battery from through the opening in the back cover.