Wall-mounted controller with a removable portion
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wall-mountable HVAC controller comprising:
- a wall plate including one or more first hinge structures, the wall plate configured to be secured to a wall;
a controller module configured to be releasably securable to the wall plate, the controller module including one or more second hinge structures configured to engage the one or more first hinge structures to form a hinge between the controller module and the wall plate, wherein the hinge enables the controller module to rotate away from the wall plate along a predetermined path and away from the wall to an end stop defined by the one or more hinge structures; and
a latch configured to be releasable by a user in order to release a top of the controller module from the wall plate without having to first pull the controller module away from the wall plate;
wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured to allow rotation of the controller module away from the wall plate while the one or more first hinge structures remain engaged with the one or more second hinge structures;
wherein the controller module is securable to the wall plate by both the latch and the hinge, wherein when the controller module is secured to the wall plate by the latch and the hinge, releasing the latch by the user allows the controller module to be rotated away from the wall plate via the hinge; and
wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured such that, after the latch releases the controller module from the wall plate, the controller module can be freely pulled away by the user and disengaged from the wall plate.
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Abstract
An example wall-mountable HVAC controller may include a controller module and a wall plate, with a hinge that allows the controller module to rotate relative to the wall plate. The hinge may provide an end stop that limits the rotation of the controller module relative to the wall plate, and/or may allow the controller module to be freely pulled away and disengaged from the wall plate if desired.
69 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A wall-mountable HVAC controller comprising:
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a wall plate including one or more first hinge structures, the wall plate configured to be secured to a wall; a controller module configured to be releasably securable to the wall plate, the controller module including one or more second hinge structures configured to engage the one or more first hinge structures to form a hinge between the controller module and the wall plate, wherein the hinge enables the controller module to rotate away from the wall plate along a predetermined path and away from the wall to an end stop defined by the one or more hinge structures; and a latch configured to be releasable by a user in order to release a top of the controller module from the wall plate without having to first pull the controller module away from the wall plate; wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured to allow rotation of the controller module away from the wall plate while the one or more first hinge structures remain engaged with the one or more second hinge structures; wherein the controller module is securable to the wall plate by both the latch and the hinge, wherein when the controller module is secured to the wall plate by the latch and the hinge, releasing the latch by the user allows the controller module to be rotated away from the wall plate via the hinge; and wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured such that, after the latch releases the controller module from the wall plate, the controller module can be freely pulled away by the user and disengaged from the wall plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A wall-mountable HVAC controller comprising:
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a wall plate having an upper half and a lower half, the wall plate including one or more first hinge structures in the lower half of the wall plate, the wall plate configured to be secured to a wall; and a controller module configured to be releasably securable to the wall plate and including an upper half and a lower half, the controller module including one or more second hinge structures in the lower half of the controller module configured to engage the one or more first hinge structures to form a hinge between the controller module and the wall plate, wherein the hinge allows the controller module to rotate away from the wall plate and away from the wall; and a connector for electrical and/or optical signals, the connector including a first connector portion attached to the upper half of the wall plate and a second connector portion attached to the upper half of the controller module, the first connector portion and second connector portion configured to automatically mate and de-mate as the controller module is rotated toward and away from the wall plate, respectively, wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured such that, while rotating away from the wall plate, the controller module can be freely pulled away by the user and disengaged from the wall plate; and wherein the one or more first hinge structures of the wall plate and the one or more second hinge structures of the controller module are configured such that the hinge provides an end stop that limits the rotation of the controller module away from the wall plate such that when the wall plate is mounted to the wall, the controller module is rotatable under gravity until engaging the end stop. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19)
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15. A method of engaging and disengaging a control module from a wall plate of an HVAC controller, the wall plate and the controller module having cooperating hinge structures that form a hinge with an open stopped position that allows the controller module to be suspended from the wall plate at the open stopped position after a release mechanism is actuated, the hinge further allowing the suspended controller module to be lifted freely from the wall plate, the method comprising:
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with the controller module secured to the wall plate, actuating the release mechanism; after actuating the release mechanism, allowing the controller module to rotate about the hinge to the open stopped position, wherein while the controller module is rotated to the open stopped position, one or more control signal connections between the controller module and the wall plate become disrupted; lifting the controller module away from the wall plate from the open stopped position; mating the cooperating hinge structures of the wall plate and the controller module; and rotating the controller module about the hinge until the controller module is secure against the wall plate via the release mechanism, wherein while the controller module is rotated and then secured against the wall plate via the release mechanism, reestablishing the one or more control signal connections between the controller module and the wall plate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification