Display sub-assembly for an HVAC controller

• US 9,528,720 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Novotny, Josef, Kalla, Arnold, Losak, Tomas, Bisson, Reed, Takach, Eugene J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jason Moon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rojas Cadima, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/266,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20140321160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 362/608, 362/615, 362/620, 362/621, 362/609, 362/633, 349/58, 349/60, 349/62, 349/65
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/20 Casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/04 responsive to excess voltage lightning arrestors H01C7/12, H01C8/04, H01G9/18, H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0215 Grounding of printed circuits by connection to external grounding means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

An HVAC Controller including a printed circuit board (PCB) and a display sub-assembly. The display sub-assembly may include a frame, a display, and a light guide. The frame may be secured relative to the PCB and may have a front side facing away from the PCB and a back side facing toward the PCB. The frame may include one or more side walls that may extend between the front side and the back side, where the side walls may define a space. The display and the light guide may be positioned at least partially within the space and the light guide may be positioned between the display and the PCB. The frame may have one or more back stop features and one or more front stop features that stop the light guide and the display from sliding out of the back side and front side of the frame, respectively.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller, comprising:

an output port;

the HVAC controller configured to provide HVAC control signals to the output port for controlling one or more HVAC components;

a printed circuit board; and

a display sub-assembly comprising;

a frame secured relative to the printed circuit board;

the frame including a front side facing away from the printed circuit board and a back side facing toward the printed circuit board, the frame including side walls extending between the front side and back side, with the side walls defining a space;

a display positioned at least partially within the space defined by the side walls of the frame;

a light guide positioned at least partially within the space defined by the side walls of the frame, the light guide positioned between the display and the printed circuit board;

the frame having one or more back stop features that stop the light guide from sliding out of the back side of the frame;

the frame having one or more front stop features that stop the display from moving out of the front side of the frame; and

the frame having one or more reflecting features that are each shaped to receive incident light entering from the back side of the frame, and to reflect and distribute the received incident light across at least part of the light guide and thus the adjacent display.

2. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a display module and a touch screen module, with the display module situated between the touch screen module and the light guide.

3. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame is releasably secured to the printed circuit board.

4. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 3, wherein the frame includes one or more connector features that are configured to engage the printed circuit board to releasably secure the frame to the printed circuit board.

5. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 4, wherein the one or more connector features form an interference connection with the printed circuit board.

6. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 5, wherein one or more of the connector features extend through a hole in the printed circuit board, and engage the printed circuit board adjacent to the hole.

7. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the side walls of the frame includes one or more of the reflecting features.

8. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more reflecting features is at least partially cone shaped.

9. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more reflecting features is integral with the frame.

10. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein there are two or more reflecting features, and the two or more reflecting features are substantially equally spaced across one side of the display.

11. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide includes one or more recesses that are each in registration with a corresponding one of the one or more reflecting features.

12. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more recesses has a shape that mates with the corresponding one of the one or more reflecting features.

13. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board includes one or more light sources that are each in registration with a corresponding one of the one or more recesses of the light guide, the light sources for providing incident light to the recesses of the light guide, and thus to the corresponding reflective features of the frame, which then reflect and distribute the incident light across the light guide and thus the display.

14. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 13, further comprising a reflective layer situated between the light guide and the printed circuit board, wherein the reflective layer includes one or more holes that are in registration with the one or more recesses of the light guide to allow the incident light from the one or more light sources to reach the one or more recesses of the light guide.

15. An HVAC controller, comprising:

an output port;

a controller configured to provide control signals to the output port for use in controlling one or more HVAC components;

a printed circuit board having one or more light sources; and

a display sub-assembly connected to the printed circuit board, the display sub-assembly comprising;

a display;

a light guide situated behind the display for providing a back-light to the display;

a frame secured relative to the printed circuit board, the frame having a back side facing the printed circuit board and a front side;

the frame holding the display and the light guide, with the light guide positioned toward the back side of the frame relative to the display; and

the frame including two or more spaced reflective features that are each at least partially cone-shaped and configured to receive light from the one or more light sources of the printed circuit board and to distribute the received light across at least part of the light guide and thus across at least part of the display.

16. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 15, wherein the two or more reflecting features are substantially equally spaced across one side of the display.

17. The HVAC controller sub-assembly of claim 15, wherein the light guide includes one or more recesses that are each in registration with a corresponding one of the one or more reflecting features, and each of the one or more recesses has a shape that mates with the corresponding one of the one or more reflecting features.