Thermostat with display and printed circuit board

• US 9,784,467 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Adamik, Petr, Khoury, Tarik, McPherson, Steven J., Kalla, Arnie, Takach, Eugene J., Aljabari, Mohammad, Lentz, Tracy, Mulhouse, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US15/058,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20160178231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 236 94
• 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

An electronic assembly may have a display, a display holder, and a printed circuit board (PCB). The display may have a front side for viewing the display, a back side, and side walls extending between the front side and the back side. The display holder may have a recess for receiving at least part of the display, where the display holder may extend adjacent part of the front side of the display and adjacent at least part of the side walls of the display. The PCB may be secured relative to the display holder and adjacent the back side of the display. The PCB may be in operative communication with the display. In some cases, a spacer may be situated between the back side of the display and the PCB.

Claims

1. A thermostat for use in controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the thermostat including a front, a back, a top and a bottom, the thermostat comprising:

a front window;

a display holder having a front side and a back side, wherein the front window is secured to the front side of the display holder;

a display including a front side for viewing the display, an opposing back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the display connected to a flex tail extending from the display;

the display holder including a recess for receiving at least part of the display, the display holder extending along at least part of one or more of the top side, the bottom side, the left side and the right side of the display;

the front window and the display holder configured such that at least part of the display can be viewed from the front of the thermostat;

a printed circuit board including a front side and a back side, the front side of the printed circuit board facing toward the back side of the display, wherein the printed circuit board includes a recess to accommodate the flex tail of the display;

a connector on the back side of the printed circuit board, wherein the flex tail extends from the display, around the printed circuit board in the recess, and connects to the connector on the back side of the printed circuit board;

a back cover having a front side and a back side, the front side of the back cover facing towards the back side of the printed circuit board;

the back cover secured relative to the front window to collectively house the display and printed circuit board; and

an antenna component secured to the printed circuit board for supporting wireless communication, wherein an entirety of the antenna component is laterally offset from the display and does not overlap with the display.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, further comprising an electrically insulating element positioned between the back side of the display and the front side of the printed circuit board.

3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein:

the electrically insulating element functions as a spacer that separates the back side of the display from the front side of the printed circuit board; and

the electrically insulating element includes one or more openings configured to receive one or more components that are secured to the front side of the printed circuit board.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display holder includes an alignment feature to help laterally align the printed circuit board with the display holder.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the flex tail comprises a ribbon cable.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display holder includes one or more features used for limiting movement of the printed circuit board relative to the display holder.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the front window is secured to the display holder.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat comprises an antenna for supporting wireless communication, and wherein the antenna is laterally offset relative to the display.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat comprises an antenna for supporting wireless communication, and wherein the antenna is vertically offset relative to the display.

10. A wall-mountable thermostat for use in controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the thermostat including a front, a back, a top and a bottom, the thermostat comprising:

a display holder;

a display including a front side for viewing the display, an opposing back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the display connected to a flex tail extending from the display;

the display holder including a recess for receiving at least part of the display, the display holder extending along at least part of one or more of the top side, the bottom side, the left side and the right side of the display;

the display holder configured such that at least part of the display can be viewed from the front of the thermostat;

a printed circuit board including a front side and a back side, the front side of the printed circuit board facing toward the back side of the display, wherein the front side of the printed circuit board overlaps at least a majority of the backside of the display and extends out laterally past a side of the display; and

an antenna for supporting wireless communication, wherein the antenna is secured to the back side of the laterally extending portion of the printed circuit board and does not overlap with any portion of the display.

11. The thermostat of claim 10 further comprising an electrically insulating element positioned between the back side of the display and the front side of the printed circuit board.

12. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the display holder includes an alignment feature, and the printed circuit board includes a hole that is configured to accept at least part of the alignment feature of the display holder to help align the printed circuit board with the display holder.

13. The thermostat of claim 10, further comprising:

a front window, wherein the front window is secured to the display holder; and

a back cover having a front side and a back side, the front side of the back cover facing towards the back side of the printed circuit board, wherein the back cover is secured relative to the front window to collectively house the display, the display holder and printed circuit board.

14. A wall-mountable thermostat for use in controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the thermostat including a front, a back, a top and a bottom, the thermostat comprising:

a display including a front side for viewing the display, an opposing back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side;

a printed circuit board including a front side and a back side, the front side of the printed circuit board facing toward the back side of the display, wherein front side of the printed circuit board is sized and positioned to overlap at least a majority of the back side of the display; and

an antenna for supporting wireless communication, wherein the antenna is secured to the printed circuit board, is laterally offset relative to the display, and does not overlap with any part of the display.

15. The thermostat of claim 14, wherein the antenna is positioned on the back side of the printed circuit board.

16. The thermostat of claim 14, wherein the printed circuit board includes a downwardly extending portion that extends out past the bottom side of the display in a downward direction toward the bottom of the thermostat.

17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the antenna is accommodated by the downwardly extending portion of the printed circuit board.

18. The thermostat of claim 14, wherein the front side of the printed circuit board faces toward the back side of the display, with the front side of the printed circuit board spanning from the top side of the display out past the bottom side of the display in a downward direction toward the bottom of the thermostat, and wherein a top side of the printed circuit board includes a recess to accommodate a flex tail of the display;

a connector on the back side of the printed circuit board, wherein the flex tail extends from the display, around the top side of the printed circuit board in the recess, and connects to the connector on the back side of the printed circuit board.

19. The thermostat of claim 14, further comprising an electrically insulating element positioned between the back side of the display and the front side of the printed circuit board.

20. The thermostat of claim 19, wherein the electrically insulating element functions as a spacer that separates the back side of the display from the front side of the printed circuit board.