Wall covering plate for use with an HVAC controller

• US 9,989,273 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Read, Travis, Putrevu, Sriharsha
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R
• Application Number:
  US15/042,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20170234568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 174 50, 174480, 174481, 174489, 174503, 174520, 174559, 174560, 174504, 220 32, 220 33, 220 38, 220 402, 36167901, 36167902, 361600, 361601, 248906, 248343
• 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 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• 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

Abstract

A wall covering plate may be used in combination with a wall mountable connector and a thermostat that is designed to mate with the wall mountable connector. The wall covering plate may be configured to fit around the wall mountable connector and behind the thermostat. In some cases, for example, the wall covering plate may be configured such that the wall covering plate may be used with a wall mountable connector that is already installed and remains installed while the wall covering plate is installed.

Claims

1. A wall covering plate for use in combination with a wall mountable connector for a thermostat with a thermostat housing, the wall covering plate configured to fit behind the thermostat housing when the thermostat is connected to the wall mountable connector and to extend out a distance past the perimeter of the thermostat housing to cover wall blemishes if any, the wall covering plate comprising:

a substrate including a back surface to be secured facing a wall and an opposing front surface;

an opening formed through the substrate, the opening sized and configured to fit around the wall mountable connector such that the wall covering plate can be secured relative to the wall even after the wall mountable connector is mounted to the wall; and

the substrate being thin enough to fit between the wall and a connected thermostat housing without interfering with electrical and/or mechanical connections between the wall mountable connector and the connected thermostat.

2. The wall covering plate of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive disposed on the back surface of the substrate.

3. The wall covering plate of claim 2, wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive layer proximate a perimeter of the back surface.

4. The wall covering plate of claim 2, further comprising a removable backing liner disposed over the adhesive, the removable backing liner configured to be removed from the adhesive in order to expose the adhesive and secure the wall covering plate to the wall.

5. The wall covering plate of claim 1, wherein the opening provides a frictional fit with the wall mountable connector and/or a connected thermostat in order to secure the wall covering plate in position against the wall.

6. The wall covering plate of claim 1, wherein the wall covering plate is secured in position against the wall by virtue of being captured between the wall and a back of the thermostat secured to the wall mountable connector.

7. The wall covering plate of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness in a region between the wall and a connected thermostat that is in a range of about 0.3 to about 0.5 millimeters.

8. The wall covering plate of claim 1, wherein the substrate is polymeric.

9. The wall covering plate of claim 1, wherein the substrate is flexible.

10. A wall mountable connector assembly mountable to a wall for subsequent securement of a thermostat having a thermostat housing to the wall mountable connector assembly, the wall mountable connector assembly comprising:

a wall mountable connector securable to the wall; and

a wall covering plate securable relative to the wall, the wall covering plate including an aperture that is sized and configured to fit around the wall mountable connector such that the wall covering plate can be secured relative to the wall after the wall mountable connector has been secured to the wall, wherein the wall covering plate has a length and/or width that is greater than that of the thermostat that is to be connected to the wall mountable connector.

11. The wall mountable connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall covering plate is configured to fit between the wall and the thermostat to be connected to the wall mountable connector without interfering with electrical and/or mechanical connections between the wall mountable connector and the thermostat.

12. The wall mountable connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall covering plate is adhesively securable to the wall.

13. The wall mountable connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall covering plate forms a frictional fit with the wall mountable connector and/or a thermostat to be connected to the wall mountable connector.

14. The wall mountable connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall covering plate is configured to be captured between the wall and a back of the thermostat to be connected to the wall mountable connector.

15. The wall mountable connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall covering plate has a thickness that is in a range of about 0.3 to about 0.5 millimeters.

16. A method of installing a thermostat that includes a thermostat housing, the thermostat securable to a wall mountable connector that provides mechanical attachment of the thermostat to a wall as well as electrical connections to field wires exiting the wall, the method comprising:

securing a wall mountable connector to the wall, the wall mountable connector configured to provide a mechanical attachment of a thermostat to the wall as well as electrical connections to field wires exiting the wall;

after securing the wall mountable connector to the wall, disposing a wall covering plate around the wall mountable connector and against the wall, the wall covering plate including an aperture that is sized to permit the wall covering plate to pass over the wall mountable connector; and

connecting a thermostat to the wall mountable connector, wherein the thermostat housing extends out past the perimeter of the wall mountable connector and overlaps part of the wall covering plate, and wherein the wall covering plate extend out past the perimeter of the thermostat housing to help cover wall blemishes if any.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising adhesively securing the wall covering plate to the wall.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising securing the wall covering plate to the wall mountable connector via a friction fit.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising using static cling to secure the wall covering plate to the wall.