Thermostat with mechanical user interface

• US 7,159,789 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Paul G., Redmann, Tim M., Gray, James, Ableitner, Jason L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US10/873,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/47, 236/78.D, 236/94, 388/824
• US Class Current: 236/1.00C
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A thermostat having a thermostat housing and a rotatable selector disposed on the thermostat housing. The rotatable selector adapted to have a range of rotatable positions, where a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions. The rotatable selector rotates about a rotation axis. A non-rotating member or element, which may at least partially overlap the rotatable selector, may be fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member(s). The one or more support member(s) may be laterally displaced relative to the rotation axis of the rotatable selector. The non-rotatable member or element may include, for example, a display, a button, an indicator light, a noise making device, a logo, a temperature indicator, and/or any other suitable device or component, as desired.

Claims

1. A thermostat having a thermostat housing, comprising:

a rotatable selector having a front face, and further having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector being rotatable about a rotation axis;

a potentiometer coupled to the rotatable selector; and

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the front face of the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member, the one or more support member being laterally offset relative to the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

2. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein the potentiometer is disposed along the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

3. A thermostat according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit board that is fixed relative to the thermostat housing, and wherein the potentiometer is mounted to the circuit board.

4. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein the non-rotating element intersects the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

5. A thermostat according to claim 4, wherein the non-rotating element comprises a scale plate.

6. A thermostat according to claim 5, wherein the scale plate includes a temperature scale.

7. A thermostat according to claim 6, wherein the rotatable selector includes a pointer.

8. A thermostat according to claim 7, wherein the non-rotating element comprises a temperature indicator.

9. A thermostat according to claim 8, wherein the temperature indicator includes a pointer.

10. A thermostat according to claim 9, wherein the temperature indicator includes a bi-metal thermometer.

11. A thermostat according to claim 9, wherein the non-rotating element includes a logo region with a logo provided thereon.

12. A thermostat according to claim 1, further comprising a housing ring having an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is adapted to accept the rotatable selector.

13. A thermostat having a selected temperature set point and a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor providing a temperature indicator and the thermostat providing a control signal that is dependent at least in part on the selected temperature set point and the temperature indicator, the thermostat comprising:

a thermostat housing;

a rotatable selector having a front face, and further having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a set point is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector rotatable about a rotation axis;

a potentiometer coupled to the rotatable selector and disposed along the rotation axis of the rotatable selector; and

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the front face of the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member, the one or more support member being laterally offset relative to the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

14. A thermostat according to claim 13, wherein the one or more support member extends through an opening or slot in the rotatable selector.

15. A thermostat according to claim 13, wherein the one or more support member extends through an elongated opening in the rotatable selector that extends in an arc about the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

16. A thermostat according to claim 13 wherein the thermostat housing defines a housing cross-sectional surface area, and wherein the housing cross-sectional surface area has a housing centroid, and wherein the rotation axis of the rotatable selector is at or substantially at the housing centroid.

17. A thermostat having a thermostat housing, comprising:

a rotatable selector having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector being rotatable about a rotation axis;

a potentiometer coupled to the rotatable selector; and

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member, the one or more support member being laterally displaced relative to the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

18. A thermostat according to claim 17, wherein the rotatable selector includes a shaft or is coupled to a shaft that extends along the rotation axis.

19. A thermostat according to claim 17 wherein the rotatable selector has a front face and a back face, and wherein the non-rotating element overlaps at least a portion of the front face of the rotatable selector.

20. A thermostat according to claim 19, wherein the non-rotating element overlaps the rotatable selector to an extent such that at least part of the non-rotating element intersects the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

21. A thermostat according to claim 17 wherein the rotatable selector has a front face and a back face, and wherein the non-rotating element overlaps at least a portion of the back face of the rotatable selector.

22. A thermostat having a thermostat housing, comprising:

a rotatable selector having a front face, and further having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector being rotatable about a rotation axis; and

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the front face of the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member, the one or more support member being laterally offset relative to the rotation axis of the rotatable selector, wherein the one or more support member extends through an opening or slot in the rotatable selector.

23. A thermostat according to claim 22, wherein the rotatable selector rotates in an arc about the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

24. A thermostat having a thermostat housing and a user interface, wherein the user interface is adapted to allow a user'"'"'s hand to adjust at least one parameter value of the thermostat, the thermostat comprising:

a rotatable selector having a front face, and further having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector being rotatable about a rotation axis; and

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the front face of the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing via one or more support member, wherein the rotatable selector is accessible and rotatable directly by the user'"'"'s hand.

25. A thermostat according to claim 24, wherein the non-rotating element comprises a temperature indicator.

26. A thermostat according to claim 25, wherein the mechanical to electrical translator is a potentiometer.

27. A thermostat according to claim 26, wherein the potentiometer is disposed along the rotation axis of the rotatable selector.

28. A thermostat according to claim 26, further comprising a circuit board that is fixed relative to the thermostat housing, and wherein the potentiometer is mounted to the circuit board.

29. A thermostat according to claim 24, wherein the rotatable selector is coupled to a mechanical to electrical translator.

30. A thermostat having a thermostat housing, comprising:

a rotatable selector having a front surface and a back surface, and further having a range of rotatable positions, wherein a desired parameter value is identified by the position of the rotatable selector along the range of rotatable positions, the rotatable selector being rotatable about a rotation axis;

a non-rotating element at least partially overlapping the back surface of the rotatable selector, the non-rotating element fixed relative to the thermostat housing, the non-rotating element having one or more support members extending through an opening or slot in the rotatable selector; and

a housing having an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is adapted to accept the rotatable selector.