Thermostat with wiring terminals configured for spatial compactness and ease of wire installation

• US 9,121,623 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Filson, John Benjamin, Daniels, Eric B., Huppi, Brian, Sloo, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDUR RAHIM, AZIM
• Application Number:
  US13/624,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/49.3, 236/94, 236/1.C, 700/276, 700/278, 200/293, 200/303, 200/5.A
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/50 characterised by user interfaces or communication
• 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 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 : Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 : Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/26 : Testing of individual semiconductor devices testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment H01L22/00; testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 : characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 : characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1932 : to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 : the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/2454 : using photoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/27 : with sensing element responsive to radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/275 : with sensing element expanding, contracting, or fusing in response to changes of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 : Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 : Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 : by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 : Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 : Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 : with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 : by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 : using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 : Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 : Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems

Abstract

A wall-mountable programmable electronic thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described. The thermostat includes a circular wall-mountable backplate with a central opening to allow for the passage of HVAC wires for electrical connection to the thermostat. The head unit body is also circular and is removeably mountable to the back plate. A plurality of wedge-shaped wiring terminals are mounted on the backplate for making a tool-free connection to HVAC wires. Each wiring terminal has button that a user can depress while a wire is inserted in a wire hole. The terminals are arranged along one or more circular arcs about the central opening of the backplate such that the wire holes face the central opening and the buttons are located close to the outer periphery of the backplate.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable programmable electronic thermostat for controlling an HVAC system comprising:

a backplate including a backplate circuit board, the backplate circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, the backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall, the backplate circuit board having a central opening to allow for the passage of a plurality of HVAC wires for electrical connection to the thermostat;

a head unit body including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of wiring terminals each adapted and configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, wherein the plurality of wiring terminals are mounted on the backplate circuit board and arranged along one or more arcs about the central opening of the backplate circuit board, wherein each of the wiring terminals has a wire hole facing the central opening and a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate circuit board than said wire hole; and

a backplate cover configured to cover said plurality of electrical components, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude to allow access thereto by the fingers of the user, whereby the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said electrical components.

2. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the backplate is circular-shaped and the plurality of wiring terminals are arranged along the one or more circular arcs about the central opening of the backplate circuit board.

3. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of wiring terminals includes at least eight wiring terminals.

4. A thermostat according to claim 3 wherein the at least eight wiring terminals are arranged along two circular arcs each including at least four wiring terminals.

5. A thermostat according to claim 4 wherein each of the wiring terminals is generally wedge-shaped having the wire hole facing the central opening and the button member being positioned near the outer periphery of the backplate circuit board.

6. A thermostat according to claim 5 wherein each of the generally wedge-shaped terminals occupies between 10 and 20 degrees of angular space as measured by an angle having a vertex at a center of the central opening of the backplate circuit board.

7. A thermostat according to claim 4 wherein each of the two circular arcs includes at least five wiring terminals, each of the wiring terminals are generally wedge-shaped having the wire hole facing the central opening and the button member being positioned near the outer periphery of the backplate circuit board, and each wiring terminal occupies between 14 and 16 degrees of angular space as measured by an angle having a vertex at a center of the central opening of the backplate circuit board.

8. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein each of the wiring terminals includes the wire hole configured to accept insertion of an HVAC wire, and wherein a distance from a center of the central opening to each wire hole is at least 15mm.

9. A thermostat according to claim 8 wherein each wiring terminal is positioned on the backplate such that each wire hole is directly facing the center of the central opening.

10. A thermostat according to claim 8 wherein each wiring terminal is positioned on the backplate such that the distance from the center of the central opening to each wire hole is the equivalent.

11. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein each wiring terminal is configured to allow a user to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member on the wiring terminal and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole.

12. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein each of the wiring terminals is configured such that the physical presence of a wire inserted into the wiring terminal can be mechanically detected.

13. A thermostat according to claim 12 wherein the mechanical detection includes switching of a loop of an electrical circuit that does not include the inserted HVAC wire.

14. A wall-mountable programmable electronic thermostat for controlling an HVAC system comprising:

a backplate including a backplate circuit board, the backplate circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, the backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall, the backplate circuit board having a central opening to allow for the passage of a plurality of HVAC wires for electrical connection to the thermostat;

a head unit including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of tool-free wiring terminals each adapted and configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, wherein the plurality of wiring terminals are mounted on the backplate circuit board and arranged along one or more arcs about the central opening of the backplate circuit board, each wiring terminal having a wire hole facing the central opening and a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate circuit board than said wire hole, the wiring terminals being adapted and configured to allow the user to make an electrical connection with the HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole, wherein a distance between the button member and the wire hole is at least 8 millimeters; and

a backplate cover configured to cover said plurality of electrical components, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude to allow access thereto by the fingers of the user such that the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said electrical components.

15. A thermostat according to claim 14 wherein the distance between the button member and the wire hole is at least 10 millimeters.

16. A thermostat according to claim 14 wherein the button member when pressed actuates a lever that is at least 10 millimeters in length.

17. A thermostat according to claim 14 wherein the wire hole and the button member are on opposite sides of the wiring terminal, and the wiring terminal is generally wedge-shaped such that the side of the terminal including the wire hole is substantially shorter than a side of the terminal including the button member.

18. A thermostat according to claim 14 wherein each of the wiring terminals is configured such that the physical presence of a wire inserted into the wiring terminal can be mechanically detected.

19. A thermostat according to claim 18 wherein the mechanical detection includes switching of a loop of an electrical circuit that does not include the inserted HVAC wire.

20. A thermostat according to claim 14 wherein the button member includes an indentation to facilitate finger placement during pressing.

21. A wall-mountable programmable electronic thermostat for controlling an HVAC system comprising:

a backplate including a backplate circuit board, the backplate circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, the backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall, the backplate circuit board having a central opening to allow for the passage of a plurality of HVAC wires for electrical connection to the thermostat;

a head unit including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of tool-free wiring terminals each adapted and configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, wherein the plurality of wiring terminals are mounted on the backplate circuit board and arranged along two circular arc-shaped banks about the central opening of the backplate circuit board, each wiring terminal having a wire hole facing the central opening and a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate circuit board than said wire hole, each bank including at least four wiring terminals, and each of the wiring terminals being adapted and configured to allow the user to make an electrical connection with the HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole; and

a backplate cover configured to cover said plurality of electrical components, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude such that the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said electrical components.

22. A thermostat according to claim 21 wherein each of the wiring terminals is configured such that the physical presence of a wire inserted into the wiring terminal can be mechanically detected by switching of a loop of an electrical circuit that does not include the inserted HVAC wire.