U.S. patent application number 14/826875 was filed with the patent office on 2016-03-03 for hvac controller assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is Carrier Corporation. Invention is credited to Brian Eicher, Eric T. Nelson.
Application Number | 20160061471 14/826875 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55402050 |
Filed Date | 2016-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160061471 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eicher; Brian ; et
al. |
March 3, 2016 |
HVAC CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY
Abstract
An HVAC control mounting assembly including a housing, including
at least one communication module receptacle, and a communication
module disposed in at least one of the at least one communication
module receptacles. An HVAC controller assembly including an HVAC
control unit, and a mounting assembly operably coupled to the HVAC
control unit the mounting assembly including: a housing including
at least one communication module receptacle disposed therein, and
a communication module disposed in at least one of the at least one
communication module receptacles.
Inventors: |
Eicher; Brian; (Fort Wayne,
IN) ; Nelson; Eric T.; (Fort Wayne, IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Carrier Corporation |
Farmington |
CT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
55402050 |
Appl. No.: |
14/826875 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62041975 |
Aug 26, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
236/1C ;
236/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 11/56 20180101;
F24F 11/30 20180101; F24F 11/62 20180101 |
International
Class: |
F24F 11/00 20060101
F24F011/00; F24F 11/02 20060101 F24F011/02 |
Claims
1. An HVAC control mounting assembly comprising: a housing
including at least one communication module receptacle disposed
therein; and a communication module disposed in at least one of the
at least one communication module receptacles.
2. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 1, further
comprising an antenna in communication with each of the at least
one communication module receptacles.
3. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein each
antenna is disposed in a location selected from the group
consisting of a front side of the housing, a rear side of the
housing, and a cavity formed within the housing.
4. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the
communication module is removable from the at least one of the at
least one communication module receptacles.
5. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the
housing is configured to engage an HVAC control unit.
6. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the HVAC
control unit comprises a thermostat.
7. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the
communication module is configured to exchange data with the HVAC
control unit.
8. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the
communication module operates according to the protocols selected
from the group consisting of Z-WAVE.RTM. radio, ZIGBEE.RTM. radio,
Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH.RTM., and radio frequency (RF) radio.
9. The HVAC control mounting assembly of claim 5, further
comprising a remote device operable to wirelessly exchange data
with the communication module.
10. An HVAC controller assembly comprising: an HVAC control unit;
and a mounting assembly operably coupled to the HVAC control unit,
the mounting assembly comprising: a housing including at least one
communication module receptacle disposed therein; and a
communication module disposed in at least one of the at least one
communication module receptacles.
11. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the mounting
assembly further comprises an antenna in communication with each of
the at least one communication module receptacles.
12. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 11, wherein each antenna
is disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of a
front side of the housing, a rear side of the housing, and a cavity
formed within the housing.
13. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the
communication module is removable from the at least one of the at
least one communication module receptacles.
14. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the HVAC
control unit is detachable from the mounting assembly.
15. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the HVAC
control unit comprises a thermostat.
16. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the
communication module is configured to exchange data with the HVAC
control unit.
17. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 10, wherein the
communication module operates according to the protocols selected
from the group consisting of Z-WAVE.RTM. radio, ZIGBEE.RTM. radio,
Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH.RTM., and radio frequency (RF) radio.
18. The HVAC controller assembly of claim 8, further comprising a
remote device operable to wirelessly exchange data with the
communication module.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to, and claims the
priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
62/041,975 filed Aug. 26, 2014, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated in their entirety into the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0002] The presently disclosed embodiments generally relate to
heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ("HVAC") systems, and
more particularly, to an HVAC controller assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0003] Home automation systems are continuing to gain traction in
the marketplace. Increasingly, HVAC systems are being included in
the home automation packages. To accomplish a full automated
system, HVAC controllers require a communication module compatible
with the automation system.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0004] In one aspect, an HVAC control mounting assembly is
provided. The mounting assembly includes a housing, at least one
communication module receptacle disposed in the housing, and at
least one antenna operably coupled to a respective communication
module receptacle. In one embodiment, the housing is configured to
be operably coupled to an HVAC control unit. In one embodiment, the
at least one antenna is located on a front side of the mounting
assembly. In one embodiment, the at least one antenna is located on
a rear side of the mounting assembly. In one embodiment, the at
least one antenna is located within a cavity formed on the mounting
assembly.
[0005] The mounting assembly further includes a communication
module disposed within any of the at least one communication module
receptacles. In one embodiment, the communication module is
removable.
[0006] In one aspect, an HVAC controller assembly is provided. The
HVAC controller assembly includes the mounting assembly and an HVAC
control unit operably coupled to the mounting assembly. In one
embodiment, the HVAC control unit includes a thermostat. The HVAC
control unit is configured to wirelessly communicate and exchange
data with at least one remote device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The embodiments and other features, advantages and
disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them,
will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better
understood by reference to the following description of various
exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an HVAC control
mounting assembly;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an HVAC controller
assembly; and
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a structure
containing the HVAC controller assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to
the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language
will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be
understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is
thereby intended.
[0012] Since numerous communication modules and protocols are
available in the market, having an HVAC controller capable of
communicating with all protocols would increase the overall size to
accommodate the different communication modules, and greatly
increasing the cost. There is therefore a need for an HVAC
controller assembly capable of accommodating the numerous
communications protocols without increasing the size and costs of
the HVAC controller.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an HVAC control mounting assembly
generally indicated at 10. The mounting assembly 10 includes a
housing 12. In one embodiment, the housing 12 is configured to be
operably coupled to an HVAC control unit 20 (shown in FIG. 2). It
will be appreciated that the housing may be made from any durable
material, such as plastic to name one non-limiting example,
suitable to be mounted to a wall of a structure and capable of
holding the HVAC control unit 20. The mounting assembly 10 further
includes at least one communication module receptacle 14 disposed
in the housing 12. The HVAC control mounting assembly 10 further
includes at least one antenna 16 operably coupled to a respective
communication module receptacle 14. In one embodiment, the at least
one antenna 16 is located on a front side 11 of the mounting
assembly 10. In one embodiment, the at least one antenna 16 is
located on a rear side 13 of the mounting assembly 10. In one
embodiment, the at least one antenna 16 is located within a cavity
15 formed on the mounting assembly 10. For example, as shown in
FIG. 1, antenna 16A is operably coupled to communication module
receptacle 14A and antenna 16B is operably coupled to communication
module receptacle 14B. It will be appreciated that each of the
antennas 16 are spaced apart at a suitable distance to avoid noise
and other radio interference.
[0014] The mounting assembly 10 further includes a communication
module 18 disposed within any of the at least one communication
module receptacles 14. In one embodiment, the communication module
18 is removable. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, communication
module 18A is disposed in communication module receptacle 14A, and
communication module 18B is disposed in communication module
receptacle 14B. It will be appreciated that the communication
module 18 may be any wireless communication device operable to
transmit and receive data to/from a secondary device. The wireless
communication device may operate according to protocols such as
Z-WAVE.RTM. radio, ZIGBEE.RTM. radio, Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH.RTM., radio
frequency (RF) radio, etc., to name a few non-limiting
examples.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates an HVAC controller assembly, generally
indicated at 20. The HVAC controller assembly 20 includes the
mounting assembly 10 and an HVAC control unit 22 operably coupled
to the mounting assembly 10. In one embodiment, the HVAC control
unit 22 includes a thermostat. As shown in FIG. 3, the HVAC control
unit 22 is configured to operate at least one HVAC component 24 via
a wired or wireless connection. The HVAC control unit 22 is further
configured to wirelessly communicate and exchange data with at
least one remote device 26, for example home automation controllers
to name one non-limiting example, within a structure 28 via the at
least one communication module 18. It will be appreciated that the
HVAC control unit 22 may communicate with any remote device 26
having a similar communication module 18 disposed in the
communication module receptacles 14. For example, if device 26A is
capable of wirelessly communicating via Z-WAVE.RTM. radio, a
Z-WAVE.RTM. communication module 18 is placed in communication
module receptacle 14A of the HVAC control unit 22, and if device
26B is capable of wirelessly communicating via Wi-Fi, a Wi-Fi
communication module 18 is placed in communication module
receptacle 14B of the HVAC control unit 22. The use of
communication module 18 allows the HVAC control unit 22 to exchange
data with device 26A and/or device 26B to enable control of the
HVAC control unit 22 and/or the at least one HVAC component 24.
[0016] It will therefore be appreciated that the present
embodiments place at least one communication module receptacles 14
in the HVAC control mounting assembly 10 to increase the
flexibility in communication capabilities of the HVAC control unit
22. It will also be appreciated that the communication modules 18,
as well as the antennas 16, are placed in the HVAC control mounting
assembly 10, to reduce the overall size and costs of the HVAC
control unit 22.
[0017] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be
considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it
being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and
described and that all changes and modifications that come within
the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
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