Room Unit For An HVAC System

Abstract

A room unit for an HVAC system is disclosed including a connection means to connect the device to the HVAC system, a controller and a housing. The housing includes a mounting plate for installing a room unit on a wall of a building. The mounting plate includes a base plate with a circumferential rim projecting away perpendicularly from the base plate. The mounting plate includes at least one first protrusion projecting away from an outer surface of the rim in a direction parallel to the base plate. The housing frame includes a circumferential side wall that laterally surrounds the inside of the room unit. The side wall is configured to receive the rim of the mounting plate with positive fit. The housing frame includes at least one second protrusion projecting away from an inner surface of the side wall towards an opposite inner surface of the housing frame.

Claims

1. A room unit for an HVAC system comprising a connection means to connect the device to the HVAC system, a controller and a housing, whereby the housing comprises: a) a mounting plate configured to install the room unit on a wall of a building, wherein the mounting plate comprises a base plate with a circumferential rim projecting away perpendicularly from the base plate, and wherein the mounting plate comprises at least one first protrusion projecting away from an outer surface of the rim in a direction parallel to the base plate; b) a housing frame configured to be attached, to the mounting plate, wherein the housing frame comprises a circumferential side wall laterally surrounds the inside of the room unit, and wherein the side wall is configured to receive the rim of the mounting plate with positive fit; wherein the housing frame comprises at least one second protrusion projecting away from an inner surface of the side wall towards an opposite inner surface of the housing frame; wherein the at least one first protrusion of the mounting plate and the at least one second protrusion of the housing frame are configured such that they interlock with each other with a positive fit when the rim of the mounting plate is at least partly received in the circumferential side wall of the mounting frame; c) at least one mechanical connector arranged at a side opposite to the at least one first and second protrusions and configured to secure the housing frame to the mounting plate when the at least one first and the second protrusions are interlocked in a positive fit and the rim of the mounting plate is entirely received in the mounting frame, and d) a front housing part configured to close the housing frame at a free end opposite the mounting plate.

2. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein, with respect to an installed state of the room unit, the at least one first protrusion of the mounting plate is arranged on an upper outer surface of the rim and the at least one second protrusion of the housing frame is arranged on an upper inner surface of the side wall and wherein, with respect to an installed state of the room unit, the at least one mechanical connector is arranged at a bottom side of the housing.

3. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises a snap-in connector with comprising a first connection element arranged at the mounting plate or at the rim, and a second connection element arranged at the housing frame or at the side wall of the housing frame.

4. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connector comprises at least one screw or at least two screws configured to secure the housing frame to the mounting plate.

5. The room unit according to claim 4, wherein the at least one screw is arranged in the rim of the mounting plate or in a nut, and the housing frame comprises at least one bore, wherein, in a first position, the screw is fully located below an outer surface of the rim of the mounting plate, and, in a second position, the screw protrudes outside the outer surface of the rim, wherein, if the rim of the mounting plate is received in the housing frame and the screw is brought into the second position, the at least one screw protrudes into the at least one bore for securing the housing frame to the mounting plate.

6. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate and the housing frame are configured such that the first and the second protrusions are arranged and configured to interlock in a positive manner while the housing frame stands off at an angle or an angle 5-45 with respect to the base plate and the housing frame is configured to pivot around the interlocked protrusions: in order to entirely receive the rim of the mounting plate and to secure the housing frame to the mounting plate with the mechanical connector or the snap-in connector and/or the at least one screw.

7. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate and the housing frame are configured such that, if the housing frame is pressed onto the mounting plate in a direction perpendicular to the base plate and with an orientation parallel to the base plate, the at least one first protrusion snaps on the at least one second protrusion in order to interlock the protrusions in a positive manner and simultaneously the rim of the mounting plate is received in the circumferential side wall of the mounting frame such that the housing frame is or can be secured to the mounting plate.

8. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged on a printed circuit board comprising one or more pin connectors arranged and configured to connect the controller to the connection means.

9. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing frame comprises a support structure or a tray configured to carry the controller or the printed circuit board with the controller arranged on it within an inner volume surrounded by the side wall or on a side of the support structure facing away from the wall and/or the mounting plate.

10. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plate comprises the connection means and is configured to connect the device to the HVAC system or a connector for a bus system configured for a field bus system, and/or a socket configured to receive one or more pin connectors of the printed circuit board.

11. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the pin connectors of the printed circuit board and the connection means are configured such that the one or more pin connectors can be inserted into the socket or through openings in the support structure, in a direction perpendicular to the base plate such that when attaching the housing frame to the mounting plate, the one or more pin connectors are automatically introduced into the socket.

12. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the room unit comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of ambient air.

13. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the front housing part is a separate part of the housing configured to be fixed on the housing frame or with at least one snap-in connector.

14. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein the front housing part comprises a display or an electronic paper display, covered with a transparent cover, wherein the display is a touch-screen or is overlaid by a touch sensitive foil.

15. The room unit according to claim 1, comprising a short-range wireless communication module is configured to enable wireless communication with a mobile device for an exchange of data between the mobile device and the room unit, and wherein an antenna of the short-range wireless communication module is arranged behind a display or in physical contact with a backside of the display.

16. The room unit according to claim 15, wherein the antenna is a planar antenna, or a microstrip antenna and/or a foil antenna, comprising conductive antenna elements in and/or on a substrate in the form of a plastic foil.

17. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein outer dimensions of the antenna are equal to or smaller than a size of the display.

18. The room unit according to claim 1, wherein a front housing part comprises a frame element configured to carry a display, a transparent cover, a touch sensitive foil, and/or the antenna, wherein, the frame comprises snap-in connection means configured to connect the frame element to the housing frame.

19. A method for installing a room unit, comprising the steps of: a) fixing a mounting plate on a wall of a building, wherein the mounting plate is arranged such that the at least one first protrusion of the mounting plate is arranged on an upper outer surface of the rim; b) attaching a housing frame at an upper side of the mounting plate such that at least one second protrusion of the housing frame interlocks with at least on first protrusion in a positive manner and the housing frame stands off the mounting plate at an angle; c) pivoting the housing frame around the interlocked protrusions in order to entirely receive a rim of the mounting plate; d) securing the housing frame to the mounting plate with the mechanical connector; e) attaching the front housing part to the housing frame so as to close the housing frame at the free end opposite the mounting plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0127] Further advantages features and details of the various embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred exemplary embodiment or embodiments and further with the aid of the drawings. The features and combinations of features recited below in the description, as well as the features and feature combination shown after that in the drawing description or in the drawings alone, may be used not only in the particular combination recited but also in other combinations on their own without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The following is an advantageous embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0128] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded perspective view of a housing frame, a printed circuit board, a frame element, a planar frame-shaped antenna for wireless communication and an electronic paper display with touch functionality, for use in a room unit;

[0129] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the part of the housing frame of FIG. 1;

[0130] FIG. 3 depicts a mounting plate comprising a base plate with a circumferential rim projecting away perpendicularly from the base plate for use in room unit together with the components of FIG. 1;

[0131] FIG. 4 depicts a top view onto the upper surface of the mounting plate of FIG. 3 with two first protrusions protruding away from the outer surface of the rim;

[0132] FIG. 5 depicts an intermediate state during the connection of the housing frame of FIG. 1 and the mounting plate of FIG. 3;

[0133] FIG. 6 depicts a detailed view of the interlocking between the housing frame and the mounting plate in the intermediate state shown in FIG. 5;

[0134] FIG. 7 depicts a detailed view of the interlocking between the housing frame and the mounting plate after pivoting the housing frame into the closes state;

[0135] FIG. 8 depicts the printed circuit board comprising a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board protruding from an edge of the first printed circuit board in a direction perpendicular to the first printed circuit board;

[0136] FIG. 9 depicts another view of the printed circuit board of FIG. 8;

[0137] FIG. 10 depicts a top view on the printed circuit board of FIGS. 8 and 9 installed in the housing frame of FIG. 1 from the side opposite the mounting plate (without frame element, antenna and display attached);

[0138] FIG. 11 depicts a detailed view of the second printed circuit board from a face side;

[0139] FIG. 12 depicts a perspective view of a room unit comprising the components as shown in FIG. 1-11 in assembled state;

[0140] FIG. 13 depicts a further room unit comprises a blind cover as front housing part instead of a display; and

[0141] FIG. 14 depicts a schematic representation of a method for installing the room units of FIGS. 12 and 13 on a wall of a building.

[0142] In the figures, the same components are given the same reference symbols.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0143] The subject-matter described in the following will be clarified by means of a description of those aspects which are depicted in the drawings. It is however to be understood that the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to those aspects described in the following and depicted in the drawings; to the contrary, the scope of protection of the invention is defined by the claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that the specific conditions or parameters described and/or shown in the following are not limiting of the scope of protection of the invention, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0144] Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Further, unless otherwise required by the context, singular terms shall include pluralities and plural terms shall include the singular. The methods and techniques of the present disclosure are generally performed according to conventional methods well known in the art and as described in various general and more specific references that are cited and discussed throughout the present specification unless otherwise indicated. Further, for the sake of clarity, the use of the term about is herein intended to encompass a variation of +/?10% of a given value.

[0145] Non-limiting aspects of the subject-matter of the present disclosure will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labelled in every figure, nor is every component of each aspect of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention.

[0146] The following description will be better understood by means of the following definitions.

[0147] As used in the following and in the appended claims, the singular forms a, an and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, the use of or means and/or unless stated otherwise. Similarly, comprise, comprises, comprising, include, includes and including are interchangeable and not intended to be limiting. It is to be further understood that where for the description of various embodiments use is made of the term comprising, those skilled in the art will understand that in some specific instances, an embodiment can be alternatively described using language consisting essentially of or consisting of.

[0148] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a housing frame 20, a printed circuit board 30, a frame element 40, a planar frame-shaped microstrip antenna 50 for wireless communication and an electronic paper display 60 with touch functionality, which are components of a first room unit 1 as shown in FIG. 12.

[0149] The housing frame 20 comprises a circumferential side wall 210 enclosing an inner volume of the housing frame 20. The side wall 210 comprises two bores 230a, 230b next to slit-shaped air vents at a bottom side 201 (in vertical direction with respect to the installed state) for fixing the housing frame 20 on a mounting plate 10 (see FIGS. 2-4). The upper side 202 (in vertical with respect to the installed state) opposing the bottom side 201 comprises further slit-shaped air vents.

[0150] The inner volume of the housing frame 20 is divided into a lower part and an upper part with a tray-like support structure 220 with several breakthroughs for receiving the printed circuit board 30.

[0151] The printed circuit board 30 comprises a first printed circuit board 310 and a second printed circuit board 320 protruding from an edge of the first printed circuit board 310 in a direction perpendicular to the first printed circuit board 310. In a central part, there are 8 pin connectors 330 protruding in a direction towards the housing frame 20 (in FIG. 1 only the backside ends of the pin connectors are visible). Further details of the printed circuit board 30 and the arrangement in the housing frame 20 are given in FIG. 8-11.

[0152] As section of the inner surface 211 of the side wall 210 of the housing frame 20 is configured for contacting the second printed circuit board 320 in assembled state. In a central part of the support structure 220 there are 8 circular openings 221 for passing through the pin connectors 330 of the printed circuit board. Other breakthroughs present for accommodating bulky electronic components of the printed circuit board 30.

[0153] The frame element 40 comprises a circumferential edge 410 as well as several supporting ribs and is configured for receiving the planar frame-shaped microstrip antenna 50 and the touch-screen display 60. In assembled state, the antenna 50 is located at the backside 610 of the display 60 in physical contact with it. The outer dimensions of the antenna 50 are essentially identical to the out dimensions of the display 60. The stack consisting of the antenna 50 and the display 60 can be materially bonded to the frame 40. The frame 40 then can be attached to the housing frame 20 with ten snap-in connectors 420 that can engage with corresponding counterparts at the inner surface 211 of the side wall 210.

[0154] Frame element 40 and display 60 together form a front housing part.

[0155] FIG. 2 shows a view of housing frame 20 opposite the printed circuit board 30. At the inside of the upper side 202, the side wall 210 comprises two wedge-shaped protrusions, 250a, 250b projecting away from the inner surface of the side wall 210 towards an opposite inner surface of the housing frame 20.

[0156] Furthermore, there is a connection element 260b in the form of a recess between the two protrusions 250a, 250b, which is part of a mechanical snap-in connector for fixing the housing frame 20 to the mounting plate 10. At the side opposite of the protrusions 250a, 250b, there is a further connection element 260a, which is identical in design.

[0157] FIG. 3 shows a mounting plate 10 comprising a square base plate 110 with a circumferential rim 120 projecting away perpendicularly from the base plate 110, whereby the rim is offset inwards from a circumferential edge of the base plate 110 by approximately a thickness of the side wall 210 of the mounting frame 20. The side wall 210 is configured for receiving the rim 120 of the mounting plate 10 with positive fit.

[0158] At the bottom side 101 (in vertical with respect to the installed state) of the rim 120, there are two headless screws 150a, 150b arranged in a nut behind the rim 120, whereby in a first position as shown in FIG. 3, the screws 150a, 150b are fully located below an outer surface of the rim 120 of the mounting 10 plate. If the rim 120 of the mounting plate 10 is received in the housing frame 20 and the screws 150a, 150b are brought in a second position, in which the screws 150a, 150b protrude outside the outer surface of the rim 120 into the corresponding bores 230a, 230b, the housing frame 20 is additionally secured to the mounting plate 10 in assembled state.

[0159] Additionally, in a central part of the bottom side 101 of the rim 120 there is a connection element 140a in the form of a bulge, which is configured to engage with the connection element 260a of the housing frame 20. Thereby, connection elements 140a, 260a form a snap-in connector.

[0160] At the central part of the upper side 102 (in vertical direction with regard to the installed state) of the rim 120 there is a further connector element 140b, which is identical in design and configured to engage with the connection element 260b of the housing frame 20, thus forming another snap-in connector.

[0161] The sections of the side wall 210 comprising the connector elements 260a, 260b are configure as break-out section.

[0162] At the upper side 102 of the rim, which is opposed to the bottom side 101, there are two spaced wedge-shaped protrusions 130a, 130b (not visible in FIG. 3; cf. FIG. 4) projecting away from an outer surface of the rim 120 in a direction parallel to the base plate 110.

[0163] Within the context of the present invention, protrusions 130a, 130b are called first protrusions and protrusions, 250a, 250b are called second protrusions.

[0164] The first protrusions 130a, 130b of the base plate and the respective second protrusions 250a, 250b of the housing frame 20 are configured in such a way that they can interlock with each other with a positive fit when the rim 110 of the mounting plate 10 is at least partly received in the circumferential side wall 210 of the mounting frame 20 (see FIGS. 5-7 for more details).

[0165] The sections of the rim 120 comprising the connector elements 140a, 140b are configured as break-out sections each with two predetermined breaking points.

[0166] Additionally, there is a socket 160 which is configured for receiving pin connectors 330 of the printed circuit board 30. They can be inserted into the socket 160 through the circular openings 221 in the support structure 220 in a direction perpendicular to the mounting plate 10.

[0167] FIG. 4 shows a top view onto the upper surface 102 of the mounting plate 10, showing the first protrusions 130a, 130b protruding away from an outer surface of the rim 120 in a direction parallel to the base plate 110, i.e. in FIG. 4 into the direction of the viewer.

[0168] FIG. 5 shows an intermediate state during the connection process of the housing frame 20 and the mounting plate 10. Thereby, the components 30, 40, 50 and 60 have been attached to the housing frame 20 and the mounting plate has been fixed on a wall of a building (not shown) beforehand. Specifically, the housing frame 20 is hooked with its protrusions 250a, 250b onto the protrusions 130a, 130b protruding in vertical direction from the upper side of the rim 120 of the mounting plate 10. Thereby, the housing frame stands off at an angle with respect to the base plate 110 at an angle of for example 25.

[0169] FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the interlocking between the first protrusion 130a and the second protrusion 130b in a cross-section of the upper left corner along line A-A of FIG. 5.

[0170] Thereafter, the housing frame 20 is pivoted around the interlocked protrusions 130a, 130b, 250a, 250b until the connection elements 140a, 260a, i.e. the snap-in connector, engage and, together with the interlocked connection elements 140a, 260a, secure the housing frame 20 to the mounting plate 10. The corresponding detailed view of this situation is shown in FIG. 7. Thereafter, the housing frame can be further secured with the screws 150a, 150b by bringing them in engagement with the bores 230a, 230b. In FIG. 12 a perspective view of the resulting room unit 1 in assembled state is shown.

[0171] In order to enable the pivoting motion, tolerances for the positive fit between the side wall 210 and the rim 120 of the mounting plate 10 are chosen accordingly. Furthermore the tolerances allow for pressing the housing frame in a direction perpendicular to the mounting plate 10, such that the protrusions 130a, 130b, 250a, 250b and the connection elements 140a, 260a can slip-over without prior hooking.

[0172] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the printed circuit board 30 from different perspectives. As already mentioned, the printed circuit board 30 comprises the first printed circuit board 310 and the second printed circuit board 320 protruding from an edge of the first printed circuit board 310 in a direction perpendicular to the first printed circuit board 310. The second printed circuit board 320 is for example soldered to the first printed circuit board with pin connectors.

[0173] On the first printed circuit board 310, a controller 340 comprising a microprocessor and a memory is arranged, whereas on the front side 320a of the second printed circuit board 320, a combined sensor 321 for measuring temperature and humidity of ambient air is arranged.

[0174] In a central part, there are 8 pin connectors 330 protruding in a direction perpendicular to the first printed circuit board 310.

[0175] A first section 311 of the first printed circuit board 310, in which the second printed circuit board is installed, is separated from the section comprising the controller 340 by slit-shaped openings 312 for thermally decoupling the two sections.

[0176] The backside 320b of the second printed circuit board 320 is coated with a copper coating having a thickness of for example 35 m essentially on the entire surface area.

[0177] FIG. 10 shows a top view on the printed circuit board 30 installed in the housing frame 20 from the side opposite the mounting plate (without frame element 40, antenna 50 and display 60 attached). In the lower left corner in FIG. 10, the backside 320b of the second printed circuit board 320 is in physical contact with the inner surface of the side wall 210 of the housing frame 20 in order to achieve a thermal coupling. If desired, a further sensor 360, e.g. a CO.sub.2 sensor can be arrange in section 311, which preferably is isolated from the second printed circuit 320 and the controller by slit-shaped opening.

[0178] If the room unit is installed as intended with the bottom surface 201 of the housing pointing towards the floor and the upper surface 202 pointing towards the ceiling of the building, any ascending heat produced by the controller and the optional further sensor will not flow around the second printed circuit board.

[0179] FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of the second printed circuit board 320 from a face side.

[0180] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the room unit 1 comprising the components as shown in FIG. 1-11 in assembled state.

[0181] FIG. 13 shows a further room unit 1, which is essentially identical in design with room unit 1. However, instead a display 60, the room unit 1 comprises a blind cover 60.

[0182] FIG. 14 shows a method 700 for installing the room unit of FIG. 12 or 13, whereby in a first step 701, the front housing part, i.e. the frame element 40, the antenna 50 and display 60 or the blind cover 60, is attached to the housing frame 20 and thereby the housing frame 20 is closed at the free end.

[0183] In a second step 702, the mounting plate 10 is fixed on a wall of a building, whereby the mounting plate is arranged such the first protrusions 130a, 130b of the mounting plate 10 are located on an upper outer surface of the rim 120.

[0184] In a third step 703, the housing frame 20 is attached at the upper side 102 of the mounting plate 10, such that the second protrusions 250a, 250b of the housing frame 20 interlock with the first protrusions 130a, 130b in a positive manner and the housing frame 20 stands off the mounting plate 10 at an angle in FIG. 5.

[0185] Subsequently, in a fourth step 704, the housing frame 20 is pivoted around the interlocked protrusions 130a, 130b, 250a, 250b in order to entirely receive the rim 120 of the mounting plate 10.

[0186] In a fifth step 705, the housing frame 20 is secured to the mounting plate 10 with the connection elements 140a, 260a. Thereafter, the housing frame can be further secured with the screws 150a, 150b by bringing them in engagement with the bores 230a, 230b.

[0187] Of course, installation furthermore includes connecting electrical cables from the HVAC system to the socket 160.

[0188] Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted.

[0189] In summary, it is to be noted that the invention provides highly beneficial room units which are compact in size and as easy to install and maintain. In particular the room units are resistant in case of incorrect handling during installation and maintenance and, despite the compact size, the room unit furthermore is capable to reliably measure ambient air parameters, especially ambient temperature, in the controlled room, space or zone.

[0190] The scope of protection of the present invention is given by the claims and is not limited by the features illustrated in the description or shown in the figures.