GB2605129A

GB2605129A - A wireless thermostat receiver

Info

Publication number: GB2605129A
Application number: GB2103630.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Smith Matthew; Peter Smith Gavin; Ian Horton Stewart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-03-16
Filing date: 2021-03-16
Publication date: 2022-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2041-03-16
Also published as: GB2605129B; GB202103630D0

Abstract

A wireless thermostat receiver 2 with a housing 4 formed from a front housing portion 6 releasably engaged to a rear housing portion (8, fig. 3) to define a cavity therebetween. The housing also provides an opening 10 to receive one or more cables extending into the cavity. The receiver further comprises a control printed circuit board (PCB) (18, fig. 3) and a terminal PCB (20, fig. 3) configured to be screwless mounted (26, fig. 3), possibly push-fitted, snap-fitted or clipped, to an inner surface of one of the housing portions. An access opening (30, fig. 5) may be provided in the rear housing to provide access to test points of the PCBs. The rear housing may also have a channel extending from an upper surface of the housing to a lower surface, the channel being configured to receive water ingress and to direct this water in a direction away from the PCBs.

Description

A WIRELESS THERMOSTAT RECEIVER

FIELD

The present invention relates to a wireless thermostat receiver, and a method of producing a wireless thermostat receiver.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A conventional central heating system may consist of one or more zones. For example, the system may comprise one zone, typically used with a combination boiler in a small house or flat where a single smart thermostat would control the heating of the entire property. The system may comprise two zones, typically used with a system boiler with a hot water cylinder in a small house. The thermostat typically controls the heating of the entire house and the hot water. Alternatively a separate thermostat may be used to control hot water temperature and availability.

Larger houses may have a three zone system. The system boiler in combination with the three zone valves would supply hot water to the hot water cylinder and to two separate heating zones (e.g. a first zone could be the bedrooms and the second zone could be the living areas). Larger houses or commercial properties may be split into four separate heating zones supplied with four wireless thermostats. Systems can include five or more zones, and these are usually designed for houses in multiple occupancy (HMO) and guest houses where several tenants live in the property and have different lifestyles.

By using several zone valves or a manifold, each bedroom can have its own thermostat, therefore only supplying heat to a specific room when required.

Each type of central heating system will require a different wireless receiver, each receiver being designed to accommodate a different variant of terminal PCB for the desired heating system.

There is therefore a need for a versatile wireless receiver which can be used for a number of different central heating system arrangements.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved wireless thermostat receiver.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a wireless thermostat receiver comprising: a housing comprising a front housing portion releasably engageable to a rear housing portion to define a cavity extending therebetween; in which the housing provides at least one opening to receive one or more cables extending therethrough into the cavity; a control PCB and a terminal PCB configured to be screwless mounted on an inner surface of at least one of the front and rear housing portions.

The control PCB and the terminal PCB are preferably provided as separate components. The control PCB preferably comprises control electronics for a receiver, including for example a Wi-Fi radio, and a radio operable to communicate with one or more wireless thermostats. In one embodiment, the terminal PCB comprises a plurality of relays and a connector block. Optionally a single screw is provided on the PCB terminal.

The control PCB and the terminal PCB are preferably configured to be screwless mounted on an inner surface of the rear housing portion. Preferably, one or more of the front and rear housing portions defines one or more recesses in communication with the cavity, in which the one or more recesses are configured to receive the corresponding control PCB and/or terminal PCB. Preferably, the one or more recesses are configured to frictionally engage at least a portion of the corresponding control PCB and/or terminal PCB.

In one embodiment, the housing comprises one or more screwless engagement features operable to secure the control PCB and terminal PCB in position within the cavity, for example within the corresponding recess(es). For example one or more of the front and/or rear housing portions, preferably the rear housing portion, comprises the one or more screwless engagement features operable to secure the control PCB and terminal PCB in position within the cavity, for example within the corresponding recess(es).

Preferably, the one or more screwless engagement features are push fit or snap fit engagement features, for example clips.

The system preferably further comprises at least one cable clamp located at or adjacent the opening for securing the at least one cable in position within the cavity. The cable clamp is preferably configured to receive and secure in position a plurality of cables and/or cables of differing cross-sectional dimensions.

The opening(s) may be provided in any suitable surface of the housing, for example any suitable surface of the front and/or rear housing portion. The housing preferably comprises an upper surface, and opposed lower surface and side portions extending therebetween. In one embodiment, the housing provides an opening located on the lower surface thereof. It is however to be understood that the housing may comprise an opening located on a side portion thereof, as an alternative or in addition to the opening located on the lower surface thereof. Alternatively cable may enter through a back wall of the housing via a channel formed in the wall on which the housing is mounted.

The rear housing portion preferably provides one or more opening extending therethrough in communication with the cavity. The, or each, opening is preferably operable to provide access to one or more test points of the control PCB and/or terminal PCB. This arrangement enables the user, who may be an authorised person, to have access to test the receiver without needing to remove the control PCB and/or terminal PCB. As a result, the receiver of the present invention can be tested, programmed and diagnosed accurately during use without requiring the housing to be opened or the receiver to be dismantled.

The receiver of the present invention enables the user to remove the front housing portion to gain access to the control PCB and terminal PCB while the power is still being supplied to the receiver. As such, the user is able to measure the output from the 3 terminal PCB during operation enabling the user to accurately and efficiently to identify any potential faults with the receiver and/or heating system.

The front and rear housing portions may be releasably engageable by any suitable means, such as for example by cooperative male and female engagement features, or preferably by one or more screw fixings. The one or more screw fixings are preferably captively retained within the front or rear housing portion. By captively retaining the screw fixings within the housing portion, this ensures that screw fixings do not become separated from the housing portion thereby ensuring that the front and rear housing portions are correctly installed and engaged to each other during installation. In one embodiment, one of the front or rear housing portion provides at least one metal, preferably brass, threaded bore for receiving at least one screw fixing captively retained with the other of the rear or front housing portions.

The metal threaded core provides improved strength to the housing portion and ensures that the screw fixings can be secured and released as many times as required without causing damage, such as wear and tear, to the housing portion. The use of metal threaded bores therefore provides a more reliable connection between the front and rear housing portions of the receiver.

Wireless thermostat receivers are typically installed near boilers, for example underneath the boiler. Boilers can leak and the water can enter the receiver causing damage to the electronics contained within. The wireless thermostat receiver of the present invention preferably comprises a channel system configured to direct water away from the control and terminal PCBs contained within the housing. For example, in one embodiment, one or more of the front and rear housing portion defines at least one channel configured to receive water ingress and to direct water ingress in a direction away from the screwless mounted control PCB and terminal PCB.

In one embodiment, the channel(s) may be provided on an outer surface of the front and/or rear housing portions to direct water away from the housing before entering the cavity. In a further embodiment, the housing preferably comprises an upper surface and an opposed lower surface, and in which the at least one channel extends from the upper surface towards the lower surface. The lower surface of the housing may comprise at least one opening extending therethrough, enabling water to pass out of the cavity without interfering with the PCBs stored therein.

The front housing portion may comprise at least one opening or transparent portion aligned with a corresponding underlying light source provided by the control PCB. The front housing portion may comprise an adhesive member, for example in the form of a sticker, comprising a diffuser layer for adhesion to the outer surface of the front housing and extending across the at least one opening or transparent portion. The receiver of the present invention can be set up to contain a number of different variants. Advantageously, the receiver does not require different buttons for each different variant. The adhesive member with the diffuser layer enables the receiver to be configured such that the underlying lights are illuminated, and visible through the adhesive member, to show a user which variant is in use. The diffuser layer is configured to hide or visually block the underlying lights which are not illuminated when not in use.

The front housing portion may comprise at least one actuation member operable to actuate buttons on the underlying PCB. Preferably, the front housing portion comprises a plurality of actuation members, each operable to actuate a corresponding button on the underlying PCB. The at least one actuation member is preferably operable to be depressed by the user to actuate the underlying button. The at least one actuation member is preferably a flexible actuation member.

The front housing portion may comprise a front facing surface. The actuation member(s) are preferably located on the front facing surface of the front housing portion.

The housing, for example the front and/or rear housing portions, may be composed of any suitable material, such as for example plastic.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for producing a wireless thermostat receiver herein described comprising: obtaining a front housing portion and a rear housing portion; mounting the control PCB and the terminal PCB to an inner surface of at least one of the front and rear housing portions; releasably engaging the front and rear housing portions to provide a housing portion defining a cavity extending therebetween.

The control PCB and terminal PCB are preferably frictionally mounted, snap fit or push fit mounted to an inner surface of at least one of the front and rear housing portions.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying Figures:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view from above of the outer surface of the front housing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a view of the inner surface of the front housing portion of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a view of the rear housing portion with a control PCB and terminal PCB mounted on the inner surface thereof; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of an enlarged section of the rear housing portion with a control PCB and terminal PCB mounted on the inner surface thereof of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a rear view of the outer surface of the rear housing portion with a control PCB and terminal PCB mounted on the inner surface thereof; Figure 6 is a functional diagram showing features of an existing wireless thermostat; and Figure 7 is a functional diagram showing a wireless thermostat of one embodiment of the invention showing key features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, the wireless thermostat receiver 2 comprises a housing 4 comprising a front housing portion 6 releasably engageable to a rear housing portion 8 to define a cavity extending therebetween.

The housing 4 provides a pair of spaced apart openings 10 to receive one or more cables extending therethrough into the cavity. For example a left hand side opening is for cable entry and the right hand opening is a vent. It is to be understood that the housing 4 may comprise any suitable number of openings 10 for receiving cables therethrough, for example a single opening or more than two openings.

The housing 4 comprises an upper surface 12 and an opposed lower surface 14 with side portions 16 extending therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, the openings 10 are provided in the lower surface 14 thereof. It is however to be understood that the opening(s) 10 may be provided in any suitable location on the housing 4 and is not to be limited to being provided on the lower surface 14 thereof The housing 4 may comprise removable tabs, which are removed in use to provide an opening 10 in a desired location This enables the same housing 4 to be used in multiple different applications.

The receiver 2 comprises a control PCB 18 and a terminal PCB 20 configured to be screwless mounted on an inner surface 22 of the rear housing portion 8. It is however to be understood, depending on the particular requirements for the device, that the control PCB 18 and/or terminal PCB 20 may be mountable on an inner surface 24 of the front housing portion 6.

The rear housing portion 8 defines two recesses. Each recess being configured to receive the corresponding control PCB 18 and/or terminal PCB 20. The rear housing portion 8 comprises one or more screwless engagement features 26 operable to secure the control PCB 18 and terminal PCB 20 in position within the recess/cavity.

In the illustrated embodiment, the screwless engagement features 26 are located to abut edges of the corresponding control PCB 18 and/or terminal PCB 20. Terminal board clips 42 are provided to receive the PCB 20. The screwless engagement features 26 are located adjacent the side portions 16 of the housing 4. It is however to be understood that the screwless engagement features 26 may be located at any suitable position on the housing 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, the screwless engagement features 26 are clips The clips are biased to engage and retain a PCB secured within the recess.

The receiver 2 further comprises a cable clamp 28 located at or adjacent the opening 10 for securing the at least one cable (not shown) in position within the cavity. The dimensions of the opening 10 together with the cable clamp 28 enable a plurality of cables and/or different sized cable(s) to be received within and to extend through the opening(s) 10. The cable clamp 28 is ideally reversable so that it may receive different cables.

The control PCB 18 comprises control electronics for a receiver and a radio operable to communicate with one or more wireless thermostats and to control devices, eg buttons or dials, and to display devices, such as LEDs or LCDs.

The rear housing portion 8 provides one or more openings 30 extending therethrough in communication with the cavity of the housing 4. The opening 30 is operable to provide access to one or more test points of the underlying control PCB and/or terminal PCB. This arrangement enables the user to test and programme the receiver 2 when fully assembled and operable without requiring the receiver 2 to be dismantled.

The front housing 6 and rear housing 8 portions are releasably engageable to each other by one or more screw fixings 32. The screw fixings 32 are captively retained within the front housing portion 6. The rear housing 8 portion comprises a brass threaded bore 34. This arrangement ensures the screw fixings 32 do not separate from the housing 4 and that the front and rear housing portions 6, 8 can be engaged and released as many times as required without causing any damage to the housing 4.

The front housing portion 6 comprises twelve openings or transparent portions 36 aligned with a corresponding light source provided by the control PCB. The receiver 2 further comprises an adhesive member comprising a diffuser layer 38 adheres to an outer surface of the front housing 4 and extends across the openings or transparent portions 36.

In use, the user separates the front housing portion 6 from the rear housing portion 8 by disengaging the screw fixings 32 from the brass threaded bore 34. The user places the control PCB 18 and the terminal PCB 20 into corresponding recesses provided by the rear portion 8. The user secures the PCBs 18, 20 by depressing the PCBs into the recess such that the screwless engagement feature 26 secures, through push fit or snap fit engagement, the PCBs in position within the recess.

A plurality of cables (not shown) are introduced through opening 10 and placed in communication with the corresponding PCB. The cable clamp 28 extends across the cables and secures them in position against the rear housing portion 8 The user engages the front housing portion 6 to the rear housing portion 8 by threaded engagement of the screw fixings 32 to the brass threaded bore 34.

The user provides power to the receiver 2. The receiver 2 is operable to be in communication with one or more thermostats.

The user can access test points on the PCBs of the receiver 2 through openings 30. The user can therefore test the receiver 2 once fully assembled and operative. The user can programme and test the receiver 2 via openings 30 in communication with the test points.

The receiver 2 of the present invention is versatile and can be easily and quickly adapted for use in heating systems for use in one or more zones within a property and for communication with one or more thermostats. The receiver 2 can be tested whilst fully operable and without requiring disassembly by the user. Furthermore, any faults with the receiver can be quickly identified as the terminals of the PCB are fully exposed on disengagement of the front and rear housing portions whilst still being fully operational.

Claims

CLAIMSA wireless thermostat receiver comprising: a housing comprising a front housing portion releasably engageable to a rear housing portion to define a cavity extending therebetween; in which the housing provides at least one opening to receive one or more cables extending therethrough into the cavity; a control PCB and a terminal PCB configured to be screwless mounted on an inner surface of at least one of the front and rear housing portions.
2. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in claim 1, in which the control PCB and the terminal PCB are configured to be screwless mounted on an inner surface of the rear housing portion
3. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, in which the receiver further comprises at least one cable clamp located at or adjacent the opening for securing the at least one cable in position within the cavity.
4. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the control PCB and the terminal PCB are provided as separate components.
5. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the control PCB comprises control electronics for a receiver and a radio operable to communicate with one or more wireless thermostats.
6. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the one or more of the front and rear housing portions defines one or more recesses in communication with the cavity, in which the one or more recesses are configured to receive the corresponding control PCB and/or terminal PCB.
7. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing comprises one or more screwless engagement features operable to secure the control PCB and terminal PCB in position within the cavity.
8. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in claim 7, in which the one or more screwless engagement features are push fit or snap fit engagement features.
9. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in claim 8, in which the one or more screwless engagement features are clips.
10. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, in which the one or more screwless engagement features are located on the rear housing portion.
11. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rear housing portion provides one or more opening extending therethrough in communication with the cavity, in which the, or each, opening is operable to provide access to one or more test points of the control PCB and/or terminal PCB.
12. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the front housing and rear housing portions are releasably engageable to each other by one or more screw fixings.
13. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in claim 12, in which the one or more screw fixings are captively retained within the front or rear housing portion.
14. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in either of claims 12 and 13, in which one of the front or rear housing portion provides at least one brass threaded bore for receiving at least one screw fixing captively retained with the other of the rear or front housing portions.
15. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one or more of the front and rear housing portion defines at least one channel configured to receive water ingress and to direct water ingress in a direction away from the screwless mounted control PCB and terminal PCB.
16. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in claim 15, in which the housing comprises an upper surface and an opposed lower surface, and in which the at least one channel extends from the upper surface towards the lower surface.
17. A wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the front housing portion comprises at least one opening or transparent portion aligned with a corresponding light source provided by the control PCB, and in which an adhesive member comprising a diffuser layer adheres to an outer surface of the front housing and extends across the at least one opening or transparent portion.
18. A method for producing a wireless thermostat receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, comprising: obtaining a front housing portion and a rear housing portion; mounting the control PCB and the terminal PCB to an inner surface of at least one of the front and rear housing portions; releasably engaging the front and rear housing portions to provide a housing portion defining a cavity extending therebetween.