Flat Room Temperature Controller with Lateral Magnetic Snap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing room temperature controllers with magnet snap systems and bimetallic strips have a high overall height, requiring a large housing and significant installation effort, and struggle to generate sufficient actuating force due to their design and dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A flat room temperature controller design featuring a U-shaped bimetallic strip with a contact arm and adjustment arm arranged approximately parallel to each other, supported by a bracket, and a permanent magnet interacting with a soft iron element on a circuit board, allowing for a low overall height of less than 25 mm and sufficient actuating force, with a magnetic snap system optimized for compactness and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If a conventional magnet snap system with bimetallic strip is used, then the switching function is achieved, but the overall height becomes too high requiring a large housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the permanent magnet from a vertical arrangement (behind the bimetallic strip) to a horizontal arrangement (to the side of the strip). This dimensional change allows the magnetic force to act laterally on the contact arm rather than vertically, enabling a much shorter overall height while maintaining the switching function through lateral contact arm deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the permanent magnet, contact arm, and bimetallic strip into a compact assembly where components are nested closely together on the circuit board. The magnet is positioned adjacent to the contact arm which is connected to the bimetallic strip, creating a space-efficient configuration that minimizes overall height while preserving all switching functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the overall height is reduced to less than 25 mm, then installation over plaster is simplified, but the permanent magnet cannot generate sufficient actuating force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial parameters of the magnetic system by positioning the permanent magnet laterally adjacent to the contact arm rather than vertically behind it. This parameter change allows the magnetic field to act horizontally on the contact arm, generating sufficient actuating force within a reduced vertical space of less than 25 mm height, enabling easy installation over plaster.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact arm serves as an intermediary element that transmits the magnetic force from the permanent magnet to the switching contact. The lateral arrangement allows the contact arm to be deflected horizontally by the magnet's force, effectively transferring the actuating force through the intermediate contact arm structure within the compact height constraint.
3Force
If the permanent magnet is positioned behind the contact, then the magnetic force can act on the contact arm, but the overall height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the permanent magnet from a position behind the contact (vertical arrangement) to a position to the side of the contact arm (horizontal arrangement). This dimensional change allows the magnetic attraction force to act laterally on the contact arm, maintaining sufficient force while reducing the vertical housing height to less than 25 mm.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a low overall height, simplified installation over plaster, and maintains a consistent actuating force over a large temperature range, providing an aesthetic and functional improvement by allowing for mounting over plaster with reduced installation effort.
Implementation Method 1
behind the contact fixed to the board a permanent magnet is arranged which interacts with a contact element on the contact arm
Implementation Method 2
A flat room temperature controller design featuring a U-shaped bimetallic strip with a contact arm and adjustment arm
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a room temperature controller (1) comprising a U-shaped bimetallic strip (20) arranged on a circuit board (14), a contact arm (21), and an adjustment arm (22). The contact arm (21) carries a contact (27) which interacts with a circuit board-mounted contact (40), behind which a permanent magnet (30) is arranged. A flexible conductor (60) is connected to the contact arm (21). The adjustment arm (22) interacts with a setpoint adjuster (50). A terminal strip (70) serves for the current supply; and the contact (27) on the bimetallic strip (20) comprises a soft iron element (24, 24') which is held on the contact arm (22) by a rivet (23). A silver disc (25) is arranged on the soft iron element (24, 24'), which interacts with a silver contact (41) arranged on the circuit board-mounted contact (40).