HVAC controls and controllers including alphanumeric displays

Solution Overview

Problem

HVAC system controls face challenges in readability due to increasing complexity and varying installation orientations, as small segmented displays become difficult to read when the equipment's orientation changes, such as from up-flow to down-flow or horizontal installations.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an alphanumeric display with a processor that receives user input through input devices like push buttons or slide switches, allowing the display to be reoriented relative to the user, such as rotating by 180 degrees, to maintain readability regardless of equipment orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If small segmented displays are used in HVAC controls, then the display size is reduced, but the readability becomes difficult when equipment orientation changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay sizeVSAvoidreadability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display orientation is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows users to rotate the display orientation (e.g., 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) to match the equipment installation orientation, ensuring readability regardless of how the HVAC equipment is installed. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by maintaining small display size while ensuring readability through user-controlled orientation changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the display orientation is fixed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different installation orientations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay control complexityVSAvoidadaptability to installation orientations

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display orientation is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows users to rotate the display orientation (e.g., 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) to match the equipment installation orientation, ensuring readability regardless of how the HVAC equipment is installed. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by maintaining small display size while ensuring readability through user-controlled orientation changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The display orientation parameter can be changed by the user to adapt to different installation scenarios. By allowing modification of the display rotation angle parameter, the system achieves versatility across various installation orientations without requiring complex mechanical adjustments or multiple display units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9830887B2HVAC controls and controllers including alphanumeric displays

Publication Date: 2017.11.28 COPELAND COMFORT CONTROL LP

AI summary

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of controls for heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a control for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning system includes an alphanumeric display and one or more input device. A processor of the control is configured to receive a user input through the input device(s), and in response to the user input, reorient a display of a message relative to the alphanumeric display.