Abstract: An illustrative damper system includes a damper blade that is configured to be positioned within a duct, such as a bypass duct of an HVAC system. A shaft is in communication with the damper blade, and an actuator or force adjustment mechanism is in communication with the shaft. The actuator or force adjustment mechanism may include a housing and a spring therein, where the spring is in communication with the shaft. The shaft, the damper blade, and the spring may be configured such that the shaft may affect movement of the damper blade about a rotation axis offset from a diametrical axis of the damper blade.

Abstract: A wall mountable connector to provide mechanical and electrical connections for a thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a field wire receiving cavity, with a first column of wiring terminals and a second column of wiring terminals, with each of the wiring terminals configured to receive a field wire. Each of a first column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the first column of wiring terminals and each of a second column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the second column of wiring terminals. In some cases, the first column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from a first side edge of the housing, and the second column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from an opposing second side edge of the housing.

Abstract: A wall mountable connector to provide mechanical and electrical connections for a thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a field wire receiving cavity, with a first column of wiring terminals and a second column of wiring terminals, with each of the wiring terminals configured to receive a field wire. Each of a first column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the first column of wiring terminals and each of a second column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the second column of wiring terminals. In some cases, the first column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from a first side edge of the housing, and the second column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from an opposing second side edge of the housing.

Abstract: A thermostat that is configured to couple to a wall mountable connector includes a plurality of pins that extend out the back of the thermostat and that are intended to mate with corresponding pin terminals of the wall mountable connector and provide electrical connections between the thermostat and the wall mountable connector. In some cases, the plurality of pins of the thermostat are secured to a printed circuit board within the thermostat housing. A plurality of apertures formed in the back of the thermostat housing may be configured to accommodate the plurality of pins and to help align the printed circuit board with the thermostat housing. This may be particularly beneficial when assembling the printed circuit board with the thermostat housing.

Abstract: An illustrative damper system includes a damper blade that is configured to be positioned within a duct, such as a bypass duct of an HVAC system. A shaft is in communication with the damper blade, and an actuator or force adjustment mechanism is in communication with the shaft. The actuator or force adjustment mechanism may include a housing and a spring therein, where the spring is in communication with the shaft. The shaft, the damper blade, and the spring may be configured such that the shaft may affect movement of the damper blade about a rotation axis offset from a diametrical axis of the damper blade.

Abstract: A terminal assembly for use with an electronic device may include a first portion for secure a wire and a second portion for receiving a pin of an electronic device. The first portion and the second portion may be configured to electrically connect the pin to the wire.

Abstract: An HVAC controller such as a thermostat may include a housing having an aperture formed within the housing and a proximity sensor that is disposed within the housing proximate the aperture. The proximity sensor may include a sense die that has a first IR detector and a second IR detector, and a lens element disposed in front of the sense die. The lens element may be shifted to one side to preferentially direct incident IR energy to the first IR detector at the expense of the second IR detector. An IR energy transparent element may be disposed in front of the lens element, and may include a portion that fits into and seals the aperture formed within the housing. A controller may be configured to receive an electrical signal from the proximity sensor indicating an approach of an individual towards the thermostat, and in response, wake-up a user interface.

Abstract: An HVAC controller may display a user query on the display of the HVAC controller, which queries the user as to whether a utility saver switch is installed and in use. The HVAC controller may take into account whether a utility saver switch is installed and in use when determining, logging and/or reporting out diagnostic faults of the HVAC system.

Abstract: An HVAC controller is configured to log one more user interactions into a user interaction log stored in its memory such that at least some of the user interactions may be recalled from the user interaction log and displayed on the user interface of the HVAC controller in response to a request by a user. The user may use the information contained in the user interaction log as an aid in troubleshooting an HVAC system.

Abstract: A building automation controller assembly includes a wall plate for mounting to a wall and a controller housing releasably securable to the wall plate. A permanent magnet may be secured to one of the wall plate and the controller housing and a magnetically attracted material may be secured to the other one of the wall plate and the controller housing. The controller housing may be releasably secured to the wall plate based, at least in part, on the magnetic interaction between the permanent magnet and the magnetically attracted material.

Abstract: An HVAC controller includes a housing having an outer housing wall, a circuit board within the housing and a flexible circuit electrically coupled to the circuit board. The flexible circuit may provide a bias force toward a non-flexed state when flexed. A temperature sensor may be electrically coupled to the flexible circuit, which is mounted in a flexed configuration within the housing such that the bias force of the flexible circuit biases the temperature sensor against the outer housing wall.

Abstract: An HVAC controller may include a first stationary housing component, a second stationary housing component is secured relative to the first stationary housing component and a rotatable ring situated therebetween. The rotatable ring may have a first side that is configured to slide along a surface of the first stationary housing component when the rotatable ring is rotated, and a second side that is configured to slide along a surface of the second stationary housing component when the rotatable ring is rotated. The first side of the rotatable ring may have an encoded surface that rotates with the rotatable ring, and a stationary encoder may face the encoded surface of the rotatable ring. The stationary encoder may be configured to provide an output signal that is indicative of rotation of the rotatable ring that is used by the HVAC controller as a user input.

Abstract: A damper system may include a handle mechanism for use with a damper actuator system. Illustratively, the handle mechanism may include a drive gear mechanism, a handle, a housing, and a spring, and may be actuated to set a crack pressure for the damper system. The handle may connect to the drive gear mechanism at a drive gear arm of the drive gear mechanism and may flip over or about the drive gear arm to move from a first position to a second position. In some instances, once the handle is in the second position, a force may be applied thereto to disengage the drive gear from a stop member and thereafter, the handle may be rotated to change the crack pressure of the damper system.

Abstract: A humidifier having a field-replaceable water heating enclosure and a humidifier main unit configured to receive the field-replaceable water heating enclosure is provided. The field-replaceable water heating enclosure may include a water inlet, a water outlet, a water vapor outlet, and a resistive heating element. The humidifier main unit may be configured to provide water to the field-replaceable water heating enclosure via the water inlet when the field-replaceable water heating enclosure is received by the humidifier main unit. To facilitate this, the humidifier main unit may include a manifold structured to interface with the water inlet, the water outlet, and the water vapor outlet. The humidifier main unit also may be configured to provide electrical power to the resistive heating element of the field-replaceable water heating enclosure when the field-replaceable water heating enclosure is received by the humidifier main unit.

Abstract: An HVAC controller that monitors the performance of an HVAC system during its operating by comparing a monitored parameter value (e.g. delta T) to a pre-determined limit stored in the HVAC controller memory in order to determine if a performance limit has been violated. In some cases, the HVAC controller may display on a display of the HVAC controller a user alert for at least some of the detected violations. In some instances, the HVAC controller may display or otherwise provide a user alert only after a pre-determined number of performance violations are detected by the HVAC controller. Alternatively, or in addition, the HVAC controller may accept one or more conditions that indicate when a user alert for a detected violation is not to be displayed on the display of the HVAC controller.

Abstract: An HVAC controller may be programmed to monitor a current delta T of an HVAC system and to determine a performance level of the HVAC system based, at least in part, on one or more delta T limits stored in the memory of the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be further programmed to display or provide a user alert if the performance level falls outside of a normal operating range for the HVAC system.

Abstract: An HVAC controller is configured to log one more user interactions into a user interaction log stored in its memory such that at least some of the user interactions may be recalled from the user interaction log and displayed on the user interface of the HVAC controller in response to a request by a user. The user may use the information contained in the user interaction log as an aid in troubleshooting an HVAC system.

Abstract: A terminal assembly for use with an electronic device may include a first portion for secure a wire and a second portion for receiving a pin of an electronic device. The first portion and the second portion may be configured to electrically connect the pin to the wire.