Patents by Inventor David J. Emmons

David J. Emmons has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170321925
    Abstract: An HVAC actuator configured to actuate an HVAC component may include a rotatable output shaft having a full range of rotation between a first end position and a second end position, a drive mechanism configured to selectively drive the output shaft, and a housing having a front side that faces away from the HVAC component. The HVAC actuator may include a range adjustment lever manipulatable from the front side of the housing that allows a user to selectively limit rotation of the output shaft to a reduced range that is a subset of the full range. In some instances, the range adjustment lever allows the user to select between two or more predetermined reduced ranges. The two or more predetermined reduced ranges may each include the first end position but have a different second stop position, or include the second end position but have a different first stop position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Jack Du, David J. Emmons, Bin Wang
  • Publication number: 20170288347
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having contact channels with electrical contacts received therein each having a poke-in spring beam configured to engage an electrical wire when poked-in to the housing. The electrical contact is movable between a resting position when no wire is present in the wire channel and a clearance position where the electrical contact allows the electrical wire to be removed from the wire channel. Pivot levers are held by the housing and are coupled to corresponding electrical contacts with a pivot end pivotably coupled to the housing and a push button end having a push button pressed to move the corresponding electrical contact to the clearance position. When the electrical wire is loaded into the wire channel, the electrical contact is positioned in a pinching position in which the spring beam pinches against the electrical wire in physical contact with the electrical wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Emmons, Travis Read, Steven L. Wolff, Eric Barton, Ladislav Janovec
  • Patent number: 9780511
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector for securing a thermostat to a wall may include a plurality of wiring terminals as well as structure enabling an installer or other person to easily electrically connect (e.g. jumper) two or more of the wiring terminals in order to accommodate different equipment installations. For example, in some cases there may be a desire to electrically connect (e.g. jumper) or disconnect certain wiring terminals that correspond to transformer input terminals, which in some equipment installations are intended to be independently powered while in others they are not. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may include a slider with a cam that selectively lifts a conductor to disconnect two or more wiring terminals. The wall mountable connector may also include structure that helps prevent electrically connecting field wires to particular wiring terminals in error, depending on the position of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ladislav Janovec, David J. Emmons, Eric Barton, Steven L. Wolff
  • Patent number: 9774158
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector for securing a thermostat to a wall is disclosed. The wall mountable connector may include built in jumper functionality. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may include a plurality of wiring terminals as well as structure enabling an installer or other person to easily electrically connect (e.g. jumper) one or more of the wiring terminals in order to accommodate different equipment installations. For example, in some cases there may be a desire to electrically connect (e.g. jumper) or disconnect certain wiring terminals that correspond to transformer input terminals, which in some equipment installations are intended to be independently powered while in others they are not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Barton, David J. Emmons, Ladislav Janovec
  • Patent number: 9768564
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector is used for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector provides an electrical connection between a plurality of field wires of an HVAC system and corresponding terminals of a removably mounted thermostat. The wall mountable connector includes a plurality of mounting features that are configured to provide good securement of the wall mountable connector relative to the wall, and in some instances facilitate aligning at least one of the mounting feature of the wall mountable connector with a stud within the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Read, Anthony P. Uttley, Eric Barton, Jonathan Sartwell, Heidi Finch, David J. Emmons, Nathaniel D. Kraft
  • Patent number: 9748708
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having contact channels with electrical contacts received therein each having a poke-in spring beam configured to engage an electrical wire when poked-in to the housing. The electrical contact is movable between a resting position when no wire is present in the wire channel and a clearance position where the electrical contact allows the electrical wire to be removed from the wire channel. Pivot levers are held by the housing and are coupled to corresponding electrical contacts with a pivot end pivotably coupled to the housing and a push button end having a push button pressed to move the corresponding electrical contact to the clearance position. When the electrical wire is loaded into the wire channel, the electrical contact is positioned in a pinching position in which the spring beam pinches against the electrical wire in physical contact with the electrical wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Edward Mostoller, Edward John Howard, Christopher George Daily, David J. Emmons, Travis Read, Steven L. Wolff, Eric Barton
  • Publication number: 20170234560
    Abstract: A thermostat that is configured to be releasably secured to a wall mountable connector, wherein the wall mountable connector includes a jumper switch that permits an installer or other professional to easily form an electrical connection between different wiring terminals of the wall mountable connector in accordance with how particular field wires are connected to the wiring terminals of the wall mountable connector. The thermostat is further configured to automatically determine the position of the jumper switch of the wall mountable connector, and in some cases, change the control of at least some functionality of the thermostat and/or HVAC equipment depending on the position of the jumper switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Josef Novotny, Petr Adamik, Steven L. Wolff, Ladislav Janovec, Tomas Rezny, David J. Emmons, Michal Sicner, Jiri Sapak, Tarik Khoury
  • Publication number: 20170237187
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector is configured for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector is further configured to provide electrical connections with field wires exiting the wall and in turn to provide electrical connection with the thermostat. In some instances, the wall mountable connector is configured to provide easier connections with the field wires. In some cases, for example, the wall mountable connector is configured to better accommodate more commonly used field wires, and in some cases, space the more commonly used field wires from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Read, Sriharsha Putrevu, David J. Emmons
  • Publication number: 20170237216
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector for securing a thermostat to a wall may include a plurality of wiring terminals as well as structure enabling an installer or other person to easily electrically connect (e.g. jumper) two or more of the wiring terminals in order to accommodate different equipment installations. For example, in some cases there may be a desire to electrically connect (e.g. jumper) or disconnect certain wiring terminals that correspond to transformer input terminals, which in some equipment installations are intended to be independently powered while in others they are not. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may include a slider with a cam that selectively lifts a conductor to disconnect two or more wiring terminals. The wall mountable connector may also include structure that helps prevent electrically connecting field wires to particular wiring terminals in error, depending on the position of the slider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Ladislav Janovec, David J. Emmons, Eric Barton, Steven L. Wolff
  • Publication number: 20170234565
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector may be secured to a wall in order to provide mechanical and electrical connections to a thermostat. In some cases, the wall mountable connector and the thermostat may, in combination, be configured to permit the thermostat to attach to the wall mountable connector only when the thermostat is in a particular orientation relative to the wall mountable connector. In some cases, the wall mountable connector includes a plurality of pin terminals that are configured to accommodate a plurality of pins extending from the thermostat. The interaction between the pins and the pin terminals may provide a lock and key arrangement between the wall mountable connector and the thermostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Emmons, Travis Read, Eric Barton, Steven L. Wolff, Sriharsha Putrevu
  • Publication number: 20170237246
    Abstract: An adapter plate may be used to secure a wall mountable connector to a junction box by engaging mounting features of the wall mountable connector. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may be directly secured to a wall via fasteners that extend through the same mounting features of the wall mountable connector. In some cases, the adapter plate may be configured such that the wall mountable connector can be secured to the adapter plate simply by pressing the wall mountable connector into position on the adapter plate, where mounting latches of the adapter plate engage the mounting apertures of the wall mountable connector. The wall mountable connector may be an HVAC wall mountable connector that provides an electrical connection between a plurality of field wires of an HVAC system and corresponding terminals of a removably mounted thermostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Ladislav Janovec, Steven L. Wolff, David .J Emmons, Tarik Khoury
  • Publication number: 20170234569
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector configured to facilitate a user in removing a first thermostat from the wall mountable connector and installing a new, different second thermostat on the wall mountable connector without having to do any wiring work. The field wires remain coupled to the wall mountable connector, and the wall mountable connector provides the appropriate electrical connections between the field wires and the first and second thermostats. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may include a memory for storing data communicated by a first thermostat, and to communicate the stored data to a subsequently installed second thermostat. In some instances, the first and second thermostats may be selected from a line of compatible thermostats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Emmons, Travis Read, Tarik Khoury, Jaromir Cechak, Preston Gilmer
  • Publication number: 20170237215
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector for securing a thermostat to a wall is disclosed. The wall mountable connector may include built in jumper functionality. In some cases, the wall mountable connector may include a plurality of wiring terminals as well as structure enabling an installer or other person to easily electrically connect (e.g. jumper) one or more of the wiring terminals in order to accommodate different equipment installations. For example, in some cases there may be a desire to electrically connect (e.g. jumper) or disconnect certain wiring terminals that correspond to transformer input terminals, which in some equipment installations are intended to be independently powered while in others they are not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Eric Barton, David J. Emmons, Ladislav Janovec
  • Publication number: 20170237210
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Read, David J. Emmons, Preston Gilmer, John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Eric Barton, Jiri Sapak
  • Publication number: 20170237211
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector may be used for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector may provide an electrical connection between a plurality of field wires of an HVAC system and corresponding terminals of a removably mounted thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a plurality of mounting features that are configured to provide good securement of the wall mountable connector relative to the wall, and in some instances facilitate aligning at least one of the mounting feature of the wall mountable connector with a stud within the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Read, Anthony P. Uttley, Eric Barton, Jonathan Sartwell, Heidi Finch, David J. Emmons, Nathaniel D. Kraft
  • Publication number: 20170236766
    Abstract: A wall mountable connector assembly with an optional wall covering plate is disclosed. The wall mountable connector provides electrical connections to each of a plurality of field wires and is configured to provide electrical connections to a thermostat secured to the wall mountable connector. The optional wall covering plate is configured to fit over the wall mountable connector and provide a pleasing appearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Read, David J. Emmons, Steven L. Wolff, Eric Barton
  • Publication number: 20170234574
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Pavel Marak, Steven L. Wolff, David J. Emmons, Eric Barton
  • Patent number: 9735518
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Read, David J Emmons, Preston Gilmer, John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Eric Barton, Jiri Sapak
  • Patent number: 9732980
    Abstract: An HVAC actuator configured to actuate an HVAC component may include a rotatable output shaft having a full range of rotation between a first end position and a second end position, a drive mechanism configured to selectively drive the output shaft, and a housing having a front side that faces away from the HVAC component. The HVAC actuator may include a range adjustment lever manipulatable from the front side of the housing that allows a user to selectively limit rotation of the output shaft to a reduced range that is a subset of the full range. In some instances, the range adjustment lever allows the user to select between two or more predetermined reduced ranges. The two or more predetermined reduced ranges may each include the first end position but have a different second stop position, or include the second end position but have a different first stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Du, David J. Emmons, Bin Wang, Kevin Graebel
  • Patent number: D794478
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Read, David J. Emmons, Jonathan Erbacher