Climate control panel with non-planar display

Abstract

A control is provided that includes a current altering device for control of peripheral devices and a display having a first segment, second segment and third segment and the first and second segments are not located in the same plane. The display includes at least one touch sensitive segment to operate a peripheral control function. The display includes alphanumeric display areas adjacent to first and second segments. In an embodiment the display may have an arc shape and the first segment is located at an apex of the arc of the display in a first plane and a second segment is located in a second plane.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A control comprising:
 a housing including circuitry and electronic components for control of a peripheral device;   the circuitry controlling at least one current altering device for control of the peripheral device;   a display mounted on the housing connected to the circuitry via a current carrying bridge member; and   the display having a first segment, second segment and third segment wherein the first and second segments are not located in the same plane.   
     
     
         2 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the display has an arc shape and is attached to the housing adjacent to each side of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment and the third segment are located substantially in the same plane. 
     
     
         4 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment and third segment are not located in the same plane. 
     
     
         5 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the housing having an opening for receiving the display and the opening formed in a first plane and at least one of the first, second and third segments extend externally beyond the first plane of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The control of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first, second and third segments extend to an exterior edge of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The control of  claim 1  wherein at least one the first, second and third segments extend internally to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the current altering device is located externally to the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the current altering device includes a relay that interrupts the current to the peripheral device. 
     
     
         10 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment of the display includes at least one touch sensitive segment to operate a peripheral control function of heat, cool, fan, temperature, time, ventilation, and humidity. 
     
     
         11 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment of the display includes at least one touch sensitive segment to operate a peripheral control function of the non-English equivalent translation of heat, cool, fan, temperature, time, ventilation, and humidity. 
     
     
         12 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment of the display includes at least one touch sensitive segment connected to the current altering device to operate a peripheral control function of an icon equivalent of heat, cool, fan, temperature, time, ventilation and humidity. 
     
     
         13 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the first segment is a touch sensitive area and the second segment includes an alphanumeric display area located adjacent the first segment. 
     
     
         14 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the peripheral device includes one of a heat pump, air conditioner, furnace, boiler, humidifier, fan and ventilation damper. 
     
     
         15 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the control is a thermostat. 
     
     
         16 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the display has a non-planar shape and forms in part one of a cube, octahedron, pentagonal prism, pyramid, tetrahedron, triangular prism, truncated pyramid, stairs, cone, and mushroom shape. 
     
     
         17 . The control of  claim 1  wherein the display has an arc shape and the first segment is located at an apex of the arc of the display in a first plane and the first segment is located adjacent to the second segment in a second plane and near a side edge of the housing; and a first touch segment is located in the first segment in the first plane and a second touch segment is located in the second plane. 
     
     
         18 . The control of  claim 17  wherein the housing includes an arc shaped frame member to support the display. 
     
     
         19 . A thermostat control comprising:
 a housing for containing circuitry and electronic components for control of a peripheral device;   the circuitry controlling at least one current altering device for control of the peripheral device;   a display mounted on the housing, the display having a bridge for connecting the circuitry;   the display including a first segment and a second segment;   the display disposed in a non-planar shape and configured so that user interaction with the control in order to activate at least the first and second segments is configured wherein at least one Z axis movement by a user's hand is required during the operation of the control.   
     
     
         20 . The control of  claim 16  wherein the housing includes a face that defines an X and Y axis and the Z axis is defined by a line extending perpendicularly through the face of the housing, so that the perpendicular line extends upward out of the face of the housing and downward through the back of the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The control of  claim 16  wherein the first segment provides a touch sensitive pad and the second segment provides an alphanumeric display area. 
     
     
         22 . The control of  claim 16  wherein the orientation of the display in a non-planar shape is configured wherein movement by a user's hand during operation of the control in the X, Y and Z axes is required in order to activate the control by touching at least the first and second segments. 
     
     
         23 . The control of  claim 16  wherein the display is a flexible display that is supported by the housing to attain the desired shape. 
     
     
         24 . The control of  claim 16  wherein the shape of the display becomes static for use in the field by an end user. 
     
     
         25 . A method of assembling a control comprising the steps of:
 providing a housing having circuitry containing at least one current altering device;   attaching a flexible display to the circuitry; the flexible display having a first segment and a second segment;   orienting the flexible display in a desired static shape wherein the first segment is located substantially in a first plane and the second segment is located substantially in a second plane; and   securing the flexible display to the housing in order to maintain the flexible display in the desired static shape.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of mounting the flexible display to a printed circuit board provided by the housing and the flex display including bridge members for attaching the flexible display to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the first segment is a touch segment and the second segment is a touch segment each of the first and second segments providing for a touch sensitive pad for operation of the control.