Fault annunciation for a fan coil

Abstract

An annunciation system for an HVAC fan coil unit is disclosed, comprising: (a) a housing having a front panel defining an opening for maintenance of a component inside the housing; (b) spaced apart LED's arranged in a row on a substrate that is mounted horizontally on the front panel adjacent to the opening; (d) a door mounted offset to the front panel and covering the opening and the LED's; and (e) an electronic controller coupled to memory. The electronic controller is configured to automatically energize predetermined ones of the LED's to emit light. Light emitted from the energized LED's is deflected by the door onto exposed portions of the front panel to cast an indirectly visible glow indicative of a status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.

1 . An annunciation system for an HVAC fan coil unit, comprising:
 a housing for the HVAC fan coil unit comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, opposed side panels, a rear panel, and a front frame comprising a front recessed panel, the front recessed panel defining an opening sized to permit maintenance of one or more components inside the housing;   a light emitter comprising a plurality of spaced apart light sources arranged in a row on a substrate, the substrate mounted horizontally on a front recessed face above and adjacent to the opening;   a movable door pivotally mounted to the front recessed panel and configured to overlap the opening and the light emitter, the door pivotally operable between a first, closed position and a second, open position, the door lying approximately parallel to and forwardly offset from the front recessed panel and the light emitter when in a fully closed position; and   an electronic controller coupled to memory, the electronic controller configured to electrically energize the light emitter to emit light, wherein light emitted from the light emitter is deflected by the door onto exposed portions of the front recessed panel to cast an indirectly visible glow indicative of a status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.   
     
     
         2 . The annunciation system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller comprises a microprocessor mounted on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         3 . The annunciation system of  claim 2 , wherein the printed circuit board includes an output port connected to the light emitter. 
     
     
         4 . The annunciation system of  claim 3 , including an electrical cable connected to the output port on one end of the cable and to the light emitter on an opposite end of the cable. 
     
     
         5 . The annunciation system of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC fan coil is configured for installation in a guest room at a hotel, a condominium, or an apartment. 
     
     
         6 . The annunciation system of  claim 1 , wherein light from the energized light emitter is emitted in one of a plurality of colors, wherein each of the colors conveys a different status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit. 
     
     
         7 . The annunciation system of  claim 1 , wherein light from the energized light emitter is emitted in a predetermined on/off repeating pattern. 
     
     
         8 . An annunciation system for an HVAC fan coil unit, comprising:
 a housing comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, opposed side panels, a rear panel, and a front panel defining an opening sized to permit maintenance of one or more components inside the housing;   a plurality of spaced apart LED's arranged in a row on a substrate that is mounted horizontally on the front panel adjacent to the opening;   a door pivotally mounted to the front panel and configured to overlap the opening and cover the LED's, the door lying approximately parallel to and forwardly offset from the front panel and the LED's; and   an electronic controller coupled to memory, the electronic controller configured to electrically and automatically energize predetermined ones of the LED's to emit light, wherein light emitted from the energized LED's is deflected by the door onto exposed portions of the front panel to cast an indirectly visible glow indicative of a status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.   
     
     
         9 . The annunciation system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic controller comprises a microprocessor mounted on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         10 . The annunciation system of  claim 9 , wherein the printed circuit board includes an output port connected to the LED's. 
     
     
         11 . The annunciation system of  claim 10 , including an electrical cable that electrically connects the output port to at least one of the LED's. 
     
     
         12 . An annunciation system for an HVAC fan coil unit, comprising:
 a housing comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, opposed side panels, a rear panel, and a front panel defining an opening sized to permit maintenance of one or more components inside the housing;   at least one light source on a substrate, the substrate mounted to the front panel and adjacent to the opening;   a cover mounted to and parallel to and offset from the front panel, the cover overlapping the opening and covering the at least one light source; and   an electronic controller coupled to memory, the electronic controller configured to electrically and automatically energize a predetermined one of the at least one light source to emit light, wherein light emitted from the energized at least one light source is deflected by the cover onto exposed portions of the front panel to cast an indirectly visible glow indicative of a status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.   
     
     
         13 . The annunciation system of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic controller comprises a microprocessor mounted on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         14 . The annunciation system of  claim 13 , wherein the printed circuit board includes an output port connected to the at least one light source. 
     
     
         15 . The annunciation system of  claim 14 , including an electrical cable that electrically connects the output port to the at least one light source, and the at least one light source comprises at least one LED. 
     
     
         16 . An annunciation system for an HVAC fan coil unit, comprising:
 a housing comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, opposed side panels, a rear panel, and a front panel, wherein the front panel is removable to permit maintenance of one or more components inside the housing, the front panel comprising a plurality of louvres to permit return air to be drawn into the HVAC fan coil unit;   at least one LED on at least one substrate, the at least one substrate mounted to a frame member inside the housing; and   an electronic controller coupled to memory, the electronic controller configured to electrically and automatically energize a predetermined one of the at least one LED on the at least one substrate to emit light, wherein light emitted from the energized at least one LED is allowed to pass through at least one of the louvres to convey a status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.   
     
     
         17 . The annunciation system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one substrate comprises a pair substrates. 
     
     
         18 . The annunciation system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the substrates comprises a plurality of spaced apart LED's arranged in at least one row. 
     
     
         19 . The annunciation system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the substrates are mounted inside the housing in proximity to at least some of the plurality of louvres. 
     
     
         20 . The annunciation system of  claim 16 , wherein light emitted from the energized at least one LED comprises one of a plurality of colors, wherein each of the colors conveys a different status, condition, or fault of the HVAC fan coil unit.