Electronic thermostat timer

In an electronic thermostat timer having a time-keeping switch and having a thermostat, having an optoelectronic display (6) arranged at the front side of the housing for the time of day, the switching times and the switching temperatures, having a manual, key-shaped input device (7) for the time of day, the switching times and the switching temperatures in a common housing (1), the housing (1) is provided with a quadratic cross section, particularly having the edge dimensions 60.times.60 mm. A cylindrical clockface dial (3) is provided at the front side (2) of the housing (1), the outer circumference of said cylindrical clockface dial partially projecting beyond the sides (17) of the housing (1). A thermostat module (5) that is covered by a housing cover (10) is arranged at the back side (4) of the housing (1).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is directed to an electronic thermostat timer having a 
time-keeping switch means and having a thermostat, having an 
optoelectronic display means arranged at the front side of the housing for 
the time of day, the switching times and the switching temperatures, 
having a manual, key-shaped input means for the time of day, the switching 
times and the switching temperatures, in a common housing. 
In such thermostat timers that can be practically employed not only for a 
time-controlled temperature regulation of dwelling spaces but also for air 
conditioning units having heating and/or cooling function, freezer chests, 
refrigeration rooms and refrigerators, particularly as what are referred 
to as defroster controls as well, it is necessary--particularly when these 
are intended to be built-in--that the external dimensions of the overall 
device be optimally small and compact without the technical demands made 
of the thermostat being thereby deteriorated. It should thereby be assured 
that the inertia of such a thermostat is appropriately matched to the 
respective requirements. As necessary, moreover, what are referred to as 
optimization functions having up to four temperature levels should be 
possible, first with a comfort temperature control at 21.degree. C., 
second with a day time temperature control lowered under chronological 
control at approximately 19.degree. C., third with a night temperature 
control lowered under chronological control at approximately 16.degree. C. 
and, fourth, an antifreezing temperature control at about 5.degree. C., as 
well as with what is referred to as an automatic surge aeration unit. 
It is also required in such thermostat timers that, first, the electrical 
installation terminals can be placed corresponding to the respective, 
requirements without the installation orientation of the device having to 
be changed as a result thereof and that, second, an arrangement of the 
temperature sensor corresponding to the respective requirements is also 
possible in addition to a monitoring of the power reserve of the device. 
In known electromechanical or electronic thermostat timers, the switch 
clock and the thermostat are arranged lying spatially side-by-side in a 
rectangularly fashioned housing that is relatively large in terms of 
space. The electrical installation terminals are invariably arranged 
thereat in a specific region of the housing. 
These known thermostat timers are relatively large in size and their 
employment is correspondingly limited. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the known 
thermostat timers and to create a corresponding device that has optimally 
small housing dimensions that enables an expediently alignable orientation 
of the installation terminals and that is flexible in view of the 
arrangement of the temperature sensor. Moreover, a display of the actual 
temperature and of the power reserve of the switch clock should be assured 
thereat. 
This object is achieved by an electronic thermostat time having in a common 
housing a time-keeping switch means and a thermostat, an optoelectronic 
display means arranged at a front side of the housing for the time of day, 
the switching times and the switching temperatures, a manual key-shaped 
input means for the time of day, the switching times and the switching 
temperatures. The housing is provided with a quadratic cross section, 
particularly having the edge dimensions 60.times.60 mm. A cylindrical 
clockface dial is provided at the front side of the housing, an outer 
circumference of the cylindrical clockface dial partially projecting 
beyond sides of the housing. A thermostat module which is covered by a 
housing cover is arranged at the back side of the housing. 
Advantageous developments of the present invention are as follows. The 
clockface dial is rotatably seated and secured vis-a-vis the housing, 
particularly in a grid of approximately 90.degree.. The clockface dial is 
rotatably seated and fastened vis-a-vis the housing and/or installation 
terminals of the thermostat timer in latching fashion. The thermostat 
module is provided with an integrated temperature sensor and/or with a 
remote temperature sensor. An electrical plug for connection of a remote 
temperature sensor is provided at the back side of the housing cover. The 
display means displays the time of day, the switching time, the switching 
temperature, the actual temperature and the power reserve of the device. 
What is advantageous in the new thermostat timer is not only that the 
housing is lent a quadratic cross section, particularly an edge dimension 
of 60.times.60 mm--this having become possible due to the arrangement of 
the modularly constructed thermostat at the back side of the switch clock 
module--, but also as a result of the rotatability of the cylindrical 
clockface dial, particularly by respectively 90.degree. vis-a-vis the 
electrical installation terminals. The temperature sensor integrated in 
the device and/or the provision of a remote temperature sensor is also 
advantageous, as is the optoelectronic actual temperature display and a 
monitoring display of the power reserve of the thermostat timer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The thermostat timer shown in FIG. 1 is essentially composed of the housing 
1 having a quadratic cross section, particularly having the edge 
dimensions of 60.times.60 mm. An optoelectronic display means 6 for 
digital display of the time of day, of the switching times, of the 
switching temperatures as well as of the actual temperature is provided on 
the front side 2 of the cylindrical clockface dial 3 which is arranged 
spatially raised on the housing 1 and which can be mounted rotatable 
relative thereto, particularly in the range of 90.degree.. Optoelectronic 
display means in the form of electronically excited, symbolic segments for 
the respective switching conditions, the switching days as well as for the 
power reserve of the device are also situated thereat. 
A keyboard 7 is provided for the manual input of the time of day, of the 
possible switching times, in detail for the comfort temperature, the day 
time lowering, the night time lowering, the antifreezing protection, the 
start of time for defrost, the defrost duration and potential inhibited 
times and of the switching temperatures. Also provided is 4 mounting 
fastening flange 8 with fastening holes 9 that are arranged in the region 
of the corners of the housing 1. 
FIG. 2 depicts the housing 1, the clockface dial 3 at the front side of the 
housing 1 and the thermostat module 5 arranged at the back side of the 
housing 1 and which is covered thereat by a housing cover 10. The housing 
cover 10 is detachably latched onto the housing 1 with catch latches 11. A 
catch engagement 12 is provided the housing 1. The clockface dial 3 can 
have its back side provided with a modularly constructed, electronic, 
time-keeping switch mean or module. As already described in FIG. 1, the 
clockface dial 3 together with the time-keeping switch module secured 
thereat is seated rotatable vis-a-vis the housing 1 and the electrical 
installation terminals provided thereat, particularly in latching fashion. 
FIG. 3 shows the housing 1 in detail together with the thermostat module 5 
put in place on the back side 4 thereof, this thermostat module 5 being 
covered by the housing cover 10. In special cases, the thermostat module 5 
can also be arranged without housing cover 10, directly on the back side 4 
of the housing 1. A number of housing openings 14 are provided behind 
which the temperature sensor (not shown in detail) integrated in the 
device is arranged. A two-pole plug 15 is provided the connection of a 
remote temperature sensor 20 of the electronic thermostat. 
Number 16 indicates the plug-shaped, electrical installation terminals 16 
which, partially let into the housing 1, are arranged at the outside of 
the housing 1 which has the mounting fastening flanges 8 and the fastening 
holes 9. FIG. 3 shows, the outer circumference of the cylindrical 
clockface dial 3 arranged at the front side of the housing respectively 
projects slightly beyond the sides 17 of the housing 1. 
It is also provided in a modification of the invention that the thermostat 
is not modularly fashioned and is not arranged on the back side 4 of the 
housing 1; but, rather, this is directly integrated in the electronics, 
particularly in an appropriate microprocessor of the whole, whereby this 
electronics is arranged in a housing 1 without the previous thermostat 
structure at the back side of the housing. It is also provided in this 
context that a thermostatically controlled aerator terminal is provided 
thereat for certain applications. 
The invention is not limited to the particular details of the apparatus 
depicted and other modifications and applications are contemplated. 
Certain other changes may be made in the above described apparatus without 
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention herein involved. 
It is intended, therefore, that the subject matter in the above depiction 
shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.