Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a device for connecting a control head to a thermostatic valve of a radiator of a heating appliance. The device includes a lock member securable to the thermostatic valve, the lock member is insertable into the control head where it is retained by a retaining seat within the control head.

<CIT> discloses a thermostatic handle connectable to a valve of a radiator. The handle includes a connecting portion to connect the handle to a body surrounding the valve. A clamping element is arranged outside of the connecting portion which, depending on its axial position pushes on jaws integral to the body surrounding the valve in order to secure the handle to the valve.

<CIT> discloses a controller connectable to a valve of a radiator of a central heating system. The controller is threadedly attached to the valve and a clamping ring is disposed externally to the threaded connection in order to secure the connection.

The following presents a simplified summary of various aspects described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview, and is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claims. The following summary merely presents some concepts in a simplified form as an introductory prelude to the more detailed description provided below.

Viewed from one aspect, an apparatus for mounting a thermostatic device to a hydronic heating/cooling system is provided, the apparatus comprising: a male section comprising a flange and an indentation around the male section below and along the flange, the male section having a threaded lower end and the flange located at an upper end, the male section configured to attach to a component of the hydronic heating/cooling system by threading the threaded lower end onto the component of the hydronic heating/cooling system; and a female section comprising a main body, a slide sleeve, and a latching mechanism, and a retention mechanism, the female section configured to attach to the male section by the latching mechanism locking onto the indentation of the male section in a lock state when the slide sleeve is in a lower position along the main body, the latching mechanism releasing from the indentation of the male section in a release state when the slide sleeve is in an upper position along the main body, the retention mechanism maintaining the apparatus in the lock state by generating a downward force on the latching mechanism, the female section configured to attach to the thermostatic device.

In one embodiment, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a quick connect-disconnect coupling mechanism comprises a male section (portion) and a female section (portion).

With another aspect, a male section comprises a single adaptor having a lower end with threads and an upper end with a flange. The adapter may be constructed from a polymer and/or metallic materials.

With another aspect, a male section may have threads with a different size and different type to engage the threading of a valve or manifold of a hydronic heating system.

With another aspect, a male section may have a flange that is designed to engage latches of corresponding female section.

With another aspect, a female section comprises a main body; a slide sleeve, one or more latches, and a metal spring. Components of the female section may be constructed from a polymer and/or metallic materials.

With another aspect, a female section may include a main body that can mount to a valve controller by using screws, glue, or welding.

With another aspect, a female section may include main body that can be embedded to a body of a valve controller.

With another aspect, a female section may have a slide sleeve that is movable relative to the main body and that stops the latches from moving in a release state.

With another aspect, a female section may have a spring that always push down the slide sleeve when the slide sleeve is in a release state.

With another aspect, a female section may have one or more than one latches that engages a flange of a corresponding male section.

With another aspect, a mounting device facilitates connecting a IoT device such as thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) and automatic temperature balanced actuator (ABA) to a hydronic cooling system to control the temperature of a room by changing the flow of cold water through radiator.

With another aspect, the latching mechanism is released from the indentation of the male section when the slide sleeve is in an upper position along the main body.

With another aspect, the retention mechanism comprises a spring located between a mainbody and a slide sleeve of the female section.

With another aspect, a slide sleeve of a female section may have at least one rib that holds a latch mechanism in place when the slide sleeve is in a lower position along a main body of the female section.

With another aspect, a latching mechanism of a female section comprises one or more latches. The one or more latches locks into an indentation of a corresponding male section.

With another aspect, a thermostatic device is attached to an upper part of a female section. The thermostatic device may be embedded with, glued or welded to, or attached with one or more screws or latches to a bottom of the thermostatic device.

Viewed from a further aspect, a mounting device is provided for mounting a thermostatic device to a hydronic heating/cooling system, the mounting device comprising: a male section comprising a flange and an indentation around the male section above the flange, the male section having the flange located at a lower end, the male section configured to attach to the thermostatic device; and a female section comprising a main body, a slide sleeve, a latching mechanism,, and a threaded end, and a retention mechanism, the female section configured to attach to a component of the hydronic heating/cooling system by threading the threaded end onto the component of the hydronic heating/cooling system, the female section configured to attach to the male section by the latching mechanism locking onto the indentation of the male section in a lock state when the slide sleeve is in an upper position along the main body, the latching mechanism releasing from the indentation of the male section in a release state when the slide sleeve is in a lower position along the main body, the retention mechanism maintaining the mounting device in the lock state by applying an upward force on the latching mechanism.

These and additional aspects will be appreciated with the benefit of the disclosures discussed in further detail below.

<FIG> shows mounting mechanism <NUM> for coupling a thermostatic device such as thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) <NUM> to valve connection <NUM> in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

With traditional approaches, installation of a valve controller (for example, a TRV or an automatic temperature balanced actuator (ABA)) to a hydronic heating/cooling system may be difficult and time consuming. With some traditional approaches, the valve controller is mounted to the hydronic heating/cooling system using a mounting ring, which may be constructed from metal or plastic. An installer must often use one hand to hold the controller body while aligning it to the valve or manifold and then to tighten the mounting ring with the other hand or with tools. The location of valves and manifolds may be very close to the wall or in areas that are difficult to be accessed by hand, thus making the installation very difficult, time consuming, and costly.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, mounting device <NUM> and mounting device <NUM> are adapted for connecting an Internet of Things (IoT) device such TRV <NUM> or ABA 201to valve <NUM> or manifold <NUM>, respectively, of a hydronic heating/cooling system. Devices <NUM> and <NUM> may control the temperature of a room by changing the flow ofhot/cold water through a radiator.

Embodiments may support other types of IoT devices with a water flow sensor including a water flow controller, an in-line shutoff valve/actuator, an in-linemetering valve/actuator, and so forth. For example, an IoT device can turn off a valve/manifold of a heating/cooling system when a pipe bursts.

IoT devices are often computing devices that connect wirelessly to a network and have the ability to transmit data. IoT devices utilize internet connectivity for remote monitoring and controlling.

With an aspect of the embodiments, mounting devices <NUM> and <NUM> enable IoT devices, such as TRV <NUM> and ABA <NUM>, to be connected/disconnected securely andwithout tools to a hydronic heating/cooling system (for example, to/from valve <NUM> and manifold <NUM>, respectively) in order to control the temperature of a room by changing the flow of hot/cold water through a radiator.

<FIG> shows mounting mechanism <NUM> according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. Mounting mechanism <NUM> comprises male portion <NUM> and female portion <NUM>, where an IoT device to be attached to female portion <NUM> as will discussed. Installation of the IoT device typically occurs in two stages. First, only male portion <NUM> is attached to a component of a hydronic heating/cooling system (for example, a valve or manifold) by threading it onto the component. Second, female portion <NUM> is attached to male portion <NUM> using a quick mounting mechanism as will be discussed.

A IoT device (not explicitly shown) may be attached to female portion <NUM> by latches, screws, gluing, welding, or embedding the female portion <NUM> to the bottom of the IoT device.

<FIG> shows mounting mechanism <NUM> according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. Mounting mechanism <NUM> comprises female portion <NUM> and male portion <NUM>, where an IoT device to be attached to male portion <NUM> as will discussed. Installation of the IoT device occurs in two stages. First, only female portion <NUM> is attached to a component of a hydronic heating/cooling system (for example, a valve or manifold) by threading onto the component. Second, male portion <NUM> is attachedto female section <NUM> using a quick mounting mechanism as will be discussed.

A IoT device (not explicitly shown) may be attached to male portion <NUM> by latches, screws, gluing, welding, or embedding male portion <NUM> to the bottom of the IoT device.

<FIG> a mounting mechanism that comprises a male section (adapter <NUM>) and female section (comprising slide sleeve <NUM>, latches <NUM>-<NUM>, spring <NUM>, and main body <NUM>). Embodiments may support different numbers of latches, for example <NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM>, or more.

<FIG> shows a sectional view of the mounting mechanism shown in <FIG> in an unlocked state.

As shown in <FIG>, male section <NUM> is single part adaptor <NUM> having a lower end with threads. The threads may be manufactured with different dimensions to fit different types of valve and manifold. The adaptor is often small and can be easily grabbed by hand to mount quickly onto the valve or manifold by turning the threads. The upper end has flange <NUM> and indentation <NUM>, which allows quick coupling to female section <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, female section <NUM> comprises main body <NUM>, slide sleeve <NUM>, one or more latches <NUM>, and spring <NUM> (typically metal). Main body <NUM> may be a separate part assembly from a valve controller body or may be embedded as a sectionof a valve controller housing.

To engage female section <NUM> to male section <NUM>, an installer can push up slide sleeve <NUM> and insert female section <NUM> to male section <NUM>, then release slide sleeve605. When slide sleeve <NUM> is in a release state, spring <NUM> pushes the slide sleeve 605down. When slide sleeve <NUM> is at a lower position of main body <NUM>, inner ribs 608hold latches <NUM> in position. Latches <NUM> cannot move outward with ribs 608supporting the back of latches <NUM>, and consequently flange <NUM> of adaptor <NUM> is locked by latches <NUM>. Female section <NUM> cannot be separated from male section 651when in this state (designated as the locked state).

To remove female section <NUM> from male section <NUM>, the installer pushes up slide sleeve <NUM> and pulls female section <NUM> from male section <NUM>. When slide sleeve <NUM> is pushed to the upper position of main body <NUM>, inner ribs <NUM> (that are inside slide sleeve <NUM> and behind latches <NUM>) moves up and consequently creates a space behind latches <NUM>. Latches <NUM> are then enabled to be pushed outward by flange <NUM> of adaptor <NUM>. Female section <NUM> can then be separated from male section <NUM> when in this state (the release state).

<FIG> shows a sectional view of a mounting mechanism in a locked state accordingto one or more aspects of the present disclosure. As previously discussed, female section <NUM> cannot is separated from male section <NUM> when in the locked state. Whenin the locked state, latch <NUM> engages to indentation <NUM> and is maintained in this position by rib <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) for mounting a thermostatic device (<NUM>, <NUM>) to a hydronic heating/cooling system, the apparatus comprising:
a male section (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a flange (<NUM>) and an indentation (<NUM>, <NUM>) around the male section below and along the flange, the flange located at an upper end of the male section; and
a female section (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a main body (<NUM>, <NUM>), a slide sleeve (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a latching mechanism, the female section configured to attach to the male section by the latching mechanism locking onto the indentation of the male section in a lock state when the slide sleeve is in a lower position along the main body, the latching mechanism releasing from the indentation of the male section in a release state when the slide sleeve is in an upper position along the main body, the female section configured to attach to the thermostatic device, characterized in that;
the male section comprises a threaded lower end and is configured to attach to a component (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the hydronic heating/cooling system by threading the threaded lower end onto the component of the hydronic heating/cooling system, and
the female section comprises a retention mechanism configured to maintain the apparatus in the lock state by generating a downward force on the latching mechanism.