GB2428310A - Domestic Electrical heater - Google Patents

Domestic Electrical heater Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2428310A
GB2428310A GB0514198A GB0514198A GB2428310A GB 2428310 A GB2428310 A GB 2428310A GB 0514198 A GB0514198 A GB 0514198A GB 0514198 A GB0514198 A GB 0514198A GB 2428310 A GB2428310 A GB 2428310A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
system controller
transmitter
controller unit
heater
arrangement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0514198A
Other versions
GB0514198D0 (en
Inventor
Norman Maurice Harmer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0514198A priority Critical patent/GB2428310A/en
Priority to FR0508148A priority patent/FR2888383B1/en
Publication of GB0514198D0 publication Critical patent/GB0514198D0/en
Publication of GB2428310A publication Critical patent/GB2428310A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
    • G08C17/00—Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
    • G08C17/02—Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D13/00—Electric heating systems
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D19/00—Details
    • F24D19/10—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F24D19/1006—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices for water heating systems
    • F24D19/1009—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices for water heating systems for central heating
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D19/00—Details
    • F24D19/10—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F24D19/1096—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices for electric heating systems
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
    • G05D23/00—Control of temperature
    • G05D23/19—Control of temperature characterised by the use of electric means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
    • G08C23/00—Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems
    • G08C23/04—Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems using light waves, e.g. infrared
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B3/00—Line transmission systems
    • H04B3/54—Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to line transmission systems
    • H04B2203/54—Aspects of powerline communications not already covered by H04B3/54 and its subgroups
    • H04B2203/5429—Applications for powerline communications
    • H04B2203/5454—Adapter and plugs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to line transmission systems
    • H04B2203/54—Aspects of powerline communications not already covered by H04B3/54 and its subgroups
    • H04B2203/5429—Applications for powerline communications
    • H04B2203/5458—Monitor sensor; Alarm systems

Abstract

A domestic heating arrangement comprises at least one electric heater (6-16) adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable (74) having a pre-installed electrical plug (76) for enabling connection to the mains supply. The heater includes a transmitter/receiver module (64) that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit (68) and for transmitting commands from the system controller unit to other electric heaters and receiving commands from a system controller associated with another heater. The system controller unit (68), may be included and may be associated with the module (64), to cause the module to transmit instructions to one or more other such modules for controlling a number of heaters.

Description

Domestic Electrical Heater This invention relates to domestic heating
arrangements, and in particular, to electrical heating arrangements in which a plurality of electrical heaters that are powered by the mains supply are controlled by a system controller.
Such systems give the appearance of a central heating system in which radiators can be controlled individually or together to suit the type of room in which they are located, but are relatively inexpensive to install since they do not require the presence of a central boiler or the plumbing of hot water pipes throughout the premises. In relatively simple systems, individual heaters may be provided with thermostats in order to control the temperature, and with a timer in order to control the time at which the heater is switched on or off. However, such systems suffer from the drawback that each heater must be controlled manually. More recently, heating systems have been developed in which a number of heaters may be controlled centrally by means of a system controller which can be used to determine their temperature and time of operation. Thus, a number of heaters may be arranged in different zones in the 55353O1 premises that will have different heating requirements. For example one zone may comprise reception rooms that may be occupied during the daytime such living rooms and dining rooms, while another zone may comprise the bedrooms. Further zones may be formed by the entrance hail, by the kitchen or by bathrooms, and the heaters in any one zone can be controlled together.
One example of such a system is disclosed in FR 2,804,237, and employs a number of "pilot" wires to send commands from a controller to individual heaters, each heater being connected to a pilot wire for the reception of commands. This system, however, suffers from the disadvantage that the pilot wires are installed in fixed positions and cannot easily be relocated, with the result that there is a degree of inconvenience in altering the disposition or size of zones in which the heaters operate. In any case, the fact that the heaters are controlled by pilot wires requires the pilot wires to be installed in the building which inevitably involves a degree of electrical installation skill and effort, and renders such systems suitable only for new installations.
Furthermore, current and proposed legislation dictates that, depending on the type of installation, a degree of skill is required for installation, with the result that at least as proposed, many types of installation will not be able to be implemented by unqualified personnel.
According to the present invention, there is provided a domestic heating arrangement which comprises a package containing at least one electric heater adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable having a pre-installed electrical plug for enabling connection to the mains supply, the heater including a transmitter/receiver module that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit and for transmitting commands from the system controller unit to other electric heaters and receiving commands from a system controller associated with another heater.
According to the invention, some forms of arrangement will contain only the heater and no system controller unit, while other forms of arrangement may include a system controller unit, the system controller unit being arranged to be associated with the transmitter/receiver module, and to cause the transmitter/receiver module to transmit instructions to one or more other such transmitter/receiver modules to enable the system controller unit to control a plurality of heaters. If desired, the system controller may be packaged and sold separately from the heaters.
Thus, depending on the premises, one or more packages that contain a system controller unit may be purchased and installed, generally one for each zone in the premises, so that each zone may be independently controlled, and a number of additional packages may be purchased for installation of additional heaters for the zones which are intended to be controlled by the controller associated with other heaters. The arrangement according to the present invention thus has the advantage that only a minimal amount of electrical skill is required on the part of the purchaser, and the purchaser can simply purchase the appropriate number of heaters including or not including system controllers as appropriate, depending on the number of zones and their size, or purchase the appropriate number of controllers and plug them into the mains supply in order to build up a heating system to suit his needs.
The heaters may, at least in the broadest aspect of the invention, have any form, for example they may be free-standing or otherwise, although it is preferred for the heaters to be in the form of panel heaters that are permanently fixed in position, for
-
example on a wall, so that the system gives the appearance of a central heating system.
The transmitter/receiver module may be operative to transmit and receive commands in any of a number of ways. For example, it may employ wireless communication methods, for example using radio frequency communication (e. g. from 1 to 100 kHz) or infrared communication, or other communication methods may be employed, for example by sending the command signals along the mains cabling. Where the commands are sent from the system controller to the heaters by wireless communication it is possible for the heaters to receive commands without transmitting them, in which case the invention provides a domestic heating arrangement which comprises a package containing at least one electric heater adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable having a pre- installed electrical plug for enabling connection to the mains supply, the heater including a receiver module that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit for receiving commands from the system controller.
Systems that employ mains cabling for sending the instructions are preferred because they enable a greater choice of positions of the heaters since every heater must, in any case, be located in the neighbourhood of the mains supply, and the fact that the communication system is not a line-of-sight system as in the case of infrared communication enables the transmitter/receiver modules to be located in a discreet position on the heater, for example at the rear side thereof facing the wall so that it is not visible from the interior of a room.
Each heater necessarily will have a receiver in order to receive commands from the system controller unit. Systems in which each module is also able to transmit signals have the advantage that the system control unit may be associated with any of the heaters, and accordingly enable the controller to be located in any position in a zone. The transmitter receiver module may be formed integrally with the heater or may be formed separately therefrom and may be attached thereto, for example during manufacture.
Advantageously, the transmitter/receiver module and the system controller unit are designed so that the controller unit can be physically received in the transmitter/receiver module, and especially so that it can be simply removed by hand and reattached. It is also possible that the system controller unit, or any of the system controller units, is capable of being programmed remotely. By such a unit, it would be possible for the owner to send instructions, for example by mobile phone, to set the heating system in advance of arrival.
One form of arrangement according to the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of premises that are divided into two heating zones and is provided with a heating arrangement according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic view on a larger scale of a package with a single heater.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, figure 1 shows, in plan view, a domestic premises 1 or part thereof that is divided into two heating zones 2 and 4. Such zones may, need not consist of a single room, but may for example each comprise a number of rooms that are used for similar purposes or otherwise have similar heating regimes. For example one zone may comprise the reception rooms of a house while the other may comprise the bedrooms. Of course, the premises may contain more or fewer zones, and indeed, according to the present invention, the size, number and location of different zones is not fixed, but may be varied by the occupant at different time according to his lifestyle. For example, different bedrooms may be allocated to zones having different heating regimes depending on whether or not they will be occupied.
Each zone, 2 or 4 contains a number of electric heaters 6 to 16 that are powered by mains electricity supplied by ring main 20 and individual cables 26 to 46 leading from wall sockets to the heaters.
One such heater 6 to 16 is shown in greater detail in figure 2 in the form in which it is sold.
The heater, which is designed to be permanently fixed to a room wall, is in the form of a panel 50 having a pair of supports 52 and 54 for attachment to a room wall, and a heater regulator arrangement 56 which includes a pair of thermostat controls 58 and 60, for example for daytime and night time, and various setting controls, for example for normal operation, daytime only operation, frost protection, a timer setting and the like, to enable the heater to be controlled when used in isolation.
In addition, the heater includes a transmitter/receiver module 64 which may be formed integrally with the rest of the heater or may be formed separately and electrically connectable thereto by means of a plug-andsocket connection, and optionally physically connectable by means of clips, screws or the like. The transmitter/receiver is in the form of a generally flat shoe 66 that can receive a separate hand-held system control unit 68 by sliding the control unit 68 into the shoe in the direction of the arrow until a connector on the control unit 68 mates with a corresponding connector 70 at the blind end of the shoe 66. After the control unit 68 has been inserted into the shoe, the heater is under the control of the control unit 68 rather than the manual thermostat controls 58, 60 and the setting controls 62.
The transmitter/receiver module is also provided with a switch 72 that can be used to force the heater to be under the control of a system controller associated with a different heater when no system controller is inserted into the shoe 66. Thus, heaters forming any one zone of the premises may be put into a setup or installation mode whereby pressing the switches 72 of a number of heaters will cause those heaters to be under the control of a system controller 68 associated with any one of them.
Repeating the operation with the heaters of different zones will enable the heaters throughout the premises to be controlled by different system controllers, each controller being associated with one zone.
The heater is provided with a power cable 74 and a plug 76, preferably integrally moulded, so that it can be plugged into a wall socket for connection to the ring main. Once the heaters have been connected to the mains, the transmitter/receiver of the heater that is associated with the controller can communicate with all other heaters in the same zone via the mains power lines in order to ensure that they operate under the command of the controller. The transmitter/receiver associated with the system control unit 68 will modulate the command signal from the control unit in known manner before sending the signals to the mains power cables so that the signal frequencies employed by the system are significantly different from the 50Hz power frequency, for example in the range of 1 kHz to 200 kHz, and are different from one another so that only transmitter/receivers of selected heaters, i.e. heaters in the same zone, will operate under the commands.

Claims (19)

  1. Claims: 1. A domestic heating arrangement which comprises a package
    containing at least one electric heater adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable having a pre-installed electrical plug for enabling connection to the mains supply, the heater including a transmitter/receiver module that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit and for transmitting commands from the system controller unit to other electric heaters and receiving commands from a system controller associated with another heater.
  2. 2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package includes a system controller unit, the system controller unit being arranged to be associated with the transmitter/receiver module, and to cause the transmitter/receiver module to transmit instructions to one or more other such transmitter/receiver modules to enable the system controller unit to control a plurality of heaters.
  3. 3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system controller unit is arranged to be received in the transmitter/receiver module.
  4. 4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the system controller unit is capable of being programmed, and then received in the transmitter/receiver module.
  5. 5. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the controller unit is operative to control the timing and/or thermostatic adjustment of the heater.
  6. 6. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the system controller unit is capable of being programmed remotely.
  7. 7. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the transmitter/receiver module is operative to transmit commands to, or receive commands from, another heater along the mains electricity power lines.
  8. 8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transmitter/receiver module is operative to transmit commands to, or receive commands from, another heater along the live or neutral conductor of the power lines.
  9. 9. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the transmitter/receiver module is operative to transmit commands to, or receive commands from, another heater by wireless transmission.
  10. 10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transmitter/receiver module is operative to transmit commands to, or receive commands from, another heater by radio frequency transmission.
  11. 11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transmitter/receiver module is operative to transmit commands to, or receive commands from, another heater infrared transmission.
  12. 12. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the transmitter/receiver is switched into a transmission mode in which it is caused to transmit commands by receiving a system controller unit.
  13. 13. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the heater is double insulated.
  14. 14. An electrical heating system which comprises a plurality of electrical heating arrangements as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, at least one of which is as claimed in claim 2.
  15. 15. An electrical heating system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in any one of the accompanying drawings.
  16. 16. A domestic heating arrangement which comprises a package containing at least one electric heater adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable having a pre-installed electrical plug for enabling connection to the mains supply, the heater including a receiver module that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit for receiving commands from the system controller.
  17. 17. A method of producing a domestic heating arrangement, which comprises forming at least one electric heater adapted to be powered by mains electricity and including a power supply cable having a pre-installed electrical plug for enabling connection to the mains supply, the heater including a transmitter/receiver module that is capable of being associated with a system controller unit and for transmitting commands from the system controller unit to other electric heaters and receiving commands from a system controller associated with another heater, and locating the or each heater in a package.
  18. 18. A method as claimed in claim 17, includes providing a system controller unit in a package, the system controller unit being arranged to be associated with the transmitter/receiver module, and to cause the transmitter/receiver module to transmit instructions to one or more other such transmitter/receiver modules to enable the system controller unit to control a plurality of heaters.
  19. 19. A method as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, which includes the step of removing the or each heater from its package and installing it.
GB0514198A 2005-07-11 2005-07-11 Domestic Electrical heater Withdrawn GB2428310A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0514198A GB2428310A (en) 2005-07-11 2005-07-11 Domestic Electrical heater
FR0508148A FR2888383B1 (en) 2005-07-11 2005-07-29 DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL HEATING APPARATUS

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0514198A GB2428310A (en) 2005-07-11 2005-07-11 Domestic Electrical heater

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0514198D0 GB0514198D0 (en) 2005-08-17
GB2428310A true GB2428310A (en) 2007-01-24

Family

ID=34897049

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0514198A Withdrawn GB2428310A (en) 2005-07-11 2005-07-11 Domestic Electrical heater

Country Status (2)

Country Link
FR (1) FR2888383B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2428310A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2461857A (en) * 2008-07-11 2010-01-20 Pegler Ltd Thermostatic radiator valve
CN105243808A (en) * 2015-10-09 2016-01-13 贵州智达科技有限责任公司 Electric warming oven wireless digital remote control equipment
GR1010083B (en) * 2020-09-08 2021-09-15 Παντελεημων Δημητριου Παπαθανασιου Method for the operation and control of a heating system composed of heating bodies and and an arrangement for its application

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3031167B1 (en) * 2014-12-24 2021-12-10 Atlantic Soc Fr De Developpement Thermique HEATING INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND CORRESPONDING HEATING INSTALLATION
WO2017158314A1 (en) * 2016-03-18 2017-09-21 Delta Thermie Electric radiator

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2583857A1 (en) * 1985-06-20 1986-12-26 Salerno Claude Heating control installation
JPH06288556A (en) * 1993-03-31 1994-10-11 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Foot warmer
FR2732755A1 (en) * 1995-04-07 1996-10-11 Ambaud Jean Luc Remote control system for electrically-heated building
JPH10141671A (en) * 1996-11-11 1998-05-29 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Foot warmer in wooden frame
FR2779024A1 (en) * 1998-05-20 1999-11-26 Delta Dore Electric convectors control within dwellings such as flats and apartments
US6570493B1 (en) * 2000-05-03 2003-05-27 Eliahu Lames Method and apparatus for operating an electrical device
US20030141292A1 (en) * 2002-01-28 2003-07-31 H.P. Intellectual Corp. System for obtaining a uniform air temperature in a discrete space

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2583857A1 (en) * 1985-06-20 1986-12-26 Salerno Claude Heating control installation
JPH06288556A (en) * 1993-03-31 1994-10-11 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Foot warmer
FR2732755A1 (en) * 1995-04-07 1996-10-11 Ambaud Jean Luc Remote control system for electrically-heated building
JPH10141671A (en) * 1996-11-11 1998-05-29 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Foot warmer in wooden frame
FR2779024A1 (en) * 1998-05-20 1999-11-26 Delta Dore Electric convectors control within dwellings such as flats and apartments
US6570493B1 (en) * 2000-05-03 2003-05-27 Eliahu Lames Method and apparatus for operating an electrical device
US20030141292A1 (en) * 2002-01-28 2003-07-31 H.P. Intellectual Corp. System for obtaining a uniform air temperature in a discrete space

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2461857A (en) * 2008-07-11 2010-01-20 Pegler Ltd Thermostatic radiator valve
GB2461857B (en) * 2008-07-11 2012-12-12 Pegler Ltd Thermostatic radiator valves and control thereof
CN105243808A (en) * 2015-10-09 2016-01-13 贵州智达科技有限责任公司 Electric warming oven wireless digital remote control equipment
GR1010083B (en) * 2020-09-08 2021-09-15 Παντελεημων Δημητριου Παπαθανασιου Method for the operation and control of a heating system composed of heating bodies and and an arrangement for its application

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2888383B1 (en) 2008-12-05
FR2888383A1 (en) 2007-01-12
GB0514198D0 (en) 2005-08-17

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732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)