AU2021218030B1

AU2021218030B1 - Extractor Fan with Integrated Heater

Info

Publication number: AU2021218030B1
Application number: AU2021218030A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jason Lake; Ben Lowerson
Original assignee: Elta Group Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: Elta Group Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-13
Filing date: 2021-08-17
Publication date: 2022-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2041-08-17
Also published as: GB202211725D0; GB2614115A

Abstract

An unit (10) is provided which includes a main casing (20) that is attachable to a ceiling, a fan (34) that is supported by the casing (20), a heater (54) at the bottom of the casing (20), and a grille (62) that defines a suction passage (68) extending from a suction opening on opposing sides of the grille (62) to a suction side (38) of the fan. The grille (62) forms a recess (70) into which the heater (54) extends, so that air in the suction passage (68) cools a casing (60) of the heater (54). The grille (62) is square and can be rotated through 90 degrees, together with the heater (54) and light clusters (74). Similarly, the bottom of the casing (20) is square so the casing can be rotated through 90 degrees in the ceiling. Fig. 1 300200AUA 17 Aug 2021 ABSTRACT.docx

Description

EXTRACTOR FAN WITH INTEGRATED HEATER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to extractor fans with integrated heaters, which are typically also combined with lights and installed in ceilings, e.g. in rooms such as bathrooms where air needs to be extracted, but there is a simultaneous need to heat the room.

These combinations are frequently referred to as three-in-one units and for the sake of brevity, the term "unit" will be used herein to refer to devices that combine room heating and air extraction, optionally also with lighting.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Several configurations are available of ceiling-mounted units that combine air extraction and heating, but most of these units have one or more of the following shortcomings:

The heaters heat the rooms below, but also heat the housings of the units, so the housings need to be made of robust materials to withstand the heat, but the robust, heat-resistant materials are also heavy, making it difficult to support the weight of these units in ceilings;

O The suction intakes for the extractor fans are too small and they restrict the volumes of air that can be extracted;

The suction intakes are vertically oriented, thus allowing occupants of the room below the unit to see into the unit - which is aesthetically undesirable;

Units can often only be installed with a particular orientation in a ceiling, to accommodate the ceiling structure, the attachment of the units to the ceiling, and/or the extraction ducting, with the result that undersides of units that are visible from below, have aesthetically unpleasing orientations, positions and/or alignment; and/or

Units require special tools to install or service.

The present invention seeks to provide units that address these shortcomings.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited or mentioned in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications may be referred to herein; this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia, New Zealand or in any other country.

Object of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved unit or extractor fan with integrated heater that ameliorates some of the disadvantages and limitations of the known art or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION O According to the present invention there is provided a unit having a top, bottom and sides, referring to the orientation that the unit will have in use, the unit including: a support structure that is attachable to an adjacent structure, such as a ceiling; a fan that is supported by the support structure of the unit, the fan being configured to convey air from a suction side of the fan to a discharge side of the fan; a heater that is disposed at the bottom of the unit and that is configured to transfer heat downwards from the bottom of the unit, to heat a space below the unit; a suction casing defining: at least one suction opening that extends to at least one of the sides of the unit in a sideways direction; and a suction passage that is in flow communication with the suction opening and the suction side of the fan; wherein the suction casing includes a heater enclosure that extends between the heater and the suction passage to separate the heater from the suction passage, said heater enclosure defining a recess on an underside of the suction casing, and the heater being disposed at least partly in said recess.

The "support structure" and "suction casing" may be separate and may each include single or multiple components.

The term "recess" is used broadly herein and includes apertures, indentations, and any other form of recess.

The term "opposing sideways directions" is used herein to refer to a radial distribution of directions and includes any multiple of evenly or unevenly distributed directions and the direction may be discreet or continuous.

The suction casing may define a single suction opening that extends around the recess in opposing sideways directions, or alternatively, the suction casing may define a plurality of suction openings that extend around the recess in opposing sideways directions.

The suction casing or a part thereof, may be removably attachable to the support structure and may be attachable to the support structure by releasable clips. The suction casing and the support structure may be configured to allow attachment of the suction casing to the support structure, in multiple orientations.

Similarly, the heater may be removably attachable to the support structure and the heater and support structure may be configured to allow attachment of the heater to the support structure in multiple orientations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be carried into effect, the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a partly sectioned, three-dimensional view, partly from above, of a unit according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a bottom three-dimensional view of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows another bottom three-dimensional view of the unit of Figure 1, with its suction casing or grille removed; Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a bracket of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows bottom three-dimensional view of a heater assembly of the unit of Figure 1, with the brackets of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a top three-dimensional view of a suction casing or grille of the unit of Figure 1, including a detail view taken at "A"; Figure 7 shows an exploded side view of the unit of Figure 1 with the suction casing or grille removed; and Figure 8 shows an inverted three-dimensional view of a main casing of the unit of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, a unit according to the present invention is identified, generally, by reference sign 10. When not installed, the unit 10 can have any orientation, but it is described below with reference to the orientation it has when in use, with a top 12 and bottom 14 and sides that are represented in the drawings by a first side 16 and a second side 18 oriented at a right angle to the first side. The unit 10 and its components are shown in each of the Figures apart from Figure 8 in the upright orientation that it would have when in use.

The unit 10 includes a support structure, which in the illustrated embodiment is in the form of a hollow main casing 20 that includes a partly angular bottom part 22 and a volute-shaped discharge casing 24 at its top, with a discharge opening 26 that extends sideways and is attachable to extraction ducting or the like, by way of a spigot 28 (which is omitted in Figure 2). The main casing 20 is typically installed on a ceiling above a room and it includes a bottom flange 30 that can butt against the underside of the ceiling, with pivotal swing clips 32 that can be pivoted close to the bottom part 22 of the main casing 20 (as shown in Figure 1) while the unit 10 is being installed and the main casing passed through an aperture in the ceiling from below, and the swing clips can be pivoted to extend outwards (as shown in Figure 3) above the ceiling once the unit is in position.

The bottom part 22 of the main casing 20 has a curved profile on one side to allow it to be rotated into the aperture in the ceiling more easily, while the rest of the bottom part has a square cross-sectional profile and the bottom flange 30 has a square shape, so that the unit 10 fits into a generally square-profiled aperture in the ceiling. The square profile of these parts of the unit 10 allows the unit to be installed in different orientations, e.g. with the spigot 28 facing towards the first side 16 or the second side 18. This versatility allows the unit 10 to be installed in orientations that would accommodate adjacent structures better, e.g. it can allow the spigot 28 to be aligned with extraction ducting above the ceiling, it can allow the unit 10 to be installed in orientations that avoids other structures above the ceiling, such as beams, cable trays, or the like. The sideways orientation of the spigot 28 (rather than upwards) also makes it easier to install the unit 10 above a ceiling, where space is typically constrained.

A fan 34 is supported in the main casing 20 and is driven by a motor 36 to rotate and convey air from a suction side 38 of the fan to a discharge side 40 of the fan. The suction side 38 of the fan 34 is in flow communication with the inside of the bottom part 22 of the main casing 20 via a central, circular fan suction inlet 42. The discharge side 40 of the fan 34 is disposed inside the discharge casing 24 and is in flow communication with the discharge opening 26. The insides of the discharge casing 24 are smooth, without steps or other irregularities, to improve airflow in the discharge casing and reduce noise.

Four bracket recesses 44 are defined on the underside of the main casing 20, midway along the insides of each side of the bottom flange 30. Brackets 46 are provided, that can be secured in each of the bracket recesses 44 with locating clips and each bracket defines holes 50 for securing the heating unit (see below) and slots 52 for securing the grille (see below).

The unit 10 includes a heater 54 to heat the space below the unit - typically to heat the room below a ceiling in which the unit has been installed. In other embodiments of the invention, the heater 54 could use other sources of heat, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heater includes elongate halogen lamps 56 that are covered by a heater lens 58 on its underside.

The heater 54 is covered on its top by a heater enclosure 60 and the brackets 46 are attached to the heater enclosure by fasteners (not shown) such as screws, passed through the holes 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the heater 54 has an elongate shape, i.e. the heater lens 58 is rectangular, which is preferable when using halogen lamps 56 or other elongate heat sources. The brackets 46 are attached to the heater 54 at the opposing short ends of the heater's elongate shape - although brackets could be attached to lateral sides of heaters in other embodiments.

The heater 54 is fitted in the main casing 20 from below, by clipping the brackets 46 into two opposing bracket recesses 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the brackets 46 are clipped into the bracket recess 44 on the second side 18 and the opposite bracket recess. However, if desired, the brackets 46 could be clipped into the other opposing pair of bracket recesses 44 on the first side 16 and opposite - and this would result in a perpendicular orientation of the elongate heater 54 that is aligned towards the first side 16, rather than the second side 18.

The unit includes a grille 62 comprising a top flange 64 and bottom flange 66 that are spaced apart to define part of a suction passage 68 between them. Each of the top and bottom flanges 64,66 has a square periphery and defines a rectangular central aperture 70 that is shaped and dimensioned so that the heater 54 can to fit into the aperture.

The grille 62 has two pairs of elliptical clips 72 that are attached to the bottom flange 66 and each pair of clips can flex inwards to enter the slots 52 on the brackets 46 from below. The grille 62 is fitted onto the main casing 20 by pressing the grille upwards manually, with the clips 72 aligned with the slots 52, so that the clips in each pair flex inwards as their peripheries engage cam-fashion with the slots and once the grille is in position, the clips are urged outwards by their resilience, to grip the insides of the slots and hold the grille in place. The grille 62 can be removed by pulling it downwards manually, which reverses the inward flexing of the clips 72 and allows them to be withdrawn from the slots 52.

The bottom flange 66 carries two elongate light clusters 74, each including an array of LEDs of different colours that can be adjusted by operation of a switch 76, to select a preferred colour of light to be emitted by the light clusters 74. A cut-out 78 is formed in the top flange 64, directly above the light switch 76, to ensure that the top flange does not contact the switch inadvertently. In other embodiments of the invention, different light sources may be used - or units may be provided without light sources.

When the grille 62 is fitted to the main casing 20, the light clusters 74 extend laterally on opposing sides of the heater 54. The unit 10 can be installed in the ceiling in an orientation that best suits the adjacent structures, such as ducting above the ceiling, and the heater 54 and grille 62 can then be fitted in the bottom 14 of the casing 20 with the desired orientation.

The grille 62 and the heater enclosure 60 together form a suction casing and the heater enclosure forms a recess in which the heater is disposed. (In other embodiments of the invention, the heater 54 may be installed in the grille 62, - which may include a heater enclosure - although the embodiment illustrated in the drawings is preferred.)

The suction passage 68 extends inwards from the entire periphery of the grille 62, i.e. from the first and second sides 16,18, so that air is drawn in sideways directions, generally horizontally into the suction passage from all directions towards the suction inlet 42, from where the fan blows it out through the discharge opening 26. In other embodiments, the unit may include one or more suction passages 68 that draws air in from opposing sideways directions, such as two opposing directions, multiple radially distributed directions, or the like.

Air entering the suction passage 68 from the first side 16 and the opposite side, flows between the light clusters 74 and the top flange 64, towards the heater enclosure 60, before being drawn upwards to the suction inlet 42. Similarly, air entering the suction passage 68 from the second side 18 and the opposite side, flows between the top and bottom flanges 64,66 and through passages defined in the brackets 46, towards the heater enclosure 60, before being drawn upwards to the suction inlet 42. Air is thus drawn in horizontally into the unit 10, rather from below and the air from the suction passage 68 flows over the heater enclosure 60 and cools the heater enclosure. This cooling effect allows the main casing 20 to be made from light weight plastic materials, rather than heavier metals that can withstand higher heat. The lighter material required for the main casing 20 reduces the weight of the unit 10 and reduces the size of swing clips 32 required. The unit is configured to switch the fan 34 on whenever the heater 54 is switched on, even if the fan is operated only at low speed, to ensure sufficient cooling for the heater enclosure 60 and the unit is configured to keep the fan running for a predetermined time after the heater has been switched off, to provide adequate cooling of the unit until the heater has cooled down sufficiently. The unit 10 is further preferably also configured to switch the heater 54 off automatically after a predetermined time, in an attempt to avoid running the heater for long periods unintentionally, or unattended.

Claims

1. A unit having a top, bottom and sides, said unit including: a support structure that is attachable to an adjacent structure; a fan that is supported by the support structure, said fan being configured to convey air from a suction side of the fan to a discharge side of the fan; a heater that is disposed at the bottom of the unit and that is configured to transfer heat downwards from the bottom of the unit, to heat a space below the unit; a suction casing defining: at least one suction opening that extends to at least one of the sides of the unit in a sideways direction; and a suction passage that is in flow communication with the suction opening and the suction side of the fan; wherein the suction casing includes a heater enclosure that extends between the heater and the suction passage to separate the heater from the suction passage, said heater enclosure defining a recess on an underside of the suction casing, and the heater being disposed at least partly in said recess, so that air flowing in the suction passage is separated from the recess in which the heater is disposed, by the heater enclosure

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the suction casing defines a single suction opening that extends around the recess in opposing sideways directions.

3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the suction casing defines a plurality of suction openings that extend around the recess in opposing sideways directions.

4. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the suction casing is removably attachable to the support structure.

5. A unit according to claim 4, wherein suction casing is attachable to the support structure by releasable clips.

6. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the suction casing and the support structure are configured to allow attachment of the suction casing to the support structure, in multiple orientations.

7. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the heater is removably attachable to the support structure and the heater and support structure are configured to allow attachment of the heater to the support structure in multiple orientations.