AU784851B2

AU784851B2 - Electrical heater

Info

Publication number: AU784851B2
Application number: AU91460/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bing Bai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-21
Filing date: 2001-11-21
Publication date: 2006-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-21
Also published as: KR20040036704A; JP2004526114A; CA2429278A1; NZ515623A; AU9146001A; CN2479402Y; AU2001293615A1; EP1367337A1; EP1367337A4; WO2002042694A1; CA2429278C; JP4570123B2; KR100623741B1; EP1367337B1

Description

-1-

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Bing Bai Actual Inventor: Bing Bai Address for Service: BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS 60 MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Invention Title: 'ELECTRICAL HEATER' The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 33592AUP00 o FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to heating equipment, and in particular to an electrical heater for indoor use.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

With people's living standard steadily improving, more and more families are using portable electrical heaters. Existing portable electrical heaters can generally be categorised into one of two forms.

The first kind has a reflector located in the body. The reflector radiates heat energy produced by heating elements to heat and warm the local space. Some electrical heaters of this kind also have a fan in the body. However, electrical heaters of this kind only raise the temperature within the immediate surrounding space. When the heaters are switched on for some time, even if the temperature of the local space is increased significantly, the space temperature of other parts in the same room are only marginally raised. People will still feel cold when they leave the heated local space for another part 20 of the room. The electrical heaters of this kind can just heat the limited space, and then a °"*lot of heat energy is wasted with a low heat effect.

*A second kind of heater has a body formed of a series of hollow columns. The hollow columns are interconnected to form a chamber. This chamber is filled with oil which has good thermal conductivity properties. The oil is heated by a heating element generally situated at the bottom of the heater. This causes the oil in the heater to :circulate due to convection so that the oil in the columns is evenly heated. The large surface area of the columns transfers heat to the surrounding air which in turn rises and initiates a convection current in the room. However, this form of electrical heater heats slowly and it takes a long time after switching on for people to feel warm. Furthermore, the heater itself is big, heavy, and difficult to move. And, since the columns are filled with oil, high hermetic sealing is required, resulting in relatively high manufacturing costs.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

According to a first aspect, the invention provides an electrical heater for heating a space by means of radiant heating and convective heating, the heater comprising a casing, the casing including: a body compartment; a heating element within the compartment; a reflector having a reflective surface facing the heating element; and a spaced array of radiant conductive fins of a heat tolerant material disposed within in the compartment so that the heating element pass through apertures in the fins.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words 'comprise', 'comprising', and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

According to another aspect, the invention provides an electric heater, comprising: a casing having a body compartment, and an air inlet for the ingress of air to the compartment and an outlet for the egress of air from the compartment; plurality of spaced radiant conductive fins in the compartment, the fins defining 20 an air heating channel between each two the radiant conductive fins, the air heating channels aligned between the air inlet and the air outlet for guiding air to flow along the air heating channels from the air inlet to the air outlet; an electrical heating element, for electrical connected to a power source, the heating element being transversely extended through the radiant conductive fins, and 25 a heat reflector, having a heat reflecting surface, disposed within the receiving compartment at a position transversely extended from the radiant conductive fins at side edges thereof; wherein when the heating element generates heat, the heat is distributed through the radiant conductive fins in a planar manner for heating up the air within the air heating channels so as to create heat flows therewithin to outside through the air outlet.

Advantageously, at least in a preferred form, the radiation from the reflector quickly heats the required space. Furthermore, the radiant conductive sheets manufactured with a heat-resistant material advantageously exploit the principle that air will rise when heated and fall as it cools thus starting a convection flow and thereby exchanging heat in vertical way. This cycle heats the air in the room and raises the temperature of the whole room.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical heater according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the heating elements of the heater in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2 from direction B; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detailed view illustrating an embodiment of the connection between the radiant conductive sheets and the link rods; Fig. 6 is in end view illustrating an embodiment having apertures opened in the radiant conductive sheets; and Fig. 7 is another end view illustrating another embodiment having slots opened in the radiant conductive sheets.

20 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention, thus, relates to an electrical heater, which comprises a casing 1, defining a compartment for receiving heating elements 11 and a reflector 14.

The heating elements 11 could be infrared heating elements, or be halogen-heating elements, or other elements transforming electricity energy into heat.

S: 25 The casing 1 comprises left side covers 2, right side covers 3, upper covers 4, and :"lower covers 5. An air outlet 18 is located at or near a top portion of the casing and an air inlet 22 may be located at or near a bottom portion of the casing. The reflective o *surface of reflector 14 is located towards the heating elements.

An open side of the casing, opposite the reflector, is left uncovered so that the internals of the heater are exposed and heat may be radiated from the heater. A safety mesh, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, screens the high temperature heater internals from being inadvertently touched. This open side may also function either partially or wholly as the air inlet and/or outlet.

A spaced array of radiant conductive fins 12 formed from radiant conductive sheets manufactured with a heat-tolerant material, partition the compartment into a series of air heating channels. The fins 12 are supported in the compartment in a vertically parallel manner via a plurality of transverse link rods 13. As such, the air heating channels are also vertically configured for guiding the air to be heated by the radiant conductive fins in an upwardly flow towards the air outlet.

By "heat tolerant" it is meant that the sheets are manufactured from a material which does not change its chemical or physical properties substantially, within the operating temperature of the heater. Suitable radiant conductive, heat-tolerant materials include stainless steel, copper, aluminium, a heat-resistant nonmetal and etc. As such, each of the radiant conductive fins 12 is capable of transferring heat from one region to another region through conduction. It is worth to mention that conduction of the radiant conductive fin 12 occurs between regions thereof at different temperatures.

The link rods 13 pass through the radiant conductive fins 12, as shown in FIG. the two ends of the link rods 13 are bolt connected with left and right side covers 2 and 3, therefore, the radiant conductive fins 12 are fixed on the body 1, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The heating elements 11 at a distance, and pass away the holes 19 opened in the fins 12. The inner diameter of the holes 19 is bigger than the outer diameter of the heating elements 11. There always is a space of about 0.5mm-5mm between inner edge of the holes 19 and outer edge of the heating elements 11. This gap is large enough to prevent the possibility of any damage caused due to interference between the hot, expanding fins and heating elements 11, but is small enough to provide adequate heat transfer to the fins from the elements.

The fins 12 are generally rectangular but may be any other shape fitted with the :1 25 shape of the casing 1, even irregular shape. There can be various diversion-grooves and corrugations on the fins 12 to focus the radiation heat and the vertical convection.

In one embodiment of the invention there are grooves on the casing 1. The fins 12 pass through the opening in the reflector 14, and are inserted in the grooves on the casing 1 and fixed in the casing 1 without link rods 13. The other structures are unchanged.

In a further embodiment of the invention the holes 19 are opened in the fins 12 can be circular sealed, or non-sealed slots.

In operation, with the heater connected to a source of electrical energy and switched on, the heating elements radiate heat energy. Radiant heat energy is radiated out of the heater both directly, and indirectly reflected from the reflector at the rear of the heater. Advantageously, this radiant energy provides immediate and localised warming to the heater surroundings.

In addition, the radiant energy is absorbed by the radiant conductive fins and heat is conducted throughout the fins from high temperature areas adjacent to the heating element to lower temperature areas remote from the heating element. The combined effect of heat transfer to the air from the radiant conductive fins, and both directly and indirectly from the heating elements by conduction and radiation through the air, causes the air in the channels to warm. As this occurs, the air warming in the channels rises and exits the heater though the air outlet 18. This air displacement causes cooler air to be drawn in to the heater from the bottom primarily through the air inlet 22 but also through the open side. As a result a convection motion is initiated and the heated may advantageously provide far reaching heating to a room.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

•go• 0 0 0 o* o00o o o 00 o° 00

Claims

1. An electrical heater for heating a space by means of radiant heating and convective heating, said heater comprising a casing, said casing including: a body compartment; a heating element within said compartment; a reflector having a reflective surface facing the heating element; and a spaced array of radiant conductive fins of a heat tolerant material disposed within in said compartment so that the heating element pass through apertures in the fins.

2. An electrical heater according to claim 1, wherein said radiant conductive fins define an air heating channel between each two said radiant conductive fins.

3. An electrical heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said casing includes an air inlet and an air outlet, said inlet and outlet disposed to promote convection airflow through said casing when said heater is in use.

4. An electrical heater according to claim 3, wherein said inlet and outlet are positioned at respective bottom and top portions of said casing and each of said air heating channels is aligned between said air inlet and said air outlet for guiding air to flow along said air heating channels from said air inlet to air outlet. 20

5. An electrical heater according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said casing includes an open side allowing heat to directly radiate from the heater.

6. An electrical heater according to claim 5 wherein said opens side is disposed opposite said reflector such that heat radiated from the heating element may be S: reflected by said reflector through said opening out of said heater.

7. An electrical heater according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diameter of the apertures is greater than the outer diameter of the heating elements so that the heating element do not contact the fins. .o

8. An electrical heater as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating element transforms electric energy into heat.

9. An electrical heater as defined in claim 8 wherein the heating element is an infra-red heating element.

An electrical heater as defined in claim 8 wherein the heating element is a resistance heating element.

11. An electrical heater as defined in claim 8 wherein the heating element is a halogen heating element.

12. An electrical heater according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said heating element includes a plurality of spaced heating elements. s

13. An electrical heater as defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the apertures opened in the radiant conductive fins are in the form of slots.

14. An electrical heater according to any one of the preceding claims wherein spaced grooves in the casing are disposed to receive and locate the radiant conductive fins thereby securing them within the heater.

15. An electrical heater according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the radiant conductive fins are connected by link rods fixed to the casing.

16. An electric heater, comprising: a casing having a body compartment, and an air inlet for the ingress of air to said compartment and an outlet for the egress of air from said compartment; a plurality of spaced radiant conductive fins in said compartment, said fins defining an air heating channel between each two said radiant conductive fins, said air heating channels aligned between said air inlet and said air outlet for guiding air to flow along said air heating channels from said air inlet to said air outlet; electrical heating element, for electrical connected to a power source, said 0000 heating element being transversely extended through said radiant conductive fins, and a heat reflector, having a heat reflecting surface, disposed within said receiving compartment at a position transversely extended from said radiant conductive fins at side edges thereof; 25 wherein when said heating element generates heat, said heat is distributed 000:0 0: through said radiant conductive fins in a planar manner for heating up said air 0000 within said air heating channels so as to create heat flows therewithin to outside through said air outlet. 0, 0:

17. An electric heater, according to claim 16, wherein said inlet is disposed at a bottom portion of said casing and said air outlet is disposed at a top portion of said casing.

18. An electric heater, according to claim 17, wherein said casing includes an open side allowing heat to directly radiate from the heater.

19. An electric heater, according to claim 18, wherein said open side includes said inlet.

An electric heater, according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein said radiant conductive fins are spacedly supported in said compartment in a vertically parallel manner, wherein each of said air heating channels is formed between each two said radiant conductive fins for allowing said air to be heated within said air heating channels and to upwardly flow towards said air outlet of said casing.

21. An electric heater, according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said heating element passes through an aperture formed in said radiant conductive fins, wherein each of said apertures has a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of said heating element such that when said heating element passes through said aperture, said gap is formed between a circumferential edge of said aperture and an outer circumferential surface of said heating element.

22. An electric heater, according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said heating element passes through an elongated slot formed in said respective radiant conductive fins, wherein said guiding slot is extends vertically to the edge of said respective radiant conductive fin.

23. An electric heater, according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said ~heating element passes through an elongated slot formed in said respective radiant conductive fins, wherein said guiding slot is extends sidewardly on said respective 0000 radiant conductive fin to form an opening at a side edge of said respective radiant conductive fin.

24. An electric heater according to any one of claims 16 to 23, further i comprising spaced grooves in the casing disposed to receive and locate the radiant S: 25 conductive fins thereby securing them within the heater.

25. An electric heater according to any one of claims 16 to 24 wherein the Soo radiant conductive fins are connected by link rods fixed to the casing. S:

26. An electric heater, according to any one of claims 16 to 25, wherein said heat S -reflecting surface of said heat reflector, includes a concave shape of a predetermined curvature.

27. An electrical heater according to any one of claims 16 to 26, wherein said heating element includes a plurality of spaced heating elements.

28. An electrical heater substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. DATED this 6 th Day of October, 2005 Shelston IP Attorneys for: BING BAI