EP0994307A1

EP0994307A1 - Gas-operated infrared-ray heater with folding arm

Info

Publication number: EP0994307A1
Application number: EP99830543A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gabriele Mori
Original assignee: Walkover Srl
Current assignee: Walkover Srl
Priority date: 1998-10-16
Filing date: 1999-09-02
Publication date: 2000-04-19
Also published as: IT250835Y1; ITPR980014U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to the sector of gas-operated infrared-ray heaters, comprising a flat heating surface (2) located at the end of a cantilever arm (3) supported by a support arm (4). The position of the heating surface (2) may be varied between a high position (3a) in which the heating surface is substantially horizontal, a low position (3b), a position in which the heating surface is directed upwards and a stowed-away position (3c) via means (5) for directing the cantilever arm (3), comprising an intermediate articulation (6) and a hinged joint (7) between the cantilever arm (3) and the support arm (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a gas-operated infrared-ray heater with folding arm.
Gas-operated infrared-ray heaters made with a fixed vertical arm supported by a substantially cylindrical-shaped element having also the function of covering and protecting the gas cylinder are known.
These heaters are somewhat bulky both in terms of packaging and during use and also pose difficulties during assembly.
In the abovementioned gas heaters, the heating surface, which has a substantially cylindrical shape coaxial with the vertical arm, is positioned vertically with respect to the ground for operational reasons. This solution does not allow direct heating of the zone concerned, with consequent considerable losses and low efficiency as well as non-uniform heating.
Moreover, owing to the structure of the vertical arm, it is possible to use the heater in a single heating configuration, namely with the heating surface in a high position.
The object of the present invention is that of eliminating the abovementioned drawbacks and providing an infrared-ray heater operating with a substantially horizontal heating surface and equipped with a folding cantilever arm designed to obtain in this way direct heating of the zone concerned, without dispersion and in different positions.
A further object is that of reducing the dimensions during packaging, stowing away and use, while also simplifying assembly of the heater.
Said objects are fully achieved by the gas-operated infrared-ray heater with folding arm according to the present invention, which is characterized by the contents of the claims indicated below.
In particular, the heater, with a heating surface loacted at the end of a cantilever arm, comprises means for directing the arm itself which are designed to modify the position of the heating surface between a high position, a position in which the heating surface is directed upwards and a low position. Moreover, it is possible to close up the cantilever arm for packaging and stowing away. The abovementioned directing means comprise at least one intermediate articulation located on the cantilever arm and a hinged joint between the cantilever arm and a support arm.
The heating surface is flat and such as to be, at least in one of the configurations of the heater, substantially horizontal and directly positioned in the centre of the zone to be heated, thus producing a uniform heating action.
These and other characteristic features will emerge more clearly from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated, purely by way of a non-limiting example, in the accompanying plates of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a heater in the high position;
Figure 2 shows the heater viewed laterally in a high position and during directing;
Figure 3 shows the heater in the low position;
Figure 4 shows the heater during closing for stowing away;
Figure 5 shows the heater in the stowed-away position.

With reference to the Figures, 1 denotes an infrared-ray heater comprising a heating surface 2 located at the end of a cantilever arm 3 which is in turn connected to a support arm 4 fixed to a pedestal 10 on which the cylinder 11 is positioned.
The heating surface 2 in an original manner is flat and arranged, in at least one configuration of the heater, substantially horizontal and so as to be in the centre of the zone to be heated which is thus heated in a uniform manner.
The cantilever arm 3 comprises in an original manner directing means 5 which are designed to modify the position of the heating surface 2 from a high position 3a, shown in continuous lines in Figure 1 and in broken lines in Figure 2, to a low position 3b illustrated in Figure 3 or to a stowed-away position 3c illustrated in Figure 5. A position - shown in continuous lines in Figure 2 - in which the heating surface 2 is directed upwards is also possible.
The abovementioned directing means comprise at least one intermediate articulation 6 which is located on the arm itself and is designed to modify the direction of the heating surface 2 with respect to the cantilever arm 3, as shown in Figures 2 and 4.
Moreover, a hinged joint 7 is provided between the cantilever arm 3 and the support arm 4, said joint being designed to modify the direction of the cantilever arm 3 and the heating surface 2 with respect to the support arm 4, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
Both the intermediate articulation 6 and the hinged joint 7 may be released or fixed by means 8 for locking/releasing the abovementioned articulation and hinged joint. In the version illustrated in the Figures, the locking/release means consist of pins 12 which can be inserted into holes 13.
In the low position 3b illustrated in Figure 3, the heating surface 2 is locked with respect to the cantilever arm 3 by means of a fixing device 9.
The controls 14 are mounted in a position which is easily accessible, at the end of the support arm 4.
The infrared-ray heater 1 may therefore be easily packaged so as to allow transportation of the disassembled parts and equally easily assembled by the user.
Moreover, after being assembled, it may assume different operating configurations corresponding to the high position 3a, in which the heating surface 2 is substantially horizontal, the position where the heating surface 2 is directed upwards, the low position 3b and the stowed-away position 3c.
The high position 3 requires locking of the articulation 6 and the hinged joint 7 using the locking/release means 8, as illustrated in Figure 1. The low position 3b, shown in Figure 3, requires release of the articulation 6 and the hinged joint 7 and positioning of the fixing device 9. Figure 3 shows moreover the position of the cylinder 11, displaced with respect to the pedestal 10.
The stage involving transition from the high position 3a to the low position 3b is performed via an intermediate position, as shown in Figure 2, in which the high position 3a is shown in broken lines, while the intermediate stage is shown in continuous lines.
This transition is performed by releasing the articulation 6 and tilting back the heating surface with respect to the cantilever arm 3. This results in a position, with the heating surface 2 directed upwards, which may also be used as an actual operating position. In the stowed-away position 3c, shown in Figure 5, the cantilever arm 3 is folded-up onto itself and with respect to the support arm 4, while the heating surface 2 is positioned between the cantilever arm and the support arm. The stowed-away position 3c is obtained by releasing the articulation 6 and the hinged joint 7, as illustrated in Figure 4 and positioning the components as shown in Figure 5.

Claims

Infrared-ray heater (1) comprising a heating surface (2) located at the end of a cantilever arm (3) supported by a support arm (4), characterized in that it comprises means (5) for directing the cantilever arm (3), which are designed to modify the position of the heating surface (2) between a high position (3a) and a low position (3b) and close up the cantilever arm (3) onto itself and with respect to the support arm (4) in the stowed-away position (3c).
Infrared-ray heater (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means (5) for directing the cantilever arm (3) comprise at least one intermediate articulation (6), which is located on the arm itself and which is designed to modify the direction of the heating surface (2) with respect to the cantilever arm (3), and a hinged joint (7) between the cantilever arm (3) and the support arm (4), which is designed to modify the direction of the cantilever arm (3) and the heating surface (2) with respect to the support arm (4).
Infrared-ray heater (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate articulation (6) and the hinged joint (7) comprise means (8) for locking/releasing the abovementioned articulation and hinged joint.
Infrared-ray heater (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device (9) for fixing the heating surface (2) in the low position (3b).
Infrared-ray heater (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the directing means (5) are structured so as to allow tilting back of the heating surface (2) which is thus directed upwards.
Infrared-ray heater (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the heating surface (2) is substantially flat and arranged, in at least one of the configurations of the heater, so as to be horizontal in order to perform direct heating of the zone concerned.