EP1000570A1

EP1000570A1 - A heating device

Info

Publication number: EP1000570A1
Application number: EP98830683A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Bertani
Original assignee: Mo El SRL
Current assignee: Mo El SRL
Priority date: 1998-11-12
Filing date: 1998-11-12
Publication date: 2000-05-17

Abstract

A ventilation heating device comprises a heating unit (3) and a ventilation unit (4) positioned inside a case (2). The heating device (1) comprises protection means (10) to prevent an intake opening (8) from being occluded by extraneous elements. The protection means (10) comprise a series of fins (12) engaged externally to the case (2) and forming a series of channels (11) to guarantee the circulation of air between the intake opening (8) and a discharge opening (9). The device further comprises sensor means (17) to command the activation and deactivation of the heating unit (3) respectively in correspondence with a minimum and maximum value of measured temperature. To the device can further be associated an auxiliary protection organ (19) to support a sheet or a blanket "B" of covering fabric above the device itself.

Description

The present invention relates to a heating device of the kind comprising the characteristics expressed in the preamble of claim 1.

More specifically, the invention relates to an electrical heating device for home and/or personal use of the type usable for instance as a bed warmer, hair dryer and/or space heater for small environments.

As is well known, electrically operated heating devices generally comprise a case within which a heating unit and a ventilation unit are operatively placed.

The ventilation unit is constituted by a fan which can be actuated by an electrical motor. When the fan is in motion a flow of air is generated inside the case taking in external air through an opening to send it towards the heating unit. When air reaches the heating unit it flows across an electrical resistor dissipating heat and it continues in the direction of a discharge opening obtained in the case on the opposite side to the intake opening. Having flowed across the heating unit, the heated air exits through the discharge opening .

Normally, heating devices further present in correspondence with the intake opening and the discharge opening, grids or meshes able to prevent external elements from accessing inside the case.

The aforementioned meshes or grids, however, are not able to prevent the occlusion of the openings by fabrics or similar elements. As a result, when the device operates in proximity to fabrics or the like, the latter can be drawn by the air flow against the grid or mesh of the intake opening, thereby causing its occlusion with the consequent risk of damage to the device due to overheating or to the motor due to over-stressing or seizing.

For the reasons described above, in known devices designed for operation as bed warmers it is provided for the device itself, located externally to the bed, to be associated with rigid and/or flexible conveying ducts which route the flow of warm air, underneath the blanket and/or sheets.

Such heating devices are for instance described in the British Patent GB 2281515 and in the French Patent FR 2589343.

The aforesaid heating devices, however, present considerable problems.

The aforementioned heating devices are rather bulky due to the presence of the conveying ducts necessary to guarantee the supply of warm air underneath the blanket or the sheet.

It should also be considered that the mandatory presence of the warm air conveying ducts makes the device impractical both in relation to any moves, and in relation to its assembly and disassembly.

An aim of the present invention is substantially that of solving the problems observed in the prior art proposing a compact and extremely easy to handle heating device.

A further aim of the invention is to obtain a heating device with reduced size and bulk, suitable to be used satisfactorily underneath blankets, sheets or other fabrics.

Another aim of the invention is to make available a versatile and flexible heating device suitable for use for numerous different purposes.

These aims and others besides, which shall be shown more clearly in the course of the present description, are substantially attained by a heating device having the characteristics expressed in the characterising part of claim 1.

Further features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention. Such description shall be made hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting indication, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, made according to the trace I-I of Figure 1, of a heating device according to the present invention set down on a bed and positioned underneath a blanket;
Figure 2 is a front view of the heating device;
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of auxiliary protection means which can be associated to the subject device, in an idle condition;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the auxiliary protection means in a condition of employment.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the number 1 indicates in its entirety a heating device according to the present invention.

The heating device 1 comprises at least a case 2 of tubular shape within which are operatively engaged at least a heating unit 3 and at least a ventilation unit 4. The heating unit 3 comprises one or more electrical resistors 5 dissipating heat whilst the ventilation unit 4 is constituted by a fan 6 whose rotation can be actuated by an electrical motor 7.

The case 2 further presents a first end 2a in proximity whereto is obtained at least an opening 8 for the intake of air and a second end 2b in proximity whereto is obtained an opening 9 for the discharge of air, opposite to the intake opening 8.

The ventilation unit 4 is located in proximity to the intake opening 8 and the heating unit 3 is located in proximity to the discharge opening 9 in such a way that the air drawn by the ventilation unit 4 through the intake opening 8 is sent in the direction of the heating unit 3 to exit the case 2 through the discharge opening 9.

According to the present invention the device 1 further comprises protection means 10 to prevent the occlusion of the intake opening 8 and, preferably, also of the discharge opening 9, particularly by fabrics or similar elements which should be in the vicinity of the device itself.

More specifically, in the event that the heating device 1 is used underneath a blanket or a sheet to effect the heating of a bed, protection means 10 associated to the case 2 prevent the blanket and/or the sheet from being drawn inside the case itself together with the air entering through the intake opening 8.

The protection means 10 thus prevent the occlusion of the intake opening 8 guaranteeing the circulation of air between the intake opening itself and the discharge opening 9.

More in detail, the protection means 10 comprise channels 11 for the circulation of air extending between the intake opening 8 and the discharge opening 9.

Such channels 11 are preferably defined by a plurality of fins 12 positioned in a mutually parallel manner and projecting externally from the case 2.

Each fin 12 presents at least an attachment portion 13 (whereof only one is partially visible in dashed line in Figure 1) rigidly engaged on an outer surface 2c of the case 2 and at least a first and a

second protection portion

14, 15 integral with the attachment portion 13 and respectively positioned in front of the intake opening 8 and of the discharge opening 9.

More in particular, in the embodiment shown on the accompanying drawings, each fin 12 develops around the entire perimeter of the case 2 presenting two attachment portions 13 rigidly engaged to the outer surface 2c of the case 2 and both integral with the first and the

second protection portion

14, 15.

The channels 11 for the circulation of air between the intake opening 8 and the discharge opening 9, are thus defined by the attachment portions 13 of fins 12 set side by side and by a portion of outer surface 2c of the case 2 lying between the aforementioned attachment portions 13.

The presence is also possible of at least one auxiliary fin 12a tangentially engaged to the surface 2c of the case 2 to allow the user to employ indifferently one or the other support plane 16.

The heating device 1 further comprises sensor means 17 engaged to the case 2 to measure the value of the air temperature and command, when required, the activation or deactivation of the heating unit 3, respectively in correspondence with a minimum and maximum measured value of air temperature. The sensor means 17 can for instance comprise a thermostat operating between a minimum and a maximum value of temperature, possibly adjustable by the user according to requirements.

To the heating device 1 can be further associated support means 18 to fasten the device itself to vertical walls or support it in positions which differ from the position it assumes when it bears on one of the support planes 16. The support means 18 are for instance defined by a suction cup element 18a preferably engaged between two central fins 12, in correspondence with a median longitudinal plane of the case 2. More in particular, the suction cup element 18a can be advantageously engaged between the fins 12 by means of the forced insertion therebetween of its attachment portion 18b made of elastomeric material. The support means 18 can thus be easily inserted or removed by the user without the use of any tool, being made of elastic material.

The attachment means 18 are also easily oriented with respect to the case 2, thereby allowing to direct the flow of air in any direction desired.

The heating device 1 according to the present invention can be used in several ways. Such a device can, for instance, be used to warm a bed.

In this specific use, the heating device 1 is set down on the bed "A" underneath a sheet and/or a blanket "B".

Once the heating device 1 is activated, the interaction between the heating unit 3 and the ventilation unit 4 generates a flow of warm air exiting the case 2 through the discharge opening 9.

During the operation of the heating device 1, it is possible for the blanket or the sheet to tend to be taken in together with the incoming air, moving in the direction of the intake opening 8. In this situation, the protection means 10 prevent the blanket from occluding the intake opening 8 guaranteeing the proper operation of the device 1 and avoiding the consequence that the device itself be damaged by excessive overheating.

The protection means 10 assure the circulation of air between the intake opening and the discharge opening 9 through their external channels 11, even when the blanket or the sheet bears down on the heating device as shown in dashed line in Figure 1.

When the air temperature value exceeds a pre-set maximum temperature value, the sensor means 17 command the deactivation of the heating unit 3 leaving the ventilation unit activated to maintain air circulation. Conversely, when the air temperature reaches a lower value than the pre-set minimum value, the sensor means 17 activate the heating unit 3 anew.

To increase the field of action of the heating device 1, underneath the blanket or sheet "B", can advantageously be present auxiliary protection means 19, for instance defined by at least a first and a second

flexible bar

20, 21 hinged in their median point "M" to allow a mutual rotation freedom of at least 90° or thereabouts.

Each

flexible bar

20, 21 presents opposite

ends

20a, 21a shaped for instance as hooks, mutually engageable. As a result of the mutual engagement of the

ends

20a, 21a of both

bars

20, 21, as shown in Figure 4, a support cage of substantially spherical conformation is formed, which is suited to be placed underneath the blanket and/or sheet "B" to keep them raised from device 1, which can be positioned inside the cage structure itself.

The auxiliary protection means 19 allow the flow of warm air emitted by the heating device 1 to be distributed in an ampler space than that usually available when using only the device 1.

It should be noted that the auxiliary protection means 19 can be validly employed instead of the protection means to allow using even a known heating device as a bed warmer.

The heating device according to the present invention attains the proposed aims.

The device presents a compact structure, which makes it extremely practical and easy to handle, since dimensions and bulk have been considerably reduced with respect to the prior art.

In particular, the undesired presence of pipes or conveying ducts which increased the bulk of known heating devices used for bed warming has been eliminated.

Also with reference to bed warming, the presence of the protection means has allowed, in addition to the elimination of the air supply ducts, the possibility of placing the device itself underneath a blanket or any other type of fabric with the guarantee that the protection means prevent the occlusion of the intake opening.

These characteristics confer to the heating device according to the present invention such flexibility that it can be used for numerous other purposes. The device is suited to be used for example also underneath clothes to warm the user directly. The device can also be used as a hair dryer or clothes dryer, as well as space heater for small environments and/or to direct a flow of warm air on any part of a user's body.

Claims

Heating device comprising:

at least a case (2) having an intake opening (8) and a discharge opening (9);

at least a ventilation unit (4) engaged in the case (2) to heat the air directed towards the discharge opening (9);
characterised in that it further comprises protection means (10) associated to the case (2) to prevent the occlusion of the intake opening (8) guaranteeing the circulation of air between the intake opening (8) and the discharge opening (9).
Heating device according to claim 1, wherein said protection means (10) comprise channels (11) for the circulation of air outside the case (2), extending from the intake opening (8) to the discharge opening (9).
Heating device according to claim 1, wherein said protection means (10) comprise a plurality of fins (12) positioned externally to the case.
Heating device according to claim 3, wherein said fins (12) develop according to the entire perimeter of the case (2).
Heating device according to claim 3, wherein each fin (12) presents at least an attachment portion (13) rigidly engaged on an outer surface (2c) of the case (2) and at least a first and a second protection portion (14, 15) integral with the attachment portion (13) and positioned respectively in front of the intake opening (8) and in front of the discharge opening (9).
Heating device according to claim 3, wherein the fins (12) are positioned in a mutually parallel manner.
Heating device according to claim 3, further comprising at least an auxiliary fin (12a) tangentially engaged to the case (2) to define a support plane (16) on the heating device.
Heating device according to claim 1, further comprising sensor means (17) engaged in the case (2) to measure the value of the temperature of the air, said sensor means (17) commanding the activation and deactivation of the heating unit (3) respectively in correspondence with a minimum value and a maximum value of measured temperature.
Heating device according to claim 1, comprising auxiliary support means (18) to fasten the heating device (1) to a wall.
Heating device, in particular according to claim 1, comprising auxiliary protection means (19) presenting flexible bars (20, 21) mutually hinged in a median point (M), each of said flexible bars (20, 21) having opposite ends (20a, 21a) that are mutually engageable to form a support cage.