EP1000576A2

EP1000576A2 - Bathroom soap heater

Info

Publication number: EP1000576A2
Application number: EP99500209A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Juan Puyal Ortuno
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-11-11
Filing date: 1999-11-11
Publication date: 2000-05-17
Also published as: ES1041519Y; EP1000576A3; ES1041519U

Abstract

Bathroom soap heater which consists on a copper coil (1) which has an outer thermal insulation (2),and a coating or case (3) made of plastic or lacquered and conformed metal plate where the bathroom soap heater has a hot water inlet (4) and outlet(5) as well as a condensation outlet (6). The interior of the coil can be open at the top to fit a soap bottle, or can be closed and provided with a conventional dispenser.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention here presented relates to a bathroom soap heater with numerous applications in households, industry, hospitals, sports centres etc., from among the bathroom soap warming methods.
The invention is characterised by a construction which comprises a copper coil, outer thermal insulation and the cover or case made from plastic or metal plate, shaped and lacquered.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heating soap for greater comfort during showers is a well known technique. In Great Britain and Germany, for example, soap thermos flasks have existed for decades, both in luxury hotels and in industry where workers receive large amounts of grease.
However, these thermos flasks are generally electrically operated, and therefore consume a large amount of energy. This type of electrical thermos flask, as well as any other electrical device inside the shower or bath space is forbidden in Spain by current laws (Low voltage electro-technical regulations).
The applicant is unaware of the existence of any bathroom soap heaters of the characteristics which are described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention object of this memory relates to a bathroom soap heater, applicable in the household as well as in general hospitals and maternity wards, geriatric hospitals and senior citizen homes, and in hotels, beauty salons, changing rooms in factories, sports complexes, etc.
As is well known, soap is a viscous element which is crucial to personal hygiene, but which is also cold, at least during Winter, at which time its use is uncomfortable or even unpleasant. The contrast between the high temperature of the water and the cold one of the soap, in certain circumstances and climates, can even lead to disregard for personal hygiene.
The invention suggests using the warm water from the water faucet to heat the soap with no superfluous energy consumption.
The soap is heated by direct contact with a hot surface and the ensuing convection in the fluid or soap.
The hot surface consists of a copper coil which has hot water flowing inside it; heat will be transferred by this copper spiral or any other heat exchanger, such as by interposing one or more metal plates as in electric radiators.
Whichever the method, in order to ensure correct operation of the heater two factors must be considered: the transfer surface must be as large as possible and the volume of soap to be heated must not be too great.
The greater the amount of soap to be heated the greater its thermal inertia and thus the greater the heat transfer surface needed. Otherwise, the time required to heat the soap may be too long and the heater will no longer be useful.
Thus, for a low-demand household use a single copper coil and a small amount of soap to be heated will suffice, while for large demand of soap (as in hospitals or beauty salons) a battery of plates would be more appropriate.
In either case, this exchanger must be encased within a thermally insulated container in order to prevent useless heat loss, and suitably coated with a permanent external finish with hot water inlets and outlets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As a complement of the description and in order to aid a better comprehension of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the present descriptive memory as an integral part of the same, in which, for purposes of illustration and in a non-limiting manner, the following is shown:
Figure 1 shows two transverse and longitudinal sectional views of the household heater.
Figure 2 shows the heater installed in the hot water inlet of a sink.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention relates to a bathroom soap heater in two different practical examples of the preferred embodiment, one for individual use and one for collective use.
The first case is characterised by being provided with a copper coil (1), outer thermal insulation (2), coating or case (3), made of plastic or lacquered and conformed metal plate, with a hot water inlet (4) and outlet (5), as well as a condensation outlet (6).
The interior of coil (1) has an opening (7) at the top to fit the soap bottle, or alternatively it can be closed and provided with a conventional dispenser.
In the second case, copper coil (1) is replaced by plates made of copper, galvanised plate or aluminium connected to each other, in addition to an inner case, the thermal insulation and the outer case, in an arrangement which requires a dispenser.
This description is not extended in the understanding that any expert in the field would have enough information to understand the scope if the invention and the advantages derived thereof, as well as to reproduce the same.
It is understood that as long as the essence of the invention is unaffected, variations in materials, shape, size or arrangement of the elements are subject to changes within the same characterisation.
The terms used in the description and the description itself shall in all cases be considered as not limiting.

Claims

Bathroom soap heater, from among heaters intended for these purposes, for individual or collective use, essentially characterised in that it is provided with a copper coil (1), outer thermal insulation (2), coating or case (3), made of plastic or lacquered and conformed metal plate, with a hot water inlet (4) and outlet (5), as well as a condensation outlet (6), with the interior of coil (1) having an opening (7) at the top in order to fit a soap bottle, or as an alternative, closed and provided with a conventional dispenser.
Bathroom soap heater, as claimed in above claim, characterised in that copper coil (1) is replaced by plates made of copper, galvanised plate or aluminium, connected to each other, and an inner case, thermal insulation and the outer case, as well as a conventional dispenser.