EP1774246B1

EP1774246B1 - A radiator comprising at least one heating element mountable by modular pieces

Info

Publication number: EP1774246B1
Application number: EP04770737A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claudio Ballardini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-04
Filing date: 2004-08-04
Publication date: 2008-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2024-08-04
Also published as: WO2006013583A1; EP1774246A1; ATE382839T1; DE602004011123D1; CN1993598A

Abstract

A radiator comprises at least one heating element (1) including at least one tubular element (2, 4, 6), at least one liquid feed/drainage pipe (14) and at least one cap (20). The connection portion (36) of cap (20) includes a coupling portion (36) and a reception portion (38). The coupling portion is adapted to be inserted in a reception portion (138) of a further connection portion (126) of the cap (20) and the reception portion (38) is adapted to receive a coupling portion (136) of said further connection portion (126) of cap (20) to produce mountable heating elements (1).

Description

The aim of this invention is to produce a modular radiator for general heating purposes, for example for household use, or to construct a radiator usable as a heated towel rail.
It is well known that radiators on the market today have a structure comprising numerous cumbersome, heavy heating elements, generally constructed in cast iron or aluminium.
The manufacture of these elements requires dedicated smelting plants and the transport of heavy loads from the factory to the sales points.
It is also necessary to transport heavy loads from the sales point to the place where the radiators will be assembled, which is inconvenient for the user. And their assembly too, even though performed by specialised workers, is laborious and tiring, due to the weight of the heating elements and mounted radiators and their poor manoeuvrability.
To overcome these problems, various modular radiators consisting of a number of connectable heating elements are known.
An example of their construction is given in document EP-A2-1085284 of the same Applicant.
Even though the radiators described in that document offer an undoubted advantage over those known from previous technologies, this invention shows an improvement in various structural and functional characteristics.
The aim of this invention is to overcome the problems of known solutions, especially with regard to the seal among the parts.
This aim is achieved by a modular radiator realised according to claim 1. The claims depending from this describe alternative embodiments.
The characteristics and advantages of the radiator according to the present invention will appear evident from the indicative, non-limiting description reported below, in accordance with the following figures:

figure 1 shows an axonometric view of a heating element of the radiator according to the invention ;
figure 2 shows the heating element of figure 1 in partially separated and sectioned parts;
figure 3 shows the heating element of figure 1 in separated and partially sectioned parts;
figure 4 shows a connective portion of the heating element cap in figure 1;
figure 5 shows a semi-cap of the heating element cap in figure 1;
figure 6 shows a semi-cap of the heating element cap in figure 1, according to another embodiment;
figure 7 shows a semi-cap of the heating element cap in figure 1, according to another embodiment;
figure 8 shows a feed/drainage pipe of the heating element in figure 1;
figure 9 shows a tubular element or column of the heating element in figure 1;
figures 10 and 11 show sealing rings of the heating element in figure 1, and
figure 12 shows a blocking ring of the heating element in figure 1.

With reference to the attached figures, with referral number 1 a heating element of a radiator according to the present invention has been globally indicated.
For clarity, specific reference will be made below to a heating element comprising three tubular elements, called columns. However it is clear that the considerations made can be extended by a person skilled in the art to a heating element containing one, two, four, five or more tubular elements.
The heating element 1 comprises a first tubular element 2, a second tubular element 4 and a third tubular element 6, having prevalent extension along a tube axis X-X between an upper end 8 and a lower end (not shown).
The tubular element 2 has, internally, a protrusion, or a projection, from its internal surface, for example in the shape of an annular projection.
This protrusion is preferably provided at the level of the upper end 8 and the lower end of said tubular element.
The heating element 1 also includes a liquid feed/drainage pipe 14.
In other words, the pipe 14 is connectable in fluidic manner to the heating network in which the radiator is inserted in order to feed hot water from the boiler to the radiator and drain the returning water from the radiator to the network.
The feed/drainage pipe 14 has prevalent extension along a pipe axis Y-Y, and has, along this pipe axis, at least one opening 16 in its lateral wall for circulation of water from the network to the tubular elements and vice versa.
The heating element 1 also includes at least one cap 20 adapted to be connected to said tubular element 2 and to the feed/drainage pipe 14 to enable liquid circulation.
The cap 20 includes a first semi-cap 22 and a second semi-cap 24, which can be coupled together.
The first semi-cap 22 comprises a connection portion 26 for connection to the feed/drainage pipe 14 and a joint portion 28 for connection to the tubular element 2.
The connection portion 26 comprises an accommodating wall 30, adapted to be coupled to the feed/drainage pipe 14 wall, generally by a shape coupling.
Within the accommodating wall 30, the connection portion 26 includes a tubular protrusion 32 adapted to be inserted into the opening 16 present in the lateral wall of pipe 14.
A sealing ring 34 can be inserted into this tubular protrusion 32.
The connection portion 26 of cap 20 includes a coupling portion 36 and a reception portion 38. The coupling portion 36 is adapted to be inserted in a reception portion 138 of another connection portion 126 of the cap 20, and said reception portion 38 is adapted to receive a coupling portion 136 of said further connection portion 126 of cap 20, to produce mountable heating elements 1 (figure 4).
According to a preferred embodiment, said coupling portion 36 includes, at the ends of the accommodating wall 30, an upper portion 40 internally corrugated or notched with respect to accommodating wall 30, and a lower portion 42 externally corrugated or notched with respect to accommodating wall 30.
Said reception portion 38, placed alongside the pipe axis Y-Y to the coupling portion 36, includes at the ends of the accommodating wall 30 an upper portion 44 externally corrugated or notched with respect to accommodating wall 30, and a lower portion 46 internally corrugated or notched with respect to accommodating wall 30.
The further connection portion 126 of the cap 20 includes, in mirror image with respect to connection portion 26, the coupling portion 138 including an upper portion 144 externally corrugated or notched with respect to the respective accommodating wall, and a lower portion 146 internally corrugated or notched with respect to the respective accommodating wall.
The coupling portion 136 of the further connection portion 126 of the cap 20 also comprises an upper portion 140 internally corrugated or notched with respect to the accommodating wall, and a lower portion 142 externally corrugated or notched with respect to the accommodating wall.
Advantageously, said coupling portion 36 and said reception portion 38 of the connection portion 26 and/or said coupling portion 136 and reception portion 138 of the further connection portion 126 are separated by a gap 39, 139 to increase the parts' flexibility and facilitate their coupling.
The joint portion 28 of the first semi-cap 22 includes a tubular section 50 adapted to be inserted into the tubular element 2. Said tubular section 50 is connected in fluidic manner to the tubular protrusion 32 of the connection portion 26 (figure 3).
In a preferred embodiment, said tubular section 50 is at least partially covered with a tubular casing 52 which defines, with said tubular section 50, a tubular air space 54.
At its free end connectable to tubular element 2, the tubular section 50 has at least one ring seat 56, 58 to hold the respective sealing rings 60, 62.
Said tubular section also includes, in a further embodiment, a reception seat 64 to hold a blocking ring 66.
Said blocking ring 66, preferably split, is in the shape of a truncated cone and is positioned in the reception seat 64 so as to have its smaller base turned towards the free end of the tubular section 50. Said blocking ring 66 has nominal dimensions such as to protrude from the reception seat 64.
The radiator can be coupled to a wall using at least one bracket. Advantageously, the bracket should be universal. In other words, the radiator can be coupled to a wall with a bracket which can be used equally for radiators with a heating element of two, three or four columns, realised by coupling a first one outlet semi-cap to a second having one, two or three outlets.
In all these heating element embodiments, in fact, the distance between the wall and the first semi-cap is constant, so that the same bracket can be used for heating elements with two, three or four columns.
In the assembly of heating element 1 described above, the pipe 14 is mounted to cap 20.
Specifically, the first semi-cap 22 is connected to pipe 14, so that the tubular protrusion 32 is inserted into opening 16 of this pipe and the accommodation wall 26 is coupled to the pipe wall.
The second semi-cap 24 is subsequently coupled to the pipe 14, so that its tubular protrusion is inserted in the relative opening of pipe 14.
The first semi-cap 22 and second semi-cap 24 are coupled together so that the coupling portion 36 of the first semi-cap is inserted into the reception portion 138 of the second semi-cap and the coupling portion 136 of the second semi-cap is inserted into the reception portion of the first semi-cap.
In particular, the corrugated and/or notched portions of these coupling/reception portions fit together with a release mechanism which allows reciprocal coupling.
Moreover, tubular element 2 is fitted to the tubular section 50 of cap 20.
In particular, protrusion 12 within the tubular element slides on the sealing rings associated to the tubular section 50 and interacts with the blocking ring 66, deforming it within its seat.
When protrusion 12 has passed beyond this blocking ring 66, the blocking ring 66 regains its original un-deformed shape, thus forming an obstacle for the return of protrusion 12 which inhibits the accidental uncoupling of tubular element 2 from the cap.
After assembly, the tubular air space 54 at least partially overlaps the end of the tubular element 2, concealing its terminal edge from sight.
It is obvious that use of caps with a plurality of connection portions, known as "outlets", allows heating elements to be assembled with a respective plurality of tubular elements, known as columns.
In particular, the use of two identical single-outlet semi-caps enables assembly of a heating element with two columns; use of two identical two-outlets semi-caps enables assembly of a heating element with four columns; use of two identical semi-caps with three outlets enables assembly of a heating element with six columns.
By manufacturing semi-caps with one, two or three outlets, heating elements with two, three, four, five, or six columns can be assembled, thanks to the modular coupling system.
Using a feed/drainage pipe with a plurality of openings, a radiator can be assembled which has a plurality of heating elements.
In one embodiment, the radiator includes at least one heating element comprising a single tubular element. In said embodiment, the cap can be connected to a plug.
Unusually, the heating element includes modular semi-caps adapted to be used to assemble heating elements having the desired number of columns and adapted to assemble radiators with the desired number of heating elements.
Advantageously, moreover, the modular assembly system ensures an excellent seal between the parts.
According to another advantageous aspect, each heating element can be welded to the cap, thus avoiding accidental dismounting of the parts.
Advantageously, it is also possible to produce radiators with a variable distance between adjacent heating elements by simply increasing or decreasing the distance between the openings on pipe 14.
This aspect also makes it possible to supply the requirement for radiators with a greater distance between the heating elements, for example to satisfy hygienic requirements in hospitals and public places in general.
Yet another advantage is that the material from which the cap is constructed, preferably chosen from the class of techno-polymers, limits or even stops the circulation of stray currents towards the columns, generally made from metal, specifically aluminium.
According to a further advantage, the material from which the cap is constructed, preferably chosen from the class of techno-polymers, limits or even inhibits lime scale deposit, increasing the radiator's reliability and reducing the need for maintenance.
Advantageously, again, the configuration of the columns, preferably with an oval cross-section, impedes them from rotating on their axis.
According to such advantageous aspect, the column configuration, preferably with an oval cross-section, also increases the heat yield of each heating element.
Finally, according to such advantageous aspect, the column configuration, preferably with an oval cross-section, allows a considerable recovery of the space blocked by each heating element.
Obviously, a person skilled in the art, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, could make further modifications and variations to the radiator described above, all however contained within the scope of protection as defined in the following claims.

Claims

Radiator suitable for being run across by a liquid, for example water, to effect a heat exchange, wherein said radiator comprises at least one heating element (1) comprising:
- at least one tubular element (2, 4, 6) having prevalent extension along a tube axis (X-X);

- at least one liquid feed/drainage pipe (14) having prevalent extension along a pipe axis (Y-Y);

- at least one cap (20) adapted to be connected to said tubular element (2, 4, 6) and to the liquid feed/drainage pipe (14) for liquid circulation;
wherein said cap comprises a connection portion (26) for connection to the feed/drainage pipe (14);
said radiator being characterised by the fact that
the connection portion (26) of cap (20) includes a coupling portion (36) and a reception portion (38), wherein said coupling portion is adapted to be inserted in a reception portion (138) of a further connection portion (126) of the cap (20) and said reception portion (38) is adapted to hold a coupling portion (136) of said further connection portion (126) of the cap (20) to produce mountable heating elements (1) .
Radiator according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion (36) includes an upper portion (40) which couples by a release mechanism to an upper portion (144) of the coupling portion (138) of said further connection portion (126).
Radiator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said reception portion (38) includes an upper portion (44) which couples by a release mechanism to an upper portion (140) of the coupling portion (136) of said further connection portion (126).
Radiator according to any of the previous claims, wherein said coupling portion (36) and reception portion (38) of the connection portion (26) and/or coupling portion (136) and the reception portion (138) of said further connection portion (126) are separated by a gap (39, 139).
Radiator according to any of the previous claims, wherein said coupling portion (36) and the reception portion (38) are side by side along the pipe axis (Y-Y).
Radiator according to any of the previous claims, wherein said connection portion (26) has internally a tubular protrusion (32) adapted to be coupled with said pipe (14) to enable liquid circulation.
Radiator according to any of the previous claims, wherein said cap (20) also includes at least a tubular section (50) for fluidic connection to said tubular element (2, 4, 6).
Radiator according to claim 7, wherein said tubular section (50) comprises at least one ring seat (56, 58) for coupling of the respective sealing rings (60, 62).
Radiator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said tubular section (50) has at least one reception seat (64) to hold a blocking ring (66).
Radiator according to claim 9, wherein said blocking ring (66) realises a coupling release mechanism between the cap (20) and the tubular element (2, 4, 6).
Radiator according to any one of claims 7 to 10, further comprising a tubular casing (52) defining, with said tubular section (50), a tubular air space (54) to hold and at least partially cover the end of said tubular section.
Radiator according to any of the previous claims, comprising a plurality of said tubular elements (1).
Thermal plant comprising at least one radiator assembled in accordance with any of the previous claims.