GB1592676A

GB1592676A - Mounting panels for heating and cooling ducting

Info

Publication number: GB1592676A
Application number: GB4910277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-05-06
Filing date: 1977-11-25
Publication date: 1981-07-08

Description

(54) IMiPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MOUNTING PANELS FOR HEATING AND COOLING DUCTING (71) I, ARTUS FEIST a citizen of the Federal Republic of West Germany, residing at Weidenweg 9, 5060 Bensberg-Refrath, West Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to Ibe particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a mounting panel for securing heating and cooling ducting.

A mounting panel for securing heating medium ducting in floors is known from German Patent Specification No. 1,929,529, made of a base plate with planar parallel sides, with cylindrical projections arranged on one side, between which the heating medium ducting can be secured (DT-AS 1,929, 529). These mounting panels are laid in a building on a supporting base made of concrete, wood or the like, or on an insulating layer. Heating medium ducting which is connected at its ends to the flow and return of a central heating system is inserted according to a specific layout between the projections and is held in place by them. Steel plates are laid on the projections. These form the floor which is actually walked on. In the known mounting panel the cylindrical projections have a uniform diameter.This diameter is determined by two factors, which determine the maximum and minimum diameters which can be used. From this point of view of high load-bearing capacity and in order to give a suibstantial support for the structural panels (typically steel plates) laid thereon, the projections should have a large diameter.

Only then will the steel plates be adequately supported and, particularly with point loading, be prevented from bending down in between the individual projections and rising up along their edges. However, projections with a large diameter restrict the free laying of the heating medium ducting.

The space occupied by large diameter projections is no longer available for the ducting. This does not affect so much the straight runs of ducting as it does loops and return ;bends. At points where the ducting reverses its laying direction, it should follow the widest possible curve.

In the known mounting panel a compromise has therefore to ibe made in establishing the diameter of the projections. This means that either the supporting of the steel plates or the possibility of laying the heating ducting freely must suffer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting panel on which structural sheets can be optionally supported and in which heating or cooling medium ducting can be laid with optimum freedom.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a mounting panel which can 'be incorporated into a floor and also into the walls and ceiling of a room.

According to the invention in a mounting panel the projections are of two or more respective diameters.

In a panel embodying the invention the number of the projections can be greater for the same total surface area than for a known panel and the spacing between the projections can therefore be reduced.

When incorporated into a floor the structural panels will therefore be supported at more points and the unsupported area is reduced. This means that the thickness of the structural panels can be reduced, typically in the case of steel sheets for a floor, to around 1.2 mm.

Despite this greater support for the steel plates, the total surface area of the projections need not be increased and space is available between the individual projections for laying the heating ducting freely in a variety of ways. For example, the transitional curve between two sections of ducting which run in opposite directions can have a diameter which is greater than the distance between these two sections of ducting. The ducting is therefore not subjected to as much stress on the outside of the transitional curve as would be the case if the curve had the diameter equal to the distance between the two sections of ducting, as would be the case if the projections all had the same diameter.

The projections are preferably arranged in straight parallel runs, with all the projections in a row being the same size. Where there are only two sizes the rows alternately contain larger and smaller projections and preferably those in one row are staggered or offset in relation to those in adjoining rows. Conveniently the spacing between the adjoining rows is constant and is related to the diameter of the larger or smaller projections.

In order to hold the ducting inserted between the projections, it has been found advisable for the dimensions to be such that the distance between the tangent to the projections in two adjoining lines, which define the free space between the two lines of projections should be approximately equal to the diameter of the ducting; the diameter of a larger projection should be approximately equal to three times the ducting diameter and the diameter of a smaller projection should be approximately equal to the diameter of the ducting. Ducting located between two adjoining rows, one of larger and one of smaller projections, therefore alternately touches larger and smaller projections.

Preferably the projections taper slightly towards the top so having a frusto-conical cross-section. This makes it easier to remove the mounting panel from a mould used to produce it, and also facilitates the insertion of ducting between the lines of proiections.

Preferably also, a cavity is formed in the upper surface of each projection which cavity also reduces in cross-section towards said upper surface where the structural panels are, for example, glued onto the projections, and each panel is coated with an adhesive on its lower surface to a thickness of a few millimetres, before being pressed into position, some of the adhesive will be forced into the cavities and on hardening will form plugs in the cavities, which owing to the conical shape of the cavities (and therefore the plugs) will provide additional anchorage.

Preferably also recesses are provided in the side wall of each large diameter projection, which recesses extend from the uppear face of a baseplate from which the projections upstand and end a little way below the upper surface of the projection.

When a ducting of appropriate diameters is inserted between a line of such proiections and an adjoining line of smaller diameter the outer surface of the ducting is forced into these recesses in the larger projections and the non-recessed portion of each projection overlies the section of ducting lying in the recess. By employing such recessed projections the ducting is not only secured laterally but is held in contact with the baseplate by the larger projections, thus avoiding the problem sometimes experienced with prior mounting panels which sometimes buckled due to rigidity and to compensate for the curves extending parallel to the surface of the panel. This can be prevented by using recessed projections, thus simplifying the laying of the ducting, since the ducting has less tendency to spring out from between the projections, after it has been laid.

Conveniently each larger diameter projection has four recesses, offset from each other by 90".

The dimensions of each mounting panel are preferably selected so that the edges of the mounting panel intersect the centres of lines of larger diameter projections, and alternate perpendicular protuberances and recesses along the panel edges can be engaged in recesses and protuberances of adjacent mounting panels, to force the panels together. This means that mounting panels can be arranged as required either in parallel rows or offset relative to each other, and can Ibe interconnected at the same time.

The protuberances and recesses are arranged mutually spaced out according to a predeterminetad pattern. Preferably they are provided on the intersected surfaces of the larger-diameter projections. Advantageously, for each projection one protuberance and one recess are provided, both equidistant from a centre line passing through what would be the centre of the projection if it were not cut in half. Where a projection is situated at the corner of a mounting panel and is intersected twice by the two perpendicular edges to form a right angled quadrant, a protuberance is provided on one cut surface and a recess in the other cut surface.

With a diameter of a projection of, say, six units of length, both a protuberance and a recess will typically have a width of one unit of length, and each will be located at a distance of one unit of length from an upright edge of the projection.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the mounting panel is made of a synthetic rigid foam material.

In one embodiment it is made from a polystyrene, typically foamed to a density in the range 150to300kg/m3.

In another embodiment it is made from a polyurethane rigid foam.

In a third embodiment the mounting panel consists of a plastics sheet which is dished (for example by moulding) to form the projections in the surface thereof, and the hollow interiors of the projections are filled with a filler material, in particular with a synthetic rigid foam material.

Structural panels (such as metal sheets) are laid on the projections with the ducting lying ;between them. Each panel can be glued on, as already indicated. However according to another aspect of the invention another form of attachment comprises forming holes in the panels, each hole being countersunk to take the head of a screw and, optionally, having an annular protrusion around the hole on the underside of the panel to penetrate into the material which forms the projections (typically foam plastics material). The structural panels are laid on the projections and where provided the annular protrusions are forced into the projections by pressing the panel down, for example with the feet or by hammering.Thus where the annular protrusions are provided a considerable bond between the structural panel and the mounting panel is established right from the start, which prevents any relative displacement. The structural panel may be further secured in position ;by screws located in the countersunk holes and screwed into the projections.

Mounting panels according to the invention can be secured to the floor, the ceiling or the walls of a room, where they can be used to secure both heating and cooling medium ducting. When laid on a floor, the structural panels to be laid on the projections are preferably made of steel plate to accomodate the high floor loads. When applied to a wall or below a ceiling the structural panels are conveniently of lightweight metal, such as aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of one embodiment of a mounting panel, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of a second embodiment, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a mounting panel having protuberances and recesses for interconnecting with other panels, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of adjacent mounting panels, showing in particular their interlocation, Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of several mounting panels, joined together with inserted heating or cooling medium ducting, Fig. 6 is a perpendicular cross-section through a mounting panel embodying the invention Fig. 7 is a perpendicular cross-section through another mounting panel, embodying the invention, Fig. 8 is a reverse plan view of the mounting panel of Fig. 6, i.e. as viewed from below, Fig. 9 is a cross-section through a first embodiment of a mould for producing the mounting panel by a so-called dry method, Fig. 10 is a cross-section similar to Fig.

9 through a second embodiment of mould for producing the mounting panel by the so-called dry method, Fig. 11 is a cross-section through a mould using a so-called wet method, and Fig. 12 is a perspective view of part of a room with mounting panels positioned on the floor, on the walls and on the ceiling.

The mounting panel shown in Fig. 1 consists of the base panel 24 which has moulded onto it wide or large diameter projections 26 with bearing surfaces 28 and narrow or small diameter projections 30, with bearing surfaces 32. The mounting panel 22 consists of rigid foam 34.

In the wide, large-diameter projections 26 there are conical central openings 36. In the circumference of the large-diameter projections 26 there are recesses 38, the uper ends of which are defined by overhanging parts of the surface of the projections, which form protuberances 40.

The form of construction of the mounting panel 22 can best be seen in Fig. 2 and consists of a dished plastics sheet 42.

In the vicinity of the projections 26 and 30 it is filled with a filler 44. In the example shown this embodiment of the mounting panel 22 has no central openings 36 or recesses 38.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the mutual interlocating of adjacent mounting panels 22 when these are joined together. The end faces 46 of the mounting panels 22 run centrally through the large-diameter projections 26. These have protuberances 48 and recesses 50 formed along each edge of the plate. These all have the same dimensions. As shown in Fig. 4, the protuberances and the recesses on adjacent mounting panels engage in each other. Fig. 4 shows edge sections of three already installed mounting panels and the edge section of a fourth panel which is just about to be installed between the three panels already installed. The protuberance 48 and recess 50 on each intersected projection 26 are equidistant from the centre of that projection.

In the case of the projection at the corner of a panel, the projection is intersected twice to form a right-angled quadrant with the protuberance in one intersected face and the recess in the other, In Fig. 5 four mounting panels 22 are shown schematically. Two loops of duct ing are inserted between the projections.

Both loops contain straight ducting sections 58. The two straight sections 58 of the upper loop are connected together via a curve 60. Its diameter 60 is greater than the distance between the straight ducting sections 58. This is made possible since in the vicinity of the narrow projections 30 (which are not completely drawn in in detail) there is sufficient free space to lay the ducting in the required shape, thus along the large arc of a circle. The two ducting sections 58 of the lower loop are connected together via an out-swung curve 62. Even for the straight ducting sections 58, which extend generally parallel to the walls of the room, numerous laying configurations are possible. For example, the ducting sections 58 can be laid in wave formation or obliquely in the free spaces between the narrow projections 30 to increase the ducting density.

Fig. 6 shows a vertical section through two wide projections 26 and a narrow projection 30 which lies between them. It can be seen how the left-hand region of a ducting section 58 has entered into a recess 38 and how the protuberance 40 engages over this region. This holds the ducting 58 securely in the vertical direction. It cannot become displaced laterally towards the right as it rests there against a narrow projection 30, behind the plane of the drawing.

A metal sheet 64 lies on the projections.

Its lower face is coated with an adhesive 66. When the metal sheet 64 is pressed on the projections the adhesive is partly forced into the central opening 36. Plugs ;68 are formed. These plugs adhering to the metal plate 64 form additional anchorage.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show rectangular recesses 69 in the base of the mounting panel. These are located between the wide projections 26. They are caused by the displacement plates inserted in the mould during the foaming process. These compression plates press the granules into the hollow spaces in the mould which form the wide projections.

In the construction form shown in Fig.

6 the metal sheets 64 are held by the adhesive 66. The strength of the projections 26 has proved to be sufficiently high, however, for it to be possible also to screw the metal sheets onto them. Fig. 7 shows this construction form. Holes 70 are punched in the metal sheets 64. When these holes are punched, a recess 71 and a pushedthrough edge or a protuberance 72 is formed.

When a floor is laid, for example, the metal sheets 64 are trodden down securely with the feet after they are laid - on the mounting panels 22. This forces the pushedthrough edges or protuberances 72 into the bearing surfaces of the projections.

This fixes them securely against lateral displacement right from the start, without gluing or screwing. Plate screws 73 are then screwed through the holes 70 into the projections. In the example shown in Fig. 7 the wide projections 26 do not have any central openings 36 and the screws 73 are screwed into the projections 26 exactly in the centre. However, there would still be enough material available for the screws 73 if projections with central openings 36 were used. Some mastic 74 is put on the metal sheet 64. Some floor covering 75, such as plastic tiles, for example, is laid on the mastic 74. The mastic 74 itself is forced into the recesses 71 and into the recesses and gaps formed by and in the heads of the screws. In this way, the screw heads and the floor covering 75 are aditionally secured against slipping sideways.

Figs. 9 and 10 show two construction forms of the mould 76 operating by the dry method. The mould 76 consists of the bottom box 77 and the upper box 78. The upper box 78 encloses the hollow space 79 of the mould. The hollow spaces 79 for forming the wide projections 26 lie in the plane of the section. There is a central core 80 to form the conical central opening 36 and shorter edge cores 82 to form the recesses 38. Above the hollow spaces 79 in the mould there are venting openings 84. They are closed off by gauze inserts 86. Displacement plates 88 are inserted between the hollow spaces 79 in the mould. As a special feature, the construction form shown in Fig. 10 has inserts 90 made of a material with low thermal conductivity. These inserts are located under the hollow spaces 79 in the mould.They can be used in the hollow spaces 79 in the mould both for the wide projections and for the narrow projections.

The mould is filled with granules, closed and then heated. In the construction form shown in Fig. 9 the softened granules pressed by the displacement plates 88 flow away laterally and enter into the hollow spaces 79 in the mould. This means that there are sufficient granules in these to obtain the desired high density. In the construction form shown in Fig. 10, the granules located on top of the inserts 90 are not heated up until later. The granules located between the inserts are heated up without any delay, so that they are therefore softened, and flow over the still-cold granules located in the hollow spaces 79 in the moulds, on top of the inserts 90. After a time lag, these granules located on top of the inserts 90 also foam.In this way the hollow spaces 79 in the mould are also filled, in this instance with additional gran ules penetrating from the sides, and a high density is ensured.

In Fig. 11 the mould operating by the so-called wet method is shown. The mould 76 is installed in a water bath 92. This is located in a box 94, which is closed by a covering plate 96. The mould stands on supports 98. Heating elements 100 heat the water bath. Foam granules 102 are shown in the mould. During the heating process, water vapour penetrates into the mould through the gauze inserts 86, from above.

This is indicated with arrows. Under the effect of this heating vapour the granules foam and completely fill the hollow spaces in the mould.

Fig. 12 shows the universal application of a mounting panel 22 according to the invention, both for the floor, walls and also for the ceiling of a room 104. In the example shown, the mounting panels 22, the sections 58 of ducting held by its projections and the metal sheets 64 lying on top are installed on the floor, walls and ceiling of the room 104. On the floor metal sheets 64 made of steel are laid, in order to take the high floor loads. On the other hand, metal sheets 64 laid on the walls and ceiling consist of a lightweight metal alloy. The ducting laid on the floor, walls and ceiling is supplied according to requirements, for heating or for cooling, with a heating medium, generally hot water, or a cooling medium, generally cold water.

This has the great advantage that a room can be fully air-conditioned, i.e. it can be heated or cooled, with the same equipment, that is, mounting panels, ducting and metal sheets.

Attention is drawn to my copending application No. 7933714 (Serial No. 1,592,677) which is directed to the mould and its method -of use.

WHAT CLAIM IS: 1. Mounting panel for heating and cool ing - medium ducting, comprising a planar baseplate having cylindrical projections arranged on one side, between which projections the heating or cooling medium ducting may be secured, wherein some ot the projections are of one diameter, and some of the projections are of a different diameter. 2. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 4 in which the projections are arranged in parallel rows with all the projections in a row having the same diameter.

3. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 2 in which the projections have one of two diameters and the rows alternately contain projections of larger diameter and projections of smaller diameter.

4. Mounting panel as claimed in clairn 3 in which the projections in one row are in staggered relationship to those in adjoining rows.

5. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 2 in which space between adjoining rows of projections is approximately equal to the diameter of the ducting.

6. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 3 in which the diameter of a larger projection is approximately three times the diameter of the ducting and the diameter of a smaller projection is approximately equal to the diameter of the ducting.

7. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 in which the projections taper towards the top so possessing a frusto-conical cross-section.

8. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 in which a cavity is formed in the upper surface of at least some of the projections which cavity reduce in cross-section towards said upper surface.

9. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 3 in which recesses are provided in the peripheral surface of each larger diameter projection which recesses extend from the baseplate and end just below the upper surface of the projection.

10. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 9 in which four such recesses are provided in each projection.

11. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 3 in which the dimensions of the panel are such that the edges of the panel intersect the centres of lines of larger diameter projections and in these edge faces alternate protuberances and complementary recesses are provided for inter-fitting with similar recesses and protuberances along the edge faces of adjoining mounting panels, for fitting the panels together.

12. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 8 in which the protuberances and complementary recesses are provided in the intersected surfaces of the larger diameter projections.

13. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 12 in which one protuberance and one complementary recess are formed in the intersected surface of each projection, both at an equal distance from the centre of the circle of which the projection forms a part.

14. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 13 in which a projection which is situated at a corner of the mounting panel and is intersected twice by the two perpendicular edges to form a right-angled quadrant, is formed with a protuberance on one cut surface and a complementary recess on the other cut surface.

15. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 which is formed from foamed polystyrene.

16. Mounting panel as claimed in claim

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ules penetrating from the sides, and a high density is ensured. In Fig. 11 the mould operating by the so-called wet method is shown. The mould 76 is installed in a water bath 92. This is located in a box 94, which is closed by a covering plate 96. The mould stands on supports 98. Heating elements 100 heat the water bath. Foam granules 102 are shown in the mould. During the heating process, water vapour penetrates into the mould through the gauze inserts 86, from above. This is indicated with arrows. Under the effect of this heating vapour the granules foam and completely fill the hollow spaces in the mould. Fig. 12 shows the universal application of a mounting panel 22 according to the invention, both for the floor, walls and also for the ceiling of a room 104. In the example shown, the mounting panels 22, the sections 58 of ducting held by its projections and the metal sheets 64 lying on top are installed on the floor, walls and ceiling of the room 104. On the floor metal sheets 64 made of steel are laid, in order to take the high floor loads. On the other hand, metal sheets 64 laid on the walls and ceiling consist of a lightweight metal alloy. The ducting laid on the floor, walls and ceiling is supplied according to requirements, for heating or for cooling, with a heating medium, generally hot water, or a cooling medium, generally cold water. This has the great advantage that a room can be fully air-conditioned, i.e. it can be heated or cooled, with the same equipment, that is, mounting panels, ducting and metal sheets. Attention is drawn to my copending application No. 7933714 (Serial No. 1,592,677) which is directed to the mould and its method -of use. WHAT CLAIM IS:

1. Mounting panel for heating and cool ing - medium ducting, comprising a planar baseplate having cylindrical projections arranged on one side, between which projections the heating or cooling medium ducting may be secured, wherein some ot the projections are of one diameter, and some of the projections are of a different diameter.

2. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 4 in which the projections are arranged in parallel rows with all the projections in a row having the same diameter.

16. Mounting panel as claimed in claim

15 in which the polysyrene is foamed to a density in the range 150 to 300 kg/m3.

17. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 which is foamed from rigid polyurethane foam.

18. Mounting panel as claimed in claim d which is formed from a plastics sheet which is dished to form the projections in the surface thereof, the hollow interiors being filled with a filler material.

19. Mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 which serves as an intermediate cladding member for any of the floor, walls and ceiling of a room and serves to locate ducting which carries a fluid medium for heating or cooling the room.

20. A heating or cooling panel assembly comprising a mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 and a structural panel of heat conductive material which is fitted thereon over said projections, to form an assembly, countersunk holes being provided in said structural panel at positions which correspond to the positions of projections of the mounting panel through which holes screws are inserted and screwed into the projections below to fix the structural panel thereto.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 in which an annular protrusion is formed on the underside of the structural panel around each of the said countersunk holes, which protrusions are adapted to penetrate into the material forming the projections of a mounting panel aligned therewith.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 in which said structural panel is formed from metal.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 in which the metal is steel.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 in which the metal is a lightweight metal.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 in which the metal is aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

26. Cladding for the internal surfaces of a rdom comprising mounting panels of thermally insulating material adapted to be secured to the said internal surfaces of the room, the panels having formed thereon projections arranged in parallel rows, some of the projections having one diameter and some a different diameter. between and around which projections ducting is fitted for conveying heating or cooling media for controlling the temperature within the room, and structural panels of thermally conductive material secured to at least some of the said projections to provide a suitable facing for the internal surface of the room to which they are applied.

27. Cladding for the internal surfaces of a room comprising mounting panels of thermally insulating material adapted to be secured to the said internal surfaces of the room, the panels having formed thereon projections some of which are of one diameter and others of which are of another diameter, and Ibetween and around which ducting is fitted for conveying heating or cooling media for controlling the temperature within the room, and structural panels of thermally conductive heating material secured to at least some of the said projections to provide a suitable facing for the internal surface of the room to which they are applied, said structural panels having formed therein countersunk holes through which screws can be fitted to engage in the mounting panel and secure the structural panel thereto, the holes being positioned at points which correspond to the positions of selected ones of the projections in the mounting panel when the structural panel is located thereagainst and in which an anannular protrusion is formed on the underside of the structural panel around each of the said countersunk holes, which protrusions are adapted to penetrate into the material forming the projections to assist in locating the structural panel in position.

28. A mounting panel of thermally in insulating material for securing to the inside surfaces of a room said panel having projections thereon some of which are of one diameter and others of which are of another diameter and between and around which ducting is located for conveying heating or cooling media for controlling the temperature of the room, in which the dimensions of the panel are selected so that the edges of the panel intersect selected ones of the projections, and in which alternate protuberances and complementary recesses are provided in the edge faces of the panel for fitting similar recesses and protuberances along the edge faces of adjoining mounting panels, to allow two or more panels to be fitted together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

29. A mounting panel as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs.

1 to 8 and 12 of the accompanying draw ings.

30. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 and substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.

31. An enclosure clad with assemblies as claimed in claim 30.