GB2137873A - Chair heater - Google Patents

Abstract

A high back arm chair 1 has a leg enclosure 2. Below the seat 3 of the chair 1 is an electrical air heater having a fan 5 to draw air across a heating element 6 and to deliver heated air to a main air manifold 10 from which it passes to two upright ducts 11 passing into the arms and back of the chair. Nozzles 12 lead from the manifold and ducts to deliver heated air to the vicinity of the legs of the occupant of the chair and towards the occupant from the sides and back. The leg enclosure also has a duct for heated air which is connected to the manifold 10 and delivers heated air to the leg enclosure from in front of the occupant's legs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Chair Heater The present invention relates to a chair heater.

A considerable problem for many people, is that of how to keep comfortably warm with the present high cost of fuel. The problem is more pressing for elderly people because they are likely to be less able to afford expensive fuel. Since they may live a very inactive life their activities are not such as to keep them warm. The same may be said for convalescent and some disabled people.

Furthermore they tend to require a higher ambient temperature in which to feel warm than younger people.

When an elderly or any person is attempting to keep warm, he or she normally has to heat an entire room whereas only the immediate surroundings of the person need in fact be heated for their body to be directly warmed. For instance if the person is seated in a chair only the air around the chair need be heated and the rest of the room can be cooler. It was the inventor's realisation of this which led him to the present invention.

According to the invention, there is provided one or more hot air ducts in the chair and/or in an associated leg enclosure for directing heat from heated air in the ducts towards an occupant of the chair.

The leg enclosure is not strictly necessary where the hot air ducts are included in the chair.

However, since the leg enclosure's primary function is to retain heat around the occupant's legs, without a leg enclosure, heat from the hot air ducts is not so readily retained and the chair heater is thus less efficient. It is possible that a rug or other such heat retaining cover may be used in place of the leg enclosure.

The leg enclosure alone may be provided with the hot air ducts. Alternatively the chair as such alone may have the ducts. Again, the ducts may be provided in both the chair and the leg enclosure.

The leg enclosure may be attached to the chair, preferably hingedly. Such attachment is convenient when the chair is provided with the air ducts and when both are so provided. However where the leg enclosure alone is provided with hot air ducts, it is preferable that the enclosure be separate from the chair, in which case the leg enclosure will be of unitary construction. When attached to the chair it is also preferably of unitary construction, although it could for instance be in two halves, each hinged to its own side of the chair. Conveniently, the top of the leg enclosure may be flat to act as a small table.

The function of the hot air ducts is to direct hot air towards the occupant of the chair. Normally, the hot air will be led by the ducts from an electrically powered air heater including a fan.

Where the air heater is provided beneath the chair and attached to it, the power supply will be at low voltage, with an external transformer for safety reasons. However, other air heaters are envisaged.

For instance an eiectrically powered air heater remote from the chair and connected thereto by a flexible duct may operate at mains voltage. Such a heater may have capacity to heat two or more chairs, for instance, in an old people's home. A further alternative is for the air heater to be operated off a central heating system. Although the invention is intended to substantially reduce the need for room, and central, heating, operation of a central heating system can reduce overall heating costs substantially. Heat loss from a room to the outside is proportional to the fourth power of the temperature difference. Thus if a room's ambient temperature to which it is heated can be reduced by 50C whilst the occupant(s) of the chair(s) are kept at the original or even higher temperatures considerable economics will result.

Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for an old people's home, where the central heating can be used to heat the rooms to a comfortable temperature for the staff and the old people, in their heated chairs, can be at higher temperature.

Where the air heater is provided in the chair, it may be arranged to draw air from the top of the chair, whereby the air is recirculated and thus less heat input, i.e. power, is required. The ducts will lead the heated air to various nozzles from which the air will flow towards the occupant of the chair.

The nozzles, and the ducts, will be arranged to feed more air to places where the occupant will be most likely to feel cold. For instance more and/or bigger nozzles will be provided for the lower legs and feet and for the lap, where the hands are likely to be, than for the back. The nozzles may be adjustable under the control of the occupant and they and/or the air heater may be thermostatically controlled. Thermostatic control is particularly appropriate for the leg space within the leg enclosure. To reduce heat loss, the portion of the chair behind the legs, of the occupant, is preferably enclosed. Similarly a cover may be provided to tuck around the upper legs, with the forward edge of the cover attached to the leg enclosure. Pockets may be provided in the cover for the hands.With such a cover, the upper body may not need to be heated with air from the nozzles, for instance circulation of air in ducts within the back of the chair may be sufficient source of heat. However it is envisaged that at least a few upper body nozzles will normally be provided. Further with such a cover, it is conceivable that convection and radiation of heat from ducts within the leg enclosure space may be sufficient. However the provision of nozzles, possibly with air recircuiation from within this space is preferred.

To help understanding of the invention various embodiments of it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a selfcontained chair according to the invention, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a chair arranged to be heated by a remote heat source, Figure 3 is a view of the remote heat source, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a leg enclosure according to the invention for use with an ordinary chair.

Referring first to Figure 1, the chair 1 can be seen to be a high back arm chair with a leg enclosure 2. The chair is of conventional style. Its construction may be conventional or may be adapted to suit the invention. Accommodated below the seat 3 of the chair is a heat source 4 comprising a fan 5 drawing air across an electric resistive heating element 6. The heat source 4 is under the control of a temperature selection knob 7 mounted on the leg enclosure and an associated thermostat bulb 8 within the leg enclosure 2. The heat source 4 is powered at low voltage from a remote transformer 9.

The heated air from the heat source 4 passes via a main manifold 10 to distribution ducts 11.

An upright duct 11 passes up from either end of the manifold into each arm of the chair. Horizontal duct portions 1 b pass back along the arms to end in short back duct portions 1 c extending part the way across the back of the chair. The duct portions 1 b, 1 c are provided with nozzles 12 leading through the upholstery to direct heat towards the occupant when seated in the chair.

Further small nozzles 12' are provided at the end of the back duct portions 11 c to direct a small amount of heated air up inside the back of the chair so that it may diffuse out along the back and neck of the occupant.

The leg enclosure 2 is of glass fibre reinforced plastics construction, having an insulated lining, optional external upholstery and a flat top 1 4. It is hinged along hinge axis 1 5 to the chair so that it may be swung away from the front of the chair for the occupant to sit down in the chain A front duct 1 d leads forwards from the manifold 10 and across the bottom of the leg enclosure. To allow the leg enclosure to swing open, the front duct 11 d plugs into the manifold 10 at joint 16.The front nozzles 12" in the duct lid and in the manifold are larger than the nozzles 12 in the duct portions 1 b, 1 c for directing a major part of the heated air fiow from the heat source 4 into the space enclosed by the leg enclosure 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, the chair 21 shown therein is very similar to that of Figure 1 as regards its manifold 22 and ducts 23. However, the chair 21 does not have its heat source built in.

Instead heated air is led to its manifold 22 by an insulated flexible duct 24 from a remote, external heat source 25 including a fan and heating element. The heat source 25 is shown in Figure 3.

It operates off mains voltage and includes a setting control 26, although it may be pre-set to give a fixed output of heated air.

As shown the heat source 25 has two outputs whereby it can supply two heated chairs.

Alternatively it can be shown to supply a heated leg enclosure 32 shown in Figure 4 for use with a conventional chair, which should preferably be fully upholstered and internally insulated to avoid loss of heated air. The leg enclosure 32 has a manifold 33 from which two ducts 34 lead up and back. The ducts are provided with nozzles 35 including in the remote ends 36 for directing heated air along beside the upper legs of the occupant in the chair not shown. The leg enclosure 32 has an optional cover 37 attached to its top edge for tucking around the legs of the occupant of the chair.

It will be appreciated that the heated chairs and leg enclosure described above are considerably safer than many forms of heating used by old people, such as open fires and paraffin heaters.

Claims (25)

1. A chair heater comprising a source of heated air and a duct or ducts for heated air the duct or ducts being arranged in a chair and/or in an associated leg enclosure for a chair and connected to receive heated air from the source for directing heat from the heated air in the duct(s) towards an occupant of the chair.

2. A chair heater according to claim 1, including nozzles in the duct(s) for directing heated air towards an occupant of the chain

3. A chair heater according to claim 2, in which the nozzles and duct(s) are so dimensioned as to deliver more heated air to places where the occupant is more likely to feel cold.

4. A chair heater according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the nozzles are adjustable under the control of an occupant of the chain

5. A chair heater according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the nozzles are adjustable under thermostatic control.

6. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the duct(s) are located adjacent the front ground engaging legs of the chain

7. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, including in the leg enclosure a duct spaced from and in front of the legs of an occupant of the chair to deliver heated air towards the chain

8. A chair heater according to claim 7, in which the spaced duct is the only duct for heated air.

9. A chair heater according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which the chair is provided with duct(s) for heated air to deliver it towards an occupant of the chair from the back or sides.

10. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which a ground engaging closure is provided behind the legs of the occupant.

11. A chair heater according to claim 7 or any claim appendant to claim 7, in which a cover is provided with its forward edge attached to the leg enclosure, the cover being adapted to be tucked around the upper legs of the occupant.

12. A chair heater according to claim 11, having hand pockets provided in the cover.

13. A chair heater according to claim 7 or any claim appendant to claim 7, in which the leg enclosure is attached to the chair.

14. A chair heater according to claim 13, in which the enclosure is hinged to the chain

1 5. A chair heater according to claim 13, in which the enclosure is in two halves, each hinged to its own side of the chair.

1 6. A chair heater according to claim 7 or any claim appendant to claim 7, in which the top of the enclosure is flat to act as a table.

1 7. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the source includes a fan.

1 8. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the source includes an electrically powered air heater.

1 9. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the source is provided beneath the chair.

20. A chair heater according to claim 8 or any claim appendant to claim 8, in which the source is provided with the leg enclosure.

21. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the source is connected to ducts for two or more chairs and/or leg enclosures.

22. A chair heater according to any preceding claim, in which the source is arranged to draw air to be heated into itself from within the region of the legs of an occupant of the chair.

23. A chair heater substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A chair heater substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A chair heater leg enclosure substantially as particularly with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.