GB2253693A - An electrical space heater - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel heater comprises front and back panels 10, 14 joined around their perimeter (16) and enclosing a space containing an electrical heating element 22 which is spaced by an insulating layer 24 from a reflective layer 12 at the inner side of at least one of the panels 10, 14. Insulation 24 may be honeycomb layers translucent to infra-red radiation. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ELECTRICAL SPACE HEATER This invention relates to electrical space heaters generally in the form of panel type radiators.

According to the invention, an electrical space heater comprises generally flat front and back panels secured together at their perimeter and defining between them an enclosed space containing, sandwiched between the front panel and the back panel, an electrical heating element with insulating layers on either side of the latter, with a reflective surface being provided at the inner side of at least one of the said panels, adjacent to the corresponding insulating layer.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of an electrical, panel-type, radiating space heater in one form according to the invention; Figure 2 is an endwise cross section on the line II-II in Figure 1; and Figure 3, on a larger scale, is a scrap cross sectional view showing the various layers sandwiched together to constitute the heater.

The heater comprises a generally flat front panel 10 of anodised aluminium, which may be in any desired colour. A reflective surface may be formed on the back face of the panel 10 by silvering or any other suitable means: preferably, however, a separate reflective layer 12 of aluminium foil or other suitable material is interposed behind the panel 10. A bright steel pressed back panel or backplate 14 is suitably shaped as shown in Figure 2, so that it has edge flange portions 16 on all four sides which are secured to the back face of the front panel 10, for example by adhesive bonding, in a substantially continuous seam 18.

The shape of the back panel 14 is such that a space 20 is defined between the panels 12 and 14. This space contains a woven electrical heating element 22 of conventional construction, spaced from the panels 10 and 14 by insulating layers 24. Either or both of these layers 24 may be of any suitable form and may consist at least partly of free space. They are translucent to infra-red radiation and may comprise elements made in a honeycomb construction.

Inserted elements constituting the layers 24 are of any suitable heat resisting material. It will be noted that, like the panel 10, the panel 14 in this example has a reflective surface 12 associated with its inner side. If desired, such a reflective surface 12 may be associated with only one of the panels 10 or 14.

The element 22 has appropriate bus bars 26, and holes are formed in one or both of the panels 10, 14, as indicated for example at 30, for bringing electrical connecting means, not shown, into the interior of the heater. One of these holes is preferably used for the earth connection.

In use, some of the heat from the element 22 is reflected back on to the element by the reflective surfaces 12, through the insulating layers 24. The element can consequently be reduced in size.

The rear panel 14 may be of corrugated material, and/or it may carry vertical (or other) projections such as fins or hollow ribs, which may have holes and/or other suitable means for mounting the radiator on a wall.

The rear panel, instead of being shaped to fit at the edges agains the front panel, may be spaced from the latter at the edges, the panels being secured together by fastening and spacing means such as countersunk rivets or machine screws, or spacing bars pot welded to the panels. The edges can be filled between the panels with a suitable spacing material, using a silicon bond. The front panel can be hammered to increase its surface area, to give it a distinctive appearance, and to disguise any rivet heads etc.

The element can be pierced with holes to accommodate any rivets or other spacing/fastening means passing through it.

Claims (10)

1. An electrical space heater comprising generally flat front and back panels secured together at their perimeter and defining between them an enclosed space containing, sandwiched between the front panel and the back panel, an electrical heating element with insulating layers on either side of the latter, with a reflective surface being provided at the inner side of at least one of the said panels, adjacent to the corresponding insulating layer.

2. A heater according to Claim 1, wherein the said reflective surface, or at least one said reflective surface, is defined on a layer interposed between the corresponding front or back panel and the adjacent insulating layer.

3. A heater according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the back panel is provided with an extended outer surface.

4. A heater according to Claim 3, wherein the back panel has projections formed with means for mounting the radiator on a wall.

5. A heater according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein at least one of the said panels is directed towards the other around its perimeter so as to abut therewith.

6. A heater according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the front and back panels are joined at their perimeter through spacing means.

7. A heater according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein at least one said insulating layer is translucent to infra-red radiation.

8. A heater according to Claim 7, wherein at least one said insulating layer consists at least partly of free space.

9. A heater according to Claim 8, wherein at least one said insulating layer is of honeycomb construction.

10. An electrical space heater substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.