GB2446819A

GB2446819A - A radiator

Info

Publication number: GB2446819A
Application number: GB0703626A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Wadsworth; Stephen Leslie Foster
Original assignee: DISCRETEHEAT CO Ltd
Current assignee: DISCRETEHEAT CO Ltd
Priority date: 2007-02-24
Filing date: 2007-02-24
Publication date: 2008-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-24
Also published as: GB0703626D0; GB2446819B; WO2008102100A1

Abstract

A radiator, in particular a skirting radiator comprises an elongate panel 10 for mounting on a wall, the panel having a first room facing surface (11, fig 1) facing away from the wall and an opposed second surface (12) facing the wall, at least one longitudinal conduit 17 adjacent the second surface (12) for carrying a heating fluid, a connector 70 connecting the conduit 17 to an adjacent conduit of an adjacent panel or fitting, the connector 70 having a first spigot for connecting into an elliptical bore 18 of the conduit 17, and a connector guide 90 having an oval aperture 96 corresponding to the bore 18 and being connected to the panel 10 between the connector 70 and an end of the conduit 17 so that the aperture 96 of the guide 90 aligns with the bore 18. Connector guide 90 may be held in place by a lug 99 having a ribbed surface 102 that engages with a ribbed surface (21, fig 8) on the conduit 17, and pins 100 received in grooves (22), 23 on the conduit 17. Aperture 96 is slightly smaller than the bore 18 so that damage to the connector from burrs of cut panels is prevented. Connectors (50) 70 may be retained in the conduits 17 by retaining clips 80.

Description

A RADIATOR

The present invention relates to a radiator and more particularly to a space-heating skirting radiator that is fitted just above the floor and adjacent to the walls of a room.

Skirting radiators generally comprise one or more copper pipes that extend principally horizontally around the periphery of a room just above floor level and carry heated water. The pipes are fitted with heat-dissipating fins at intervals around the room and are enclosed behind a cover panel that is designed to have an appearance similar to a conventional skirting board.

The advantage of skirting radiators is that they do not occupy wall space like a conventional wall radiator thereby providing more flexibility in relation to the positioning of other furniture and fittings in the room.

It is important that skirting radiators are unobtrusive and complementary to the aesthetics of the room in which they are fitted.

EP 0542785 and EP 0681667 describe a skirting radiator system that comprises a plurality of interconnected elongate skirting panels for mounting on a wall just above floor level. Each. panel has a front surface (room-facing) that is designed to have the appearance of a skirting board and has integral conduits formed on its rear (wall-facing) surface. The conduits are designed to carry the heated water around the room and ported connectors are provided between adjacent panels. The panels are supported on the wall by mounting brackets that are fixed to the wall and have a pair of projecting arms for inter-engagement with a complementary formation on the rear surface of the panel between the conduits.

Our co-pending UK patent application no. 0614300.2 discloses an improved skirting radiator design and the present invention relates to a development of that.

Installation of existing radiator systems generally involves cutting the skirting panels to the correct length on site. The cutting process often leaves the cut edges of the panels, and in particular the conduits, with burrs and these require careful removal.

If the burrs around the conduit are not removed before a connector is inserted there is a risk that seals on the connector may be fouled during insertion. The removal of the burrs is a laborious and time-consuming process.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for an improved radiator assembly.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a radiator comprising an elongate panel for mounting on a wall, the panel having a longitudinal axis, an elongate upper edge, a substantially parallel elongate lower edge, a first surface for facing away from the wall, an opposed second surface for facing said wall, and at least one longitudinally extending conduit adjacent to and along the second surface and for carrying heating fluid, the conduit defining a bore and having an end, a ported connector for interconnecting the conduit with a conduit in another panel or a fitting, the connector having at least a first spigot for connection into the bore at the end of the conduit in the panel, a connector guide having a body defining an aperture corresponding to the bore, the guide being connected to said panel between the connector and end of the conduit such that the body at least partially covers said end and such that the aperture is in alignment with said bore.

The radiator is particularly suitable as a space-heating skirting radiator and its configuration enables it to have a shallow depth such that it does not protrude unduly into the space it is heating and thus resembles a conventional skirting board.

The connector guide protects the connector from fouling as it is inserted into the end of the conduit. Since the panels may be cut they may have burrs or otherwise rough edges that potentially could damage the connector or any seals provided on the connectors. The guide prevents or significantly reduces the likelihood of such damage.

The connector guide body may define a liner portion disposed between the bore surface and the connector spigot. The liner portion may be a thin-walled annulus having an outer surface in engagement with the surface of said bore. The body may define a chamfer around the aperture. The body may have locating elements of any suitable form for connection to said panel. The, or each, projection may locate in groove on outer surface of the conduit. The, or each, projection may be a pin. There may be a plurality of locating elements. For example, the connector guide may have more than one pin andior a lug which may have a surface with a formation that is complementary to a formation defined on a surface of the conduit.

The conduit may have a depth defined by the distance by which it extends rearwardly from the panel and a height being substantially perpendicular to the depth, the depth of the conduit being less than its height.

The conduit may be connected to the second surface of the panel and may be integrally formed with the panel.

The conduit may define an internal bore that is substantially oval or elliptical in cross-section and the aperture in said guide may be similarly shaped.

A major axis or the bore may extend in a direction between the upper and lower edges of the panel and a minor axis may extend rearwardly from the panel.

The radiator may comprise a plurality of interconnected panels, the panels being interconnected by said ported connector, the connector having two spigots, a first spigot for connection with a conduit of one panel and a second spigot for connection to a conduit of an adjacent panel. The connector may be an elbow connector for interconnecting adjacent panels at a corner.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts comprising a panel, a connector and a connector guide as defined above and for assembly into a radiator as defined above.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, exploded, front perspective view of two panels of a radiator of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic, exploded, rear perspective view of one of the panels of the radiator of figure 1, illustrated with a mounting bracket, connectors and other fittings; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of two panels of the radiator of the present invention, illustrating the connection at a corner location; Figure 4 is a front view of a connector insertion guide that is inserted into the panels of figures 1 and 2; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are, respectively, side, end and perspective view of the insertion guide of figure 3; Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a lower part of a panel of the radiator of figure 3, illustrating the insertion of the insertion guide of figures 4 to 7; and Figure 9 shows a perspective view from the rear of one end of a panel fitted with an alternative embodiment of the insertion guides, one elbow connector, and a further insertion guide.

Referring now to the drawings, the radiator space heating system comprises a plurality of interconnected elongate skirting panels 10 that are mounted on a wall just above floor level. Each panel has an outward room-facing surface 11 and an inward wall-facing surface 12, the panel appearance being designed to be similar to that of a conventional skirting board.

Figure 1 shows two such panels 10 that are to be connected together in a straight line by two ported connectors 13. A narrow cover plate 14 is used to cover the gap between the panels 10 once they are connected together. Similarly, the arrangement in figure 3 shows two panels 10 and connectors 13' designed for use around an external corner of a wall. Again there is a narrow cover (corner) plate 14' for covering the clearance between the panels.

Each panel 10 is extruded in thin sheet metal or a composite alloy polymer, has upper and lower edges 15, 16 and a pair of parallel conduits 17 integrally formed on the rear wall-facing surface 12. The conduits 17 extend horizontally along the full length of each panel 10 and are vertically spaced and are designed, in use, to circulate heated water delivered from a suitable supply around the room and back to the supply.

The internal bore 18 of the conduit is defined by a substantially elliptical cross-section with its major axis extending parallel to the wall and the predominant part of the outward facing surface 11 of the panel and a minor axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the major axis. The height of the bore (the major axis of the ellipse) is greater than its depth (the minor axis of the ellipse).

Externally, the conduits 17 each have a first flat surface 19 that faces the wall, a second flat surface 20 that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and a ribbed surface 21 opposite said second flat surface 20. The depth of the conduit is narrower than its height and is designed to be as shallow as possible to ensure that the skirting panels 10 do not protrude from the wall so as to be visually obtrusive.

The second flat surfaces 20 of the conduits 17 face each other and each has two spaced elongated grooves defined therein along its length (see figure 8), a first one 22 adjacent to the wall of the panel and a second one 23 distal therefrom.

Immediately adjacent to the second groove 23 there is a parallel protruding lug 24.

In use, the panel is mounted on the wall by a mounting bracket 40 (shown schematically in figure 2). The bracket essentially comprises a back plate 41 that abuts the wall and has fixing apertures therethrough to enable it to be fixed to the wall and perpendicular, laterally extending, vertically spaced arms 42 that have protrusions 43 designed to engage in the groove 22 defined in the second flat surfaces 20 of the conduits 17.

Adjacent panels 10 are interconnected at the conduits by specially adapted ported connectors 13, 13' such that the panels are contiguous and the outward facing surfaces 11 thereof are substantially coplanar. The connectors 13, 13', which ensure fluid communication between the interconnected conduits, comprise a pair of oval spigots 50 each having an outer surface that is complementary to the inside surface of the conduit 17, separated by an integral block which, in the case of the connectors of figures 1 and 2, is an integral mounting block 51. Each of the spigots 50 has a pair of annular grooves that receive 0-ring seals 52. The mounting block 51 has a pair of laterally extending lugs 53 with fixing apertures by which it can be fixed to the wall, if necessary. The spigots are co-axial if the connectors are designed to interconnect co-planar panels. Alternatively, as in the embodiment of figure 3, elbow connectors 13' have spigots 50 that are disposed at right angles to each other when designed for use at a corner wall section.

At the start of the run of the radiator systems the connectors are specially adapted to connect to the supply and return pipes (not shown) of the heating system.

All the components are push-fit for ease of installation. No special tools or soldering is required.

Referring now to figure 9, the components at a corner section of the radiator heating system are shown in more detail. The adjacent panels 10 are interconnected by elbow corner connectors 70 (only one of which is shown) that have perpendicularly extending spigots 71 for receipt in the conduits and differ slightly in appearance to those shown in figure 3. Each spigot 71 has a pair of annular recesses 72 defined on its outer surface towards its end, the recesses 72 being designed for the receipt of the 0-ring seals (not shown in figure 9). At the outwardly facing surfaces of the elbow (facing the panels) there is a raised flat surface 73 on each spigot 71, the flat surfaces being separated by the corner edge 74. A cylindrical peg 75 projects from each flat surface 73 and is designed to interface with a retaining clip 80. Such a clip 80 is described in detail in our aforementioned patent application and essentially comprises a rigid plate that is stamped or bent from a single piece of material to define a pair of tabs 81 and a pair rearwardly directed spaced walls 82 that each terminate in an end lip 83. When the clip is inserted in place on the rear of the panel the lips 83 locate in the respective grooves 23 of each flat surface 20 and apertures 84 in the tabs 81 engage with the pegs 75 of the connectors 70. The clip 80 thus serves to maintain the elbow connectors 70 in place relative to the panels 10.

The end of each conduit 17 is fitted with a connector insertion guide 90 to assist in the assembly operation. The guide 90, a first embodiment of which is shown in detail in figures 3 to 8 comprises a generally ring-shaped body of, for example, rigid moulded plastics material having generally planar front and rear surfaces 91, 92.

The periphery of the body has opposed convexly arcuate side edges 93 separated by two ends: a first end 94 that is generally flat and a second end 95 that is slightly concave. The body has a central aperture 96 of generally oval configuration corresponding to the interior bore 18 of the conduits 17. The front surface 91 is chamfered (indicated by reference 97 in figures 8 and 9) around the aperture 96 whereas a thin annular lip 98 stands proud of the rear surface around the aperture 96.

A locating lug 99 projects from the rear surface 92 at the first end 94 and two locating pins 100 project from the rear surface at the second end 95.

After a panel has been cut to size, the cut edges of the conduits 17 are lightly de-burred and an insertion guide 90 is presented to each bore 18 as illustrated in figure 8. The pins 100 are received in the grooves 22, 23 and the lug 99 engages with the ribbed surface 21. In order to facilitate engagement of the guide 90 with the panel 10, the tips 101 of the pins 100 are substantially frusto-conical and the lug 99 has a ribbed surface 102 complementary to the ribbed surface 21 on the outside of the conduit 17.

A second embodiment of the guide is shown in figure 9. This differs only in the fact that it has a single location pin 100.

Once the insertion guides 90 are fitted they cover the cut edges of the ends of the panel conduits and the connectors 70 can be inserted easily without risk of fouling of the 0-ring seals. The aperture 96 in the guide 90 is only very slightly smaller that the conduit bore 18 such that the outside surface of the lip 98 is received in snug engagement with the inside surface of the conduit bore 18, thus serving as a lining sleeve portion. The insertion of the connector spigots 71 is made easy by the chamfer 97, which provides a lead in surface around the aperture 96. When the connector 70 is pushed fully home the clip 80 engages with the pegs 75 on the spigots 71 as described above.

In figure 9 an elbow connector 70 is shown fitted into one of the conduits 18 that is lined with a guide 90 (of the second embodiment) and the other (lower) conduit 18 is shown with a guide 90 in place and ready for receipt of a connector. A further insertion guide 90 (with single pin 100) is shown alongside the panel assembly.

It is to be appreciated that the clips 80 may be used to retain connectors 70 between adjacent panels 10 arranged in a straight line as well as around corners.

Similarly the insertion guides may be used with any form of connector 13, 13', 70.

In operation, heated water is delivered to one of the conduits 17 and passes through the spigots of the connectors 13, 13', 70 as it is transported between panels 10. The water heats the conduits 17 and panels 10 and this heat passes by conduction and convection to the outward facing surface of the panel from where the heat radiates into the room. It is returned to the other of the conduits via an end connector and returned to a return pipe.

The ribbed surface 21 is designed to connect with a complementary surface on an alternative mounting bracket (not shown).

The outwardly facing surface 11 of the panels 10 may be painted or coated on a stain resistant epoxy powder coating.

It will be appreciated that numerous modifications to the above described design may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the precise shape of the conduits, the internal bores thereof and the outer surface of the panel may all vary. In particular the internal bore of the conduit, the connector spigots and the guide apertures may all be circular and the guides may be used with any form of connector.

Claims

A radiator comprising an elongate panel for mounting on a wall, the panel having a longitudinal axis, an elongate upper edge, a substantially parallel elongate lower edge, a first surface for facing away from the wall, an opposed second surface for facing said wall, and at least one longitudinally extending conduit adjacent to and along the second surface and for canying heating fluid, the conduit defining a bore and having an end, a ported connector for interconnecting the conduit with a conduit in another panel or a fitting, the connector having at least a first spigot for connection into the bore at the end of the conduit in the panel, a connector guide having a body defining an aperture corresponding to the bore, the guide being connected to said panel between the connector and end of the conduit such that the body at least partially covers said end and such that the aperture is in alignment with said bore.
2. A radiator according to claim 1, wherein the connector guide body defines a liner portion disposed between the bore surface and the connector spigot.
3. A radiator according to claim 2, wherein the liner portion is a thin-walled annulus having an outer surface in engagement with the surface of said bore.
4. A radiator according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the body defines a chamfer around the aperture.
5. A radiator according to any one of claims I to 4, wherein the body has locating elements for connection to said panel.
6. A radiator according to claim 5, wherein the, or each, projection locates in groove on outer surface of the conduit.
7. A radiator according to claim 6 wherein the, or each, projection is a pin.
8. A radiator according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein there are provided a plurality of locating elements, one of such elements being a lug.
9. A radiator according to claim 8, wherein the lug has a surface with a formation that is complementary to a formation defined on a surface of the conduit.
10. A radiator according to any preceding claim, the conduit having a depth defined by the distance by which it extends rearwardly from the panel and a height being substantially perpendicular to the depth, the depth of the conduit being less than its height.
11. A radiator according to any preceding claim, wherein the conduit is connected to the second surface of the panel.
12. A radiator according to claim 11, wherein the conduit is integrally formed with the panel.
13. A radiator according to any preceding claim wherein the conduit defines an internal bore that is substantially oval or elliptical in cross-section and the aperture in said guide is similarly shaped.
14. A radiator according to claim 13, wherein a major axis or the bore extends in a direction between the upper and lower edges of the panel and a minor axis extends rearwardly from the panel.
15. A radiator according to claim 14, wherein the major axis of the bore is substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower edges.
16. A radiator according to any preceding claim, wherein an external surface of the conduit that faces away from the panel is substantially flat.
17. A radiator according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, the panels being interconnected by said ported connector, the connector having two spigots, a first spigot for connection with a conduit of one panel and a second spigot for connection to a conduit of an adjacent panel.
18. A radiator according to claim 19, wherein the spigots have annular sealing members mounted thereon.
19. A radiator according to any one of claims 17 or 18, wherein the connector is an elbow connector with the first and second spigots being substantially perpendicular to one another.
20. A radiator according to any preceding claim, wherein there are two parallel conduits adjacent to each panel, the conduits being vertically spaced.
21. A radiator according to claim 20, wherein a mounting bracket is received between two conduits.
22. A kit of parts comprising a panel, a connector and a connector guide for assembly into a radiator according to any preceding claim.
23. A radiator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
24. A kit of parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.