GB2491493A

GB2491493A - Horizontal door between heated floors of a building

Info

Publication number: GB2491493A
Application number: GB201211005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Golding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-21
Filing date: 2012-06-21
Publication date: 2012-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-21
Also published as: GB201211005D0; GB2491493B

Abstract

A domestic dwelling including a first lower storey 11 and a second upper storey 12, wherein each storey is heated; and a door 14 arranged between the first and second storey thereby storing heat in the first storey 11 when the door 14 is closed and allowing heat to transfer to the upper storey 12 when the door 14 is open, wherein the door 14 is substantially horizontal when closed. The present invention further provides a door for storing heat in a domestic dwelling and method of storing heat in the lower storey of a domestic dwelling.

Description

DOOR FOR A DOMESTIC DWELLING

The present invention relates to a door for a domestic dwelling, a domestic dwelling and a method of storing heat using such a door.

There is a well known requirement to reduce the energy needed to head domestic dwellings such as houses for both environmental reasons and to reduce costs for the occupants. It is well known for a domestic dwelling to be a house comprising one or more storeys, with each storey heated independently using a central heating system with for example one or more radiators or electric heaters in each room. It is typical for the occupants to be located in a lower storey during the daytime, in which case heat is only required in the rooms of the lower storey. Heat produced in the lower storey will however be transferred to the upper storeys through the staircase and will unnecessarily heat the rooms of the upper storeys. Providing a means to store heat in the lower storey, then subsequently transferring the heat to an upper storey when required, would therefore reduce the overall energy cost required to heat the dwelling.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a domestic dwelling comprising: a lower storey and a upper storey, wherein each storey is heated; and a door arranged between the first and second storey thereby storing heat in the first storey when the door is closed and allowing heat to transfer to the upper storey when the door is open, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.

We have appreciated that, by using a horizontal door located between the storeys of a domestic dwelling, heat produced by, for example, a central heating system can be trapped in the lower storey. If the door is then opened the heat can be transferred to the upper storey when the occupants of the dwelling choose to move to that storey. The present invention can reduce the energy required to heat the domestic dwelling because when the door is closed heated air will not escape to the upper storey where it is not required. With the door closed the volume of air to be heated is only that of the lower storey, whereas without the door the volume of the entire dwelling will require heating, even when the occupants are only located in the lower storey.

The door of the domestic dwelling may be arranged within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent to a staircase. The door may be hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling. The hinges may be spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed. The door may be opened manually by pushing against it or a pulley system maybe provided to open the door. To assist opening the door the pulley system may be operated by an electric motor and the door may be fitted with a counter weight to reduce the force required to open it. The door may have a catch to secure it in an open position with the catch operated remotely by pulling on a string to release the catch and allow the door to fall shut.

The door may be of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least kg.

The door may have a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey when the door is closed. This allows easy access between the storeys without requiring the occupants to open the door, therefore minimising heat transfer between the storeys. The door or the hatch may have a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side. Both the door and/or the hatch maybe insulated to reduce heat conduction between the storeys of the domestic dwelling.

The door may reduce the energy cost to heat the domestic dwelling by 25% compared to a similar domestic dwelling with no door by trapping heat in the lower storey where the occupants are located.

Each storey may be provided with heating apparatus; the heating apparatus may form at least part of a central heating apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a door for storing heat in a domestic dwelling, wherein the door is arranged to be installed horizontally between a first and second storey of the domestic dwelling such that when the door is closed heat is stored in the lower storey and when the door is open heat is transferred to the second storey, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.

The door may be arranged to be installed within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent a staircase. Optionally the door is hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling. The hinges may be spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed.

The door may further comprise a pulley system arranged to open the door.

Optionally the door is of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg.

The door may comprise a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey of the domestic dwelling when the door is closed. At least one of the door and the hatch may comprise a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side. At least one of the door and the hatch may be insulated to reduce heat conduction.

According to a third aspect of the invention, we provide a method of storing heat in a lower storey of a domestic dwelling, the method comprising the steps of: closing a door arranged horizontally between the lower and upper storeys of the domestic dwelling; and subsequently opening the door to transfer heat stored in the lower storey to the upper storey.

Subsequent to the step of opening the door, the method may comprise the step of closing the door to store heat in the upper storey. The method may comprise closing the door when occupants of the domestic dwelling are in the lower storey. The method may comprise opening the door when the occupants vacate the lower storey and move to the upper storey An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a domestic dwelling according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a door for storing heat in a domestic dwelling as used in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a pulley system used to open the door of Figure 2; and Figure 4 show a method of trapping heat using the door of Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a domestic dwelling 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of Figure 1 the domestic dwelling comprises a lower storey 11 with rooms 11 a and lib. The domestic dwelling further comprises an upper storey 12 with rooms 12a and 12b. In other embodiments of the invention the domestic dwelling may have three or more storeys and any number of internal rooms.

Each of the rooms 11 a, 1 lb, 12a and 12b are heated using a central heating system of the type well known in the aft. In the embodiment of Figure 1 radiators iSa, lSb, lSc and lSd are provided to heat each of the rooms. In other embodiments other heating means may be provided in each room such as electric heaters or under-floor heating. Some or all or the rooms may be independently heated.

The domestic dwelling 10 of Figure 1 further comprises a staircase 13 arranged to allow access between the lower storey 11 and the upper storey 12. In other embodiments further staircases may be provided between any additional floors.

Figure 1 shows a door 14 arranged within the aperture connecting the lower storey 11 and the upper storey 12. The aperture is adjacent to staircase 13 and allows the occupants to pass between the lower and upper storey as is typical in a domestic dwelling with a staircase. The door 14 is substantially horizontal when closed. When closed the door is arranged to trap heat in the lower storey 11 of the domestic dwelling 10 by reducing heat transfer by convection to rooms in the upper storey 12. As air heated in the lower storey 11 will tend to rise to the upper storey 12, heat in the lower storey will be transferred to the upper storey. Therefore if the radiators of the lower storey are used to heat only the lower storey, heat will be transferred to the upper storey meaning the entire dwelling will be heated. If the occupants are located only in the lower storey, as is typical during the day time, energy is wasted on heating the entire house when only heat in the lower storey is required. Door 14 reduces this transfer of heat from the lower to the upper storey and traps the heat in the lower storey. Trapping heat in the lower storey will reduce the energy required to heat the domestic dwelling 10 because only rooms in the lower storey will be heated. We predict that the energy required to heat the domestic dwelling can be reduced by approximately 25 % compared with the energy required to heat the same dwelling with no door installed.

Figure 2 shows the door 10 in more detail. The door comprises a hatch 21. Both the door and the hatch are made from materials such as wooden or plastic planks or metal sheets. The hatch 21 forms a smaller region of the door 14 and is arranged to be opened in order to allow access to the staircase 13. The hatch allows the occupants of the dwelling to use the staircase 13 without opening the door 10. This provides quick and easy access to the staircase 13 without the need to open the door 14. In other embodiments the door may not comprise a hatch and must be opened in order to access the staircase.

The door 14 is hinged along one edge by hinges 23a and 23b. In this embodiment, two hinges are shown, but it is understood that any number of hinges may be provided to support the weight of the door. The hinges allow the door 14 to move between a substantially horizontal closed position to a substantially vertical open position. The hinges may be attached directly to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling 10 or, as shown in Figure 2, may be spaced apart from the wall 24. If spaced apart from the wall the door 14 will rotate past a vertical position when open and will rest against the wall 24 such that it will not fall shut. In other embodiments a releasable catch mechanism is provided to hold the door in an open position.

The door 10 further comprises a locking mechanism 25 to lock the hatch 21 closed so that it can only be opened from one side of the door. The hatch 21 can therefore be locked shut to keep the upper floor 12 of the domestic dwelling 10 secure in the event of a break in.

The door 21 is insulated using material such as foam or other material of low heat conductance in order to trap heat in the lower storey 11 of the domestic dwelling 10. This further reduces the transfer of heat from the lower storey 11 to the upper storey 12 when the door 14 is closed.

The door 14 is manufactured from materials of strength suitable to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg. A typical person may then stand on the door 14 if required when painting, wallpapering or carrying out any other decorating activities.

Figure 3 shows a pulley system to assist in the opening of the door 14. When in a closed position a first edge of the door 14 is supported by a block 32 mounted on the wall of the domestic dwelling 10. A second edge of the door 14 is supported by a hinge 38 so that the door 14 may be rotated between a substantially horizontal position to an open position. The hinge 38 is mounted to a second wall 34 of the domestic dwelling 10. In order to open the door 14 a pulley system or block and tackle 35 may be provided. The block and tackle comprises two pulley blocks 34a and 34b attached to the door 14 by rope or string 33a and to the wall 34 with a second rope or string 33b. The pulley blocks are linked by rope 36, which may be pulled in a downward direction from below the door 14 to open the door. Rope 36 may then be fastened to maintain the door 14 in an open position. To close the door the rope 36 may be released and the door 14 allowed to close in a controlled fashion. In other embodiments the block and tackle may be replaced by a single rope and a pulley mounted to the wall. In yet other embodiments the rope 36 may be driven by an electric motor to automate the opening and closing of the door.

Figure 4 shows a method 40 of storing heat in the lower storey 12 of the domestic dwelling 10 using door 14. The first step 41 of the method requires the closing of the door 14 between the upper storey 12 and lower storeys 11 of the domestic dwelling 10. By closing the door, heat is trapped in the lower storey 11 of the domestic dwelling 10. This is useful when the occupants of the dwelling are in the lower storey 11 and heat is only required in the lower storey 11. Heat produced by the central heating system iSa, lSb, 15c and lSd in the lower storey 11 is trapped in the lower storey and therefore reduces the energy required to heat the lower storey to an adequate temperature.

The method of Figure 4 comprises a second step where the door is opened when the occupants vacate the lower storey 11. In a typical domestic dwelling the living areas (e.g. lounge, kitchen, dinning area) are located in the lower storey 11 and the bedrooms located in the upper storcy 12.

It is therefore typical that during the daytimc occupants will be located only in the lower storey 11 and only this storey will require heating. Once the occupants move to the upper storey 12 at night, the door may be opened in step 41 to transfer heat to the upper storey.

The method of storing heat 40 comprises a final step of closing the door 14 once the occupants have moved to the upper storey 12 of the dwelling. This will trap and store heat in the upper storey. The door 14 may be locked to provide security during night time when the occupants of the dwelling are asleep in the bedrooms located in the upper storcy 12.

Claims

Claims 1. A domestic dwelling comprising: a first lower storey and a second upper storey, wherein each storey is heated; and a door arranged between the first and second storey thereby storing heat in the first storey when the door is closed and allowing heat to transfer to the upper storey when the door is open, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.
2. The domestic dwelling of claim 1 wherein the door is arranged within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent to a staircase.
3. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door is hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling.
4. The domestic dwelling of claim 3 wherein the hinges are spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed.
5. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim further comprising a pulley system arranged to open the door.
6. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door is of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg.
7. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door comprises a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey when the door is closed.
8. The domestic dwelling of claim 7 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch comprise a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side.
9. The domestic dwelling of claim 8 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch is insulated to reduce heat conduction.
10. A door for storing heat in a domestic dwelling, wherein the door is arranged to be installed horizontally between a first and second storey of the domestic dwelling such that when the door is closed heat is stored in the lower storey and when the door is open heat is transferred to the second storey, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.
11. The door of claim 10 wherein the door is arranged to be installed within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent a staircase.
12. The door of claim 10 and claim 11 wherein the door is hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling.
13. The door of claim 12 wherein the hinges are spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed.
14. The door of claim 10 to claim 13 further comprising a pulley system arranged to open the door.
15. The door of claim 10 to claim 14 wherein the door is of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg.
16. The door of claim 10 to claim 15 wherein the door comprises a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey when the door is closed.
17. The door of claim 16 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch comprise a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side.
18. The door of claim 16 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch is insulated to reduce heat conduction.
19. A method of storing heat in a lower storey of a domestic dwelling, the method comprising the steps of: closing a door arranged horizontally between the lower and upper storeys of the domestic dwelling; and subsequently opening the door to transfer heat stored in the lower storey to the upper storey.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step, subsequent to opening the door, of closing the door to store heat in the upper storey.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the door is closed when occupants of the domestic dwelling are in the lower storey.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein the door is opened when the occupants vacate the lower storey and move to the upper storey
23. A domestic dwelling substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.
24. A door substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A domestic dwelling comprising: a first lower storey and a second upper storey, wherein each storey is heated; and a door arranged between the first and second storey thereby storing heat in the first storey when the door is closed and allowing heat to transfer to the upper storey when the door is open, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.2. The domestic dwelling of claim 1 wherein the door is arranged within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent to a staircase.3. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door is hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling.4. The domestic dwelling of claim 3 wherein the hinges are spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed. ro 5. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim further comprising a pulley system arranged to open the door. r6. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door is of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg.7. The domestic dwelling of any previous claim wherein the door comprises a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey when the door is closed.8. The domestic dwelling of claim 7 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch comprise a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side.9. The domestic dwelling of claim 8 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch is insulated to reduce heat conduction.10. A door for storing heat in a domestic dwelling, wherein the door is arranged to be installed horizontally between a first and second storey of the domestic dwelling such that when the door is closed heat is stored in the lower storey and when the door is open heat is transferred to the second storey, wherein the door is substantially horizontal when closed.11. The door of claim 10 wherein the door is arranged to be installed within an aperture between the first and second storeys adjacent a staircase.12. The door of claim 10 and claim 11 wherein the door is hinged along one edge, the hinges being attached to an internal wall of the domestic dwelling.13. The door of claim 12 wherein the hinges are spaced from the wall such that when in an open position the door will rest against the wall and not fall closed.14. The door of claim 10 to claim 13 further comprising a pulley system arranged to open the door.15. The door of claim 10 to claim 14 wherein the door is of sufficient strength to support the weight of a person with a mass of at least 100 kg.16. The door of claim 10 to claim 15 wherein the door comprises a hatch openable to allow access between the first and second storey when the door is closed. r r17. The door of claim 16 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch comprise a locking mechanism such that it can only be opened from one side.18. The door of claim 16 wherein at least one of the door and the hatch is insulated to reduce heat conduction.19. A method of storing heat in a lower storey of a domestic dwelling, the method comprising the steps of: closing a door arranged horizontally between the lower and upper storeys of the domestic dwelling; and subsequently opening the door to transfer heat stored in the lower storey to the upper storey.20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step, subsequent to opening the door, of closing the door to store heat in the upper storey.21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of closing the door occurs when occupants of the domestic dwelling are in the lower storey.22. The method of claim 19 wherein the door is opened when the occupants vacate the lower storey and move to the upper storey 23. A domestic dwelling substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.24. A door substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. r r r