GB2508392A - Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket - Google Patents

Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2508392A
GB2508392A GB1221568.7A GB201221568A GB2508392A GB 2508392 A GB2508392 A GB 2508392A GB 201221568 A GB201221568 A GB 201221568A GB 2508392 A GB2508392 A GB 2508392A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
plinth
heating unit
cabinet
panel
housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1221568.7A
Inventor
Gary Stanton Webster
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Smiths Environmental Products Ltd
Original Assignee
Smiths Environmental Products Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Smiths Environmental Products Ltd filed Critical Smiths Environmental Products Ltd
Priority to GB1221568.7A priority Critical patent/GB2508392A/en
Publication of GB2508392A publication Critical patent/GB2508392A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B77/00—Kitchen cabinets
    • A47B77/04—Provision for particular uses of compartments or other parts ; Compartments moving up and down, revolving parts
    • A47B77/08—Provision for particular uses of compartments or other parts ; Compartments moving up and down, revolving parts for incorporating apparatus operated by power, including water power; for incorporating apparatus for cooking, cooling, or laundry purposes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00—Air heaters
    • F24H3/02—Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/022—Air heaters with forced circulation using electric energy supply
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00—Air heaters
    • F24H3/02—Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/04—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
    • F24H3/0405—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
    • F24H3/0411—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between for domestic or space-heating systems
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00—Details
    • F24H9/0052—Details for air heaters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00—Details
    • F24H9/02—Casings; Cover lids; Ornamental panels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00—Details
    • F24H9/06—Arrangement of mountings or supports for heaters, e.g. boilers, other than space heating radiators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00—Details
    • F24H9/18—Arrangement or mounting of grates or heating means
    • F24H9/1854—Arrangement or mounting of grates or heating means for air heaters
    • F24H9/1863—Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Domestic Hot-Water Supply Systems And Details Of Heating Systems (AREA)

Abstract

A heating unit 10 is adapted to be removably mounted in an aperture in a plinth 32 of a cabinet 30. The heating unit includes an electric fan (28, figure 2) and associated heating element (29, figure 2) connected to a standard electrical plug 26 for a domestic electrical socket 31. The fan and element 29 are mounted within a housing 11 defined by interconnected panels comprising opposed top 12 and base 13 panels, opposed side panels 14, and opposed front 15 and back 16 panels. The base panel has a lower surface adapted for sliding along a floor 33 to enable the housing to slide into and out of the plinth aperture. The front panel is defined by opposed side edges 17, and opposed top 18 and base 19 edges. The base edge is co-planar with the base panel, each said side edge projects beyond the respective side panel, and the top edge projects beyond the top panel. The front panel, and preferably the entire housing, has no fixing points for securing the housing to the cabinet plinth. The unit may include a thermostatic controller 24, a manual controller 25 and a plurality of air inlet vents 22,23.

Description

Plinth Heater This invention relates, in a first aspect thereof, to a heating unit for installation in a cabinet plinth. In a second aspect thereof, the invention further relates, to a method of removably mounting such a heating unit in a cabinet plinth. In a third aspect thereof, the invention still further relates to a plinth heater installation comprising such a heating unit installed in a cabinet plinth according to such a method.
Plinth heaters have become popular as an efficient means of heating areas such as kitchens, where there is often limited space to install a conventional radiator.
This issue is addressed by providing a heater close to floor level, mounted in the plinth of kitchen cabinets or other similar articles of furniture. For the avoidance of doubt, the term "plinth" is used herein to mean the forward-facing part of a kitchen cabinet adjacent the floor and beneath the doors or drawers of the cabinet. Plinth heaters may be in the form of fan-assisted radiators connected to the domestic is central heating system, or may be electrical fan convector heaters.
Conventional plinth heaters are installed by being mounted in a purpose-made aperture in the plinth, and subsequently secured to an area of the plinth surrounding the aperture, usually via fixing points provided in the front panel of the plinth heater housing. Because of this, such conventional plinth heaters are regarded for the purposes of building regulations as fixed appliances. This means that the electrical connections required in order to operate the plinth heater must be via a double-pole fused connection unit (FCU), and must conform to the relevant building wiring regulations. The FCU must be easily accessible after installation, but there must be no rear access to the heater after installation. In practice, for most people the installation of a plinth heater therefore requires engaging the services of a qualified electrician. This in turn effectively removes the plinth heater from consideration as a product for the DIY home improvement market.
The present invention seeks to address this issue by providing a "plug-and-play" plinth heater which is not intended to be secured to a cabinet plinth, and so can be provided with a standard electrical plug for connection to a standard domestic electrical socket, rather than needing to be wired-in via an FCU. Installation will therefore not require a qualified electrician, thus opening the product up to the DIY home improvement market.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a heating unit, adapted to be removably mounted in an aperture in a plinth of a cabinet, said heating unit including an electric fan and associated heating element connected to a standard electrical plug for a domestic electrical socket, said fan and element being mounted within a housing defined by interconnected panels comprising opposed top and base panels, opposed side panels, and opposed front and back panels, and wherein: -the base panel has a lower surface adapted for sliding motion along a floor to enable the housing to be slid into and out of said plinth aperture; -the front panel is defined by opposed side edges, and opposed top and base edges, and wherein said base edge is co-planar with the base panel, each said side edge projects beyond the respective side panel, and said top edge projects beyond the top panel; and -the front panel has no fixing points for securing the housing to said cabinet is plinth.
Preferably, the entire housing has no fixing points for securing to said cabinet plinth.
The electrical plug is preferably a non-rewirable fused plug, connected via a mains lead having a length of at least 2m The electric fan is arranged to drive air through an air outlet vent located in the front panel, which preferably further comprises one or more air inlet vents. Most preferably, the air inlet vents in the front panel are located between the side panels of the housing such that air drawn through the air inlet vents is channelled directly into the interior of the housing. At least one of the side, back and top panels may also comprise at least one air inlet vent.
The heating unit is preferably provided with conventional manual and thermostatic control means, allowing a range of operational modes, e.g. fan only, half power, full power etc. In a currently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control means enable the selection of operational modes delivering power outputs of zero (fan only), 1 kW and 2kW.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removably mounting a heating unit as hereinbefore described in a plinth of a cabinet, comprising the steps of: -locating the cabinet adjacent a standard domestic electrical socket, or locating a standard domestic electrical socket adjacent the cabinet; -forming in said cabinet plinth an aperture of complementary size and shape to the back panel of the heating unit, such that the lowest edge of the aperture is co-planar with a floor under said cabinet plinth; -connecting the electrical plug of the heating unit to the socket; and -inserting the heating unit in the aperture such that the front panel of the heating unit abuts against an area of the cabinet plinth surrounding the aperture; and wherein the front panel is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
Preferably, the entire housing is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
The heating unit is preferably inserted into the aperture by sliding the lower surface of the base panel along the floor. The unit may also be removed from the aperture in the same way.
The aperture should preferably be appropriately sized and shaped such that is the heating unit will slot into it with a snug interference fit. The heating unit should thus not be capable of slipping or moving accidentally within the aperture once inserted therein. However, it is important that no securing of the heating unit to the plinth takes place, and that the heating unit may be eased out of the aperture with minimal force.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a plinth heater installation comprising a heating unit as hereinbefore described, installed in a cabinet plinth according to a method as hereinbefore described, such that: -the front panel of the heating unit is not secured to the cabinet plinth; and -the electrical plug of the heating unit is connected to a standard domestic electrical socket.
Preferably, the entire housing is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail, though only by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a heating unit according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the heating unit of Figure 1 with the top panel removed to reveal the internal components; and Figure 3 shows the heating unit of Figures 1 and 2, when installed in a cabinet plinth.
Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of heating unit, generally indicated 10, according to the first aspect of the present invention.
The heating unit 10 has a housing 11 defined by a number of interconnected panels, namely: opposed top 12 and base 13 panels, opposed side panels 14, and opposed front 15 and back 16 panels. The panels 12-16 are all rectangular and adapted to be interconnected in an orthogonal arrangement so as to define a cuboid internal space within the housing 11. However, the front panel 15 -which is defined by opposed side edges 17, and opposed top 18 and base 19 edges -is larger than its opposed back panel 16. As a consequence, whilst the base edge 19 is co-planar with the base panel 16, the top edge 18 projects beyond the top panel 12, and each side edge 17 projects beyond the respective adjacent side panel 14, as can clearly be seen in Figure 1.
is As can also be seen in Figure 1, the front panel 15 (and indeed the entire housing 11) has no screw holes or other fixing points for securing the housing 11 to a cabinet plinth.
The front panel 15 is provided with an air outlet vent 21, through which warmed air is driven when the heating unit 10 is in use. Two smaller air inlet vents 22 are also provided on the front panel 15, to either side of the outlet vent 21. As can be seen in Figure 1, the inlet vents 22 are located between the side panels 14 such that air drawn therethrough is channelled directly into the interior of the housing 11.
Further air inlet vents 23 are also provided in the top 12, side 14, and back 16 panels.
The heating unit 10 is provided with thermostatic control means 24, and with manual control means 25 enabling the selection of different power output modes, namely zero (fan only), half power (1kW) and full power (2kW). The unit 10 is fitted with a non-rewireable fused plug 26 carried on a 2m mains lead 27.
Referring now to Figure 2, this shows the heating unit 10 with the top panel 12 removed in order to access the internal components. As can be seen, within the interior of the housing 11 is provided an electrical fan 28 and associated heating element 29. The fan 28 and element 29 are mounted on the base panel 13 and their operation is controlled by the thermostatic 24 and manual control means.
As can clearly be seen in Figure 2, the tan 28 is arranged to drive air over the heating element 29 and out through the air outlet vent 21. It can also be seen that the air inlet vents 22 on the front panel 15 are arranged to channel air into the interior of the housing 11.
a A method, according to the second aspect of the present invention, of removably mounting the heating unit 10 of Figures 1 and 2 in a cabinet plinth, in order to construct a plinth heater installation according to the third aspect of the present invention, will now be described with reference to Figure 3.
A cabinet, generally indicated 30, in which the heating unit 10 is to be installed, is located adjacent a standard domestic electrical socket 31. An aperture (not visible) of complementary size and shape to the back panel 16 is then formed in the cabinet plinth 32, with the lower edge of the aperture co-planar with the floor 33 beneath the cabinet 30. The plug 26 is then inserted into the socket 31, and the heating unit 10 is then inserted into the aperture 32 by sliding the underside of the is base panel 13 along the floor 33, as indicated by arrow A, until the front panel 15 abuts against the plinth 32. Neither the front panel 15 nor any other pad of the housing is secured to the plinth 32. When thus installed, the heating unit 10 should fit snugly within the aperture such that it does not accidentally slip during use, but should be capable of being eased out of the aperture with minimal force when removal is desired.

Claims (14)

  1. Claims 1. A heating unit, adapted to be removably mounted in an aperture in a plinth of a cabinet, said heating unit including an electric fan and associated heating element connected to a standard electrical plug for a domestic electrical socket, said fan and element being mounted within a housing defined by interconnected panels comprising opposed top and base panels, opposed side panels, and opposed front and back panels, and wherein: -the base panel has a lower surface adapted for sliding motion along a floor to enable the housing to be slid into and out of said plinth aperture; -the front panel is detined by opposed side edges, and opposed top and base edges, and wherein said base edge is co-planar with the base panel, each said side edge projects beyond the respective side panel, and said top edge projects beyond the top panel; and -the front panel has no fixing points for securing the housing to said cabinet is plinth.
  2. 2. A heating unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has no fixing points for securing to said cabinet plinth.
  3. 3. A heating unit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electric fan is arranged to drive air through an air outlet vent located in the front panel.
  4. 4. A heating unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the front panel further comprises one or more air inlet vents.
  5. 5. A heating unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the one or more air inlet vents in the front panel are located between the side panels such that air is drawn through said air inlet vents directly into the interior of the housing.
  6. 6. A heating unit as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the side, back and top panels comprises at least one air inlet vent.
  7. 7. A heating unit as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
  8. 8. A method of removably mounting a heating unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 in a plinth of a cabinet, comprising the steps of: -locating the cabinet adjacent a standard domestic electrical socket, or locating a standard domestic electrical socket adjacent the cabinet; -forming in said cabinet plinth an aperture of complementary size and shape to the back panel of the heating unit, such that the lowest edge of the aperture is co-planar with a floor under said cabinet plinth; -connecting the electrical plug of the heating unit to the socket; and a -inserting the heating unit in the aperture such that the front panel of the heating unit abuts against an area of the cabinet plinth surrounding the aperture; and wherein the front panel is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
  9. 9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
  10. 10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the heating unit is inserted into the aperture by sliding the lower surface of the base panel along the floor.
  11. 11. A method as claimed in claim 8 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
  12. 12. A plinth heater installation comprising a heating unit as claimed in any of is claims 1 to 7, installed in a cabinet plinth according to a method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, such that: -the front panel of the heating unit is not secured to the cabinet plinth; and -the electrical plug of the heating unit is connected to a standard domestic electrical socket.
  13. 13. A plinth heater installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing is not secured to the cabinet plinth.
  14. 14. A plinth heater installation as claimed in claim 12 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB1221568.7A 2012-11-30 2012-11-30 Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket Withdrawn GB2508392A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1221568.7A GB2508392A (en) 2012-11-30 2012-11-30 Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1221568.7A GB2508392A (en) 2012-11-30 2012-11-30 Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2508392A true GB2508392A (en) 2014-06-04

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GB1221568.7A Withdrawn GB2508392A (en) 2012-11-30 2012-11-30 Plinth heater adapted for use with a standard domestic electrical socket

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GB (1) GB2508392A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021185553A1 (en) * 2020-03-17 2021-09-23 Ebm-Papst St. Georgen Gmbh & Co. Kg Forced ventilation system for an air chamber, which is closed by at least one panel, between a wall and a piece of furniture

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0814668A (en) * 1994-07-01 1996-01-19 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Built-in type electric heater
JPH09152186A (en) * 1995-11-30 1997-06-10 Sun Wave Ind Co Ltd Foot hot air heating device
JP2001021221A (en) * 1999-07-06 2001-01-26 Ushio Inc Foot heating apparatus
JP2002034686A (en) * 2000-07-27 2002-02-05 Tostem Corp Kitchen unit
JP2002238678A (en) * 2001-02-20 2002-08-27 Sun Wave Ind Co Ltd Cabinet
JP2003042560A (en) * 2001-07-25 2003-02-13 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heater and kitchen apparatus using the same

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0814668A (en) * 1994-07-01 1996-01-19 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Built-in type electric heater
JPH09152186A (en) * 1995-11-30 1997-06-10 Sun Wave Ind Co Ltd Foot hot air heating device
JP2001021221A (en) * 1999-07-06 2001-01-26 Ushio Inc Foot heating apparatus
JP2002034686A (en) * 2000-07-27 2002-02-05 Tostem Corp Kitchen unit
JP2002238678A (en) * 2001-02-20 2002-08-27 Sun Wave Ind Co Ltd Cabinet
JP2003042560A (en) * 2001-07-25 2003-02-13 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heater and kitchen apparatus using the same

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021185553A1 (en) * 2020-03-17 2021-09-23 Ebm-Papst St. Georgen Gmbh & Co. Kg Forced ventilation system for an air chamber, which is closed by at least one panel, between a wall and a piece of furniture

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