GB2542887B

GB2542887B - Heater having easily changed bulbs

Info

Publication number: GB2542887B
Application number: GB1612741.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lifang Liu
Original assignee: Danyun Hu; UP Global Sourcing UK Ltd
Current assignee: Danyun Hu; UP Global Sourcing UK Ltd
Priority date: 2015-08-04
Filing date: 2016-07-22
Publication date: 2019-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2036-07-22
Also published as: GB201612741D0; GB2571844A; CN204806521U; GB2542887A; GB201906197D0

Description

Heater Having Easily Changed Bulbs

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heater, in particular a “halogen heater” having easily removable heating tubes/bulbs.

Background to the Invention

Halogen heaters have heating bulbs, typically tubes, which when powered provide heat (and light). These halogen tubes/bulbs are fragile and therefore easily broken, but cannot be replaced easily because access to the interior of a conventional halogen heater is difficult or not possible. Consequently, a broken heating tube/bulb often necessitates replacement of the entire heater, or results in reduced heating capacity commensurate with the number of broken heating tubes.

An embodiment of the present invention seeks to address this problem.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a halogen heater comprising a housing, the housing comprising a support to which one or more heating tubes are installed, the support having two sides and at least one hole provided in each side through which a heating tube can be inserted, the halogen heater further comprising internal wires to connect the one or more heating tubes, characterised in that a first side of the housing comprises a slot with a cover, which is arranged such that removal of the cover from the slot permits access to at least one of the holes for allowing an inserted heating tube to be removed from the halogen heater through the hole.

In this way, the present invention provides a halogen heater in which a cover in a side of the housing of the heater can be removed to reveal a slot through which installed heating tubes, and the holes in the support through which the installed heating tubes are inserted, are accessible and/or visible. This allows for a broken heating tube to be easily removed from the halogen heater and for a new heating tube to be easily fitted.

The housing may be plastic. The support may be metal.

The heater may comprise one or more switches for powering the one or more heating tubes. For example, three heating tubes may be provided and three switches may be provided, each for powering a respective heating tube. A further switch may be provided for powering a conventional electric motor provided in the housing, which allows the halogen heater to rotate relative to the surface on which it stands.

The first side of the housing may be the right hand side. That is to say, a slot may be provided on the side to the right of the halogen heater when viewed upright and face-on. A second side of the housing may also comprise a slot with a cover, which is arranged such that removal of the cover from the slot permits further access to at least one of the holes for allowing an inserted heating tube to be removed from the halogen heater through the hole.

The second side of the housing may be the left hand side. That is to say, a slot may be provided on the side to the left of the halogen heater when viewed upright and face-on.

The support may comprise one or more tabs. The tabs may be formed from metal sheet. One or more tabs may be associated with each hole in the support. For example, two tabs may be associated with each hole in the support. The tabs may be arranged substantially parallel to one another.

The halogen heater may further comprise one or more support panels. The one or more support panels may be formed from mica. One more of the support panels may be substantially rectangular. One or more of the support panels may be substantially circular.

Each support panel may engageable to an end portion of a heating tube. Each support panel may comprise an aperture engageable with an end portion of a heating tube.

Each aperture in each support panel may be smaller than the at least one hole in the support. In particular, each aperture in each support panel may be smaller than its associated hole in the support. This allows the entire heating tube to pass easily through the hole, whilst the support panel can be sized to fit only over the end portion of the heating tube, which typically has a smaller diameter than the remainder.

Each support panel may be connectable to the support. Each support panel may be associated with a respective hole in the support. Each support panel may be engageable with the tabs associated with the hole. Each support panel may comprise one or more slots for engaging with the one or more tabs. For example, each support panel may comprise two slots. The slots may be arranged substantially parallel to one another. The slots may be substantially rectangular.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a halogen heater;

Figure 2 is partially exploded front perspective view of a heater with two heating tubes installed and one heating tube removed; and

Figure 3 is partially exploded front perspective view of a halogen heater with two heating tubes installed and one heating tube removed.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a halogen heater 11 comprises a substantially cuboidal plastic housing 1 having a front, a back, a base, a top, a first side 13 and a second side 14. In this embodiment, the first side 13 is the right hand side and the second side 14 is the left hand side.

The housing 1 is supported off of the ground by a foot 15. A support 2 is provided within an opening in the front of the housing 1. The support 2 is formed from a sturdy reflective material such as a metal and comprises a plurality of curved portions connected together that face outwardly of the front of the housing 1. The support 2 also comprises two sides 12, each connected perpendicularly to the curved portions by a plurality of metal tabs formed on each curved portion being inserted into respective slots formed in each side 12.

Each side 12 also comprises a plurality of holes 3 arranged substantially vertically in line with one another. The holes 3 are arranged so that the holes 3 on one side 12 of the support 2 are substantially parallel with the holes 3 on the other side 12 of the support 2. Each hole 3 is formed on a part of the side 12 of the support 2 towards the centre point of the curve of a curved portion. In this embodiment, the support 2 comprises three curved portions, and three holes 3 on each of its sides 12.

The halogen heater 11 also comprises a plurality of heating tubes 5 installed within the support 2. Each heating tube 5 comprises a heating element held between two end portions 10 and the diameter of each part of the heating tubes is smaller than the diameter of the holes 3. Each heating tube 5 is installed into the halogen heater 11 by insertion through a set of parallel holes 3 formed in the sides 12 of the support 2. In this embodiment, the halogen heater 11 comprises three heating tubes 5, although one heating tube 5 has been removed in Figures 2 and 3.

The halogen heater 11 also comprises a plurality of support panels 9 formed from mica. In Figure 2, each support panel 9 is circular and in Figure 3, each support panel 9 is rectangular. Each support panel 9 is associated with a hole 3 in a side 12 of the support 2 and comprises a body 9-1 and an aperture 9-2 for engaging with an end portion 10 of a heating tube 5 that has been inserted through the associated hole 3. The apertures 9-2 have a smaller diameter than the holes 3 and the heating element, but a slightly larger diameter than the end portions 10 so that they can fit over the end portions 10.

Each support panel 9 also comprises a plurality of substantially parallel slots 9-3 formed adjacent the aperture 9-2, which can engage with respective substantially parallel metal tabs 8 formed on a side 12 of the support 2, which are adjacent, and associated with, each hole 3. In this embodiment, each support panel 9 comprises two slots 9-3 and thus two tabs 8 are associated with each hole 3.

Each of the first side 13 and the second side 14 of the housing 1 comprise a substantially rectangular slot 6 that may be exposed by removing a substantially rectangular corresponding cover 7. The length of each slot 6 corresponds to size of the support 2 and each slot 6 is positioned such that removal of a cover 7 from a slot 6 allows for visibility of, and access to, the holes 3 in the respective side 12 of the support 2. Each cover 7 can be secured to its slot 6 by a set of fasteners. A plurality of switches 4 is provided in the top of the housing 1. In this embodiment, four switches 4 are provided. Three of the switches 4 are each operable to power an associated heating tube 5 and the fourth switch 4 is operable to power a conventional electric motor provided in the base of the housing 1, which allows the halogen heater 11 to rotate and/or turn relative to the foot 15.

The halogen heater 11 also comprises internal wires to connect each heating tube 5 to its corresponding switch 4 and to a power source, which in this embodiment is a conventional plug for engagement with a conventional power socket.

In use, to install a heating tube 5 into the halogen heater 11, the covers 7 from both the first side 13 and the second side 14 of the housing 1 are removed to reveal the slot 6 in each side 13, 14 of the housing 1. A heating tube 5 is then inserted through one of the holes 3 in a side 12 of the support 2. The heating tube 5 is fully inserted into the support 2 until its distal end portion 10 protrudes through the hole 3 opposing the hole 3 through which the heating tube 5 is initially inserted. A support panel 9 is then engaged with each side 12 of the support 2 to secure the heating tube 5 in place. In particular, each support panel 9 is placed over an end portion 10 of the heating tube 5 such that the end portion 10 is received into, and protrudes through, the aperture 9-2 of the support panel 9. The remainder of the heating tube 5 has a larger diameter than the aperture 9-2 and thus forms a step that abuts against the support panel 9. The support panels 9 are pushed substantially flush against the sides 12 of the support 2 and the tabs 8 formed adjacent the holes 3 are inserted into the slots 9-3 formed in the support panels 9. The tabs 8 are then bent using a tool, which secures the support panels 9 to the support 2, and thus secures the connected heating tube 5 to the sides 12 of the support 2.

Typically, a plurality of heating tubes 5 are installed in this manner. In this embodiment, the halogen heater 11 comprises three heating tubes 5.

After installation, internal wires are used to connect each heating tube 5 to the switches 4 so that each heating tube 5 can be activated. The covers 7 are then fastened back on to the sides 13, 14 of the housing 1 to cover the slots 6.

The heating tubes 5 are now installed and the halogen heater 11 is ready for use.

If a heating tube 5 breaks during use of the halogen heater 11 then it must be replaced so that the halogen heater 11 can continue to function safely and effectively. In order to replace a broken heating tube 5 the covers 7 from both the first side 13 and the second side 14 of the housing 1 are removed to reveal the slot 6 in each side 13,14 of the housing 1. This permits access to the heating tubes 5 and enables the broken heating tube 5 to be replaced. The internal wires are detached from the ends of the broken heating tube 5. The support panels 9 securing the broken heating tube 5 to the support 2 are then removed from the support by straightening the tabs 8 protruding through the slots 9-3 of each support panel 9 and then removing each support panel 9 from its engagement with an end portion 10 of the broken heating tube 5. The broken heating tube 5 is now unsecured from the support 2 and can be removed from the halogen heater 11 by withdrawing it through one of the holes 3 in the sides 12 of the support 2.

The broken heating tube 5 can be replaced with a new working heating tube, which is installed in the manner described above.

With this arrangement, each heating tube 5 in the halogen heater 11 is safely secured to the support 2 when the halogen heater 11 is operating, but is easily changeable and replaceable if it breaks. In contrast, the heating tubes in conventional heaters are not easily accessible and therefore broken heating tubes are easily not replaceable. Consequently, a broken heating tube often necessitates replacement of the entire heater, or results in reduced heating capacity provided by the heater.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

For example, although in the above embodiments, each tab is elongate and substantially rectangular, other shapes are possible, such as triangular and semicircular.

Claims

1. A halogen heater comprising a housing, the housing comprising a support to which one or more heating tubes are installed, the support having two sides and at least one hole provided in each side through which a heating tube can be inserted, the halogen heater further comprising internal wires to connect the one or more heating tubes, characterised in that a first side of the housing comprises a slot with a cover, which is arranged such that removal of the cover from the slot permits access to at least one of the holes for allowing an inserted heating tube to be removed from the halogen heater through the hole.

2. A halogen heater according to claim 1, wherein the heater comprises one or more switches for powering the one or more heating tubes.

3. A halogen heater according to any preceding claim, wherein a second side of the housing comprises a slot with a cover, which is arranged such that removal of the cover from the slot permits further access to at least one of the holes for allowing an inserted heating tube to be removed from the halogen heater through the hole.

4. A halogen heater according to any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises one or more tabs.

5. A halogen heater according to claim 4, wherein one or more tabs are associated with each hole in the support.

6. A halogen heater according to claim 5 wherein two tabs are associated with each hole in the support.

7. A halogen heater according to claim 6, wherein the tabs are arranged substantially parallel to one another.

8. A halogen heater according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more support panels.

9. A halogen heater according to claim 8, wherein the one or more support panels are formed from mica.

10. A halogen heater according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein each support panel is engageable to an end portion of a heating tube.

11. A halogen heater according to claim 10, wherein each support panel comprises an aperture engageable with an end portion of a heating tube.

12. A halogen heater according to claim 11, wherein each aperture is smaller than the hole in the support.

13. A halogen heater according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein each support panel is connectable to the support.

14. A halogen heater according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein each support panel may be associated with a respective hole in the support.

15. A halogen heater according to claim 14, when dependent on any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein each support panel is engageable with the one or more tabs associated with the hole.

16. A halogen heater according to claim 15, wherein each support panel comprises one or more slots for engaging with the one or more tabs.