IES69321B2 - Hot water radiator - Google Patents

Abstract

A hot water radiator comprises more than two substantially parallel panels 10 to 14. The two outer panels 10 and 14 are longer than the inner panels 11 to 13 and the ends of the inner panels are recessed relative to the ends of the outer panels.

Description

HOT WATER RADIATOR This invention relates to a hot water radiator, in particular but not exclusively to radiators known as radiavectors.

Radiavectors are low hot water radiators with a typical height of 280mm or less and are available in a range of lengths up to 6m. They typically consist of three or more panels and are enclosed by a welded bow end which acts as a distributor for the water. They have a high heat output and are typically placed in front of a window. Occasionally they are provided with an unheated back plate to reduce heat loss through the glass.

According to the present invention there is provided a hot water radiator comprising more than two substantially parallel panels, wherein the two outer panels are longer than the inner panel(s) and the ends of the inner panel(s) are recessed relative to the ends of the outer panels.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a 5-panel radiavector; Figures 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) are top plan views of one end of 5-, 4- and 3-panel radiavectors respectively, omitting the end housing and the grilles; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the 3-panel 569321 ' - 2 radiavector of figure 2(c); Figure 4 is a top plan view of the end of the 3-panel radiavector of figure 2(c) including the end housing and grille; Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section through the end housing enclosing the radiator manifolds; and Figure 6 is an internal elevation of the radiavector of Figure 1 of the Drawings and viewed towards the front of the radiavector.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2(a), an embodiment of a radiavector according to the invention has five substantially flat panels 10 to 14 equally spaced apart across its width W. All the panels are substantially rectangular and have the same height H. They are mounted so that the rounded top edges 15 of the panels lie substantially in a common plane. The two outer panels 10 and 14 are substantially the same length as one another but longer than the inner panels ll, 12 and 13 which are also of substantially the same length.

At each end of the radiator the ends 17 of the three inner panels lie in substantially a common plane Pl normal to the length of the radiator, and the ends 16 of the two outer panels likewise lie in substantially a common plane P2 normal to the length of the radiator. In each case the plane Pl lies parallel to and behind the plane P2 (behind in this context means in the direction towards the middle of the radiator) so that, as shown, the ends 17 of the inner panels 11, 12 and 13 are recessed relative to the ends 16 of the outer panels 10 and 14. Typically the distance apart of the planes Pl and P2 is 50mm.

In the Figure 1 embodiment each panel 10 to 14 consists of three horizontal sub-panels, known as tubes, which for the outer panel 10 are indicated at 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3. This is not essential for the invention and each panel may consist of one tube only or two or more such tubes arranged vertically one above the other in the manner indicated in figure 1. A typical tube is 70mm high.

At least one water manifold 18 for the radiator panels is located at each end of the radiator between the outer panels 10 and 14 in the recess left by the inner panels, ie behind the plane Pl. Only one such manifold 18 is shown in figure 2(a); however, where the radiator panels are two or (as shown in figure 1) three tubes high there are four manifolds in all, one at the top and one at the bottom at each end of the radiator. Where there is only one tube per panel there are only two manifolds, one at each end.

In the case where the radiator panels are two or more tubes high, such as in Figure 1, the water is distributed from the manifolds to the tubes of each panel by header tubes 28 (figure 2) which are attached to an inside surface of the panel and extend vertically across all three tubes.

If desired, one of the outside panels 10 or 14 could be left unconnected to the manifolds and filled with air. This would provide a better barrier against heat loss than designs which simply attach a metal plate to the rear of the radiator.

The manifold(s) 18 at each end of the radiator are enclosed by a respective end housing 19 which exposes only the manifold flow and return connections 26 and 27. This housing 19 is essentially a shallow U-shaped housing (figure 5) which fits between the outer panels 10 and 14 and is substantially flush with the edges thereof as seen in figure 1. Further, fins 20 are attached to the facing surfaces of adjacent radiator panels in the gaps 21 between the panels, and these gaps are closed by respective grilles 22. Alternatively the fins may be attached to one radiator only and extend substantially the full width of the gap 21. The top edges of the panels and the upper surface of the grilles lie substantially in the same plane.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in figures 2(c), 3 and 4. This differs from the first embodiment only in that there is only one inner radiator panel 23. In all other respects the radiator is substantially the same as the first embodiment and the same reference numerals have been used for the same or equivalent parts. Similarly, figure 2(b) shows a radiator which has two inner panels 24 and 25 but which otherwise the same as figures 2(a) and 2(c).

The advantage of the radiator constructions described above is that they allow the use of manifolds, which eliminate the problems associated with getting a proper water flow between multiple panels where there is no end box to act as a distributor, while permitting the design lines of the radiator to be maintained. This is because the manifolds can be accommodated in the spaces created between the outer panels by the recessed ends of the inner panel or panels.

The panels may be manufactured from standard components at relatively low cost because of the elimination of a significant amount of hand welding and finishing associated with other forms of the radiator which use an end box as a water distributor at the ends of the radiator which has to be properly finished.

Thus, with particular reference to Figure 6 of the drawings, an integral valve assembly 40 allows connection to the water manifold 18 from the lower part thereof. The valve assembly 40 is incorporated into the top 18a of the manifold 18 at the connection end of the radiavector being placed between panels 10, 14 in the recess left by the inner panels. The valve assembly 40 is connected to a pipe 41 (also located in said recess) the inlet 42 of which is connected to a pipe (not shown of a central heating system for the purposes of receiving water. The water having passed through the radiavector exits therefrom at the bottom 18b of the manifold 18. Thus, the inlet/outlet pipes (42, 43) of the central heating system are located closely adjacent each other and not visible in normal use of the radiavector.

Further, the design allows for integral valves to be included in the radiator, which is not available on existing radiavectors.

Claims (5)

1. A hot water radiator comprising more than two substantially parallel panels, wherein the two outer 5 panels are longer than the inner panel(s) and the ends of the inner panel(s) are recessed relative to the ends of the outer panels.

2. A radiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein at 10 least one water manifold /for the radiator panels is located at each end of the radiator between the outer panels in the recesses left by the inner panel(s).

3. A radiator as claimed in claim 2, further 15 including a housing at each end of the radiator which encloses the respective manifold(s).

4. A radiator as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gaps between adjacent panels are closed by 20 respective grilles, the top edges of the panels and the upper surface of the grilles lying substantially in the same plane.

5. A hot water radiator substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.