NZ588130A - A heated electric towel rail with two electrical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

A heated electric ladder-type towel rail, comprises a frame 1 having interconnected conduits for accommodating a heating element 2, the conduits forming a ladder construction, one or more heating elements 2 located within the frame 1, a first electrical connector 3 for electrically connecting a heating element 2 to an electricity supply located at a first position with respect to the frame 1, and a second electrical connector 3' for electrically connecting a heating element 2 to an electricity supply located at a second position with respect to the frame 1, different to the first position. The heating elements 2 pass along a snaking path through the interconnected conduits from a first end of the heating element 2 to a second end of the heating element 2.

Description

Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 Our Ref: SSM053NZ Patents Form No. 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 Divisional Application out of New Zealand Patent Application No. 575555 Filed 3 April 2009 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A HEATED ELECTRIC TOWEL RAIL We, CDB MEDIA LIMITED a New Zealand company of 4-6 Lovell Court, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 2 A HEATED ELECTRIC TOWEL RAIL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a heated electric towel rail allowing electrical connection to an electricity supply from a number of locations, preferably either side of the towel rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Different models of towel rail are presently required for left or right hand power supply, requiring two models to be manufactured and stocked for each variant. This increases the cost of manufacture, requires increased storage capacity and does not allow a left hand supply model to be easily relocated for use in a right hand supply 15 application.

It is desirable to provide a heated electric towel rail that overcomes these problems or which at least provides the pub!ic with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a heated electric ladder-type towel rail including: a frame having interconnected conduits for accommodating a heating element, the conduits forming a ladder construction; one or more heating 25 elements located within the frame, each passing along a snaking path through the interconnected conduits from a first end of the heating element to a second end of the heating element; a first electrical connector for electrically connecting a heating element to an electricity supply located at a first position with respect to the frame; and a second electrical connector for electrically connecting a heating element to an 30 electricity supply located at a second position with respect to the frame, different to the first position.

Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 3 In one alternative the heated electric towel rail includes a single heating element. Preferably the first and second connectors are connected in parallel to the heating element. Preferably the first connector is connected in parallel to the second 5 connector via low resistance conductive wires.

In a second alternative the heated electric towel rail has two heating elements located within the frame wherein one heating element is electrically connected to the first electrical connector and the other heating element is electrically connected to the 10 second electrical connector.

Preferably the first and second electrical connectors are provided on opposite sides of the frame.

Preferably the first and second electrical connectors are provided toward the bottom of the frame.

Preferably the first arid second electrical connectors are provided on a rear face of the frame.

Preferably the frame includes legs to mount the frame away from a support surface and the first and second electrical connectors are housed within legs.

Preferably the frame is formed of metal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute part of the 30 specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 4 Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a heated electric towel rail including a single heating element; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a heated electric towel rail including dual heating elements; and Figure 3 shows a side view of an electric towel rail according to figure 1 or figure 2, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a frame 1 of a towel rail of standard "ladder" construction formed of tubular steel so as to define a series of interconnected conduits through the (adder frame, A heating element 2 is threaded through the conduits following a snaking path with one end connected to an electrical connector 3 and the other end connected to a low resistance electrical conductor 4, such as a length of insulated copper wire. The low resistance electrical conductor 4 is connected to another terminal of electrical connector 3.

There is additionally provided a second electrical connector 3', located at a different position, connected in parallel with electrical connector 3 via low resistance conductors 5 and 6, such as insulated copper wires. Connector 3' is thus provided electrically in parallel with connector 3 so that electrical connection to an electricity supply may be completed by effecting the connection of an electricity supply line to electrical connector 3 or 3'.

Preferably, as shown, electrical connectors 3 and 3' may be provided on opposite sides of the heated electrical towel rail so that a single electric heated towel rail may be connected to an electricity supply on either the right or left hand side of the towel rail.

Referring now to Figure 2 an alternative embodiment is shown in which two heating elements are employed. Towel rail frame 7 is identical to the towel rail frame 1 shown in Figure 1. A first heating element 8 is connected at one end to a first connector 9 and at the other end is connected via low resistance line 10 to connector 9. A second heating element 11 is connected at one end to a second electrical Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 connector 12 and at the other end via low resistance line 13 to second electrical connector 12.

Whilst the electrical connectors may be provided at locations that are convenient for 5 typical applications it is preferred that electrical connectors 9 and 12 are provided on opposite sides to allow left hand or right hand connection to an electricity supply.

Referring now to Figure 3 a side view of a heated electric towel rail is shown. Frame 14 is identical to frames 1 and 7 shown in Figure 2 having legs 15 and 16 projecting 10 from one side rail (with identical legs projecting from a side rail on the opposite side).

An electrical connector 17 (equivalent to electrical connectors 3 and 9 shown in Figures 1 and 2) is provided in leg 16 to enable connection to an electricity supply line 18. A further electrical connector (not shown) may be provided within a leg on the opposite side in the same manner.

There is thus provided a heated electric towel rail enabling connection to either the right or left hand side of the towel rail (or any multiple locations required). It will be appreciated that further points of electric connection could be provided if desired (i.e. at the top and bottom on the left and right). However, the range of connection 20 options provided will be a question of economics for a particular application. This arrangement allows a single model to be provided in place of the previously required left and right hand models, reducing manufacturing costs and stocking costs as well as allowing relocation between left hand and right hand supply applications.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the 30 specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of the Applicant's general inventive concept.

Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 6

Claims (14)

we claim is:
1. A heated electric ladder-type towel rail including: a. a frame having interconnected conduits for accommodating a heating element, the conduits forming a ladder construction; b. one or more heating elements located within the frame, each passing along a snaking path through the interconnected conduits from a first end of the heating element to a second end of the heating element; c. a first electrical connector for electrically connecting a heating element to an electricity supply located at a first position with respect to the frame; and d. a second electrical connector for electrically connecting a heating element to an electricity supply located at a second position with respect to the frame, different to the first position.
2. A heated electric towel rail as claimed in claim 1 including a single heating element.
3. A heated electric towel rail as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second connectors are connected in parallel to the heating element.
4. A heated electric towel rail as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first connector is connected in parallel to the second connector via low resistance conductive wires.
5. A heated electric towel rail as claimed in claim 1 having two heating elements located within the frame wherein one heating element is electrically connected to the first electrical connector and the other heating element is electrically connected to the second electrical connector.
6. A heated electric towel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first and second electrical connectors are provided on opposite sides of the frame.
7. A heated electric towel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first and second electrical connectors are provided toward the bottom of the frame.
8. Received at IPONZ on 29 February 2012 7
9. 9. 5
10. 10. 10
11. 11.
12. 12. 15
13. 13. 20
14. 14. A heated electric towel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first and second electrical connectors are provided on a rear face of the frame. A heated electric towel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame includes legs to mount the frame away from a support surface and the first and second electrical connectors are housed within legs. A heated electric towel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame is formed of metal. A heated electric towel substantially as herein described with reference to figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. A heated electric towel substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. A heated electric towel substantially as herein described with reference to figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. A heated electric towel substantially as herein described with reference to figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. CDS MEDIA LIMITED 25 by their Attorneys Ellis i Terry