SPECIFICATIONRadiant heating panel and method of producing sameThe present invention concerns a radiant heating panel, particularly but not exclusively for use as a floor or a floor panel, of the type which comprises a base plate preferably of extruded plastics material, which is provided with mutually parallel grooves for the accommodation of heating pipes or coils for a heating medium, and a cover plate extending over said grooves to permit transmission of heat between the pipes or coils and a room which is to be heated.
The invention also concerns a method of producing a heating panel of the aforesaid type.
It is considered advantageous to arrange socalled heating coils in floors. For this purpose metallic pipes running back and forth have up to now most often been laid in concrete floors, the concrete having been poured around the metallic pipes functioning as heating coils.
The above stated technique is marred by several disadvantages. First of all, it is essential to pour the concrete of the floor around the coils. If leakage or other defects arise, the floor must be completely or partially broken up, which involves high costs and great problems. Moreover such coils must necessarily heat up the entire floor, i.e.
a very large mass, the raising or lowering of the temperature of which requires long periods of time. Advantageous regulation of temperature during short periods of time is therefore impossible.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above stated disadvantages and create a new heating panel, particularly for use as a floor or a floor panel, which is easily, quickly, simply and in an economical way can be applied on arbitrary foundations, and which may without difficulty even be produced by laymen.
This and other objects are achieved by provision of a radiant heating panel of the above described type characterised in that the profile of each groove is such that the walls of the groove diverge from the throat of the groove toward the bottom of the groove so that each groove has a trapezoidal cross-section and the edges at the throat and the bottom of each groove are rounded or bevelled resulting in approximately Z or Sshaped profile sides, that the heating pipes or coils and/or the base plate is somewhat elastic, and that the diameter of the heating pipes or coils in profile is larger than the width of the throat of each groove so that the heating pipes or coils can be pushed or snapped into and be retained by the grooves without special means of assistance.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a portion of a base plate and an insulation sheet of a preferred embodiment of a heating panel according to the invention;Fig. 2 is a further cross-section of the panel according to Figure 1 after insertion of heating pipes and installation of a cover plate, but before final assembly of the panel; andFig. 3 is a further cross-section of the panel according to Fig. 2 after assembly, as ready for use.
In the drawings, a base plate designated 1, which preferably consists of extruded plastics material, may be produced in standard widths.
This base plate 1 is equipped with mutually parallel grooves 2, whose depth 1 5 may be approximately two thirds of the thickness of the plate 1. The profile of the grooves 2 is such that the walls 3 of the grooves 2 diverge from the throat of the grooves 2 toward the bottom 4 of the grooves 2. In the illustrated embodiment the grooves 2 are trapezoidal in cross-section and the walls 3 of the grooves 2 are rounded or bevelled at the throat and the bottom 4 so that an approximately Z- or S- shaped construction of the walls 3 results.
Heating pipes 6 are placed in the grooves 2.
These pipes 6 may be made of plastics material or metal, although preferably they are plasticssheathed metallic pipes, the plastics being polyethylene HD with an outer diameter of 8 mm and an inner diameter of 6 mm. The heating coils either run back and forth through a heating panel or a complete floor, or distributors are arranged at desired locations, so that the heating medium in adjacent pipes can flow in the same direction causing minor losses of pressure and a quicker and more even heating, or reduction of temperature, whichever is desired.The heating pipes 6 may have profile of any shape but as indicated in Fig. 2 a circular profile is preferred, the diameter of which is somewhat larger than the width 1 6 of the throat of each groove 2 so that a snapping-in effect during which the heating pipes 6 and/or the base plate 1 are deformed occurs during insertion of the pipes.
Subsequently, a minor expansion occurs in the wider interior of the grooves 2 so that the pipes 6 are retained in the grooves 2 without special means of assistance.
As revealed by Fig. 2, the inserted pipes 6 extend somewhat above the upper surface of the plate 1, which surface is formed by the ridges 5 between the grooves 2. The result of this is that a cover plate 7, when firstly installed rests on the pipes 6, thereby leaving a gap 12 between the underside of the cover plate 7 and the upper surface of the base plate 1. The cover plate or plates 7 are designed to admit anchoring studs 8 and anchoring screws 9, which are inserted into stud holes 13 and screw holes 14 respectively in the base plate 1. These studs 8 and screws 9 are tightened downward and reduce or preferably obliterate the gap 12, as shown in Fig. 3.If studs 8 are used, these are preferably firmly united with the cover plate 7 and on their shaft section have annular rings or other protuberances which correspond to walls of holes 1 3 provided with annular or other depressions, so that applied pressure on the cover plate 7 within the area for the studs causes these studs 8 to automatically penetrate into the intended holes 13 and retain the cover plate 7 in the downward pressed position.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment the heating pipes 6 and/or the base plate 1 are constructed of material which can be deformed, so that pipes which have a circular profile in unburdened condition are deformed when clamped to form in the trapezoidal grooves 2, as is revealed by Fig. 3. The pipes 6 consequently fill out the grooves 2 and thereby also achieve, instead of line contact with the cover plate, a considerable surface contact and in this way excellent and considerable transfer of heat between the pipes 6 and the cover plate 7 results.
The stated transfer of heat and the retention of the pipes 6 in the grooves 2 is increased by introduction of a filler compound 10 into the grooves 2 which compound is firstly stiff or firm and then after having been heated becomes substantially fluid so that in an intermediate stage as indicated in Fig. 2 it is forced aside to the sides of the grooves 2 and in a final stage is pressed all the way up to fill out eventual remaining cavities directly under the cover plate 7. The filler compound 10 can be a glue and/or other compound with advantageous heat conduction properties. Of course it is also possible, after assembly of the pipes 6 in the grooves 2, to introduce such a filler compound in the fold between the pipes 6 and the throat of the grooves 2.If the compound is a glue, this will ensure eventual formation of a durable bond between the cover plate 7 and the pipes 6 and/or the base plate 1.
Deformation of the pipes 6 and/or the base plate 1 and the aforesaid effect of the filler compound may be favoured if in an intermediate stage as shown in Fig. 2 warm or heated water is allowed to flow through the pipes, so that the pipe material and/or the material of the base plate 1 softens so that in a short time and in a simple manner a clamping to form as shown in Fig. 3 is obtained. If greatly heated water is conveyed through the pipes 6, a cover plate material, especially if a laminated cover plate is used, may soften so that a portion of the heating pipes 6 will become embedded in the cover plate 7.
The entire upper surface of the base plate 1 including the walls of and the bottoms 14 of the grooves 2 and/or the under side of the base plate 1 may be provided with a heat reflecting layer, e.g. by means of anodizing. Moreover the filler compound 10 may be applied over the entire surface of the base plate 1 for the filling out of any additional irregularities or to function as glue for the entire underside of the cover plate 7.
As stated, the cover plate 7 may comprise a laminate, where at least an upper layer has stability of form in order to provide a level surface e.g. as a floor. The cover plate 7 may consist of metal and/or plastics material and/or other material and it and/or the base plate 1 has a stiffening function, so that a heating panel according to the invention can be applied on an arbitrary foundation. Under the base plate 1, an insulation sheet 11 is located and preferably glued thereto.
The heating pipes 6 may, as already stated, be installed as an endless pipe or in the case of a modular system suitable couplings may be arranged between the adjacent panels. In addition it is possible to deliver entirely or partially complete heating panels. In the latter case heating pipes 6 may for example either be inserted in the grooves 2 or alternatively be delivered attached on the underside of the cover plate 7.
In all cases small heated masses are obtained which means that raising or lowering of temperature can occur in the shortest conceivable period of time. The foundation can be arbitrary and a concrete floor can be poured quickly and easily and without consideration for laborious manual laying of heating pipes according to an individual pattern in each separate case.
Furthermore the overall height of the panels can be kept very low and such heating panels can advantageously be installed even in older houses on existing floors. Of course the heating panels according to the invention are also suitable for installation on walls and ceilings. Owing to the small heated masses and the great area of contact the temperature of the transport medium in the heating pipes can be held at the lowest conceivable level and quick, high and dependable heating will still be achieved. This makes the heating panels according to the invention very suitable for e.g. heat pump systems and the like.
If relatively heavy cover plates are used, special anchoring means such as screws, studs and eventually even gluing may be eliminated. The heating pipes and/or the base plate are capable of being deformed, as previously stated but they also possess inherent elasticity so that under pressure from the heating medium in the heating pipes, the pipes are always pressed for good contact against the under side of the cover plate, to ensure good transfer of heat.
The forms of the embodiment described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are only to be considered as non-limiting examples, which can be modified and supplemented at will within the scope of the inventive idea.
Consequently instead of screws or studs, anchoring fasteners, such as rivets and the like extending through both the cover plate and the base plate may be used.