HEATING APPARATUS

Abstract

An electric heating apparatus (1) including an electric heater (12) and a flame simulator (2). The apparatus includes an air outlet channel (14) for expelling heated air wherein the cross-sectional area of the air outlet channel (13) increases with increased distance from the heater.

Claims

1. A heating apparatus comprising: a housing having a flame simulation compartment and a viewing window for viewing said compartment and flames simulated therein; a flame simulator for simulating flames in said flame simulation compartment; a heater unit adjacent the flame simulation compartment, the heater unit including: a heater, an air inlet, an air inlet channel connecting the air inlet to the heater, an air outlet, an air outlet channel connecting the heater to the air outlet, and a fan for drawing air into the air inlet, to then flow through the air inlet channel past the heater, through the air outlet channel and then through the air outlet, wherein the cross-sectional area of the air outlet channel in the planes perpendicular to the direction of the flow of air therethrough increases with increased distance from the heater.

2. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the air inlet channel and air outlet channel are adjacent each other but separated by a channel wall or walls.

3. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 where the air outlet channel includes two outlet channel side walls whose surface planes subtend an obtuse angle.

4. The heating apparatus according to claim 3 where the obtuse angle is between 120 degrees and 150 degrees.

5. The heating apparatus according to claim 4 where the obtuse angle is between 130 degrees and 135 degrees.

6. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the heater unit is an electric heater.

7. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in use, an air inlet is located above the air outlet and the air inlet channel is arranged above the air outlet channel.

8. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, in use, an air inlet is located at the same height and alongside the air outlet.

9. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the air inlet and air outlet are substantially horizontal vents or slots in the front of the heating apparatus.

10. The heating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the air inlet channel and air outlet channels each angle downwards as they approach the respective air inlet and air outlet.

11. The heating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the heat outlet extends across more than 25% of the width of the front of the heating apparatus.

12. The heating apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the heat outlet extends across more than 50% of the width of the front of the heating apparatus.

13. The heating apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the heat outlet extends across more than 75% of the width of the front of the heating apparatus.

14. The heating apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the air inlet channel and air outlet channels each angle downwards as they approach the respective air inlet and air outlet.

15. The heating apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the air inlet channel and air outlet channels each angle downwards as they approach the respective air inlet and air outlet.

Description

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a fireplace heater embodying the present invention, and installed in a wall;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the top portion of fireplace heater of FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 3 is a front view of the top of the heating apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the air inlets and air outlet to the heater;

[0037] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the heating apparatus of FIG. 1 not installed in a wall or wall space and with the assembly top plate removed;

[0038] FIG. 5 is the top perspective view of FIG. 4 but with the heater and air outlet channel cover removed;

[0039] FIG. 6 is a view along the cross-section VI-VI of FIG. 5; and

[0040] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention (not installed in a wall or wall space, with its top plate and heater and air outlet cover removed).

[0041] As used herein the terms top, bottom, side, front and back describe the orientation of the device as it would be when installed in a wall or wall cavity and ready for use, the term width is used to describe the distance between opposing sides of the device, the term height is used to describe the distance between the top and bottom of the device, and the term depth is used to describe the distance from the front to the back of the device.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 & 2, the fireplace heater 1 including a flame simulator 2 is located in a cavity 3 in a wall 4. The heating apparatus includes a flame simulation compartment 5 enclosed within three transparent walls (two side walls 6 and one front wall 7) and having a solid metal base 8. The transparent walls can be made of glass or another suitable material. In other embodiments the flame simulator may be enclosed within a differing number of transparent walls, or alternatively the walls may be metal plates or another suitable material. The electric heater assembly includes a heater air inlet 9 and a heater air outlet 10 on the front face of a heater housing assembly 11. An electric heater 12 (shown in FIG. 5) is located in the heater housing 11 which is above the flame simulation compartments. The heating apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is located within a cavity of a breast in a wall. Alternative embodiments without the glass side walls could be placed in a hole in a flat wall.

[0043] Various flame simulation techniques can be used in this Electric Fire which could be LCD (liquid crystal display), LED (light emitting diode), and ribbon blower arrangements etc.

[0044] Alternatively, this new design of heater could also be used in other configurations of electric fires: wall hung, wall inset, suite, electric stoves and/or traditional inset fires.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater assembly unit 11 includes air inlets 9, 9 and an air outlet 10 at its front end. An electric fan heater 12 is located towards the rear of the heater assembly. In use, air is drawn through the air inlets 9, 9, through the electric heater assembly and out through the air outlet in the direction shown by arrows in direction A, B and C. Arrow A shows the air flow through an air inlet channel 13; arrow B shows the air flow through the electric heater 12; and arrow C shows the air flow through an air outlet channel 14. Upper air inlet 9 is located above air outlet 10 and lateral air inlet 9 is located to the side of air outlet 10.

[0046] The air inlet channel is defined by the space between the top plate 15 of the heater assembly unit and an air outlet cover 16.

[0047] The air outlet passage of channel 14 is defined by the space between the air outlet passage cover 16 and a base plate 17 of the heater assembly 11 such that an air inlet passage would channel air drawn in by the fan to the heater and thence out through the air outlet passage and channel through the air outlet.

[0048] In alternative embodiments the heater assembly could be located to the side of or below the flame simulator.

[0049] The illustrated embodiment includes an upper air inlet 9 above the air outlet 10 and lateral air inlets 9 to the sides of the air outlet 10.

[0050] The upper air inlet 9 is a slot in the front of the heater assembly housing where the air can be drawn through. The lateral air inlets 9 are also slots.

[0051] The heater fan ensures that the air is moved through the system and through the heating element of the electric heater. In the described embodiment the fan is shown as part of the electric heater. The fan alternatively may be located at any point through the system. In the illustrated embodiment the fan is located adjacent the electric heater element. The electric heater element and fan are standard known components so will not be described in further detail. In an alternative embodiment the fan could also be an air pump or similar. The fan pushes/draws air through the heating element, which creates a current of air, as more air is pulled in to fill the vacuum of where the air was drawn from. This keeps drawing air through the housing cavity and into the heating element.

[0052] The heating element could be one of a number of known electrical heaters. A power output of 1.5 kW is suitable to heat a standard sized room. Any suitable heating element and fan system could be used.

[0053] Between the heating element and the housing outlet there is an outlet channel 14. This channel 14 allows the air to be expelled from the heating element and moved through the housing of the heating assembly system to be expelled into the room or area to be heated.

[0054] The outlet channel 14 between the heating element and the air outlet has a varying cross-section in the direction C of flow of air. The cross-section transitions from having a cross-section matching the outlet from the electric heater to an air outlet channel slot having a greater longitudinal or horizontal dimension and smaller vertical dimension. The long and thin outlet slot is less visible and therefore aesthetically more pleasing than the known grilles which are of a similar shape to the electric heater outlet. The long and thin outlet slot also allows the front glass wall 7 of the fireplace heater assembly to be located flush or close to the line of the wall 4 in which it is located, meaning that the air outlet does not need to have the same shape as the heating element outlet (not shown in figures). The outlet channel is defined by four walls or surfaces: an upper wall formed by the air outlet cover 16, a lower wall formed by the bare plate 17 of the heater unit, and two angled side walls 18. The upper and lower walls 16, 18 are configured to reduce the height of the air outlet channel 14 as air moves through it towards the outlet 10. As the channel moves from the heating element to the housing outlet the distance from the air outlet cover 16 to the base 17 is reduced gradually.

[0055] The cover 16 of the air outlet channel is formed by a cover sheet of metal. The cover 16 may be formed of one sheet of material, or may be formed of more than one sheet. The top wall may be wider than the outlet channel 14 as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment the cover 16 extends across the whole width of the heater assembly housing 11. The cover 16 has a kink 22 in it (see FIG. 6). This kink 22 aids the gradual transition of hot air flowing in a horizontal direction when exiting the heating apparatus, to being angled downwards when flowing out of the outlet. The cover 16 is attached to the housing via brackets 19 to which it is screwed. Alternatively it may be welded to brackets or otherwise attached. Another alternative (not shown in figures) is that the sidewalls might have a lip to which the top wall may be screwed, welded or otherwise attached.

[0056] The channel in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 5 has a height of 36 mm when immediately adjacent to the heating outlet. When the channel is adjacent to the housing outlet, it has a height of 9 mm. This height means that fingers cannot be trapped and is also low enough to make the outlet discreet to the onlooker.

[0057] The two outlet channel side walls 18 are configured to be sloped away from each other and spread apart with the distance between the two side walls 18 gradually increasing as the channel goes from the outlet of the electric heater 12 towards the housing outlet 10. The angle suspended between the side walls is 133. Each side wall 18 may be formed of a singular sheet of material. The side walls 18 may be attached to the housing of the heater assembly 11. Alternatively the sidewalls 18 may be attached to the base plate 7 of the outlet channel. The side walls each have a lip (not shown) for attachment by screws, welding or equivalent means to the base plate 17.

[0058] The outlet channel side walls have lips to aid in attaching to the bottom wall. The outlet channel top wall is attached to the side walls via lips on the side walls (not shown) (shown in FIG. 7 but not FIG. 5). On the side of the top wall and bottom wall both are lips where the material has been bent perpendicular to the wall. The lips have screw holes to allow the heating outlet to be screwed to brackets of the housing. In this preferred embodiment the top wall also has lips on its front edge. These lips are also to screw the outlet to the housing.

[0059] The walls of the outlet channel may help form the inlet channel, as the air flows between the housing of the heating system and the outlet channel. Air is drawn into the housing

[0060] The channel has a width of 326 mm when immediately adjacent to the heating element, and the channel may have a width of 693 mm when adjacent to the housing outlet.

[0061] The combined effect of this configuration is that the airflow goes from filling a first shape with a certain width and height as it leaves the heating element, to filling a second shape that has an increased width and a decreased height as is leaves the housing.