An infrared, room heater system for installation in a wall or on a floor. An electric fan assembly draws room air into a housing, then through three parallel, air transit channels where the air is heated by infrared radiation within and about a heat exchanger assembly, and then back out into the roo
An infrared, room heater system for installation in a wall or on a floor. An electric fan assembly draws room air into a housing, then through three parallel, air transit channels where the air is heated by infrared radiation within and about a heat exchanger assembly, and then back out into the room. One or more ceramic heating elements attached to a first copper plate emit infrared radiation when electrically energized. The first copper plate lies adjacent to, but spaced away from, a second copper plate such that radiation emitted from the heating elements reflects back and forth between the plates. Room air passed between the copper plates is heated by heat radiation concentrated between the plates, thereby achieving both energy and space efficiency.
대표청구항▼
1. An electrically-powered, infrared room air heater system installable within a wall of a building, comprising: a housing, said housing having a pair of laterally spaced-apart sidewalls that each extend vertically from a bottom end to a top end, laterally disposed bottom and top cross members that
1. An electrically-powered, infrared room air heater system installable within a wall of a building, comprising: a housing, said housing having a pair of laterally spaced-apart sidewalls that each extend vertically from a bottom end to a top end, laterally disposed bottom and top cross members that join said bottom and top ends, respectively, and a laterally disposed power supply isolation wall that joins said sidewalls intermediate the bottom and top cross members, said sidewalls, laterally disposed power supply isolation wall, and top and bottom cross members having rear edges and opposite front edges, a housing rear panel to which the rear edges of the side walls, laterally disposed isolation wall and bottom and top cross members are attached, and a front panel mountable to a midportion of the front edges of the sidewalls intermediate the bottom and top ends thereof, thereby defining an interior space of the housing, said interior space having an upper open front and a lower open front above and below said front panel, respectively;a heat exchanger assembly removably insertable through the lower open front into said interior space and attachable to a lower portion of said housing, said assembly including a pair of laterally spaced-apart side panels having rear edges and opposite front edges;a rear heat exchanger panel that joins said side panels near the rear edges thereof, said panel having a rear surface and an opposite front surface;a first copper plate attached to the front surface of the rear heat exchanger panel and substantially covering the front surface thereof in front-to-rear spaced relation;one or more ceramic heater elements, each element including a ceramic body and an electrically-resistive conductor encased within said ceramic body, said conductor having opposite ends and each said end being attached to a heater element electrical wire lead, said element emitting infrared radiation whenever sufficient electric current passes through said conductor;a second copper plate spaced forwardly from and substantially parallel to the first copper plate such that air can flow between the first and second copper plates;means for mounting the second copper plate to the heat exchanger assembly; andmeans for mounting each ceramic heater element to a front surface of the first copper plate;first heat insulating means interposed between the side panels of the heat exchanger assembly and the sidewalls of the housing;second heat insulating means disposed to impede the flow of heat through the isolation wall;third heat insulating means interposed between the first copper plate and the rear heat exchanger panel;fourth heat insulating means disposed to impede the flow of heat from the second copper plate to the housing;a fan assembly attached to the housing, said assembly including at least one electric fan, said assembly being disposed to draw room air into the interior space of the housing and thence to force the air toward and through the heat exchanger assembly and thence back out into the room; and means for electrically powering the system when room temperature falls below a user-selected room temperature setting, said means disposed within an interior space of the housing between the bottom cross member and the laterally disposed isolation wall. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more ceramic heater elements comprise an upstream ceramic heater element and a downstream ceramic heater element. 3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an air inlet grate mountable to the front edges of the sidewalls of an upper portion of the housing and adapted to permit room air to be drawn therethrough into the interior space of the housing. 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an air outlet grate mountable to the front edges of the sidewalls of a lower portion of the housing. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the resistive conductor of each heating element is sinuously encased within ceramic, and the ceramic encasement has a front-to-rear thickness less than or equal to 0.5 inch (1.27 cm). 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system has an upstream heater element attached to a front surface of an upper portion of the first copper plate and a downstream heater element attached to a front surface of a lower portion of the first copper plate. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first heat insulating means includes a pair of oppositely-directed, insulating panels having front, rear and top spacer flanges, one of each panel being attached to a lower, interior surface of a sidewall of the housing; andinsulation blankets inserted between said panels and said interior surfaces of the sidewalls of the housing. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the laterally disposed isolation wall has a hollow interior space and the second heat insulation means includes an insulation blanket within said interior space. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the third heat insulating means interposed between the first copper plate and the rear heat exchanger panel includes an insulation blanket. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for mounting the second copper plate to the heat exchanger assembly includes a closed, hollow unit comprised of a channel and a coextensive, matching rear panel, said channel extending laterally between the side panels of the heat exchanger assembly and attached thereto, said second copper plate being attached the rear panel of said unit, and the fourth heat insulating means includes blanket insulation disposed within said unit. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the width and depth of the housing are adapted for installation into a standard wall of a room having wall studs spaced 16 inches (40.6 cm) on center apart and depth 3½ inches (8.9 cm). 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for electrically powering the system includes a thermostat for sensing room temperature, said thermostat providing a closed circuit through the thermostat when room temperature is below a user-selected room temperature setting and an open circuit when room temperature exceeds said setting;a solid state relay, said relay having direct current input terminals for connection to a first direct current source in order to energize the relay and having alternating current output terminals for connection to an alternating current power source such that the relay, when energized, provides a conductive path for said alternating current power source;a high temperature limit sensor switch attached to the heat exchanger assembly; said switch being closed when the sensed temperature of the heat exchanger assembly is below a predetermined high temperature limit and open when said temperature exceeds said limit;a low temperature limit sensor switch attached to the heat exchanger assembly, said switch being open when the sensed temperature of the heat exchanger assembly is below a predetermined temperature limit and closed when said temperature exceeds said limit;a first direct current circuit for receiving, and converting to a first rectified, direct current, the alternating current inputted to said means, and feeding said first rectified, direct current through said thermostat to the direct current input terminals of the relay;a second direct current circuit for receiving, and converting to a second rectified, direct current, the alternating current inputted to said means, and for feeding said second rectified, direct current through at least one fan within the fan assembly, said second direct current circuit being wired in parallel to the alternating current output terminals of said relay and thereby electrically energized only when the relay is energized; andan alternating current circuit wired in series with the alternating current output terminals of the relay, in series with the high temperature limit sensor switch, and in series with the resistive conductors of the upstream and downstream ceramic heater elements. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an electrostatic replacement mesh filter interposed between the air inlet grate and the fan assembly. 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the top cross member has an air inlet opening, and further comprising: an air purifier, said air purifier dimensioned to fit within a standard room wall having depth 3½ inches (8.9 cm) and 16 inch (40.6 cm) or more on center wall studs, said air purifier including a second air inlet grate through which room air can enter into interior space of the air purifier;and means for air filtration and purification within said interior space; anda plenum that joins an upper end portion of the system to a lower end portion of the air purifier, such that the interior space of the purifier communicates with the interior space of the system; whereby, the fans, when energized, draw room air through the second inlet grate into the interior space of the air purifier, through the means for air filtration and purification, through the air inlet opening, and forces said air through the heat exchanger assembly and back out into the room as heated, purified air. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the low temperature limit is in the range 22° C. to 50° C. and the high temperature limit is in the range 76° C. to 106° C. 16. The system of any of claims 1-15, wherein the infrared radiation has a wavelength in the range 5-14 micron. 17. An electrically-powered, infrared room air heater for heating the air of a room, comprising: a substantially closed housing that defines an interior space, said housing having an air inlet cutout to permit room air to enter the housing, an air outlet cutout to permit air within the interior space to exit the housing and return to the room, a heat exchanger access cutout, and horizontal, vertically spaced-apart upper and lower tracks;a heat exchanger assembly insertable into, and removable from, the interior space of the housing through the heat exchanger access cutout and between the upper and lower tracks and in vertically spaced relation to said tracks, said assembly including vertically spaced-apart upper and lower panels joined by laterally spaced apart sidewalls;first heat insulating means attached to a lower surface of the upper panel and attached to an upper surface of the lower panel;a first copper plate mounted to the assembly adjacent to the first insulating means of the upper panel, but vertically spaced away therefrom;a second copper plate mounted to the assembly adjacent to the heat insulating means of the lower panel, but vertically spaced away therefrom;one or more ceramic heater elements, each element including a ceramic body and an electrically-resistive conductor encased within said ceramic body, said conductor having opposite ends and each said end being attached to a heater element electrical wire lead, said element emitting infrared radiation whenever sufficient electric current passes through said conductor; andmeans for attaching each heater element to a lower surface of the copper plate;a fan assembly attached to the housing, said assembly including at least one electric fan, said assembly disposed to draw room air into an upper portion of the interior space of the housing and thence to force the air toward, through and around the heat exchanger assembly and back out into the room; andmeans for electrically powering the system when room temperature falls below a user-selected room temperature setting, said means being disposed above the upper track;means to thermally insulate the means for electrically powering the system from heat generated by the heat exchanger assembly, said means including means to direct a flow of air, prior to the passage of said air through the heat exchanger assembly, through a fourth air transit channel defined by the space between the lower track and the lower panel and through a fifth air transit channel defined by the space between the upper panel and the upper track. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more ceramic heater elements comprise an upstream ceramic heater element and a downstream ceramic heater element. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for electrically powering the system includes a thermostat for sensing room temperature, said thermostat providing a closed, electrically conductive path through the thermostat when room temperature is below a user-selectable room temperature setting and an open, electrically nonconductive path when room temperature exceeds said setting;a solid state relay, said relay having direct current input terminals for connection to a first direct current source in order to energize the relay and having alternating current output terminals for connection to an alternating current power source, such that the relay, when energized, provides a conductive path for said alternating current power source;a high temperature limit sensor switch attached to the heat exchanger assembly, said switch being closed when the sensed temperature of the heat exchanger assembly is below a predetermined high temperature limit and open when said temperature exceeds said limit;a low temperature limit sensor switch attached to the heat exchanger assembly, said switch being open when the sensed temperature of the heat exchanger assembly is below a predetermined a predetermined low temperature limit and closed when said temperature exceeds said limit;a first direct current circuit for receiving, and converting to a first rectified, direct current, the alternating current inputted to said means, feeding said first rectified, direct current through said thermostat to the direct current input terminals of the relay, and feeding said first rectified direct current through the low temperature limit sensor switch and through at least one fan of the fan assembly wired in series with the low temperature limit sensor switch;a second direct current circuit for receiving, and converting to a second rectified, direct current, the alternating current inputted to said means, and for feeding said second rectified, direct current through at least one fan within the fan assembly, said second direct current circuit being wired in parallel to the alternating current output terminals of said relay and thereby electrically energized only when the relay is energized; andan alternating current circuit wired in series with the alternating current output terminals of the relay and in series with the high temperature limit sensor switch, and further in series with the resistive conductors of the upstream and downstream ceramic heater elements. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an air inlet grate mountable over the air inlet cutout of the housing. 21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an air outlet grate mountable over the air outlet cutout of the housing. 22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an electrostatic mesh filter interposed between the air inlet grate and the fan assembly. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the resistive conductor of each heating element is sinuously encased within ceramic, and the ceramic encasement has a front-to-rear thickness less than or equal to 0.5 inch (1.27 cm). 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising caster wheels attached to the housing to facilitate movement of the system across a room floor surface. 25. The system of any of claims 17-24, wherein the infrared radiation emitted within the heat exchanger assembly has a wavelength in the range 5-14 micron. 26. A method for heating the air of a room, comprising the steps of: (a) drawing room air into a substantially closed interior space of a heater system that includes a housing, wherein said housing has first and second, spaced-apart sidewalls and contains means for electrically powering the system and a heat exchanger assembly that emits infrared radiation whenever sufficient electric current from the means for electrically powering the system passes through a resistive conductor encased within one or more ceramic heating elements attached to a first copper plate;(b) thence forcing the air within said interior space through parallel first, second, and third air transit channels, wherein (1) the first copper plate, mounted to the heat exchanger assembly, is disposed adjacent to, but spaced apart from, a first heat insulating means attached to a horizontal, upper panel of said assembly, and the first air transit channel is disposed between the first copper plate and said first insulating means;(2) a second copper plate, mounted to the heat exchanger assembly, is disposed opposite said ceramic heating elements and adjacent to, but spaced apart from, a first heat insulating means attached to a horizontal lower panel of the heat exchanger, and the second air transit channel is disposed between the second copper plate and said first insulating means; and(3) the third air transit channel is defined by the space between the first and second copper plates; and(c) thence forcing the air that has passed through the first, second and third air transit channels back out into the room; whereby the air that flows through the first and second air transit channels cools the housing, the air that flows through all three air transit channels is heated by infrared radiation, and the air that is forced back out into, the room heats the room. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the system has at least one fan powered by the means for electrically powering the system that draws room air into the interior of the housing, and forces the air to flow through the first, second and third air transit channels and back out into the room. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more ceramic heating elements comprise an upstream ceramic heating element and a downstream ceramic heating element. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the housing has an air inlet cutout and an air inlet grate mounted over the air inlet cutout, and further comprising, prior to step (a), the step of drawing the room air through said grate. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the housing has an air outlet cutout and air outlet grate mounted over the air outlet cutout, and in step (c) the air passes through the air outlet grate on its way back out into the room. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein an electrostatic replacement mesh filter is interposed between the air inlet grate and the fan assembly. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the resistive conductor of each heating element is sinuously encased within ceramic, and the ceramic encasement has a front-to-rear thickness less than or equal to 0.5 inch (1.27 cm). 33. The system of any of claims 32, wherein the infrared radiation emitted within the heat exchanger assembly has a wavelength in the range 5-14 micron.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Mutchler Paul A. (University City MO), Air heating apparatus and method.
Casier Yves (Ermont FRX) Cassagne Philippe (Paris FRX) Dore Bernard (Saint Denis FRX) Gicquel Sylvain (Saint Denis FRX), Method of heating any building or room and apparatus for carrying out the said method.
Deevi Seetharama C. (Midlothian VA) Hayes Patrick H. (Chester VA) Laroy Bernard C. (Richmond VA) Miser Donald E. (Midlothian VA) Stevens William H. (Midlothian VA), Method of manufacturing an electrical heater.
Junkel Eric F. (2001 S. Webster La. Des Plaines IL 60018), Over-heat protection for a portable space heater with thermally insulated thermostat mounted above slot cut in reflector.
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