Heating systems – Heated floor
Patent
1996-12-04
1998-08-04
Bennett, Henry A.
Heating systems
Heated floor
165 56, F24D 510
Patent
active
057881529
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hydronic or electric radiant panel heating or cooling systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art in the concept of heating a space by heating the floor surface within the space goes back as far as the Roman Empire. Hydronic floor panel heating systems currently in use employ metal or plastic tubing embedded in a concrete slab or tubing with aluminum plates attached through various means. There are systems (for example, as distributed by the Wirsbo Company of Apple Valley, Minn.) where, after a floor is constructed, the aluminum plates are attached underneath the plywood subfloor, between the floor joists. There have been systems were the aluminum plates and tubing are supported by light framing (see for example Shiroki, U.S. Pat No. 4,865,120), grooved foam plastic sheets or grooved plywood (for example as distributed by Lagerstedt and Krantz AB of Sweden) placed above the subfloor and covered by an additional sheet of nailable material. There have been some foam plastic systems (for example as distributed by Wirsbo AB of Sweden) and some tile systems (See for example German patent number DE3411339A1 and Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,037,746) that utilize modular groove geometry to facilitate the layout of the arrays of tubing.
There have been a number of systems that are comprised of individual panels which contain tubing already embedded in the panels and which are then joined together to create a larger radiant panel array (see for example Rapp, U.S. Pat No. 2,681,796 and Japanese patent numbers 57-108531, 59-158919, 59-95321, 59-225228) which is placed upon a previously constructed subfloor system.
There is no evidence of systems where there is a combination of a structural subfloor panel, with a top surface comprised of a heat conductive sheet embossed with grooves laid out in a modular geometry, which implements the full range of features described herein. It is this unique combination of elements into a system which greatly simplifies the installation of radiant panel heating that distinguishes the present invention from the prior art.
All radiant panel heating systems have tended to provide superior comfort among other benefits and yet current systems have had mixed acceptance in part because of:
(A) Excessive Cost. Prior systems typically involve highly customized designs to fit each building design and as a result are largely site built. They often require additional structural design and cost due to the weight of the panels. Their installation is labor intensive and is accomplished by specialists. These systems disrupt the timing of the construction process and often interfere with the easy installation of finish floor materials.
(B) Reliability. In most current systems the tubing is concealed from the installers of finish floor materials and it is not unusual for a tube to be damaged by a fastener during this process. During a remodel, relocating interior walls also poses a great risk of tubing damage. When tubes are damaged the location of the damage may not be readily detected and the repairs often require substantial dismantling of the floor panels.
(C) Response time. Because of high thermal mass and/or high thermal resistance, current systems are typically slow to respond to changing heating loads with response times measured in hours or days.
OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly the objectives of this invention are to provide for:
(1) A modular geometry, subfloor system, installed using conventional construction methods, timing and skills, which in one step provides a structural subfloor and the basis of a heating system.
(2) Reduced dead weight for a radiant panel heating system which will reduce lateral and vertical loading of a building's structural systems.
(3) A system which allows for and therefore is largely independent of wall placement and application of finish floor materials, is not easily damaged either during the primary construction or any subsequent remodeling phase and which is more readily
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Bennett Henry A.
Boles Derek S.
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