Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with diverse-type art device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-27
2001-09-25
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with diverse-type art device
C219S527000, C219S553000, C607S100000, C607S096000, C392S435000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06294758
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a heat radiator which has a surface for contacting with the human body.
BACKGROUND ART
A heating apparatus such as heating floor, heating toilet seat, etc. has a surface for contacting with the human body. In conventional heating apparatuses having a surface for contacting with the human body, a heat source is energized to generate heat, the generated heat is transferred to an insulator covering the heat source, and the transferred heat is conducted to the surface of the insulator. Thus, the surface of the insulator, which forms a surface for contacting with the human body, is heated to an appropriate temperature. However, the infrared radiation from the heat source cannot be directly absorbed by the human body because it is completely absorbed by the insulator having large thickness.
A conventional heating apparatus, wherein the heat generated by a heat source passes to the surface of an insulator through heat transfer and heat conduction, thereby heating the human body in contact with the surface of the insulator, has a problem of not having quick heating capability because the speed of the heat passage through heat transfer and heat conduction is slow and it takes a long time before the surface of the insulator is heated to an appropriate temperature.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a heating apparatus which has a surface for contacting with the human body and is excellent in quick heating capability.
According to the present invention, there is provided a heat radiator for emitting infrared radiation to the human body, comprising a heat source energized to emit infrared radiation, whose penetration depth into the human body is to near warmth sensing points of the human body, and an insulator covering the surface of the heat source directed toward the human body, wherein the free surface of the insulator forms a surface for contacting with the human body and the thickness of the insulator is less than the penetration depth of the infrared radiation into the insulator.
In the present heat radiator, the heat source is energized to generate heat and emit infrared radiation.
The heat generated by the heat source passes to the surface of the insulator through heat transfer and heat conduction. The thickness of the insulator is less than the penetration depth of the infrared radiation into the insulator. As a result, the thickness of the insulator is small. Thus, the heat generated by the heat source quickly passes to the free surface of the insulator, thereby quickly heating the free surface of the insulator which forms the surface for contacting with the human body to an appropriate temperature.
Part of the infrared radiation from the heat source is absorbed by the insulator and converted to heat. The infrared radiation is absorbed and converted to heat at every depth point of the insulator because the thickness of the insulator is less than the penetration depth of the infrared radiation into the insulator. The heat converted from the infrared radiation passes to the free surface of the insulator through heat conduction. The heat converted from the infrared radiation quickly passes to the free surface of the insulator because the infrared radiation is absorbed and converted to heat at every depth point of the insulator and the thickness of the insulator is small. Thus, the free surface of the insulator which forms the surface for contacting with the human body is quickly heated to an appropriate temperature.
Part of the infrared radiation from the heat source passes completely through the insulator to the outside to be absorbed by the human body in contact with the free surface of the insulator because the thickness of the insulator is less than the penetration depth of the infrared radiation into the insulator. This infrared radiation is completely absorbed by the human body and converted to heat by the time it reaches the vicinity of the warmth sensing points because the penetration depth of the infrared radiation into the human body is to near the warmth sensing points. Thus, the infrared radiation quickly heats the vicinity of the warmth sensing points to an appropriate temperature.
As is clear from the above description, the heat radiator in accordance with the present invention can quickly heat the free surface of the insulator, which forms the surface for contacting with the human body, to an appropriate temperature and also directly and quickly heat the vicinity of the warmth sensing points of the human body to an appropriate temperature. Thus, the heat radiator in accordance with the present invention has a high capability of quick heating. Thus, a heating apparatus into which the heat radiator in accordance with the present invention is incorporated has a high capability of quick heating.
The insulator is preferably made of a polyester resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, etc., or styrene resin such as acrylonitrile styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, etc. These resins have higher transmittance of infrared radiation than other resins. Thus, a major part of the infrared radiation from the heat source passes through an insulator made of any one of these resins to directly heat the human body. Thus, the quick heating capability of the heat radiator is further enhanced. Polyethylene terephthalate is highly effective to enhance the quick heating capability of the heat radiator because polyethylene terephthalate has high transmittance of long-wave infrared radiation, which is easily absorbed by the human body.
The insulator preferably adheres closely to the heat source. When the insulator adheres closely to the heat source, the heat transfer coefficient between the heat source and the insulator increases and the quick heating capability of the heat radiator increases. Adherence between the heat source and the insulator is enhanced by the use of a heat generating sheet as the heat source.
The heat source is preferably a porous heat generating sheet. When a porous heat generating sheet is bonded to the insulator, adhesive agent infiltrates into the pores of the heat generating sheet. Thus, the porous heat generating sheet adheres closely to the insulator. When a porous heat generating sheet is integrally molded with the insulator, resin material forming the insulator infiltrates into the pores of the heat generating sheet. Thus, the porous heat generating sheet adheres closely to the insulator. Thus, the quick heating capability of the heat radiator increases.
The porous heat generating sheet is preferably a mixed paper of carbon fibers and natural pulp fibers. The carbon fibers are efficient infrared radiators. The mixed paper of carbon fibers and natural pulp fibers is porous and can endure exposure to a high temperature fused resin. Thus, the heat generating sheet made of mixed paper of carbon fibers and natural pulp fibers is suitable for integral molding with an insulator made of resin. The carbon fibers are preferably surrounded by void spaces. The void spaces form heat insulating layers. Thus, the temperature of carbon fibers surrounded by void spaces quickly rises after the mixed paper is energized. Thus, carbon fibers quickly emit infrared radiation after the mixed paper is energized. Thus, the quick heating capability of the heat radiator increases.
The void ratio of the mixed paper is preferably equal to or greater than 60 volume % . When the void ratio of the mixed paper is equal to or greater than 60 volume % air layers or heat insulating layers are reliably formed around the carbon fibers. Thus, the temperature rising speed of the carbon fibers increases and the time from the start of the energizing of the mixed paper to the start of the emission of the infrared radiation decreases. Thus, the quick heating capability of the heat radiator increases.
The heat radiator may be provided with a infrared reflector facing the surface of the heat source directed away from the human body. The infrared r
Hiroshi Tsuboi
Hisato Haraga
Kazunori Hiroi
Masao Shiotani
Shigeru Ando
Fastovsky Leonid M
Griffin & Szipl, P.
Toto Ltd
Walberg Teresa
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