Electric resistance heating devices – Heating devices – Radiant heater
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-22
2001-02-13
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric resistance heating devices
Heating devices
Radiant heater
C428S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188839
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a floor heating system and method of installation and more specifically, to a system which utilizes a thermal barrier having an attached reflective material for directing heat upwards from beneath a floor heating element so as to increase the efficiency of a heating system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In heating the interiors of buildings and of building floors, several conventional heating methods have been employed, including hot water/steam and forced air heating. Generally, these heating methods require the installation of large air ducts or extensive water piping, both of which take up a considerable amount of space within a building and require careful planning for locations of vent, radiators and so forth. Vents and ducts tend to obstruct living and working areas within a building and require other components of the building (ceilings, walls, etc.) to be designed around them. Some hot water systems include piping which is embedded in a flooring or ceiling material through which warm water is circulated to heat a building. In some geographic localities, however, electrical power is cheaper than gas, and direct electric heating is desired.
Electric heating cables have been employed to heat cement slabs and the like by being positioned in a layer beneath the slabs. High limit switches have been employed adjacent the cables to sense the cable temperatures and to prevent the cables from over heating. Temperature sensors imbedded in the concrete slabs regulate the electric current supplied to the heating cable, thereby regulating room heat by controlling the temperature of the concrete where the electric heating cables are embedded. Positioning the temperature sensors in the room air space above the flooring results in prohibitively long response times.
Other systems have been proposed for positioning under stone or ceramic tile, carpet, linoleum and the like for heating the covered floor area. When used with tile, the systems are applied directly onto the substrate or subfloor. These systems suffer many deficiencies. For example, the prior art systems as discussed below are expensive to install, difficult to maintain and/or have many safety problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,213 to Rodin discloses a heated floor construction which includes a supporting structure or an existing floor construction having a number of components of sheet material, at least one electric heating cable and a device for regulation of the heat dissipation of the heating cable. The heating cable is disposed in at least one channel between the different sheet components. This reference does not disclose a system which utilizes a panel member having a reflective barrier layer for reflecting heat generated by a heating element away from the sub-floor and toward the flooring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,895 to Nishino et al. relates to a heater device used for a flow material with a heater contained therein, the heater device having an insulating sheet, a plurality of belt shaped electrodes, a plastic radiant body and an insulating layer formed on an upper surface of the radiant body layer. This reference does not disclose a system which utilizes a panel member having a reflective barrier layer for reflecting heat generated by a heating element away from the sub-floor and toward the flooring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,744 to Willner provides for an underfloor covering heating system for positioning below a floor covering a system including a heat conducting substrate within which is positioned solid conductor resistance heating wires in a serpentine manner for heating the substrate. This reference does not disclose a system which utilizes a panel member having a reflective barrier layer for reflecting heat generated by a heating element away from the sub-floor and toward the flooring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,332 to Drake discloses an electric radiant heating system having an electric resistance heating cable embedded in a cementious thermal mass for transferring thermal energy to the thermal mass when an electric current is applied to the cable. This reference does not disclose a system which utilizes a panel member having a reflective barrier layer for reflecting heat generated by a heating element away from the sub-floor and toward the flooring.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment is designed for use beneath the flooring of marble-tiled bathrooms of residential apartments or homes. When apartments in apartment buildings are built upon one another, at least one (1) or more feet of cement or under board separate the ceiling of one apartment and the floor of the apartment above it. After the foundation of the apartments have solidified, the components of the floor heating system of the present invention are disposed upon the solidified cement or under board. A panel member or thermal barrier is first placed upon the hardened cement or under board. The reflective layer may be comprised of any substance to which the reflective material may be secured. In a preferred embodiment, the panel member is a honeycombed plastic panel to which the reflective material layer is secured to. A heating element is secured on to the reflective layer and then coated with a layer of wet thin set or self-leveling cement or any type of cement product. The heating element may include a heated wire element which is unwound off a roll and disposed on the reflective material layer, or the heating element may be meshed within a web of material which is cut to match the dimensions of the floor and then disposed on top of the reflective material layer. Thereafter the reflective material layer and the heating element is coated with a layer of wet thin set or self-leveling cement. After the thin set or cement dries with the heating element embedded within, marble, limestone, ceramic, wood or other types of tiles or flooring may be laid as flooring.
Without the inclusion of a panel member and reflective surface, the heat which emanates from the heating element disposed within the layer of thin set or cement, emanates upward to heat the floor, but also disperses downward throughout the entire one or more feet of flooring cement or under board. As such, a substantial amount of heat is wasted. The inclusion of the reflective surface serves to direct the heat from the heating element upward and prevents dispersal (and hence waste) of the heat below the reflective surface. The inclusion of the panel member serves to provide an additional rigid insulative layer that is easily fit in place. The added advantage of such a rigid insulative layer is that by providing a honeycombed structure, an insulative air gap between the concrete floor and the heating element is provided.
Although the preferred embodiment is directed towards use in bathrooms, the invention is not limited in this respect, and the heating system and panel member with reflective surface of the present invention may also be installed beneath the floors or within the walls of other rooms in one's home, as well as beneath sidewalks, driveways, and loading docks among other places.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a floor heating system and a method of installation, which utilizes a thermal panel member having an attached reflective material for directing heat upwards from beneath a floor so as raise the temperature of a cold floor to a suitable temperature.
A further object of the invention is to provide a honeycombed plastic panel with a reflective material layer laminated to it upon which a heating element and a layer of wet thin set or self-leveling cement may be applied.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a reflective surface layer that reflects heat from a heating element upwards toward the flooring material thus preventing dispersal of heat below the reflective surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2512875 (1950-06-01), Reynolds
patent: 2556470 (1951-06-01), Del Mar
patent: 2634361 (1953-04-01), Reynolds
patent: 4032751 (1977-06-01), Youtsey et al.
patent: 4167598 (1979-09-01), Logan et a
Sofer & Haroun LLP
Van Quang
Walberg Teresa
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