Heating systems – Heated floor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2001-09-04
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Heating systems
Heated floor
C165S049000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283382
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heating systems, more particularly, to radiant heating systems for commercial and residential buildings.
2. The Prior Art
Radiant heating systems are alternatives to the conventional heating systems such as forced hot air, radiators, and baseboards. The typical radiant heating system consists of a boiler for heating water, a pump, a supply pipe, a flexible heating pipe embedded throughout the floor of the room to be heated, a return pipe, and a thermostat for regulating the boiler. Heated water is pumped from the boiler, through the supply pipe, the heating pipe, and the return pipe back to the boiler. These systems have several advantages over other heating systems. They provide uniform heat to the room. In other words, the source of the heat is not localized, like with a forced hot air, radiator, or baseboard system. And because of this, the heating water only has to be heated to a temperature that is a bit above the desired room temperature. For example, if the desired room temperature is 70° F., the water may only have to be heated to about 90° F., depending upon the outside temperature, as opposed to 180° for other heating systems.
There are several methods in the prior art for installing the pipe for a radiant heating system. In the method shown in
FIG. 2
, the pipe
20
is laid out on the subfloor
22
in a zigzag pattern to cover the entire room. Then concrete or other hardening underlayment
24
is poured over the pipes
20
to a depth of typically about one to two inches. After the underlayment
24
hardens, securing the pipes
20
in place, the flooring
26
is put down. As the heated water heats the underlayment
24
, the heat disperses through the underlayment
24
so that the upper surface
28
of the underlayment
24
is uniformly warm, radiating heat uniformly throughout the room.
One shortcoming of this methods is that it is time-consuming to install. The pipes
20
must be laid out by hand, with the correct or desired spacing, and secured in place, a time consuming and relatively exacting process. Then the underlayment
24
must be poured, which takes time to set. Another shortcoming is that the pipes
20
are in direct contact with the subfloor
22
, causing some heat to be conducted away from the underlayment
24
, essentially wasting some heat energy. Finally, the underlayment
24
adds a substantial amount of weight to the structure.
In the second method, shown in
FIG. 3
, wood planks
30
are laid down on the subfloor
32
, leaving gaps
34
in between. Metal, typically aluminum, brackets
36
with an inverted omega-shaped groove
40
are mounted to the planks
30
with the groove
40
within the gap
34
. The pipe
38
is snapped into the groove
40
to secure it in place. The flooring
42
is laid over the planks
30
. The omega-shaped groove
40
surrounds the pipe
38
to conduct heat into the bracket to provide greater area coverage and to at least partially uniformly disperse the heat from the pipes
38
, similarly to the underlayment
24
of FIG.
2
.
The main shortcoming of this method is that it is time-consuming to install. The planks must be placed with the correct gap, a time-consuming process. Then a large number of brackets must be secured to the planks, also a time-consuming process. Another shortcoming is that some heat is directed away from the flooring and into the subfloor. The brackets are mounted to the planks, which conduct some heat from the brackets, and the planks are mounted to the subfloor, again conducting heat from the planks and away from the flooring.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,065 and 5,579,996, issued to Fiedrich, disclose a method of modularizing the construction of the installation method of
FIG. 3
, saving much installation time. In these patents, two planks with a gap in between are attached in the underside by a spiked plate. The plank edges that form the gap are dadoed or beveled so that the pipe can be snapped into the gap and retained there. The modules (without the pipe) are nailed to the subfloor with the gaps forming the pattern for the pipe, the pipe is snapped into the gap, and the flooring is laid over the modules. Alternatively, a conductive sheet with a semi-round groove is inserted into the gap and the pipe is inserted into to the groove. The main shortcoming of this method is that the heat is not dispersed very uniformly unless the grooved conductors are used, which, like the omega-shaped brackets, are time-consuming to install. Another shortcoming is the weight of the modules. The modules are made relatively thin, limited to about ½ inch, in order to keep the weight down. This also means that the pipe inside diameter is limited to an inefficient {fraction (5/16)} inch so the pipe will fit. Also, the modules need to be kept relatively short, not longer than about five feet, otherwise they are too heavy, particularly if many of them have to be carried during the course of the day. Yet another shortcoming is that the process of manufacturing the module is time-consuming. The process has a number of steps, including cutting the wood, positioning the wood in proper relation to each other, and spiking the plate to the wood.
Thus there continues to be a need for a modularized approach to the installation of radiant heating systems that is fast, that provides uniform and efficient transfer of heat to the flooring, and that is efficient to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a heating pipe mounting plate that is a more efficient heat conductor.
Another object is to provide a heating pipe mounting plate that radiates heat relatively uniformly to the flooring.
A further object is to provide a heating pipe mounting plate that is simple to manufacture.
A further object is to provide a heating pipe mounting plate that is light in weight.
A further object is to provide a heating pipe mounting plate that is easy to install.
The present invention is mounting plate for securing the heating pipe of a radiant heat system to the subfloor. The basic plate is a flat sheet with a groove in the upper surface and a plurality of legs underneath. The preferred leg is perpendicular to the upper surface and elongated through the entire length of the plate. One advantage over the prior art is that the large air gaps between the legs act as an insulating air layer or can be filled with insulating material, raising the efficiency of the system.
The groove runs from one edge of the plate to another. The bottom of the groove is preferably semicircular, with a diameter the same as the outside diameter of the pipe. The goal is to have the groove wall make good mechanical contact with the pipe to maximum heat transfer from the pipe to the plate. The depth of the groove is preferably the same as the outside diameter of the pipe so that the pipe touches the underside of the flooring to maximize heat transfer. Optionally, a ridge running the length of the groove acts to retain the pipe in the groove so that the pipe must be snapped into the groove. Alternatively, the bottom of the groove is omega-shaped so that the pipe must be snapped into the groove.
Optionally, the plate may include a groove cap that sits on the pipe to completely surround the pipe with conductive material in order to maximum heat transfer. Alternatively, a heat-conductive potting material may be used to fill in the remainder of the space in the groove after the pipe is installed.
The present invention contemplates the use of special plates having groove paths that are not straight. For example, 90° and 180° bends for looping the heating pipes at obstacles, and other special shapes for complete solutions to small spaces, such as closets.
The plate is composed of a rigid and highly heat-conductive material. Preferred materials include highly heat-conductive metals, like aluminum, copper, and alloys thereof, or a composite designed to efficiently conduct heat. The most preferred materials are aluminum and aluminum alloys for several re
Boles Derek S.
Joyce Harold
Morse, Altman & Martin
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