COMPACT COMBINATION INFRA-RED HEATING AND VENTILATING UNIT

• US 3,692,977 A
• Filed: 12/23/1970
• Issued: 09/19/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miami-Carey Corporation
• Original Assignee: James E. Hutten, Ronald E. Duhamel
• Inventors: Duhamel, Ronald E., Hutten, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beha, Jr., William H.
• Application Number:
  US05/100,868
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 219/220,342,343,347,350,351,352,354,357,361,366,367,368,377,370 250/88,89 237/46 98/42,43 240/2R,2V,47,78H,78HA
• US Class Current: 392/347
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0411 for domestic or space-heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0033 Heating devices using lamps

Abstract

A compact, combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit for bathrooms and the like. The unit is divided into an upper compartment containing all the electrical components, and a lower compartment containing the infra-red lamps. The bulk-head dividing the said compartments is provided with an aperture for the flow of air to the ventilating fan in the upper compartment, and the aperture is shielded from back radiation from the infrared lamps. The interior of the lower compartment and the shields are provided with heat reflective surfaces. A cover plate is provided which has apertures larger than the outside diameter of the lamps to provide for air flow, and the apertures in the cover plate have contoured edges to reflect peripheral radiation into the room. The upper compartment contains a motor and fan and all the electrical wiring, and is adapted to be connected to a duct for venting to atmosphere. A gravity actuated damper is arranged in the vent opening such that when the fan is not operating, it still permits passage of hot air by convection.

Claims

1. A compact, combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit, including an electric motor driven ventilating fan, a discharge orifice and means for attachment to an exhaust duct, and at least two infra-red radiant heat lamps, all contained in a sheet metal housing having a top and sides, and being open at the bottom;

said discharge orifice having a gravity actuated flat damper plate covering said orifice when said fan is not operating and discharging air therethrough, said damper plate being hinged at the top edge and offset by a fixed distance from the face of said orifice to provide open spaces at the edges of said orifice through which superheated air inside the housing can escape into the exhaust duct when said ventilating fan is not operating, the total area of said spaces being in the range of about 25 percent to about 50 percent of the area of said discharge orifice, whereby heat build-up within said housing is minimized.

2. A prefabricated combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit, including an electric motor driven ventilating fan, a discharge orifice and means for attachment to an exhaust duct, and at least two infra-red radiant heat lamps, all contained in a sheet metal housing having a top and sides, and being open at the bottom;

said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring for the heat lamps and motor being disposed in the upper portion of said housing, and said heat lamps being disposed in the lower portion of said housing with their heat-radiating faces directed downwardly, and means behind the bases of said lamps provided with a highly heat-reflective surface finish to reflect the back radiation of said lamps outwardly and downwardly away from said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring of the motor and heat lamps, said unit also having a sheet metal cover panel for the open bottom of said housing, said panel having an aperture for each of said heat lamps, each of said apertures being larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the respective heat lamp faces to permit passage of air to said fan, the edges of said lamp apertures being provided with an annular downward and outward flare to provide a heat-reflective contoured surface from which peripheral lateral heat radiation from said lamps is reflected outwardly from said unit.

3. A prefabricated combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit, including an electric motor driven ventilating fan, a discharge orifice and means for attachment to an exhaust duct, and at least two infra-red radiant heat lamps, all contained in a sheet metal housing having a top and sides, and being open at the bottom;

a bulkhead dividing said housing inTo upper and lower compartments, an aperture in said bulkhead for the passage of air, said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring for the heat lamps and motor being disposed in said upper compartment, and said heat lamps being disposed in said lower compartment with their heat-radiating faces directed downwardly, a sheet metal shield in front of said aperture, and sheet metal vanes adjacent said aperture between said aperture and said heat lamps, said bulkhead, shield and vanes in combination with the top and upper sides of said housing constituting a heat-protected upper compartment for said motor and electrical wiring;

said discharge orifice being provided with a gravity actuated flat damper plate covering said orifice when said fan is not operating and discharging air therethrough, said damper plate being hinged at the top edge and offset by a fixed distance from the face of said orifice to provide open spaces at the edges of said orifice through which superheated air inside the housing can escape into the exhaust duct when said ventilating fan is not operating, the total area of said spaces being in the range of about 25 percent to about 50 percent of the area of said discharge orifice, whereby heat build-up within said housing is minimized when said heat lamps are energized but said ventilating fan is not operating.

4. A prefabricated combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit, including an electric motor driven ventilating fan, a discharge orifice and means for attachment to an exhaust duct, and at least two infra-red radiant heat lamps, all contained in a sheet metal housing having a top and sides, and being open at the bottom;

said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring for the heat lamps and motor being disposed in the upper portion of said housing, and said heat lamps being disposed in the lower portion of said housing with their heat-radiating faces directed downwardly, and means behind the bases of said lamps provided with a highly heat-reflective surface finish to reflect the back radiation from said lamps outwardly and downwardly away from said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring of the motor and heat lamps;

said discharge orifice being provided with a gravity actuated flat damper plate covering said orifice when said fan is not operating and discharging air therethrough, said damper plate being hinged at the top edge and offset by a fixed distance from the face of said orifice to provide open spaces at the edges of said orifice through which superheated air inside the housing can escape into the exhaust duct when said fan is not operating, the total area of said spaces being in the range of about 25 percent to about 50 percent of the area of said discharge orifice, whereby heat build-up within said housing is minimized when said heat lamps are energized but said ventilating fan is not operating.

5. A prefabricated combination infra-red heating and ventilating unit for ceiling recessed installation, including an electric motor driven ventilating fan, a discharge orifice and means for attachment to an exhaust duct, and at least two infra-red radiant heat lamps, all contained in a sheet metal housing having a top and sides, and being open at the bottom;

a bulkhead dividing said housing into upper and lower compartments, an aperture in said bulkhead for the passage of air, said fan, motor, and the electrical wiring for the heat lamps and motor being disposed in said upper compartment, and said heat lamps being disposed in said lower compartment with their heat-radiating faces directed downwardly, a sheet metal shield in front of said aperture, and sheet metal vanes adjacent said aperture between said aperture and said heat lamps, said bulkhead, shield and vanes in combination with the top and upper sides of said housing constituting a heat-protected upper compartment for said motor and electrical wiring, whereby excessive heat build-up within said unit, when said heat lamps are energized but said ventilating fan is not operating, is prevenTed, all interior surfaces of said lower compartment, including said bulkhead, shield and vanes, being provided with a highly heat-reflective surface finish, whereby radiant heat from the bodies of said heat lamps is reflected outwardly and downwardly away from said upper compartment, said discharge orifice being provided with a gravity actuated flat damper plate covering said orifice when said fan is not operating and discharging air therethrough, said damper plate being hinged at the top edge and offset by a fixed distance from the face of said orifice to provide open spaces at the edges of said orifice through which superheated air inside the housing can escape into the exhaust duct when said ventilating fan is not operating, the total area of said spaces being in the range of about 25 percent to about 50 percent of the area of said discharge orifice, whereby heat build-up within said housing is minimized.

6. The structure of claim 5 having two 250 watt, 120 volt heat lamps, vertically adjustable mounting brackets, a 120 volt, 1550 RPM motor and fan having a rated air delivery of 60 CFm, a spring held, laterally adjustable cover panel, and having electric circuitry for the lamps and motor to provide selective operation of the fan and lamps independently or conjointly.