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GB2450308A - Fan heater - Google Patents

Fan heater Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2450308A
GB2450308A GB0702772A GB0702772A GB2450308A GB 2450308 A GB2450308 A GB 2450308A GB 0702772 A GB0702772 A GB 0702772A GB 0702772 A GB0702772 A GB 0702772A GB 2450308 A GB2450308 A GB 2450308A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fan heater
fan
heater
switch
pir
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0702772A
Other versions
GB0702772D0 (en
Inventor
Steven Clark
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Get PLC
Original Assignee
Get PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Get PLC filed Critical Get PLC
Priority to GB0702772A priority Critical patent/GB2450308A/en
Publication of GB0702772D0 publication Critical patent/GB0702772D0/en
Publication of GB2450308A publication Critical patent/GB2450308A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24HFLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00Air heaters
    • F24H3/02Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/04Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
    • F24H3/0405Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
    • F24H3/0411Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between for domestic or space-heating systems
    • F24H3/0417Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between for domestic or space-heating systems portable or mobile
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04DNON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D25/00Pumping installations or systems
    • F04D25/02Units comprising pumps and their driving means
    • F04D25/08Units comprising pumps and their driving means the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
    • F24F11/0034
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/30Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/30Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
    • F24F11/46Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/70Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
    • F24F11/72Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
    • F24F11/74Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
    • F24F11/77Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure for controlling air flow rate or air velocity by controlling the speed of ventilators
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24HFLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00Air heaters
    • F24H3/02Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/04Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
    • F24H3/0405Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2120/00Control inputs relating to users or occupants
    • F24F2120/10Occupancy
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2120/00Control inputs relating to users or occupants
    • F24F2120/10Occupancy
    • F24F2120/14Activity of occupants

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Direct Air Heating By Heater Or Combustion Gas (AREA)

Abstract

A fan heater comprises a controller to switch the fan heater on or off, a passive infrared (PIR) detector 1 incorporated into a housing of the fan heater and being connected to the controller of the fan heater. The connecting of the PIR 1 and the fan heater controller may switch off the fan and or heating element when no movement and switch on the fan and or heating element when movement is detected by the PIR 1. A timer may be provided so that the fan and or heat element remains on for a period after the PR 1 detects movement. A thermostat and tilt switch may be provided. The speed of the fan and the heat output of the heating element may be adjustable. The PIR 1 is set to detect infrared from a human body and a sensor array of the PIR 1 may be covered by a focussing fresnel lens that detects movement between an arc of 30 to 120 degrees and up to a distance of five meters. The heating element may be ceramic heating elements or Positive Temperature Co-efficient (PTC) heating elements. A removable air filter and an electric ionizing element may be provided. The fan heater may operate in a heating or cooling mode by depressing a mode switch 5. An override switch 6 may be provided for continuous operation.

Description

A FAN HEATER
The present application relates to economic and environmental control of a device such as a fan or an air heater, and in particular to economic and environmental control of a portable integrated ceramic air fan heater of the type commonly referred to as a "spot heater".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, there exist a wide variety of fans designed for creating a flow of circulating air in a room or oilier spate. Typical fas comprise a rotating fan blade assembly powered by an electric motor, mounted within a housing assembly having a front and rear grill or cage through which air is firstly drawn in and then expelled. Upon rotation of the fan blade assembly, air is drawn into the rear of the housing through the rear grill and is forcibly propelled out of the grill on the front of the housing, thereby creating a cooling flow of air circulation within a room.
The fan system can be combined with a means to heat the air before it passes out through the front grill. A heater element can be provided which heats up the air before it passes out through the front grill. Ceramic heater elements are the most preferred type of heater elements since they are safer than traditional plain wire coil elements. Because the ceramic core is larger than the heating coils, the elements heat up quickly and are very efficient at holding temperature.
Circulating air fans that combine a heating element are of particular use in small portable fan heaters known as spot heaters. In a room, ambient heating or cooling can be provided by air conditioning or by central heating. However, in a typical room natural air convection leads to hot or cold spots which are above or below the average room temperature. In particular, in a heated room the air layers just above the floor can be quite cold as the main body of warm air rises, leading to anyone sitting at a desk or in a chair in the room having cold feet. Conversely, in a room that contains a range of office machinery, hot spots can develop which require additional cooling for the comfort of the machine operators.
The small fan heaters used will most often have a thermostat incorporated into the controls, so that when a particular set temperature is reached, the fan heater switches off. This is a useful way to reduce the costs of operating the device. However, the fans can still be left running when room occupants are not present, leading to wasted energy and added cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problems in mind, the object of the invention is to provide an improved fan heater that has reduced energy consumption.
An object of the invention is to provide a fan heater that is controlled to allow a space to be heated up or cooled more efficiently.
According to the present invention, it has now been found that a passive infrared (PIR) detector can be incorporated into the body of the fan heater to detect the presence of a person in the vicinity of the fan heater. The PIR can be linked to the controls of the fan heater to switch off the fan heater when no movement is detected in the vicinity of the fan heater. When movement is detected, the fan heater is switched back on or maintains the on cycle already running. By this means, no energy is wasted when an individual is away from the location of the fan heater. The means also ensures that the device cannot be left on accidentally for long periods when not required.
The P1R can be combined with other control elements usually present in a fan heater. For example, a thermostat can also be present to ensure the temperature is within a predefined range. A tilt switch can be provided as a safety means to ensure that if the heater is accidentally knocked over, it switches off to prevent a fire hazard. The fan speed can be set to an adjustable range by another control device. By means of one or more switches, the heating elements can be independently switched on or off, so allowing the fan heater to operate as a cooling device or as a heating device.
Prior art devices are known which use a PIR remote from the fan heater but connected through a control wire. It is surprising that a PIR can be used in close vicinity of a fan heater, in particular located in the housing of the fan heater, since it would have been thought that the heat emitted by the heating elements would negate the infrared detection system of the PIR. However, it has now been found that this is not the case, and that the heater can be used in conjunction with the PR even if the PR is mounted integrally with the fan heater.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The construction of a fan heater will be well known to those skilled in the art. Air is drawn into the body of the device through a grill on the rear or side of the housing of the device by a rotating fan that speeds up airflow. The air passes then passes out through a grill on the front of the device though a grill or through louvers, which may be adjustable to direct the flow of the air. Preferably the device may incorporate ceramic heating elements that, if switched on, will heat the air up prior to propulsion from the front of the device. The fan will incorporate a plurality of fan blades mounted on a rotatable shaft driven by an electric motor. A fan control may be provided to control the rotational speed of the motor and thus the rotational speed of the fan assembly.
The heating elements may comprise ceramic heating coils that can be heated to a considerable temperature when electrical current flows therethrough. The heating coils may, for example, comprise nichrome wire wrapped around a ceramic core. There may be multiple coils that can be switched on or off individually depending on the heat output required. The heating elements may be positioned in a frustroconical baffle to improve airflow over the elements.
In another option, Positive Temperature Co-efficient (PTC) heating elements can be provided. These are devices that have self-temperature limiting characteristics and which will not heat up over a defined structural limit. This is a useful safety and environmental control device.
An air filter can be provided at intake of the fan heater to ensure clean air is pulled into the fan heater by the fan. This can be in the form of a removable air filter pad. In another embodiment an electric ionizing element can also be provided to ensure very clean air is propelled through the front of the device.
The characteristic feature of the device is the incorporation of a Passive Infrared (PR) Motion Detector into the body housing of the fan heater to detect the preseiiee of an individual near the fan heater and thus act as an additional control as to when the heater is turned on or off. The PIR detector is preferably positioned at least two centimetres above the fan heater outlet, preferable at least ten centimetres. A PIR is a passive system that detects infrared energy given of by a person in the vicinity of the detector. The PR is sensitive to the temperature of the human body. Surprisingly, as noted, the heat generated by the fan heater when in heating mode has not been found to interfere with the operation or sensitivity of the PR.
The PIR operates by detecting a rapid change in the infrared energy detected. Thus, it will detect body movement in front of the device. The PR can be set to cycle so that if no movement is detected for, say, one minute, the device switches off and will only switch on again if movement is detected again. The cycle time can be adjusted to, for example, between thirty seconds and ten minutes, although a cycle time of between one and three minutes is preferred.
The PIR sensor may be one commercially available and known in the art. It will be set to detect infrared from the human body, usually at a wavelength of 9-10 micrometers, preferably 8-12 micrometers. When the radiation strikes the surface of the detector, a surface electric charge is generated which is amplified and used as a control current. Two or more sensing elements are required to detect movement. The sensor array will preferably be covered by a focusing device in the form of a Fresnel lens to correctly focus incoming radiation. The lens can be set to detect movement over any required angle, for example an arc varying from 30 to 120 degrees, preferably 60 to 90 degrees. The range of the detection can be set to pick up movement in a defined distance from the detector, say up to five meters, although in order to detect a user the range is preferably set to a maximum of 4 meters. Above that distance, the heat or airflow generated by the fan heater is not felt, and so any movement detection above that distance is irrelevant to the usage of the fan heater.
The PIR may be provided with a microchip that can adjust the sensor for slow and methodical temperature changes. This is of particular use in the present application, as the heater will heat up the background environment against which increased heat from the body must be detected.
The operation of a fan heater in accordance with the present invention will be described with particular reference to: Figure 1, which represents a view from in front and above a fan heater according to the present invention.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In Figure 1 a spot fan heater is shown, of approximate height 40 centimetres. A PIR sensor I is shown, positioned five centimetres above the top level of the air outlet 2. A main on/off switch 3 is provided along with a secondary on/off switch 4. The device is connected to a mains electricity supply through a power cord (not shown). The on/off 3 SWLU.dI I U9JICSSCU LU LIIV 011 PUSILIOU. Ilic SVL,UIIU 011/Oil SWILLII IS ucpissvu UJI LU confinn operation of the device and the fan inside the device switches on, pulling air in through the rear intake and propelling it out of the front outlet 2. If the mode switch 5 is then pressed, the heater element positioned behind the outlet 2 is switched on and warm air is propelled through the outlet 2 of the fan heater. Other switches not shown can be provided to increase the heat output by controlling the power of the ceramic heating elements, or how many are switched on at any one time.
The device can be operated using the PIR sensor 1 to turn the power on or off according to motion detected by the PIR sensor, or the sensor can be overridden to a fully continuous mode. This can be achieved by depressing switch 6.
If the device is switched to sensor-operated mode, the circuit to the PIR sensor 1 is connected. The device will operate for a defined period, say one minute, and during this time the P[R ascertains any body movement in the detection range and arc. If no body movement is detected over the one-minute period, the device switches off. If movement is detected, such as leg movement, the device remains on for another defined period, say six minutes. At the end of this period, the PIR is again monitored to detect movement during the defined one-minute period. If movement is detected in this one-minute period, the device remains on. If no movement is detected, the device switches off.
When the device switches off, both the fan and the heater (if in operation) are switched off.
Effectively the device goes into standby mode.
It will be understood that the fan heater can be used simply as a cooling fan, and again the sensor-operated mode can be used to switch the fan on or off even if the heater element is not in use.
The device can be used with other switch devices such as, but not limited to, thermostats and tilt switches.
It can be understood that the device according to the present invention will save on electricity usage if no body movement is detected by the PIR. This is a very cost effective mode of operation.

Claims (12)

1. A fan heater comprising a control to switch the fan heater on or off, wherein said fan heater further comprises a passive infrared (PIR) detector incorporated into the housing of the fan heater, said PR being connected to the fan heater control.
2. A fan heater as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the PR is connected to the fan heater control to switch off the fan andlor heating element of the fan heater when no movement is detected by the PR.
3. A fan heater as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the PR is linked to the controls of the fan heater to switch on the fan andlor heating element of the fan heater when movement is detected by the PR.
4. A fan heater as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the control is connected to a timer such that the fan and/or heating element remains on for a definable period after the PR detects movement.
5. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a thermostat.
6. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a tilt switch.
7. A fan heater as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims wherein the fan heater further comprises means to adjust the speed of a fan within the fan heater.
8. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the fan heater further comprises means to adjust the heat output of heating elements within the fan heater.
9. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the PR detector is positioned between 0.02 and 0.1 meters above the air outlet of the fan heater.
10. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the PR is set to detect infrared from the human body.
11. A fan heater as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sensor array of the PER is covered by a focussing device in the form of a fresnel lens.
12. A fan heater substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figure.
GB0702772A 2007-02-13 2007-02-13 Fan heater Withdrawn GB2450308A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0702772A GB2450308A (en) 2007-02-13 2007-02-13 Fan heater

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0702772A GB2450308A (en) 2007-02-13 2007-02-13 Fan heater

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0702772D0 GB0702772D0 (en) 2007-03-21
GB2450308A true GB2450308A (en) 2008-12-24

Family

ID=37899239

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0702772A Withdrawn GB2450308A (en) 2007-02-13 2007-02-13 Fan heater

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2450308A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3073931A1 (en) * 2017-11-17 2019-05-24 Thermor ELECTRICAL HEATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A MEANS FOR DETECTING NON-VISIBLE PRESENCE BY THE USER
FR3107109A1 (en) * 2020-02-07 2021-08-13 Texas De France Electric heater equipped with a motion detection device and operating method of an electric heater

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN118623476B (en) * 2024-08-09 2024-10-18 山东国辰实业集团热能装备有限公司 Multi-channel composite air heater

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2136291A (en) * 1983-02-21 1984-09-19 Smiths Industries Plc Warm air drying apparatus
JPH02192542A (en) * 1989-01-18 1990-07-30 Matsushita Seiko Co Ltd Electrical air heater
US5373580A (en) * 1993-12-16 1994-12-13 Shao; Steve Structure of cooler-heater fan
US5857906A (en) * 1996-05-22 1999-01-12 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Methods and apparatus for controlling the direction and flow rate of air discharged from an air conditioner
JPH11257753A (en) * 1998-03-09 1999-09-24 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Fan heater
JP2005315499A (en) * 2004-04-28 2005-11-10 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heating device and air conditioner using the same
WO2006084093A2 (en) * 2005-02-04 2006-08-10 George Kent J Static electricity eliminator

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2136291A (en) * 1983-02-21 1984-09-19 Smiths Industries Plc Warm air drying apparatus
JPH02192542A (en) * 1989-01-18 1990-07-30 Matsushita Seiko Co Ltd Electrical air heater
US5373580A (en) * 1993-12-16 1994-12-13 Shao; Steve Structure of cooler-heater fan
US5857906A (en) * 1996-05-22 1999-01-12 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Methods and apparatus for controlling the direction and flow rate of air discharged from an air conditioner
JPH11257753A (en) * 1998-03-09 1999-09-24 Osaka Gas Co Ltd Fan heater
JP2005315499A (en) * 2004-04-28 2005-11-10 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Heating device and air conditioner using the same
WO2006084093A2 (en) * 2005-02-04 2006-08-10 George Kent J Static electricity eliminator

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3073931A1 (en) * 2017-11-17 2019-05-24 Thermor ELECTRICAL HEATING APPARATUS COMPRISING A MEANS FOR DETECTING NON-VISIBLE PRESENCE BY THE USER
FR3107109A1 (en) * 2020-02-07 2021-08-13 Texas De France Electric heater equipped with a motion detection device and operating method of an electric heater

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0702772D0 (en) 2007-03-21

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