AU2014277832B2

AU2014277832B2 - Fan heater

Info

Publication number: AU2014277832B2
Application number: AU2014277832A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dennis Galvin
Original assignee: Legrand Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Legrand Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-12-23
Filing date: 2014-12-19
Publication date: 2019-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-19
Also published as: AU2014277832A1

Abstract

A fan heater unit comprising a fan and an electric heater, the fan being selectively connected between an ON and OFF 5 position. The unit is configured such that when the fan is connected in the OFF position it becomes activated upon activation of the electric heater at a lower speed compared with when it is connected in the ON position. U) 0Cp Si-L co

Description

FAN HEATER

The present invention relates to a fan heater.

Heat light units are well known and used in many buildings to provide heat to surrounding areas. Typically, heat lights include a bulb of around 300 watts to heat the surrounding area. The significant amount of heat generated by the bulbs requires careful management in order that the unit does not overheat and become dangerous .

Several commercial heat light units incorporate fans to help ventilation and cooling. Often the fans are connected separately from the heat lights. One problem is that while people appreciate the benefit of the fans they find these generally noisy and drafty and, in many cases do not actually use the fan with the heat light. This creates a potentially dangerous situation where the unit is not ventilated and can overheat.

Other options for heat management around heat lamps include heat sink units but these introduce excess weight and complicated design considerations.

Embodiments of the present invention address the problems of the prior art.

Summary

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a fan heater unit comprising an extractor fan and an electric heater, the fan being selectively connected between an ON and OFF position. The unit is configured such that when the fan is connected in the OFF position it becomes activated upon activation of the heater at a lower speed compared with when it is connected

11691312_1 (GHMatters) P90934.AU.1 in the ON position. The extractor fan is connected to a primary power circuit when connected in the ON position and is connected to a secondary power circuit when connected in the OFF position, and the secondary power circuit provides reduced power compared with the primary power circuit.

In further embodiments, the secondary power circuit includes a capacitor, the capacitor being connected between the fan and the primary power circuit via the heater when the heater is active.

In further embodiments, the secondary power circuit provides reduced power compared with the primary power circuit.

In further embodiments, the capacitor is 1.5 micro Farad.

In further embodiments, the second electric heater has an activation switch being selectively connected between an ON and OFF position, wherein the switch is activated upon activation of the heater.

In further embodiments the fan heater unit is a ceiling mountable fan heater unit.

Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fan light heater Figure 2 is an electrical wiring diagram showing electrical connections to the components within the fan light heater.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

11691312_1 (GHMatters) P90934.AU.1

Referring to the figures, figure 1 shows a fan light heater unit. The unit is designed to be fitted to the ceiling or wall of a building. The unit includes a decorative front plate 60 protruding from the wall or ceiling. Typical dimensions of the front plate of the unit are 500mm x 500mm.

The unit includes a primary heat light 20 and secondary heat light 30. The secondary heat light may only be activated in combination with the primary heat light. The primary heat light may be activated independently. The heat lights are 270 watt light bulbs.

The heat light bulbs and lights are positioned within ventilation apertures 25, 35, 45 which are connected to an extractor fan 30. The unit is ventilated through the light bulb apertures 25, 35 to allow the exhaust fan to extract through the front plate of the unit. The extractor fan is connected to an air outlet (not shown) when fitted.

The extractor fan 50, 100 watt bulb 40 and heat lamps 20, 30 have separate power switches, enabling a user to select which combination of the fan, light and heat lights is active at any time.

Figure 2 shows an electrical wiring diagram for the fan heater unit of figure 1. The figure shows switching configurations for the primary heat lamp 20, secondary heat lamp 30, 100 watt light bulb 40 and extractor fan 50. Each of these components is switchable between an ON and OFF position. In the ON position, the switch is connected between the common (c) connection and first contact (1). In the OFF position, the switch is connected between the common (c) and the second contact (2).

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The system includes a live loop 100 connected to the common (c) contact of the primary heater 20, common contact of the 100 watt light 40 and the ON contact (1) of extractor fan 50.

The system also includes a secondary power loop 200 connected to the ON contact of the primary heater 20, the OFF contact of fan 50 and the common contact of secondary heater 30. The secondary power loop is activated via activation of the primary heater. When primary heater 20 is switched ON the secondary power loop 200 is made live by connection to the main power loop 100 via switch 20 of the primary heater between the common (c) and the ON (1) connections .

As mentioned above, activation of secondary power loop 200 makes the common contact of secondary heater 30 live. The secondary heater 30 can then be activated by connecting common contact (c) to active contact (1). The secondary heater 2 is deactivated by switching connection to OFF position 2. When primary heater is positioned in the OFF position 2, the secondary power loop 200 is not active and secondary heater 30 cannot be activated, regardless of the position of its switch since common connection is not live .

Extractor fan 50 is switchably connected between the primary power circuit 100 when the switch is connected between the first and common contacts (ON position) and the secondary power circuit 200 when the switch is connected between the second and common contacts (OFF position).

When the fan is in the ON position the fan is directly connected to the mains power loop 100. In the ON position, the fan is activated independently of all other

11691312_1 (GHMatters) P90934.AU.1 components in the unit and is powered by the primary power circuit. In the ON position the fan runs at full speed.

When extractor fan 50 is switched into the OFF position, the fan is connected to the secondary power loop 200. As discussed above, secondary power loop 200 is activated via the primary heat lamp 20. The secondary loop includes capacitor 210 between the fan OFF connection and the primary heater. Capacitor 210 is connected directly within loop 200. Capacitor 210 is charged when the primary heater is switched in the ON position and the secondary power loop is live since it is brought into the power loop. The capacitor is selected to reduce the power provided to the fan compared with the primary power loop and so the fan runs at a lower speed compared with when connected directly to the primary power loop in the ON position .

When the primary heater is switched to the OFF position the secondary power loop 200 is disconnected from the mains primary power loop. The secondary power loop is not active and so the fan is not activated.

When the fan 50 is switched in an OFF position, the electrical connections of the system cause the extractor fan 50 to be activated upon activation of heat lamp 1 via the capacitor. The activation of the primary heat lamp powers the extractor fan via the capacitor in the secondary power loop and the fan runs at a lower speed. When the fan is switched to the ON position, it runs at full speed being powered by the mains power loop 100 independent of whether the primary heater is ON or OFF.

As discussed above, the electrical circuit requires that the secondary heat lamp can only be activated when the primary heat lamp is active.

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The separate light 40 within the unit is independently connected to primary power loop 100. The light is connected between an ON or OFF position and operates independently of the other components in the unit.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the components of the unit described in relation to the figures are not restrictive but that additional light or heat lamps could be incorporated into units. An advantage provided by the embodiments described above is that the extractor fan is always active when the primary heat lamp is active. The incorporation of the capacitor in the secondary power loop controls the level of power to the extractor fan when the fan is activated in the OFF position VIA the heat lamp. By running at a reduced power the system provides a level of heat extraction and ventilation around the heat lamps in order that units do not overheat or become dangerously hot in the vicinity of the heat lamps.

The size of capacitor can be selected depending on the particular requirements of the system. The size of the capacitor determines the speed at which the fan runs when connected in the OFF position with the primary heater being active. In certain embodiments, the secondary power loop may not include a capacitor at all. In such situations the extractor fan would be directly connected to the primary power loop via the primary heat lamp when the primary heat lamp is activated and the fan is in the OFF position and the fan would run at full speed when the primary heat lamp is activated.

Electrical connections to the unit may be made directly onto the unit or made via a supplementary connection system. Figure 2 a connection terminal 220 is position on

11691312_1 (GHMatters) P90934.AU.1 the unit to control the actively switched connections to the various components. The system also includes a quick connect terminal box 230. The quick connect terminal box provides a physical connection between the field wiring of the house or building and the unit. Benefits of using quick connect terminal blocks is that field wiring does not need to be terminated directly onto the unit to make the installation process more straightforward, particularly with heavy and large units. Figure 1 includes quick connect terminal box 70 which can be connected directly into field wiring.

The system may be controlled via a remote control unit shown in Figure 2. The remote control system 300 connects via a remote controlled infrared receiver 310 wired into the unit. The remote control system controls the switches on each of the components within the units 20, 30, 40, 50. The remote control system may be provided as an alternative to a physical switch system.

The system may also have steam sensors connected to the electronics in order that when steam is detected in the vicinity of the unit the extractor fan is activated.

The unit may also include thermal cut out switches incorporated into the electrical circuit. If the temperature of the unit or of a particular heat light exceeds a predetermined temperature then the thermal cut out is activated to disconnect the heat lamp. The thermal cut out switch is preferably a thermal switch which opens when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature and closes again when the temperature drops to a suitable working temperature. Such switches are incorporated into the power circuit for the primary and secondary heat lights .

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2014277832 10 Sep 2019

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention provide the safety feature that heat lamps within a fan light heater cannot be activated without activating the extractor fan.

Embodiments of the invention provide flexibility around the power applied to the extractor fan based on the size of the capacitor in the secondary power loop. Users not wishing to activate the extractor fan at full power are provided with the benefit of extraction while not experiencing some of the disadvantages associated with extractor fans running at full power, for example noise and increased air flow.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims :

1. A fan heater unit comprising an extractor fan and an electric heater, the extractor fan being selectively connected between an ON and OFF position, wherein the unit is configured such that when the extractor fan is connected in the OFF position it becomes activated upon activation of the electric heater at a lower speed compared with when it is connected in the ON position, wherein the extractor fan is connected to a primary power circuit when connected in the ON position and is connected to a secondary power circuit when connected in the OFF position, and the secondary power circuit provides reduced power compared with the primary power circuit.
2. A fan heater unit according to claim 1 wherein the secondary power circuit is activated upon activation of the electric heater.
3. A fan heater unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the secondary power circuit includes a capacitor, the capacitor being connected between the fan and the primary power circuit via the electric heater when the electric heater is active.
4. A fan heater unit according to any preceding claim wherein the capacitor is 1.5 micro Farad.
5. A fan heater unit according to any preceding claim further comprising a second electric heater, the second electric heater having an activation switch being selectively connected between an ON and OFF position, wherein the activation switch is activated upon activation of the electric heater.
6. A fan heater unit according to any preceding claim wherein the fan heater unit is a ceiling mountable fan heater unit.